alt="Just as I thought." height="200" width="850" border="0"> September 12, 2008
01:49 pm
Smells like Volkswagen
It seems like so long ago now, but it was only 2 weeks ago that my car got wrecked -- although "wrecked" seems like the wrong word, considering that it didn't have a scratch in the paint and the only obvious damage was the blown tire and deployed air bags.
While I was still under the impression that I'd be back in my little TT within a month, I heard a quiet "frame damage" whisper early on so I started laying the groundwork in case I needed a new car. Only 4 days ago I got the official word from the insurance company that my car had been totaled. Luckily, I'd been looking at cars last weekend and already secured a loan just in case.
I started by looking at a Prius (I've already owned two different models since 2000), a VW Beetle and Jetta, Honda's Element and Scion's Xb. I finally settled on the Jetta, but the mileage on that car is pretty bad -- 21 to 29, with the majority of drivers reporting results nearer the 21 mark. Hell, my TT averaged 27! Then, it was pointed out to me that the new diesel version was getting EPA estimates of 40 and some people were reporting mileage in the 50s. That clinched it for me. While I did like my Priuses, I decided to go this different route. Bonus: the Jetta TDI qualifies for a nice tax credit.
Hitch: no dealer had the one I wanted. I didn't want much, just metallic gray with navigation and automatic. But car manufacturers are like cable companies: you want a certain channel, you have to take all the ones you don't want.
Tip:
If you know someone who is insanely type-A, loves bullying and pushing salespeople around, then by all means let them find your car and negotiate the price. Thanks, Jann.
After pitting dealer against dealer, searching all of northern California, it looked like I was not only going to miss out on the gray car, but any car that was available wouldn't arrive for weeks. And my rental car was running out fast. Then, some kind of miracle -- a dealer in Sunnyvale had a car that, while not exactly what I wanted, was a close enough fit that I pounced.
And so, exactly two weeks after my TT was wrecked, I picked up a 2009 Jetta TDI Loyal Edition, silver with all the options.
I am literally woozy from the new car fumes. I don't remember that new car smell being so noxious, the plastic outgassing is giving me a huge headache. But some of the other features are putting a smile on my face after a few weeks of stress and uncertainty.
Like the stereo. Because it has a navigation system, it includes a hard drive. Once the maps are loaded on the hard drive the left over space (17gb!) is available for anything you want to store on it. So, I burned a DVD-R of MP3 files from iTunes, and the system copied the files to the drive. It's basically like having an iPod built in to the car -- no more swapping CDs, all my music is already stored in the car itself. Very cool.
The TDI gets high mileage and is very clean. It's kind of anal-retentive, in the classic sense: it traps and holds the usual diesel pollution, and burns it off within the engine eliminating those noxious emissions. It is so clean that it is exempt from smog testing, like the Prius. it doesn't have that characteristically loud diesel noise and knocking, and the ride -- while not as smooth as American land yachts or Japanese sedans -- is far less rough than my Audi was.
Still to be seen is how fuel efficient it turns out to be, but in the one day I've had it it's already bested my TT by about 10mpg. Right there, it's already saved me about 4¢ per mile. And this is just the first 20 miles... over time I'm told the mileage will improve significantly.
And that's the story. In a few short days I went from a two-seater convertible roadster to a four-door clean-burning sedan.
And a car payment for the first time in nearly a decade.
It seems like so long ago now, but it was only 2 weeks ago that my car got wrecked -- although "wrecked" seems like the wrong word, considering that it didn't have a scratch in the paint and the only obvious damage was the blown tire and deployed air bags.
While I was still under the impression that I'd be back in my little TT within a month, I heard a quiet "frame damage" whisper early on so I started laying the groundwork in case I needed a new car. Only 4 days ago I got the official word from the insurance company that my car had been totaled. Luckily, I'd been looking at cars last weekend and already secured a loan just in case.
I started by looking at a Prius (I've already owned two different models since 2000), a VW Beetle and Jetta, Honda's Element and Scion's Xb. I finally settled on the Jetta, but the mileage on that car is pretty bad -- 21 to 29, with the majority of drivers reporting results nearer the 21 mark. Hell, my TT averaged 27! Then, it was pointed out to me that the new diesel version was getting EPA estimates of 40 and some people were reporting mileage in the 50s. That clinched it for me. While I did like my Priuses, I decided to go this different route. Bonus: the Jetta TDI qualifies for a nice tax credit.
Hitch: no dealer had the one I wanted. I didn't want much, just metallic gray with navigation and automatic. But car manufacturers are like cable companies: you want a certain channel, you have to take all the ones you don't want.
Tip:
If you know someone who is insanely type-A, loves bullying and pushing salespeople around, then by all means let them find your car and negotiate the price. Thanks, Jann.
After pitting dealer against dealer, searching all of northern California, it looked like I was not only going to miss out on the gray car, but any car that was available wouldn't arrive for weeks. And my rental car was running out fast. Then, some kind of miracle -- a dealer in Sunnyvale had a car that, while not exactly what I wanted, was a close enough fit that I pounced.
