Month: November 2007

would this work, do you think?

If I ran the zoo, campaign ads would have a minimum length and maximum frequency and would be aired by the broadcasters as a condition of their license to use the public airwaves.

…By making them longer, I think it removes the cheap shot potential, and by making the broadcasters run a specific amount of campaign advertising as part of their license, we remove that barrier to entry for more candidates, ie someone besides lawyers and industralists.

Instead of campaign finance reform (yeah, like that’ll really happen), re-write how campaigns are actually run. De-fang the horrible wholesale politics (broadcast/scattershot attack ads) and force an emphasis on retail (personal, issues-oriented, face-to-face):

If I ran the zoo, campaign ads would have a minimum length and maximum frequency and would be aired by the broadcasters as a condition of their license to use the public airwaves. Out with the 15 second attack every hour, and in with the 15 minute presentation of ideas, of things you’ll do, not what you say the other guy did. [From Ezra Klein: Political Science Abstract of the Day: Smear Me Edition]

The reason candidates need so much money (incumbent Senators need to raise something $15k/week for their whole 6 year term) is to fund these nasty ads. By making them longer, I think it removes the cheap shot potential, and by making the broadcasters run a specific amount of campaign advertising as part of their license, we remove that barrier to entry for more candidates, ie someone besides lawyers and industralists.

Friday Random 10 + 1

Into You Like a Train / The Psychedelic Furs / Talk Talk TalkRecoil / Magazine / Real LifeWaitin’ For A Superman / The Flaming Lips / The Soft BulletinPart Past Part Fiction / The Chills / Submarine BellsThe Mess We’re In / PJ Harvey / Stories From The City, Stories From The SeaLipstick Vogue / Elvis Costello / The Very Best Of Elvis Costello (Disc 2)In The Lap Of The Gods …. Revisited / Queen / Sheer Heart AttackAin’t That Nothin’ (Single Version) / Television / AdventureLife In Prison / The Byrds / Sweetheart Of The RodeoSleep Angel / Jerry Harrison : Casual Gods / Walk on WaterEpisode Of Blonde / Elvis Costello / When I Was Cruel

Into You Like a Train / The Psychedelic Furs / Talk Talk Talk
Recoil / Magazine / Real Life
Waitin’ For A Superman / The Flaming Lips / The Soft Bulletin
Part Past Part Fiction / The Chills / Submarine Bells
The Mess We’re In / PJ Harvey / Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
Lipstick Vogue / Elvis Costello / The Very Best Of Elvis Costello (Disc 2)
In The Lap Of The Gods . . . Revisited / Queen / Sheer Heart Attack
Ain’t That Nothin’ (Single Version) / Television / Adventure
Life In Prison / The Byrds / Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
Sleep Angel / Jerry Harrison : Casual Gods / Walk on Water
Episode Of Blonde / Elvis Costello / When I Was Cruel
What’s on your playlist?

do you want a free Nokia N95? Do you travel a lot?

This is how it works: Starting today, you have until December 15, 2007, to connect to as many different FON Spots worldwide…. You’re all welcome to compete for the prize, those who share and connect for free and those who buy FON Passes.

To celebrating, we’re giving away one FREE Nokia N95 to our best Fonero around the world. This is how it works: Starting today, you have until December 15, 2007, to connect to as many different FON Spots worldwide. Obviously, connecting to your own FON Spot doesn’t count! You’re all welcome to compete for the prize, those who share and connect for free and those who buy FON Passes. [From FON]

omnibus, miscellany, &c.

Pantry soups are named because they use staples you probably already have, but I use the term to encompass ways of cleaning out the pantry of odds and ends…. Add a couple of ripe tomatoes crushed or a 15oz can of your favorite canned tomatoes, with some dried basil/oregano/whatever you like and a 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.

  • Got my enormous enlarger installed and working, near enough. It throws a 16×20 image from a 4×5 negative which is a bit startling to see. Scored an enlarger bulb and an unopened pack of 8×10 paper from Jim’s Cameras. He has a lot of papers in there, few of which I have heard of. I’ll have to do some research. Now to sweep out the sawdust, clean up the room itself, finishing the light-proofing, and see if I can pull a print. I suspect some alightment issues may loom, but I’m thinking positively about it all. The enlarger is older than I am and arguably better-built.
  • Made good “pantry soup” last night. Pantry soups are named because they use staples you probably already have, but I use the term to encompass ways of cleaning out the pantry of odds and ends. And you can make it without soaking beans overnight, something I can never remember to do. Pour a quart of boiling water over 1 cup of cannellini beans. Leave them for an hour. Crush 8 cloves of garlic, cook slowly in some oil, add some chopped fresh or dried rosemary until fragrant and golden. Add the drained beans and 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour. Add a couple of ripe tomatoes crushed or a 15oz can of your favorite canned tomatoes, with some dried basil/oregano/whatever you like and a 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. Heat through. Fish out that partial bag of pasta (fusilli, orzo, your choice) you have left over from something you made and add it. When the pasta is done to your liking, season and serve. Even better the next day, if it lasts that long.
  • Installed FreeBSD 7 on the laptop I have been working on. Took maybe half an hour. Sometimes the ugly ASCII art interface is the way to go. I didn’t get to use ZFS as it isn’t obvious on the installer screens. I’ll look at it more closely later.
  • And tomorrow to Pacific Northwest Ballet to see the Nutcracker: we know three of the performers, all 10 year olds, and one of them is in tomorrow’s performance.

1 out of 14

This is the only one of their principles I can endorse without reservation, though there are some weasel words in there (who decides what’s a “truly endangered species”?).

…Do they really want to stand in judgment and answer questions about who polluted the streams and lakes, who blew up the mountains, who wiped out the fish, birds, and other animals for sport or by destroying their homes?

This is the only one of their principles I can endorse without reservation, though there are some weasel words in there (who decides what’s a “truly endangered species”?).

(14) Protection of the Environment and Natural Heritage. We believe that the natural environment and resources of a nation are among its most precious, valuable, and irreplaceable treasures. We believe in the protection of the environment from reckless greed as well as from irresponsible government. We support the protection of truly endangered species of wildlife and areas of natural beauty. [From Statement of Principles | Council of Conservative Citizens]

It has always puzzled me that religious zealots who put so much stock in a Creator and a hand-made planet care so little about its well-being. Do they really want to stand in judgment and answer questions about who polluted the streams and lakes, who blew up the mountains, who wiped out the fish, birds, and other animals for sport or by destroying their homes? If you believe that Man was granted dominion, with that should come responsibility.

links for 2007-11-29

some great listening to be had here

Curious factoid about my donations: I mentioned that 50 minutes is about average for me (the total above is a double, twice as many as most people give), since I had a new (to me) phlebotomist/technician/person-with-sharp-objects…. why a double, and I have to pass it off as something unusual in me, not in them if they’re not able to do that.

I had my doubts about this, but I’m over it now. I wasn’t sure how good the shows would be and I wasn’t familiar with the artists in any depth. But hey, it’s not like I’m paying to go and I don’t have to listen to the whole thing.

I went to my fortnightly appointment to donate 7.5×10^11 platelets and decided to give a listen to a recent show by Art Brut. Wow, a lot of fun and just the right length (about 45 minutes). I rarely have that long a block of time (at least not that I can count on) so it worked out well. The sound was a little uneven — some jumpy levels — but it was a great show, lots of energy and the band was plainly having fun, as was the crowd.

Check it out.

Boring prattle about blood product donation after the jump. You’ve been warned.

Continue reading “some great listening to be had here”