And After Re-Write

In the winter my hands get so dry and cracked that I need to super-glue the cracks.

So, Round About 1985 I bought one of the original Swatch watches.  I had it for many years and at some point lost it.  I guess it's my rosebud, as I often think about it.  Anywho, I happened to be on the internetz when I remembered it and asked the googles about it.  turns out its somewhat of a collectors item, go figure.  Anyway, I located one and paid a userious price for it,  but I m glad to have a little memorable bit of my past back.

Why do major movie studios give this guy roles?  Have they not seen  a Walk in the Clouds? 

I can understand many peoples reticence to embrace the notion of gay marriage.  I think most of the opposition is from primitive brain stem fear of the "other".  It might be dressed up as protection of the family, sanctity of opposite sex marriage, or any number of more high minded thoughts, but I am not buying it.  Why?, well it makes no rational sense for one.  In what way is my marriage diminished by what anyone else does or does not do. Equality in Marriage has been the law in MA for some time now, and near as I can tell the sky has not fallen and the sun still rises. Margaret Marshall and the MA Supreme Court (And John Adam's Constitution) got it exactly right IMHO. The equal protection clause is of course applicable to gay marriage. If a religion wishes to prohibit it that's their business. But this is the state and the constitution (federal and state) are bound to apply equal protection and in most states they do not when granting the privileges and protection of marriage. Does this also apply to plural marriage? In my opinion probably, but that is not the question. States that re-write their constitutions to subvert the very meaning of the documents will regret it. When was the last time Equality was wrong?

- Someday a real rain is gonna come and wash all the scum off the streets

Red Angel Dragnet by the Clash came up on my ipod a few days ago and leading up to this election that quote has been on my mind. I have been waiting for this rain for the last 8 years, the Tom Delays, Rudy Giulianis, Alfredo Gonzales, Harriet Miers, Larry Craigs, Jack Abramoffs, Blackwater, Haliburton, Enron, Dick Cheneys, Mitch Brown, John Boltons, Scooter Libbys, Roves, Rumsfelds, John Yoos, Anne Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Mary Matlin and the rest of the Culture war-ing, Faux Religionists, Hate and Fear Mongering, Free Marketeers of Convenience, Bogus Populist lying scum finally washed down the gutter of history.

Good Riddance.

• No Meaning No - Chuck D
• All The Road Running - Emmylou Harris
• High and Dry - Radiohead
• Big Sky - Annie Lennox
• Shine On - the Kooks

You Know,

As an Economics major I have always been interested in the Freakonomics types of questions. To give you an example, not many of us are having any major problem with government handouts to the banks. I think we all understand that the economy overall is better served by supporting the banks so that they can continue to lend. But despite clear evidence suggesting that it is more cost beneficial to pay for an apartment for a homeless person to live in than to let them continue on the streets,this is still wildly un-popular. Why is this? Is it just me?

I have always felt that the Republican Party is it is currently comprised is inherently unstable and doomed in the long term. Their current constituencies or base consists in my opinion of the following.

• Whack Jobs (Black Helicopter Types, Paranoids, Militia Members etc.)
• Fundies
• Crackers
• Jingoists
• Biggots
• Free Marketeers
• Wrinklies, Foggies, Duffers & Plain Old Farts

These groups do have several things in common which have held them together in the short term.

• Selfishness (Me First, My Money, Go Fuck Yourself)
• Insecurity (Manifesting in Bogus Macho Jingoism, Homophobia and Bully Worship)
• Profound Tolerance for Cognitive Dissonance (about the only thing profound and tolerant about them)
• Fear of the Other (Commies, Homo's, Immigrants, Media Elites)

Not that it makes them bad people - Even good people have times where the appeal of our weaker instincts takes precedence. The important part is the Cognitive Dissonance and this is IMHO why the religious right is so drawn to the dark side. This is also why even with it's current contradictions in place the party would slowly disintegrate rather than fly apart. The ability to maintain cognitive dissonance varies among individuals, but everyone has a limit. When they hit that limit they will drop out of the party. I do not think the ability to sustain disbelief is a requisite for membership in the Democrat(sic) party, but it is absolutely essential to being a Republican. Let's look at some of the Cake and Eat it planks of the Red

Smaller Government (Less Taxes, Regulation & Oversight) - This is a fairly often touted Republican position but it conflicts to some degree with every one of their constituencies. Farmers want subsidies and tariffs and an efficient transportation system to bring the product to market. Satisfying the Farmers takes Taxes, Regulation and Oversight, Three things the Free Marketeers don't want. Whack Jobs and Crackers want fewer restrictions placed on them in the form of laws, Fundies want moralities federally regulated. Jingoists want a strong military which means taxes the others don't like. Free Marketeers need illegal immigrants to work for them so they can maximize shareholder return, the rest of them are scared shitless of Illegal Aliens. I could go on forever, but the point is you cannot satisfy all their core constituencies and to believe otherwise requires the maintenance of Cognitive Dissonance, something very few people can do long term. These conflicts are structural and part of the party and as they have become obvious peoples ability to mentally maintain them has collapsed.

The End