And so, exactly two weeks after my TT was wrecked, I picked up a 2009 Jetta TDI Loyal Edition, silver with all the options.
I am literally woozy from the new car fumes. I don't remember that new car smell being so noxious, the plastic outgassing is giving me a huge headache. But some of the other features are putting a smile on my face after a few weeks of stress and uncertainty.
Like the stereo. Because it has a navigation system, it includes a hard drive. Once the maps are loaded on the hard drive the left over space (17gb!) is available for anything you want to store on it. So, I burned a DVD-R of MP3 files from iTunes, and the system copied the files to the drive. It's basically like having an iPod built in to the car -- no more swapping CDs, all my music is already stored in the car itself. Very cool.
The TDI gets high mileage and is very clean. It's kind of anal-retentive, in the classic sense: it traps and holds the usual diesel pollution, and burns it off within the engine eliminating those noxious emissions. It is so clean that it is exempt from smog testing, like the Prius. it doesn't have that characteristically loud diesel noise and knocking, and the ride -- while not as smooth as American land yachts or Japanese sedans -- is far less rough than my Audi was.
Still to be seen is how fuel efficient it turns out to be, but in the one day I've had it it's already bested my TT by about 10mpg. Right there, it's already saved me about 4¢ per mile. And this is just the first 20 miles... over time I'm told the mileage will improve significantly.
And that's the story. In a few short days I went from a two-seater convertible roadster to a four-door clean-burning sedan.
And a car payment for the first time in nearly a decade.
September 06, 2008
10:59 pm
First America, then the world! Bwah ha ha ha ha!!
It suddenly struck me: this Doctor Who episode from 1974 was eerily prescient in its depiction of a certain woman.
It suddenly struck me: this Doctor Who episode from 1974 was eerily prescient in its depiction of a certain woman.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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08:44 pm
See? There WERE minorities on the floor at the GOP convention
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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03:24 pm
There’s no shortage of other porn stars to write about, don’t worry
So, I got a call today from a porn star. Seriously.
Well, a former porn star who now, in a world-weary voice, says that he is ashamed of his past career now that he is a born-again Christian.
Now, we all know what I think of born-again Christians. But I am also true to my more liberal live-and-let-live beliefs, and it's not like he called to proselytize or demonize me. Except for that moment when he made note of the fact that I must have "dabbled" in porn to have recognized who he was.
Anyway.
I wrote a blog entry about three years ago about this certain porn actor and where I had seen him in mainstream media, commenting on that dual life. It wasn't in any way an important entry, it didn't touch much on any moral issues (unless you are adamantly opposed to pornography, in which case I say get over it) and sort of showed that he was more than just a hot body. Still, I have deleted that entry now despite my slight first amendment qualms about doing so. I guess the way I look at it is this way: no one is forcing me to remove an entry from this blog, the Constitution -- such as it is these days -- is not threatened by my decision to do so, and this is certainly not a journalistic endeavor by any means. So, it's gone.
The sad thing is that he probably wouldn't ever have seen my little blog if it hadn't been linked to by another site. Such is the internet, and I'm afraid that if he believes that he'll be able to excise all evidence of his past from the net he's sorely deluded. Porn lives forever, especially in the digital realm. All those hours of footage are out there, for free or for sale, on DVD and the net, everywhere. One entry removed from one small blog -- especially a blog where no one turns to for porn in the first place -- isn't going to make a difference. Still, I don't mind removing it for him since he asked so nicely. No prob, pal. But it is my policy to inform readers (you know, like I'm an ethical journalist) that an edit has been made. I just won't disclose what or who the edit was about.
Oh, I could tell you his name, post the voice mail message, give out his phone number and all that, but I'm a nice guy.
REALLY, I am. STOP SNICKERING.
It is interesting, though. Over the years I have had a number of D list (or lower) celebrities call or email asking me to remove an entry about them for one reason or another. The first was the HGTV designer who was concerned that my blog came up first in Google when searching for his name as he was about to launch a new show. There have been quite a few ordinary people in the news doing extraordinarily stupid things then asking me to delete entries -- in those cases, I do it if they are genuinely nice people; some have threatened to sic lawyers on me which makes me laugh and then highlight how ridiculous they are even more so than if they'd kept their mouth shut. But never a porn star. Cool.
So, I got a call today from a porn star. Seriously.
Well, a former porn star who now, in a world-weary voice, says that he is ashamed of his past career now that he is a born-again Christian.
Now, we all know what I think of born-again Christians. But I am also true to my more liberal live-and-let-live beliefs, and it's not like he called to proselytize or demonize me. Except for that moment when he made note of the fact that I must have "dabbled" in porn to have recognized who he was.
Anyway.
