If that's not good old-fashioned democracy in action, I don't know what is. Some folks who had an issue wrote and circulated a petition, gained the legally required number of signatures, which led to a Select Board vote. Everyone followed the prescribed procedures, and now the town gets to vote on the motion. That's how it's done in America. It'll be up to the people of Brattleboro to vote their conscience. If they think it's a frivolous, stupid, or bad idea, they can vote against it. If they support it, the can vote in favor. That's democracy.
Now, some folks don't see it that way. One angry Minnesotan wrote, "Maybe the terrorists will do us all a favor and attack your town next, our country would be much safer with several thousand dead wackjobs in Vermont." He added, that terrorists could kidnap the three Select Board members who voted in favor and, "cut their heads off, video tape it and put it on the internet."
Another citizen wrote, "Be American, not a sniffeling (sic) liberal town that sleeps under the shield of safety provided to you by your President."
Ah, nothing like waving the flag and inviting harm to fellow citizens simply because you don't agree with their views. Now that's patriotism.
It never fails to amaze me how those who most vociferously claim to love this country, have such a limited and narrow view of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Those are all well and good until they actually support something that a "liberal" wants to say or do.
So, I say, "Go, Brattleboro!" Thank you for this exercise in democracy.
The eyes! The eyes! Mood: surprised Now Playing: Bruins vs. Capitals Topic: Politicking around
Recruiting volunteers from the undead may just be the ticket for Fred Thompson.
Scary, ain't it?
Well, the Iowa caucus is just about over, and the projections are as follows, as of 9:40 PM EST:
Huckabee taking the GOP win; and the Dems are all knotted up with no clear winner between Clinton, Obama, and Edwards.
So, does it matter?
Yes, no, maybe. How's that for an answer?
"Huh?," you say.
The reason that I can give that answer is that in the caucuses held in Iowa since 1972, if you exclude those where the sitting president ran unopposed, the winner in Iowa won the party nomination an even 50% of the time.
So, yes, it sort of matters, and yet it doesn't decisively make the call. It matters in that there's momentum for the winner heading into New Hampshire, but that's not always enough. Bob Dole nearly doubled G.H.W. Bush in '88, but lost the nomination. John McCain finished fifth in 2000, yet trounced G.W. Bush in New Hampshire. And, in 1992, Bill Clinton came in fourth in Iowa, with only one quarter the number of the votes cast for "Uncommitted," yet still won the nomination and the general election.
Huckabee beating Romney is a bit of news in that Romney significantly out spent Huckabee; however, Huckabee's play to the evangelical crowd may have done the trick in Iowa - not to mention the feel good, come-from-nowhere story that's been being spun about him in the press for the last two months. Will that carry over to New Hampshire and beyond? Perhaps a smidge, but not enough to win the Granite State nor the party's nomination. Despite heavy spending by Romney in N.H., my call is for McCain to take that state's primary once again, followed by Romney, then Huckabee. I feel that Huckabee will fall behind once more light is shed on his politics and his past. To my mind, he's the flavor of the month. Sooner or later, the press will turn on him, as they did with Howard Dean in '04.
As for the Dems, now there's a toss up. It's going to be an interesting ride, and then an even more interesting turn as a running mate will have to be selected. Too early for Corporate Satan to glean a winner. But, I will endorse McCain for the GOP ticket's lead spot.
Home again, home again, jiggity jog Mood: not sure Now Playing: Airport noises Topic: Riehle good stuff
Sitting in the Tucson Airport waiting to fly back to the snowy cold of Boston. 7 AM flight, which meant getting picked-up at 4:45 AM. You can view my breakfast here. We made great time in the shuttle, as there was no traffic - arriving at the airport at 5:21. Sadly, no javelina T-shirts at the gift shop - the girls will have to wait. On the plus side, my upgrade to first class did go through for Tucson to O'Hare. That should provide some comfort and easier exit with I have to sprint to my next flight.
Catch you all soon. I hope that everyone's new year is starting off well.
Ummm, peace on Earth, anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Mood: incredulous Now Playing: Some music that I'm too old to know at Starbucks Topic: Politicking around
I was sitting at one of my many "offices," i.e., Starbucks, here in Tucson the morning after Christmas, and there were two people sitting next to me, discussing Bhutto's assassination. The older guy hadn't even heard about it, a day after it had happened, and the older woman, who, just moments earlier declared herself a conservative, but one who will have liberal friends, said that we should nuke the whole of that area to a glassy desert and just start over. I nearly choked on my venti no-foam latte. I realize that not all conservatives nor republicans are complete idiots, but why do so many seem more than eager to use violence as a means to resolve any problem? (Not even counting the fact that this would only exacerbate the situation...) It reminded me of a comic book I drew at age 9 - the end panel of *every* story was GI Joe solving the case and saving the day by blowing up something. Granted, as a 9-year old boy, that seemed to make sense. At some point around 11, I'm pretty sure I wised up. Why didn't this happen to everyone else?
My guess is that because the people in question, you know, those Muslims, aren't white, English speaking, Christians, that it's perfectly OK to nuke them off the face of the Earth. Actually, the willingness to lob a few nukes around probably extends to targeting white Christians, just not those residing in much of the US, New England excluded.
