Arrrrgh elections by BYTEMITE

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

Arrrrgh elections

POSTED BY: BYTEMITE
UPDATED: Monday, October 29, 2012 16:36
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Friday, October 26, 2012 11:42 AM

I voted. You may now laugh at me.

Although I'd be interested in hearing who voted/is voting for what locally, and why, as a break from the national elections. Also as insights into the politics of the states where you all live, and the cities and towns.

I ended up voting a mix of democrats, greens, libertarians, and republicans. Utah is mostly republican, it probably doesn't matter what I vote. But there's definitely schemes I don't want to see continued. I'm a bit tired of Governor Herbert, as he's said some embarrassing things on a national and world stage, and his administration lacks transparency (which in Utah means corruption). There's also a stupid proposal for a skilink between two ski resorts on public lands that I want to see killed, because the ski resorts do just fine and because those lands are my drinking watershed and my stomping grounds.

I'm bothered that many of the candidates I voted for were against gay marriage, among other things, but that's the reality of Utah (and mormons).

I am unhappy with my ballot and voting options. Except for voting against every single juvenile court judge. They're pretty bad in Utah, so I'll be hoping they get booted out of office.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 12:18 PM

JONGSSTRAW

Speaking of Utah, Big Love was my favorite show for years. Losing that and Entourage has left me numb and bitter; a hollow shell of the man I used to be.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 12:27 PM

BYTEMITE

It isn't actually like Big Love, mostly. Might be a few families who hide the polygamy, and you can usually tell. They're the ones with the big plots of lands with high cement walls around it and complexes/bunkers/mansions. Especially in places where all the other buildings around them are a lot smaller.

The mountains do look like that though, and there is that element of the squeaky clean leave it to beaver anachronism in the culture here. The whole valley is practically frozen in the 1950s.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:00 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
Although I'd be interested in hearing who voted/is voting for what locally, and why, as a break from the national elections. Also as insights into the politics of the states where you all live, and the cities and towns.

Nothin much to say here, all the ballot proposals are stuff that Snyder and his cronies couldn't push through cause trying damn near got him recalled, should have done so save that, again, the Secretary of State (who is ALWAYS elected by exactly 18181 votes, and ALWAYS Republican, despite polls trending massively in the other direction) conveniently purged enough valid signatures to make that not happen while looking the other way for poor little Thadpoles photocopied ones...

So stuff like stripping collective bargaining rights, corporate giveaways, pushing the forever-felony mark of doom even harder (making it even more impossible for them to ever secure housing, employment, etc), and so forth and so on, same old same old.

The only dog I have in the fight at all which isn't the usual BS and a foregone conclusion is over consolidating the Police/Fire/EMT budgets, cause I am wholly and totally against that with an arsenal of undeniable evidence.
See, part of Detroits problem in that respect is that the Police loot the WHOLE "public safety" budget for their posh casino HQ, high on the hog lifestyle, toys and fluff... while the Firefighters and EMTs wind up having to try to make do without enough personnel, without functioning equipment, sometimes without even functioning vehicles - you cannot dispatch a fire engine or ambulance with the radiator blown out, and no money to repair it...
Meanwhile the cops are having a pizza party on the public dime in their posh casino HQ to celebrate their defiance of the law in arresting people for medical marijuana and seizing their assets (which goes into the police budget alone) even if they committed no crime - yeah that's pretty damn galling.

And so when the Firefighters and EMTs plead for enough resources to do their job at all, what happens but more money dumped into the "public safety" budget and then again immediated looted by the DPD and back to square fekkin one - no gain, all pain.

Over HERE, it ain't like that, and one reason our police force has IMPROVED its behavior was cause every time they started acting like a bunch of mafia thugs we CUT their budget, and when they retaliated by offering public threats and downright harrassment level "traffic enforcement" we cut it some MORE - yeah, they want it 'consolidated' cause folk will be less likely to swing that axe if Fire and EMT is under the blade too, so while the excuse is 'efficiency' the truth of is is a desire for them to get out from under ACCOUNTABILITY for their actions - and that ain't happenin without me and mine having much to say about it cause they have a documented history of atrocious behavior prior to those cuts.
That even works from a financial perspective cause the breakpoint at which the local public lost trust with them was the amount of lawsuits which came out of OUR pockets thanks to them, so any 'efficiency' we get by consolidation would be lost and more to lawsuit payouts if we play along.

