Monday, October 31, 2005

i cannot wait to see this movie: "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price"

Our goal isn't to close Wal-Mart down... It is to make it a better, more humane company toward its employees and the communities it is in.... It is about creating a moral economy.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

new alice newsletter and sfyd newsletter are up

this is right up jessie's alley...
this article on fakin' it in interviews had me laughing out loud on the bus tonight. (after momentarily LOL on the bus i then pretended someone else did it and went back to reading...) i particularly liked the instances where he took on a british accent and described how he had a felony conviction.

reading this interview with the director of the spca in san francisco made me want to get me another feral cat! but probably one crazy feral cat is enough...

Saturday, October 29, 2005

i reimagined and restructured a few parts to my recent column and i like it a lot more now:

The Politics of NO
or
How I Learned to Sing thru the
‘Special’ Election Bug-A-Boo

What is there left to do when you’re forced against a wall? When you don’t want something and you don’t ask for something and it’s forced upon you, what are you left with? Arnold has forced us to have a ‘Special’ Election no one wants and no one likes, except for the right-wing special interests of his, and so we have to get out and mobilize and vote, and VOTE NO.

It ain’t pretty and it ain’t nice, but that’s the reality of this ‘Special’ Election. All there is to say to this ‘special’ election is “No, No, No, No, No, No.” “Six times No.” “No on 73; No on 74; No on 75; No on 76; No on 77; No on 78.” “No on 73-78.” “Nix the first Six” statewide propositions. However you want to say it, it’s a lot of ‘NO.’

And tell me, who among us likes to say ‘No’ anyway. I mean, when one goes to vote, one generally likes to vote ‘For’ something rather than against. We like to vote ‘for’ politicians that support our rights and our beliefs. We like to vote ‘for’ policies in which we believe. We like to support our ideals.

But when the right-wing governor shows his true right-wing nature and puts on the ballot his right-wing proposals right out of the right-wing Rove/Bush playbook, we have to do what we can to tell him ‘No.’ And while this may not be that appealing, it’s vital that we fight this right-wing play. We know what’s at stake. Not only is this ‘Special’ Election all about seeing what they can get away with, but it’s a precursor to more ‘special’ right-wing ploys to determine our lives and our voices next year and the year after.

Take Prop. 73. It’s a stealth anti-choice measure that pretends to be a simple ‘family values’ measure that no one could disagree with. But we know the truth, we know the hidden agenda, we know the right-wing language and the deceptive anti-choice play, and we know we must vote ‘No.’ The point is that this is part of the larger anti-choice, religious right action by which we know they’ll be swooping in with bolder and badder initiatives in the next year or two should this one pass.

And we know that they’re waiting and watching to see how well it does, and the rest of these right-wing proposals, so that they can get the ball rolling on their anti-marriage equality ballot initiatives and other anti-people initiatives that they’re ready to put on the ballot next year. The better they do this November 8th, the more prepared and excited they’ll be to work against our rights next year and the year after on many an issue.

So while we don’t like to go to the polls and vote ‘against’ anything, we must use this ‘special’ opportunity and vote NO as much as possible on the statewide measures. Just think like our strong Independent Women Destiny’s Child and sing along with me as you vote:

We'll be Voting No, No, No, No, No (NO)
While we’re Singing No, No, No, No, No (NO)

I don’t think Arnold’s ready for this Nelly.

All the Voters, Democratic, Throw them hands up at me!

Cuz Arnold’s just a big bug-a-boo.

‘Nuff said.

Thursday, October 27, 2005

how i'm voting in the november 8th election:

california state propositions:
73- NO
74- NO
75- NO
76- NO
77- NO
78- NO
79- Yes
80- Yes

local candidates in San Francisco:
Assessor-Recorder: Phil Ting (good friend of mine)
Treasurer: Jose Cisneros
City Attorney: Dennis Herrera

local issues in San Francisco:
A- Yes
B- Yes
C- NO
D- NO
E- Yes
F- Yes
G- Yes
H- Yes
I- Yes

which is all very similar to what my club endorsed

VOTE November 8th, if not before by absentee or through early voting. VOTE!

man, i just can't believe how much i've gotten done today. today has got to be one of the most productive days i've ever had in my life.

