The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => History => Topic started by: Doc on November 04, 2008, 02:31:28 pm
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Thought it might be worth starting a thread where we could discuss the best tv event of the decade as shit happens.
Interesting fact: Your election is on the same day as as a really popular hoss race over here, the sort of thing where it's practically a public holiday, most businesses stop to watch the race and plenty don't start again due to barbecues and drinking. Just on the off chance that I can make it look portentous the winner had odds of 46 to 1 against and the favourite didn't even place.
Anyway post interesting developments as they happen if you're inclined. In the spirit of starting things off in the right mood: Attack Ads (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYVre-ozLgc&feature=related) as done by Famous Directors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8fXaJmDbsY).
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I was in an out of our polling place in under 30 minutes this morning (arriving at 8 AM). Took a lot less time than I thought it would. I bought brownies at the 6th-graders' bake sale.
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I took a walk with the dog and tried to take a picture of the VERY long (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wombatarama/3002050195/) line (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wombatarama/3002050189/), but there was no way to get it all in the picture.
The Technical Staff got on line about a quarter to eight and he's still not home yet an hour later.
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I won't be able to go vote until 4 PM and I'm worried. The law is that if I am in line before 6 I get to vote, but... I get worried. I plan on bringing multiple books.
What's cool is that my polling place is less than a block from my apartment, it is in this gorgeous old church/school down the street.
I am planning on probably doing horribly on my exam tomorrow, because NO REGRETS.
I also plan on crying before I go to sleep today, one way or the other. This is just the way I am about these things.
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First time I've ever had to wait to vote in L.A. Only forty minutes but, like, still.
A dude is once again enfranchised.
If I could'a voted for big sloppy gay kisses ending every church service, I would'a but that'll have to wait a few years, I suppose.
You know what I love? Arrogantly inkdotting every single possible tax increase on the ballot.
"I rent and make 25 grand a year! Suck on that, fuckers!"
I have fun.
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I can see my polling place from my window. At 9 the line was really long. Probably 1.5-2 hours. Now it's so short that it's inside the building.
Since it's at a library they had carts of books set up along the line, a group of 20-somethings were offering to stand in line for you while you sat down. And of course there were people handing out coffee and doughnuts.
I got interviewed by a guy from a Berlin newspaper. At least that's what he said. The girl in front of me was being interviewed by a different reporter, and she is apparently not too thrilled about the election because she's a speechwriter for the current administration.
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If this many people turned out every single year instead of every 4 I bet the states would invest in more equipment and polling places.
Oh, and we were given the choice between voting on a touchscreen or a scan-tron form. The SO and I both choose paper just because the line was much shorter.
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This is not what happens every four years, though. I have voted at the same place for the last few presidential elections and never seen a line like this. The turnout is much bigger this year.
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The lines I saw in 2004 were much worse than this year. But I was at a different polling place then so it's hard to compare.
Didn't Diebold change their name to Premier or somesuch to distract people?
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Did you wear sunglasses for the security card picture?
I think it is clear that Obama will win and that the dems in the house will gain some seats. What will be interesting to watch is to see if Obama gets a landslide and if the dems can get a super-majority. If McCain wins, I'd fear riots. This is not a conclusion I came up with, my black friends convinced me of it: "The media has been telling us that barack obama won this thing months ago, and this is just a foregone conclusion. You can't take away all that build up, and 'steal it' on election day without expecting a strong reaction"
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(http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestsellers-2007/645-1.jpg)
READ THE BOOK HERE:http://www.google.com/books?id=qLEbLIAovFkC (http://www.google.com/books?id=qLEbLIAovFkC)
BUY IT HERE: http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Rational-Voter-Democracies-Policies/dp/0691129428 (http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Rational-Voter-Democracies-Policies/dp/0691129428)
I know its some kind of sin to say that voting and democracy isn't working the way we all think it is, but the evidence is there. Once you move past the emotional, patriotic, and social pressures, and take a step back to look at it - the rational voter is a myth.