I wrote a blog entry about three years ago about this certain porn actor and where I had seen him in mainstream media, commenting on that dual life. It wasn't in any way an important entry, it didn't touch much on any moral issues (unless you are adamantly opposed to pornography, in which case I say get over it) and sort of showed that he was more than just a hot body. Still, I have deleted that entry now despite my slight first amendment qualms about doing so. I guess the way I look at it is this way: no one is forcing me to remove an entry from this blog, the Constitution -- such as it is these days -- is not threatened by my decision to do so, and this is certainly not a journalistic endeavor by any means. So, it's gone.
The sad thing is that he probably wouldn't ever have seen my little blog if it hadn't been linked to by another site. Such is the internet, and I'm afraid that if he believes that he'll be able to excise all evidence of his past from the net he's sorely deluded. Porn lives forever, especially in the digital realm. All those hours of footage are out there, for free or for sale, on DVD and the net, everywhere. One entry removed from one small blog -- especially a blog where no one turns to for porn in the first place -- isn't going to make a difference. Still, I don't mind removing it for him since he asked so nicely. No prob, pal. But it is my policy to inform readers (you know, like I'm an ethical journalist) that an edit has been made. I just won't disclose what or who the edit was about.
Oh, I could tell you his name, post the voice mail message, give out his phone number and all that, but I'm a nice guy.
REALLY, I am. STOP SNICKERING.
It is interesting, though. Over the years I have had a number of D list (or lower) celebrities call or email asking me to remove an entry about them for one reason or another. The first was the HGTV designer who was concerned that my blog came up first in Google when searching for his name as he was about to launch a new show. There have been quite a few ordinary people in the news doing extraordinarily stupid things then asking me to delete entries -- in those cases, I do it if they are genuinely nice people; some have threatened to sic lawyers on me which makes me laugh and then highlight how ridiculous they are even more so than if they'd kept their mouth shut. But never a porn star. Cool.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Life... Don't talk to me about life.
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September 05, 2008
01:40 pm
$10,000,000 well spent
So, I'm no marketing genius, of course... but just who and what is Microsoft targeting with this ad? Old guys who buy cheap shoes?
So, I'm no marketing genius, of course... but just who and what is Microsoft targeting with this ad? Old guys who buy cheap shoes?
posted by Gene Cowan | category The War with the Customer
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01:33 pm
Fight! And then hug the big invisible elephant and make up.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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September 02, 2008
02:12 pm
Hey, Big Spenders
As we know, the Republican party is masterful at saying one thing and doing another. Whether it be on moral issues (anti-gay politicans cruising bathrooms for men, abstinence-only fundies with pregnant, unmarried teen daughters; family-values guys divorcing their old wives in the hospital in favor of young, rich ones) or money (guys who claim to be for less government spending cut taxes on the richest then spend huge sums on subsidies to oil companies and new bureaucracy), you can count on the right wing to show us all about bad government through hypocrisy.
I think that most people endowed with common sense would not fault Sarah Palin for the foibles of her daughter, who by all respects seems like an ordinary American teen. Nor would we judge her or her daughter on the basis of what is, frankly, a common occurrence in our society. No, what causes the controversy is the "do as I say, not as I do" pattern that politicians like Palin exhibit. This is a woman who is staunchly opposed to a woman's right to choose, and yet she and her party laud the choice that her daughter made in keeping the baby. They're celebrating the fact that she chose, but in an ideal conservative world, she would never have been allowed to make a choice.
Add to this Palin's abstinence position, and one is forced to ask: if the governor of Alaska can't convince her own children of the value of abstinence, how do we expect kids on the street with no effective parents to embrace it? Palin's daughter, and her future grandchild, will have a family with the means to support them. Many pregnant teens don't have the benefit of that cushion.
These two items point out the fundamental flaw with conservative dogma: it doesn't ever take into account reality.
Meanwhile, let's examine yet another piece of evidence that puts the lie to that mythical Republican fiscal policy.
Gosh, came into office with no debt, left behind a record debt. Sound familiar?
As we know, the Republican party is masterful at saying one thing and doing another. Whether it be on moral issues (anti-gay politicans cruising bathrooms for men, abstinence-only fundies with pregnant, unmarried teen daughters; family-values guys divorcing their old wives in the hospital in favor of young, rich ones) or money (guys who claim to be for less government spending cut taxes on the richest then spend huge sums on subsidies to oil companies and new bureaucracy), you can count on the right wing to show us all about bad government through hypocrisy.
I think that most people endowed with common sense would not fault Sarah Palin for the foibles of her daughter, who by all respects seems like an ordinary American teen. Nor would we judge her or her daughter on the basis of what is, frankly, a common occurrence in our society. No, what causes the controversy is the "do as I say, not as I do" pattern that politicians like Palin exhibit. This is a woman who is staunchly opposed to a woman's right to choose, and yet she and her party laud the choice that her daughter made in keeping the baby. They're celebrating the fact that she chose, but in an ideal conservative world, she would never have been allowed to make a choice.