DTE/Consumers Energy has also overextended the patience of the public, but that price didn't land on em in time for this election cycle to take account - due to their monopoly status they're supposed to be overseen by the local public service commission but recent events have shown the PSC to be a bunch of butt kissing yes-men, and even the State Attorney General called them "asleep at the switch" and plans to act on that problem.

Said State Attorney General I have mentioned before - he's a prick, but so far he's been a bipartisan prick and seems to get his rocks off by kicking the mighty in the teeth without regard to political bent, he *might* convince me to throw him a vote, cause the other side isn't offering a whole lot, but unfortunately I am so heartily sick of GOP obstructionism and sabotage that I feel only a "clean sweep" is a sufficient message and maybe not even then.

Basically my plan is to hold my nose, take a dramamine and apply a blue firehose to clean out the red scum.
And I really, really, REALLY dislike being in that position.

-Frem

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:10 PM

JONGSSTRAW

Quote:
It isn't actually like Big Love, mostly

The show never potrayed polygamy as the norm in Utah, but rather as a fringe element always afraid of being exposed and going to jail. The greatness of the show stemmed from a few families who had left the limited life in the polygamist compounds, portraying all their extreme and zany efforts to try to blend in with everyone else in suburbia. The show did a wonderful balancing act between the dogma and corruption of both the LDS establishment and the modern-day polygamist sects.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:16 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

I already voted.

Wasn't much on the ballot, save for a couple amendments to the state constitution.

1 about charter schools, and the other about multi-year rental agreements for the State. VERY important stuff.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:17 PM

BYTEMITE

Ah. True. The suburbia the show demonstrates is ever so slightly exaggerated, but yeah, I stand by my leave it to beaver comments. And it is true that the church around here is a heavy hitter, and some of the corruption around here is part of that, though most of it is businesses like the mines and the waste depository. Eh, but they're all in cahoots.

The FLDS compounds are terrible places. How much did Big Love show about the lost sons? Sometimes the old guys on those compounds kick out their sons because it means competition for the young girls.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:27 PM

JONGSSTRAW

Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:

The FLDS compounds are terrible places. How much did Big Love show about the lost sons? Sometimes the old guys on those compounds kick out their sons because it means competition for the young girls.

The full range of depravity of the FLDS was one of the centerpieces of the show. Fictional Roman Grant was the Prophet of the United Brotherhood Church, and he and his inner circle were portrayed as extremely dangerous and evil people. He put his own daughter in the Joy Book, and she was married off at a very young age.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:38 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
And I really, really, REALLY dislike being in that position.

Exactly how I felt, Frem.

I like listening to Detroit. Here in Utah, I know the corruption is there, but it's a little harder to pin down for whatever reason. Here I guess the worst thing I can think of is for some reason both parties are making police budgets an issue when crime is FALLING. The sheriff went off on a hissy fit, and I almost wanted to throw a vote to the republican who'd cut his budget, but the guy's platform was too vague. And there was that skilift thing.

I also threw a vote to someone who I found out was behind urban ag, I have a greenspace community garden kitty corner to my house that I plan to get involved in this spring.

Oh, there's also a push to incorporate my area into a new township, which is basically just someone trying to get themselves a paid political job and developers trying to sneak into the canyons up behind my house. So I voted against that nonsense and if that fails I voted that we should have a gridlocked six person council and district voting to screw with them.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:41 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
I already voted.

Wasn't much on the ballot, save for a couple amendments to the state constitution.

