The Probulator

I woke up at 5:30 this morning to begin my voting oddesy.  It was my first time voting in the state I currently reside.  To be certain I was ready, I tried to anticipate everything.  I programmed the address of the polling station into my GPS unit.  I had recent bills and my passport to prove residence and citizenship in case one of those evil poll challengers attempted to disenfranchise me.  I studied the sample ballot to ensure I knew everthing I would be voting for.  I even arranged to arrive at the polling place (a local elementary school) a half hour before it opened so that parking and the wait would be easier.

As is typical for one of my first time jaunts, not everything worked out as planned.  It turns out the address printed on the sample ballot, which is also on the voter ID card and the school’s website, doesn’t quite lead me to the school.  Instead, Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps and my GPS led me to the middle of a residential neighborhood, with nary an elementary school in sight!

I had to rush home (the GPS did manage to do that for me.)  Fortunately, after a million or so clicks, lots of pissed of pacing and a good deal more profanity than I normally use, I found a county site that had directions to the school.  So, about 45 minutes or so after my intentioned arrival time, I managed to pull into the school’s parking lot.  After only one spin around the tiny parking lot, I even managed to get a space.  (Hey, things were looking up.)  It’s now about 20 minutes after the polls opened.  Yes, there is a line, but not quite as bad as expected.  It’s just wrapped up and down a narrow corridor, lined with folding chairs that make the experience much more intimate that I prefer to be with strangers that aren’t in a bar and paying me oodles of compliments.  The further we get down the hallway, the hotter it gets.

At last, I’m within visual range of the check-in station. There are two check-in machines and about eight voting machines what will probably be several thousand voters during the day.  Not the best of planning, but other areas are even worse.  (I read one polling station in another state had one machine for 400 people.)   Of course, as my prize is within my reach, if not in grasp, the nice lady in front of me has an issue.  It takes a good 10 minutes or so, but they figure out that her polling station was moved to the nearby high school.  I thought to myself, if they are able to determine this, why can’t she just vote here?  (One of the amendments we voted on addresses this.)

Finally, I’m up!  I hand over my idea and they find me!  Whoo Hoo!  No challenger! No registration issues!  They hand me the the smart card and I walk over to the stage two where another poll worker chooses a machine for me (not my ideal situation) and instructs me inserting the card into the slot.  I thank him (I’m an expert at inserting things, so this was somewhat unnecessary, but the explanation would be longer than letting him tell me what to do.)  and he leaves me alone.  The process goes quite smooth, despite the fact that I am using a touch screen that has no paper record.  While my choices all show up on the final screen with no funny business, I’ll never know exactly how they showed up in the final results.  (This is how you create the illusion of smooth election.)  About an hour after I stepped into the line, I’m done.  Yet another poll worker hands me my “I voted” sticker and I leave.

Democracy lives! (I hope!)

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What I suspected has now been offically released by the BBC.  David Tennant is leaving Doctor Who at the end of the 2009 Specials.  I’m guessing that this news is the reason that the Doctor Who Forum is experiencing major difficulties in delivering its content.   I thought David made an excellent Doctor.  His incredible level of energy and sense of fun made the show more entertaining than at time in its long history.  His three years with the show allowed him to develop and evolve the 10th Doctor’s personality.  Christopher Eccleston’s 9th Doctor didn’t quite get that chance.  (Yes, I know it was Eccleston’s choice to leave the role.)  Although, too much of the whole “immortal with eternal survivor’s guilt” thing would probably have gotten old very quickly. I find it interesting that the “serious” 9th Doctor had less serious stories than the “fun” 10th Doctor.  Russell T. Davies may not be the greatest of writers, but I think this shows an understated genius in his running the show.