Add to this Palin's abstinence position, and one is forced to ask: if the governor of Alaska can't convince her own children of the value of abstinence, how do we expect kids on the street with no effective parents to embrace it? Palin's daughter, and her future grandchild, will have a family with the means to support them. Many pregnant teens don't have the benefit of that cushion.
These two items point out the fundamental flaw with conservative dogma: it doesn't ever take into account reality.
Meanwhile, let's examine yet another piece of evidence that puts the lie to that mythical Republican fiscal policy.
During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.
The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million.
Gosh, came into office with no debt, left behind a record debt. Sound familiar?
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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September 01, 2008
11:34 am
Life Happens: The Turdblossom Way
Here's how I imagine the strategy session went:
"There's a hurricane approaching the Gulf Coast, it could be another Katrina. And it's the anniversary of Katrina to boot. The liberal media will go crazy."
"And we've got all these parties and feel-good fake-smile speeches coming on Monday!"
"Let's cancel the feel-good speeches and make a big deal out of it, it'll appear that we're concerned. And move the parties to private ballrooms, we still need that money."
"Hey, you know that big secret about our new VP nominee? The one we've known for a while because we vetted her so thoroughly?"
"Don't remind me."
"No, wait -- wouldn't this be the perfect time to release that news? I mean, if we release it on hurricane day and the godless liberals make a big deal out of it we can accuse them of ignoring the plight of the hurricane victims in favor of politicizing a private family matter!"
"Genius!"
"And if they pick it up later, we can accuse them of intolerance!"
"Isn't there the chance that we could be seen as hypocrites?"
"No way. Our followers have been reconciling incompatible concepts and hypocritical statements for decades. They can rationalize anything now."
"Welcome to bizarro world!"
"Plus, another bonus -- all this focus on her family drama will serve to deflect attention away from her ridiculous, fundamentalist, ultra-right wing positions. In fact, we may be able to get those Hillary voters just out of sympathy for the woman!"
"Perfect! After all, that's why she's on the ticket to begin with. It obviously wasn't for her experience and ability to take over the presidency in a heartbeat, right?"
Here's how I imagine the strategy session went:
"There's a hurricane approaching the Gulf Coast, it could be another Katrina. And it's the anniversary of Katrina to boot. The liberal media will go crazy."
"And we've got all these parties and feel-good fake-smile speeches coming on Monday!"
"Let's cancel the feel-good speeches and make a big deal out of it, it'll appear that we're concerned. And move the parties to private ballrooms, we still need that money."
"Hey, you know that big secret about our new VP nominee? The one we've known for a while because we vetted her so thoroughly?"
"Don't remind me."
"No, wait -- wouldn't this be the perfect time to release that news? I mean, if we release it on hurricane day and the godless liberals make a big deal out of it we can accuse them of ignoring the plight of the hurricane victims in favor of politicizing a private family matter!"
"Genius!"
"And if they pick it up later, we can accuse them of intolerance!"
"Isn't there the chance that we could be seen as hypocrites?"
"No way. Our followers have been reconciling incompatible concepts and hypocritical statements for decades. They can rationalize anything now."
"Welcome to bizarro world!"
"Plus, another bonus -- all this focus on her family drama will serve to deflect attention away from her ridiculous, fundamentalist, ultra-right wing positions. In fact, we may be able to get those Hillary voters just out of sympathy for the woman!"
"Perfect! After all, that's why she's on the ticket to begin with. It obviously wasn't for her experience and ability to take over the presidency in a heartbeat, right?"
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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09:16 am
Call Me Dr. Science
I'm embarking on an experiment this month -- well, actually, I started yesterday as a test -- in which I'm going to try to stick to a restricted number of calories every day. You see, here's the thing: for the last two years I have been watching my fat and cholesterol, and at this point my cholesterol numbers are better than they've ever been. But it has been very difficult and I've been taking meds and supplements like niacin all along to help.
But my weight has barely budged. I've lost and gained the same 10 pounds over and over and over. After yesterday's test, I see the flaw in all this: calories.
Did you ever look at the number of calories in everyday food? And when you go fat- and cholesterol-free, the calories always seem to go up. Take away salt and the sugar goes up. Take away sugar and the salt goes up. It's pretty much impossible to go low-calorie, low-fat, no cholesterol, low-salt unless you're eating nothing but lettuce all day.
And of course, the nutrition labels are only of marginal help. Manufacturers forced to disclose the nutrition facts about their products artificially reduce their toll by making, say, a single can of soda equal more than a single serving. This morning I used some fat-free Coffee Mate in my coffee, and dutifully put in one serving: a single tablespoon. It didn't even change the shade of the coffee. 35 calories. I put in two, 70 calories. I can't even taste it.
It's really shocking how many calories I must take in every day without even thinking about it. Sometimes it is very difficult to figure out how much is a serving; I mean, if I'm making a martini and the pomegranate mixer is a single serving at 3 fluid ounces, well... how much is that? Is that half a martini glass?
