Mom and Me

My mom and I are a lot a like in our quirks. She saves the colored string that hold rice bags together and I save the crumpled up recycled paper that often comes as packing material with online orders. Today I've used both to help "wrap" two gifts -- yeah...

Learnt.

Today my officemate remarked that her computer was so slow it took half a minute for the "three-finger salute" to register. I replied, what the hell was a "three-finger salute"? Is that like reading between the lines? -- for shame! Is it a generational thing!? I recognize and even mourn a bit that kids these days probably don't know what the "blue screen of death" is, but I've never heard of Ctrl-Alt-Del being called the "three-finger salute." It takes about as long to say either, but I guess there is more anger behind the latter.

California Propositions

I've been going over The Los Angeles Time's complete editorial board endorsements this morning to print them for my mom and I just wanted to share this line from their No on Prop. 8 position:

Fundamental rights are exactly that. They should neither wait for popular acceptance, nor be revoked because it is lacking.

I'm am dumbfounded by the recent polls showing Prop. 8 is gaining support within the last month or so when same-sex couples have already been marrying since June. Those mean-spirited homophobic Yes on Prop. 8 ads really annoy me -- I want to punch that Pepperdine lawyer in the face. Surprisingly the comments in this post have been rather civil, but I still find the Yes on 8 arguments dumb when none of their fears like gay parents or gay adoptions are actually affected if Prop. 8 passes. Plus the battle call to protect "traditional" marriage ignores the fact that real traditional marriage and not just modern conventions of "marriage" were less about love and family and more about politics, property, and cheap labor.

Debate 3: Schieffer

This debate is building up pretty well -- wish I had more than audio to go by, but Schieffer's been asking very direct questions! I'm beginning to hear some of the McCain I admired, but then I remember that he picked Sarah Palin and approved ridiculously mean-spirited attack ads and I'm less swayed.

My three Sarahs

Lately the people I've hearted of most all share the same first name (sort of): Sarah. There's Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impression (hence the 'sort of'), Sarah Haskins of infoMania/Target Women segments on currentTV (I can't watch another Yo-Plus commercial without busting up), and the first Sarah: Sarah Vowell -- satirical author of American history extraordinaire. This week saw the release of Ms. Vowell's fifth book, The Wordy Shipmates, which explores American Puritans. Hmmm I can't wait! (Seriously).

Debate II: McCain Rising

McCain is doing very well, but I'm getting tired of some of his glib remarks. Obama needs to get more specific, but that's nothing new.

Live blogging Barack Obama and John McCain's second presidential debate [ Los Angeles Times ]

Heh -- Brokaw is trying to lay down the law. Ifill on last week's VP Debate chaos:

VP Debate: factcheck.org follow-up

FactChecking Biden-Palin Debate

I am still not a fan of Sarah Palin's folksy small town values pathos. Her, well I don't understand you Washington-types remark gets on my nerves. Biden was Biden and handled himself well without relying heavily on "normal folk" cliches -- His mention of his past family tragedy and hardship was a well directed response to Palin's repeated kitchen table/family values narrative.

In general, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect something more of the person who will hold the second highest office of the land.

VP Debate: Palin quote

I’m so encouraged to know we both love Israel.

VP Debate: Biden vs. Palin

Gosh! Answer the damn question! Biden had done a pretty good job addressing the question before strolling around it, but every time Palin is up to bat, she blatantly changes the topic "I'd rather talk about (taxes, Alaska, repeat)." It becomes all too obvious when she doesn't know how to respond, but she is finding her stride although filled with hackneyed sound bites.

Live blog: The V.P. debate minute by minute [ Los Angeles Times ]

wait -- are they...?!

Yes! Finally the party that claims fiscal conservatives under its tent is acting the part. I mean I can't even imagine 700,000,000,000 of anything let alone dollars. Good for you House Republicans! Let's hope it leads to something better than what we've got.

House Republicans say no deal