Archive for the ‘Splenetics’ Category
Election-Fraud Skepticism
Eric Partridge, in his 2004 election-fraud essay Don't Get Over It, writes some very good things about the possibilities of fraud in the 2004 election. It's worth reading. I distrust the current administration almost as much as any other right-thinking individual, but–perhaps because I'm a scientist–I have a healthy aversion to conspiracy theories about election […]
Secretary of Smaller Government
The big headline on the radio today is the resignation of Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security. References are made to his memorable association with a useless hierarchy of colors, suggesting that this might be how his tenure will be remembered. I make my own modest suggestion: perhaps he should be remembered as an icon. […]
Ashcroft's "Mission Accomplished"
From a BBC news report (10 November 2004), Attorney general quits US cabinet: Mr Ashcroft, who has been a lightning-rod for criticism in the administration, wrote in a five-page handwritten letter to Mr Bush that "the objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved". I regret that I failed […]
They're Both Gay?
Years ago, a friend in graduate school explained to me a curious personal discovery of hers. As a child, she had frequently eaten chicken; also, she knew live chickens from visiting her grandparents' farm. Some years later, she was horrified to discover that they were the same chicken. Yikes! All that time, she'd been eating […]
God Made us Gay?
David Hawpe, columnist for The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY), in an essay called Gay-bashing worked and will be back if those who oppose it stay quiet, wrote: It's one thing to oppose gay marriage, but it's not really in the American characer to impose broad, encompassing government rules that isolate and punish people for God-given attributes […]
Reactionary Logic
I'd been puzzling for several days about something. I had read some reactionary whining in a newspaper editorial to the effect that he was distressed that so many people couldn't seem to recognize an honest man [i.e., the President] when they saw one. Obviously, the implied assertion made no sense to me, until a brainstorm […]
Election Day
I always turn thoughtful and philosophical on election day. Today, here in Maryland, is a very pretty election day this time, too. The weather is just perfect for this time of year. I voted earlier. Late morning is my usual time to vote, well after the morning yuppie rush-hour. I always seem to show up […]
Whose Petard Hoists Whom?
The dissembling in this year's presidential campaign–and politics in general–would be much more entertaining if it didn't seem to matter quite so much. Nevertheless, one occasionally has to laugh. Today had Bush accusing Kerry: my opponent voted for the invasion of Iraq, and now he says it was the wrong war. Kerry says: My support […]
Being a Wedge Issue
When I think of it, I like to read things at Democratic Underground. I particularly enjoy the column written by "The Plaid Adder". (Do you suppose Dick Cheney will call me up in high dudgeon if I mention that The Adder is herself an out lesbian?) Anyway, she concluded her column called October Surprise by […]
Newspaper Spin
I subscribe to "Outlet Wire" a daily serving of gay-related newspaper headlines from stories found on the internet compiles by Outlet Radio. In a recent listing, we saw the following two headlines, side by side: "Gay Marriage Plays Quiet Role in Elections" [AP via ABCNews], and "Gay marriage dominates US elections" [Navhindtimes] Which is it […]
Republican Lemmings
In an e-mail to me, my father asked the rhetorical question: Why do so many of the middle income people, who are the largest segment of the U.S. population, think they are so well off under the Bushies? I think the short answer is: greed. I believe this is related to a phenomenon about which […]
Gay Rights, Civil Rights
Margaret Kimberley, in her Freedom Rider: Gay Rights, Civil Rights column from The Black Commentator (issue #110), talked about comparisons between discrimination faced by gay people and that faced by black people, and how "the black experience" as an image has been co-opted by opponents and proponents of gay equality, lately in the "debate" about […]
World Poll on US Election
This article in La Press [Montreal] reports on a survey done by 10 newspapers around the world (and from outside the US). In the startling pull-quote In a world overwhelmingly opposed to the re-election of President George W. Bush and to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the United States [i.e., Republicans in deep denial] can […]
Maryland Drivers and Turn Signals
My friend and colleague, James Howard, asks in his blog: why don't Maryland drivers use turn signals? (The poor boy is originally from Ohio but then, I'm originally from Kansas, so perhaps that has no bearing.) At any rate, I once formulated an hypothesis about Mayland drivers and the use of turn signals. In the […]