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Once you move past the emotional, patriotic, and social pressures, and take a step back to look at it - the rational voter is a myth.
Someone thought voters were rational?
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No lines at my polling place. Walked right in, signed the sheet, got my voter pass, stepped up to the machine, placed my votes and was out of there in 5 minutes. Even had time to take a picture or two.
I voted for... (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmcd9/3002731519/)
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Here in Oregon it's all mail-in. I voted three days ago, wearing a bath robe.
Although I suppose one could do that in other states as well...
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Forty minutes, in to out. I had to use a paper ballot because the system said I requested to vote early but didn't do so, but I ain't buggin. It's Ohio - what are the chances of something going wrong?
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I like the "people are sheep except presumably the ones who buy my book, and maybe those too" imagery.
Always a mark of a classy discussion about to ensue there.
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I like the "people are sheep except presumably the ones who buy my book, and maybe those too" imagery.
Always a mark of a classy discussion about to ensue there.
I think what you just did there is the definition of judging a book by its cover.
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Did you wear sunglasses for the security card picture?
No, those are the windows into his flat, howling void of a soul. :)
It took me all of 15 minutes to vote this morning. I spent more time fielding compliments on my newborn from the poll workers.
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No, those are the windows into his flat, howling void of a soul.
The sunglasses do serve a purpose:
(http://www.quizilla.com/user_images/J/jaszhokhinn/1075825171_corinthian.jpg)
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I thought your dog was telling me to vote, in a vaguely threatening way.
Oh yeah.
I met someone recently who told me she had a pug named Killer. That's definitely what I'm calling the next one.
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A-cap-- yeah, it is not surprising to me that voters are not rational.
See also: consumers, people.
Voting took less than 10 minutes, and only took that long because I read over everything a million times to make sure I didn't make any mistakes.
the one proposition on the ballot we were all arguing about... wasn't on our ballots, because we are 20 yards over the line into St Louis City, as opposed to St Louis County.
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Things that are not rational: Voters, Parents, Spouses, Children, Bosses, PEOPLE.
The argument is really how informed does a person have to be to have their opinion count. The answer in most western countries is not at all. It's an interesting argument and one I've put forward myself but I think it usually ends up with the person in charge deciding that no one else is informed enough to have a say except them, which is super if you're in charge but not so great if you're not.
For god sake no one teach A-Cap the word 'sheeple'.
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I saw the Post calling for Warner in VA's senate seat with 0% reporting. Granted, he never dropped below a 30% lead in the polls, but still, 0%?
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The answer in most western countries is not at all. It's an interesting argument and one I've put forward myself...
While voting certainly serves as a method (however inefficient) for making decisions, you've also got to take into account the fact that it serves to give "the masses" an outlet to express dissatisfaction, which might otherwise be turned to violent revolution. This has to be coupled with action occurring as a result of the vote of course - if everyone votes to throw the bastards out and the bastards stay in office, then the seeds of revolution are sown. Oddly, this doesn't carry over much - we vote new bastards in who do the same things as the ones we just threw out and it doesn't spark revolution. I guess as long as its new faces doing the same thing we put up with it. This is probably a source of angst for LFM ;)
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the one proposition on the ballot we were all arguing about... wasn't on our ballots, because we are 20 yards over the line into St Louis City, as opposed to St Louis County.
If you voted in St Louis City, I hope you voted to retain my Brother-in-Law.
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is he a judge?
I was weirded out that I was supposed to have opinions about local judges, and I decided that I didn't know enough about them to vote one way or the other.
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I was weirded out that I was supposed to have opinions about local judges, and I decided that I didn't know enough about them to vote one way or the other.
Every year I resolve to study their records, and every year I forget.
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And the winner is Barack Obama
with 207 electoral votes in the bag, california (55) and washington/oregon will seal the election. Please welcome our new president.
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I just loved hearing on the radio such as "with 0% of precincts reporting, we're calling it for Jay Nixon."
