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Mon. Oct 06, 2008

Mean Season

If you are among the 10% or so who are still undecided in your choice for President, may I suggest that you now have as much real information as you’re going to get? Oh, you’ll hear a lot more over the coming 28 days, about radicals from the 60’s and Vietnam. Ayers and Keating. Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh, my. You will learn as much, or more, about the person saying these things as you will about the person they’re talking about.

We’ve entered the mean season. Oh, I know, you might wonder when we ever left. But now, it’s down to those last minute accusations that are hard to refute, rebut, punish, or erase in the time remaining. Four weeks left, so fling it all on the wall and see what sticks.

I know I vent on this site, let the voices in my head run wild (a trend sure to continue in the coming weeks), and it ought to be clear even to a casual reader where my vote is going. But in day-to-day Real Life, I have next to nothing political to say. Even when baited, as has happened a time or two of late.

It just seems a pointless and nearly insulting waste of time, to try and “convert” someone in what is a very personal choice.

In a way, it’s like religion. Though I know multiple faiths call on adherents to do some form of “witnessing,” I believe your faith is a most personal thing, and your relationship with God the most private one. For me to try and shove myself into that private personal arena, and try to convert you to, say, Shinto, would be an insulting waste of time.

Your vote, especially in what I think we all agree is a fairly critical election, is also a very personal and private thing (should you choose to keep it private). And I’m not in the business of conversion, in day-to-day Real Life.

The most I will do is strongly suggest that you register to vote (it’s now too late in Georgia, as of today), and if you’ve already done that, check to confirm your registration is intact (in Georgia, there’s going to be a lot of people who haven’t voted since the last presidential election very angry to find they’ve been purged from the voter rolls). And then I’ll tell you to go vote.

That’s it.

Because at this point I have one primary hope for Election Day; that 140 million, or even 150 million Americans show up to vote. More than have ever voted before in this country. And I hope the result is clear, giving the winner the kind of mandate they are going to need to get us out of this mess.

And then I hope we can begin to put some of this fractious partisanship behind, our perpetual mean season. At least until the next election.

Tue. Sep 30, 2008

Rescue The Rescue?

There’s a lot of people worried about losing their jobs today. 435 of them, specifically, in the House of Representatives. Unlike their Senate brethren, they are all up for re-election in November.

And yesterday, they behaved accordingly.

George Bush, Dick Cheney, Henry Paulson, and John Boehner were collectively unable to sway more than 65 House Republicans to vote for their plan (133 voted against).

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was unable to corral the 95 Democrats who voted against the bill (140 voted for it). She only had to wrangle 12 of them to pass the bill. And apparently didn’t even try when it became clear the Republicans were not falling in line.

Is there no one left who can plan this game?

In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt inherited an economic crisis. He understood that his first job was to restore confidence, to give people a sense that somebody was in charge, that something was going to be done.

This generation of political leaders is confronting a similar situation, and, so far, they have failed utterly and catastrophically to project any sense of authority, to give the world any reason to believe that this country is being governed. Instead, by rejecting the rescue package on Monday, they have made the psychological climate much worse.

And let us recognize above all the 228 who voted no — the authors of this revolt of the nihilists. They showed the world how much they detest their own leaders and the collected expertise of the Treasury and Fed. They did the momentarily popular thing, and if the country slides into a deep recession, they will have the time and leisure to watch public opinion shift against them.

The American century was created by American leadership, which is scarcer than credit just about now.

NY Times: David Brooks, Revolt of the Nihilists

Some are saying that over a dozen GOP votes disappeared due to some allegedly insulting/partisan remarks by Nancy Pelosi. Others suggest the whole thing was rushed to accommodate Jewish religious holidays.

The McCain campaign, which suspended itself to “rush” (over the course of some 21 hours) back to DC to make a deal happen (and, obviously, failed to convince House Republicans, at the very least), is now resorting to saying this failure is the fault of Obama and the Democrats.

In less important events, Washington Mutual has disintegrated, Wachovia wobbled into the arms of Citibank, there are ugly rumors flying about Bank of America, and the stock market dropped 777 points yesterday. But, hey, we understand hurt feelings and religious holidays take priority over such minor troubles.

I don’t pretend to be a macro economic wizard, and you’re not either. We may have some basic financial principles we believe in, and some limited experience in these areas, but the truth is we rely on our leaders to “drive the economy” in ways we cannot.