all week i've been laying around the apartment feeling terrible. and then last night i had just had it. had it with laying around. i told myself i was going to get up and go to work today regardless of how i felt. because i was just so incredibly bored laying around at home. and restless. well, today, once i got started, it was slow at first, but eventually by mid-day i had already begun getting more and more done and then i was energetically moving from one work-item to another-- work, volunteer, chores at home, cleaning, everything. it was like i was on fire with productivity.

it's 11:15pm and i'm still reeling with energy and wanting to get more things done. it's unstoppable. and frankly, i've got to slow down because i got to get some sleep. i need to keep resting. but i must say, it's such a rush feeling this productive and useful after a week of wastefully laying around doing nothing and feeling terrible all the time.

new column:

The Politics of NO

What is there left to do when you’re forced against a wall? When you don’t want something and you don’t ask for something and it’s forced upon you, what are you left with? Arnold has forced us to have a ‘Special’ Election no one wants and no one likes, except for the right-wing special interests of his, and so we have to get out and mobilize and vote, and VOTE NO.

It ain’t pretty and it ain’t nice, but that’s the reality of this ‘Special’ Election. All there is to say to this ‘special’ election is “No, No, No, No, No, No.” “Six times No.” “No on 73; No on 74; No on 75; No on 76; No on 77; No on 78.” “No on 73-78.” “Nix the first Six” statewide propositions. However you want to say it, it’s a lot of ‘NO.’

And tell me, who among us likes to say ‘No’ anyway. I mean, when one goes to vote, one generally likes to vote ‘For’ something rather than against. We like to vote ‘for’ politicians that support our rights and our beliefs. We like to vote ‘for’ policies in which we believe. We like to support our ideals.

But when the right-wing governor shows his true right-wing nature and puts on the ballot his right-wing proposals right out of the right-wing Rove/Bush playbook, we have to do what we can to tell him ‘No.’ And while this may not be that appealing, it’s vital that we fight this right-wing play. We know what’s at stake. Not only is this ‘Special’ Election all about seeing what they can get away with, but it’s a precursor to more ‘special’ right-wing ploys to determine our lives and our voices next year and the year after.

Take Prop. 73. It’s a stealth anti-choice measure that pretends to be a simple ‘family values’ measure that no one could disagree with. But we know the truth, we know the hidden agenda, we know the right-wing language and the deceptive anti-choice play, and we know we must vote ‘No.’ The point is that this is part of the larger anti-choice, religious right action by which we know they’ll be swooping in with bolder and badder initiatives in the next year or two should this one pass.

And we know that they’re waiting and watching to see how well it does, and the rest of these right-wing proposals, so that they can get the ball rolling on their anti-marriage equality ballot initiatives and other anti-people initiatives that they’re ready to put on the ballot next year. The better they do this November 8th, the more prepared and excited they’ll be to work against our rights next year and the year after on many an issue.

So while we don’t like to go to the polls and vote ‘against’ anything, we must use this ‘special’ opportunity and vote NO as much as possible on the statewide measures. Just think like our strong Independent Women Destiny’s Child and sing along with me as you vote:

You’ll be Voting No, No, No, No, No (NO)
And you’re Saying No, No, No, No, No (NO)

All the Voters, Democratic, Throw your hands up at me! And vote NO.

Simple as that. 'Nuff said.

Captain Sulu came out! My response is, mostly, 'finally.' But good for him.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

somehow sunday night i became violently ill. in between disgusting bodily functions in the last two days, i've been asleep contantly. the doctor today told me i caught some kind of stomach flu and that i need to keep sleeping and drinking. i haven't eaten anything in two days-- so maybe that means i'll lose some weight. as romy and michelle once profoundly said in their movie, 'mono was the best thing that happened to me in high school'

but seriously, very seriously, this has been a near-death experience and i would never have wanted to go through this. it's just been awful...

Sunday, October 23, 2005

i've lost my voice

i've been campaigning in the castro the last two days and yelling out 'veto arnold' and 'vote no on arnold' and while successful, my voice is now gone

but it'll come back...