Anyhoo, to my good pals near and far, I send you tidings of joy, peace, and happiness for the holidays and the coming year. My Christmas cards are going out late, but out they will go in January.
Snow day travel
At Logan waiting to fly to Dallas then on to Tucson. I was supposed to have left at 7 AM, but that flight got canceled yesterday. Now due in to Tucson late tonight.
Vote for Mr. Splashy Pants Mood: irritated Now Playing: Romeo et Juliet, written by Hector Berlioz, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch conducting Topic: Fun and nonsense
Greenpeace is apparently trailing a bunch of humpback whales, and has decided to hold a naming contest. Here's your chance to vote. To quote Mike, who sent me the link, you know what to do.
Every effing time
When your plane gets in early, generally that's a good thing; however, every time it happens at DFW, our gate is full, and we have to sit on the tarmac and wait. This seems to happen nearly every time at Logan.
Hmmm, this might explain a lot... Mood: caffeinated Now Playing: the sound of rain and wind outside as the effects of Hurricane Noel pass by Topic: Riehle good stuff
Last night, while driving home from the MFA's firstfriday event with Jess, we got into a discussion of the devastation that a collision with speeding T car can impart to a automobile, bike, person, etc. (Owing to the fact that while driving home, a T ran a red light, nearly broadsiding my car as I crossed Comm Ave.) Jess commented on momentum, and I said, "Yes, one-half MV squared." Jess responded, "Isn't momentum mass times velocity?" "No, I thought it was one-half MV squared," replied I, the former mechanical engineer.
After a quick search on Wikipedia, momentum is, indeed, mass multiplied by velocity. It's kinetic energy that's 1/2 mass times velocity squared. So, while we're both right - Jess on the definition of momentum, and me with the extra energy derived from motion that's imparted in a collision, I'm wondering if my basic confusion on this explains my test scores in dynamic systems...and, at the same time, reconfirms the wiseness of my decision to move out of mechanical engineering into marketing, then product management. A lot of lives have thus been saved. I'm pretty sure that everyone owes me a big, "Thanks for knowing enough to get your dumb ass out of that line of work before you designed any bridges or buildings that might have collapsed on us."
I'll be accepting contributions and drinks at your leisure.
Haunted Hump Day Humor Mood: spacey Now Playing: Duke Ellington Topic: Fun and nonsense
It's Wednesday - and it's Halloween! Woo! One of Corporate Satan's most favorite of all holidays. As Halloween, or Hallowe'en, falls mid-week this year, it's going to be tough for all of the ghouls and goblins to make it out for trick or treating. So, dear ol' Corporate Satan will attempt to remedy that by handing out a few treats in the blog today.
Let's start off with something truly scary - the thought of Alex Rodriguez joining our beloved World Champion Boston Red Sox. If that doesn't send chills down your spine, I don't know what would. However, you can help ward off the greedy, slap-happy Mr. Not-tober, by signing the petition at Don't Sign A-Rod.com. (In the interest of full disclosure, that's a site I whipped up today.)
Now then, let's progress from the depths of that particular hell to something more charming: Arcade Attack!, a very odd movie from the '80s (wait, that's redundant). Be sure to watch the video clip from the movie - pinball game characters vs. space invaders. Must see TV, indeed!
Speaking of the trippy '80s, I know of no other way to introduce this next clip other than saying what it is, "Merv Griffen and Don Rickles meet Nina Hagen." Words cannot describe. You'll just have to watch it.
Continuing the video clip theme, with trippy overtones, here's an ad for the RAZR phone that was nixed by Motorola...after having dropped $800,000 on it. Not sure if it'd make me buy the phone, but it was interesting - and probably as effective as most ads.
As for commercials...this one for Nissan looks goodAND features The Clash's version of "Pressure Drop." I'm torn - I'd have never bothered to look at the ad if I hadn't heard The Clash (score one for Madison Ave.), but I'm never going to buy that vehicle (score one for me), and I'm left wondering, WWJD? Yes, what would Joe Strummer do if he he were still alive? Would he have OK'd the use of the song, or for that matter the use of "London Calling" in the Jaguar commercial and the recent promos for the Giants vs. Dolphins game in London? The old punk in me wants to say, "No way, man!" However, the aging realist says, "Well, maybe...Joe was also practical." This could turn into an entire post about my '70s and '80s musical heroes shilling for corporations via the licensing of their punk anthems, but, that'd just make me sad. So, go put on The Clash, hoist a beer to Joe, and re-experience that great music.
Not that I don't like the city of Denver or the state of Colorado - I love the scenery, the biking, and have great freinds who live there - it's just that it was a great weekend to beat up on two of their pro sports teams.
While I missed that celebration, I did enjoy some fine Duxbury oysters and Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace sparkling brut rose, just around the corner at Great Bay with Jess. I got turned on to the great $1/oyster special at Great Bay thanks to a recent Globe article. I'll be making stops at the other spots that offer cheaper prices, too - can't pass up bivalves for a buck! By the way, the Duxburys were great - smooth, silky texture with a good meaty core, a touch of brine, but not salty. As Jess commented, "They envelop the tongue." Now there's a thought.
On that note, it's back to work. More musings later. Cheers and Salut!
on fire
surprised
not sure
incredulous
Posted by Jamie
at 2:59 PM EST
irritated
caffeinated
spacey
celebratory