Category Archives: Politics

Politics Make Me Want to Hide Under the Covers

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It didn’t really matter. 

Not for Michigan, anyway.

I voted.  I voted against the surge to the far right – and make no mistake, the Republicans of today are the far right.  These are not the Republicans that would be recognizable to my grandmother or great grandmother.

Did the Democrats field anyone worthwhile?  Uh, no.  They fielded a candidate whose feet were fighting for which would fit in his mouth – if both couldn’t.

Republicans who aren’t even real Republicans now control all three branches of Michigan government.  We are doomed.  These are not people with any amount of common sense.  (Of course, no one in politics can be said to have common sense.)

It’s just one of those things, I guess. 

Will things improve from Washington, D.C.?  Nope.  Not with a bunch of incoming Senators and Representatives who are hell-bent on never compromising to create a better country.  They are the party of no.  And, sorry, if you voted for any of them, SHAME ON YOU!

Stop watching Fox NeWS – it isn’t news.

Start using critical thinking skills and see the mess that this pendulum swing towards the far right has caused.

Or, if you are a true believer, watch as your parents die for lack of medical care and social security.  Watch as your children are never able to make ends meet and end up owned by their company through debt slavery.  Watch as the corporatocracy and plutocracy takes an even firm hold on the throat of the ever smaller middle class.

America made the choice to follow the script from Babbitt.

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Stupidity, Thy Name Is Blizzard

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Some of you may be aware of the fact that Blizzard.net has decided the way to get rid of internet trolls is to use RealID to rip away the veil of anonymity.

This doesn’t work.  People who are idiots online are also idiots offline.  (I know I can be an idiot at times.  I try to temper it as much as possible, but, sometimes, even I, a grown woman, lose my courtesy controls.)

Today’s CTRL+ALT+DEL is a good summary of how well that works.

Now, not only is this not going to do what they claim they want it to do, it is going to cause actual harm to some people.

How many people want everyone they know to know all of their hobbies?  There are people who would not understand about reading comic books, romance or science fiction novels, playing video games, knitting, or cooking.  People have some of the most amazing prejudices that others would never even blink an eye at.

What about those unfortunate few who are being stalked?  Yes, they want to escape to a game world to get away from their worries, but, well, Blizzard says, “Nope, you can’t stay safe and play our game.”

There are a lot of under-18s who play these games as well.  It seems to me that there may actually be some privacy issues I am unaware of that affect the younger set.  Yes, parental controls can turn off RealID, but most teens know how to get into their parents’ accounts and do things that the parents would rather they didn’t.  (This is a truism of technology.)

I have heard some internet savvy folks claim that since IP addresses can be linked to individuals this makes no difference.  I beg to disagree as there are ways to fake IP addresses, etc.  Also, most stalkers don’t have the internet savvy to do this type of tracking.

My guess, as someone with many, many years in the software development profession, is that marketing came to the development team saying “we have to be a social media company!”  The developers groaned in private and did the bare minimum to make the deadline as they had more important updates to get fixed with limited resources.  I wouldn’t even be surprised that they are hoping the community outcry caused by this idiocy – and that is what it is – will make the powers-that-be at Blizzard roll back this change – or severely alter it.

Of course, I could be wrong and this could all be part of the plan to take over the Internet as the more paranoid websites have been claiming.  But, well, after years in IT, I can’t really see it as that nefarious. 

 

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Old Codgers in Congress Fear Connectivity

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http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0618/senators-introduce-bill-disconnect-internet/

The old folks home of dementia patients known as Congress has shown a stellar example of their inability to understand even everyday technology. Lieberman, et al., wish to create a giant off-switch to stop the US Internet in case of cyberattack. This won’t work real well since the darknet* (don’t google or go there!) is already cut off from the rest of the net but still manages to worm its way in to steal credit card and bank numbers from time to time.

But wait, there’s more! What is the most common type of cyberattack there is? DDOS – Distributed Denial of Service. In Congressional English (a.k.a. Senatorial, or moron), this means someone fills the tubes until nothing more can get through. For smarter people, it means if you type in an address, or click that link, the page you want won’t load up for you to see it.

How does an off-switch help this? (Yeah, that’s rhetorical.)

*Darknet is another internet network where only bad guys hang out. You seriously do not want to ever find yourself connected to it.WordPress tags: , , , ,

New Mexico GOP Congressional Candidate Suggest Landmines

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In the May 18 interview with KNMX radio in Las Vegas, N.M., Mullins says the U.S. could mine the border, install barbed wire and post signs directing would-be border jumpers to cross legally at designated checkpoints. [Link]

Even though this is on record, Mullins denies having said this.

Why is no one actually dealing with the real issue of the hot war in the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico? Probably because people are irritated enough about being in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe because the “Drug War” is too profitable for some interests in its current state.

“Illegals” are not the problem. The problem comes from corporate interests who undermine fair market wages. This allows an avenue for those wishing to traffic drugs to use these businesses as facades for their delivery points. Legitimate businesses can easily launder money by saying they are paying a fair wage to the “illegal” worker who cannot safely report they are being shorted in their wages. That money can then be funneled into legitimate accounts.

These sorts of schemes are very lucrative for those involved. This leads to turf wars not unlike those of the 1930s during Prohibition. The Mexican army has made incursions onto US soil to assist US forces in taking down drug lords who are operating all along the border. Dealing with this problem is a greater issue than the run-of-the-mill “illegals” that continue to cross in an attempt to find jobs only to find serfdom.

Or, maybe Mullins is just admitting we have a war on our own borders?