1 about charter schools, and the other about multi-year rental agreements for the State. VERY important stuff.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

Lucky. There were a whole bunch of jerks on mine. I didn't even really want to vote for people, just the initiatives. But there was a race with a guy I really don't like and I had to cast a vote against him, so by that time I thought well, guess I might as well just vote for darkhorses.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:42 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
Originally posted by Jongsstraw:
Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:

The FLDS compounds are terrible places. How much did Big Love show about the lost sons? Sometimes the old guys on those compounds kick out their sons because it means competition for the young girls.

The full range of depravity of the FLDS was one of the centerpieces of the show. Fictional Roman Grant was the Prophet of the United Brotherhood Church, and he and his inner circle were portrayed as extremely dangerous and evil people. He put his own daughter in the Joy Book, and she was married off at a very young age.

Pretty accurate. I imagine not a little of that was based on some of the stuff coming out of the Warren Jeffs scandals.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:51 PM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Like everyone else (well, except maybe our Rabid Righties), I held my nose and voted.

Green for President (Obama doesn't need me)--ALMOST voted Johnson (didn't realize he was on our ballot) just to encourage the idea of a third party, but my heart is green, soo...

Feinstein, of course. Jared Huffman for Congress--he JUST beat out our OccupyMarin candidate, but he's an environmental attorney and has a good record outside politics, soo...

We have some interesting ballot measures. There's one requiring "human traffickers" to register as sex offenders and get stricter sentences, and registered sex offenders to disclose internet identities and activities (how they'd enforce that...), and stuff like taxes to fund education, a county open space, parks and farmland initiative, labeling of genetically-engineered foods (shees), stuff like that.

Other little ones are a repeal of the death penalty (yay!), to be replaced with life in prison, and a change to the Three-Strikes Law (YAY!), so that the third strike only brings life imprisonment when it's a VIOLENT FELONY CONVICTION. That to the for-profit prisons! The death-penalty one doesn't matter financially, as most convicts sit on "death row" practically a life sentence as it is, so they don't make more money off them by not killing them. But that three-strikes thing has always made me sick to my stomach, the way it's been implemented.

Yeah, those ARE little ones, believe it or not. Because the biggies will affect us ALL one way or another (Californians, that is). The biggies this year are Prop. 30 and 32, and they're big (to us). Prop. 30 is Governor Moonbeam's effort to increase taxes on the rich and up the sales tax by 1/4 penny in order to avoid huge cuts to education and other vital services. Not sure if it will fly, but Californians are SOMETIMES pretty savvy about these things, so I'm hoping.

Prop. 32 is a con job. It's WRITTEN to sound like it fights back against Citizens United; prohibits unions from using payroll-deducted funds for political purposes, prohobits them, government contractors and "corporate contributors" from contributing to candidates, elected officials or their committees. Catch is, Business Super PACs and independent expenditure committees are exempt--and they are the ones financing it. I wonder why?

Mr. Charles Munger, Jr. has ponied up $35 million to defeat Moonbeam's Prop. 30 (which, if it fails, will mean $6 billion in automatic cuts, mostly to K-12) and win 32 (which he's behind). It's Munger and his friends Charles and David Koch (remember them?) who are doing it to put the unions out of politics. Essentially they wrote a law to restricts others, and exempted THEMSELVES and their cronies! Good work if you can get it...

Don't get me started on Munger, the UBER-wealthy (and I do mean Uber). He and his sister Molly have both inherited gawd-knows-how-much from daddy Munger, and both are now deeply involved in California politics. They scare us, although in fairness they've each done a few good things along the way. But now we know for sure which way Munger Jr. is headed, and it's doubly scary.

Why are 30 and 32 related? Those pesky labor unions, you know, the ones involved in higher education (think community college, UC and CSU), K-12 education, security, fire and healthcare, put up money to help get Prop. 30 on the ballot and to help pass it. Ergo, Prop. 32. Mr. Munger understands that if he can take workers out of politics, he can build the world of his dreams, one which leaves out not just 47 percent of Californians, but something more like 98 percent of us.

Sorry, I said "don't get me started" and you didn't. It's just that small puff of smoke coming out my ears... I'll shut up now.

