F the GRE

I've spent probably 10 hours a day studying for the GRE over the last week. Before that I probably devoted a minimum of 2 hours a day for a month. I've been carrying little flashcards of words to memorize for 3 months. And after all that, I got the EXACT same score that I got 6 years ago.

What does that score mean: Not much. The ratio was different. Better verbal this time, worse math. Which is more evidence that anyone would ever need to demonstrate that the GRE (and its ilk) mean less than zero. I didn't do as well on the math this time around for one reason: I couldn't get a GRE General Math practice book like I had last time. Does that mean I have a lower aptitude for Math? Nope. It just means I didn't get enough practice honing up my Geometry and Algebra II/Trig skills - which I might add, I'm never going to need again unless I have a child that needs help with their homework. I'm certainly not going to use all that bullshit in my PhD program (assuming I'm fortunate enough to be admitted).

In fact, this whole thing just pisses me off. Not only was it a great deal of work and effort to achieve the exact same score, but the thought that an inability to figure out crappy analogies or the appropriate opposite to words that I knew the definition of or the area of two slivers of a circle when I was running out of time...you get the point....the fact that that kind of bullshit could keep me out of my preferred PhD program is just infuriating. Is the ability to figure out the following analogy an accurate predictor of an individual's ability to graduate level work?

Cock is to balls as Suck is to...

No I'm not bitter. I just forked over $170 (plus the cost of 2 practice books, weeks of study, and a half day of my life that I'll never get back) because someone, somewhere convinced admissions boards that bullshit tests were an appropriate measure of an individuals inherent abilities.

Here's an idea ETS fuckwags: The 90s saw this wonderful invention of something called the Internets. On the Internets there is a webpage called www.dictionary.com. If I need to know what a word means, I'll go there. If I want a synonym or antonym, I'll go there. And, if I want to know how to figure out the area of a 4 slivers of a circle, I'll call my friend Matthew and he'll tell me.

So please, ETS, if you're reading this, please go fuck yourself. Now. Do not delay. Immediately. I'm serious. Fuck. Yourself. And when you're done. Die. May the stock market crash take you with it and all of your ilk too. You deserve nothing less.

Debate reaction

Well, obviously, Obama won that debate. McCain kept pushing the "olden days" etc. Anyway, no surprise that I think Obama won.

What I do tihnk was surprising was that it really appears that McCain thinks that Obama is a niave fool who is going to run the country into the ground. I mean, that's really buying into your own bullshit, no?

Upon further review, she IS an idiot

Quick, which one is running for Vice President? Is it this one:



Or perhaps this one:

I give up...

...Is John McCain running for president or not?

Dems = Economic growth, Repubs not so much

The charts and graphs here are shocking evidence of why it is an a-priori necessity to vote democrat every year.

At least one reason why this bailout is stupid

There appear to be a great number of reasons, but at least one that seems to be barely talked about is the following.

The $700 billion that Bush and Friends want to spend to bail out their Wall Street Buddies is $700 billion we don't have. That means we either borrow this money (bad) or print it (worse). Either way, the bailout further devalues the dollar and, since oil is traded on the dollar, artificially inflate the price of oil (more dollars to buy the same thing). In fact, just the possibility of the bailout had this very effect just the other day.

I'm no economist, but it looks like a $700 billion bailout is not only the government asking every tax paying American to lend a helping hand (and like $1000 each) to pay for Wall Street's blunders in taxes alone, but also a double tax on every single American once higher prices at the pump are factored in. I repeat Markos' question: Just why are we rushing in to "fix" this?

Update: From the always reliable and utterly badass Robert Reich. A point that I've been making in my mind only and that seems to be a huge fly in the ointment: Mortgage defaults are still growing and that means that bad debts are growing too.

John McCain fights Warshington and Washington Wins

In spirit of the most important factor in voter decision making, the following is a fictional account of what watching the Redskins beat on the Cardinals with John McCain might have been like:

Nobcentral (NC): Welcome Senator. I'm Nobcentral. Please, have a seat.

John McCain (JM): WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU WHIPPERSNAPPER???"

