Politics and a Survey

Last week, I received a survey in the mail. This very official looking document was published & sent out by the Republican National Commission. Why did I get it? Well, 17 years or so ago, I registered as a Republican and have never changed it. After reading it through, I'm glad I got to do the survey, but first a little background.

See, as a kid, my exposure to politics was fairly limited. But, I did know that my mom was on one team & my dad was on the other. When it came time for me to register to vote, I let my mother influence my choice. She was a Republican & explained why they she was one (I no longer remember what she said); however the main thing she stressed was that it was better to vote one's conscience than to vote party lines.

Now, back to that survey. I've heard it said over & over again that many view points espoused by the Right are fringe views, just vocal outsiders, it's not the party line. Some of the questions on this survey have caused me to believe otherwise... either that or the RNC is totally pandering. After collecting some basic data, the first question is: "Do you believe Barack Obama has used the presidency and the powers of his office to look out for concerns and interests of Americans like you?" Ok, that's fairly reasonable. Later in the survey, which is divided into sections, we encounter some questionable items such as:

•   "Would you support a phased-in increase in the retirement/eligiblity age for Social Security benefits that would not affect anyone over the age of 50?"
•   "Do you believe Obama's strategey of treating all countries as equals to the United States has strengthened our security and weakened the resolve of our enemies?"
•   "Do you support the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe vs. Wade to allow states to regulate/restrict abortion as they see fit?"
•   "Do you believe life begins at conception?"
•   "Do you support immediate and total repeal of ObamaCare health care legislation?"
•   "Do you believe the Republican Party needs to do a better job of exposing the Obama record and his radical liberal agenda?"
•   "Are you committed to helping ensure that in 2012, the Obama-era of radical liberalism, reckless spending and embarrassing foreign policy comes to an end?" (That's the last question before the section that requests donations)

(There's also a section at the beginning of 'bullet points,' so to speak that are considered as "How important are these issues...": Repeal ObamaCare, Exposing Obama's radical left-wing policies, Expanding domestic exploration for oil & gas.) 

It's those questions/items that cause me to question what the hell the Republican party is actually up to. Many of the items above are things I've heard discussed by people who are generally considered to be on the edge of things, not the mainstream, not the party line. Are they all a bunch of nutjobs? Is the RNC pandering to the far right? Is this survey simply for the RNC to gauge what it's members are up to/believe since there seem to be fractures within the party? 

To be fair, there are items on the survey that are pretty reasonable questions and reasonable bullet points as well. Such as asking if respondents are worried about inflation impacting their finances. Are we worried about border security? Do you agree it's time to leave Afghanistan? Should retirees be exempt from property tax increases on their residence? There are many others.

I don't really have any plans right now to change my registration. Partly due to laziness, partly because I might get to screw with their status quo by answering surveys such as this. Frankly, I'm not sure it really matters at this point which party one's voter registration card states. At this stage in the game, it seems to me that both Republican & Democratic lawmakers are really just two sides of the same coin & they're all in it for themselves. To be sure, one generally shouldn't paint with broad strokes as it's details that are always important. However, when something like this comes around, it really causes me to wonder if the broad strokes that are often used to paint the Republican party are a little more suitable than originally thought. I don't know, I don't pretend to. I just know that I listened to my mom & still vote my conscience.

Odd Feeling of Relief and Abe Lincoln

Wow, I just looked & realized it's been a loooong time since I posted anything here. I ended up feeling compelled to share some thoughts that have been rolling around in my head since Friday.

There's been some heated discourse over on my Facebook page for a couple days, so Friday I decided to check in & see if I still had the same number of friends. Finding I was down one, I went to see who. To my surprise, someone I had actually been wanting to defriend had dropped me. I found myself feeling an odd mixture of relief and happiness. When I told my husband he said "sad." I then explained that the sad bit was this person not realizing a long-ass time ago that we were NOT friends. (The only reason she was still in the list was due to trying to avoid any possible work drama.) He understood after that. :) But I realized, as a smile broke over my face, that I was actually a bit relieved. She got it. She finally got it. She's due back at work from medical leave soon, I can only hope this new knowledge sticks.

Now, for a more exciting topic! I just finished Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I've been reading it for awhile, and did actually have a conversation with someone where they asked me what it's about. I know. Seems obvious, right? Though Jason did point out that's often the sort of thing people say when they don't know what else to say about a book. Oh well. :) Anyway, you might have seen some trailers for a movie of the same name... but, after finishing, I'm not entirely certain how close it follows the book. I'll still see it, but, now I'm curious. The book though is by Seth Grahame-Smith. It opens with a man running a shop in a small town who talks about a regular customer named Henry. One day, Henry gives him a wrapped bundle that will change his life forever... Journals of Abe Lincoln. The story follows Lincoln's life and fantasy is woven very skillfully with fact. Jason read it, too, and he warned me that as you go through the story, it becomes harder to draw the line. He was right! I found myself thinking that many details actually seemed pretty plausible. ("So that's what happened to the second lost colony at Roanoke...") On the whole, even if he wasn't a vampire hunter, I found myself admiring Lincoln even more... and wanting to go read more about him. Y'know, actual biographies. :)

Unless... of course... this is real and it's only being marketed as fiction to throw us all off. Muahahahaha!

