Change is not an option, it is THE option.

(via Atrios)

This is horrific. Read it. Because you need to know.

Seriously, this the sort of scene science fiction writers put into stories to let you know it's set in a dystopia.

Oh, but there's more. (Here's a summary in case the NYT wants you to log in.)

You know, about 81.3% of the country think we're headed in the wrong direction. And 15% think we're headed in the right direction.

You 15% need to get on the freakin' bus.

It's broken. We need to fix it.

Really, always true

Another excellent rule from the blogosphere: when the media generates its description of you...

clipped from gofugyourself.typepad.com you don't want to add the word "incontinent" in there anywhere.

Indirect posting from Rebecca

(2:59:01 PM) me (Goog): Rebecca just sent me http://www.thingsyoungerthanmccain.com/
(3:01:21 PM) Sarah: LOL!
(3:01:32 PM) Sarah: She must post it to the blog. She must!!!
(3:01:38 PM) Sarah: I love ageism!

I don't care if Hillary drops out or not

(This is basically a comment I made to this post over at the Citizens. I figured it was long enough that I might as well post it here too.)

Unfortunately, it seems that the "electability" argument the Clinton campaign has emphasized is being interpreted as racism by some, and that seems to be a root of the deep division in the party.

Fortunately, I have a solution!

All the hootin' and hollerin' about Hillary needing to drop out is based on one fear: that she really is in contention. If it came down to near-even pledged delegates, and backroom wrangling of superdelegates, it would be unseemly, unDemocratic, and characteristic of the chaotic big-tent can't-get-it-together narrative associated with the Dems. Even if you think she can't win, you must think that she can make it close, or you wouldn't care whether she was running or not.

But if, as Dr. S indicates, you think Hillary has no chance, then it's no big deal. Jerry Brown ran all the way through on principle, as many others have done, and it didn't sunder the party because it didn't really matter. But he made his point, and I'm sure his supporters appreciated his continuing to the end.

Hillary's saying she appeals to the working-class whites that might otherwise vote for McCain? Okay, we should listen to what her appeal to them is, maybe even put something in the party platform from her policy proposals -- heck, offer her some appropriate cabinet position or blue-ribbon panel to chair. Because that's what you do with also-ran candidates to re-unify them and their constituency to the party.

The only people claiming that the Clinton campaign has a chance is the Clinton campaign. If the rest of the world (starting with the Obama campaign, since the media is physically unable to admit the horse race is over) just takes that with the salt it deserves, very quickly the statements of the Clinton campaign are filtered through that lens, and I think they appear very different and much less threatening.

More on Harvard donations

Go look at it over on Gnomicon. (I know, I was lazy and didn't cross-post.)

A brilliant post update

"I thank the pernicious commentators for giving me an opportunity to shed more light on this issue."

From a brilliant post explaining that in fact Obama isn't a Muslim. Because extreme obtuseness is a very popular trend right now.

Assuming I had a can opener...

Sarah's brought up the issue of who to give your money to
before, and even though it's comparatively late, we should give credit to Brad DeLong for addressing the topic and arguing that Harvard doesn't actually need any more money.

Which I suppose raises a good point. Frankly, the two charities that have me wrapped around their finger are the local NPR station and PEA and I don't know why. I don't think those are the causes I care the most about. Are they the experiences I liked the most? Do they just run the better fundraising campaigns?

On a related note, my current employer is very keen on me donating money to them. As a cause, I'm somewhat sympathetic, but the whole scheme rankles greatly. What, my pay isn't paltry enough, I'm supposed to give some back? And then you can go to other donors and say "look what suckers our faculty are, we've exploited every atom of their generous nature" and that'll make them give you money too?