Scott Nolan’s Rants, Raves, and Meandering Thoughts
{ Monthly Archives }
This MySpace video is especially for all you folks out there who don’t bother voting.
Wow - there are other videos on that site too, but I like the Dog’s Apathy one the best.
Thanks to drmontoya of RaisingKaine for this link!
I’ve updated my non-partisan Virginia 2006 Election Information page at http://scottnolan.org/elections_2006.html with new information about Loudon and Fairfax County Bond issues and Ballot Questions. Please inform yourselves before you vote.
I am still seeking information about State Ballot Question #3:
Shall Section 6 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to authorize legislation to permit localities to provide a partial exemption from real property taxes for real estate with new structures and improvements in conservation, redevelopment, or rehabilitation areas?
It sounds reasonable enough for conservation, but could also be a sneaky framed rat. I am not turning up anything on the real motives of Delegate Riley Ingram and State Senators John Edwards (not the U.S. Senator of the same name) and Charles Hawkins when they proposed this amendment. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
I also added more details in the local races in Prince William County. If you know of other races I should list, please forward them to me.
Fairfax County Democratic Commitee has a nice website with some analysis of the amendments:
http://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/candidates.htm
Wow. Keith Olbermann says how we feel so well that I think this is the best 10 minutes of video I have seen in 6+ years! An absolute must-see.
Update: Jeffrey Feldman has a transcript and analysis online now, so if you don’t have broadband, at least read the stranscript.
Saturday I went out and canvassed for Judy Feder and Jim Webb. I worked with Ted, who is just coming back to activism from many years of hiding out because he was concerned that nothing makes a difference in a state as one-sided as Virginia has been. He’s a likable fellow, but I think the people who continued fighting for what they believed in through the years of relative apathy are to be commended. They made this wonderful revolution possible, one person at a time. If we hide out, we silently and tacitly agree with what is going on in our country, state, and county. We need to stand up and protest, even when that protest appears to fall on deaf ears.
I followed Bruce Roemmelt over to the Prince William County Democrats BBQ, and got to talk to Andy Hurst and Jeanette Rishell. It was wonderful seeing them both, as they are both doing very well in their campaign races; soundly trouncing their opponents in the 11th CD and the 50th LD respectively. I am confident of victory in the U.S. Senate race (Webb will win by more than 5%), the 11th congressional race (Hurst will win by a few percent), and the 50th district special election (Rishell should win by over 20%). I am worried about Sharon Pandak’s campaign to be the next Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. There still is not much news about her campaign; and not enough people know how crazy Cory Stewart is to vote against him. He’s running on socially conservative issues - which is nonsense for the office he is seeking (County Supervisors have nothing to do with those issues), so I suspect he’s really just trying to use that position as a launch pad for other political ambitions (much like Sean Connaughton apparently did). We need some news coverage of this race soon.
I am also worried about the Judy Feder campaign and the campaign against the 1st ballot question (the Marshall/Newman “hate” amendment). Both are going to be very tight races where every vote counts. I still have heard nothing but conjecture about the 3rd ballot question, but I have decided to “Vote NO” on both #1 and #2.
Sunday I did a little canvassing for Jeanette Rishell, who is running against Jackson Miller. I find it a bit disturbing that Mr. Miller has totally changed his website to hide from his history of scary extremists endorsing his campaign and his strong ties to extreme social positions. Thankfully, google caches can still reveal those affiliations he is trying to hide from. It’s ironic that his issues website is basically a cut & paste copy of Jeanette’s own issues list… If you live in the 50th; take Miller’s own advice and vote for Jeanette! I ended up cutting the canvassing a little short because of rain, but was very encouraged to find Jeanette has a lot of supporters from both sides of the political devide.
Now I must roll up my sleeves and do more canvassing out in my own neck of the woods for the VoteNO effort.
I just realized it has been way too long since I last updated my journal/web log. Sorry about that, it has been because life has been full and fun and keeping me away from the computers.
The two weeks after we came back from Mike and Joan’s wedding in Las Vegas have been crazy-insanely busy at work. System installs at 4:00 am far too regularly, and very little time to catch a breather, though that finally happened just this week a little.
Anyway, the morning of the 13th I finally realized that our local Arthur Murray dance studio’s Fall Freestyles event was on Saturday the 16th, and I had signed up for a lot of heats and the scholarship competition! Oops. So the 13th I took a marathon 5 lessons to prepare, though I missed the first one because I was still at work. I was pretty punchy by the group class (exhaustion from getting up at 4:00 am, working through to 4:40 pm, then going straight to 4 lessons and a class).
