T-shirt

This is my new t-shirt I got. I love it and i'm wearing it today. :)

Away Message

So here's Dan's favorite away message I've ever written. I decided to save it here so I could have it forever and ever.

"Gone to bed...hopefully to not wake up until; 12:30 tomoor w whne i have my hari apointment...pelaese re ind me of my hair pooingmtnt..."

*sigh*
I don't think I can ever run for public office.

Thesis, loans, lake, and lily

I haven't posted in a while. I have a lot going on, and a lot I want to post about, but I just haven't had the time or energy to do it. I've been doing wedding stuff pretty much non-stop since I finished my thesis stuff. Today I submitted my 4th draft to the thesis office. This should be my last one. Let's just say that the A&M thesis office has a HUGE stick up their butt about formatting and stuff. I guess that's kinda good, though. So yeah, I told Ping there was no way for me to finishe a paper before I leave, but that I would really like to work on one.
Oh! Today's the last day of June, and the last day to consolodate student loans before the interest rates get hiked. I don't know whether I should or not, so I'm just not. The majority of my loans are subsidized, and I think I lose that if I consolidate. So I just don't know if it's worth it. I hear rumors of the R word, too. So who knows. Oh well, I guess I'll just risk it.
This weekend I'm going to the lake. I'm excited, it should be fun. I guess I should go buy some alcohol for it.
Yesterday I started working out again. It's fantastic. I haven't worked out in about 2 months, and I had started gaining back all this weight I had lost. So it's back to working out to hopefully get toned up again.
Lily got spayed on tuesay. She has to wear a cone on her head for a week! It's so sad, she keeps running into things. Here's a picture of her with her cone on her head. So sad....

My Letter to my Senators

According to the New York Times, presidential advisor Karl Rove recently said that liberals in this country want our troops to die.

As a liberal, I find this deeply offensive. I don't feel this is the sort of rhetoric our country needs during wartime, and I resent the idea that I want any of our troops to come to harm. In making such statements Mr. Rove is not only impugning my politics, he is degrading my basic humanity.

Although I do not support this war in Iraq, I do support our troops and I hope for all of them to have a safe journey home when their time comes. I also support our efforts in Afghanistan that we made after September 11, and I support our efforts to capture the terrorists responsible for that tragedy.

As a constituent of yours, I would like to know, Senator Hutchison, if you agree with Mr. Rove's statements. Does he speak for you?

Sincerely,

I am a MASTER

Okay, well I haven't had a whole lot of time to post lately. Last week, I defended my thesis, and I passed. This means that I am now a Master of Science. You hear that? A MASTER. Right.
So now I'm working on trying to get something publishable into a paper and planning my wedding. I've been doing alot more of the later than the former. But oh well.
I've realized that I'm not going to be in College Station for a single weekend until a wedding I have on the 30th of July. INSANE. That's alot of traveling.
The wedding planning is coming along. I spent all morning looking up fun songs I want the DJ to play. I'm working on addressing a zillion invitations. I had a shower a couple of weekends ago, and I have a shower this weekend. Getting presents is fun. :) Writing thank-you notes...not fun.
Other than that I'm not doing anything exciting. It's off to Dallas this weekend for Christina's wedding. That'll be fun. Then next weekend it's off to the lake for the 4th of July. That'll be fun, too. :) Then the weekend after that I'll FINALLY get to see Danny for the first time since early May. *Sigh*

Okay, since I'm supposed to be working, I guess I'll get on that.

Oh! I am looking for songs for the wedding ceremony, and bible verses. If anybody has any suggestions, feel free to comment!

Living Wage

Well, A&M is showing some heart and showing that they do care about their lowest-paid workers. They are raising the minimum wage from $6.57/hour to $7.77/hour. Hopefully this will help many families be able to afford the necessaties to live. It's not alot, but it is something which is more than they wanted to do originally. Baby steps.
Congratulations, Dr. Gates, for making the right decision and choosing to do something.
Congratulations to the Aggie Democrats and the many students who worked to make sure that the administration didn't just blow off these workers.

It's a good day to be an Aggie.

