Never Forget

After two weeks of watching both conventions, here's my main takeaway: I should never do that again.
I live a life based on reason and accountability. The hyperbole and outright lies of the last two weeks rub me the wrong way. The issue is not the parties or even the members. The issue is, in fact, me.
If well over half the electorate can be persuaded to vote for someone using a slogan, an obvious lie, promises that can't possibly be kept, who am I to say that politicians shouldn't do those things to win?
In the past, I've kept myself out politics by voting (mostly) for a sure loser. A sure loser that I could convince myself was really not (so no Libertarians or Green Party candidates). "I didn't vote for this asshole," was my mantra. I was pretending to care when clearly, I did not.
Do I care this time? Is it worth it to care? My vote is essentially meaningless (maybe not as meaningless as someone from North Dakota, but meaningless nonetheless). I will vote for the person I think will do the best job for the next four years. I will not purposely pick the loser. But I refuse to care whether they win or lose. I just can't care about something I have so little control over.
The last two weeks has been about the people who care who wins and who loses. I don't get these people. The politicians I get. Driven by power or money or even a drive to make a better world; that I get. The followers are like sports fans. "We won!" they cry and I wonder "Who the fuck do you mean by 'we'?" The answer is the susceptible hoi polloi who will chose the next President.

Here we go again

Before last week, don't think I've ever purposely watch a political convention. Last week was exhausting and I expect so will this week. These things are a scary mix of hyperbole and delusion. If you wonder how you get such a shitty choice every four years, you only need to watch for a few minutes to figure it out.

Trump campaign denies plagiarism in Melania's speech

Campaign manager Paul Manafort not only denied the accusations (he called them “crazy” on CNN Tuesday morning) but he suggested that a time travelling Michelle Obama actually went back to the future to plagiarize Mrs. Trump's speech.

"This is typical of the Clinton-Obama team," Manafort stated. "And to prove it, you can watch Donald Jr tonight and see that Barack pre-plagiarized parts of his speech, too!"

Reached by Twitter, Donald Trump responded, "Pre-cog plagiarism! Sad!!!!" 

You are left with no rights

Your 1st Amendment right to free speech ends with "fighting words".
Your 2nd Amendment right to bear arms ends when you point those arms at someone.
Your 5th/14th Amendment right to due process ends when you have shot people, barricaded yourself and threatened to kill others.

When you do these things, you give up your rights. You should expect nothing except death. If you are spared it is only through the good graces (or incompetence) of others. Count your blessings.

Please state your destination (other than hell)

Slam on the brakes and run them over.

People are asking what a self driving car should do in all kinds of hypothetical situations. People appear out of nowhere, the driver has to decide, crash their car or hit the people. What if it's a lot of people? What if they are all babies?

Slam on the brakes and run them over.

Given a fraction of a second, that's what people do. They slam on their brakes and run people over. The idea that a person ever thinks "I have a choice, either smash into that 100 year old oak or run over those kids, I'll pick the tree," is ludicrous. If you have time to think that you should already be on your brakes (your self driving car will be).

This is not about ethics. You are not programming the car to kill the pedestrians. You are programming the car to drive. Just like you have been programmed to drive. You can't be ready for every situation. You can't be ready for most situations. Why do you think the average car is about half the width of a highway lane? So we have so much extra space that people can stop paying attention (maybe too much).

People won't want to get in a car that is, in any case, programmed to get into any crash. Do your best to stop the car and minimize problems. That's it. There is no "ethics" problem.

This is why we have a republic

Winston S. Churchill — 'Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.'

Birth rate in the UK is about 1.8. Without immigration, they are pretty screwed.

Please mind the gap.

Quick, before they delay the train!

I take a short break from my election rants for this PSA. Make sure to watch until the very end.


"Oooh, that looked rough. You're all dismembered and stuff. Well, see ya!"