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Republicans are scary crazy

If you think ‘Publicans are pretty normal, you might want to check out a really scary poll of self-identified Republicans here, commissioned by Daily Kos. Here are some of the highlights:

Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 1/20-31. Self-identified Republicans. MoE 2%

Should Barack Obama be impeached, or not?
Yes 39%, No 32%, Not Sure 29%

Do you think Barack Obama is a socialist?
Yes 63%, No 21%, Not Sure 16 %

Do you believe Barack Obama was born in the United States, or not?
Yes 42%, No 36%, Not Sure 22 %

Do you believe Barack Obama wants the terrorists to win?
Yes 24%, No 43%, Not Sure 33 %

Do you believe Barack Obama is a racist who hates White people?
Yes 31%, No 36%, Not Sure 33 %

Do you believe your state should secede from the United States?
Yes 23%, No 58%, Not Sure 19 %

Should same sex couples be allowed to marry?
Yes 7%, No 77%, Not Sure 16%

Should openly gay men and women be allowed to teach in public schools?
Yes 8%, No 73%, Not Sure 19%

Should public school students be taught that the book of Genesis in the Bible explains how God created the world?
Yes 77%, No 15%, Not Sure 8 %

Should contraceptive use be outlawed?
Yes 31%, No 56%, Not Sure 13%

Do you believe the birth control pill is abortion?
Yes 34%, No 48%, Not Sure 18%

Do you consider abortion to be murder?
Yes 76%, No 8%, Not Sure 16%

Do you believe that the only way for an individual to go to heaven is though Jesus Christ, or can one make it to heaven through another faith?
Christ 67%, Other 15%, Not Sure 18%

Arg

Just fixing this again (argh). Bear with me. Pictures are down, and other stuff. Fixed this weekend.
Update: Mostly fixed now. Some of the older images and links still down. The new WordPress MU has been a bit persnickety.

This year’s “Mindset List”

Every fall, Beloit College makes up a “Mindset List” to reflect the world of the new incoming college students (born in about 1991, this year) — what their life has included, and what it hasn’t. Understandably, reading it makes those of us over, um, thirty feel old and alienated. And who doesn’t like that? So check it out; here’s a few of my favorites from this year:

  • 5. Salsa has always outsold ketchup.
  • 6. Earvin “Magic” Johnson has always been HIV-positive.
  • 9. Rap music has always been mainstream.
  • 15. Babies have always had a Social Security Number.
  • 22. The European Union has always existed.
  • 30. There has always been a Cartoon Network.
  • 32. Their folks could always reach for a Zoloft.
  • 34. Women have always outnumbered men in college.
  • 38. Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia, Lithuania, and Estonia have always been independent nations.
  • 68. Official racial classifications in South Africa have always been outlawed.

J.P. Patches and Archie McPhee


The coolest thing I brought home from Seattle? Clearly the JP Patches Bobblehead from Archie McPhee.

My dad and the electro-assist bicycle

In the 60’s and 70’s, my dad worked off and on on building one of these things in the garage; he called it the “Friction Compensator”. (eROCKIT electro-assist bicycle)

I’m not kidding. He was an electrical engineer by education, and also converted a 1947 Crossley to electric power with a big rack of lead-acid batteries in the back. Drove me to kindergarten in it a few times.

Live from CRUMBS Cafe

Check out the excellent new local music CD Live from CRUMBS Cafe, a compilation of songs from the CRUMBS Cafe Radio Show spanning from 2007-2009.

Believe it or not, back in a past life, before the internets were converted to tubes and were still made of tin cans and string, I had something to do with CRUMBS.  Trust me, it’s much cooler now.

Bobby McFerrin and the Power of the Pentatonic Scale

Embedding is disabled on this video, so you have to go over to YouTube to see it.  But it’s worth it:  The awesome  Bobby McFerrin “demonstrates the power of the pentatonic scale” at the World Science Festival 2009.

YouTube: World Science Festival 2009 — Bobby McFerrin

Abstinance-geared “sex-ed” causes pregnancy & syphilis

Imagine my surprise:  We’re now reaping the “rewards” of Bushies’ Jeebus-driven anti-sex health “education” policies.  A new CDC report has both of these  “rising sharply among a generation of American school girls who were urged to avoid sex before marriage under George Bush’s evangelically-driven education policy”.  (US teen pregnancy and syphilis rates rose sharply during Bush’s presidency)

Commoncraft’s “In Plain English” intro videos…

Commoncraft’s “In Plain English” intro videos on tech/net topics

More bike riding

Oz and I did 24 miles on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail today; very nice.

Oz handing over the water

But he did 30 miles earlier in the week at camp.  He’s starting to leave me behind.