NC: What? I'm sitting down to watch the game.

JM: NO ONE SEES THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE YOU MORON!!!!! NOW TAKE YOUR PLACE ON MY RIGHT!

(Now sitting to JMs left.)

NC: Ok, ok. Don't lose it on me man.

JM: DON'T TELL ME TO RELAX!!! I WAS A POW!!! I GET TO CHOOSE WHICH SIDE I WANT TO SIT ON BECAUSE I MADE THE GREATEST SACRIFICE EVER FOR THIS GREAT NATION OF OURS!!!!

NC: Ok, sorry. Look, the game is about to start. You want to put a wager on the outcome? Say $5?

JM: See, this is the problem with America - the gambling culture...

(5 minutes pass)

...By the way, do you work in Wall Street?

NC: It's just 5 bucks.

JM: Just five bucks! Let me tell you, you young whippersnapper. Back in Vietnam...

(20 minutes later)

JM: ...And that's how I invented the Blackberry by voting for NAFTA and deregulating the banking sector.

NC: Uh, right. Look, I'm gonna order some food. You want Chinese or Pizza?

JM: WHAT KIND OF COCK-EYED SON OF A BITCH ARE YOU!!!!! I WAS A POW AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SERVE ME GOOK FOOD!!! DON'T YOU KNOW I GOT MY FILL WHILE BEING TORTURED BY THE RED CHINESE!!!! YOU BETTER ORDER THAT GODDAMN PIZZA YOU AMERICAN HATING COMMIE BASTARD!!!!

NC: ....(dumbfounded)....

JM: Besides, I only eat American food. So, how about pepperoni and onions?

NC: Pizza is from Italy.

JM: YOU GODDAMN LIBERALS AND YOUR REVISIONIST HISTORY!!!! PIZZA NEVER GAME FROM THE LAND OF MUSSOLINI!!!! PIZZA NEVER CAME FROM ITALY! IT'S 100% 'MERICAN!!!!! I WAS THERE WHEN IT WAS INVENTED BY A RED BLOODED AMERICAN YOU NEW COME JOHNNY ROBIN!!!!!

NC: Uh, ok then.

JM: So be a good fellow and call down to the local Pizza Shack.

NC: It's called Pizza Hut and I already ordered it with my Blackberry.

JM: Ah, let me tell you about how I invented this newfangled technology called WiFi and the Purpleberry...

(20 minutes later)

JM: So what's the score?

NC: It's right there on the screen.

JM: Well if you had a screen big enough to see I wouldn't have to ask.

NC: It's a 42" LCD and we're sitting like 5 feet away.

JM: THAT'S THE TROUBLE WITH YOU WHIPPERSNAPPERS!!!! SPEAK ENGLISH!!! YOU THINK WE'RE IN RED CHINA???? OR CASTRO'S SPAIN???? OR CHAVEZ'S BRAZIL?

NC: What are you talking about man?

JM: LCD, DRG, GRE!!! ALL YOU WHIPPERSNAPPERS TALK IN SOME FOREIGN JIVE THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!

NC: It's 17-10 now, Washington.

JM: WHAT!?!? *#*!!??!??#$**&!!@#!!! SEE THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH FIGHTING WARSHINGTON!!!! LOBBYISTS AND THE LIBERAL MEDIA!!! CAN'T YOU ALL SEE THAT THE FOOTBALL TEAM FROM ARIZONA IS BETTER THAN THIS!!!!!

(20 minutes later)

...and that's why I employ the nation's top lobbyists to manage my campaign. So what's the score anyway?

NC: 24-17 Redskins

JM: GOD DAMMIT!!!! SARAH! WHERE ARE YOU TUSH?

(Sarah Palin shows up.)

SP: Yes John?

GET THAT GOD OF YOURS, YEAH THE VEANGEFUL ONE, TO STRIKE DOWN THE HEADONISTIC REDSKINS!!!!! WE HAVE TO SHOW WARSHINGTON THAT WE'RE HERE TO FIGHT. ON CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS?

