Down with Dean's People
Sep. 4th, 2003 09:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfsI gave up on the Kinesis keyboard. As much as I understand the appeal and the effect of the thing, if I'm going to be honest with myself I'm never going to get any work done using it. I'll rely on a proper workstation layout and frequent rest breaks. I had better. The wrists are bad this morning. I had trouble sleeping last night because I kept wanting to roll over and rest on my arm, and that seems to be part of the problem.
Yesterday, when I boarded the bus to go home, I was accosted by an intoxicated man who wanted to know all about the computer I was using. Could I get on the Internet with it? Did it play music? Given that I was watching Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex on it, he should have been able to tell. He offered me a sip of his spirits, which I politely declined. While I started having a conversation with another man next to me who actually wanted to know the practical limitations of Linux (hey, I can evangelize!), the drunkard started talking to the very pretty girl who works in the morgue-- I think I mentioned her in another post. When he got off the bus, she turned to me and said, "What am I? A magnet for freaks?"
What was I supposed to say? "As a pretty young woman, of course you are"? As it turned out, she's not that young-- she's 36.
I got home to find a delighted Kouryou-chan going through the level 2 material in our copy of Hooked on Phonics, a complete set of which we picked up for a steal at a garage sale. She calls it the "Phonics game!" and she's sure that she's good at it. She's getting better, at any rate.
After a dinner (Whiskey and mushroom porkchops, mashed potatoes, and a salad with a raspberry vinagrette, the recipe for the last permanently in my head...) we went down to the library to hang out with the Dean 2004 people.
Here's what I know: despite the tax money being spent to support the 2004 Primary, not one vote issued during the primary will matter. Not at all. The Republicans in Washington State have decided to forgo any primary results: George Bush is their man. The Democrats have decided that asking the candidates to be in too many places at once on Super Tuesday is a detriment. The March 2nd primary is a sham, a popularity contest of no consequence. The delegate votes for the Democratic National Convention for the State of Washington will be allocated on February 7th, at 10:00 am, at the state-wide caucuses. Whichever candidate can muster enough supporters to show up at the caucus meetingroom floors at the various legislative districts will win that district; whichever candidate gets the most districts gets all of the votes for the state.
I was not the only Republican-leaning voter there who used words like "outraged" and "offended" to describe my feelings towards George W. Bush. I was not the only person there who felt betrayed by a man who used words like "principle" and "leadership" to get elected and then spent like Carter and pandered like Clinton in a free-for-all effort to buy the next election. I apparently missed the following: "The Bush administration has overseen a 20.2% increase in non-defense discretionary spending." 20.2% ??? You can't blame that on the "War on Terror," either.
Orginially, the WSD's had wanted to split the votes between the caucus and the primary, but the national body told them to pick one or the other. They picked caucuses, which are in-house and relatively private affairs. But I'm not happy with the fact that we're still having a primary just because it was already scheduled. It's a waste of money.
It was hard-sell all the way at the meeting. I understand that. They gave me "get more information" mail-in cards to give to everyone I know, not that I plan on it, and a ton of literature, most of it on how to participate as a precinct volunteer.
Gotta give 'em credit. They're better organized than any other candidates' people. At least Dean's not trying to do a George W. Bush Lite by announcing his candidacy in front of some big hunk of military metal.
Omaha missed it. Kouryou-chan wouldn't sit still, so they went to the library proper. I picked them up and we went home, had ice cream and headed to bed.
Yesterday, when I boarded the bus to go home, I was accosted by an intoxicated man who wanted to know all about the computer I was using. Could I get on the Internet with it? Did it play music? Given that I was watching Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex on it, he should have been able to tell. He offered me a sip of his spirits, which I politely declined. While I started having a conversation with another man next to me who actually wanted to know the practical limitations of Linux (hey, I can evangelize!), the drunkard started talking to the very pretty girl who works in the morgue-- I think I mentioned her in another post. When he got off the bus, she turned to me and said, "What am I? A magnet for freaks?"
What was I supposed to say? "As a pretty young woman, of course you are"? As it turned out, she's not that young-- she's 36.
I got home to find a delighted Kouryou-chan going through the level 2 material in our copy of Hooked on Phonics, a complete set of which we picked up for a steal at a garage sale. She calls it the "Phonics game!" and she's sure that she's good at it. She's getting better, at any rate.