What measures are up for grabs in other parts of the country? We get so focused on the Prez election, I'd be more interested right now in hearing what state legislatures are up to (tho' I may regret that...).

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 1:53 PM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!

Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
I voted.

Good job!

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.
A warning to everyone, AURaptor is a known liar.
...and now a Fundie!
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=53359

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Friday, October 26, 2012 2:16 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
Originally posted by m52nickerson:
Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
I voted.

Good job!

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.
A warning to everyone, AURaptor is a known liar.
...and now a Fundie!
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=53359

I am filled with shame. After telling all of you that I think voting is as futile as playing the slot machines in Vegas, I succumbed to pressure from family.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 2:20 PM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!

Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
I am filled with shame. After telling all of you that I think voting is as futile as playing the slot machines in Vegas, I succumbed to pressure from family.

I still think voting is a good thing. Next time just don't vote for people that are going to make you feel ashamed. Yes, that might mean not voting in certain races, but you will still have voted in some.

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.
A warning to everyone, AURaptor is a known liar.
...and now a Fundie!
http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=53359

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Friday, October 26, 2012 3:08 PM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Ditto Nick. I have never not voted. I have never VOTED for anyone at all in areas where I don't know shit--like "Director, Healthcare District", for example. But I always try to check out the candidates for most of the offices (pro AND con, not just what someone or some party says), and I ALWAYS read the ballot initiatives thoroughly, looking them up both pro and con on the internet, as well as my handy-dandy fat "voter information" booklet. The initiatives are the things MOST likely to affect me personally, so there's no way I wouldn't at least try to have my voice heard on them!

I can't conceive of not voting at all. I think I'D feel ashamed if I came here and blathered my opinion on everything, but hadn't voted on the initiatives in my own state! That is NOT NOT NOT aimed at you or anyone else, Byte, it's just something I'd never thought about before, and when I did just now, that was my first reaction.

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Friday, October 26, 2012 3:52 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
So I voted against that nonsense and if that fails I voted that we should have a gridlocked six person council and district voting to screw with them.

Oh dear hell and glory don't remind me...
One reason I am practically hiding under a rock save for a brief foray into Redford this week is because there are eighty unfilled positions on various advisory boards - mind you this is mostly cause nobody in their right mind wants em, they're unpaid, mostly ignored and the job is a hassle.
I think it a triumph in the Anarchist sense that they practically have to shanghai people to serve in political capacity around here, whereas in most places people can't wait to jump for the reigns of political power, you know ?

There's three of em I know who might have an interest - the first two I can dodge easy enough since you might as well stick a placard on a chair given everybody already knows what my damn opinion on any of that is gonna be... it's the emergency planning commission which I dread, and not for the reasons anyone would think since they're primarily geared to stuff like chemical spills, but rather that they'd much like to have someone with a fast response team "on side" in case of a situation to secure the area and keep the curious or well-meaning-but-clueless from getting hurt.
Not a bad idea actually but we lack the personnel to be effective in that role, they don't have any training specific to that kind of thing, and I have issues with the obvious conflict of interest that would create.

You can't just throw guards with no hazmat experience at a situation like that without risks, and yeah verily they'll likely do it anyway, but not MY guards, and not on MY responsibility - first rule of handling a disaster is not adding more casualties, let em second people from DepHomeSec or TSA, I wouldn't miss em too much anyways.

-Frem

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Friday, October 26, 2012 7:32 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
first rule of handling a disaster is not adding more casualties

Oh man yes. Exactly right.

Hmn. You'd actually be really good at emergency response. I've only done a little of that myself, but you already got the most important idea down. Property can explode and cost millions, but the life of a person is priceless. A proper response with caution and planning implemented in a timely manner should never result in a casualty. If it does, someone's done something very wrong.

There's times when there's like chain reactions of well meaning people trying to help someone who's gotten into trouble with chemicals, and then they knock themselves out, and then another guy tries, and before you know it you have two, three, and so on more people to rescue. Absolutely essential people have training and know what they're doing, and can spot things before they become a problem well in advance.