I imagine the news will disappoint a good number of fans who expected their favorite Doctor to have a run of Tom Baker endurance.  While I certainly enjoyed Tennant’s run immensely, I find myself welcoming this news. Ever since William Hartnell was forced out bowed out of the role, it’s been designed to be handed down from actor to actor, allowing the show to evolve in a way that no other show can.  When the original series was canceled in 1989, Sylvester McCoy was determined to hand the role over to his successor at some point.  He had that opportunity to do so in the 1996 TV movie.  Yes, the movie was sub-par, but at least he was able to do so.  Now we’ll get to see it passed on again right at the time a new team takes over the production.  I think we’ll see a fresh start and some great originality.  (Hopefully part of that includes giving the Daleks a rest.  They need to bow out for a few years at least.)  A new Doctor is always a fun ride.  My only hope is Stephen Moffett allows the show to keep its gay sensibility.

I will stay out of any speculation on who should/will inherit the role.  It’s a British Institution and I’m not British.  There will be plenty of others posting their ideas all over the internet until the successor is announced.  Until then, there will be five more specials for us to appeciate Doctor Number 10.

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No diatribe this time.  Just remember to VOTE next Tuesday.  If you can vote early (I can’t) then do it.  Make sure you’re registered and don’t let anyone intimidate you!

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Way back when (in the early eighties) my family first got cable, the embryonic childrens’ channel Nickelodeon aired an anthology show they called “The Third Eye“.  The nearly budgetless fledgling network bought old shows from our former mother country England.  While many remember “The Tomorrow People” which ran before Nick ran commercials during their shows, fewer remember this show which recycled BBC and ITV childrens’ serials.

The show endlessly reran the episodes of four (a fifth was added just before the anthology was cancelled) serials most likely purchased on the cheap.  The oldest of the shows, “Children of the Stones“, a mid seventies relic, ran alongside it’s early eighties cousins: “The Haunting of Cassie Palmer“, “Under the Mountain“, and my favorite, “Into the Labyrinth“.

“Children of the Stones” wasn’t the most entertaining of the series, but it was unique amongst its bretheren.  Where the other shows followed the typical children run away, find some strangers and have some adventures, the father and son team of “Children” had an unusual, open and equal relationship.  For what may be the first time on television aimed at children, a parent and his offspring treated each other with the level of intelligence and responsiblity they both knew each had.  The somewhat outlandish claims made by the son weren’t immediately dismissed by Dad.  He even took the time to investigate, and when necessary, defend them against the more closed minded opinions of the villiagers.

The production values of the show were typical of the low budget British drama with a mix of videotaped studio material and 16mm film location shots.  Yes, it looks cheap, but the cast makes up for this by being at worst competent and at best, a pleasure to watch.  A year after this, star Gareth Thomas would get his own ongoing series playing Roj Blake in Terry Nation’s attempt to make an adult Doctor Who called Blake’s 7.

The good news is that there is finally a Region One DVD release forthcoming in January.  After nearly a quarter century absence from American television screens, we’ll be able to watch this gem again.

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This is a great little read.  Parody news magazine, “The Onion” published this article mere days before president Bush was first inaugurated.  While written as a joke, the article predicted many of this president’s major actions.  It’s quite amazing.  Perhaps we should have read more closely and paid attention.

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About a year ago, on November 14th, 2007, the following appeared in the UK newspaper, The Independent.

The following exchange took place on Craigslist, the New York community message board:

“What am I doing wrong?

I’m tired of beating around the bush. I’m a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25-year-old girl. I’m articulate and classy. I’m not from New York. I’m looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City so I don’t think I’m over-reaching at all. Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could you send me some tips? I dated a businessman who made around 200-250K. But that’s where I seem to hit a roadblock. $250,000 won’t get me to Central Park West. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married to an investment banker, and lives in Tribeca. She’s not as pretty as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? Here are my questions specifically:

• Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics - bars, restaurants, gyms.
• What are you looking for in a mate?
• Is there an age range I should be targeting?
• Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the Upper East Side so plain? What’s the story there?
• Lawyers, investment bankers, doctors. How much do those guys really make? And where do the hedge fund guys hang out?
• How do you rich guys decide on marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLY.”