U.S. (Halliburton?) Identifies (Admits?) Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

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I realize that this sounds a bit on the conspiracy side of things.  I know that this may cause me to lose any credibility with many folks out there.  And perhaps I have just been enjoying too many Conspiracy and Paranormal Podcasts.  But, in the end, it seems way too convenient that the Soviets knew of these resources and Halliburton is a major contractor for the US military and mining and oil interests for there not to have been some level of purpose there.

For those who are unaware, the US military has long been used by business interests to forward their goals to make more profit.  It is something that some history teachers touch upon, but many don’t.  Smedley Butler – the man who saved the Union before World War II – even wrote a book called War is a Racket after serving as a general.

Why did Smedley Butler think this?  Well, the very lucrative banana and other plantations of South America were major financial interests of the robber barons of the era.  We stayed in the Philippines for the same reason.  It was always about money and trade.  Also, the opening of Japan was because the US Navy threatened to open fire if the Japanese didn’t open their ports to trade.

So, Afghanistan has the largest known deposits of lithium (batteries, computers, etc.), cobalt (more high tech), and other minerals crucial in the creation of computers, batteries, and other technologies which run our world today.

Why wouldn’t I think that Halliburton – or Brown and Root, or some other incarnation – influenced things so that we would have a strong military presence in Afghanistan?  I find the protestations of this being a surprise rather hard to swallow when the Soviets knew before they left Afghanistan.

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We Need Nut Sack Democrats

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I understand that Democrats can’t agree on what day it is, let alone something as complex as finance reform. In some ways it is even more complicated than the health care reform they did manage – well, sort of.

Democrats have an incredible inability to stay on the course. Cats are easier to herd. That they continue to worry about what Republican’s want boggles the mind. Republicans are a minority party in this country – despite what the coverage of the Tea Party Movement may suggest. It really doesn’t matter if they agree with anything or not.

Now, I know some of you are saying that with the lost of Senator Ted Kennedy the Democrats can no longer guarantee anything. I say to that, Bullshit. The president is from friggin’ Chicago. Politics in Chicago is nothing if not rough and tumble. I expect broken kneecaps – either literally or metaphorically – for non-cooperative sorts. I am tired of the idiocy behind being civil towards a group that is not civil in return. There are times when it is appropriate to be down and dirty and it is about time the Democrats start finding their balls.

I am seeking Nut Sack Democrats to pull the reins on idiot Republicans and faux Democrats.

Binnall of America (Podcast)

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Do you enjoy a wide array of esoteric topics? Everything from superstitions in baseball, to the influence of professional wrestling on culture, UFOs, conspiracy theories, and esoterica you might never come across otherwise?

If you do, Binnall of America is the podcast for you. Tim Binnall has created one of the best online radio shows about the things that many of us will talk about late at night – but may not admit to wanting to know more. His guests have included journalists, physicists, historians, and a wide array of people from all walks of life who have been touched in some way by the strange and unexplained. (Yes, professional wrestling does count for the unexplained.)

Tim Binnall comes to this arena with no preconceived notions. His interview style comes very much from the “I don’t know if what you say is true, but I want to learn more.” He also, unlike many, takes the time to read or watch the media his guests have produced before interviewing them. This makes for insightful interviews that deserve more airplay.

I wish more of those involved in this fascinating part of the human experience would follow his lead. This is one of a handful of podcasts that I listen to regularly. And, yes, his archives are available to listen to online.

Celebrating or Panicking, Maybe We Should Wait and See

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This past week Health Insurance / Health Care was finally passed in some tortuous form. There is good and bad with it as there is with all legislation. Personally, I’m not celebrating and I’m not panicking. I’m waiting.

Now, the law is structured in a way that whatever regulatory agency that may be given the responsibility to oversee it can do so. The biggest problem with that? So was the banking and finance industry. Will it be regulated? I really don’t know yet.

I like some of the changes – almost everyone has to buy or pay a fine. Sorry, but I think that is a public good and have no patience with libertarians who scream and holler about this governmental mandate.

I also like the no pre-existing exclusion that went into place. I just wish that there wasn’t a 4 year gap for adults. And, I wish it were retroactive due to how crooked insurers really are. But, well, I have a bit of a vengeful nature when it comes to true evil.

One of the big things I don’t like? The way the subsidies are working. There are going to be a lot of folks who border that upper working and lower middle class line that will not be able to afford either insurance or the fine.

Another thing I am not too happy about? Antihistamines and other over-the-counter medicines will no longer be allowed on FSA and HSA expenses. There are a lot of people for whom those are major expenses.

The Christian Science Monitor has two great articles on the Health Care Reform:

Oh, and just as an aside, here is an article that goes into why I – and many others – can no longer take Republicans seriously:

It pretty much summarizes why the panic coming from the Right is rightfully ignored by almost anyone with a brain today.

Also, when Attorney General Cox in Michigan filed his suit against the federal government’s health care reform, Governor Granholm ordered him to file a suit against himself for wasting state money.

Captain America #602 Causes Tea Party Controversy

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So, it seems that Ed Brubaker’s newest story for Captain America includes a reference denigrating the Tea Bag Movement which he claims he had not written. The story is here (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/09/tea-party-reference-captain-america-removed/?test=latestnews) at Fox News.

Joe Quesada, the “genius” behind destroying the marriage of Peter Parker and MaryJane Watson has copulated to the pressures of the rabid right who take everything personally quite quickly. All reprints will remove the panel that seems to refer to the Tea Baggers.

What did the Tea Baggers object to? Being portrayed as racist, anti-social protections, and being portrayed as relatively stupid. I can’t see where they have any reason to object since this is a pretty accurate portrayal of what they have displayed as their agenda.

Now, the question for me is whether this was really a publicity stunt to remind people that comic books are an affordable indulgence. Now that Marvel is owned by Disney it seems like a less likely tactic, but one never knows.