"Mr. President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. Laura and I called to congratulate you and your good bride."
-Bush to Obama, 11.4.08
Friday, November 07, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
quote of the day
I hereby order that "mandate" immediately be stricken from all the dictionaries and vocabularies of every Democrat in the country. That dirty word has no place in a democracy. That said, feel free to use
the phrase, "Wow, we kicked some ass."
-Sherman Alexie
the phrase, "Wow, we kicked some ass."
-Sherman Alexie
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
random thoughts on the election
I was very happy and lucky to be in a room full of people I love last night, with other people I love a mere phone call away, to share the joy of the day's presidential election results.
Chris and Andrew called from Harlem to report rejoicing in the streets, as evidenced by the wild shouting and laughing of thousands of Obama supporters in the back ground.
Omar, newly arrived to New York City from Puerto Rico, declared complete satisfaction with his decision to choose to vote here in New York for this historic presidential campaign, despite forfeiting his right to vote in Puerto Rico.
Other Andrew, somewhat less newly arrived to New York City from Wichita, Kansas via the United States Army, seemed thrilled to find himself surrounded for once by bleeding heart liberals (and elated bleeding heart liberals at that) on election night.
Mom, when we got through to each other on the phone, said that she'd left the living room, daring to step away from the television for a moment, only to hear Paul start shouting (which, if you know Paul, is cause for alarm). Much to her relief, it quickly became clear that this was a shout of joy.
But then there are the heartbreakers. Arizona apparently couldn't get it right two years ago, but this time around managed to adopt legislation banning same-sex marriage. Floridians and Californians*, in their open-mindedness and commitment to the notion of all people being created equal, actually voted to amend their Constitutions to take away the rights of gays to marry. Arkansas went beyond gay marriage and decided that unmarried couples (of any sort) don't have the right to adopt or foster children. (Because, you know, it's better for kids to be stuck in orphanages or abusive homes than to be placed in the care of loving, supportive families.) Alaska decided to send a convicted felon back to Washington, where he will get to cast votes in the Senate, even though Alaskan felons are not permitted to vote until after having served their time.
But on the other hand, Connecticut voters soundly rejected a plan to convene a state convention with the intention of overturning gay marriage rights there, so same-sex weddings can commence next week. South Dakota voters rejected draconian anti-abortion legislation again. And Colorado, bless its little heart, not only broke for Obama but also defeated a ballot measure redefining the legal term "person" to include all fertilized (human) eggs.
And did I mention that the Democrats won a majority in the New York State Legislature for the first time since 1964??
Oh yeah.
*Can someone explain to me how, exactly, it's fair or just for a mere straight-up majority to decide to take away a minority group's rights? Isn't it the Constitution's job to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority? And does anyone else find it odd that the Mormon Church is so obsessed with defining marriage between a man and a woman, anyway? I mean sure, they outlawed "plural marriage" back in 1890, but only to gain statehood, and yet somehow they've got the moral highground on this one??
Chris and Andrew called from Harlem to report rejoicing in the streets, as evidenced by the wild shouting and laughing of thousands of Obama supporters in the back ground.
Omar, newly arrived to New York City from Puerto Rico, declared complete satisfaction with his decision to choose to vote here in New York for this historic presidential campaign, despite forfeiting his right to vote in Puerto Rico.
Other Andrew, somewhat less newly arrived to New York City from Wichita, Kansas via the United States Army, seemed thrilled to find himself surrounded for once by bleeding heart liberals (and elated bleeding heart liberals at that) on election night.
Mom, when we got through to each other on the phone, said that she'd left the living room, daring to step away from the television for a moment, only to hear Paul start shouting (which, if you know Paul, is cause for alarm). Much to her relief, it quickly became clear that this was a shout of joy.
But then there are the heartbreakers. Arizona apparently couldn't get it right two years ago, but this time around managed to adopt legislation banning same-sex marriage. Floridians and Californians*, in their open-mindedness and commitment to the notion of all people being created equal, actually voted to amend their Constitutions to take away the rights of gays to marry. Arkansas went beyond gay marriage and decided that unmarried couples (of any sort) don't have the right to adopt or foster children. (Because, you know, it's better for kids to be stuck in orphanages or abusive homes than to be placed in the care of loving, supportive families.) Alaska decided to send a convicted felon back to Washington, where he will get to cast votes in the Senate, even though Alaskan felons are not permitted to vote until after having served their time.
