politics and shoes and a media hiatus for me

I'm going to be taking a small break from reading and watching things related to US politics for a while. I have to do this every once in a while because I start to get very frustrated and annoyed with people. Even though I usually stick to The Daily Show, Bill Maher, and misc online sources for my news that keeps my admittedly low upsetness threshold from being reached. But after this week of RNC bullshit theater definitely surpassed that threshold and I'm having trouble looking people in the eye right now because I can't help assuming they're the assholes that will be voting for Bush and wanting to smack them. This is not healthy so a break is in order.

We all have our built-in prejudices and these days it just seems to get more polarized.

Of course I think the Bush camp is being horrible and mean-spirited and manipulative as all hell. While other people seem to think Kerry is a schmoozer and a liar and wears flip flops.

Granted, they're not the most attractive of shoes but I wouldn't not vote for a president just because of his footwear. Scratch that, I probably wouldn't vote for someone who wore those springy shoes I've seen around they're kind of silly and I think we'd have a serious diplomacy problem with Italy if anyone over there saw our leader wearing a pair of them. They're quite prejudiced about the footwear there, believe me, and they have every right to be their shoes are fabulous things.

Yeah. So. I'm taking a mental health break from political stuff for a bit. It's for the best trust me.

*tongue in cheek foot in mouth*

At the Food King with Bluto and Pootie-Poot

George Bush follows the great moronic frat-boy tradition of stupid nicknames...in the White House. Betcha the Lincoln bedroom now hosts some great beer bong kegger toga parties.

Thank you sir but I'd really rather not have another term.

/stupid Animal House references.

what's the target market here?

As most people probably know by now New Mexico is a swing state which basically means that our electoral votes could go either way in November. While we don't hold a large number of votes, one-fifth of Florida's for example, they're desperate for any vote they can get so we are subject to a LOT of political ads.

I'm immune to them because, well, I'd vote for a soggy old paper bag before I'd vote for Bush and because I don't listen to local radio or watch local tv very much at all. I'm not in the car often and these days my radio is streamed in commercial-free on the puter. Directv doesn't pipe in local commercials on their channels . And the only thing I watch that's broadcast on a local station is The Ellen Degeneres Show and I Tivo that so I usually just skip through the commercials.

But even with a fast forward button I can't help noticing the sheer volume of Bush ads that are played during her hour-long show. Almost every commercial break there's that little poo-throwing monkey voice. "Ahm George Bush and Ah approve of this message." I'm sure it's not an accident. But considering the seriously anti-gay messages of the administration I can't help wondering exactly what the thought process was behind buying those slots.

It's clear Ellen has worked very hard to keep her show upbeat without getting mired in depressing issues - or any real issues other than being funny. I can't say I really blame her after what happened when her sitcom did take on a major issue in her life.

In fact, my hometown has the dubious honor of being the only ABC affiliate that did not show the 'coming out' episode. Thankfully I'd already fled for the wilds of New Mexico five years before - it only cemented my resolve to not go back.

"Any-who," as Ellen says, as mild as her subject matter appears there's usually at least one wink and nudge to her sexual orientation during the show. And from what I've noticed it's not the housewives folding laundry and watching daytime tv who give much of a shit about gay issues. It's the conservative white husbands who feel oh-so threatened by the prospect of gay marriage.

In an informal poll I took in the most conservative spot I've ever been to in New Mexico, my in-laws' house in Los Lunas, the mil and aunts answered with a resounding, "I just don't see what the big deal is," while the fil and uncles made shifty uncomfortable faces that the issue had been brought up at all and clearly wondered to themselves what Harry and Ruth had done to Cody for him to marry such a communist freak.

So do the Bush ad-buyers really think that the people who like watching Ellen are going to have short-term memory loss and forget that the woman they like to laugh with would likely be struck down by the hand of god if Bush had any say in it? Sadly, the 'average' American isn't thinking about terrorism, women's rights, the economy, or equal marriage rights unless it affects their immediate world. And I think Bush might be making a mistake if he's going to try forcing loyal daytime tv viewers to choose between one of their favorite shows and his staunch agendas.

