Why I Still Have a Cavity

We all need dentistry, and we should give our money to causes we believe in, especially locally. But when the professional tells me how I must feel politically when I open my mouth to say Ah, I draw the line. Morning at the strip mall for drilling my teeth, there is a sign on the window. Yes on 8, and I am feeling uneasy, as this is a divisive and discriminatory proposition. 18 XRays later, the doctor finds the cavity. But the horror of his lurking politics exceeds the disease in my mouth. Appointment set. A few days later I feel the lurk. Maybe the image of “drill baby drill” is why I call him. Just remove the sign. He is adamant about his position of “family values”, and no explaining of needing dentistry rather than politics works. In a democracy there are many voices, and he is one, but I pay for this service. So my wife and I talk it out and next day cancel our appointments in protest. Does anyone know of a not-in-your face dentist about politics in Escondido California?

Thinking. Am I the intolerant one? So I play this out. I too have a family. I believe in love. He does too. But our loves differ. Mine comes from tested experience that concludes value in possibility. His comes from untested root belief that values narrowing. Love is generative, and as Socrates says comes from a poor God. I feel no vindication, but conclude I am in the right. 

So my wife and my tooth’s ache. At least our comedians and artists are funnier to ease us than his. In the end it is a free market and we will contribute to the balance sheet of anyone who believes it better to live in a democracy than a republic. Maybe who drills what does not matter.  The bottom line of why I have a cavity is this examination: Who we give money to is a form of political capital. Which merchants deserve our dollars? To give better goods at the lowest rate may not be enough. Seek out to reward those who share your hard-won life beliefs. In this way, they will profit and their business will grow. Their families grow. This has the effect of propagating our common values. You can be part of evolution after all.

Nov 5 update: “I can’t believe people voted for the rights of chickens but not for gays”.

What to do: Evan Handler begin with boycott yet I moved to California to leave the states of intolerance in the South. No self-respecting Californian wants to to become the State of Georgia or Kentucky in this regard. If you talk about putting an embargo on these hoodwinking hotels and discriminatory businesses, it will happen somewhat naturally. My family just jettisoned my placard bearing YesOnH8 dentist. We should use the Internet as open registry of businesses that support YesonH8.

Rehearsing the Part to Play … Vote, Vote

Here’s the big difference in McCainer and Obamer outcomes. The John winners want to go back to their houses, watch TV and count money. The Barack winners want to play a part in the next government that changes everything. I assume a Barack win, though I continue to call and canvass – not for victory – but to rehearse how to work for this new democracy. The O outcome will give all Americans some global credibility, but this is not a flag raising, but a freedom ringing era.  It is not one party wins all, it is all of us as party to a new American  democracy. Witness the NYT writing straight out on baseball stats and Health care. The parts to play are many that the new President must summon – erasing the war from the balance sheet, founding national economic principle, starting the energy revolution, monitoring the world environment, and healing the method actors of national outrage.

The new Blues for the Reds … Take’n it Back...

Why I am a Mac and Not a PC

Above the fold, on the Apple site.

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

This is Why He is Winning

As the caustic campaign of the Republicans drags down our spirit, here is why America will be strong on January 20 at 12 noon. Take six minutes, sit back and feel human again.

Thanks Andrew Sullivan for the reminder, and his essay on BO4POTUS.

And an update with President Clinton on fire at Kissemmee, Florida making one of the best cases for Barack Obama.

Where is Republican Anger When you Need it?

Revolutions, ours beginning in 1775 and the French of 1789, showed how bloody an imperial revolt can be with guillotines, riots, and killing. Almost a prequel to a current Republican rally. Not to put to fine a point on it, but real patriotic anger aims at the Kings of a country’s injustice.

Is Obama really worth stirring up anger, as the “new” Republicans would like you to believe? Or is this a clever misdirection of anger most properly directed to AIG, the extraordinary wealthy, and a horrible executive branch? If Republicans really want to win this election big, they should not redirect, but tap into the clearly seething American anger against the actual symbols of the forces that have betrayed our economy. They could out-Obama Obama here.

All of this is encapsulated brilliantly by Maureen Dowd inciting us to look at the continuing bailout excesses, and to put our Anger where it belongs. A partridge hunt at Plumber Manor in England? She ends it well. Heads must roll.

Blow out that hate, brother:

Eskimo Rap and Colin Powell

One, Two, Three!

My name is Sarah Palin, you all know me.
Vice President nominee of the GOP.
Gonna need your vote in the next election.
Can I get a Whoop! Whoop! from the senior section.

McCain got experience, McCain got style.
But don’t let him freak you out when he tries to smile.
Cuz that smile be creepy. But when I’m VP
All the leaders in the world gonna finally meet me.

How’s it go Eskimos! (Eskimo!)
Tell me, tell me what you know Eskimos. (Eskimo!)
How you feel Eskimos? (Ice cold!)
Tell me, tell me what you feel Eskimos. (Super cold!)

I’m Jeremiah Wright so tonight I’m the preacher.
I got a bookish look and you’re all hot for teacher.
Todd lookin’ fine on his snow machine.
So hot for each other we got no between.

In Wasilla we just chill, baby chill’a.
But when I see oil it’s Drill, Baby, Drilla.

My country ’tis of thee,
From my porch I can see
Russia and such.

All the mavericks in the house put your hands up!
All the mavericks in the house put your hands up!
All the plumbers in the house pull your pants up!
All the plumbers in the house pull your pants up!