(30 minutes later)

NC: Look, I hate to be a bother, but the game finished 10 minutes ago and the Redskins won 24-17. So I think it's time for you to get a move on.

JM: #!$!??!?!?!?$$$%&&&***##$!

(10 minutes later)

...And I hope I can count on your vote. Remember, experience matters and that young, uppity negro doesn't have what it takes. SARAH! Get your hot buns out there and make sure my car is ready! After all, what else are you good for if you can't get my car? (snickering)

Deep thought of the day

If VP Cheney is not part of the executive branch, why does Congress continue to fund his office?

Who would you rather watch football with?

Yes, we've officially hit stupid. Of course, the idea of sitting down to watch a football game with McCain is utterly terrifying. There's always one of "those guys" who flip their lid when their team starts losing, screams and shouts, and puts a damper on the party. And that's John McCain.

(I realize I just contributed to stupid.)

1930´s Redux?

Why do I have the distinct feeling that things are gonna get worse before they get better?

Could it be the talk of a Bailout to end all bailouts?

Or perhaps it's that we are experiencing a problem of trust and not of liquidity?

Or perhaps it's that we have a presidential candidate who either resembles Bob Dole or Herbert Hoover?

Or perhaps it's that we have suffered a number of environmental disasters in recent weeks that only makes the shitstorm worse?

Or perhaps it's the appearance of tent cities at unprecedented rates that will soon be known as either "Bushvilles" or "McCainvilles"?

I'm not expert on economics matters. But I do know this: the shit is hitting the fan and there is no end in sight.

I don't know about you...

...but for me it doesn't get better than hairy nosed otters.

Uber Gaffe Time for McCain

I'm really not trying to fill up this space with political stuff every day but McCain is just too irresistable.

The short version: Yesterday, giving an interview to a Spanish journalist via Caracol Radio Miami (a Colombian station), John McCain, Mr. Foreign Policy, either a)did not know that Spain was in Europe, b) did not know that the Prime Minister of Spain is named Zapatero, or c) is deaf. Several times during the interview he was prompted by the interviewer - first given the obvious clue, "let's talk about Spain...". After a lengthy comment about Latin America and Mexico a second prompt - "but I'm talking about Europe - the president of Spain" followed by a rather bizarre response about meeting with any leader who shares our values.

I'll leave the arm-chair psychoanalysis or diagnosis to the pros and make one simple point: When the foundation of your campaign is based on your foreign policy expertise, you should know that the Prime Minister of Spain is named Zapatero, that Spain is in Europe, and that you gave an interview 5 months ago stating that yes, you would meet with the guy.

Here are the links:

Americablog (with a morning update and full transcript)

Talking Points Memo (They have much more on their main page.)

The Washington Post (with a laughable defense from McCain's foreign policy advisor)

You can get to all the relevant links, stories, hooplah, whatever you like from the links above. Bottom line, McCain looks like a damn fool and a bumbling idiot. Response from his campaign: Nothing to see here, move along people (and whatever you do, for God's sake don't look at the left side of his face!!!!)

Lazy Blogging

Well, I've been beyond lazy. And it continues. So instead of a real blog post, here are a few entertaining links. (Also, I added links to the Redskins Insider Blog and Chris Cooley's blog for all you 'Skins fans.)

Via Truehoop, a link to the top 50 Charles Barkley Quotes. Does it get better than Sir Charles?

Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales formally endorse John McCain for president. (Always good to have an external threat when you're trying to surpress internal dissension, no?) Here's saying McCain doesn't list these endorsements on his website any time soon.

I couldn't be happier that former HP CEO Carly Fiorina is in trouble with the McCain campaign. Not only did she run HP into the ground (all image no substance), but now she used her expert wisdom and experience to state that neither John McCain nor Sarah Palin could be CEO of a major company. Hey, if she couldn't do it, I'm certain McCain can't.

From the land of TFS (Totally effing stupid), it looks like Congress is going to lift the ban on offshore drilling, which will, of course, immediately rectify all economic problems and create energy independence for the US. Surprisingly, the White House says it doesn't go far enough because it wouldn't allow you to put up an oil well on George Bush's Best Buddies Private Beach.