Often I'll make a quick meal of jasmine rice, chicken, and spicy ginger sauce. Yesterday I did the math and discovered that what I thought was a healthy meal, low in fat and cholesterol, turns out to be 1,200 calories. Well, if you're on, say, a 1,700 calorie a day regimen, you suddenly ask yourself if that's what you want to blow it all on. Jasmine rice has 200 calories per quarter cup. Quarter cup?! My rice cooker doesn't do less than a whole cup, so that's four servings? Yikes. I usually eat half a cup, so I'm taking in 400 calories every time.
Nuts. High in beneficial fats, heart healthy. But loaded with calories. And my problem is that I can't just have a single serving of 23 nuts, I have to have half a can.
I think that maybe that's the problem we all have. Portion sizes are incredible these days, and if one goes out somewhere for dinner it is likely that meal contains more than a whole day's calories. Years ago I would eat those cheese fries at Outback Steakhouse, completely unaware that I was not only killing myself with the fat and cholesterol, but that I was eating two day's worth of calories at a single sitting.
So, yesterday was a test (I managed to get by on 1,400 calories, which was a little low) and today begins the experiment in earnest. So far, oatmeal and coffee - 240 calories. Day one. It's me against Safeway.
I'm embarking on an experiment this month -- well, actually, I started yesterday as a test -- in which I'm going to try to stick to a restricted number of calories every day. You see, here's the thing: for the last two years I have been watching my fat and cholesterol, and at this point my cholesterol numbers are better than they've ever been. But it has been very difficult and I've been taking meds and supplements like niacin all along to help.
But my weight has barely budged. I've lost and gained the same 10 pounds over and over and over. After yesterday's test, I see the flaw in all this: calories.
Did you ever look at the number of calories in everyday food? And when you go fat- and cholesterol-free, the calories always seem to go up. Take away salt and the sugar goes up. Take away sugar and the salt goes up. It's pretty much impossible to go low-calorie, low-fat, no cholesterol, low-salt unless you're eating nothing but lettuce all day.
And of course, the nutrition labels are only of marginal help. Manufacturers forced to disclose the nutrition facts about their products artificially reduce their toll by making, say, a single can of soda equal more than a single serving. This morning I used some fat-free Coffee Mate in my coffee, and dutifully put in one serving: a single tablespoon. It didn't even change the shade of the coffee. 35 calories. I put in two, 70 calories. I can't even taste it.
It's really shocking how many calories I must take in every day without even thinking about it. Sometimes it is very difficult to figure out how much is a serving; I mean, if I'm making a martini and the pomegranate mixer is a single serving at 3 fluid ounces, well... how much is that? Is that half a martini glass?
Often I'll make a quick meal of jasmine rice, chicken, and spicy ginger sauce. Yesterday I did the math and discovered that what I thought was a healthy meal, low in fat and cholesterol, turns out to be 1,200 calories. Well, if you're on, say, a 1,700 calorie a day regimen, you suddenly ask yourself if that's what you want to blow it all on. Jasmine rice has 200 calories per quarter cup. Quarter cup?! My rice cooker doesn't do less than a whole cup, so that's four servings? Yikes. I usually eat half a cup, so I'm taking in 400 calories every time.
Nuts. High in beneficial fats, heart healthy. But loaded with calories. And my problem is that I can't just have a single serving of 23 nuts, I have to have half a can.
I think that maybe that's the problem we all have. Portion sizes are incredible these days, and if one goes out somewhere for dinner it is likely that meal contains more than a whole day's calories. Years ago I would eat those cheese fries at Outback Steakhouse, completely unaware that I was not only killing myself with the fat and cholesterol, but that I was eating two day's worth of calories at a single sitting.
So, yesterday was a test (I managed to get by on 1,400 calories, which was a little low) and today begins the experiment in earnest. So far, oatmeal and coffee - 240 calories. Day one. It's me against Safeway.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Gotta Have Heart
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August 31, 2008
10:35 am
New! Improved! Now with Same Old, Same Old!
Um, the biggest challenge the Republicans face is themselves. All of their problems were self-created. They're running against themselves.
Everyday I read some quote from a Republican operative saying, without a hint of irony, that the Republicans are the party of change, that only the GOP can make people's lives better, all but asking "Are you better off now than you were 8 years ago?"
For instance:
Love that. After all those years of Republicans running Congress and 8 years of the Bush White House, the American people don't believe their lives will get any better. And that's what the Republicans are running on? They might as well say, "Yeah, we didn't do anything for you in the last decade, but this time we promise we will."
The most common element of the Republican mindset is the ability to hold mutually exclusive concepts in their head at once, somehow reconciling them in such a way that they can ignore reality and pretend that anything they don't want to hear about doesn't exist. And that's what they're doing with the last 12 years of Republican rule. For more than a decade the Republicans have held power in our government, raping and pillaging, bringing us to today -- today, when the Republican campaign is pretending that the past 12 years never happened.