I also think whoever's in charge of ad-buying for Kerry should consider writing a few checks for this slot as well. But I have to admit his track record on same-sex marriage doesn't hold up to much scrutiny either.

eh?

George Bush in a recent Time Magazine interview: Iraq was a "catastrophic success."

John Edwards responds in the Washington Post (login: egeltje@egeltje.org pword: egeltje) : "I, like most Americans, have no idea what that means."

if you'd want to get any there

Mr. Sun!: RNC: How to score at the convention.

my favorite: Before sex, spin it as a preemptive strike motivated by an imminent threat of not getting your freak on. After sex, point out that it turned out good, so what the hell is she whining about?

it's chotime folks

Oh on friday we bought our tickets for the Margaret Cho show in Santa Fe. yay

I wanted to clarify (because a good friend, bless her heart, expressed concern over the state of my marriage) that this male friend I've been mentioning lately is

No worries folks the geek love is still a'churnin

Ben Barnes

Watch the Former Lt Govenor of Texas who was admittedly responsible for getting GWB, and many other rich sons, into the National Guard apologize and support Kerry's patriotism in both volunteering to go to Vietnam and protesting what he saw when he got back.

son-of-a-bush

hee

rooftop revolt

The Village Voice's guide to the RNC

bleh

experiencing super fun sinus infection - cold thing.

In the meantime watch Bush debate himself

the weaker sex eh?

Knitters for Kerry

Knitters against Bush

Librarians against Bush

shop the vote

WalMart (Bush) vs. Costco (Kerry)

Really interesting comparison between Wal-Mart's target audience and business practices and those of Costco's - and who they will likely vote for.

How to start your week with a positive outlook

1. Open a new file in your PC
2. Name it "George W. Bush"
3. Send it to the trash
4. Empty the trash
5. Your PC will ask you: "Do you really want to get rid of
George W. Bush?"
6. Answer calmly, "Yes," and press the mouse button

I totally stole this from What the Hell Happened Last Night

never thought I'd say this in a bagillion years...

Ron Reagan, Jr is now my secret boyfriend

no mini me we do not gnaw on our kitty

I totally stole this from motorcitybadkitty

uh no that's not what's causing it

So my weekly email from Mary Shonon, the resident thyroid disease activist at about.com, has published an article about the National Enquirer claiming that Linda Rondstadt's Political Statements are Because She's "Unstable, Unhinged" By Thyroid Condition.

Err well it is the National Enquirer not, like, a real news source but it is kind of annoying the misconceptions people have about thyroid conditions. Like it would affect your political views - aside from the whole socialized medicine / medicare / prescription issues.

My personal experience with hypothyroidism has involved extreme fatigue, to the point where if I didn't take my thyroid and depression meds all I want to do is sleep, a turtle-like metabolism even on the meds, and without the hormones I catch any cold, flu, or infection that comes anywhere near me and get magnified symptoms from it. And really dry hair.

But while the thyroid condition may or may not be genetic liberalism comes from a good upbringing and hard work at conceptual and logical thought.

miss manners outclasses an inquisitive idiot.

Marriage Titles Revisited (washingtonpost.com)

snagged from Gene Cowan

cemetery song is worth the wait

I've never been on Disney's Haunted Mansion ride but I know it can't be nearly as scary as this.

ooh and the credit song is great too.

eek

Now I'm actually kind of glad our favorite pizza place, Poppi's (they don't have a website), has stopped using a computer for orders so now we have to repeat our address every time we call because the ACLU thinks this might be what ordering a pizza will be like in the future. Scary. Maybe we should move to The Netherlands. But none of that 'cracking an egg' on top nonsense that's ucky!

snagged from newmexiken

prepare for head explosion...

The Roe Effect - An op-ed piece in the friggin WSJ that proposes that Gore lost in 2000 because too many Democrats had abortions. This has been my motto for the day and I'll say it one more time: Asshat Fucktard.

