Your Time is Gonna Come

Lyin', cheatin', hurtin, that's all you seem to do
Messin' around, every guy in town
Puttin' me down for thinkin' of someone new
Always the same, playin' your game
Drive me insane, trouble's gonna come to you."

The leadership of the Mormon church strongly urged members to donate millions of dollars — some estimates reach $20 million — to pass Proposition 8, according to the Los Angeles Times.

This is all I gotta say to ya...
Your time is gonna come."

According to a New York Times review of the book The Mormon Corporate Empire, the church is worth more than $8 billion, and it has wide political power. Its strength is based on the devotion of six million members worldwide; three million of them live in the United States. The authors say their premise is ''that the Mormon financial/political enterprise is not simply an American success story but rather an ongoing crusade to reshape our society and its democratic institutions.''

So, all the ads that duped California voters into thinking Proposition 8 would victimize children were sponsored by a fringe religion in Utah.

I hope Californians keep that in mind as they consider their Winter ski vacations, their Summer hiking trips, and any stays at the Marriott hotel chain, which is owned by a wealthy Mormon family.

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Your Time is Gonna Come	Song by Led Zeppelin

Good Times Bad Times

From my house I can hear the people gathered in downtown Santa Cruz, cheering for President-elect Barack Obama. Horns are honking, passers by are whooping, and someone out by the high school is setting off actual, professional-quality fireworks.

And I'm glad, too. Glad for the country and glad for my neighbors who helped change the course of this great nation.

But while the thought of Obama as president-elect should be cheerful, my heart is heavy because the citizens of the once-great state of California have decided to enshrine fear and discrimination into the state constitution.

As of 5 Nov 2008, 00:45 PST, with 63.6% of the precincts reporting statewide, Proposition 8 was passing, 52.7% to 47.3%. This means select California citizens will be constitutionally forbidden to marry, despite the fact the California Supreme Court has said such discrimination is wrong. In other words, even though a group of judges — legal scholars — has evaluated California law and said that forbidding marriage from a specific group is illegal, the voters of California have overridden them to ensure such discrimination is constitutionally sanctioned.

This despite the fact that states such as Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York have voted to recognize the validity of all marriages, regardless of gender composition. So much for the idea that California is at the vanguard of personal rights and freedoms.

I never thought I'd see this once-great state fall so far.

It seems Californians have decided the separate-but-equal postulate put forth in Plessy v. Ferguson is actually valid. But that idea is 112 years old, and was soundly rejected in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision. Regardless, the Mormon church has been able to convince a majority of Californians to deny basic societal rights to a small group of citizens. I'm sure they're proud of themselves.

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Good Times Bad Times	Song by Led Zeppelin

Would you take the wings from birds so that they can't fly? Would you take the ocean's roar and leave just a sigh?

Yes, I had an earlier post about the discriminatory nature of Proposition 8. But it was long and somewhat obtuse. Here's the gist, short and sweet:



At one time California had laws that discriminated based on race and ethnicity. We've moved beyond that, as you'd expect from the greatest, most diverse and accepting state in the Union. There's no reason to backtrack.

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"Would you take the wings from birds so that they can't fly? Would you take the ocean's roar and leave just a sigh?"	Lyrics from the song Don't Take Your Love from Me, written by Henry Nemo and performed by Nancy Wilson (among many others including Frank Sinatra, Etta James, Louis Prima and Keely Smith, Julie London, etc.)

New World Coming

There's a new day dawning that belongs to you and me. There's a new voice humming; you can hear it if you try."

Coming in peace. Coming in joy."

Not sure what you want for the future of this great nation, but I know what I want. It's specified in the clip above and I'll be voting appropriately on 4 Nov 2008.

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New World Coming	Song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, performed by Nina Simone (and covered by Mama Cass)

Communication Breakdown

Now because he knows that his economic theories don't work, he's been spending these last few days calling me every name in the book. Lately he's called me a socialist, for wanting to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans so we can finally give tax relief to the middle class." — Senator Barack Obama

Personally, I believe sharing your PB&J makes you a good American, not a bad American. But clearly that's because I'm a godless heathen who wants our enemies to prevail.

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Communication Breakdown	Song by Led Zeppelin

Get Up Stand Up

Please vote.



It's the only legal way to cancel out (or support) your neighbors.

(Anyone notice Neighbor John in the video? Or was it Neighbor Gary?)

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Get Up Stand Up	Song by Bob Marley

Drop the Hate

There are a lot of claims and counter-claims circulating about California Proposition 8.