Sarah Palin has peaked and is now becoming just another hated crazy. That's what happens when you don't believe in evolution, force raped women to pay for their own rape kits, unabashadly lie about everything, among other problems.

Hey, did you know that McCain invented the Blackberry and WiFi? Al Gore has got to be having a good chuckle right about now.

Remember the whole "Obama will talk to Iran, whaaaaa!" bruhaha? Looks like he's not the only one. Yes, that is McCain foreign policy advisor Henry Kissinger suggesting it would be a good idea to hold talks with Iran. Ooops.

In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, it now appears that McCain's health care plan would reduce health care coverage for millions of Americans. This has got to be the strongest reason to vote against him yet.

Oh, and in a move only the Red Chinese could respect, the US just nationalized AIG. That's in addition to Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac. Sure looks like Republiconomics and China's "Socialized Capitalism" are getting increasingly closer.

And finally, from the Hall of Stupid, comes this video of Philly's Desean Jackson celebrating a bit too early. This would be the second time he's done this in his career. Stupid is as stupid does.

McCain's Speech

I confess I watched very little. Five minutes of listening to the man would put me into a deep sleep, so I flipped channels and caught tidbits here and there. What I did see wasn't good (awful morelike) and the speech has been widely panned (CNN's Jeffrey Toobin called it the worst acceptance speech since Jimmy Carter in 1980).

So I won't comment on the substance. Instead, I just want to make one point. John McCain is a seriously creepy dude. I'm referring to, of course, his forced smiling. At several points, he finished a long ramble, looked up to the crowd, they applaused on cue, and then he gave the creepiest, most forced smile ever, almost like his handlers had written on the telepromter "smile here". And then, just as quickly as it had come, the smile was gone and his nose was back buried in his notes. Really, it creeped me out.

Anyway, it appears that the GOP strategy for November is two-fold: We've got great personal histories and the only way to change the GOP run Washington (note to Creepy White Guy - No "r" in Washington) is to bring in more GOPers to run Washington! I have a feeling that that's not going to fly.

Palin's speech

I missed the first part of the speech as we were watching Colombian news, so I can't speak to her personal narrative (not that I have *any* interest in her story). But I did see most of the substantive part and I have to say, I agree with CNN's Jeffrey Toobin who called the speech "smug, cutting, and sarcastic". I'd go further. I think it was too clever by half and not particularly populist (being that popularism refers to grass roots democracy, supporting the working class, and promoting issues that are relevant to the people - three things that Palin definitely did not do last night).

What I mean by too clever by half is that there were too many "inside" jokes about Obama, jokes that half the time even I didn't immediately recognize (like holding back the sea or whatever which I guess was a reference to the evangelical end-of-the-worlders who see Obama as the anti-christ). And I have to suggest that if a relative junkie like me didn't get her "jabs" that easily, then I hardly think that John and Jane Q. Average were going to get them either.

Even beyond that, I thought the speech was rather amatuerish. It hardly spoke to policy issues or the economy (the closest she got was oil "independence" which is so far beyond stupid given that hydrocarbon markets are GLOBAL and even marginally increasing US production would have zero effect on prices). The tone was antagonistic, arrogant, and, at times, a litany of lies (see Bridge to Nowhere). And , I thought all her "barbs" were distracting, lacking in class, and pointless. More on this in a moment.

But no matter what I thought, the media practically fell all over themselves for a speech that was, no matter your political predisposition, was well delivered and quite forceful. In terms of delivery, I certainly get why they thought it was better than Biden's speech. This concerns me. The media have been going after Palin and McCain for days now since she's an obvious gimmick pick and is vastly unqualified to be President. But the McCainites have pushed back against the media calling them sexist and liberal and the media has a tendency to back down.

They shouldn't. Instead they should continue to do their job. And that includes pointing out the outright lies coming out of Palin's mouth (she supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it, she increased federal earmarks for Alaska, and she is involved in a political scandal - some "reformer"). And, most troubling, I have yet to see anyone in the CNN media hierarchy state the fact that her husband was a member of the Alaska Independence Party or that she herself has attended their conventions, addressed their conventions, and actively sought out their support. Because, to me, hiring a pro-successionist governor to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency is a colossal error in judgement and is reason enough to disqualify McCain as a legitimate contender.

