Domestic Policy

Damn, still about four hours till I can get out to vote and get my drink on.  Well, I guess I at least have my priorities in line.

Fun With Electoral Math

Crunch the numbers on the above, clickable map just about any plausible way you want, and it's nearly impossible to see how McCain/Palin gets to the magical number of 270.  That is, at least, unless he can actually flip Pennsylvania.  Strike that: he can lose PA, yet still come up with 279 (to 259 for Obama) if he picks up every single state that CBS's map lists as a toss-up.  He still achieves 270, if he loses Colorado, which McCain/Palin essentially conceded two weeks ago.
Another interesting scenario?  McCain/Palin wins every state considered a toss-up, except Missouri, and they lose to Obama/Biden, 270 - 268

Beagles for Nixon

It's all too brief, but there's a mighty fine lookin' dog in the first couple of seconds of this commercial.  Looks as if Jay is gonna finish up with a positive message; sitting on a 17-point lead statewide makes such a decision easier, I'd imagine.  Typically, gubernatorial contests in MO are decided by a percentage point or two.  Perhaps, not this year.

Saturday Beagle Blogging: 1 November 2008

Darwin is patiently awaiting the arrival of trick-or-treaters.  He loves the ring of the doorbell, because he's convinced that the visitors are for him, rather than Daddy.  Sometimes, he's absolutely correct.

Friday Cat Blogging: 31 October 2008

The first day it turned off rather chilly, I find the boys making a pyramid on the sofa.  If I could run my home on purr power, I could be selling energy back into the grid, and make a fortune.

Payback Ain't Always a Bitch

Happened across a couple of new local blogs this morning:  Lunchtime with Thud Munson has been posting away for about a year now, but I noticed his blog linking to mine only this morning, so a bit o' payback seemed in order.  He's a drummer in a local band, a husband and daddy to two big dogs (amongst a host of other things, I'd imagine); what's not to like.

His daughter, no longer a kid, has a blog of her own as well, Cupcake Confessions.  It's not yet linked to mine, but that's completely forgiveable, as it's still essentially in the embryonic stage.  But, I know as well as anyone that you have to start somewhere.  So, I'm tossing her one of her first linkies.  Yeah, I'm cool like that.

Ouch...Just, Ouch!

Thank You, Steve McIntire

Being the political season, and since I'm an active voter, as the rolls will attest, I've been besieged by all manner of mailings, fliers & hopeful knocks upon my door, especially since the August primary (no calls, though, robo or otherwise; I am unlisted, but perhaps I'm also charmed).  Honestly, I've found all of this attention amusing, considering nearly all of it (easily 80 - 85%) was bought & paid for by the GOP, state & national, as well as by various & sundry GOPer candidates.  Keep racking up the charges guys, but you're priming a dry pump.

Anywhoo, when I arrived home from work yesterday, there was an odd, little flier stuck into the handle of my front door.  Two-sided and approximately 3"h x 10" w, it was a compendium of candidates on one side and issues on the other endorsed by something calling itself the "Patriots of Springfield" (a Google search turned up nothing).

Imagine my surprise, all of the candidates endorsed by the "Patriots" happen to be GOPers, running from the state level on down:

• Kenny Hulshof: Governor
  
• Peter Kinder: Lt. Governor
  
• Mike Gibbons: Attorney General
  
• Brad Lager: State Treasurer
  
• Eric Burlison: State Representative (136th)
  

Amazing that all the endorsed candidates happened to be Republicans (amazing also that whomever left the flier had to pass signs posted in my rock garden noting my support for Nixon & Beatty in particular); or, perhaps not so amazing, when the list is compiled & paid for by Steve McIntire, whom I believe is this Steve McIntire.

Now, I'll admit, I am typically prone to shredding these refined pulp annoyances right away, but this one I did take the time to look over, for as of that moment, I had not taken enough time to explore the various proposition & non-candidate issues that will be on my ballot come November 4th, and studying how Steve McIntire and the GOPer elite wished me to vote on some of the biggies would probably help to pare down the time needed to study these issues in depth.  Here are the suggested ballot positions of the, ugh, "Patriots:"

• Constitutional Amendment #1: YES
  
• Constitutional Amendment #4: YES
  
• Statutory Measure Proposition A: NO
  
• Statutory Measure Proposition B: NO
  
• Statutory Measure Proposition C: NO
  
• Question 1 Non-Partisan Court Plan: NO
  

I'll not go into a long-winded analysis of all the proposed measures, for you can click on the above links, read the proposals and make up your own minds.  However, from what I can gather, I can offer a thumbnail analysis of the views of the "Patriots."  Essentially, "their" votes amount to a collective "fuck you" to the following:

• Non-English speakers & those who are multi-lingual
  
• Municipalities
  
• Educators/students
  
• Elderly, infirm & disabled
  
• Clean Energy advocates
  
• Believers in a non-partisan judiciary
  

Rather than going through the list of candidates & issues again, and showing how I'd vote, simply put the opposite to whatever the "Patriots" suggested, and you'll know my mind.

So, I thank you Steve, you and the "Patriots" for your efforts.  You've made my choices easier & my conscience lighter.