Although I can totally imagine the mad science being a leap to chemical savvy and you pulling a vader in SCBA. Get your suit in black. Ha. :)

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Friday, October 26, 2012 8:23 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
There's one requiring "human traffickers" to register as sex offenders and get stricter sentences

Those guys are kind of terrible. But I'm not prepared to comment on appropriate punishments for anyone really.

Quote:
Yeah, those ARE little ones, believe it or not.

o.0 those would be huge here.

Nothing about the housing costs? Because if you in california need anything, it's a plan to deal with housing costs.

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Saturday, October 27, 2012 3:10 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

I'll probably wait until the day, since I have to sit through the commercials anyway, and there may be one that's just so outrageously bad and full of lies that I'll have to vote against whoever it supports.

Aside from the usual library bonds, that I'll vote for, Virginia has an initiative to restrict the use of Eminent Domain - not allowing the State government to seize folks property to then sell it to developers for projects that supposedly benefit the community as a whole, and review the rules on just compensation.

"Shall Section 11 of Article I (Bill of Rights) of the Constitution of Virginia be amended (i) to require that eminent domain only be exercised where the property taken or damaged is for public use and, except for utilities or the elimination of a public nuisance, not where the primary use is for private gain, private benefit, private enterprise, increasing jobs, increasing tax revenue, or economic development; (ii) to define what is included in just compensation for such taking or damaging of property; and (iii) to prohibit the taking or damaging of more private property than is necessary for the public use?"

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Virginia_Eminent_Domain_Amendmen
t,_Question_1_(2012)

Still studying on this. I've sort'a had a problem with eminent domain ever since the highway department bought out my favorite barbeque place for a road expansion that never happened, and then sold the land to a developer for an apartment complex.

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Saturday, October 27, 2012 3:15 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by BYTEMITE:

Lucky. There were a whole bunch of jerks on mine. I didn't even really want to vote for people, just the initiatives. But there was a race with a guy I really don't like and I had to cast a vote against him, so by that time I thought well, guess I might as well just vote for darkhorses.

Oh, of course there were a bunch of jerks on mine as well, but that's par for the course. I was commenting on the 'extra' fun stuff, amendments, which we get to vote for, like tax hikes and waivers for one group or another. There's usually 5,6, 7 of those things, if not more...

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Saturday, October 27, 2012 3:45 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Oooo, eminent domain. I wish we'd get one on THAT! Although there are arguments pro and con, at the very least I think it should have restrictions, and viscerally I hate it. Just how I feel, not how I'd necessarily vote, that would depend on the details. But I hate the CONCEPT, I guess I'd say.

I'd love to hear what measures people are voting on in their states; heck, that MIGHT even be something we could discuss without it turning into a

Well, you never KNOW, anyway...

Tit for tat got us where we are today. If we want to be grownups, we need to resist the ugliness. If we each did, this would be a better reflection on Firefly and a more welcome place. I will try.

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Saturday, October 27, 2012 12:34 PM

BYTEMITE

Yeah, I was thinking so. People don't really have stakes in local elections like they feel they do in national elections, so its something we can discuss and learn more about people, still in a political capacity, but removed from the pressure.

Quote:

Oooo, eminent domain. I wish we'd get one on THAT!

I'm with you there. I've seen the underbelly of some of these communities when they want to weasel someone out of their property. Makes me feel bad for the property owner. Hasn't been successful from what I've seen so far though, but I'm sure I've only seen the lucky ones.

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Saturday, October 27, 2012 12:42 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Not so much a lack of ABILITY Byte, so much as of capability.

See, my primary beef would be the notion of being on the advisory board, AND being in charge of the company called in for the security response cause that's a paid gig, so there's a real conflict of interest there I want no part of.
There's also no way in hell a mere 22 people is a sufficient staff to cover that and our contracts, nor would most of the other companies around here tolerate an outsider giving them orders, especially a loophole-abusing "Ronin"* (will explain) who's technically the military arm of a realty company rather than a security firm in its own right.