Sometimes — as when determining grammatical structure or mathematical function — a helpful technique is to substitute a different value for one of the primary variables in the matter at hand, be it a sentence or equation. This can remove, for example, a semantically loaded element and replace it with something more universally accepted. Without the emotional cloud overhead, you can better evaluate the matter objectively.

One group has done this, taking an advertisement in favor of Prop 8 and substituting "interracial" for "same sex."



This substitution deftly manifests the discriminatory nature of the proposition. It makes clear what could have been confusing: Proposition 8 has only one goal, to codify prejudicism into the California Constitution so that the opinions of a few narrow-minded individuals become law for tens of millions of Californians.

In fact, with this simple substitution, the pro-8 group is quickly hoisted by their own petard.

Now — on the cusp of what could be a glorious 21st Century — there are very few people who would even attempt to defend a ban on marriage between different races, or different religions, or different classes. We've all seen many happy unions, and have probably learned to not even speculate on how a given match will fare in the future. Sure, he parties all night and she spends all day ministering to the aged and infirm; that doesn't mean they won't have a long and fruitful marriage.

So remember, when you go to vote: No on H8, No on Prop 8.

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Drop the Hate	Song by Fatboy Slim

For All to See

Just yesterday I heard someone say of Barack Obama, "there's nothing there." This is a persistent charge against Senator Obama, frustrating not just because it's false but because there's abundant information available to refute it.

So it got me thinking I could gather Obama's most recent and relevant policy positions into a blog post, only to find the hyper-efficient Obama/Biden campaign had just posted a fantastic two-minute video summary:



Here are the major points:

• Stimulate economy with a tax cut for 95% of working Americans. Families making less than $200,000 a year will get a tax cut, which will directly improve their finances.


• End tax breaks for companies that relocate jobs overseas, and instead create tax credits to reward companies that create new jobs for Americans.


• Help small businesses, the true economic engine of America, weather these tough times with low-cost loans.


• Position America to be competitive in an uncertain future by working to reduce the healthcare costs that are a massive drag on our economy, breaking our dependence on foreign oil so we're not reliant on some of the world's most unstable regions, and making sure all American children have the education they need to succeed.


• Bring about a responsible end to the war in Iraq, a war that costs the US $10 billion a month. Yes, $10 billion every month, even though the Iraqi budget now shows a surplus and we currently have the largest deficit this country has ever seen.


• Active management of the new bailout plans underway, so that the benefit goes to taxpayers, not corporate officers.


• End the current tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent of this nation's citizens so as to fund tax cuts for 95% of all working Americans.


• Close corporate tax loopholes, often inserted into spending bills and budgets at the last minute by lobbyists working for companies and industries.


• Audit all Government spending, with the goal of ending programs that don't produce cost-effective results.

Clear, reasoned, responsible plans that will better America by directly benefiting the vast majority of Americans. Substance centered around what this country needs right now. Right there for all to see.

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For All to See	Song by Buffalo Tom

Everything counts in large amounts.

Much is being said about the specific failings of the Republican candidate for Vice President. However what's really at issue is not the parentage of her alleged offspring, or the offspring of her offspring, or her documented abuses of power (which pale in comparison to the abuses wrought by the Bush administration).

And it's not her lack of experience; recent history has seen many dubiously qualified Vice Presidents and Vice Presidential nominees.

No, the real issue is the sheer, unmitigated hypocrisy being revealed in this nation's governing elite. And while the traditional media continues to be unable to effectively process and expose this hypocrisy, that doesn't stop America's most capable, most talented political commentator:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sarah Palin Gender Card
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform

Unfortunately I can only legitimately get that clip in a non-standards-based (though admittedly common) format, so if you're reading this on an iPhone or iPod touch, let me break it down for you:

• On 29 August 2008, Karl Rove cited Sarah Palin's experience as mayor of a town of about 9,000 souls and governor of a state with a population of less than 700,000 as strong examples of her executive experience and by extension her ability to be Vice President.


• However on 10 August 2008, Karl Rove dismissed possible Democratic VP candidate Tim Kaine as not being capable to possibly lead this nation since he's merely the governor of Virginia (population 7.6 million) and former mayor of the town of Richmond (population 200,000).


• On 2 September 2008, sycophantic TV commentator Bill O'Reilly said that the pregnancy of Sarah Palin's 17-year-old unmarried daughter should be a "personal matter" and shouldn't be part of political commentary.


