Open Intrigue

What is John McCain to do?

Either Mrs. "Not-So-Plain-And-Simple" Sarah Palin is the heretofore unheard of Golden Child or ... she will likely be the last nail in McCain's coffin. Certainly the Republican party faithful have reservations about the possibility of elevating her to POTUS. Most assuredly the everyperson Republican cannot be so blinded by Mrs. Palin's glossy verneer as to not recognize a true political liability.

What McPains me the most is that the Republican party moved from the realm of historical venerability to a sordid adult version of video game buffoonery. How could McCain's handlers allowed such a monumental gaff? Or is this the kind of direction Leadership we can expect from the Republicans if by some miraculous turn of fate they actually attain the Oval Office.

I know that the next time I am assailed by my Republican acquaintances imploring me to reconsider my Obama stance I will have to do nothing more than whisper the name of McCain's venerable VP choice - and try not to laugh out loud.

So, what's a McCain to do?

What if "Troopergate" is the icing on Sarah's going-away cake? From under which stone will McCain's handlers try to pull another rabbit? Or perhaps, just perhaps wiser Republican heads will prevail and Romney or Pawlenty might be willing to be reconsidered. (Once burned, twice shy?)

What's a McCain to do?

Time to put on your Happy Face, polish up your rhetoric, stand by your choice... and face the music.

Or, you could... try and McExplain her away like a previous marriage and try again.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Assurance

I was asked, honestly, if I thought Jon Stewart or Robert Colbert were really Republicans?

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Open Assessment: "Its a pretty cool job..."

I am more frightened than I have ever been in my life, our country stands at the brink...

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Invite: For a good time call...

Anecdotal Evidence

A blog about the intersection of books and life.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

`Life is Not Like That'

. . .

Elizabeth Bishop reports a similar honesty and taste in her friend Marianne Moore:

“Sometimes we went to movies together, to Kon-Tiki twice, I recall. I never attempted to lure her to any dramatic or `artistic’ films. Since Dr. and Mrs. Sibley Watson were her dearest friends, she must have seen his early experimental films, such as Lot in Sodom. I heard the sad story of two young men, however, who when they discovered that she had never seen Eisenstein’s Potemkin insisted on taking her. There was a short before Potemkin, a Walt Disney film; this was when the Disney films still had charm and humor. After the movie they went to tea and Marianne talked at length and in detail about the ingenuity of the Disney film, and nothing more. Finally they asked her what she had thought of Potemkin. Her opinion was brief but conclusive: `Life,’ she said, `is not like that.’”

Thank you Patrick Kurp for wonderful and insightful Intersections of books and life.

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Open Conundrum: Sincerity or Parody?

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Open Clean Energy: We Deserve It!

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Suffering of fools gladly (?)

A healthy male adult bore consumes each year one and a half times his own weight in other people's patience.

-- John Updike

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Censure: Ladies Pro Goof Ass.

The New York Times reports...

Concerned about its appeal to sponsors, the women’s professional golf tour, which in recent years has been dominated by foreign-born players, has warned its members that they must become conversant in English by 2009 or face suspension.

Concerned about their share of the profits, never mind the integrity of the players.

“We live in a sports-entertainment environment,” said Libba Galloway, the deputy commissioner of the tour, the Ladies Professional Golf Association. “For an athlete to be successful today in the sports entertainment world we live in, they need to be great performers on and off the course, and being able to communicate effectively with sponsors and fans is a big part of this.

Never mind said athlete can play golf well.

“Being a U.S.-based tour, and with the majority of our fan base, pro-am contestants, sponsors and participants being English speaking, we think it is important for our players to effectively communicate in English.”

'We want to insure that those fur-iners stop beatin' us up and takin' our lunch money... Hellfire, iffen they cain't talk good English then I says they shou'n't be allowed ta play at all. Sheeeesh, cain't unnerstan a word they says.'

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Endorsement: Strange Bedfellows

Politics: the game where you start out cutting your opponent's throat and end up getting in bed with him.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Affirmation: Yes We Can!

