Democrats

I think its fairly well established that John McCain will be the nominee on the Republican side and is now only a matter of academics. Since this is incredibly boring, I'm focused more on the Democrats. The delegate count difference is only 70 or so despite Barack Obama winning 10 straight primaries. This is scaring Obama supporters because of the DNC's arcane "superdelegate" model, which in my estimation is going to cause Hillary Clinton to get the nomination in August unless Obama wins Ohio and Texas in two weeks.

Before I continue, I want to say that I think this year's Democratic convention could potentially be as troubling as the 1968 convention because of a clear lack of understanding of how the rules in their own party work. Why is it that liberals never find fault with the system until for some inexplicable reason, their candidate loses or may lose? Its incredible to me how panicky Obama liberals are - it is becoming almost conspiratorial in tone lately... and this is a primary for God's sake! Democrat against Democrat. When Democrats eat their own, as they routinely do, bad things happen.

A lot of liberals are out there who typically do not participate in primaries, and as a result have not considered the rules for their own party. Winning primaries does not get you the nomination - gaining delegates does. This is done differently on a state by state basis - for example in California delegates are broken down by district and are divided proportionally along percentages. In other states the "winner takes all" approach is employed. The bottom line - if you do not lay out a strategic plan to gain as many delegates as possible, you are actively working to lose. Period. End of story. One thing that is blatantly obvious is that Obama and his people are political amateurs in comparison to the Clinton camp, who are loaded down with people that worked in previous Democrat administrations. I should emphasize that I say that with some hesitancy, since you'd expect the Clintons to know better than to let Slick Willy routinely act agitated to potential voters and single handedly torpedo her candidacy. Which brings me the question - could Slick Willy ever play second fiddle to his wife if she won the election?

Republicans

John McCain has all but won the nomination. Mike Huckabee, a Republican I will never vote for, remains in the race. Presumably, he is staying in the race to let the conservatives know that there is another choice more suitable to them. I think he's doing it simply to stick it in McCain's eye - Huckabee has no legitimate shot at the nomination.

To put it plainly, many conservatives are panicking and threatening to separate from the Republican Party because McCain is winning. You've never read a strong criticism of conservatives from me - here we are. I'm angry with conservatives because of their recent petulance - if they don't get their way, they want to pick up their ball and leave the playground. What the fuck? For years the conservative wing has marginalized moderates in the party, myself and my brother included. We were told in 2004 to vote for President Bush, even if we didn't like everything about him, because the alternative was, well.. John F-ing Kerry. Fair enough - I do not want a staunch liberal to ever be the President of the United States, and when push comes to shove, I only support less than a handful of liberal social initiatives. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, look how they are acting... its a god damn pitiful shame. What is good for the moderates is not good for the conservatives. This is what happens when one element of your party is dominant for many years - these people feel entitled to boss the rest around and dictate to their EQUALS how the party should vote. Christine Todd Whitman wrote a book called "Its My Party Too." Conservatives laughed at her and called her a RINO. Now who is laughing?

This is why I've just finished filling out the forms to switch my registration to independent. Thats right - I'm disassociating myself with the party, or any party. I'm deeply unsatisfied, and to be perfectly honest, I don't have a home in any party at the moment. I'm not even sure I have a presidential candidate to support - we'll see how the chips fall over the course of the next eight months or so.

This is the story - conservatism right now is not palatable to Republicans, let alone independents or conservative Democrats. If you ask conservatives who is at fault for their situation they blame moderates. Can you believe that? These are the same people who have always told liberals that if you complain about losing, don't blame the voters or the system; blame your own inability to convince the voters that your ideas are better. Now conservatives are losing the battle of ideas even within their own party and arrogantly refuse to blame themselves. They are wrong and I won't associate myself with them anymore. As of whenever the ECBOE gets my form, I'm now a registered independent.

Our Future

So, for those of us who follow the political scene how will the next eight months shape up? I predict that we will only know the Democratic nominee when the delegates are counted at the August DNC convention in Denver. I hope I am wrong about that because I really believe that such a situation will bring chaos. I'm also predicting that we will have the least negative general election in decades. If you ask me for one positive that I truly believe will come to fruition it will be this, and to that extent I think voters will punish any candidate that plays dirty. Picking on McCain's age will yield him a victory in the same way that it benefited Reagan 25 years ago. I don't believe Obama would pursue that angle. In fact, I don't know why Obama doesn't copy Reagan and ask the question, "are you better off now than you were 8 years ago?" I won't bother with Hillary - she is hanging in there. She knows how the system works. Everybody knows how the Clintons operate. Nuff said. Because the delegate count is so close, Hillary doesn't have cause to believe her candidacy is over. However, where the momentum lies is obvious. If Obama can win big on March 4, I don't think Hillary will have much of a say in the matter anymore and we can move on. We have two candidates who believe they are the heirs presumptive to the throne, based on puzzling and narcissistic presumptions of having destiny and history on their side. Watch this space.