I DO have experience dealing with chems and a full working knowledge of respirators and SCBA gear cause one of my first gigs in the business was at a chem plant, but I am the only one who does.
That was a nasty place to work, Chlorine, Hydrogen Chloride, Hydrogen Sulfide, Peroxides, Sulphur Dioxide, and the big king-hell daddy... Titanium Tetrachloride, which is a tossup as to whether it kills you by poisoning, suffocation by turning your lungs into mush, or just plain asphixiates you - our insurance SPEFICIALLY didn't cover death by poison gas, which kind of rendered it moot you ask me.
And actually we called the SCBA kits "Vader suits" cause the plastic helmet (it was a hard hat site, mind) with faceplate and splashguards really did look a lot like that, you know the ones I mean, I think.
I wasn't having none of it, I had a 10 minute emergency respirator clipped to my belt and could be well over a mile away by that time since my little motorbike was parked right next to the office.

Thankfully the only chain reaction of that nature I have to worry about around here is cause people do not know how to drive in the snow, and so one of em gets stuck, which causes another to get stuck... and next thing we know there's a traffic jam at one of the entrances - then we have to block it off and wave folks around to the other one while I send someone to relieve Louis down at the airport warehouses cause he's the only one with enough bulk to be useful shoving cars around.
Neither me nor Wendy has enough mass to apply useful amounts of leverage not matter how strong we are for our size.

It's also worth noting that I trust the local Fire Marshall (Chevrette) to know what the hell he's doing, he is VERY good at this sort of thing and his people have more experience.
http://annarbor.com/news/no-lasting-effects-expected-from-fridays-chem
ical-spill-on-m-14/
I'd not be adverse to loaning him a few people, even on spec - but as an official gig, no thanks.

Anyhows, their notion might look good on paper, but in practice it's begging a disaster.

Oh, and to explain the "Ronin" problem;
*This is all due to an act dating back to the police riots of 1968 - basically the police strongarmed the legislature into complicating private security in such a way as to all but require them to be police or former police, to prevent the police from being fired en-masse and replaced by contract folks who are far more accountable.
One so restrictive that it's been necessarily loopholed several times cause the act itself is a borderline violation of several other laws, the sherman antitrust act, and constitutionally unsound at both the State and Federal level.
Besides which, in our current niche we can procure medical and other coverage a lot cheaper, and help the Realty company leverage better bargains as well.

"Ronin" is a derogatory term (originally meaning exiled samurai) for those who haven't sold their soul to a bonding company or security company, in the first case you basically put up a decades worth of earnings up front (unless you're a cop) making you thoroughly dependant on the bonding company for probably the entire existence of your company cause of the various legal tricks they'll use to keep you tied, and in the latter case, your employment and ability to work is wholly dependant on the bastard who paid the bond - much like how certified mechanics sit around and drink beer while their all thumbs high school flunkies actually work on your car, in the security biz the guys with the actual credential sit in a cushy office and sent untrained college dropouts to do the actual work cause once they've hired them, between them not possessing a bond, and NDA/No-Compete agreements they more or less own the poor bastards like slaves.

Ergo anyone who has managed to sidestep the system and isn't beholden to it is viewed poorly by those who are, and not always without cause - this does create the occasional problem with sourcing equipment as many companies try to avoid selling stuff to "Zimmermans" (aka jackboot wannabes) and thus will not sell to Ronin.

This is especially ironic cause the taxi industry uses that term as well, albeit in a slightly less derogatory sense - most of the time the company owns the permits and licenses, particularly local ones, and therefore more or less owns your ass - I on the other hand obtained all of mine directly from the city/localgov and had them on magnetic clamps I could slap to any cab in any fleet.
They were less nasty about it cause the ability to drive for any company was useful as hell when somebody was shorthanded and didn't want to hand off lucrative contracts to a competitor.

