Rat thoughts

[Error: unknown template qotd]
Nebraska makes it very difficult to make an informed choice at the polls.  They provide no voter information pamphlet, no sample ballot, no information on propositions, nothing.  Heck, aside from the little confirmation card they send back after you register to vote, the state doesn't provide anything at all!  You're basically left to fend for yourself if you want to find information on candidates.  How are the masses, who barely understand how to use the Google, supposed to learn anything about who they're voting for except deceptive commercials?  (And I didn't see that many political ads this year.)

I managed to find a website that claimed to be nonpartisan, though the information clearly had a conservative bent to it (like asking pro-life attorneys their opinions about a judge, but not asking any pro-choice attorneys), and a lot of the candidates never bothered to respond.  In the end I wound up voting a mostly Democratic ticket, with a single Libertarian, since their candidates seemed to be more sane than the Republicans.  I left a lot of positions blank because I didn't know anything about the individuals and/or didn't care about the position (County Weed Board?  That's a thing?)

California does a great job at providing election information.  The state sends out an voters guide containing candidate statements, and more importantly, extremely thorough info on the propositions.  The guide book lists the text of the new law, a summary, an impartial analysis, and statements and rebuttals from the proponents and opponents.  They also provide a sample ballot that you can mark with your selections so that when you get to the polls, you can mark your ballot quickly and accurately.  If only more states provided this level of information, the nation as a whole would have much better government.

Appearing on the June 8th ballot will be Proposition 16, the New Two-Thirds Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers Act.  If passed, it will require a 2/3 voter approval before city or county governments can provide electricity to new customers or establish a community choice electricity program using public funds.  Only a simple majority (50%+1) is necessary to pass this law.

The name of the campaign committee sponsoring the measure is "Californians to Protect Our Right to Vote", but in reality, it's being pushed by Pacific Gas & Electric.  PG&E has spent over $41 MILLION to try to get this law passed.

If this law passes, PG&E will effectively establish a stranglehold over the electric market in California.  2/3 majorities are extremely difficult to obtain, so it would be nearly impossible for a city or county to offer an alternative to PG&E's monopoly.

While PG&E is free to throw as much of their customer's money as they wish into the campaign, those who would be hurt by the new law, city and county governments, are prohibited from spending taxpayer funds to oppose the law, so PG&E's ads have been running pretty much unopposed.

PG&E reported a profit of $1.22 billion last year.  If Prop 16 passes, there will be little to stop them from raising rates and raking in even more of your money.  Without it, local governments are free to offer alternatives, which cuts into PG&E's bottom line.

Don't let PG&E shareholder's dictate state law. Vote NO on Prop 16.

It was 5 years ago today that Bush proudly declared "Mission Accomplished in Iraq". 

Since then, over 4000 American soldiers have been killed and nearly 30,000 wounded (and this doesn't account for the psychological effects that may plague combat veterans for decades).  At least 90,000 Iraqi civilians have lost their lives (some sources estimate as many as one million Iraqi deaths); the number of Iraqi wounded or left homeless is unknown but likely well into the millions.  The current estimates are that the war in Iraq will cost at least three trillion dollars; that's about $10,000 out of the pocket of every single American.

Good job, Commander-In-Chief George W. Bush!

From the Letters to the Editor in today's San Jose Mercury News:

"In order to stimulate the economy, President Bush wants to give individuals $600 at a total cost of $150 billion. Now, since the war in Iraq is costing us approximately $250 million a day, adding up to that $150 billion every six days, why not leave the Iraqis to solve their own problems themselves, and instead of spending our money there, give everyone $600 once a week? That will save us $250 million a week, stimulate the economy big time and save lives as well."

250,000,000 x 6 = 150,000,000,000?

Maybe this should have been included in the Reader's Digest article last month on teachers helping students in California cheat on achievement tests.

I thought this phenylephrine stuff was junk.  Turns out I'm right.

The government banned phenylpropanolamine, which worked fantastic for me.  Then they severely restricted the sale of psuedoephedrine and ephedrine (it has to be kept behind the counter, you have to present ID and then fill out a form to buy no more than 3.6 grams per day, or more than 9 grams per month, any more is a misdemeanor).  The pharmaceutical companies have been pushing phenylephrine on everyone, even though it's no more effective than a placebo.