The Grand Old Party is hoping to keep its image polished this week when delegates descend on the Twin Cities to nominate Arizona Sen. John McCain for the presidency. But their challenges are daunting - rival Democrats, polls, even Mother Nature.
Republicans assembling in the Twin Cities are faced with a sobering reality check: The GOP has never confronted such steep political odds in modern times.
Um, the biggest challenge the Republicans face is themselves. All of their problems were self-created. They're running against themselves.
Everyday I read some quote from a Republican operative saying, without a hint of irony, that the Republicans are the party of change, that only the GOP can make people's lives better, all but asking "Are you better off now than you were 8 years ago?"
For instance:
"Campaigns are about substance," said Adam Mendelsohn, the former communications director for Schwarzenegger who is now a senior adviser to the McCain campaign. "You can have all the pomp and circumstance and Greco-Roman temples that Denver will allow. But at the end of the day, it doesn't mean the American people will believe their lives will get better."
Love that. After all those years of Republicans running Congress and 8 years of the Bush White House, the American people don't believe their lives will get any better. And that's what the Republicans are running on? They might as well say, "Yeah, we didn't do anything for you in the last decade, but this time we promise we will."
The most common element of the Republican mindset is the ability to hold mutually exclusive concepts in their head at once, somehow reconciling them in such a way that they can ignore reality and pretend that anything they don't want to hear about doesn't exist. And that's what they're doing with the last 12 years of Republican rule. For more than a decade the Republicans have held power in our government, raping and pillaging, bringing us to today -- today, when the Republican campaign is pretending that the past 12 years never happened.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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August 29, 2008
11:04 am
Communique via Long Distance Telegraphy from Mr. McCain, Esq
How presumptive.
Hmm. The first Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee was in 1984. Right there in the first paragraph, he points out that the Republicans are decades behind when it comes to recognizing the worth of women.
And there's also the dubious grammar of choosing one's choice.
First female. First female. They don't even bother to disguise the talking points anymore, do they? And one wonders how the tireless reformer managed to overlook the corrupt and indicted Ted Stevens from her own state. Oh, and herself. She's being investigated right now by the state Legislative Council. I suppose it was difficult for McCain to pick a running mate who was both acceptable to the conservative Right and not under investigation.
Again, I'm really getting tired of the "My Friends" bit.
"I know she joins me in asking for your support?" Sounds like he's not quite sure that's the case.
Bringing real reform to Washington? Last time I checked, the Republicans had a good 12 years to bring reform and failed to do so. They did, however, bring much more corruption.
He begs like a liberal charity.
That last line gave me visions of the old men in the Bartles & Jaymes commercials of the 1980s. You know, back when McCain was already old enough to be my grandfather and his running mate was in her early 20s.
Um... isn't that what he said in the opening of his letter? That he chose Palin? Is his memory so poor that he forgot midway through writing the letter? As further evidence of this memory problem, you'll notice that he once again asks for money, the third time in the last three paragraphs. The only thing that's missing is a selection of pre-printed return address labels with charming drawings by Republican 5-year-olds.
My Friends,
How presumptive.
I am honored to announce that I have chosen Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as my choice for the Republican nominee for Vice President. As a father with three daughters, I can't express how proud I am to choose the first female Republican Vice-Presidential nominee.
Hmm. The first Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee was in 1984. Right there in the first paragraph, he points out that the Republicans are decades behind when it comes to recognizing the worth of women.
And there's also the dubious grammar of choosing one's choice.
Sarah Palin is a trailblazer and a reformer. As the first female governor of Alaska, she challenged a corrupt system and has been a tireless advocate for reform -- passing a landmark bill on ethics reform. She has taken on the old politics in Alaska and reformed the state's energy industry. She rejects wasteful pork barrel spending. She's fearless -- exactly the type of leader I want at my side and the type of leadership we will bring to Washington.
First female. First female. They don't even bother to disguise the talking points anymore, do they? And one wonders how the tireless reformer managed to overlook the corrupt and indicted Ted Stevens from her own state. Oh, and herself. She's being investigated right now by the state Legislative Council. I suppose it was difficult for McCain to pick a running mate who was both acceptable to the conservative Right and not under investigation.
My friends, together Sarah Palin and I make the strongest presidential ticket and I know that she joins me in asking for your support as we head into our Convention week in Minnesota. We're shaking things up in this campaign -- and Governor Palin and I are ready to bring real reform to Washington.
Again, I'm really getting tired of the "My Friends" bit.
"I know she joins me in asking for your support?" Sounds like he's not quite sure that's the case.
Bringing real reform to Washington? Last time I checked, the Republicans had a good 12 years to bring reform and failed to do so. They did, however, bring much more corruption.
You may already know that I have decided to accept federal matching funds for the final months of this campaign -- keeping a campaign promise I made. But that means that August 31st marks the last day I can accept your primary contribution. Will you make an immediate donation of whatever you can give -- whether it's $50 or $500 to ensure Governor Palin and I win in November?
He begs like a liberal charity.