But on the other hand, Connecticut voters soundly rejected a plan to convene a state convention with the intention of overturning gay marriage rights there, so same-sex weddings can commence next week. South Dakota voters rejected draconian anti-abortion legislation again. And Colorado, bless its little heart, not only broke for Obama but also defeated a ballot measure redefining the legal term "person" to include all fertilized (human) eggs.
And did I mention that the Democrats won a majority in the New York State Legislature for the first time since 1964??
Oh yeah.
*Can someone explain to me how, exactly, it's fair or just for a mere straight-up majority to decide to take away a minority group's rights? Isn't it the Constitution's job to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority? And does anyone else find it odd that the Mormon Church is so obsessed with defining marriage between a man and a woman, anyway? I mean sure, they outlawed "plural marriage" back in 1890, but only to gain statehood, and yet somehow they've got the moral highground on this one??
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
the coffee stand man & me, or, oh how i love this town
Him: Hello, miss! Your usual?
Me: Yes, please.
Him: Have you voted yet?
Me: Gah, I spent over an hour on line this morning!
Him: Me, I cannot vote. But can I ask... who did you vote for?
Me: Obama.
Him: You New Yorkers, you are all the same!
Me (slightly taken aback): Oh... who would you have voted for?
Him: Mr. Obama, of course!
Me: Yes, please.
Him: Have you voted yet?
Me: Gah, I spent over an hour on line this morning!
Him: Me, I cannot vote. But can I ask... who did you vote for?
Me: Obama.
Him: You New Yorkers, you are all the same!
Me (slightly taken aback): Oh... who would you have voted for?
Him: Mr. Obama, of course!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
third party politics (also quote of the day)
You probably haven't heard of the Working Families Party, a small third party outfit here in the great state of New York. I've barely heard of it, and I'm not only practically a native New Yorker, but a New Yorker with at least a passing interest in most things political.
Back in those heady days of late October 2004, family friend Bill McAllister sent out a mass email to his NY friends & cohorts asking us to vote for John Kerry on the Working Families Party ballot line. So I did. And then promptly forgot about it.
But there was an article in the Times last week that I found intriguing, so I've been doing a little research.
The WFP came into existence only ten years ago, as a kind of coalition of local labor unions and progressive community organizations here in New York City, and has slowly been growing into a force to be reckoned with. The party has not only thrown its weight behind various Democrats (Charles Schumer pulled in over 150,000 votes back in 2004 on the WFP line) and even some Republicans (State Senator Nicholas Spano won the WFP's support in 2004 due to his strong stance on increasing the state minimum wage, defeating Andrea Stewart-Cousins by about 18 votes*), but also has one of its own members, Letitia James, on the New York City Council.
The WFP is committed to progressive advocacy: fighting for universal health care; standing up for gay rights, women's rights, immigrant rights; protecting the environment; improving education; overturning the draconian Rockefeller drug laws; calling a moratorium on the death penalty.
So, in two days' time, I'll be voting for Barack Obama on the Working Families line, and I would encourage all you New Yorkers to do the same. A vote for Obama is a vote for Obama, but a a vote for Obama on the WFP line shows support for a broad range of progressive policies and practices we would all do well to applaud (and helps to keep the WFP on the ballot at all).
(For a much more eloquent, studied take on all this, take a look at Katrina Vanden Heuvel's editorial in The Nation.)
Quote of the Day:
"Yesterday, Dick Cheney came out of his undisclosed location. He said that he is, and I quote, 'Delighted to support John McCain.' He's delighted. You've never seen Dick Cheney delighted before. But he is. That's kind of hard to picture."
(Barack Obama, I can only imagine, delightedly)
*Oddly enough, Spano was defeated in 2006 by Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who had the backing of Act Now NY, my friend Andrew's political action group. Unfortunately for Spano, in the cut-throat world that is politics, he had not only not won the support of Act Now NY, but had also lost the support of the WFP -- not because he "had stopped being a loyal ally" but rather because he was "no longer viewed as an effective one."* And so it goes. Poor bastard.