An Investment Banker’s Response:

“I qualify as a guy who fits your bill - I make more than $500K per year. Here’s how I see it: Your offer is a plain and simple crappy business deal. What you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here’s the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity - in fact, it is very likely that my income will increase, but it is an absolute certainty that you won’t be getting any more beautiful! So, in economic terms, you are a depreciating asset. In Wall Street terms, we’d call you a trading position - not a buy and hold. It doesn’t make good business sense to ‘buy you’ (which is what you’re asking) - so I’d rather lease. The deal that makes sense for me is dating, not marriage.”

Now, despite the revulsion and disgust that was my immediate response, part of me has to admire the obvious naked (he he) truth of this (spectacularly beautiful) girl’s request.  You do have to wonder if she realizes that in addition to coming across as selfish and greedy, she’s incredibly shallow.  The only thing she offers is her beauty.  She even points out that her yoga classmate bagged someone better than she was ever able to.  So, does this girl have a personality, or is she basically a lifetime prostitute bought like a single premium annuity.

Now, the businessman’s response is classic.  “The only thing you offer is your looks, so I think I’ll try you out and them dump you on the curb when those crows feet set in.  Heck, you don’t even mention if you’re any good when getting nailed or if you spit or swallow.  By the way, the guys you want consider you too old since you’re way past your sell date for Barely Legal.”

Am I just being mean when one of the the “I’m pretty therefore better than you” crowd gets put in her place?

Now, I’m told there was a further response from Ms. I have no marketable skills and must gold dig to survive.  I’ve not been able to find it but if you’ve read it, please let me know.

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The McCain-Palin campaign needs some positive ads that accentuate the candidates’ qualities rather than harp on the opponents’ questionable negatives.  Here is a suggestion:

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Just in time to close out Banned Books Week a christian conservative group complains that librarians are “banning” books that present their “side” of the homosexuality “issue”.  When you look closer, you find that the librarians are evaluating all their books by certain standards and these aren’t passing.  Little things like poor scholarship, dodgey research, etc… are keeping them out of the libraries.

Since the conservative groups are buying these books and donating them, I say they should be accepted.  Please, spend all your money and donate them to every library in the country.  The message is weak and these books only preach to the choir.  Their best use is for freedom loving people (liberals) to use them as resources to discredit the faulty ideas they contain.  They won’t have to spend their own money to do this.

What can be better than for the conservatives to finance their own downfall?

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Watching the vice presidential debate is like watching a manic depressive.  It’s been excruciating at times and it’s been highly entertaining at other time.  Senator Biden hardly jumps off the screen, but Governor Palin hasn’t constructed a single original thought throughout this incredibly long hour and a half.  I wish I had the time and patience to put together clips of the couple of interviews and speechs she’s been allowed to give and edit them next to clips from this debate showing she merely rebates herself.  If you’re reading this, have the time and patience, and do this, I won’t try to claim any credit!

Gwen Ifill is better today than she was during the Chaney/Edwards debate in 2004, but she is giving too many passes to Palin, especially on the gay marriage questions where Palin outright lied about her support.  At least she did a better job than Jim Leher who did not attempt to control the debate and made the disasterous attempt to try and make the candidates talk to each other.  Hopefully Tom Brokow will do better with the next one.

In conclusion, Palin is an attention whore with a grating voice.  Biden isn’t Mr. Warmth, but he’s Mr. Intelligent and Mr. Competent.

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Saturday was the start of The American Library Association’s Banned Books Week.  Pick up a challenged book and read it today!  Don’t let those willing to supress knowledge because of a weak message get the upper hand!

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Check it out here.

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I found this online and don’t know the context in which it was originally posted, but isn’t it ironic that all the white members of this potential first and second families are present including the knocked up daughter, but the adopted black daughter is absent?  That’s family values for you!

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… is that American citizens will be granted the right to life AFTER birth.

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As a prelude to Banned Books Week next month, we have the tale of a heroic librarian defending a children’s story from the wishes of a religious homophobe’s attempts to suppress it. Of course a rational defense is never the end of something like this. A second person complained and stated there are 100 more ready to stand up for censorship.

As usual, those who cannot adequately defend their position through reason must make a competing information unaccessible. Censorship is always a sign of a weak message.

Banned Books Week draws attention to those who feel it necessary to impose their views on others by making messages they disagree with unavailable. Read a banned or challenged book today!