I think this guy has the best analysis of the article.

stolen from the neil gaiman board

Dear George

A collection of open letters written to the President. You can write one to him too. There are some very interesting stories being told here in a bipartisan forum.

middle ages revisited

Medical leeches are back in fashion..and FDA Approved.
Next thing you know people will head for the middle east and start torturing and forcing their beliefs on the citizens and we'll have another crusades on our hands...heeeey wait a minute!

notes from the kerry meetup

This was my first meetup on any topic and it went pretty well. We showed up late because we'd had gone to the gym first. That was our second trip to the gym this week yay for us!

So this is pretty much what we talked about-

What is the Green Agenda? How to address it.

KUNM - Station

Download Maureen Dowd's column on the NY Times and forward it

Veterans Group - 505 830-3650- John McWaters - Veteran

Sierra Club House Parties

Sponsor a bi-partisan political-themed art party / juried show

Veterans publish a group letter to ABQ Journal-Tribune

Organize days when veterans call into KKOB

It is important that Kerry start talking about women's issues

If you go to Farenheit 911, applaud

Bring up issues with strangers including medical care and women's issues

Equal pay for equal work is not a reality

Has your life really been badly impacted since Massachusetts passed the law on gay marraige? Are you worse off than you were four years ago? Really, what is their problem?

Why are some people hesitant to display their preference for Kerry?

Talk and email to people in other states, non disruptively

Vote for Romero against Heather

Support John Hooker (www.hooker4senate.org) (he's not in my district)

keeping tabs?

In the spirit of last year's extremely well thought-out (yeah right) boycotting of French products a website has been keeping track of which companies are 'offshoring'.

I think it's an interesting thing when people make consumer decisions based on various rumors or set beliefs. Like when I decided not to join curves - despite an interesting way some women have found a compromise. Or deciding to not order from Dominoes, quitting eating at Carls jr - aside from the obvious health reasons.

But in this world of giant conglomerates you might need to do a good amount of research to see exactly where your money goes and I wouldn't trust just one source.

two interesting additions to yesterday's thoughts -
church and state and pray for reason

can't sleep..too...much...40 spice..hummus

neener neener neenerneenerneener

Weirdo Music

This post has inspired me to work on being more supportive of the people that get out there and stand up to the mean neocon mutherfuckers even though it pretty much guarantees them heaps of abuse and emails chock full of painfully misspelled assumptions about their sexual practices. While I think that going on fox news won't neccesarily reach the oh my god I'm surrounded by 'moh-rons' liberals - I can't even watch the allegedly liberal CNN there's no way I could stomach Fox - his intentions appear to be sincere.
In any case it goes along with practice of not just calling the manager to complain but to compliment a good employee too. I've tried to cultivate this since those dreaded customer service phone job days. So maybe I should find a way to do this with my politics as well.

That said, I'm going to do two things this week - go to the kerry meetup and drag my hermit-like husband to a movie for the first time in four years.

While I'm not the biggest fan of Kerry the first step is to get that evil little poo throwing monkey out of the white house then we can start fixing some of the damage to our reputation with other countries and maybe, just maybe try to separate church doctrine from our states' laws?

While on the subject of religion Mac posted a veery interesting link which intimates that divorce rates are higher among judeo-christian couples. According to this report (which is missing out on a good number of variables imho) you're more likely to remain married if you are from the northeast US, are over 72, don't believe in god, and your odds increase considerably if you get married in a mass-marrying ceremony. Oookay

Here's what a spokesperson for "American Atheists" had to say: These findings confirm what I have been saying these last five years. Since Atheist ethics are of a higher calibre than religious morals, it stands to reason that our families would be dedicated more to each other than to some invisible monitor in the sky. With Atheism, women and men are equally responsible for a healthy marriage. There is no room in Atheist ethics for the type of 'submissive' nonsense preached by Baptists and other Christian and/or Jewish groups. Atheists reject, and rightly so, the primitive patriarchal attitudes so prevalent in many religions with respect to marriage. I'm sure there was a more diplomatic way of putting that.

