Facts Don't Matter

In a world where facts don't matter, those of an intellectual bent will be shunned and ignored.  Ignorance will rule.  Those with the strongest feelings will prevail.  And harsh reality, when it rears its ugly head (because reality doesn't care about whether you beleive in facts or not - facts are all that matter in reality) - when that happens - convenient scape goats will be found. 

In the meanwhile, we are all screwed.

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

Happy New Year

As 2012 begins, it is looking about as depressing as 2011.  Obama is finally showing a little backbone, but it seems more like election year bullshit than anything real.  I guess if he wins, will really see what he wants to do when he no longer has to worry about re-election. 

I still don't feel that motivated to post much.  Maybe that will change, maybe it won't.  Maybe it won't matter since by now there's no one really checking on this.  Number one rule of blogging is that you need to update regularly, really, daily. 

Sleep right now is more precious than anything.  I can't function without it and I seldom seem to get enough of it.  Here's to trying to get more sleep, starting now...

Enough with the lie about 47% paying no taxes

To all those out there who keep saying this: Enough with the lie that 47% pay no taxes.  EVERYONE pays taxes.  Sales taxes, payroll taxes, state income taxes, local income taxes, property taxes.  None of those taxes are progressive - they are all regressive.  The only progressive tax is the federal income tax.  Funny how that's the one that is attacked.  What makes your lie especially transparent is the fact that everyone who works pays payroll taxes starting with the first dollar earned.  What makes the lie especially evil is that in the same breath that you lie and say that 47% pay no taxes, you complain about medicaid and social security being too expensive, not mentioning that those programs are paid for with payroll taxes, something separately paid for from income taxes.  Stop lying.  Those who continue to do so are violating a Christian commandment.  Not that this matters to me, but it allegedly matters to them.

Pass the lube.

After seeing the Daily Show about how previously fully-funded pension funds were looted, then that looting was used as the basis to argue with doing away with pension funds altogether with the false argument that they were underfundede because evil employees through evil unions forced unfunded liabilities on those poor, defenseless companies... well, that was enough to make me want to give up entirely.  The 1%, as it were, are screwing everyone else, and they are getting away with it.  They got away with it.  Nothing will ever change.  They want us to believe that, but it is easy enough to do so when it is true.  Things have not gotten better - they have stayed the same or gotten worse.  The GOP is making sure nothing can ever get better.  Only a filibuster proof majority of PROGRESSIVES with a progressive President could ever change that, and such a thing will never happen, because progressives have no voice. 

So pass the lube, because we are good and screwed.

Totally Disgusted Beyond Belief at Debt Deal

My blog title pretty much sums up how I feel now that the "debt deal" has passed.

Truly, if even with a Democratic Senate and President, all we get are, not just Republican policies, but crazy Republican policies, what the fuck is the point of even having a Democratic Party?  At least if Michelle Bachman were president, it would all be above board. 

Truly, if this is what we get, I'm going to vote for the craziest Republican mutherfuckers until the Democratic leadership actually acts, you know, progressive.  Until they publicly support and fight for what Bernie Sanders says, screw them all.  They think they have progressives over a log, I say the progressives should put them over a log.  If progressives all refused to vote for them, and instead of voting for mealy-mouthed Democrats, voted for crazy Republicans, they'd have to listen. 

The exception is primaries.  I'd vote in primaries for the Sanders of the party (I know, he's independent, but he's progressive).  Then if the Sanders actually won the primary, I'd vote for him in the general election.  But if it is a mealy-mouthed Democrat who wins, they don't get my vote in the general.  I don't want to reward their bad behavior.  This isn't about wanting perfect progressive candidates.  This is about wanting candidates who are progressive at all.  If they aren't at all (which most aren't) then why bother voting for them at all?  Voting GOP is more honest - that's the policies we get anyway.

UPDATE:  As I wallow in my disgust, it occurs to me that by this criteria, I cannot vote for Obama again. 

Finding a Babysitter is a Pain in the Ass

The title of this post speaks for itself. My primary babysitter just moved to Utah. Not because she's a mormon, which she is. But the reason really doesn't matter. She was the greatest babysitter ever. And I've had some good ones, don't get me wrong. But she was like a superhero. She cooked, cleaned up, organized, disciplined. And that was without even being asked to. She just felt the need to do those things and so did it. She was seldom idle.

 

 

The displine was big as well. She actually got my daughter to fall in line and do what she was supposed to do. No one could do that before. And she wasn't mean, just firm and consistent. Which is of course what works. She said that my daughter reminded me of her younger sister, who is also a bit difficult to deal with.

But now, after two years, she's gone. It is sad, in that I had hoped for at least two more years, while she finished up her university time, but alas, no. Still, I'd have been here eventually, looking again for a regular sitter. Now it is just sooner.

 

 

It is a pain to find a sitter. Not just because all will be compared to the old one. Frankly, no one could measure up to her. But because the whole process is a pain in the ass. Trying to set up appointments (I have had some success with care.com, where I found "super-sitter"). Then dealing with schedules. And no-shows. And shows who then disappear. Really, the whole process. It is like interviewing someone to be a member of your family. I had one interview today. I have two more. Or maybe just one, if the next one doesn't show up. She was supposed to come now, but isn't here yet and did not call. I always ask them to call an hour in advance to confirm. I've found that tends to clarify who will actually be showing up so I don't end up just waiting and wondering.

I can't wait til my son and daughter are old enough not to need sitters or day care. Not just for the money. For the lack of pain. Only seven more years. Then my daughter can watch my son. She's almost six now. He's 2 1/2 years younger. I can't wait.

Not dead yet

I haven't posted in ages, mostly because there is a cycle of not posting, so no one is reading, so I figure, why post. That and a lack of time or energy. I mean, what really could I say now that isn't already being said by someone else online, only better.

My time these days is divided between working, taking care of the kids, gaming (twice a week if I'm lucky, not at all if I'm not), and playing EveOnline in a few snatches of time here and there. And paying bills. Lots of those. My daughter is just about done with Kindergarten, which is cool. My son is talking and basically potty trained, which is a relief after almost six years of diapers between him and his sister.

And one more big milestone: the kids slept in their own bed last night - well, they slept together, and not in my bed, which happens basically never. Maybe they'll do it again tonight. I have my doubts.

Finally, I wish I had a new computer. I suppose I don't really need one - my last one I got the week before my son was born, so about 39 months ago, but it'd be so nice to get one. I even cleared some space for it. I could play computer games with my daughter together. Yeah, that's the ticket.

In any case, back to oblivion.

Its hard not to be depressed or apathetic about things

Given the state of the country and where we appear to be headed, it is hard not to be apathetic about politics. It is like there really is no option for good. It is either evil or less evil.

I am reading "All the Devils are Here" - a book about the causes of the financial crisis. What strikes me first and foremost about it is that it is a demonstration of the fact that "the market" does not work - in the sense that it does not regulate itself. And the actors in it are not rational. After all, it was the financial wizards, the absolute best and brightest that capitalism can ever hope to have, that directly caused the financial crisis. These CEOs that are supposedly so irreplaceable and valuable that they have to be paid hundreds of millions of dollars - they lost billions upon billions and had to be bailed out or they would have brought down the entire world economy.

This rather shatters the bullshit that they are really worth all that much money. They aren't. Of course, they continue to be paid at that rate and they continue to be in charge and they are making more money now than ever before. They should be in prison.

Like I said, it is hard not to be depressed or apathetic. Nothing has changed. Nothing will change.