Save Players

UT is trying to bully their way into the land that Player's currently sits on. Click here to sign a petition to be sent to the UT administration and alumni association. This already has 1200 signatures to save the deliciousness that is players.

Please please please sign the petition to save players.

Defense

My seminar and defense are tomorrow.
I'm still putting my presentation together.
I'm starting to get sick.
I must keep telling myself that if nothing else, tomorrow this will be over.
25 hours 20 minutes left... :-/

Top Ten

Top Ten Ways Bush Can Regain His Popularity

10. Dip into Social Security fund to give every American free HBO.

9. Use diplomacy to bring peace to Brad, Jen, and Angelina.

8. Try fixing Iraq, creating some jobs, reducing the deficit and maybe capturing Osama.

7. Figure out a way for the Yankees to win a game.

6. Replace his"Country Simpleton" persona with more lovable "Hillbilly Idiot" Image.

5. Use Weekly Radio Address to give Americans a Van Halen two-fer.

4. Get Saddam to switch to boxers.

3. Ditch the Librarian and make Eva Longoria First Lady.

2. Resign.

1. Jump on Oprah's couch while professing his love for Katie Holmes.

More Fillibuster

This is the BEST take I've ever read on the fillibuster. Compliments to the Rude Pundit.

5/22/2005
Filibustering and Fielding:
Let's try this perspective on the judicial filibuster: If you're playin' softball - amateur hour softball, but league play - you're gonna know that the opposing team has some strengths and weaknesses. Maybe your opponent has one helluva a right fielder - motherfucker can leap like a gazelle to catch fly balls that oughta be out of the park. And an arm that can get you tagged out at home in a single throw. If you're a decent team, when you're at bat, you know: don't hit to right field. If you hit to right field, chances are you're gettin' sent back to the bench. And you don't need to be told every time you're up to bat not to hit to right field. You just know it.

So, using this hangover Sunday analogy, the filibuster has been there in the Senate rules, so maybe the threat of the judicial filibuster has always existed, and because of that the President would nominate judges that at least had a chance of overcoming that implicit threat. The "civility" was not, in fact, because of Senatorial deference to the President's nominees, but it was, instead, presidential understanding that the executive and legislative branches are equally powerful in our system of government. In other words, the civility was a product of a President who wanted to maintain civility. The President broke the deal, not the minority party.

And now, ignoring previous Republican holds and filibusters of nominees to the federal bench, the executive branch is so devoted to disempowering the other branches of government that George W. Bush (no doubt in collaboration with right wing Senataors) decided on judicial nominees that would lead to the filibusters, and thus provide an opportunity to fuck up the balance of powers permanently.

In other words, if the Republicans were the at-bat softball team, they'd try to change the rules of the game to say that there couldn't even be right fielders.
// posted by Rude One @ 1:31 PM

MSM

Okay, so I'm pissed at the media. John Kerry released his records yesterday and all they have to say about it is that his GPA at Yale was similar to GW's. Now, I'm not pissed that they're talking about that, that's fine, it's news. But what else is news?!?! The fact that the FUCKING swift boat vets were LYING through their teeth, and these records prove it. But no, the media has to pander to the right, so they won't talk about that. No sir. Damnitt, I'm trying to figure out how to cancel my subscription to CNN without losing the rest of my cable. I don't want to pay for this garbage.

Unbelievable

Well, it turns out Kerry finally released his military records. I'm pretty outraged he didn't do this during the election. I understand his feelings that the swift boat people were lying and he shouldn't have to pander to them. But come on, his records not only prove that they were lying, but they show that some of the same people who appeared in the ad actually commended him on his performance in vietnam.

What I don't understand is how one party can claim such moral high ground, yet be so willing to outright lie to deface the character of an opponent. But what really gets me is how anyone who has any moral character can vote for this, because when you do, you are giving them a stamp of approval. And don't feed me the line that democrats do the same thing (trust me, Rove has the monopoly on defacing opponents), because if they did, they would win alot more elections. But trust me, it would definately be without my vote.

You know you're a Republican when....

...Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.

...trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

...A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.

...Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

...the best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.

...providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.

...global warming is junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

...being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.

