Breakfast Links: Politics, MegaMillions & Tear Vampires
So… I like to think I’m political, but the truth is, I have no idea what’s going on. Today I came across not one but two powerful tools to clue me in. The first is glassbooth. It brings web2.0 to your decision making - although it isn’t no social networking thing somehow, it’s just a li’l quiz that finds out what issues are important to you and recommends politicians who’s views align with yours. Have no idea, though, if its true or not… and that’s where Politifact comes in! Finds out the truth behind what various politicians say. Important things like finding out that when Dennis Kucinich says “More people in this country have seen UFOs than I think approve of George Bush’s presidency.” you can know the truth that only 14% of people believe they’ve seen UFO’s and that’s a whopping 16% below Bush’s approval rating. So there, Dennis! (all via mefi)
If politics is too random for you, perhaps you’ll try your hand at the lottery! If the MegaMillions is your poison check out this crazy analysis of the data by omninerd. Here he shows you all kinds of graphs and charts and analysis. Probably way more than you need, you just want to know what numbers to pick. Well, don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you. Go ahead and read that bad boy! (via /.)
And if, like me, losing the megamillions has brought tears to your eyes be ware, something may be feasting on those tears. That’s right a moth may be sucking them down for dinner. Take a look at that picture and grok this… that’s a moth sitting on a bird’s head with like a few inch long sucker poking into it’s eyes gulping down them tears. Grossssss. Click on that link to see a close up of the barbed sucker. Mother nature, sometimes you’re just not right.
Also.. um.. just in case you missed it… Joss Whedon is making a show on FOX. Where’s the love?? All that crap you’ve been watching *cough*heroes*cough* will have real competition now.
UPDATE: Oh, and the Dem’s put the kibosh on Colbert’s candidacy. Sigh.
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:53 am
Glassbooth is a reasonable questionnaire among an unreasonably debased politics. “Extending” the right of habeas corpus implies that it’s not a human right (or that the prisoners in Gitmo aren’t human). “Enhanced methods of interrogation” is the Bush cadre’s euphemism for torture. Why avoid calling it torture but later call it “genocide” in Darfur? Why are Iran and North Korea “rogue countries” while we are the ones fighting an illegal war of aggression? Is it because we can call it a crime only when it’s not our government doing it?
Worse, though, is the question “I support of oppose setting a timetable of withdrawal for US troops to leave Iraq.” I want the troops to leave today. The only timetable I’m interested in is a train schedule. Do I support a timetable or oppose it?
Same with farm subsidy support. Does the King Ranch, a Texas agribusiness with billions in revenue and land the size of Rhode Island, need $8 million in cotton subsidies? How about the other huge conglomerates that benefit from corn subsidies? Do I support farm subsidies or oppose them?
Why not ask “I support or propose single payer health insurance along the British and Canadian models”? Probably because almost no politicians would have “similar” views with the overwhelming majority that supports this.
Again, not really Glassbooth’s fault. The results were an arguably correct map of what passes for politics in America. Nice to see that neither Obama nor Clinton were in my top three. I support charter schools — but in the New York City model, not as a back door to aid religious schools; another poorly worded question — which made some conservatives and me “similar.” Whatev.
November 2nd, 2007 at 10:05 am
That was sort of my problem with the thing, although, I didn’t have the wherewithal to really examine it. There were all sorts of questions that seemed super ambiguous to me or framed in a really annoying way.
I guess thats just the sad state of US politics today. Sigh.
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:56 pm
“Have you ever used sugar….. or PCP?” - Mitch Hedberg.