What do you do when you're stuck on Antarctica? Make Boxbots!

get past the velvet underground or you'll miss your bar mitzvah

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting

And did I just see friggin Adrian Brody selling Diet Coke? Wherefore art thou my old punk rock secret boyfriend?

rockstar

In personal news-

I bought a few bathing suits for the first time in fifteen years so I could swim at the gym I joined a few weeks ago. I wore one tonight at my friend's apartmenthouse pool. The water was very cold but I swam anyway. It was fun. Most of them are old-timey with little skirts and halter tops and are quite cute in an Esther Williams kinda way. I'm even thinking about getting one of these hilarious flowery swimcaps to complete the ensemble.

I also bought new underpants so at this very moment the word "Rockstar" is on my butt in pink with little rhinestones. I'm starting to get into this tacky underwear trend.

We now get local channels via satellite but only on the tivo receiver the others are way too old - like from 1997. So now I can actually watch current Ellen Degeneres shows! Although it seems to be on hiatus at the moment.

I have many episodes of Monk to watch on the tivo. Six Feet Under just isn't as fun without Aaron's overanalysis but at least the new guy is prompt.

I got my dad a gift certificate for itunes for father's day. With that and a few months of netflix from my sister he's mr cool online dad. Mom got another year's subscription to the online wsj and flowers. Aren't my geeky parents cute?

I've been playing poker on pogo a lot so come see me there - I'm nolnoodle1972. Also I have a few free guest passes to the ClubPogo service so let me know and I'll send you one.

Also I've been meaning to add my im account info to the page but keep forgetting so I'll try to remember to do that in a minute.

The birthday present poll is still up but I'm kind of thinking about a nicer 4+ megapixel digital camera now rather than an ipod.

I'm going to try to get to the Satellite Coffee Kerry Meetup since we came too late for Moveon.org's bake sale a few months back. Hopefully they have the same pet-friendly policies as their Flying Star franchises.

Non-personal news-

Republican National Convention outsourced fundraising calls to India

via this and this site

Interesting sites I've visited recently are tolerance.org, the Anti Defamation League, Harvard's really cool Project Implicit and Gear that gives. It's a long story what I was looking into there but if you've never been to these sites they are definitely worth a look.

I was watching an odd 1942 Cary Grant / Ginger Rogers movie called Once Upon a Honeymoon the other night and it was such a cool surprise to hear Rogers recite the original pledge of allegiance.

we're so money baby

Meet the Swingers!

two princes

To me he was a man who made some good and some bad decisions that affected the country I live in but he presented enough of a tough guy stance to impress the kinds of people who are impressed with that shit. I think he lived in the sheltered unreal bullshit world most politicians do - where the real-life issues of paying bills, making dinner, or finding a doctor under the new confusing health plan just don't apply anymore, if they ever did. And yet they make decisions that affect our daily lives.

But, hey, he accomplished a lot with his life, right and wrong, and one has to respect that. I'm very sorry his last years were spent suffering a cruel disease but 93 years is a good long life and he won't be forgotten - by people that loved or hated him.

I knew this was going to happen. Sadly my first thought when he died was a sarcastic "oh great, now the Republicans will have a patron saint." Then I admonished myself for being so callous and politically-minded all the damn time.

So is this exploitation or tribute? C'mon let's step away from our respective comfy political corners and really look at this from neutral ground if that's possible.

Are you getting a sincere vibe from that page? Or do you get the creepy feeling that this is a just another way to campaign for re-election (thanks, mac)?

Bear with me a sec.

Politicians lie and we all know it - it's usually the liar that appears to be the least hypocritical to the most people that seems to get elected. So let's take a look at the way our two mainstream presidential candidates have chosen to honor a former president.

Bush - an entire splash page with speech excerpts, a place for posts, a large quote from Bush about Reagan which is full of the usual saccharine dedication nonsense with a a link to a larger statement by Bush with more complimentary vagaries that could conceivably been written about a good number of people. But no real references to what he did in office - good or bad.

Kerry - a small 'below the fold' photo of a flag at half-mast and 'in memoriam' link to a press release where Kerry is quoted with specific memories of the good things Reagan did for this country.

Imagine two guys are proposing to you. One rents a gigantic billboard with standard compliments that you've heard him give to lots of other girls. The other writes you a letter outlining his favorite memories of time he's spent with you. Which one would you accept?

bushgame

A combination comic book, video game, gritty anime, economics course, and anti-bush campaign in one! Best use of flash ever.