Penn and Teller had a fabulous show on Showtime a few years back where they tackled various urban myths or controversial subjects and put the facts up on their shows. Sort of like Mythbusters, but less focused on gadgets and free to use profanity and nudity because it aired on Showtime instead of open Cable.
Here is their episode on the impacts to children in non-traditional families, and it is quite interesting because of the current Virginia Constitutional Amendment debate: Thanks Google Video!
Question #1:
Shall Article I (the Bill of Rights) of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to state:
That only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.
This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage. Nor shall this Commonwealth or its political subdivisions create or recognize another union, partnership, or other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage
(emphasis is my own)
That is a scary second paragraph. It’s scary to my niece who lives with her boyfriend sharing an apartment where they are struggling to get ahead in an area with extraordinarily high housing costs and very low minimum wages. Only one of them can be on the lease due to draconian laws here in Virginia… what happens if they have a fight? One of them will be out in the cold (or the heat depending on the season). Is that right?
Vote NO Virginia!
Yesterday was a lot of fun. We started with the SGI-USA Fortune District discussion meeting at Maria’s house where we talked about compassion and embracing our neighbors, and we heard an experience from Maria. Jeff announced that the 2006 Annual Study Guide is available online, by order, and at the community center bookstore. Then many of us went from the meeting to participate in the interfaith 9/11 Unity Walk for Peace.
As a medieval living history re-enactor, I frequently get asked if I would like to actually live in the time period. My answer has always been a firm and resounding “Certainly not!” because I much prefer living in a time of flush toilets, hot running water, antibiotics, and with the availability of ice cream.
Yes ice cream.
Perhaps one of the greatest inventions ever. Yum! I am mostly a person without a sweet tooth. I frequently order fries for dessert instead of something sweet, unless ice cream is an option. I love ice cream. I love vanilla, chocolate, strawberry… I love all the fruit flavors, I love frozen yoghurt, sherbet, frozen custard, gellato, slushies, shaved ice, and plain old regular ice cream.
I have a new passion in the ice cream world. “Palapa Azul” advertized as all natural Mexican style ice cream. We’ve had the “Mexican Caramel” flavor a few times now and it is so unbelievably yummy that we can’t bring ourselves to try another flavor! I am afraid to find out what’s in it; because is it so good it must be made of something bad for you. If you want to avoid a new decadent addiction, stay well away from this stuff (evil grin: I know you can’t).
It’s getting close to the anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the United States by a group of men, mostly from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who were outraged by the sexual liberty of women, gay marriage, birth control, and no-fault divorce.
RenaRF has a great story about Fear, Real Fear vs. Manufactured Fear in her Thank You to President Bush. Excellent reading, highly recommended. I can’t help recalling the story of a local (to Reston) Buddhist medical doctor who said to his wife as he was dying of cancer: “Fear is not real.” He told her to anchor her heart in peace, love, and culture. That is what he hoped his life was all about, and that is what would keep her happy even without him.
To quote Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
It is fear that our government is using to try to manipulate elections and laws and even the constitution.
It is fear that the terrorists used on September 11th, 2001. In fact terrorism is the use of fear as a weapon against non-combatants throughout history, both before and after September 11th, 2001. Oklahoma City bombing, Anthrax mailings, shootings and bombings of family planning clinics, any nation possessing nuclear weapons; these are all examples of terrorism and the power of fear. All such power is ultimately fleeting.
The power of love is far greater. One man’s love for humanity has changed the lives of billions, not just once - but several times. Jesus of Nazareth, Siddartha Gautama, T’ien T’ai, and Muḥammad all brought messages of peace and love. Their impact is still felt all over the globe a thousand years and more after their passing.
Do something for love, for culture, and for peace this weekend.
Erci and I plan to participate in the interfaith 9/11 Unity Walk for Peace this Sunday in Washington, DC. Our purpose:
“We walk together as neighbors from many faiths and cultures. We gather in peace to demonstrate our unity, recalling the spirit of togetherness that grew out of 9/11. We commemorate this day because concern for each other’s welfare is the shared hope of us all.”
Thanks to Bruce for posting this where it could be lifted.
Cute little flash story about how to make the best of bad stuff dumped on you:
http://upchucky.net/~upchucky/flash-fun/farmer-donkey.swf
Reminds me of the rejoined we young airmen used to the over used military phrase “Shit rolls downhill” (which was meant to imply that we junior people had to simply deal with it). We began to respond “Yes, it does, sir; but it piles right back uphill.”
My vote is that this is an Allegory:
A figurative sentence or discourse, in which the principal
subject is described by another subject resembling it in
its properties and circumstances. The real subject is thus
kept out of view, and we are left to collect the
intentions of the writer or speaker by the resemblance of
the secondary to the primary subject.