Saturday, October 22, 2005

one of the things i work on for my boss is putting together his quarterly newsletter, THE LENO REPORT. we put out the latest edition this week. i'm quite happy with the way it turned out. :-)

Thursday, October 20, 2005

i can be a little slow when it comes to technology. not only slow in the sense of intelligence, but also in catching up to modern trends in technology. S-L-O-W.

back when i was much younger and the CD was just coming out, i not only hugged my tapes a little tighter, but i railed against the CD to my friends. 'this is just another way for the music industry to rip us off!' 'what's the CD got that my good ol' tapes don't have?!' i loved my tapes. 'does this mean i'll have to get some kind of extra CD-transporter for my car?' 'more money out my pocket for the same songs'

a few years later, i broke down (broke is an appropriate word) and purchased my first CD player. the year was 1992 and i haven't been back to tapes since. i LOVE CD's now. i mean, tapes? i don't even consider the albums i have on tape as albums i own anymore. i have to re-get them now on CD if i really love them. but underneath it all i still whine about all the money going out the window just to have the same things i already had and how the music industry is ripping us off. but i've already said that.

the same thing happened around the mid-90's with me and turning my 'walkman' into a 'CD walkman'

in the late 90's and early '00's, as DVD's were becoming fashionable, i railed similarly about how the movie industry was ripping us off by making us by the same videos over again, and making us purchase a whole new device (that 'doesn't even record!') after a year or so of jessie and others telling me know behind the times i was and how DVD's were awesome, i finally 'broke' down and purchased a DVD player. and, now, well, here we are again, and DVD's are awesome and i can't go back to tapes (although they do record, baby) and DVD's do come with so much more and i can get whole series on DVD and all that. yes, i love the DVD. but there's a part of me that still rails against the industry in how it's ripping us all off.

so here we are. it's 2005, late 2005, and i'm at that point again. the point where i'm about to catch up with modern trends in technology. yes, i want an IPod. i've been thinking about it lately and it's hit me hard. i hadn't cared for one before. i mean, i have my 'CD walkman' so why would i need an IPod? it's just another way to rip us off! and i already pretty much have the same stuff, so it's just taking money away from me for an industry that i already purchased stuff from. but, well, you know... so here we are, and i want an IPod, and jessie and chris have been helping me figure out this bizarre tech world of IPod's that i don't understand, and which i'm sure i'll love later. i've been thinking a lot about IPod's lately because i've been doing all this precinct walking for campaigns for the election coming up and, well, an IPod would be a lot simpler to carry around than my 'CD walkman' and all my CD's. yes, it would be simpler. plus it would be oh-so-cool. plus i would be catching up.

but i still can't shake the feeling that i'm being ripped off...

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

i shaved

Sunday, October 16, 2005

what a weekend...

Saturday, October 15, 2005

jessie, you really got me

i've been negligent in getting some of my birthday party pictures up on here. i was hoping to get some more from my wonderful birthday planners/hosts (Susan and Bev) but i haven't gotten them yet. so in the meantime, here's some photos that dear sweet Jessie took for me during the evening's festivities in Zeum's Claymation Room. also, my beautiful friend Chris had a special music mix he created just for me playing at the event. isn't that sweet?

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

so as i mentioned recently, i've started editing a second newsletter for a local democratic club-- this one for the san francisco young democrats (i'm only one year away of being aged out of being 'young'). anyway, the first newsletter was for last month and we had many problems in getting it together (it's an inaugural edition), but it finally got out recently and you can see it here. i have a column ("we're young; we're democrats; get used to it!") in this newsletter too. we'll have another newsletter coming out in the next week or so prior to the big election, so i'll be busy putting that together and the alice one i'm usually doing. the special election on november 8th is nigh, busy times...

speaking of, if you haven't registered to vote, or know people who should, you can get info on doing that here and actually register to vote online directly now. the last day to register to vote before the special election is october 24th.

Saturday, October 08, 2005

Doesn't this make the House a banana republic?

Friday, October 07, 2005

God!

"God would tell me, 'George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.' And I did, and then God would tell me, 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq ...' And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East.' And by God I'm gonna do it," Shaath quotes the president as saying in the three-part series.

as if... this all brings to mind another quote from Bush just today: "Evil men obsessed with ambition and unburdened by conscience must be taken very seriously, and we must stop them before their crimes can multiply,'' Bush said before the Endowment for Democracy in Washington.

i's almost as if he's talking 'bout himself.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

been so busy lately, with vacation and sickness and birthday fun and working on two newsletters and everything else--- got behind on here, sorry. coming back asap

finally a new alice newsletter, and you can see my new column there too