BUSHGAME.COM - THE ANTI-BUSH ONLINE ADVENTURE

Play Hulk Hogan, Mr T, He-man, to name a few, fighting the evil doings of the "compassionate conservatives". Beware the evil Bush-clan-spawning Barbara Bush and the missle-throwing mercedes driving Paris Hilton! :0

please seat money at the same table as mouth

On the way to the graduation ceremony at UNM law yesterday we passed a car on the highway covered with bumper stickers on the back - things like "Think globally act locally", "No War", "No blood for oil", "Visualize Whirled Peas" ...you get the idea. Wanna know what kind of car it was? A big giant honkin Ford Expedition. Fucking hypocrites.

Things I've been reading today

And do you know why I think he is so pissed off at Arabs? They invented algebra. Arabs also invented the numbers we use, including a symbol for nothing, which nobody else had ever had before. You think Arabs are dumb? Try doing long division with Roman numerals.
-Kurt Vonnegut on Christianity, Greed, Alcoholism, Exploitation, Addictions, Entertainment, and hypocracy

We wouldn't laugh at FDR because he couldn't walk. Is it less cruel to laugh at GWB because he can't talk? The soft bigotry of low expectations means Bush is seen to outperform by merely getting by. Finally, elitist condescension, however merited, helps cement Bush's bond to the masses.

But if "numskull" is an imprecise description of the president, it is not altogether inaccurate. Bush may not have been born stupid, but he has achieved stupidity, and now he wears it as a badge of honor.

Jacob Weisberg on Bush's practiced accomplishments in 'mock' stupidity

Does the failure to reprimand Gen Boykin's remarks about his God being the "real one" give the soldiers implicit permission to demean already de-humanized prisoners?

Using network connection monikers to campaign against Bush!

The photographic history of Bush putting his mouth where his money isn't

more

The bible states that you will know them by their fruits. The fruits of this administration have been death, hatred, derision, and a complete and utter disregard for those less fortunate. Don't freaking tell me this man is a Christian. If he is a true Christian, and not using your religion as a smoke screen, then he wouldn't act this way.
-one of the best weblog/journal entries I've read on this yet

Two articles about suspicious denials of students' right to vote on their college campuses.

this is corporate america in a nutshell

from The Onion- America's finest News Source**

Halliburton Employee's Pay Docked For Weeks Spent As Hostage
BAGHDAD-Spokesmen for Halliburton International announced Monday that employee Thomas Hamill will not be paid for the three weeks he failed to fulfill his truck-driving duties while being held at gunpoint by Iraqi captors. "While we share your joy in regaining your freedom, we are forced to withhold your wages for the period of April 9 to May 2," read the official corporate reprimand, which reached Hamill in Germany as doctors treated his bullet wound. "A disciplinary slip noting your failure to report to work has been added to your employee file." Halliburton has not yet disclosed the amount Hamill is being charged for structural damage to the company truck he was shot in.

I really wouldn't be surprised if this actually happened. US Corporations are well-known for cold moves like this. And they currently have more protection under US law than the individual - which not only allows behavior like this it encourages it.

**the onion is a parody news site

bake back america!

love this!

Help out with a Bake Sale for Democracy

On Sat., April 17, all across the country, thousands of people will organize bake sales to raise money for MoveOn PAC's campaign to Take Back the White House. While George Bush raises money mostly from wealthy donors, we will demonstrate the broad-based grassroots support supporting MoveOn PAC and John Kerry.

I'm going to try to get by the one at the flying star on rio grande. Not much of a baker but at least I can buy something.

from the go fish

hmm

Remember that crazed justice in Alabama that wouldn't remove the ten commandments from his courtroom? He doesn't like Bush either.

While I'm always happy to see anti-Bush sentiments I'm not sure if I like being on the same side of the fence as this guy on any issue.

ashcroft kitten killers

Every time an attorney general subpoenas pron stars, god kills a kitten.

just desserts, Mr Ashcroft.