Back in those heady days of late October 2004, family friend Bill McAllister sent out a mass email to his NY friends & cohorts asking us to vote for John Kerry on the Working Families Party ballot line. So I did. And then promptly forgot about it.
But there was an article in the Times last week that I found intriguing, so I've been doing a little research.
The WFP came into existence only ten years ago, as a kind of coalition of local labor unions and progressive community organizations here in New York City, and has slowly been growing into a force to be reckoned with. The party has not only thrown its weight behind various Democrats (Charles Schumer pulled in over 150,000 votes back in 2004 on the WFP line) and even some Republicans (State Senator Nicholas Spano won the WFP's support in 2004 due to his strong stance on increasing the state minimum wage, defeating Andrea Stewart-Cousins by about 18 votes*), but also has one of its own members, Letitia James, on the New York City Council.
The WFP is committed to progressive advocacy: fighting for universal health care; standing up for gay rights, women's rights, immigrant rights; protecting the environment; improving education; overturning the draconian Rockefeller drug laws; calling a moratorium on the death penalty.
So, in two days' time, I'll be voting for Barack Obama on the Working Families line, and I would encourage all you New Yorkers to do the same. A vote for Obama is a vote for Obama, but a a vote for Obama on the WFP line shows support for a broad range of progressive policies and practices we would all do well to applaud (and helps to keep the WFP on the ballot at all).
(For a much more eloquent, studied take on all this, take a look at Katrina Vanden Heuvel's editorial in The Nation.)
Quote of the Day:
"Yesterday, Dick Cheney came out of his undisclosed location. He said that he is, and I quote, 'Delighted to support John McCain.' He's delighted. You've never seen Dick Cheney delighted before. But he is. That's kind of hard to picture."
(Barack Obama, I can only imagine, delightedly)
*Oddly enough, Spano was defeated in 2006 by Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who had the backing of Act Now NY, my friend Andrew's political action group. Unfortunately for Spano, in the cut-throat world that is politics, he had not only not won the support of Act Now NY, but had also lost the support of the WFP -- not because he "had stopped being a loyal ally" but rather because he was "no longer viewed as an effective one."* And so it goes. Poor bastard.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
'what are you thinking of?'
"'What are you thinking of?' she whispers.
I am staring into the garden.
I am watching the moon
wind its trail of golden slime around the oak,
over the stone basin of the fountain.
How can I tell her
I am thinking that transformations are not forever?"
(Susan Mitchell, From the Journals of the Frog Prince)
Other read of the day: Listen, better angel (just one of many, perhaps hundreds, of bloggers writing in opposition to California's Proposition 8, brought together for your perusing and reading pleasure via Write to Marry Day)
I am staring into the garden.
I am watching the moon
wind its trail of golden slime around the oak,
over the stone basin of the fountain.
How can I tell her
I am thinking that transformations are not forever?"
(Susan Mitchell, From the Journals of the Frog Prince)
Other read of the day: Listen, better angel (just one of many, perhaps hundreds, of bloggers writing in opposition to California's Proposition 8, brought together for your perusing and reading pleasure via Write to Marry Day)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
pictures
So I dragged myself out of my apartment Saturday night, made my way to the train station through rain and wind strong enough to make an umbrella useless, and rode the A-train (going local, of course) all the way down through Manhattan and out to Fort Green, Brooklyn, to a friend's birthday party.
I'm not much of one for socializing, generally, and certainly not with an apartment full of folks I don't really know. But I'm glad I went, in the end, because I actually met some pretty interesting people.
Sunday afternoon, after stumbling home at 2am, sleeping in until nearly 10, and frittering away much of the day, I went online in search of a particular New York Times article from last summer. This article, in fact, and not only because I had just the night before met both the photographer about whom the piece was written and the person who wrote it, but because the pictures sounded so damn cool.
Chris keeps telling me that I should hang stuff on my walls, keeps asking me what I might want there, seems almost flustered by these blank spaces in my apartment and even offered at one point to buy me a poster. But I've put off hanging things, investing in things, I think because I worry that the beauty I imagine hanging there cannot be matched by anything I'd actually find. (Also, of course, because of a chronic and unfortunate combination of laziness and cheapness.)