What? I know they are rounding down, but... what?
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I just tried to explain to Mrs. Haus why some states are called with 0% reporting, but states like VA and NC can have 70% in and still be too close to call. By the end, though, I think I understood it less than I did before I started trying to explain it.
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I just tried to explain to Mrs. Haus why some states are called with 0% reporting, but states like VA and NC can have 70% in and still be too close to call. By the end, though, I think I understood it less than I did before I started trying to explain it.
Thank God this only takes place every four years, is all I can say.
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is he a judge?
I was weirded out that I was supposed to have opinions about local judges, and I decided that I didn't know enough about them to vote one way or the other.
Yes, yes he is.
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Wooooo
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All of a sudden, the remastered celebration scenes from "The Return of the Jedi" seem more poignant now.
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All of a sudden, the remastered celebration scenes from "The Return of the Jedi" seem more poignant now.
If this didn't exit before it almost certainly does now. I will search youtube when I get home.
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oh man, I am pretty happy about how this is going.
It doesn't really feel real.
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Exaaaaaaactly! It just doesn't feel real!
But it is!
Hurrah! Long Live President Obama!!!!
OBAMANOS! SI SE PUEDE!
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Oh yeah, keep us updated on that one. Apparently my state (Utah) donated heavily to the pro Prop 8 campaign. fuck*ng Utah. Always in other people's business.
It's stuff like this that always makes me cynical about people who are big on espousing state's rights. It seems there's always a line marked 'but this is important enough that we should interfere'.
On a tangent I've read a few things lately about people wanting to get rid of the state governments down here, or at least pass a lot of their power on to the federal government, mainly stuff to do with regulating health care and education. It's an interesting idea, on the one hand there are lots of dangers of nuance being lost and beaurocracy increasing when you try to force an entire country through one system on the other hand do we really need three levels of government for a population that's smaller than New York?
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Best fark post I've seen so far on the result:
'YES WE DID'
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There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me;
Sign was painted, it said private property;
But on the back side it didn't say nothing;
That side was made for you and me.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUT1WgHat6I
it's been a long time coming
but a change is gonna come.
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There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me;
Sign was painted, it said private property;
But on the back side it didn't say nothing;
That side was made for you and me.
yeah man, private property, that stuff is the suck. I would love to do away with property rights, who needs them. What the hell does that lyric have to do with the election?
In other news, let us all rejoice at the end of political commercials for the immediate future.
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Oh man, yeah.
No more having to look at Titty Nixon's goddamned skeletor cheeks.
(the significance, AC, was that it was the most radical verse of "This Land is Your Land", it was not meant entirely literally)
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I'll admit that I didn't vote for him, but I'll also admit Barack Obama is one classy guy, and I think he'll do an alright job.
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Sorry I didn't make a full post before, I was in kind of a hurry. I live in West Philadelphia and there are people literally dancing in the streets out there. Good times.
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Dude, I totally called it (http://touamb.com/index.php/topic,1191.msg27875.html#msg27875).
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people dancing and honking in the streets. spontaneous cheers. mmm.
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Dude, I totally called it (http://touamb.com/index.php/topic,1191.msg27875.html#msg27875).
Awesome dude, awesome.
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Hi Paul! I keep forgetting to say hey, and that I'm glad you weathered the storm ok.
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Let's not forget the state votes that passed:
Washington legalized physician assisted suicide
California, Florida, and Arizona banned gay marriage, Arkansas banned gay adoption
Colorado and Nebraska ended Affirmative Action
Michigan allowed stem cell research and medical marijuana
Massachusetts repealed the state income tax and Maryland got slot machines.
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Massachusetts did not repeal the state income tax. In fact it was like 70/30. But just about every measure to restrict abortion was defeated. It's clear that gay rights is the new cultural battleground.