You can be assured that as President and Vice President, Governor Palin and I will always put country before all else. We are ready to lead and I ask that you join our campaign today. Your support is deeply appreciated.
That last line gave me visions of the old men in the Bartles & Jaymes commercials of the 1980s. You know, back when McCain was already old enough to be my grandfather and his running mate was in her early 20s.
P.S. I have chosen Governor Sarah Palin as my running mate and today we will hold a joint campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio. Please tune in to any of the cable news stations to watch this rally at noon eastern time. After watching the rally, I hope you'll visit my website to financially support our ticket as we head into next week's Republican Convention. Thank you.
Um... isn't that what he said in the opening of his letter? That he chose Palin? Is his memory so poor that he forgot midway through writing the letter? As further evidence of this memory problem, you'll notice that he once again asks for money, the third time in the last three paragraphs. The only thing that's missing is a selection of pre-printed return address labels with charming drawings by Republican 5-year-olds.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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August 28, 2008
08:15 pm
I’m not feeling so fine, George
Dear lord, this is brilliant.
Dear lord, this is brilliant.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Right = Wrong
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02:55 pm
Why I need two beers this afternoon
7:48am. I'm listening to Morning Edition and driving south on 101 in North San Jose. There's a length of what looks like fire hose in my lane, the second from the right, so I move over one lane to the left.
My car explodes.
Or so it seemed for a few moments. I've never experienced an air bag "deployment" before -- that sounds so quiet and uneventful. In fact, it's an instantaneous explosion and a mass of white fabric in your face. (And weirdness: my inside wrist was burned and blistered by the airbag. Scary.)
I had no idea what happened. I regained my senses pretty quickly and moved to the left shoulder, but was puzzled by the lack another car in front of me or behind me, which I assumed I had hit. The car was filled with smoke and my first instinct was that it was on fire, so I got out of it on the side of the freeway. That's when I saw it.
A flat tire.
What? All this over a flat tire?
Then another car came over to the shoulder behind me. A good samaritan, I thought. But then I noticed he had a flat, too.
And then, another car pulled over. And another. And another. In all, about a dozen cars were pulled off on the shoulders, and finally a CHP officer came up, stopping traffic to look for whatever it was we had all hit.
This happened, that happened, I stood around, I shook a bit, I whined on the cell phone, and then the CHP officer told me he thought it might be a piece of a FORKLIFT. Bwah?
The burly female assistance truck driver helped everyone in turn to put on their spare tire, but when she got to my car she was unable to budge the damaged one. I was told to call for a tow. I was also told to go ahead and get my car off the freeway, so I gingerly eased it up the exit ramp that was literally a few feet away from the incident.
How do I know who to call? My insurance agent wasn't in yet so I had no recommendations and had no idea what to do. Turns out that I have the Audi Roadside Assistance program, which was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, it took them an hour and a half after I called to get to me, sitting in my car in the heat with a couple of guys watching me from plastic lawn chairs who didn't speak any English.
After I made it to the Audi dealer, they presented me with an estimate for $890 just to assess the damage, of which I'll owe $500 as a deductible. Then I was chastised by my insurance agent for going to the dealer.
And she told me that my premium, thanks to this little incident in which I wasn't at fault, is going to go up $300 a year. After almost 20 years accident-free. Lovely.
So, whoever left that debris in the roadway already owes me $800 and nothing has even been repaired yet.
I don't think anyone will likely begrudge me a second beer this afternoon. Will you?
7:48am. I'm listening to Morning Edition and driving south on 101 in North San Jose. There's a length of what looks like fire hose in my lane, the second from the right, so I move over one lane to the left.
My car explodes.
Or so it seemed for a few moments. I've never experienced an air bag "deployment" before -- that sounds so quiet and uneventful. In fact, it's an instantaneous explosion and a mass of white fabric in your face. (And weirdness: my inside wrist was burned and blistered by the airbag. Scary.)
I had no idea what happened. I regained my senses pretty quickly and moved to the left shoulder, but was puzzled by the lack another car in front of me or behind me, which I assumed I had hit. The car was filled with smoke and my first instinct was that it was on fire, so I got out of it on the side of the freeway. That's when I saw it.
A flat tire.
What? All this over a flat tire?
Then another car came over to the shoulder behind me. A good samaritan, I thought. But then I noticed he had a flat, too.
And then, another car pulled over. And another. And another. In all, about a dozen cars were pulled off on the shoulders, and finally a CHP officer came up, stopping traffic to look for whatever it was we had all hit.
This happened, that happened, I stood around, I shook a bit, I whined on the cell phone, and then the CHP officer told me he thought it might be a piece of a FORKLIFT. Bwah?
The burly female assistance truck driver helped everyone in turn to put on their spare tire, but when she got to my car she was unable to budge the damaged one. I was told to call for a tow. I was also told to go ahead and get my car off the freeway, so I gingerly eased it up the exit ramp that was literally a few feet away from the incident.