And today, we have no leaders.

We have a lame duck and apparently disinterested President with a 19% approval rating, a Vice President with a 13% approval rating, and a Congress with a 10% approval rating (all put together, they don’t even add up to 50%). Working together, they created a complete failure.

We have two presidential candidates who cannot scratch their nose without it being parsed for partisan meaning, or used as the basis for some “booger picker” attack by the other side. Almost by definition, no solution can come from either of them (because the other side simply won’t allow it).

And here’s what is perhaps the most perverse aspect. Most of these Representatives claim they voted against the bill because of the burden of cost on taxpayers. Now, they will huddle and figure out which riders and proposals they can add to the existing bill to make it more “palatable” (increasing the FDIC insured amount, dropping capital gains taxes, etc.) … and these riders and proposals will without a doubt add to the total cost of the bill, i.e. “the burden of cost on taxpayers” they just voted against.

But with the addition of new costly proposals, they will then be willing to vote for the bill they voted against earlier in the week, when the total was less.

And then they will tell you they did it all for you.

I feel a bit like a homeowner whose house caught fire in the middle of the night, only to discover that each fire truck does not have enough hose to get from the hydrant to my house. And I’m watching two firemen from different trucks argue whether they should join their hoses together to fight the fire, or wait for a cloudburst that will surely come overhead any moment. Then a city councilman comes by to to tell me my home would be safe if they’d passed his bill to double the number of fire hydrants, and then another stops by to say that’s stupid, it was his bill to double the length of hoses that would have saved me. Meanwhile, a neighbor says he’s not fully convinced my house is on fire at all, as his seems to be fine.

And it just makes you want to shout, “people, if I end up with a pile of ashes instead of a house, I assure you, we will talk about all of these things, in ways you will deeply regret, but right now you should STFU and FIGURE IT OUT!”

Thu. Sep 25, 2008

Is the McCain Campaign Stupid, Or Are You?

At 2:30pm yesterday John McCain yesterday told us he was going to immediately suspend his campaign in order to head back to DC to work on the bailout crisis.

He called David Letterman personally and told him he would not make it to Dave’s 5:30pm taping, as he was going to get on a plane and head back to DC.

Then at about 6:30pm, Dave caught him, live, doing an interview with Katie Couric instead of appearing on his show. Dave shouted at him, “Senator, do you need a ride to the airport?”

He lied to Dave. Directly and personally. Dave made him pay by wailing mercilessly on him for his entire show.

This morning, right now at 9:16am, he’s appearing at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. Right now he’s giving another political speech. He’s not in DC.

In other words, it appears he lied to you, too.

Oh, he’ll be there later today to meet with Bush and Obama. But the “urgency” he expressed yesterday, that it was important for him to immediately get back to DC, was either a joke or a lie. He’s still in New York, campaigning, 19 hours after saying he must leave for DC immediately.

How stupid do they think we are?

Sat. Sep 20, 2008

A Day For Accounting, 2008

Anyone who really knows me also knows that lists, statistics, and “counting” are Things Reid Likes. The following is a continuation of a now five year old tradition, “A Day for Accounting.” It was inspired by this from Crystal Lyn, and something that happened 50 years ago today.