Last thing. I am picking on Obama supporters for freaking out over the DNC's superdelegate rules, but in all honesty they are right. I've talked with (e:jason) about this many times and we both believe that no voter should even be in the position to have to understand such bizarre rules and regulations. It should all be scrapped - ALL OF IT. Superdelegates, the electoral college, all ridiculous rules both within each party and in general elections. The reason why these rules were created are transparent - aspects of the government (and in the case of the feds, the founding fathers themselves) did not believe that the people have the intelligence or the ability to choose the leader of their own country. Any scenario in which the popular vote loses to the electoral college vote is unacceptable to me and should be unacceptable to all Americans, because in fact a majority of the country (when Bush won in 2004 liberals referred to this as 'mob rule') did not vote for the person who is taking the office. Bottom line - that is not democratic and everybody knows it. So many people missed the point in 2000. Four different independent organizations certified the Florida results, yet to this day many liberals argue that Bush somehow stole the election. The crime wasn't that President Bush won through a flawed system - the crime was that the system was flawed in the first place.

Lately I've been looking into participating in a community supported agriculture program with a local farm, and while doing research I thought it would make for a great journal entry. For $16 a week you can get enough organically grown produce to feed 2-4 people. The best part? You don't even need to pick up your produce at the farm - chances are you can pick up your produce at a close and convenient location. Do you like the idea of buying conveniently picked up organic produce at a more than fair price with enough variety to keep your culinary imagination going, while directly supporting the operation of a local farm? Read on, my run-on sentence loving friends... this may change the way you think about where your food comes from.

CSA - A Primer

Community supported agriculture - Wiki - is essentially a method by which consumers and farmers can forge a mutually beneficial partnership. This not only stabilizes local farmers early on in the growing season when cash can be short, but guarantees you a share in the crop harvest on a weekly basis. You can read the Wiki page if you want more details, but I will briefly overview how it works.

Small family farms are a dying breed, just like the mom and pop stores we used to see prior to the advent of large corporate chain stores. As I alluded to you earlier, CSA is a clever scheme by which small farms that focus on organically/ethically produced foods can mitigate financial risk by approaching consumers directly and asking them to purchase a "share." Typically a "share" costs around $300-$400 per growing season, and many farms offer a variety of options. Want your 22-week season to start in the summer, or do you want a winter citrus package, or maybe you want to participate year round - no problem. As consumers, we outlay this cash to the farms, who then use the money to stabilize their businesses early on. Our return on investment yields a share in the crops - every week for 22 weeks your money buys you a variation of different fruits and veg, depending on what is being grown.

I should stress the mutual risk and reward element of this idea, and the concept of eating seasonally. You eat what the farmers are able to grow - you may still find yourself trailing off to Weg or the Co-op if something you really want isn't grown locally but is shipped from Chile to be sold here. Yield may vary as well, but farmers are incredibly good at knowing how much they will need to grow and how to achieve it. However, the benefits of eating seasonally and sourcing from local, organically focused farms who know what they are doing can yield you some truly amazing, restaurant grade (if not better) produce.

So - you help local farms sustain themselves, and in return you get to pick up a load of fabulous produce every week for 18-22 weeks. For less than $20 a week all the thinking you need to do (with the possible exception of making a substitution in your share because you hate radish) about your produce is that you need to go pick it up. I'm thinking about doing this for the summer. There is a farm that allegedly does pickups at (e:drew)'s church but I cannot confirm that, and I need to do some more research before I'd make a recommendation. I'd prefer to just have a list of local farms that have a program such as this and allow you to choose for yourselves.

EDIT: Buffalo Rising article from Sept.

And since I wouldn't endorse visiting links from their site -

Porter Farms -

Native Offerings -

I am not informed enough to suggest one or the other - check out the different options, pricing, etc. and see what is best for you. Sure, $350 up front (or more if you want the larger share) may seem like a lot, but in the context of your entire summer food budget is it really that bad?

I just got this 404 message on a website I frequent - and no, it doesn't happen to be from a porn site.

Once upon a midnight dreary while I pr0n surfed, weak and weary,
Over a many a strange and spurious pr0nsite of hot XXX galore;
While I clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning,
And my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour.
"'Tis not possible!" I muttered, "give me back my free hardcore!"

Quoth the server,
404

If you didn't get the Poe reference... I don't think I can talk to you anymore.

Today while flying home from JFK airport I watched the announcement from New Mexico concerning who won on the Democrat side. The Democratic Party representative making the announcement noted that people from the Bull Moose Party voted, and he had no idea what the Bull Moose Party was.

