Grubulub: dirvish’s Blog

I’m not convinced that Hillary is the demon spawn that many make her out to be, and as far as Republicans go McCain isn’t the worst…but I think Obama blows them both out of the water. I’m not a phone calling dude either (I talk on the phone more than enough at work), so I’ve taken Ryo’s challenge and contributed to his mini-fund raiser. I’ll post an update if Ryo gets back to me on how to say “yes we can” in Japanese.

Drug induced dreams night 3:

I don’t remember any dreams from last night as well as the ones from previous nights. The one I vaguely recall involved me scoring my first triple double in the NBA. My team lost despite my efforts.

A relative forwarded me the following email:

TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND READ THIS LETTER. THESE ARE STRONG, POWERFUL AND COURAGEOUS WORDS COMING FROM A RETIRED COLONEL. AND READ WHAT LINCOLN HAD TO SAY AT THE END. WOW! 33 Senators voted against English as America ’s official language on June 6, 2007. Of the 33, only one is a Republican and two are Independents; the rest are Democrats!

On Wednesday, June 6, 2007, at 23:35:23, Colonel Harry Riley, USA-Ret. wrote:

Senators:

Your vote against an amendment to Immigration Bill 1348 to make English America’s official language is astounding. On D-Day, no less, when we honor those who sacrificed in order to secure the bedrock, character and principles of America , I can only surmise your vote reflects a loyalty to illegal aliens.

I don’t much care where you come from, what your religion is, whether you’re black, white, or some other color, male or female, Democrat, Republican or Independent, but I do care when you’re a United States Senator representing citizens of America and you vote against English as the official language of the United States.

Your vote reflects betrayal and political surrender. It violates your Pledge of Allegiance, dishonors historical principle, rejects patriotism, borders on traitorous action and, in my opinion, makes you unfit to serve as a United States Senator. Impeachment, recall or other appropriate action is warranted or possibly even worse.

Four of you voting against English as America ’s official language are current or former presidential candidates: Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Dodd and Senator Obama. You are and were four Senators vying to lead America, but you won’t or don’t have the courage to cast a vote in favor of English as America’s official language when 91% of American citizens want English officially designated as our language.

This is the second time in the last several months this list of Senators have disgraced themselves as ‘political hacks’ unworthy of being Senators and certainly unqu alified to serve as the President of the United States.

If America is as angry as I am, you will realize a backlash so stunning it will literally ‘rock you out of your pants’ and, preferably, totally out of the United States Senate. The entire immigration bill is a farce. Your action only confirms this really isn’t about America , it’s about self-serving politics and it’s despicable at best. It has been said, ‘Never argue with an idiot. They’ll drag you down to their level!

The following Senators voted against making English the official language of America :

Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE) (Unsuccessfully ran for President)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Clinton (D-NY) (Wants to be President)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT) (Unsuccessfully ran for Pre sident)
Domenici (R-NM) (Coward. Protecting his Senate seat.)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI) (Not unusual for him!)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA) (Unsuccessfully ran for President)
Kerry (D-MA) (Unsuccessfully ran for President)
Kohl (D-WI))
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (I-CT) (Disappointment here.)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL) (Wants to be President)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV) (Senate Majority Leader)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)

President Abraham Lincoln stated, ‘Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged!’

PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING AROUND THE UNITED STATES UNTIL THE ELECTION!

Breaking my normally strict rule of NEVER responding to or forwarding chain letters I did ~5 minutes of research and sent the following response (hopefully I got my facts right):

The issue isn’t as simple as the email makes it sound. The democrats in question voted for a similar amendment sixteen minutes earlier. Some of the language of the cited amendment contradicted the first, but the spirit behind both amendments seems the same. It doesn’t make much sense to vote for an amendment that contradicts another you just voted for.

The only problem I see here beyond the usual political shenanigans on both sides is the confused souls who voted for both amendments thus potentially making the bill in question very unclear.

It also shouldn’t be assumed that there really is a Colonel Riley and that he really sent this email. A similar email went around based on a bill that actually passed in 2006: http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/englishvote.asp

Keith

I kept it mellow since I was also breaking my rule of NEVER talking politics with family, but I felt like it needed some response.