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Here is an inspiring story about students who struggle and succeed setting up a GSA in their school.

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Thanks to a link from Neilalien I got some people to actually read this thing and even leave some valuable comments.  If you link me on your blogroll I’ll link you on mine!

To be perfectly honest, my teenage mind never considered the possibility that the trucker’s comment could have been sarcastic.  This, of course, turns the whole situation around.  Doc is defending an underclass!  Yay!

I think it can be interpreted either way equally, which makes the whole thing rather ambiguous.  Still, it is something of a relief that my favorite fictional character isn’t going to explode into an Ann Coulter-ish fit of rage simply by meeting someone like me and zapping that someone into another dimension or a pile of fine ash.

In fact, one could say it leans toward the sarcastic angle since it’s never mentioned again in the ensuing forty years and his reaction many decades later to being asked the “are you gay” question is pretty much ambivalence and a hearty laugh. So, thank you commenters, this actually made me feel better.

Now, just for the heck of it: Howard the Duck, Sorcerer Supreme! (from Marvel Treasury Edition #12 via Essential Howard The duck #1)

Howard The Duck, Sorcerer Supreme

*As for the issue number error, you have my apologies.  That’s what I get for scanning out of Marvel Masterworks after not having read the arc for a decade or so.  Next time I won’t be so lazy and dig up the actual issue!  (I don’t own the Marvel Treasury Edition issue for the above panel so deal with the black and white!)

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Reaper

Yay! Season One of Reaper will be released on DVD on November 4th.

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Doctor Strange was rendered as quite the daddy by Frank Brunner in the early seventies. With those Mark Spitz looks, the tousled hair and bushy biker ’stache he would have fit perfectly into those 8mm film loops. And don’t forget those killer pecs. I think the good Doc started a number of attractions and fetishes for me! Unfortunately I don’t have a color version of the image below, but I think you get the idea. Ignore the silver haired beard at the bottom of the drawing.

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I’ve been a fan of Doctor Strange for nearly 30 years, since I measured my age in single digits.  I went on a mad frenzy looking for just about every book he ever appeared in (and I’ve probably got most of them from his first appearance in 1963 to about 1985 or so.)  As someone just entering my teens and just coming to realize what my sexuality meant.  Unfortunately, this was during Reagan’s first term, so even in the more liberal New York, being an out gay teenager wasn’t a very safe thing to be.  Hardly the trailblazer, I was pretty quiet about everything and remained quite in the dark about far too much.

Still, even in this rather ignorant state, when I discovered the panel at the left in Doctor Strange #175 (November 1968) at the tender age of thirteen I was quite bothered.  Heck, my hero was saying, by proxy, that I was beneath contempt.  I even identified with the whole “Prince Charming” comment.  After all, Frank Brunner’s later “Daddy Doctor Strange” in the early seventies had all the makings of a gay porn star and was tasty indeed.  And to top it all off, after the good Doc turns away, his silver-haired beard gets all pee-ohd at the second rate Paul Lynde and goes on to perform some nasty hex on him and his truck.  This must be comicdom’s first mystical gay bashing.  I wonder what Terry Berg would say to that?

Now, there were plenty of other things wrong with this issue, mostly having to do with Roy Thomas writing the worlds most incredibly crappy dialog in the history of the universe for this story arc.  But nothing bothered me as much as this single panel.  Now, a quarter of a century after I first read it, I’m still dwelling on it!  Homosexual content was forbidden by the Comics Code Authority, and no one would distribute your work without that little stamp, but monthly gay bashing certainly wasn’t required for an issue to pass.

Now, the good news is this is Doc’s only venture into the world of homophobia and decades later, when an old acquaintance asked Stephen if he was gay (he had grown a goatee as was the fashion of the mid nineties and with that outfit, how could you not) he merely laughed.  Was Roy Thomas pushing a right wing agenda with his shitty writing?  We’ll probably never know.  Doc was never popular enough to get a pop culture response.  But if he was, he chose an odd venue for it.  After all, there’s probably no character as anti-christian as Doctor Strange.

I have officially vented!

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