Politics again

While I don't like to get political in seriousness because I am an outsider, never going to make a dent in what is and always will be the moneyed world of 'politics,' I consider myself perfectly free to make comments on politicians or politics in general.

My thought this morning was that, until this morning, I'd only been interested to see whether Hillary's machine was greater than Obama's machine. By machine I mean the support structure that raises them to the level of presidential candidate. That could be money or influential people, but I think mostly money because that's what influential people do, they get money to go your way.

I thought Hillary would have had a better machine, since she's been in the loop longer, and she has the benefit of Bill's connections. Obama's machine is much hidden, but that one connection I read about to a slum lord is no small thing. He comes from Chicago, not only notorious for corrupt politics, but in truth, somewhat effective in accomplishing their aims.

It appears now that a machine is not enough, Hillary has some disadvantage on a personal level. She's a woman, she's short in stature, and her speaking is easily more shrill than Obama's. I'm not sure what is so inspiring about a man who doesn't clearly articulate what it is exactly he will do in office, and where he's tried to articulate, he makes vague and unrealistic promises. But then again most candidates do that don't they? His success may also be in part due to his wide appeal, described this way in his Wikipedia entry: Supporters and critics have likened Obama's popular image to a cultural Rorschach test, a neutral persona on whom people can project their personal histories and aspirations.

What I'm trying to say is that I think I predicted wrong, I thought Hillary had a better chance, because of her connections and history on Capitol Hill. Obama appears poised to defeat her for the Democratic nomination. Who would have guessed that would happen. I guess the majority of Dems would rather take an unknown quantity than a woman.

My Blog is Stupid - or - Jealousy

Were I an actual blogger, I might actually take the time to make it look good. So far I've only messed with a template for a while. I've decided that as soon as I have money I'll pay someone to pretty up my blog and all other websites I deem necessary, because I sure as hell ain't takin' the time. First on my list, once I realize I'll never be rich and even if I were we'd be buying tickets to Crete not wasting such precious on dross like internet, would be the scheme for adding date. I hate the fact that date comes first, big, and then the title of my post. I like dooce.com (who doesn't) and then I just saw and was jealous of and had to blog about her friend mightygirl.com Look at the date scheme! Isn't it just beautiful?

Also, I am starting to obsess more about my pointless meaningless gift I want for my birthday, after seeing the following URL: http://fashioni.st I won't tell you what pointless URL I'm after simply because I know someone will go out and buy it and then charge me a $75, 000 minimum for it.

Novice Commenter

As a fledgling commenter, I feel badly for those blogs upon which I've commented to date, especially the trollish ones early on. I'm emerging from my troll husk and I find myself something of a tiny tim. The imagery works, but nothing else, when I say 'tiny tim.' The imagery being a small voice, not very developed and somewhat ragged, but hopeful. Hopeful someone will take pity and courtesy chuckle, or as one friend put it, 'ker-chuk.'

As someone who would probably be more voracious with magazines and comic books without the advent of blogs and articles online, not to mention plenty of comics online (Diesel Sweeties, Penny Arcade and, well, the Onion to name a few) I realize I'm reading for entertainment with a side order of possibly learning something new. In a magazine or print version, there is no possibility of commenting, however, and it adds to my general interest another dimension, if you will. It is an opportunity, really, for a moment of readership, basically piggy backing on the efforts of another, more widely read author.

I have to admit, once the comment is left, I usually think to myself how pointless and pointless it is to do so, not to mention what a retarded comment. Not as bad as before, but still my comments are pretty lame.

I just know someday soon, if not right now, someone is thinking up an idea about a new book, called, The Psychology of Trolling - in which the phenomenon of a normal person changing to a rabid @$$hole is described. The title is somewhat limiting, however, because the entire Psychology of Commenting might make a more interesting book. That person, thinking up this idea, is not me, it is someone who might actually write something like that, and more importantly who might be qualified to write something like that. So key.

Mormon

At the risk of boring my loyal fan base of millions from all walks of life, I would like to come forward (again, I think) and say hey I'm a Latter-Day Saint (Mormon, to all you heathen).

This op-ed piece from the very pro-Mormon newspaper Deseret News is food for thought. It's about our society, in which someone is able to say publicly I won't vote for a Mormon president, just because he is Mormon, and feel that it's alright to say it. Most of us know that is bigoted, but I don't think Mormons have yet reached the status of blacks, Catholics, women, or Jews in that it is totally unacceptable to disparage them in public.

I wonder if that has to do with proportionate persecution. Our persecution was somewhat limited to a time period between the time of the founding of the church (some would say before then) and the time of the exodus to Utah. It was also fairly localized to Illinois and Missouri, at that time considered uncivilized by Eastern standards. Not enough to warrant respect I guess.

Pointlessly Virtual

Have you ever been on fire to purchase something, even if you're not 100% sure you'll actually use it?? As you know, I have. You know because you read my prior savaging of the basic underpinnings of consumerism.

In this case, it's a domain name. A domain name? As in something I can't touch feel, or squeeze/rub myself on? Yes. Sad isn't it? If I were an actual company with an actual agenda, with actual funding, I could probably use this domain name to approximately save the world in one tiny way, but that isn't the case, and this domain will languish, paid for but not used. I could glob there, maybe, telling everyone how exciting it is this idea that I don't want anyone to steal, but other than that, not overly useful and virtually pointless.

Another article for my list of links (LoL)

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/flat/bown/2007/innovator_2.html
I think it was metafilter where I found that one.