I think, though, that if I had my choice of anything, I might hang a couple of Nathan's photographs, clustered on my living room wall, framed somehow in driftwood and catching the last of the evening light.
I'm not much of one for socializing, generally, and certainly not with an apartment full of folks I don't really know. But I'm glad I went, in the end, because I actually met some pretty interesting people.
Sunday afternoon, after stumbling home at 2am, sleeping in until nearly 10, and frittering away much of the day, I went online in search of a particular New York Times article from last summer. This article, in fact, and not only because I had just the night before met both the photographer about whom the piece was written and the person who wrote it, but because the pictures sounded so damn cool.
Chris keeps telling me that I should hang stuff on my walls, keeps asking me what I might want there, seems almost flustered by these blank spaces in my apartment and even offered at one point to buy me a poster. But I've put off hanging things, investing in things, I think because I worry that the beauty I imagine hanging there cannot be matched by anything I'd actually find. (Also, of course, because of a chronic and unfortunate combination of laziness and cheapness.)
I think, though, that if I had my choice of anything, I might hang a couple of Nathan's photographs, clustered on my living room wall, framed somehow in driftwood and catching the last of the evening light.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
endorsements
John McCain lost an endorsement from the Anchorage Daily News this weekend, but won an endorsement from Al Qaeda.
Kinda like good old George W. winning Iran's endorsement back in '04.
Way to go, John!
Kinda like good old George W. winning Iran's endorsement back in '04.
Way to go, John!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
'I always wanted a son named Zamboni,' she said (and other semi-newsworthy stories)
This in from Erik yesterday: Palin Says She Considers Herself Intellectual
Also in the news, this rather heartbreaking (and totally unfair - how was it unethical to promote his daughter's book when no one was profiting from it, I ask you?) story: A Brooklyn Librarian Is Fined For Promoting Daughter's Book
And this, the tale of a growing new genre in the literary world: Urban Fiction Makes Its Way From Streets to Libraries
Then there was this fun little article about a new book I want to read called The City’s End: Two Centuries of Fantasies, Fears and Premonitions of New York’s Destruction. Because I've been kind of fascinated with my city's demise for awhile now. Clearly I'm not remotely the only one.
Who woulda thunk it? Turns out, my employer is one of those mysterious anti-American entities we've all been hearing so much about recently!
But my employer is also one of the highest-ranked schools in the country (as far as going green at least) according to The College Sustainability Report Card. Alas, my beloved alma mater is not.
Surprise, surprise: the New York Times today officially endorsed Obama
Not to get anyone's hopes up too much, but give this video about McCain & Palin's 'negative intensity' a watch.
And last, McCain's love for Pennsylvania knows no bounds. I do almost feel sorry for the man, given the utter exhaustion anyone on the trail this long must be feeling (let alone someone of his rather advanced years) and the realization that he's running his campaign into the ground.
Well, really for last, and for a laugh, from the Onion: John McCain Accidentally Left On Campaign Bus Overnight
Also in the news, this rather heartbreaking (and totally unfair - how was it unethical to promote his daughter's book when no one was profiting from it, I ask you?) story: A Brooklyn Librarian Is Fined For Promoting Daughter's Book
And this, the tale of a growing new genre in the literary world: Urban Fiction Makes Its Way From Streets to Libraries
Then there was this fun little article about a new book I want to read called The City’s End: Two Centuries of Fantasies, Fears and Premonitions of New York’s Destruction. Because I've been kind of fascinated with my city's demise for awhile now. Clearly I'm not remotely the only one.
Who woulda thunk it? Turns out, my employer is one of those mysterious anti-American entities we've all been hearing so much about recently!
But my employer is also one of the highest-ranked schools in the country (as far as going green at least) according to The College Sustainability Report Card. Alas, my beloved alma mater is not.
Surprise, surprise: the New York Times today officially endorsed Obama
Not to get anyone's hopes up too much, but give this video about McCain & Palin's 'negative intensity' a watch.
And last, McCain's love for Pennsylvania knows no bounds. I do almost feel sorry for the man, given the utter exhaustion anyone on the trail this long must be feeling (let alone someone of his rather advanced years) and the realization that he's running his campaign into the ground.
Well, really for last, and for a laugh, from the Onion: John McCain Accidentally Left On Campaign Bus Overnight
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
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