-Frem

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Sunday, October 28, 2012 6:55 AM

BYTEMITE

Huh! I knew you lived near a nasty plant probably in Baltimore, but I didn't realize you worked there. Knowing you, you probably told everyone exactly what you thought about the plant's safety and waste handling.

Does fit with the personality though. Science and dangerous things.

Quote:
It's also worth noting that I trust the local Fire Marshall (Chevrette) to know what the hell he's doing, he is VERY good at this sort of thing and his people have more experience.

That's good. They usually have to be the first responders.

Quote:
"Ronin" is a derogatory term

Yeah, read some anime and manga myself, though not so much nowadays, expensive to keep up with new series. Familiar with the term. Bet you all see it more as a badge of honor.

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Monday, October 29, 2012 3:16 PM

RIONAEIRE

Beir bua agus beannacht

I always thought a Ronin was an unafiliated Samurai, like a mercinary? Who would do whatever they thought was a good idea regardless of what people in high places thought?

I'm glad you voted Byte, I know you don't like doing it, but if need be you can just vote for measures instead of people, if that is better for you. It looks like you did the whole thing though this time, good for you.

For president I voted for Green, not because I'm particularly green, but because I refused to vote for Obama or Romney and I figured any third party candidate would do in order to send the message I'm not interested in the status quo. I voted for mayor, city commissioner and some court related positions, and a few representative people. I used my voters guide and read about everyone in order to decide who I wanted, with the exception of city commissioner (I like Amanda Fritz because I've met her several times because she supports NAMI and comes to our events) and mayor (my coworker knows one of the guys running and likes him, so I voted for him because I trust her judgement).

For measures there were some boring tax ones, establishing a library fund (yes), legalizing and taxing marijuana for non medical use (torn, but eventually voted no, we already are allowed to use it and grow it medically which I do support), something about schools and reserving money for the arts (yes), a bill to put money into improving school buildings (no). The big measure in our area was whether to allow privately owned casinos in OR. Currently Native tribes can own casinos here, one per tribe if they wish, and they must donate money to charitable organizations around the state as part of the privelidge of having casinos (which they do a good job of). I voted no because the one a private company wants to open is too close to us here in town and will be a traffic causer, plus I don't care either way about casinos so why bother voting to have more if I don't care about them anyways.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

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Monday, October 29, 2012 3:41 PM

BYTEMITE

Quote:
I always thought a Ronin was an unafiliated Samurai, like a mercinary?Who would do whatever they thought was a good idea regardless of what people in high places thought?

Kind of, but it's more like if a samurai has a lord, they cannot disobey them, whereas a ronin doesn't have a lord and has to find another way to make ends meet. Often ronin would then become mercenaries, but they were seen as having no honor and just in it for the money and survival.

Quote:
legalizing and taxing marijuana for non medical use (torn, but eventually voted no, we already are allowed to use it and grow it medically which I do support)

I guess ultimately all legalizing marijuana would do is open up your medical suppliers to DEA raids.

My view of casinos is pretty negative as well. Clearly that bill was someone's pet project and they're looking to make a lot of money off it. On the other hand, it is true that taxes on casino earnings can be a big source of income for a state, and perhaps they were proposing casinos for budgetary purposes.

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Monday, October 29, 2012 4:36 PM

RIONAEIRE

Beir bua agus beannacht

I'm not opposed to casinos, I'm pretty neutral really, but we already have a few that tribes own and that seems fine. The idea was that revenue from the new privately owned ones would help pay for stuff, but I think we're fine the way we are regarding casinos.

About marijuana, I wouldn't mind so much if it were legalized, but I figured why bother? So I voted no, even though I wasn't really sure what to do. Generally if something doesn't directly benefit me or mine I vote no on it. For instance I voted yes for the designated library fund because I like the library and it benefits me. I voted for commissioner Fritz to be reelected because she knows a lot about mental health stuff and supports NAMI. I voted yes on extra money for the arts in schools because I loved choir all through high school and I want similar programs to be available for my little brother as he grows up.

"A completely coherant River means writers don't deliver" KatTaya

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