After a dinner (Whiskey and mushroom porkchops, mashed potatoes, and a salad with a raspberry vinagrette, the recipe for the last permanently in my head...) we went down to the library to hang out with the Dean 2004 people.
Here's what I know: despite the tax money being spent to support the 2004 Primary, not one vote issued during the primary will matter. Not at all. The Republicans in Washington State have decided to forgo any primary results: George Bush is their man. The Democrats have decided that asking the candidates to be in too many places at once on Super Tuesday is a detriment. The March 2nd primary is a sham, a popularity contest of no consequence. The delegate votes for the Democratic National Convention for the State of Washington will be allocated on February 7th, at 10:00 am, at the state-wide caucuses. Whichever candidate can muster enough supporters to show up at the caucus meetingroom floors at the various legislative districts will win that district; whichever candidate gets the most districts gets all of the votes for the state.
I was not the only Republican-leaning voter there who used words like "outraged" and "offended" to describe my feelings towards George W. Bush. I was not the only person there who felt betrayed by a man who used words like "principle" and "leadership" to get elected and then spent like Carter and pandered like Clinton in a free-for-all effort to buy the next election. I apparently missed the following: "The Bush administration has overseen a 20.2% increase in non-defense discretionary spending." 20.2% ??? You can't blame that on the "War on Terror," either.
Orginially, the WSD's had wanted to split the votes between the caucus and the primary, but the national body told them to pick one or the other. They picked caucuses, which are in-house and relatively private affairs. But I'm not happy with the fact that we're still having a primary just because it was already scheduled. It's a waste of money.
It was hard-sell all the way at the meeting. I understand that. They gave me "get more information" mail-in cards to give to everyone I know, not that I plan on it, and a ton of literature, most of it on how to participate as a precinct volunteer.
Gotta give 'em credit. They're better organized than any other candidates' people. At least Dean's not trying to do a George W. Bush Lite by announcing his candidacy in front of some big hunk of military metal.
Omaha missed it. Kouryou-chan wouldn't sit still, so they went to the library proper. I picked them up and we went home, had ice cream and headed to bed.
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no subject
Date: 2003-09-04 04:31 pm (UTC)First, it was just short, gutteral noises.
Then it was furtive words, snatched when no one was looking.
Pretty soon I was stringing together entire sentences.
Yes, I'm Hooked on Phonics.
"Are you Hooked on Phonics? Call, we can help!"
no subject
Date: 2003-09-04 04:42 pm (UTC)Share the wealth? }:)
no subject
Date: 2003-09-04 04:53 pm (UTC)2 tbs raspberry vinegar, the good kind.
1/2 tsp honey. 1/4 tsp dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp oregano.
Crushed garlic, if you like. Shake well.
Sweet on the tongue, but a good burn going down the back of the throat.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-05 01:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-04 04:59 pm (UTC)A steal?? Let me put it this way...we got it for $50. Right now, this teacher's set goes for about $300. It's theft with a gun ;) If she continues at the speed she's been going at, I'm fully expecting that she will be reading at 2nd grade reading level when she hits kindergarten.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-04 06:11 pm (UTC)If she is reading at a 2nd grade level by the time she's in kindergarten, I hope her school can deal with it.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-04 09:23 pm (UTC)If she is reading at a 2nd grade level by the time she's in kindergarten, I hope her school can deal with it.
That's why it's so good that there are several different ways of teaching spelling and letter sounds. As for the school, that's why I'm glad we're starting her early...that way we can see just what kind of speed she can obtain in learning before she hits a public school, and we can determine just what kind of school to put her in. Unfortunately, I suspect it's going to cost us.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-04 09:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-09-24 05:02 pm (UTC)The other Repubs are the social repubs. These are the idiots who run the party right now. They'll pander just as badly as the Democrats as long as they can assert their control over the system.
About the only thing I like about Dean is that, unlike any other candidate (Clark included), we know what we're getting with Dean.
no subject
Date: 2003-09-24 05:36 pm (UTC)I can sympathize with your disgust at what has happened to the Republican party. From your tone, it sounds like you're hoping that there will be a course change soon?
Given the current predominance of the Religious Right at this exact moment, I'm not sure how likely such a switch would be, but I'd certainly welcome it.