Seriously guys it's time to stop that passing laws to get in good with jesus thing. Even my in-laws are starting to wonder if the Bush clan has gone power mad and I never thought that would happen.

flashback to 4/4/2003

I ran across a rant I posted last year during the great Iraq debates on some Sim board where the predominant attitude was staunchly pro-war pro-Bush. It should be noted that all that blind flag waving on this back alley board at sims showcase is nowhere to be seen nowadays. Anyway here's a post that made me start to consider journalling again even thought it was over a year ago now.

I thought it was interesting to post.

I would like to point out that protesting what the decision-makers have decided to do and supporting the people who are following those decision-makers' orders are two COMPLETELY different things!!

I do not agree with this war!! That has NOTHING to do with how I feel about the men and women who are over there fighting.

WHY does it have to be that if someone doesn't agree with this military action it's assumed that he or she doesn't love their country, doesn't respect and admire the people who are brave enough to risk their LIVES, and their LIMBS fighting in the name of the United States.

WHY is it assumed that because I feel it's not a good thing that these young people, these brave young people, are risking their health and innocence by following orders that I think are WRONG that I have no feelings for the soldiers themselves?? WHY?? ON THE CONTRARY! I think the potential outcome of this war is NOT worth paying with their lives, legs, or innocence!!! If their lives must be at risk please make it be for a worthy cause - not the suspicious circumstances and false crusades this war seems to be about! It's the ORDERS I have a problem with NOT the people who are following them!!!


Don't anyone DARE call me unpatriotic for loving my country enough to not want it or any citizen in it risked for questionable reasons.


I understand that families that may lose their loved children, wives, or husbands have to believe that they're at risk for noble reasons. Really, I understand that but PLEASE don't assume that I don't love and support people in the military just because I disagree with what they've been told to do!

I have respectfully disagreed with our President. I have not called him names. All I have done is said "I do not think that is right."

I have not supported killing other people. I absolutely disagree with whomever had that sign about killing your superiors in the military or whatever it said. I think that sign was cruel, unnecessary and embarassing. So I don't absolutely agree with everyone who doesn't support this war either.

God help me I think for myself.

I believe in respect and thinking things through. I have done my best to show respect to others' feelings about these issues while still managing to get my honest feelings across and that has taken a lot out of me. Just because I choose to consider issues and think for myself rather than blindly agree to whatever my parents, some talk-show host, or even elected officials tell me I'm called unpatiotic.

Pretty damn sad if you ask me.



Here's something that my husband wrote the other day:

Pardon me.

Pardon me if my views strike you as "unpatriotic."

Pardon me if I choose to remember those who fought and died to preserve my rights by excercising those rights.

Pardon me if, in my day-to-day life, I feel that the President's attempts to strip away my "inalienable" rights-to stifle free speech (such as the student at St. John's College in Santa Fe who was interrogated for hours by the FBI minutes after allegedly threatening the President in an internet chat room), to remove our protection against unreasonable search and seizure (the "secret" FBI court and search warrants), to remove our right to a speedy trial (President's directives about "enemy combatants" - including US citizens), to remove our protection against unlawful arrest (AG Ashcroft's laws about quarantines, as well as the alleged "enemy combatants) - are more threatening than a man halfway around the world who, apparently has no missle that can fly more than ninety-three miles.

Pardon me if I find it odd that a group of people who, for the past thirty years have ardently supported our rights - such as the right to bear arms (which, if you read carefully, was given to ensure the ability to overthrow the government, should it become necessary)- seem to be the most vocal group in support of the repeal of those rights.

Pardon me if I cling to a simple phrase - "of the people, for the people and by the people"

Pardon me if I believe that the companies that benefit from a war should not be those who most closely tied to the people who are responsible for starting it.

Pardon me if I wish our soldiers were safe, here at home, rather than safe in a foreign country.

Please, pardon me if my opposition to the unprovoked attack of a foreign country offends your sense of patriotism.

I thought that was what America was all about.

Sorry for any typos I'm transcribing it here.

Ok, rant over, sorry if I offended anyone but I just couldn't handle being called unAmerican one-more-time without losing it.

