consolejockey

I heard about this via the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network but unfortunately they left out some important details, like when the vote was actually being held. So early voting is over, but on Tuesday, November 6, you can vote in the regular election for Proposition 15. From the LiveStrong site:

Prop 15 is a constitutional amendment to establish the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to:

• Conduct research to prevent or cure cancer
• Support existing cancer research efforts in Texas
• Implement the Texas Cancer Plan, a statewide blueprint for cancer prevention and control

If passed, Prop 15 will authorize up to $3 billion in state general revenue bonds to fund cancer research, prevention, early detection and control programs.

I think it’s safe to say we all hate cancer, but there is actual opposition to this proposition. So get out and vote for Prop. 15!

BTW, here is the Austin Chronicle’s description and endorsements of all the propositions on the ballot. And if you’re not sure where your official place of voting is, this somewhat awkwardly designed site can help, Travis County Tax Office.

The coverage of the YouTube anti-Clinton 1984 video is just ridiculous. I think ABC news overstates it best with:

… the attack on Clinton, which ends with a plug for BarackObama.com, is a polished and sophisticated take: the overarching metaphor of the athlete (Obama) rescuing the numbingly mindless public from the evil establishment (Clinton).

There’s a lot I’d like to say about how any mention of “evil establishment” should be accompanied by the name Bush, not Clinton. But instead I’ll just say that anyone who has been paying attention to online video parodies and mash-ups for the last ten years knows that Apple’s 1984 Mac ad is a favorite of video geeks with with too much time on their hands. A while back there was a version of the ad with Bill Gates on the big screen. Apple themselves re released the commercial with an iPod CGI’d added onto the runner. Seriously, this latest video says nothing other than, “That 1984 ad was cool, I wanna rip it off.” Reading anymore into than that is just ignorant.

Not to be a fear monger, but this genuinely worries me:

SEC. 802. DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM
‘(5) the term ‘domestic terrorism’ means activities that–

‘(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;

‘(B) appear to be intended–

‘(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

‘(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or

‘(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and

‘(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.’.

Vague enough for you?
More information from the ALCU

This combined with the also disturbingly vague Federal Animal Enterprise Protection Act really starts to make me worry. Seven people were thrown in jail last year for just running a web site that protested and encouraged protest against an animal testing lab, based on this Act.

The likelihood of me or anyone else who engages in activism (be it civil rights or animal rights) being charged as a terrorist in near future just increased to an uncomfortable level.

Many deep and important conversations were had last night after the debates. One of them, that I must share with others due to it’s profound impact, amounted to this bold but accurate statement: A vote for George W. Bush is a vote against cookies… and brownie bites too.

The Bush administration’s policies diminish our civil liberties, invade our privacy, especially in regards to our freedom to enjoy cookies. Yes, cookies ladies and gentlemen! Sections of the new version of the Patriot Act are specifically designed to withhold cookies from the American public. Cookies can be confiscated from anyone at anytime, for reasons that do not have to be disclosed and with out the benefit of legal cookie counsel. Home Land Security agents will be allowed to invade your home, without a warrant, take your cookies, eat them in front of you, leaving crumbs all over your floor.

Also, there are no-cookie lists, that all grocery stores and super markets will be required by law to enforce. If your name is on the list, you may not be allowed to buy cookies, or you will be allowed to buy them only after a full body cavity search. If some of the new legislation is passed, you will only be allowed to buy cookies after a full background check and a six day waiting period. Given the Bush administration’s habit of cronyism, those with Bush family connections will be exempt from these cookie laws, and will be allowed to eat all the cookies they want. The right to eat cookies, freely, as every American should be allowed to do, will become the privilege of the wealthy elite.

Currently the ACLU is suing to reveal secret cookie law passed secretly by John Aschcroft in secret. This secret law also includes the secret monitoring of those who buy cookies, how much and what kind. This secret law also extends the government’s secret powers to include brownie bites. First cookies, then brownie bites, what next? When will the madness end?

So, if you’re not sure about who to vote for this November, remember this, A vote for John Kerry is a vote for cookies… and brownie bites.

My name is consolejockey and I approve this message.