When I say Obama, you say Ayers!
Obama! (Ayers!) Obama! (Ayers!)

I built me a bridge, it ain’t goin’ nowhere.
Oohhh!

McCain-Palin gonna put the nail in the coffin
Of the media elite.
She likes red meat! (enter moose)

Shoot a mother-humpin’ moose 8 days of the week!
(gunshots – moose drops)
Now you’re dead!
Now you’re dead cuz I’m an animal!
And I’m bigger than you!
Holding a shotgun, rocking the pumps.
Everybody party, we’re going on the hood.
La La, La La, La La, La La!

(gunshots)
Yo! I’m Palin! I’m out!

Where does Hope Come From? Prosperity

How did the word hope come into being? Old English Hopen, older root usage behind pen is spe, sper, esperance (Old Spanish for hope), despair (not hope), all from earlier Latin sperus, prosper. Spare the prosperity? 

I like looking at this word.  Does anyone have the source for Shepard Fairey’s original PDF?

Hot Water Heater Ready to Explode? Call Joe

From my email inbox:

<rant>The truth on Joe the “Plumber” comes out on Bloomberg

1. He’s not a registered plumber. 
2. Joe is a tax dodger and owes back taxes in his state of Ohio. 
3. The “plumbing” business that Joe wants to buy is extremely unlikely to earn enough profit for Joe to actually pay more tax under Obama’s plan.  And even if he DID make $280K profit then he’d pay something like $700 more a year, which is half of what he currently owes Ohio in back taxes.  Even then, it remains to be seen whether he’d pay the extra taxes, as his history suggests he’s a tax dodger.

Joe is typical of the short term ME-ME approach embodied by Republicans today.  Joe has been successful precisely because of progressive tax policies that favor the middle class (which he used to be in).  He is able to buy the business because of leaders like Clinton (and Obama) that understand that wealth of all of us (including those at the top) is positively impacted by the wealth of the majority.  Trickle UP economics is what works! 

Ohio will probably be interested to find out that Joe isn’t paying taxes at the same time as he’s considering buying a business.  Time to raid Joe’s house and take a peek under the mattress, or in the hot water tank, or wherever it is that “plumbers” keep their money. </rant>

In the worst case,  Joe benefits from Obama. According to tax analysts, if Mr. Wurzelbacher’s gross business receipts were $250,000, then he would NOT have to pay higher taxes under Mr. Obama’s plan. Joe is actually eligble for a tax cut. More at the NYT. 

Let’s hope Joe is a better plumber than a financial decoy for the GOP, because that hot water heater is ready to blow.

By the way, rant, it turns out Joe’s voter registration name is misspelled so his ballot may be put in the contested stack and not actually counted for the election.

<rant>That’s great!  All we need now is for Joe the plumber to actually get educated about these  evil “liberal” plans and realize that he’ll actually be better off because Obama’s tax hike won’t affect him, AND he’ll get a tax credit so he can give him employees healthcare which I’m SURE he truly wants to do, as he’s such a patriot n’ all.  

Remember, cutting taxes means debt, so debt is wealth, and wealth is patriotic.  So cutting taxes is patriotic!
</rant> 

Then what about Joe the Solar Guy? But Republican anger is real, as Joe the Reporter, kicked to the ground by a Palin supporter.

Update Oct 21 — Paul Krugman’s look at Real Plumbers in Ohio, stating the average joe plumber does not even make $50,000. How about a short Barrack ad standing with 50 average plumbers in Ohio called Joe. Who is this “Joe the Plumber?” I hear Michael Moore has already organized plumbers to do the right thing – free or very low cost fixes as their election message. In the end, Joe the Plumber is full of crap.

Third Time is a Charm

Why are the end of these debates so telling? Can’t wait to leave or can’t wait to spread the charm? The still shot taken at the third debate is revealed by the video from a different angle.  Glad these proceedings are ended. See the archetypal debate between Batman and the Penguin - surprisingly very Obama vs McCain. No Mudslinging!

Republican Anger, The Tale of

Once upon a time, there was a group of people that were as intelligent as William F. Buckley, generated wealth, conserved resources, spent wisely, were generally happy, and had a large world view. They became powerful and did not want to lose it so they appointed a friendly dummy to rule the kingdom. But the dummy wasted money, spent foolishly, had only one view of his kingdom, and was plainly ignorant. The once-wise became vain and thought it would appear bad if they chastised their dummy. They did not police themselves to cultivate their deepest values, and after many years their group aged and many died off. In time, the ruler surrounded himself with people like himself. He appointed a fox as town cryer. The wily fox knew if he said only good things about the king’s reign he would get big treats.  Any who disagreed were made fun of or banished. Citizens heard only one story. And the once-wise liked it that way. This created a deep division over time. A silent resentful group smart enough to know the difference between a lie and the truth – the knowers, and the less intelligent who couldn’t tell the difference – the believers. The once-wise ranks were now filled with braggers, boasters, and simple-minded believers who listened without question. A great turnabout occurred.  The believers, remarkably once-wise, now had reversed their cherished values. They no longer generated wealth so they contrived money-making betting schemes, squandered resources, they became mean, intolerant of the world, and were now proudly and heroically stupid. 

The kingdom became poorer not because of the dummy’s foolish decisions, but because the once-wise did not intervene to fix anything. Why? Because they were too wealthy; happy living in fabulous palaces.