4/6/2004
According to CNN, as of April 6, 2004 there have been 726 coalition deaths

About 8827 civilian deaths have been reported in Iraq as of April 6, 2004 according to a third-party monitoring website.

the famous mcdonalds coffee case

Every time I hear someone mention how litigious we are as a nation I inevitably end up hearing about that goddamned mcdonald's coffee case. Well I learned a bit more about that case last year and I think there are some things that need to be clarified.

Yes that case took place here in New Mexico. The plaintiff was an 80 year old woman who had to have reconstructive surgery on her genitalia. There was evidence that McDonald's had known the temperatures were hazardous for a long time and they had done nothing to regulate them even though some of their own employees had been injured. The huge sum that was awarded by the jury was amended by the judge in that case. It was not the millions that people always talk about. That poor woman now lives in abject embarrassment about the entire thing and is using the money that was awarded (after paying her medical and legal costs which weren't paltry sums) living completely alone afraid to leave her house because of stupid people that don't get all the facts and make all kinds of assumptions about this case. OK? This wasn't just some fucking moron that ruined a pair of jeans and decided to make McDonald's pay. There was a legitimate cause for suing them. And guess what? McDonald's makes DAMN sure each and every store has that coffee at non-hazardous temperatures now.

Why do juries award such a large amount? Why do Americans seem to sue corporations for insignificant reasons while other countries laugh about what idiotic crybabies we must be? I'm so glad you asked...

Corporations tend to have a hell of a lot more protection under US law than individuals. What's the one thing that will make them sit up and take notice? Money. These aren't companies that will change something because it's the right thing to do folks. Regardless of the ideals they might have had when the founder was alive these are not people that care about what's in your burger, where a shirt was made, the levels of toxicity in the plastic, or the quality of the manufacturing -- unless it will affect their bottom line.

Here's how things tend to work-

Thanks to a variety of insidious ad campaigns (don't get me started) your child wants a sparkly-eyed barb-e corbette for her birthday. You will do whatever it takes to make your child happy and even though it costs about 3 dollars in parts, labor, and shipping and now that toy costs 30 dollars retail to buy - you plan to get her one. Let's say you make minimum wage which is $5.15 an hour in most states right now. So you work about 6 hours to earn enough to buy your child that toy. Let's not worry about taxes and withholdings. You go buy that toy and give it to your child for her birthday. She's so happy! It's just what that ad campaign said a perfect life is all about having that sparkly-eyed barb-e corbette.

Two days later a wheel falls off and your child cries. Too damn bad the kind of terrain you were driving it on isn't covered under the warranty. Customer service blows you off because essentially their job is to get paid minimum wage to listen to you bitch about the length of the wait on the phone, how confusing the phone tree is to navigate, the cost of the toy, how cheaply built and useless it is, and other inequities of man without doing anything other than clucking sympathetically, lying about reporting your thoughts to the management, and getting you off the phone in under seven minutes. Trust me I've been that cs agent and if an agent tries to do much other than that they fire her for having long call times. You write an angry letter to the president of Mattelll - sparkly-eyed barb-e division. You get a form letter of apology with a coupon for a new sparkly outfit for your child's sparkly-eyed barb-e (cost to make? $ 1.50. cost to buy? $12.00.)

You're not satisfied and feel like the company is just blowing you off. You spent your hard-earned dollars on that toy and by god your child is going to have a working sparkly-eyed barb-e corbette. You write to a consumer rights group called, I dunno, sparkly-eyed barb-e is the bane of our existence or something. They collect information about a bunch of other sparkly-eyed barb-e corbette owners who have had similar problems and decide to start a media campaign about the problems people have been having with the wheels staying on. Not only is it a waste of money but there's a potential hazard there! People love hearing about potential hazards regardless of their legitimacy - that really makes them stand up and notice (right Mr Rumsfeld?) One or two local tv stations do a small story about what the consumer group is claiming. So the sparkly-eyed barb-e division of Mattelll releases a statement about how, to their knowledge, every sparkly-eyed barb-e corbette passes a quality control test and they don't release them from the factory without a cursory child stress test. The consumer group pushes harder and has people standing outside Toys? C Us with signs that say things like "I bought my child a sparkly-eyed barb-e corbette and all I have left is a small plastic wheel to throw at your head". That affects the sales a little bit but not enough for the Mattelll people to do anything about it yet.