...you're pro-life but support the death penalty.

...you're for prayer in schools, as long as you don't pray to Allah or Buddha.

Weather

Okay, so I'm currently being a weather geek, but this storm just came through and woke me up. And let me tell you, holy cow.
Here's what the radar looks like:


And the lightning reports (these are all the lightning flashes in the last 132 minutes):


That's what we call a storm...

Why abortion will not be made illegal.

Because Republicans need it. It's how they get elected. That and gay marriage, of course. But if they lost these two very important issues, people would have to consider other reasons to vote for them, and frankly, they are dying on every other issue.
The democrats are killing them on Social Security. The Republicans killed themselves over the Terry Schiavo dibacle. They're having major ethics issues. (not that people notice because they're still whining over Clinton lying about getting a BJ) They're just losing ground. Unfortunately people will keep voting for them because they think they'll help get abortion made illegal.
Now, I've already stated my opinion on what good making abortions illegal will do. But, unfortunately most people are unable to think about this issue rationally.
I know there will be other social issues to come about to force people to vote republican. Right now I can't think of anything as big as these two. We can't go back to hating minorities so I'm not sure who we'll hate next. (And don't try to tell me the gay marriage thing isn't about hate, because that's exactly what it is. Can we say 4/5 of a person?)

He voted against it so he could vote for it.

That sounds awefully familiar. But am I talking about John Kerry? No! I'm talking about the Republican Majority Leader, Mr. Bill "Cat Killer" Frist.

Seems that Bill Frist voted agaisnt the cloture vote on Bolton. See the way this works is that the issue can only be brought up again by someone on the WINNING side. So that means someone who voted "nay". So anyway, the point is he voted against it so he could vote for it.

Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with this. It's standard procedure in the senate. (Although I'm quite sure if it was a democrat, you would think the world was falling and the republicans would be screaming) But anyway, my point is. That sometimes there are perfectly valid reasons for people to switch their vote. But the general American public is incapable of looking into those reasons. If only the democrats would stand up and scream "FLIP-FLOPPER!!!!" Then the world would be truely fair. But unfortunately, the democrats don't do crap like that. Why? Because they don't play as dirty as the republicans. *sigh* I wish they did, though. It's the only way they're ever going to win. It's most unfortunate. But the American public listens to and believes the soundbytes they hear. I was amazed at how many people told me Kerry was a flip-flopper but when I asked them a very simple question... "Why?" They had no answer. They couldn't even make anything up. They had NO idea why they were calling him a flip-flopper. I wish that people would stop watching the conservative media and make up their minds on their own. I'm quite sure that if people started thinking for themselves, the outcomes would be quite different.

Reid Statement

Harry Reid laid out the Democratic agenda to the National Press Club. Read on, I think you'll be impressed. I know I was. It's rather long, but I've posted the whole thing, because I think it's good. For those of you skimmers, I've bolded my favorite parts. I don't even have anything to add to this.

This has been an important week for America. The defeat of the nuclear option was not a victory for any party, but a victory for our Constitution and our country.

As we said from the beginning of this struggle, our fight wasn’t over some obscure rule of the Senate. It was a fight for Americans’ fundamental rights and against the abuse of power.

And I'm here today to say that fight has not ended. It is only beginning.

This week threatened to be one that would undermine our democratic traditions. Instead, it marks a moment when we can finally turn away from government by polarization…and build a government for the people.

Time and again, the American people have seen George Bush and the Republican leadership choose between their partisan interests and the people’s interest. And every time, they have chosen an ideological agenda over an American agenda.

When George Bush and the Republican leadership make their decisions, the whispered wishes of a few right wing activists drown out the pleas of America’s families.

But if the Washington Republicans stopped to listen to the American people, this is what they’d hear:

Americans are sick and tired of getting caught in the crossfire of partisan sniping.

Americans want us to put the common sense center ahead of nonsense .

Americans want us to bring people together, to focus on what we owe to one another, and the responsibilities we share.

And Americans want their agenda – their jobs, their health care, their security – to get back on the front burners of the nation’s agenda.