How do I know who to call? My insurance agent wasn't in yet so I had no recommendations and had no idea what to do. Turns out that I have the Audi Roadside Assistance program, which was a nice surprise. Unfortunately, it took them an hour and a half after I called to get to me, sitting in my car in the heat with a couple of guys watching me from plastic lawn chairs who didn't speak any English.
After I made it to the Audi dealer, they presented me with an estimate for $890 just to assess the damage, of which I'll owe $500 as a deductible. Then I was chastised by my insurance agent for going to the dealer.
And she told me that my premium, thanks to this little incident in which I wasn't at fault, is going to go up $300 a year. After almost 20 years accident-free. Lovely.
So, whoever left that debris in the roadway already owes me $800 and nothing has even been repaired yet.
I don't think anyone will likely begrudge me a second beer this afternoon. Will you?
posted by Gene Cowan | category Life... Don't talk to me about life.
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August 27, 2008
05:45 pm
This has been preying on my mind
Ahem. I'm just sayin'.
Ahem. I'm just sayin'.
02:38 pm
Del Martin
Phyllis Lyon, right, and Del Martin cut their wedding cake in June. Photo by Noah Berger, special to the San Francisco Chronicle
Del Martin's life spanned an amazing societal change, and she was instrumental in shaping that change. I have lived a life significantly devoid of direct discrimination because of brave pioneers, activists like Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon who not only spoke up, but lived their lives defiantly. All of us, gay or straight, owe them both a debt of gratitude for changing the world.
Phyllis Lyon, right, and Del Martin cut their wedding cake in June. Photo by Noah Berger, special to the San Francisco Chronicle
Lesbian rights pioneer Del Martin dies
Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
(08-27) 14:37 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Del Martin, a lesbian rights pioneer who took part in one of California's first same-sex weddings, died today in San Francisco after a long period of declining health. She was 87.
Ms. Martin's political activism began more than five decades ago when in 1955 she co-founded a ground-breaking lesbian rights organization, Daughters of Bilitis, named after a book of lesbian love poetry. On June 16, she and her partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, were married at San Francisco City Hall by Mayor Gavin Newsom.
"Her last act of activism was her most personal - marrying the love of her life," said Kate Kendell, a long-time friend of the couple and executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Ms. Martin died this morning at UCSF Hospice, nearly two weeks after she was admitted with a broken arm.
"Ever since I met Del 55 years ago, I could never imagine a day would come when she wouldn't be by my side," Lyon said in a statement issued by the National Center for Lesbian Rights. "I am so lucky to have known her, loved her and been her partner in all things.
"I also never imagined there would be a day that we would actually be able to get married," Lyon said. "I am devastated, but I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed."
Ms. Martin had been in ailing health for some time, weakened to the point where she was pushed in a wheelchair to her wedding ceremony. In an interview in her hillside Noe Valley home just days before she wed, Ms. Martin described as fortunate the timing of the California Supreme Court decision that gave gays and lesbians the right to marry.
"We're not getting younger," she said.
Ms. Martin and Lyon were plaintiffs in the lawsuit that got the state ban on same-sex marriage lifted. They were married minutes after the ruling took effect.
Four years ago, when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed marriage licenses to be issued to gay and lesbian couples in San Francisco in defiance of state law, Ms. Lyon and Lyon were the first of some 4,000 same-sex couples to wed. Those marriages were later nullified by the state's high court but paved the way for the successful legal challenge.
"We would never have marriage equality in California if it weren't for Del and Phyllis," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco Democrat. "They fought and triumphed in many battles, beginning when they first bought a home together in San Francisco in 1955."
Pelosi called the death of Ms. Martin "a great loss for me personally and for our entire community."
Newsom, who said Ms. Martin "laid the groundwork for all those who want a life of dignity," ordered the flags at City Hall and the rainbow gay-pride flag on Market Streets to be flown at half-staff until sunset Thursday.
Ms. Martin's activist reach extended into the feminist movement, when she became the first open lesbian to serve on the board of directors of the National Organization of Women, and she helped spearhead a successful campaign to get the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from its roster of mental illnesses.
In 1995, Sen. Dianne Feinstein named her as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging, where she and Lyon, a delegate appointed by Pelosi, focused attention on the needs of aging gays and lesbians.
Ms. Martin, whose given name was Dorothy but who went by Del, was born in San Francisco on May 5, 1921. Her first marriage, at age 19, was brief, but produced a daughter, Kendra Mon, who lives in Petaluma. She is also survived by two grandchildren.
Friends and family plan to hold a public tribute to Ms. Martin in the near future. Details have not been set.
[San Francisco Chronicle]
Del Martin's life spanned an amazing societal change, and she was instrumental in shaping that change. I have lived a life significantly devoid of direct discrimination because of brave pioneers, activists like Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon who not only spoke up, but lived their lives defiantly. All of us, gay or straight, owe them both a debt of gratitude for changing the world.
posted by Gene Cowan | category Life... Don't talk to me about life.
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