Rumors? On the Internet? Say it Ain't So!

It's been said many times, many ways. But I'm not talking about Merry Christmas. I'm talking about the Internet. Sure, we all know it's a great way to communicate with others over distance, conveying messages, ideas, and knowledge at speed. There's millions of wonderful things to be found, no I'm not talking about porn, but you can find that too, and no doubt some of it's wonderful. However, there is also a great lot of false nonsense. Someone will take a rumor they heard somewhere, and circulate it around as a gospel truth. If it's accompanied by blustery language designed to rile the reader, all the better.

 

I, along with everyone else, gets these emails from time to time. The ones that say things like "The ACLU wants to ban crosses for headstones in military cemetaries!!" or "The Obamas hate Christmas!" or even the one from this morning that if you sell your house in 2013 or after there is a 3.8% "sales tax" that will be imposed and that this is "hidden" in the health care reform act. The last item was from this morning, was a forward, and the person I got it from actually left intact a comment from the previous recipient "Don't know if this is true. click the link below for further explanation." Really? All clicking the link did (as in most of these emails) was take me to a site that was aligned with the general opinion of the rumor. 

When I get these notes, I go a step further. Rather than blindly becoming horrified & outraged at the percieved misdeed of whoever the target happens to be, I fact check. There are several wonderful sites that can help with this endeavor, though this morning I only had time to visit one of them. Upon determining the veracity of the email, I then copy the link, hit 'reply to all' and send it off. I believe rather firmly this may be why I don't get as many of these emails as I used to- perhaps people don't like the rumor mill being debunked.

 

From my experience, the main hallmark of spotting a rumor like this in your inbox is blustery language that is designed to raise your moral outrage. "How dare they!" the author wants you to think. All I usually think is "how dare you, author of this email!" Another big way to spot a fake, the author will make it sound like there's a huge conspiracy afoot and by sending this email you will help to rail against it.

 

This morning's offering, as stated, involves a 3.8% tax that will go into effect in 2013. The email bills this as a real estate sales tax, that someone, no matter their income level, will have to pay if they sell a house, because they're "out to screw the retiring generation who often downsize their homes." A quick check at www.snopes.com does much to dissuade that theory. The 3.8% tax is in fact a Medicare tax that will be instituted on Capital Gains earnings, or investment income, only if certain income levels are in place. (Read the full entry here:  http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/realestate.asp)

 

Stay wary friends, and, if you believe everything that comes into your inbox, well, I'm sure there's a Nigerian Banking Scam out there with your name on it!

You Must be This High to be in Congress

"Psst! Take this note!"
"What is it?"
"It's a note saying we're not gonna let those guys do anything 'cause we don't like 'em! C'mon, sign it!!"

You would think that is a conversation one would only hear in a school room, but, it's happened or is happening in our halls of government. Word came out last week that the Republican senators are quietly circulating a memo, encouraging all of their fellows to sign, that states they will block anything presented by the Democrats during this last session of Congress.

Really? Really???

What the hell, guys? I mean, there's an age limit for serving in Congress, but it obviously doesn't apply to emotional maturity. As a kid, I was taught to play well with others, even if we didn't always agree. There's still a bright, shiny kid inside me that wants to believe that people who are elected to public office are there to serve the people. There to get along with others (what's John McCain always saying? "Reach across the aisle"?), and do what needs to be done. I know that's idealistic. I know it doesn't happen.

It has happened before. I mean, I remember reading that Mr. McCain did just that on more than one occasion. What happened to that man? Oh, that's right. He decided to tow the party line to try to get elected. Twice. He's no longer a maverick, assuming he ever was one. But this isn't specifically about him.

I make no claims to being all knowing about the political doings of the folks in Washington. The item about the Republicans passing a note though really pisses me off. I thought people only did that shit in school? To me, that seems to have it a new low in immaturity from our elected officials. What's really more important? The war(s)? The economy? Tax cuts for the middle class? Joblessness & extending unemployment? Nope. Apparently what's important is the feeling of smug, self-righteousness that can be gained by saying, "see, we don't like you, so we're not going to help."

The Madness of "Mad Men"

I'd heard very little about "Mad Men," just that it was hot. At a friend's party a few months back, one of the guests was gushing about the show, trying to involve me, and I replied "I've never seen it." He was shocked, gasped, and said I simply HAD to. Then told me doing so would make me want to chain smoke and drink whiskey. Having seen season one, I can confidently say, I wish to do neither of those things, but I do now know what the fuss is about.

The show is smart. The writing is top-notch. The acting is good. I love the casting, as well. I know it's been discussed, at length, in many other places, but the historical attention to detail is magnificent. Assuming you're like I was a few weeks back and know nothing about it, "Mad Men" is a show about the world of advertising executives in 1960 (beginning of the first season). The main character is Don Draper, a big man at the firm with a mysterious past- seriously, nobody seems to know anything about his past, even his wife. Other characters are introduced- co-workers, neighbors, family -and though their roles are often minor, their stories are intertwine with the main one that involve Draper.