Americans are coming to realize this Republican Congress is out of touch with the real problems of working families and that the agenda the Republicans are advancing is at odds with what people in this country really care about.

We Democrats have something better to offer. A reform agenda that will cleanse Washington…give power to the people – not special interests…and make sure that everyday Americans and their concerns get back on the Congressional calendar.

Strengthening our national defense. Rebuilding our economy. Providing families with affordable health care. Making America energy independent. Securing our retirement. That’s our agenda. That’s America’s agenda. But the Republican Congress has put all this and more on hold. I hope that now we can finally turn to the people's business.

Six moths have passed since this Republican Congress began and here’s their record:

They spent precious days trying to overturn constitutional principles.

They tried to overturn the decisions of courts and duly elected legislatures in order to insert themselves into one family’s tragedy in Florida.

They all-but disbanded the House Ethics Committee in order to protect the Republican leader from scrutiny – but then were forced to reverse themselves under public pressure.

But perhaps the greatest abuse of power is to have the ability to help but choose to do nothing.

While gas prices have shot past $2 a gallon, this Republican Congress did nothing to lower prices and give families some relief.

At a time that parents are having to tell their children that the family can’t afford to send them to college, this Republican Congress rejected a proposal to make college more affordable.

And even though we have gone eight years without an increase in the minimum wage – the second longest period ever – this Republican Congress rejected an increase that would give the hardest working Americans the chance to provide for their families.

Whether it is rejecting Democratic initiatives to provide medical care to veterans or to return to fiscal responsibility, this Republican Congress’s record is clear: when it comes to answering the call of the far right, it’s “I’ll do it ASAP.” When it comes to doing the people’s business, it’s “take a message.”

Americans deserve a Congress that will use its power to advance American values not a Congress that abuses its power to advance the agenda of a radical few.

We need a common sense reform agenda for the common good. And that starts with defending our nation and making it more secure. As of this month, more time has passed since 9-11 than the time between Pearl Harbor and the defeat of Japan. During those three years and eight months – sixty years ago – we invaded North Africa and Normandy. We freed people from the Philippines to France. Hitler lay dead and Tojo was in chains. We had defeated fascism around the world and had begun to build the new United Nations.

But today Osama bin Laden is still on the loose, our homeland is still not secure, we’re still not energy independent, and – in many ways – Americans are less safe than we were before 9-11.

Democrats are the party of national security. And we have an agenda to defend America from danger. We stand for increasing our military strength by 40,000 troops so we can wage the War on Terror on every front. We stand for securing our borders and bridges, our seaports and airports, our nuclear and chemical plants. We stand for tracking down and securing the loose nuclear weapons that threaten our people. And we will honor our troops and their families by making sure they get the benefits they have earned.

Our common sense reform agenda will take our economy from sluggishness to prosperity. A prosperity where a rising tide lifts the boat of every American who is willing to work hard.

When it comes to the economy, the Washington Republicans offer the same old answers and then try to change the subject. But the growing trade deficit and a runaway national debt that puts us into hock to China and Japan show that this Administration and this Congress have lost control over America’s economic destiny.

Democrats stand ready to win back America’s prosperity. We’ll end the tax breaks that encourage companies to take jobs overseas. Restore fiscal responsibility. Spur innovation. Open the doors to college. And make work pay more than welfare.

And if we want our companies to be ready to compete in the world economy, we have to hold down health care costs. Today, Starbucks spends more on health care than on coffee. Today, GM spends more on health care than on steel. Today, we can’t ask our companies to go head to head with foreign competitors with this burden on their backs.

Our families will never get ahead while they are getting battered down by health care costs that total $10,000 a year.

And our country will never be what it should be as long as the color of your skin or the size of your bank account determines whether your children can see a doctor. We can do better for them. And they are expecting nothing less from us.

Many of the jobs of the future will be jobs that come from new energy saving industries. Today, Japan’s and South Korea’s head start on innovation means they are running away with those jobs. We have to get back in that race.

Americans are getting fed-up every time they go for a fill-up. They know that our reliance on Mideast oil is making America less safe. They want us to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make this nation energy independent. We can get there – but only if we start putting America’s security and prosperity first.

