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Normally, i prefer staying away from posts that could be cast in political light. Shamus sent me this video about environmentalism. It’s an interesting perspective and I appreciate the guy’s efforts.

Check it out!

I had a great conversation with one of the locals here. He had spent some time in Chicago and California and we spoke of the United States.

“The United States is a good place to earn money,” he said, “but living there takes something from you. Here in Mexico, I am free. If I want to go hunting in the hills, I can go hunting in the hills. I don’t need a license or special permits. I can do what I please and go where I please.”

It was an interesting perspective. The U.S. is all about the idea of freedom, but this gentleman’s first complaint was that the U.S. kept him down. He felt that there were too many rules to follow and the rules restricted freedom enough that he had no real desire to go back.

“I don’t think I can leave my family like this though,” he added, “I have four kids. Three daughters:16, 14, and 3. and one son, 6. I’d like to go north and earn some money to help them, but at the same time I need to be here. My youngest daughter is [sweet]. She runs up to me when I get home from work and shouts ‘pappi pappi!’ and kisses my cheek. I don’t think I could my family right now even to earn more money to help them.”

The conversation then switched to Visas.

“I want to get a Visa for Vacation to the States but it’s very hard. When I was in the United States before, I was there illegally. On the forms they ask where you’ve lived for the last 10 years. I was in the U.S. in 2000. I can’t lie. So I’ll tell them I was in the U.S. They may turn me down. I hope they let my daughters in. Some of my brothers and sisters are in the United States and I’d like my daughters to be able to see what it’s like there.”

I greatly enjoy chatting with foreigners about the U.S. It’s interesting to learn what the country looks like from the outside in.

Intersections and Forms of Government

4 way stop: Democratic/Capitalistic
There’s a general structure of underlying rules and people are, more or less, fair to each other. The first person to show up goes first, and drivers tend to pass the right of way back and forth regardless of the driver or type of car. If anyone blatantly disobeys the public’s expectations, they are honked at and shouted at by the public or sued in court.

Two road intersection w/ yellow and red blinking light: Plutocracy
A rule by the wealthy where the wealthy refers to the fast. If you’re stuck at the red blinking light you might never get out, because the yellow light folks have a distinctive right of way advantage.

Intersection with traffic cop: Totalitarian
State regulation of all aspects of traffic behavior.

Intersection with Traffic Lights: Authoritarian
Government without the consent of those being governed. You show up at the light and do what you’re told, regardless of how many cars are lined up one on street vs. the other.
This does not apply for Traffic Lights with magnetic car sensors.

Rotary: Anarchism
Lack of order. Complete confusion.

Help me finish my list! I’m trying to think of good intersection examples of:

Aristocracy - government by a ’superior’ group
Dictatorship/Monarchy - government with a head of state
Tyranny - harsh rule over the people

Has anyone else noticed that Nancy Pelosi looks a lot like Judge Judy?

I’m going to have some trouble getting used to Pelosi, if for no other reason than that everytime I see her name written I think it says Pepsi.

Disclaimer: this is a political entry. It expresses a point of view. I am no expert. Just a sideline observer.

I’ve been reading all sorts of new articles about how consumers are “FUMING” over high gas prices. News crews report people saying that the government needs to do something. Is this how the majority of people think? Are people actually angry or is it media hype?

I, for one, am completely unangry at the fuel prices. I groan when I think about the extra cash that I will spend per-month, but I’m still use my car just as much. How can I get angry at supply and demand? The day that I get angry I’ll start using my bicycle to get around town.

Some people seem to be upset at the potential for price gouging. Especially since oil is a market that does not make it easy for new companies to enter the mix. But still, I think if those guys wanted to charge $5.00 a gallon, and American’s would still pay without significant changes in lifestyles, then why shouldn’t they? Yes, they would be getting crazy rich off of the public but we’d keep paying them. I suspect we’d also carry protestor signs and scream anti-gouging oil slogans as we filled our SUV for the third time this week.

This just doesn’t make sense to me.

One thing Mike D and I can see eye-to-eye on is the uselessness of the space program.

(more…)

I happened to be reading the news this morning, and headlines stated that there was a high potential for domestic terror from two main groups: the Animal Liberation Front and the Earth Liberation Front.

ALF and ELF.

