"Undermining my electoral viability since 2001."

SOTU

Watched the speech with Luke and Nick and Kim, his compadre from Hastings. Not really much to say.

The president sure does like setting up false dichotomies.

Human-animal hybrids?

Tim Kane needs to tame that eyebrow if he wants to get anywhere further in politics.

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When the Enemy of my Enemy is my Enemy

This certainly is a little weird when you think about it. From the NYT:

Human rights organizations and the co-chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus protested on Thursday a decision by the Bush administration to back a measure introduced by Iran denying two gay rights groups a voice at the United Nations.

In a vote Monday, the United States supported Iran's recommendation to deny consultative status at the United Nations' Economic and Social Council to the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians and the International Lesbian and Gay Association, based in Belgium.
...
Among countries with which the United States sided were Cuba, Sudan and Zimbabwe, nations the State Department has cited in annual reports for their harsh treatment of homosexuals.

Emphasis mine. Link found via Digby.

The official excuse is that these groups were once (along with one of my heroes, Alan Ginsburg) affiliated with NAMBLA, an affiliation which ended more than 10 years ago. By most accounts, NAMBLA no longer really exists as an organization, other than as a couple PO boxes and a website... and apparently as a convenient boogyman for justifying homophobic US diplomacy.

But it's nice to see we can see eye to eye with Iran, Cuba and Sudan in terms of keeping fags out of the UN. Nice job, Bolton.

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Heh

Since we're in a jokey mood.... Best. Myspace. Pofile. Ever.

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Things

Things are pretty good. I got the latest episode of BattleStar Galactica to watch tonight. I think this weeks projects will come in smoothly under deadline. I feel a sort of steady rhythm picking up.

Hoping to make some changes on this old website soon. First off is getting drupal 4.7beta up and running, making myself a nice little theme, migrating old content. Should be exciting.

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Hurrah for Federalism

Death With Dignity wins in the Supreme Court. Roberts, Scalia and Thomas dissenting. There's little doubt this would have been a 5 - 4 with Alito on the court instead of O'Conner, part of the reason hard-core conservatives want him in the game.

This is something I know a bit about since my mom worked on the campaign in Oregon, where the law was passed. It's a good victory for state's rights, compassion, and rationality. Die-hard conservatives see this as a slippery slope at the bottom of which is some kind of soylent green dystopia, but frankly that's quite farfetched. It seems rather straightforward to me that in a free society, one should be free to determine the time and place of their dying, and that if a doctor feels it is within their professional ethics to make that choice as painless and safe as possible, there's nothing wrong with that.

I find it strange that a state can legislate to allow you to kill yourself but not to allow you to smoke pot, even if both freedoms are restricted to the very very ill. I think laws against suicide are silly, ditto the prohibition of marijuana, but then I suppose I'm a little ahead of the curve. Or behind it maybe. Time will tell.

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Cafe Work

Soon I'll have a respectable home-office set up, but I'll probably still work in cafes some of the time. I like getting out of the house. The Tea Lounge is really square in my zone, but the only internet there is from neighbors, tends to be unreliable. When I really need to work, I roll down to Cocoa Bar, which is not as much my scene, but has the net for real.

The people who work there are great, but I'm not the client profile the owners are gunning for. I think the music they play totally blows (lots of Coldplay and Dave Matthiews Band Live and things in that vein), and I'm not looking to buy wine by the glass or chocolate gift packages. On the upside, they have $4 hot chocolate that's worth it, and you get to meet kids who's parents bring 'em in for a treat. I like meeting young people who are just learning to be social, asking you your name, how old you are, etc. It's pretty uplifting.

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Eloquence

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Support the Troops!

Yeah, this will sure help morale. JD is pissed, and I think he's right. If you're going to employ people to kill other people, you should let 'em drink and bang pros, I say.

As usual, this is pure hypocrisy from Don and the gang.

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Tips for Travelers to Canada

Tips for Travelers to Canada

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that, by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. This is a change from prior travel requirements.

With my photocopy, I can get a new Drivers License in 7 to 21 days, which is in time for my trip. It seems I will have sufficient proof of self.

It was funny though, getting on the phone with the man from the DMV. "You've got a problem, man. You can't proove who you are!"

I know.

Anyway, all's well that ends well.

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