I really wish I took his name down. Note to anonymous sir -

You've never heard of the Bull Moose Party and you claim to be a leading Democrat in your state? Have you ever heard of Teddy fucking Roosevelt, or the fact that the Bull Moose Party was simply a popular name for what was (and still is) formally known as the Progressive Party? Have you ever taken an American history course in your life? Hang your head in shame, sir. You are no politico.

Highly recommended. I just visited there after my commute home and was thoroughly impressed with their selection. They have a wide variety of various beers that I've never seen before, including various Japanese beers (one of which is coming - a red rice beer that will sell for $24 a growler) and other things. They also allow you to walk into their cooler, and they also carry what I dare say will be the best variety of draft stuff available anywhere in the area, by a LONG shot. Get a growler and try something new - expect to pay about a tenner but depending on what you get it may be a little higher- the Dogfishhead stuff is notoriously expensive.

The prices are generally higher - I'd say a buck or so higher than Consumer's. The sixers ranged in price from $8 to $20. We are talking about a selection that carries some hard to find things and/or relatively rare things - I wasn't exactly outraged by some of the prices but be forewarned of impending sticker shock on some stuff. I don't freak out about pricier beers because, frankly, I am in it to enjoy it and I'd rather spend more and drink something nice at home than bar hop, spend far more money and not enjoy any of the alcohol at all. Not everybody is the same though, so I wanted to give you fair warning if you are accustomed to spending no more than $7 for a six-pack.

I bought a bottle of Schneider Weisse (suggested as an alternative to my much desired but hard to find locally Hacker-Pshorr Weisse), a bottle of Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout and a six-pack of Smuttynose Old Dog Brown Ale. I'll let you all know the sloppy results later!

They are not just about beer - they also have a general store that carries specialty/upscale items as well as a small deli. It is a generally upscale store, with dim lighting, reddish hues and smart decor. The guys that work there are cool and know their beer. For someone who rejects gentrification like a baby spitting up involuntarily, I say that this store is a most welcome addition to our community. I would recommend it to anybody in the mood to check out a nice store with high quality beers, knowledgeable staff and a small but neat general store. Well done Village Beer Merchant - we'll be back.

For once I'm the one at home and Jason is the one out of town. I have a weekend by myself - I have no idea what I'm going to do! One of the things I took home with me sorta from California was a recipe from Trader Joe's for an easy pizza. Frozen naan bread (I hope I can get this at Super Bazaar or somewhere local), chevre and vegetable tapenade. This is the sort of thing even my brother can put together, but I want to test it out to see if it would be a good party item.

I also have been reading a book by a Briton named Simon Winchester - its called A Crack In The Edge Of The World. It is a historical account of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, told through the eyes of an author who is an Oxford-trained geologist. The man writes beautifully and it really is a gripping read, but right now I've been working through a section of the book that is more technical in nature and its been a bit of a lowlight. Still though, a friend recommended the book highly to me and for the most part I've enjoyed it. My progress has been slow - I always wait until too late at night before I decide to read.

Also my kitchen needs some TLC. (e:jason) is a lazy bastard left me with the job of taking the bottles back all by myself when we agreed we'd do it together! Usually when it comes to cleaning, I prefer to just be by myself and crank it out - all I need is time, weed, music and the right supplies. I found an awesome cleaner that I want to recommend to you guys - its an Oxy product that is a little thicker that is meant for bathroom use. I haven't done an environmental impact study to determine the earth friendliness of the product - all I know is that its awesome. Still though do any of you have a suggestion for a product to use on a laminate countertop? We have a white counter and I have faint but still annoying wine stains, etc. that are driving me crazy.

From a comment someone wrote on The Politico -

interesting: Hillary Clinton has been telling America that she is the most qualified candidate for president based on her 'record,' which she says includes her eight years in the White House as First Lady - or 'co-president' - and her seven years in the Senate.

Here is a reminder of what that record includes: - As First Lady, Hillary assumed authority over Health Care Reform, a process that cost the taxpayers over $13 million. She told both Bill Bradley and Patrick Moynihan, key votes needed to pass her legislation, that she would 'demonize' anyone who opposed it. But it was opposed; she couldn't even get it to a vote in a Congress controlled by her own party. (And in the next election, her party lost control of both the House and Senate.)

Hillary assumed authority over selecting a female Attorney General. Her first two recommendations, Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood, were forced to withdraw their names from consideration. She then chose Janet Reno. Janet Reno has since been described by Bill himself as 'my worst mistake.'

Hillary recommended Lani Guanier for head of the Civil Rights Commission. When Guanier's radical views became known, her name had to be withdrawn.