And Democrats will continue to stop George Bush from privatizing Social Security while we say “yes” to shoring up Americans’ pensions and making our retirement system more secure.

This is our agenda – an agenda for reform, an agenda to do the people’s business. And for them we will continue to fight.

The lines that divide Congress should be between right and wrong, not right and left.

Our enemies should not be those in the other party, but the common threats that face the American community.

Our goal should not be winning the news cycle, but breaking the vicious cycle of political battle and winning a future where all Americans can live out their dreams.

The defeat of the nuclear option shows what is possible when people of good faith – Republicans and Democrats – join hands and put principles ahead of partisanship.

This doesn’t have to be an isolated incident – a momentary ceasefire before Washington’s trench warfare starts up again. Rather it can be a new beginning. Because on issue after issue, there is a common sense center in America that knows what it believes and can’t understand why this Republican Congress won’t get the job done.

Just as there was a bipartisan majority that could not stomach the nuclear option, there is a bipartisan consensus for action on many fronts. And all we need for progress is for President Bush and the Republican leadership to let America’s agenda get its day.

The American people are demanding it. And Democrats are going to be standing in the common sense center to make sure that we get there.

In this Congress, there is a bipartisan consensus for raising the minimum wage – but the White House and the Republican leadership stand in the way.

There is a bipartisan consensus for allowing the prescription drugs to be safely reimported – but the White House and the Republican leadership stand in the way.

And there is a bipartisan consensus for stem cell research that has the potential to help cure diseases such as diabetes and help save American lives. From Nancy Reagan to Orrin Hatch, Republicans have broken ranks to join the common sense center on this important issue.

For four years, President Bush has not vetoed a single piece of legislation. Even when this Republican Congress sent him bill after bill weighed down with pork or special interest subsidies or runaway spending, he chose to keep his veto pen in the drawer.

But now, he is threatening to veto stem cell research. Not because most Americans oppose it. They support it across party lines. President Bush is threatening to veto it because the far right is demanding he do so.

I ask President Bush to step away from the far right and join us in this common sense center, to show he will be part of this new spirit of national consensus by letting stem cell research go forward.

This week’s events mark our chance to forge a common sense center that embraces an American agenda for reform. As Democratic Leader, I will be working aggressively to advance the work the American people sent us to do. And I hope that Republicans of good faith will join with us to get this job done: To strengthen our national security. To make America energy independent. To restore economic prosperity and opportunity. To help our families and business afford their health care. To boost Americans’ retirement security and protect their Social Security.

In the coming weeks and months, I’ll have more to say on all these fronts. But I pledge today, that in everything we do, the lesson of this week – that we can build on the common sense center – will remain front and center.

The nuclear option could have been another long, sad stride down an ever more slippery slope toward partisan crossfire and abuse of power.

Instead, its defeat marks the moment we turned around and began to climb the hill toward a common politics of national purpose and a rebuilding of America's promise.

This journey is our cause – and reaching the top of that hill will mark our real victory.

Thank you.

Refreshing

I must say. This is quite possibly the most refreshing thing I've read in a long time. I promise to support Kraft foods and any other company I hear about that stands up to the evil machine that is Focus on the Family and Co. (Of course Kraft's parent company still contributes most of their money to the Republican party. So are they really for equality, or is it a publicity stunt? Who knows...)

From: Marc Firestone, Executive Vice President, Corporate Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Kraft Foods Inc.

Subject: Kraft's Contribution to 2006 Gay Games

The true test of any commitment is how you respond when challenged. Kraft is experiencing this to a degree right now, as a result of our decision to be one of several contributors to the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. The games will bring together thousands of athletes in a competition that will take place in our corporate hometown.

In recent days, the company has received many e-mails, the majority of them generated through the America Family Association, which objects to our sponsorship. We also have received calls and e-mails - - not as many, but equally passionate - - thanking us for supporting this event. A member of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's team said, "We applaud the businesses that are sponsors of the Gay Games, including Kraft Foods."
You may have questions or might have had questions from friends and family about our contribution to this event. While Kraft certainly doesn't go looking for controversy, we have long been dedicated to support the concept and the reality of diversity. It's the right thing to do and it's good for our business and our work environment.

