Democracy is So Wearying

Sigh. Didn't we just have an election? With a billion ballot initiatives? Why can't a populace ever get some peace and quiet that isn't interrupted by the thundering of plebiscites? But for all you Californians who just looove democracy, here's a very nice analysis of Proposition 74.
yami · 20:36 · 17 Aug 2020 · #

California Senate Bill 5: Freedom is Coming!

I expect Senate Bill 5 to greatly ease my passage through the hallowed halls of the University of California. Note in particular the following provision: The Legislature further declares that ... students should be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of
yami · 17:06 · 04 May 2020 · #

Suckers for Science in the Suburbs

There's an article in the Weekly Standard asserting that Californians are Suckers for 'Science', spending a million zillion dollars on speculative stem cell research while spurning measures that would totally, definitely, for-real save lives: THE PASSAGE OF PROPOSITION 71 in California (the Stem Cell Research and Cures
yami · 21:16 · 10 Nov 2020 · #

Sample Ballot II: Initiatives Ahoy!

I'm too late for Professor Bainbridge's spreadsheet of California blogger endorsements, but what the heck, I still need to make up my mind on this damnable list of plebiscites. Below the fold: my ballot! Before breaking to Calicentric tedium, though, a few notes: I'm on Mildred Escobedo's official endorsements
yami · 21:58 · 31 Oct 2020 · #

California Performance Review for Geologists

In keeping with my emergent desire for political activity on those narrowly tailored local and technical matters where I feel I can be most effective, I bring you an entry of extremely limited interest - but there might plausibly be one or two California geologists lurking among you Gentle Readers.
yami · 13:04 · 15 Sep 2020 · #

Note to the California Legislature: Please Kill More Kitties

The lovably zany California state goverment really needs to suck it up and raise taxes, but every so often someone proposes a spending cut I can actually support - or at least proposes to eliminate a mandate of indeterminate but non-negligible
yami · 12:56 · 25 Jun 2020 · #

Up Shit Canyon Without a Creek

A few notes on water resources in Southern California.
yami · 21:35 · 16 Jun 2020 · #

Foul Putrid News Organization

I would be less grumpy now if I had a glow-in-the-dark fishy friend.
yami · 21:11 · 04 Dec 2020 · #

Small Comforts, and a Movie Marathon

Small consolations in the wake of Guvenah-Elect Ahnold: Trumping all the "my governor can beat up your governor" cards from Minnesota. The occasionally professional accordion player came in second-to-last. Both bullshit ballot initiatives were killed quite dead. Governor-elect Schwarzenegger has appeared in about 40 real movies, and many more schlocky TV specials and
yami · 20:04 · 08 Oct 2020 · #

Gubernatorial Goodies

The L.A. Times Food section gets in on the electoral action with the election-night party plans of the losers. A surprising number of candidates are teetotallers, including even the ones running on a platform of "Drink Butt Monkey Beer" - there goes that ad campaign. Quite frankly, I don't
yami · 12:11 · 01 Oct 2020 · #

But You Still Have Two Kidneys, Scott!

Some people just don't know how to run a press campaign, or something - Scott Davis has withdrawn his candidacy because in a race composed of equal parts serious budget difficulty and circus hijinks, with a dash of 100 or so candidates' pet issues thrown in,
yami · 19:23 · 22 Aug 2020 · #

Den Danskevalgen?

Ekstra Bladet has an interview with "Ketchup" Carl Mehr, wherein the Danish-born candidate drinks morgenkaffe and reveals himself to be a Republikaner, ligesom The Terminator. Assuredly not to be missed! This man may well garner several percent of the vote in [more...]
yami · 19:59 · 14 Aug 2020 · #

135

See the Certified List of Candidates! Ooooh. Aaah. I woke up late last night slash early this morning, believing for a good fifteen seconds that civilization was over. Kaput. Dying a hissing, steaming death
yami · 19:22 · 14 Aug 2020 · #

Read the Kibble Entrails and Weep

While I'm posting (I need one more post to fill up gaps in my entry numbers, so my re-entered archives will be in harmony with the universe) I should mention that psychic dogs have said signs point to Arnold this election.
yami · 21:30 · 12 Aug 2020 · #

Recall Candidate Blogs

Howard Dean's got a blog. It's trendy. There should be multiple gubernatorial recall candidates with blogs; so far, I've only found William Tsangares, who is running on a "Recall Arnold" platform and selling goofy Republican T-shirts. Readers actually interested in democracy, as opposed to the tabloid circus coverage I
yami · 20:58 · 12 Aug 2020 · #

Erasing Time

Water flows under bridges, leaves fall off trees, I hork my database with no recent backups, life goes on. I'll replace the past two months in the time-stream as quickly as I can, given that I've finally found a house to move into, they've started handing me actual responsibilities at
yami · 20:22 · 12 Aug 2020 · #

I must decline the nomination

At five o'clock yesterday afternoon, I was one signature short of gubernatorial candidacy. Though I stood on the steps of the County Recorder's office begging passers-by to please give me a chance at high office, and maybe a dollar for beer, I was cruelly denied on both counts. I know
yami · 22:31 · 10 Aug 2020 · #

Ratings: Today’s California Ballot Measures

Hooray for half-assed ballot initiatives!
yami · 0:44 · 06 Mar 2020 · #