I suspect we may see an influx of new terrorist organizations over the next few months. Including:

1. Societies Mourning Urban Refining Factory Syndocates
2. Parties Against National Security Yachts
3. Beijing Arboretum Loving Linguistic Earthen Rich Interacting Natural Activist Society

The thing that I find irritating about the State of the Union, or any address from any president, is that everyone seems to applaud everything all the time. Even statements that are so obviously positive that they would need no affirmation from the audience.

“our union is strong” WOO! YEAH! IT’S TRUE! WOO!

“so that every child in America can read and learn and succeed in life” CHEERS! YAY FOR READING CHILDREN WHO SUCCEED! WOO!

“addictive drugs that kill people are bad” YEAH! AGREED!

“Satan is evil” APPLAUSE! NOTHING’S FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH! HOORAY!

“It’s really awesome when you find 10 bucks in your pocket that you had forgotten about” AMEN! CHEERS! APPLAUSE!

“I really like a glass of juice with my breakfast in the morning” OH YEAH! THAT’S THE TICKET! BRING IT HOME! AMERICA’S AWESOME!

Is George W’s daughter Barbara cute?

(picture taken from CNN.com)

I didn’t think republicans could be attractive… (besides becky of course)
maybe the bush daughter is a democrat?

There was just a big Climate Control Convention held by the U.N. They really didn’t get anything useful done because the U.S. was being pesky.

but, check out their awesome logo!

a little melting Earth! how clever

I was reading THIS article on CNN this morning pre-work. I was zipping through it, not really reading closely. It seemed entirely one sided. I was more than halfway through before I realized that Yanukovych and Yushchenko were not the same name.

Seriously. it’s hard to keep track.

Her expression is perfect.

copied from www.cnn.com

Wow. Suddenly being from Massachusetts isn’t so bad.
www.votepair.com

On a side note I did end up voting this past weekend. But still, I felt like it was a complete waste of time. Why did I vote? beats me. For some unknown reason I felt guilty not voting.

my problem is that I think the current voting system is flawed. I kind of feel guilty having voted, thus participating in a system that I don’t fully support. really though, I guess I’m not one to talk. because I have yet to come up with a better system. When I do, I’ll let y’all know.

You can be sure that my system will have at least these two improvements:
1. The candidate debate process would involve a halo showdown
2. When you cast your vote you get a free bag of jelly beans.

ahh Jelly beans. Nature’s candy.

you know? Jon Stewart should run for president.

seriously.

J.S. for Prez. 2008.

Back on the voting debate…

It was also stated in the New York Times on September 26th that the estimated cost of going out and voting is about $10 per person. That 10 dollars could go to something a lot more useful: like buying myself 6 cans of B&M baked beans.

I struggle to see the point of voting. Especially for a Massachusetts voter. I’ll bet anyone my $10 that Kerry will win MA regardless of my vote.

I am expecting a counter arguement from Rick Richter in the comments.

.

In other news, Expect BIG things in tomorrow’s post. be excited!

I’m really thinking the U.S. and Canada should just throw caution to the wind and join forces thus creating a supernation. Imagine the possibilities!

yes, Americanada would quickly surpass all other countries in its coolness.

- Mounties would be seen regularly in city parks, protecting the Americanada way of life.
- Americanada businesses would have the perfect blend of polite restraint and business gung-ho.
- The drinking age would average out at 19 and a half years.
- The new national animal would be a beaver riding on the back of a bald eagle.

a beaver riding on the back of a bald eagle.

I’ve made my case.

If you recall, a few weeks back I said that if I were pres. Natalie Portman’s face would be put on the new nickels.

Did the current administration listen to my great ideas? no.

All we’ve got is Jefferson, Buffalos, and the Pacific Ocean.

I think I’d make a pretty awesome president. The first thing I’d do is get an aircraft carrier named after me.

u.s.s. mike d: the aircraft carrier.

It would have the words ‘AMERICA ROCKS’ painted on the side and every couple years on July 4th it would make its way back to U.S. harbors turn on its freakin’ huge sub woofers and light up the skies with fireworks and tracers. It’d be totally pimped out too, with speed flame decals on the back and a spoiler the size of my house.

Then I would pull the plug on social security. and invest the government’s money heavily into Google Stock.

I would ban boy-bands declaring them a violation of humanity’s right to “pursuit of happiness”

Natalie Portman’s face would be put onto the new Nickles.
Jessica alba would pose for the new 5 dollar bill.

mike d for president in 2020