I read an article recently (forgive me, I don't remember where) where the writer discussed meeting a number of women who refuse to watch the successful drama. Why? They remember being treated the way the female characters in the show are treated. Let's just say, 1960: WAY before any kind of sexual harassment laws. I spoke to a co-worker recently about this show, who said she was of an age to join the workforce in the mid-1960s and she won't watch the show for that reason. I described a bit from the first episode, where a new girl is being shown to her desk and given advice by the office manager (the incredible Joan Hollaway, played by Christina Hendricks), and my co-worker asked if the men called the new employee "fresh meat." I looked at her and said, no, but they sure looked at her that way. My co-worker went on to say, that as a young 20 something starting her job, she was called "fresh meat" and at some point later on was propositioned by an "old dude" who worked there. (He explained his wife was an invalid and he wanted a companion to go to dinners, the theatre...would she be interested? She declined.) On similar note, a friend of mine said her husband refuses to watch. His reason? "I just can't stand the way they talk to those women!"

So we know that the interactions are played authentically, how about the rest? Well, it's just beautiful. Clothes, cars, decor- all 1960s. It's fantastic. Even the smoking- which I learned online are herbal cigarettes, because there's no way it would be legal to actually smoke that much on a set. It's very apparent that the folks behind "Mad Men" are very detail-oriented and strive for accuracy.

Now, we have season 2 to watch, god willing. (It's a library copy, which can sometimes be rather banged up.) I know I will continue to enjoy this show, even if at least once every episode I laugh, snort derisively, or just say "Wow!"

Spaghetti Squash is Amazing!

A few years ago, my husband surprised me by asking me to cook spaghetti squash. Having never heard of such a thing, I looked at him in confusion & he had to explain. For those unfamiliar, it's a largish, oblong yellow squash that, when cooked, one can use a fork to scrape out the innards which are stringy like noodles. Since then, I've been sort of  hooked on this tasty vegetable.

There's a few different ways to prepare it, I think it may even be printed on the stickers they put on the squash. The way I always do it: cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds & strings. Place cut side down in a pie plate that has about 1/4 cup of water & cover w/ plastic wrap. Microwave for about 6 minutes.

You can have it as a side dish, but we always use it instead of pasta in main dishes. A couple weeks ago, we even used it in an Asian style beef dish to substitute for noodles! Tonight's adventure was spicy sausage and mushrooms in a homemade tomato sauce. Added parmesan cheese in at the end & topped with mozarella in the bowl. Fantastic!

Spaghetti squash is versatile, healthy, and has a great texture. I plan on enjoying it more before the season's up!

Night Angel Trilogy

To start off with reviews, etc, I thought I would post a few words about a series I read last year. Brent Weeks is the author of The Night Angel Trilogy (Way of Shadows, Shadow's Edge, and Beyond the Shadows). It's an ambitious debut, with all three books coming in at over 600 pages a piece. They were recommended to us by a friend of mine, who called them "solid sword & sorcery." 

All three definitely fit into the sword & sorcery niche of the fantasy genre. They tell the story of Kylar, who starts book one named Azoth, a street kid who just wants a way out of the slums. He sees his opportunity in the form of the city's best wetboy, Durzo Blint. Wetboys are those who kill for money, and are able to use Talent (basically, personal magic) in order to assist them in being very silent and efficient. He manages to become an apprentice, but he never stops thinking about his two friends, Jarl and Elene, who were left behind. Durzo builds an identity for Kylar, who then infiltrates into high society. The twists & turns abound in this one, with some great characters, such as Momma K, the city's Mistress of Pleasures who also helps run the city's Underworld. The biggest issue I had with Way of Shadows was the pining. My husband coined the term "sword emo" for this one. It seems that everyone pines for someone and at times, it's very distracting. The only thing that saves it, is the writing. In this well-crafted story, the shit hits the fan towards the end of book one, leading us right into Shadow's Edge. 

In book two, Kylar has reunited with Elene and they've taken in a child named Uly. Due to the events at the end of book one, they've left their home in the country of Cenaria and have moved. Kylar has decided to give up killing in order to be with Elene, who doesn't approve of that lifestyle. He has troubles however, that culminate when he gets an unexpected visit from an old friend...who is killed in the kitchen while talking with him. Kylar then takes up his old grays (the uniform of the wetboy) and sets off after the killer. The killer meanwhile, kidnaps the child and also heads off in the same direction, Cenaria. Shadow's Edge introduces a few more characters and plot twists, and really is my favorite of the series. 

The issue with reviewing a trilogy comes in when trying to sum up this one without giving too much away. Suffice to say, enough happens to require a third book, Beyond the Shadows. Book three gave the impression that Weeks turned in a fine, huge manuscript that was perfect. An editor then said, "this is too long" so he trimmed it down and some of the book comes off as disjointed. There are also some elements that lend the reader to say 'seriously?' It seemed as though there were too many plot threads to keep going smoothly and he really could have (and should have) stretched this to four books.

On the whole, it was a great debut. The storytelling style made me think he was trying to channel George R.R. Martin at times, but couldn't quite get the hang of it.  Even though I didn't care for book three, I would gladly give his future writings a try.