• However on 19 December 2007, Bill O'Reilly indignantly cited the pregnancy of 16-year-old unmarried Jamie Lynn Spears as primarily the fault of "the parents of the girl, who obviously have little control over her." He went on to call them "pinheads."


• On 2 September 2008, Republican operative Dick Morris said a male candidate would never have to endure the, at that point, 72 hours of scrutiny that Palin had faced, saying it was indicative of the "deep sexism that runs through our society."


• However on 5 November 2007, Dick Morris was talking about Hillary Clinton's campaign when he said "when a woman wants to be President, she shouldn't complain based on gender." He went on to say that Clinton continuously "retreats behind the apron strings" whenever she faces scrutiny of her policies and positions.


• On 5 November 2007, McCain advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer said that people who think they're helping Clinton by playing "this gender card" were in fact hurting her, and that it would be "a terrible mistake for her [Clinton] to try to play this victimology or victimization card because it's just not what we want in a President."


• However on 3 September 2008, Pfotenhauer marched dutifully in front of the TV cameras to say that the nature of the commentary about Palin and her family was "disrespectful to her as a woman," that she was concerned the media should know better than to "belittle the accomplishments of women," and that questions about Palin's ability to balance one of the world's most intense jobs with the needs of her young children to be "one of the most outrageous double standards" she'd ever seen.


• And finally, in March 2008, Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin said of Hillary Clinton: "when I hear a statement like that, coming from a woman candidate, with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism or maybe a sharper microscope put on her, I think, man, that doesn't do us any good. ... I mean, work harder, prove yourself to an even greater degree that you're capable, that your going to be the best candidate."

And these people wonder why so much of the nation has turned against them. As Andrew Sullivan posted today:

They are a religious and cultural identity party, primed to rally to anything their leaders say and question nothing. That's why they're so dangerous.

They can do anything and defend it — invade a country on false pretenses, grind the military into extreme danger, trash the Geneva Conventions, expand government at a record pace, threaten war with Iran and Russia — and still say with a straight face that they are the party of national security, fiscal restraint, foreign policy wisdom and military pride. It doesn't matter what they do; these people believe in this cause because it is about God and America and their own identity. And when you have a major political party constructed like that, they can do anything. And they have."

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"Everything counts in large amounts."	Lyric from the song Everything Counts by Depeche Mode

Really Saying Something (He Was Really Sayin' Somethin')

Yes, it's too long to be a sound bite, but this exchange between Barack Obama and a Democratic party operative in Albuquerque is worthy of greater exposure because it demonstrates the evaluation and nuance that should go into positions regarding our Middle East conflicts, and it's a great example of acknowledging the views and concerns of our base while setting expectations on how to meet those concerns while effectively governing.



We won't all be in lock-step, but that doesn't mean we can't all follow a worthy leader.

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Really Saying Something (He Was Really Sayin' Somethin')	Song by Bananarama with Fun Boy Three

Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves

Looks like sea creatures have determined they can't count on human assistance. In New Zealand, two pygmy sperm whales were stranded despite hours of assistance from humans, reports AP via CNN. The mother whale and her calf had been coaxed off the beach by rescuers but were then repeatedly stranded on a nearby sandbar, despite all human intervention.

But then to the rescue came Moko, a female bottlenose dolphin. Much like how a middle-aged woman in a store deftly helps mind a stranger's child as the harried young mother fumbles with purse and coupons, Moko glided in and immediately calmed the whales, then smoothly guided them back out to sea.

"They had arched their backs and were calling to one another, but as soon as the dolphin turned up they submerged into the water and followed her," AP quotes Conservation Department worker Malcolm Smith.

Personally, I'm glad to see aquatics starting to police themselves. After all, once they...er...stand up, then we can stand down.

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Sisters are Doin' It for Themselves	Song by Eurythmics with Aretha Franklin

Sorry I'm not home right now, I'm walking into spiderwebs.

Photographic evidence of my lax housekeeping skills; here's what was on my living room table this afternoon, right next to the preamp remote that I'd been using all day and the stack of mail from the week.

I've been getting home so late for the last couple of weeks there's no way of knowing how long the web had been there.

Guess I need to start a weekend routine of some basic cleaning lest Nature completely reclaim my house.

And yes, after taking the picture I crushed the spider and removed the web. I've no leniency for squatters in my house.

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"Sorry I'm not home right now, I'm walking into spiderwebs."	Lyrics from the song Spiderwebs by No Doubt