Clicking any link below within [brackets] will show you an old photo in a pop-up window:
0 – [At Rex Hospital] [In Mom’s arms]
1 – [Busted my head chasing pidgeons] (related story) [Dec., 1959, with Dad, Mom, and Granddaddy and Grandmother Stott]
2 – [a handful, I’m sure]
3 – The first of [many ties] (that was Susan’s comment while looking through these old pictures; “Look, another suit and tie! What happened to you?”)
4 – Another year, [another tie]
5 – [kindergarten]
6 – A real slice of Americana, the 1964 portrait of my [first grade class] (I’m on the right, in red vest and bowtie, of course).
7 – [check out sister’s hair!]
8 – [Star Trek audition] (hey, we all dressed silly then)
9 – Summers at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, [catchin’ fish]. Well, hangin’ around Sportsman’s Pier while my Granddaddy [caught fish].
10 – [cub scouts] [class photo, Oakland, NJ, 1968]
11 – Lived in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Revelled in 5 feet of snow, as only a child can. [class photo, St. Johnsbury, 1969]
12 – Went to Gettysburg, my first [photo trip]
13 – Class book reports, [in character] (I’m Patton, with the revolver)
14 – Since I had my [first girlfriend], I also had to have [some wheels].
15 – Called out my high school principal in the local newspaper.
16 – Misplaced virginity (sorry, no photo). [Played Trapper John in MASH]
17 – What should have been my Senior year of high school became my [Freshman year at Wake Forest University].
18 – Full time Sophomore, part time DJ at WKZL-FM, Winston-Salem, NC.
19 – Full time DJ at WKZL-FM, ending my time at Wake Forest, and beginning my detour into a Career For The Young.
20 – Graveyard shift, WRBN-FM, Macon/Warner Robins, GA, [occasionally seen in daylight hours]
21 – Program Director [with Playboy Centerfolds] of WRBN-FM, Macon/Warner Robins, GA. [Big fish, small pond]
22 – [Got married]. The first time. Got my [first camera].
23 – As Program Director (second-in-command), I outlasted 3 General Manager’s in one year (out of a total of 9 in five years), one of whom fired me, hired me back on 30 days probation, and then got himself fired before that probation was up. Radio was such a blast. Well, other than the Playboy Centerfolds above.
24 – Got separated. I mud wrestled women, played Donkeyball, and got my butt kicked by the Harlem Globetrotters, all in the name of my “job.”
25 – Broke my neck (spiral fracture of the C-2) and got a DUI. In one 18 hour span, I was in an accident, in jail, in court, did an airshift, then went to the ER, who zipped me to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, where the neurosurgeon’s first words to me were “you have a very interesting fracture.” It was a day worthy of Jack Bauer on 24.
26 – Got divorced. Got out of radio. Into photography (breaking your neck can be a life altering experience in more ways than one).
27 – The first part of a two year program at the St. Alban’s Academy for the Visually Illiterate, also known as the Portfolio Center.
28 – Watched yet another relationship spontaneously combust during the Holidays (which was once a disturbing long term trend for me).
29 – Entered the freelance world of advertising photography.
30 – [Camping] in the Smokies (cue banjo music).
31 – Went to Yosemite for the first time.
32 – Move into a loft. Wonderful space, but very costly.
33 – War and recession make the loft even more expensive.
34 – Adopted [my child]. Called out the President in the local (alternative) newspaper.
35 – Moved out of the expensive loft.
36 – Went back to Yosemite. Became a homeowner. Got blood poisoning. Had knee surgery (torn medial miniscus). Met my future wife, on the night the Braves won the World Series.
37 – Got my first computer. Built my first web page. Covered the Olympics online.
38 – People start paying me to make HTML products.
39 – Went on a spirit walk, Red Rock Road Trip.
40 – Big Boom Times in the photo biz, as well as in web design.
41 – My future wife moves in. I start a weblog (entirely unrelated, I promise).
42 – I get my first digital camera. Started a photoblog (added 2,088 photos since then).
43 – A year of darkness and change. On the night of my birthday, the President told us “to uphold the values of America, and remember why so many have come here. We are in a fight for our principles, and our first responsibility is to live by them.” I’ve done my part. Can’t say the same for him.
44 – I get married. And a Canon D60, too. Launch PhotoDude Labs.
45 – Totaled my wife’s car. Mistakenly identified as [pony-tailed lawyer]. Claimed a Google crown. Consummated our marriage with Leap Year Bisquits.
46 – Made a local pilgrimage in search of closure. Went on a sabbatical from politics (85 days so far). Finally Got A Mac. Started making music songs noises you can download.
47 – Bought my name. Met A Girl Named Caroli, built her a web site, and took hundreds of photos of her. Went through 32 Dark Days, during which I first lost Fuji, and then lost Dad. Found The Digital Grail, and a new form of Togetherness.
48 – Lost my father-in-law. Gained two new family members, and new working conditions. Published my 2,000th Pixel Pile, evolved this 11 year old site, and rebooted PhotoDude Labs. Took my favorite photo of the year.
49 – I worked. Got a Tivo and it made my head explode. I worked. Our kitties got big (19.5 lbs). Both of them (14.5 lbs). I worked. Got Alex and Sarah hitched. I worked. Got an iPhone. And then I worked some more (incredibly busy year, client-wise).
50 – Don’t know. Starts today. I’ll let you know next year.