Also, Lincoln didn’t really say that.

I’ve taken a daily antibiotic, Levaquin, the last couple days to cure some sinus crud. I don’t see it on the list of side effects but I think the Levaquin is causing me to have crazy dreams. This is especially unusual for me since I don’t usually remember any of my dreams.

I spent Tuesday night preparing for an impending zombie hoard. According to CNN the zombie outbreak began in Mexico and the hoard was shuffling North in search of more brains. My plan was to fill an appropriated motor home with supplies (food, water, weapons, ammo) and head North into Canada. I woke up after assembling a team of an unidentified man, woman, and an Australian Sheppard to help gather supplies.

Last night ended with me winning a bare knuckle boxing match refereed by Usher.

Here is the closest side effect:

Quinolones, including LEVAQUIN, may also cause central nervous system stimulation which may lead to tremors, restlessness, anxiety, lightheadedness, confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, nightmares, insomnia, and rarely, suicidal thoughts or acts.

The majority of movies are not intended to be period pieces. They take place in “present time.” There is one technology that dates almost every movie that predates it, killing any illusion that the movie occurs presently: the cell phone. There are now many movies that you have to accept that they took place before cell phones (BCP) were invented or their plots make little sense. Last night I watched a movie that was made during the transition between BCP and current cell phone ubiquitousness. The Long Kiss Goodnight was made in 1996 when low-rent private detectives like Samuel L. Jackson’s character didn’t have cell phones, but upper class house wives like Geena Davis’ character did. Jackson’s character resorted to using a pay phone (do those still exist?) to make contact with his partner. Since there was no explanation of Jackson’s character being a luddite, or some such character development, the film was instantly dated. I can’t think of another technology that so quickly had such an effect on movies’ time periods.

BTW, if you missed The Long Kiss Goodnight the first time around don’t bother to watch it now. The few really good lines Samuel L. Jackson has don’t make up for all the terrible ones Geena Davis is left with.

I managed to corrupt a table in this blog’s database (really need to look into that log rotation thing). But then I repaired it! Yay! Not that there is anyone around to notice…

Worst server admin ever.

How is McCain not being conservative enough for conservatives a problem for him? Who else are conservatives going to vote for? They’re sure as hell not going to vote for Hillary. He seems like the perfect candidate for the Republicans: independents are drawn to him and conservatives are stuck with him.

You may have noticed that there was, at most, only one voting machine at your polling place yesterday. This is because California Secretary of State Debra Bowen decertified the machines that Butte County just spent loads of money on.

I would like to take this moment to say: I told you so.

Below is the letter I sent to Butte County Clerk-Recorder Candace Grubbs in February 2004 and her response.

My Email:

I need to know whether electronic voting systems, particularly those made by Diebold (www.diebold.com), will be used at my polling place in upcoming elections. It has come to my attention that Diebold’s systems are severely flawed. They have stability and security issues and do not produce a verifiable paper trail. I am concerned that use of these systems could cause me to be disenfranchised. If these systems are being used at my polling place will there be an alternative voting method I can use, or should I apply for an absentee ballot to avoid the situation?

I have read (http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/7321237.htm) that electronic voting machines will be required to produce a paper receipt by 2006, but I am concerned about the elections taking place in the interim.

I have voted at the church across the street from the City of Chico office in the last two elections.

For additional information about the issues involved with Diebold and electronic voting machines, particularly the lack of a verifiable paper trail see http://wiki.volitant.net/diebold-cd.

Thanks,

Keith Adams

County Clerk-Recorder’s Response:

Mr. Adams,
Butte County has not changed it’s voting system. Be assured that any voting system this department may employ in the future will have security in place and no voter will be disenfranchised, just as we currently make sure that every vote that can legally be counted is counted now. My staff and I take our jobs very seriously.

Candace J. Grubbs
Butte County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, California 95965
530-538-7761

Unless I grossly underestimate the size and discretion of my audience here this is unnecessary, but mum’s the word on the engagement; she hasn’t told the ‘rents yet.

My sister just let me know that she is engaged, and she wants me to be part of her bridal party. I think that means I will be a bridesmaid! I’m stoked! Congratulations Jen! Still waiting for her to get back to me on whether I have to wear a dress…