The consumer group manages to get enough information and people together to file a class action suit with the sparkly-eyed barb-e division of Mattelll citing insidious pricing practices and substandard manufacturing or something. And each plaintiff gets a small sum awarded to them but it adds up to millions for Mattelll. Mattelll either stops making those stupid corbettes altogether or more likely sends them off to China to be manufactured by tiny hands so the wheels stay on longer and the cost of labor is even cheaper. Meanwhile your child has far outgrown any use of the sparkly-eyed barb-e corbette and is now studying for her calculus exam at the state university and you've lost your minimum wage paying job because of the time you had to take off work to go to court. Not an ideal outcome really but that's the way things tend to run here.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while it may seem like we should take off the "birth control pills go in your mouth, you moron" labels and let Darwinism and high cholesterol weed out the population a bit some cases are legitimate and not everyone that sues a large corporation over something that might seem insignificant is a big crybaby. The process of being a citizen/consumer in the US is a frustrating one. And while the ultimate answer might be to stop consuming quite so much there's a long process and a lot of fighting that one has to go through to make decisions like that worthwhile. And not a lot of people take the time to wonder if shopping really is the patriotic anti-terrorist thing that some people tell them it is. All they know is they spent their hard-earned money on something that was faulty and it made their child cry.

Note that I spelled things like barb-e, corbette, and Mattelll incorrectly on purpose, I'm not a lawyer, and I didn't vote for Nader.

news and my mental health

With Bill Maher in his hiatus I was only going to have the Daily Show and phone conversations with my dad for acceptable ways to hear the news. NPR is cool but it usually just depresses me. There's a fine line that divides news I can hear and think about and news that makes me want to go get in the bathtub and cry for the next eight years...

Oddly enough listening to scary right-wing talk radio has been known to help me with my panic attacks when driving because they make me so angry. Of course I'm not dreaming! I wouldn't dream creepy people like that, right? Helps with those dissociative feelings that's for sure.

But for the most part I try to not upset myself in that way because then I start to get a chilling feeling that most people in the US are like that. Although it seems that spending a healthy amount of time with UNM law students helps allay those fears :)

So I was pretty excited to hear about Air America Radio then I discovered they were only going live in three cities. It will take years before it gets to New Mexico. But guess what? They're doing live streaming from their website! Wheee! And it's actually working today! Yaay! Been listening to the O'Franken factor! This is so fun!

terror alert collection

I want to start a collection of terror alert displays. These are the ones I've seen so far.

found on luka's page.
It's the peanut butter jelly time guy! Some days I still get that song stuck in my head.

found on crankydragon's page.

I'm sure there are a bunch of others out there. Care to tip me off?

Sandoval County

I received this from my best friend who's in law school at unm. This was written by the partner of a woman that works there. I hope it's ok to post this but I find it such a striking work.

March 23, 2004

Saddened but undeterred we move away
They can make me cry
But they can never make me stop fighting for justice.

------------------------------------

With my sister's wedding one month from today and two family weddings coming up this summer it really makes me think about people who have been together 27 years but are told by their government that their relationships are not valid. They pay the same taxes we do. Follow the same laws. Eat the same food. They may or may not worship the same God(s) but there's no guarantee that heterosexuals do either *winkwink*.

The fact that people love each other and want to make the statement before the world -- "This one. This person for the rest of my life." -- should be enough. Is it sheer luck that I happened to fall in love with a man and was able to marry him legally? What if only same-sex couples were legal and heterosexual couples were illegal?

There are so many sham marriages out there -- what was that reality show 'Who wants to marry a millionaire"? I don't watch reality shows like that but I think that's what it was. How long did that marriage last? A day? The only qualification that was required was that the guy have money it seems - and that didn't turn out to be true right? And that marriage is somehow more valid than a couple who's been loving and living and shopping and fighting and cleaning and laughing together for 27 years? I don't get it. I just don't get it.