Many thanks to Mom and [Dad], not only for bringing me into this world, but also for saving all those pictures from decades ago.

Wed. Sep 17, 2008

Who's The Enemy?

“They’re gonna destroy my country. They’ve been trying for years. I hate those bastards. They’re the enemy, and I will do anything to defeat them. They must be crushed.”

I hear this “tone” lately, from people I know, people I respect, people to whom I’m related. And I think from here on out, I will do my best to respond in the manner of “hell, yes, it is about time we did something about those Al Qaeda bastards.”

The problem is, they’re not talking about Al Qaeda. They’re talking about their neighbor, Bob, who is a Democrat. Or they’re talking about their co-worker, Sally, who is a Republican. And, of course, they’re not really talking about Bob and Sally, they’re real people; they’re talking about that faceless mass of political opponents that they hate and want crushed.

But Bob? Hey, he’s OK, he lets me borrow his lawnmower. He’s just got some strange political ideas.

Your “enemy” is a group mostly located near the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They do not go by the name “Democrats,” they do not go by the name “Republicans,” they go by the name “Al Qaeda.”

Those other folks in that group you think you hate and want to destroy?

They’re your fellow Americans. And you should be ashamed.

Mon. Sep 15, 2008

Passing Thoughts

A few passing thoughts I had over the past few days (not to be confused with “passing gas,” although of approximately equal value):

• Perverse as it may seem, I’m actually somewhat happy there’s major news on Wall Street. Because that means there’s at least a slim chance that for a fews days, our “presidential dialogue” will turn to AN ACTUAL ISSUE, rather than continue to treat every American as if they have a room temperature IQ. I’m tired of being insulted by the very level of the “debate.”
• I just heard on CNN about the “stresses” placed on Bernake and other financial wizards, because they’ve had to work several weekends in a row on this and other problems. PUH-leeze! I think I’ve worked four of the past seven weekends, but no one is throwing me a pity party on cable news. And I make one-whole-helluva-lot less than any of them.
• And speaking of CNN, their cable news channel has been non-stop financial news today, which given the weight of events, seems totally appropriate. So, what the hell is up with their web site?
• On the other hand, to give CNN some props, their attempt to use “suitcase cameras” to show the intensity of the Hurricane Ike, rather than Real Live Reporters, is to be commended (even though the storm’s arrival in the middle of the night made them a bit superfluous). To me, This Man In The Rain Reporting is [1] entirely unnecessary grandstanding and [2] shows those who think they can stick it out, “hey, look, that guy’s standing out in the middle of it, and he’s OK. So I ain’t leaving.”
• In the same vein, props to Fox News, not for having Geraldo Rivera reporting out in the storm, but for running the clip of him getting wiped out by a wave over and over and over again. I can say that because he didn’t get hurt, he just got wet (and I loved O’Reilly being worried about his hair), but someday one of these hot dogs is going to get seriously injured or killed in a hurricane report. Perhaps even on live TV. Only then will they begin to use the technology they already have in hand, and as result, be able to show people “this is what a hurricane surge really looks like, just before our camera position got wiped out.”
• And some age-related thoughts after a “moving” weekend: two people in their twenties should not have had enough time to collect so much stuff, and someone nearly 50 takes a lot longer to recover from helping unload that much stuff.
• The scariest thing I saw this weekend is Tina Fey.
• Fear reeks. Move away from the keyboard and go take a cold shower.

Thu. Sep 11, 2008

For Those Who Still Mourn

Last year on this day, I wrote:

There will sadly be many who try and use today as a platform to push their own agenda, pro-this, anti-that, red, blue, etc. Take special note of such people. Remember that on a day for the thousands who still mourn, they could not wait for Sept. 12 to try and sell their wares. They could not simply keep quiet in the face of such “opportunity.”

Today is not about them. And it’s not about me. In fact, thinking about this, and reviewing the links above to what I’ve written on this day in the past, I’ve decided this is the last new posting I will make on September 11, of any year. In the future, on this day this site will have a link to one of the articles of which I’m proudest: “‘I’m OK, I’m with the firemen’: In Memory of Bill Biggart.”

But otherwise, on September 11, this site will be silent. In honor of those who still mourn.

Silent, in memory.