With all due respect, sir, it doesn’t appear that you understand this essential point:

Howard Dean DID NOT decide to opt out of public funding.

WE DID.

That is to say, I and roughly ninety thousand other Dean supporters who voted on this issue made this decision, representing a clear 85% majority of the 105,000 Dean supporters in total that voted.

When the playing field is genuinely fair – meaning, the incumbent, particularly one who didn’t win the popular vote, has the same barriers and limitations as the rest of candidates, then voters may feel differently about public funding. 

But you have to admit it’s pretty damned lopsided when an incumbent, with the advantage of his office and no primaries to drain his cash, has more corporate/special interest monies than the rest of the field combined.  That’s not equitable.  You know it. 

That’s what WE, THE PEOPLE, think – the same ones of, by and for this government is supposed to exist. 

Perhaps what really gets your goat is that this WE, the ones who decided not to take public funding, aren’t deciding that for you? 

Stay on the issues, make the Democratic Party look good and perhaps WE’LL talk.

9:26:37 PM    comment []

Back away from the blog reading and go look, right now, at the moon.

Awesome.

7:53:28 PM    comment []

Hey!!  My first entry in the new group blog at RFB!

So?  Go there, tell us: how has blogging changed your life?

(If you leave comments here on this topic, I’m going to repost them there for consideration by the broader audience that RFB reaches.)

5:15:40 PM    comment []

Here’s a hypothetical question for you:

Pretend for a moment you’re a young woman working in technology – a field predominated by men – when you are invited to attend an informal after-hours gathering away from the workplace with other members of your field with whom you work.

The gathering will be held in a hot tub and alcohol will be served.

You are the only woman invited.

What’s your take on this?  Should you accept the invitation?  What are the repercussions you envision with accepting or declining such an invitation?

I’m all ears.

p.s. There’s more to this, but I’ll wait to share until after I’ve heard from you.

2:40:32 PM    comment []

Yeah, yeah, I know, I didn’t make up the name. 

Step around that for a minute and pay attention, because tonight’s full moon is extra special.  Not only will the moon be full at exactly 8:13 pm EST, but there will be a lunar eclipse at 8:06 pm.

The first phase of the eclipse begins at 6:32 pm, with the period of total eclipse beginning at 8:06 and ending at 8:30, with the moon completely uneclipsed as of 10:04 pm.

Hope viewing in your area is optimum this evening since this kind of event doesn’t happen that often!  Lunar observers in the eastern US should be able to catch the entire eclipse, with western observers catching part of this event.  The next total lunar eclipse viewable from the Americas won’t be until late October next year.

Be sure to check Sky & Telescope for other viewing opportunities this week; there’s a lot going on in the heavens right now, besides the lunar eclipse.

Next month:  Full Cold Moon   on December 8th at 3:36 pm – mark your calendar now!

10:37:38 AM    comment []