Hillary recommended her former law partners, Web Hubbell, Vince Foster, and William Kennedy for positions in the Justice Department, White House staff, and the Treasury, respectively. Hubbell was later imprisoned, Foster committed suicide, and Kennedy was forced to resign. - Hillary also recommended a close friend of the Clintons, Craig Livingstone, for the position of director of White House security. When Livingstone was investigated for the improper access of up to 900 FBI files of Clinton enemies ("Filegate") and the widespread use of drugs by White House staff, both Hillary and her husband denied knowing him. FBI agent Dennis Sculimbrene confirmed in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in 1996, both the drug use and Hillary's involvement in hiring Livingstone. After that, the FBI closed its White House Liaison Office, after serving seven presidents for over thirty years.

In order to open "slots" in the White House for her friends the Thomasons (to whom millions of dollars in travel contracts could be awarded), Hillary had the entire staff of the White House Travel Office fired; they were reported to the FBI for 'gross mismanagement' and their reputations ruined. After a thirty-month investigation, only one, Billy Dale, was charged with a crime - mixing personal money with White House funds when he cashed checks. The jury acquitted him in less than two hours.

Another of Hillary's assumed duties was directing the 'bimbo eruption squad' and scandal defense:

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She urged her husband not to settle the Paula Jones lawsuit.

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She refused to release the Whitewater documents, which led to the appointment of Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor. After $80 million dollars of taxpayer money was spent, Starr's investigation led to Monica Lewinsky, which led to Bill lying about and later admitting his affairs.

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Then they had to settle with Paula Jones after all.

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And Bill lost his law license for lying to the grand jury

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And Bill was impeached by the House.

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And Hillary almost got herself indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice (she avoided it mostly because she repeated, 'I do not recall,' 'I have no recollection,' and 'I don't know' 56 times under oath).

Hillary wrote 'It Takes a Village,' demonstrating her Socialist viewpoint.

Hillary decided to seek election to the Senate in a state she had never lived in.

Her husband pardoned FALN terrorists in order to get Latino support and the New Square Hassidim to get Jewish support. Hillary also had Bill pardon her brother's clients, for a small fee, to get financial support.

Then Hillary left the White House, but later had to return $200,000 in White House furniture, china, and artwork she had stolen.

In the campaign for the Senate, Hillary played the 'woman card' by portraying her opponent (Lazio) as a bully picking on her.

Hillary's husband further protected her by asking the National Archives to withhold from the public until 2012 many records of their time in the White House, including much of Hillary's correspondence and her calendars. (There are ongoing lawsuits to force the release of those records.)

As the junior Senator from New York, Hillary has passed no major legislation. She has deferred to the senior Senator (Schumer) to tend to the needs of New Yorkers, even on the hot issue of medical problems of workers involved in the cleanup of Ground Zero after 9/11.

Hillary's one notable vote; supporting the plan to invade Iraq, she has since disavowed. Quite a resume. Sounds more like an organized crime family's rap sheet.

Fuck politics - check this out. Its actually a pretty good fake.

Would you kill your dog if he did this? OMG.

The Feds have agreed to allow states to delay inspections for bridges in poor condition - this is a decision that was made after the I35 disaster in Minny where 13 people died when a bridge collapsed. This makes me ANGRY. Read about it here -

What the fuck are people in government thinking? In New York, at least according to the statistics, there is no bridge that isn't scheduled for an inspection every 24 months. The worst state in comparison? Illinois, with nearly 11,000 bridges on schedules longer than 24 months. California is in third with 3,600... which to me is absolutely dangerous and inexplicable given that its such a seismically active area. Combined with a $15 billion budget deficit, I wonder how Cali manages to maintain its infrastructure at all.

Keep in mind - this sort of statistic is keeping track only the *scheduled* bridge inspections. It doesn't speak about if/when the inspections have actually occurred. Wondering about your own local commute? I sure was - I roundtrip across the southern Grand Island bridges twice a day. The problem is that even bridges your state and federal government KNOW are unsafe are not being inspected within an acceptable time frame. Want to know how the bridges on your commute rate?



The default commute is from SF, CA to San Rafael, CA - you'll have to change and tinker with the tool to have your bridges and ramps pop up. I checked my commute from Buffalo to Grand Island.

Grand Island Bridge - last inspection October 2006. Evaluation of condition - meets minimum tolerable limits to be left in place as is. Rating - structurally deficient. On average 11,000 people a day have no idea that they are crossing a structurally deficient bridge. Why hasn't it been repaired, and why is it acceptable for our government to allow citizens to use risky infrastructure? WHY IS IT THAT THEY JUST INCREASED THE TOLL FOR THIS BRIDGE KNOWING DAMN WELL THAT THE MONEY THEY ARE COLLECTING AT THE BRIDGE IS NOT BEING PRIORITIZED TO MAINTAIN IT?

190/324 interchange - December 2006. Same evaluation and rating as the GI bridge.

Rt. 33 near Grider St. - August 2006 - same story.

I would love to know who to complain to.