Here's Joe Klien on this topic:

"There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God." The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme."

At any rate, back to what I referenced above about her barbs being classless. It has become evident in previous weeks that McCain's only chance is to polarize the electorate and hold out for 0.1% of the vote, ala George Bush in 2000 (and a miraculous Florida problem). And that desperation has led to the most craven of political strategies - a Rush Limbaugh campaign. Palin fits into this and if you listened last night, she spent the majority of her time trying to drum up a new culture war. She was anything but respectful of the opposition and, in a word, came off awfully rednecky.

Contrast that to Obama, who has always appeared presidential, and has carefully stated time and time again that he respects McCain, he just doesn't think the man is the right choice for President. Obama's rhetorical strategy is to suggest that their differences are POLICY differences not PERSONAL differences. McCain's (and Palin's) rhetorical approach have ONLY attacked Obama on a PERSONAL level and NEVER attacked him on a policy level (I mean, how could they, they're wrong on the issues and they know it). I think this difference is critical because in a world in which there are disagreements over policy, compromise is possible. But in a world in which the disagreements are personal, there is no progress. I mean, does anyone else remember high school?

Ultimately, I don't think the McCain-Palin crap is gonna fly because I think this is a "change" election about specific policy solutions to problems at home and abroad and the GOP isn't particularly interested or versed in policy solutions (McCain is a self-admitted no-nothing on economics - only the most important issue of the day). In fact, the closes Palin came to the "change" meme was to suggest that Washington wasn't working and that they needed to get the old guys out of there and start again. Which I guess is sort of ironic since the GOP has controlled the White House for 8 years and Congress for 6 and this would undoubtedly be the one area where we agree.

Ultimately, I don't think last night's speech was a "grand slam" like the media is pushing. Instead, I think it was a "base consolidation" speech that got a bunch of hard core GOPers roused up but probably fell on deaf ears in living rooms across America. To the truly "undecideds" and "independents", I don't think this speech helped McCain. In fact, I think it probably hurt. Because that voting block is likely the only voting block that actually pays attention to policy, to the direction a candidate wants to take the country, and to the "presidential" nature of any given candidate. So giving a rah-rah speech that was little more than a collection of partisan jabs that you'd be more likely to hear on Rush Limbaugh than at a national convention doesn't seem like it would satisfy the needs of the undecideds.

Anyway, it's getting hard to keep track of all of the scandals circling Palin, so I'm posting this link from DailyKos which is fairly comprehensive.

Finally, I have to confess, Palin definitely worries me. Not so much in this election. I think it would be a monstrous upset if Obama lost and I don't think, at the end of the day, it's going to be particularly close. But Palin's getting serious on the job training in national politics and I'm very worried that she's gonna be around in 2012 as a legit candidate. A lot can happen between now and then but it's extremely concerning to me that a Christian extremist can be so widely accepted and like in mainstream national politics. There's a whole racial element to this as well which I touch on in the near future, but the bottom line is, I think as a country we've had enough of the "God speaks to me", "God is on our side", and "God is punishing the Jews for not recognizing Jesus" type political leaders.

Maverick my ass

A "maverick" would have picked his own damn VP:

"Up until midweek last week, some 48 to 72 hours before Mr. McCain introduced Ms. Palin at a Friday rally in Dayton, Ohio, Mr. McCain was still holding out the hope that he could name as his running mate a good friend, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, a Republican close to the campaign said. Mr. McCain had also been interested in another favorite, former Gov. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania.

But both men favor abortion rights, anathema to the Christian conservatives who make up a crucial base of the Republican Party. As word leaked out that Mr. McCain was seriously considering the men, the campaign was bombarded by outrage from influential conservatives who predicted an explosive floor fight at the convention and vowed rejection of Mr. Ridge or Mr. Lieberman by the delegates. "