Yes we can!

Those three words constitute the perfect campaign slogan. As a signature phrase it conveys a sense of optimism, unity and achievement. In its personal familiarity it resonates deeply. Its upbeat tone promotes a feeling of well being. As a firm assertion it carries the full weight and measure of a promises offered and kept.

It begins with the absolute affirmation, "Yes". This is the ultimate feel-good word. This is the word that we most want to hear. In its affirmation it gives permission by categorically refuting the implied historical put-down, "You can't do that." Permission in turn provides the ethical foundation for empowerment.

Literally, "We" are in the middle. "We" is the unifying element bringing everyone together. "We" can also be used self-referentially (the Royal "we") allowing individuals to be invested up-close-and-personal with positive empowerment. It should also be noted that from a political governance perspective "We" is shorthand for "We, the people, in order to form a more perfect union..."

"Can" is the very heart of promise. Simultaneously "can" denotes that we have knowledge, ability, power and that we have the right to use them. It implies that we are capable as well as suitably resourced or provisioned to meet the coming challenge. In this instance "can" is used as a synonym for "may". The more proper "may" gives us (we) formal permission to aspire and achieve.

Yes we can!

However, it promises everything and delivers nothing.

We feel good, we have the ability and we have permission. To do what?

Yes I will!

Yes I will accept personal responsibility for...
improving my health
improving my diet
reducing my carbon foot print

Yes I will affect positive change in my community.

Yes I will vote for Barack Obama.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Sacrifice

The poor make sacrifices by default.

Unable to afford rising heating fuel prices means that thermostats are turned down. Higher food costs require "adjustments" in dietary standards. Difficult decisions are required when the cost of prescription drugs are balanced against the overall price of health care. Driving habits are severely modified in light of excessive gas costs. Luxury items like dinner and a movie don't come into the equation. Just getting by as the status quo is even more pressing.

The poor have never been irresponsible spenders.

As a single income family in a two income society we have always worked to meet our debt obligations. We insist on paying our bills on time. I believe that we like the vast majority are fiscally responsible. The fact that we have limited and finite money resources means that we must make sacrifices by default to remain in economic good standing.

Neither major party presidential candidate, or any candidate can significantly alter this fact. So all of the promises and rhetoric becomes just so much political tripe. Professionals jousting and positioning for the coming election - the process of enthroning the next leader.

So the sacrifices that must be made, and the promises that must be kept, are not for the short term good. We as a country must make larger sacrifices for the good of our future. We as a country must make and keep promises that will further the good of our nation.

What then are the sacrifices that we must make?

First and foremost we must sacrifice the misplaced belief that we are the superpower, that we are superior to all others. Next we must sacrifice the belief of entitlement that goes along with such superiority. In such a sacrifice, which will cost us nothing, we must realize that we must work to achieve our desired ends. We must realize that government alone is not responsible for our overall well being.

By establishing ourselves in the truth of our situation we will recognize that individual initiative at the grassroots level is our real promise. To that end we must ask not what our government will do for us but what we will do for ourselves.

If we wish to excel then as individuals we must ascribe to excellence. We must recognize the truth of our situation and strive as individuals to make our country better. This is easily attainable by simply seeing our own great wealth instead of berating our nation for our personal failures.

We must sacrifice our illusion of greatness for the reality of our true value.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Fearmongering: Taking your money.

Oil prices rose ~$5.00 per barrel because of saber rattling in and around Georga - speculators are afraid that a disruption in oil supply will cause shortages and their profits might fall.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open xkcd Disclaimer > 1000 pictographs

Recently read at xkcd ...

Warning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors).

We did not invent the algorithm. The algorithm consistently finds Jesus. The algorithm killed Jeeves.
The algorithm is banned in China. The algorithm is from Jersey. The algorithm constantly finds Jesus.
This is not the algorithm. This is close.

Bonus:

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Open News Flash: AT&T bills dead man for not terminating contract

Winston observes (from the great beyond)...