Diversity makes us a stronger company and connects us with the diversity that exists among the consumers who buy our products.

Diversity is more than a word many people like to say. At Kraft we truly respect all kinds of differences. And diversity is not a selective concept. By definition, it's nothing if not inclusive. We respect diversity of ethnicity, gender, experience, background, personal style and yes, sexual orientation and gender identity. Recognizing, respecting and valuing these differences helps us be a more successful business and a workplace where all employees can realize their full potential.

For more than a decade, we have had employee councils that promote our awareness of diversity. The newest of our nine diversity councils is the Rainbow Council, which strives to provide a forum for support and networking among gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender employees; raise awareness within Kraft and promote involvement in the community. Each council has an executive sponsor and I have been the Rainbow Council's sponsor since last year.

Through all of our councils, we support various initiatives that demonstrate how strongly we believe in diversity, through involvement in the community. Our sponsorship of the 2006 Gay Games is one of almost 1,700 cash and in-kind grants we make annually.

It can be difficult when we are criticized. It's easy to say you support a concept or a principle when nobody objects. The real test of commitment is how one reacts when there are those who disagree. I hope you share my view that our company has taken the right stand on diversity, including its contribution to the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago.

Invitro - good, stem cell research - bad

Okay, so I REALLY need someone to explain to me how this isn't hypocritical. PLEASE.

Seems that this Houston couple, J.J. and Tracy Jones traveled to Washington to protest the embryonic stem cell bill. Seems that they are of the opinon that embryos are "human beings from conception." That is a fine argument. Thing is, they just had a child that was from an embryo they adopted. Here's what gets me:

The couple was matched with and adopted 10 unused embryos from a family in Michigan. Three survived the thawing process (the survival rate is about 50 percent), and were implanted in Tracy's womb. One took hold. The whole process cost them about $7,500.

So basically they just destroyed 9 lives to create 1. How is this any different than stem cell research?

So anyway, if someone could explain to me how invitro fertilization is okay but stem cell research isn't I would really appreciate it.

Part of what I do is try to understand why someone else thinks something different. Times like these I just can't even come up with a single reason.

Couple Questions

Okay, so I have some questions for people who are against stem cell research and gay marriage.

1. Embryonic Stem Cell Research
- H.R. 810 passed the house yesterday which amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research (thanks for the heads up, Dena). Now I think that's good. Unfortunately, Bush has already said that if it passes the Senate he will veto it. (I don't find anything in the world more frustrating than the blockage of science that has happened since Bush has been in office)
- Okay, so here's my question. In this bill, there are three limitations on the embryos used. (1) the stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics for the purpose of fertility treatment and were in excess of the needs of the individuals seeking such treatment; (2) the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded; and (3) such individuals donate the embryos with written informed consent and receive no financial or other inducements.
Why shouldn't we do research on them that could potentially help people with Alzheimers and Parkinsons, and potentially many other illnesses. Now if you've never known someone with one of these illnesses, I MIGHT understand. But let me tell you, it sucks. I think it ridiculous that researchers should be kept from finding potential cures simply because someone would prefer the embryo just be destroyed instead of letting some good come out of it.
Anyway, I want to know what people think. And please don't give me the "slippery slope" argument. I've taken logic, and I don't want any fallacies here, please.

2. Gay Marriage
- What is your opinion on a man, say, who's had gender reassignment and is now a woman marrying a man? Technically this is still a man marrying a man. But this man is now a woman, so it's a woman marrying a man. Does this "distroy the institution of marriage"?

Okay, so I know nobody reads this so I won't get any response, so I guess these questions are just for myself. *sigh*

Oh, I have a suggestion. How about if scientific advances are made with stem cell research and cures for some of these problems are found. Anyone on record as being against it isn't allowed to use the benefits.
I really think that we should start a system of accountability in this country. If you are for the war, you go fight the war. You are agaisnt science, you don't get to use science. I think it would really make people think twice before supporting/not supporting issues. (no, i'm not joking, yes, I'm being 100% serious)