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Let's not forget the state votes that passed:
Washington legalized physician assisted suicide
California, Florida, and Arizona banned gay marriage, Arkansas banned gay adoption
Colorado and Nebraska ended Affirmative Action
Michigan allowed stem cell research and medical marijuana
Massachusetts repealed the state income tax and Maryland got slot machines.
You guys run a conflicted little country dont'cha?
Also that thread Miles linked to is hilariously wrong.
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Quote from miles' 2004 Obama thread:
This is why I love living in an all independent state (which sadly always votes republican).
Times change, huh? Virginia's gone bluuuuuuuuuuuuuuue!
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NEW NATIONAL RELIGION: SECRET ISLAM
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How is California about to ban interracial marriage? That's insane.
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Dude, I totally called it (http://touamb.com/index.php/topic,1191.msg27875.html#msg27875).
Yep.
The rally was fun.
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As for all the crazy shit that got passed under our noses?
Yeah, that happened. That happened too.
But... the guy we elected wouldn't have been allowed to VOTE in a lot of this country when my parents were born.
The one thing that I tend to believe that will forever keep me in the Democratic party as opposed to going out in the bushes with a hairsuit, eating locusts and honey and voting for psychotic narcissists like Ralph Nader... the one reason why I would never be comfortable in the Green party or whatever...
Is that I'm at peace with the fact that some of the changes aren't going to come in one election or one decade or one generation.
I'm not under the delusion that everything can be fixed in one night or else I'm taking my idealism ball and going home to feel smug.
Gay folks are going to get their full rights eventually.
It might take thirty years of the elderly bigots who made this election even slightly close dying off but the day will come.
I'm deeply saddened that it'll take time? But, y'know, we will reach the mountaintop even though some might not get there.
And, anyway, I'm heartened right now that Barry's the dude nominating Supremes for the next four years.
Progress.
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I'm pissed about Prop 8, and even more pissed about the self-righteous assholes patting each other on the back about how they spent fifty million dollars to keep dirty gays from getting married instead of, say, feeding or clothing the poor. Great joerb, people. You've saved America from monagamy.
That said:
Supremes Court Upholds Stopping In The Name Of Love In 2-1 Decision (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/supremes_court_upholds_stopping_in)
Things are looking up in the judicial branch.
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Nation Finally Shitty Enough To Make Social Progress (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nation_finally_shitty_enough_to)
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Supremes Court Upholds Stopping In The Name Of Love In 2-1 Decision (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/supremes_court_upholds_stopping_in)
Wow. How did the nation take so long to get to this point?
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Dude, I totally called it (http://touamb.com/index.php/topic,1191.msg27875.html#msg27875).
That entire thread is a blast to read.
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I thought this (http://www.thisfuck*ngelection.com/) was cool.
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I had an in depth round table discussion with some other economists here tonight. Cigar and scotch kind of thing. The general consensus is that Obama can't really do much worse than the current administration. The president of the college asked if Obama was socialist. The response was "compared to what?" compared to the current administration, its hard to imagine a more socialist government. We mean, we've just socialized the mortgage industry, the investment banking industry, and the banking sector, bailing out the auto industry. Theres not much left or socialize. Health care? If you count all the money spent on interventionist foreign policy, socialized health care would be a minor percentage of that. Bush came in as a Republican, but ended as a socialist global interventionist.
There was also mention, by non-economists, about how this is the second great depression. Look, The great depression witnessed a loss of whole thirds of the national economy, This quarter we saw 1/4 of one percent contraction in GDP. This is not the Great Depression II. This is a recession. Recessions are a completely normal part of the business cycle.
At the end, we all agreed Obama can't do much worse than the current president, and that the data prove that "redistributionist" policies can actually lead to economics growth.
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Cigar and scotch kind of thing
Scotch is alright, but I've never really felt the appeal of cigars. As to the rest of the post, word. The only area Bush is conservative is in social issues. The Republicans are going to have to find their roots again to make it out of their current situation, I think. I mean, that's what the Democrats did. Although having a wildly unpopular Republican president didn't hurt, either.