Bring It On

Now I — and mind you, I am ashes sitting on the end table in the living room — am getting a $360 bill from AT&T for contract termination fees. Too bad, they say. No such thing as extenuating circumstances. They’re sorry I am dead. But they don’t care. I’ve got to pay that fee. It’s a contract, after all. A contract is a legal document. Legal documents go with you to the grave and beyond. They wish they could help, but they can’t. AT&T is a big boy and they aim to keep their side of the bargain.

So folks, I’m back! At least according to AT&T. I’ve got to pay my phone bill till January of 2010. Now I’ve just got to figure out how to get my ass, uh, ashes up and together and get out and earn some money to pay that damn bill because, well, it’s a contract and AT&T really needs that $360!

...willing to squeeze blood from a stone - AT&T is always at your service.

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Open Folio: Burning Man Pix

Burning Man Pix

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Open Solution - WeCanSolveIt

We Can Solve It!



... I found it here at /Ambivalence. Thanks Stowe

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
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Open Support from the Heartland

... from my sister who doesn't blog yet.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Quiz: Pew News IQ Score

As I was taking Frank up on his challenge recommendation I came to a stunning realization. Actually a couple of them. First, Frank is one smart guy (but we all knew that.) Second, I wouldn't have had a clue about any of the 12 questions had it not been for my daily dose(s) of NPR. Usually the morning commute and sometimes the evening, 30 minutes each way.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.

Open Linux Elitists

There are all manner of Linux Elitists. There are distro elitists, window manger elitists, really really FLOSS elitists. There are Really-Damned-Small-Puppy-Peanut elitists. There are DIY Linux elitists. I, for one, fall into the Slackware distro elitist category. Slack and I go way back.

In fairness I can say that I have tried in the neighborhood of 30 different distros. I have looked so far afield as the BSD flavors and I have even touched Plan9. It took me just a minute be I was also able to lay hands on my copy of Sun Solaris(tm) Express. I believe, speaking of Linux, that I have been around the block at least once.

So after all of my wanderings I return to my Capistrano, my Slackware. This infatuation is not born on the sharp point of one like or dislike. Afterall, Linux is Linux, for the most part. I return first to the comfort of what I know. What is familiar to me. Then I return for what Slackware isn't - or should I say doesn't.

Slackware doesn't choose for me. Slack doesn't make up my mind for me. If there is something that I want from Slackware I am responsible for making it come to the surface. And here it is that I come to the crux of the elitist bisquit. Recently, perhaps in the past 18 months, it has become increasingly difficult to integrate certain software packages into what I consider the ultimate vanilla Linux distro, Slackware.

More and more I am finding some larger applications that are engineered for a specific distro. Or the program requires an essoteric set of libraries. Or it needs so-and-so's widget package. So I begin to play the dependency game. Find out what the program wants, go get and compile, then find out what the dependencies want, go get and compile ... then try to remember what was important about the original program. Very quickly the law of diminishing returns takes its toll.

Then there are other large applications suites that which are wholey self-sustained. OpenOffice as an example requires only that I rpm2tgz convert the distribution files and then installpkg them right into Slack. No dependencies, no drips, no runs, no errors. VMware is another example of arun-it-and-forget-it large application BUT the promise of their next version may negate that claim.

With regard to Linux elitists I would offer this cautionary note: complexity of implementation can be just as alienating as the prospect of proprietary software. If I cannot compile (with a minimum of dependencies) and run your sparkling new program or application then I simply walk away - no matter how important your contribution.

Yes, I am a Linux Elitist. I am a Slackware Snob. I will not give up a galloping stallion to change in mid-stream to a plodding donkey just so your software will work.

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Open for business? Funny business?

Topless Women, Kid Rock, Bikers, And John McCain

I think it is safe to assume that JMcC has finally secured the Soccer Moms vote.

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I am going to vote for Barack Obama.
I am William "Papa" Meloney and I endorse this message.