Another semi-modest proposal on political reform

The Abramoff mess amplifies the problems with majority rule within Congress. Controlling lobbyist will always prove difficult. Rather than attacking the problem from that end I say go at it from a different direction.

Starting with the House of Representatives I believe it is high time to make that body far more 'representative' than it has ever been. It wouldn't be unprecedented to change the rules. Between extending the franchise, to changing how Senators are selected, large and small changes have been made to how we select our politicians. It's time for another large change.

The problems with our 'winner take all' two party system is that it inevitably becomes a single party, single winner system. That one party and one winner is MONEY.

It's time to 'democratize' the selection process.

Here's my modest proposal, every candidate exceeding .51% of the vote shall become a member of Congress. The votes for each district will be divided into a hundred votes to be distributed amongst all the qualifying candidates. All the people who have a vote will serve in Congress. In that manner every district will have a Democratic and a Republican representative, and most likely a Green and Libertarian representative as well. The multiplicity of voices and viewpoints will add to the cacophany admittedly, but also it will create a greater competition in the marketplace of ideas that has sorely been lacking in Congress. Many rules would have to change. With each district potentially being represented by half a dozen or more people, the ability of lobbyist to lobby all these diverse characters and perspectives will be diminished. At the same time each district's constituency will be better represented. No vote would be 'wasted' in this system. Committee chairs would go by a rotating lottery rather than by majority party. Each representative would get the number of lottery entries as they have votes, and each committee would be open to entry by all members without regards to party.

The benefits of this system would be that EVERY district would be competitve. The big parties would have to contest every district so as not to have a small number of reps having a large number of votes. Plus voters attracted to candidates other than GOP or DEM wouldn't feel they were wasting their vote as those 4 and 5 vote representatives would add up on a national basis and potentially form a voting bloc with similar influence that you find amongst minority parties in a parlimentary system.

A look at a state's 2004 results might be instructive as to how this would look.

Let's take a look at Nebraska. The first district would have their votes divided thusly, 54 votes for the GOP, 43 votes for the DEM and 3 votes for the Green. The second district would have 61 votes for the GOP, 36 votes for the DEM, 1 vote for the Green and 2 votes for the Libertarian, and finally in the third district 87 votes for the GOP, 11 votes for the DEM, 1 vote for the Green, and 1 vote for the Nebraska party.

Instead of 3 Republicans, the Nebraska contingent in Congress would have been 3 Republicans with 202 of 300 votes, 3 Democrats with 90 votes, 3 Greens with 5 votes, 1 Libertarian with 2 votes, and one member of the Nebraska party with 1 vote. 11 Representatives instead of just 3. Plus on local issues, many times they could get together and do right by Nebraska while still disagreeing on national or ideological issues.

Also the voting and campaigning would go very differently under a proportional voting system rather than a winner take all system. Rep. Tom Osborne (he of 87.45% of the vote in District Three, by the way has there been a football related politician who wasn't a Republican?) would have had better than token opposition as both parties would be motivated to compete in all three districts. Plus the urge to gerrymander would be lessened as states with varying constituencies wouldn't see as much gain by concentrating their votes amongst fewer representatives.

I know this is pie in the sky wishful thinking. But some pipe dreams become reality given enough time. I think this system would allow third, fourth and fifth parties to flourish as well as local interest parties. I also think that this would make it harder for money to influence the system as the bar for entry would be so low (as few as 1500 votes could get you in Congress) that a committed door to door canvaser or blogger could garner 4-5% of a districts votes and be able to influence public policy (with a little luck in the committee lottery, which would be done every six months to allow for fresh ideas and fresh faces to flourish).

500

Batting 500 with this week's picks.

Had I been gambling I would have considered it a good week (and would have done slightly better than even as I would have done the moneyline on WAS)

and Icepick was right on in the comments regarding the Eli skepticism.

Plus, a bad week for Trojans (hopefully surgery will repair Carson Palmer and get him back to being one of the best young QBs in the league)

Make IT SO

Took the quiz, you see the results.

So I'm a prissy Englishman (yeah right, he's French) who has a huge boob fascination, cool.

Now to start getting all that voice over work.

(you'd have to have seen this episode of Extras to understand the boob reference)

To whet your appetite, peruse some dialogue from that episode:

Patrick: "You've never seen Star Trek the Next Generation?"

Andy: "I haven't, no."

Patrick: "What, your wife won't let you have it on?"

Andy: "I'm not married."

Patrick: "Your girlfriend then?"

Andy: "I haven't got a girlfriend. I live alone."

Patrick: "You're not married, you don't have a girlfriend and you've never watched Star Trek?"

Andy: "No."

Patrick: "Good Lord."

(did that exchange make you LOL, or ROFL?, personally I guffawed)

I'm jealous of RIA, but feel sorry for Pooh, ambivalent regarding Amba, curious about RLC's two answers and came up the same as Prof. Althouse (among others), enough of this already, I have some Shakespeare to recite, or artifacts to fondle.

Rock Star

I would imagine given the general disposition of the folks who attend CES, this car would get the kind of attention normally reserved for a rock star, or starlet of the month.

Or maybe not.

Friday Funk Lyrics, 06 January 2006

First funk lyrics of the New Year. What better time for taking a Fantastic Voyage. (Let's not mention that Coolio mess, I'm talking the Lakeside real deal here)

Hey, come on, come along take a ride
There's a party over there, that ain't no jive
It's live, live, it's all the way live
Don't even have to walk, don't even have to drive
Just slide, glide, slippity-slide
Just forget about your troubles and your 9 to 5
And just sail on (That's what you do), just sail on
Now this groove's so funky, hey, what to you think
What is it called, let's call it Lakeside stank

Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage

I'm the captain of this vessel
We wanna take you on a cruise
All around the land, music is at hand (Huh)
We wanna play it for you

(You see) We want to be (We want to be)
Your crew of entertainers (Jam to the music)
Jam to the beat (Jam, yeah)
Don't let nothing restrain you (Uh-huh)

We just want you to feel
Nothing but pleasure (Pleasure), musical pleasure (Yeah, yeah)
Our music is very real (It's really real)
Truly a treasure (A treasure), musical treasure

Come along, pack your bags
Get on up and jam y'all
Come on and ride on the funk, y'all

Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage

We're the directors of this groove ship
And you are under our command, yeah
What you should do is take a listen, too
So you can understand

(You know) We like to see (People havin' a good time)
Everybody happy (Do you wanna party)
We create the beat (That foot stompin' music)
That keeps the people dancin' (Uh-huh)

We just want you to feel (We just want you to feel)
Nothing but pleasure, musical pleasure (Want you to feel)
‘Cause music is a world of fantasy (It's a fantasy)
Let's live it together (A pleasure), musical pleasure (Come along, come along, come along)
So come along beyond the sea
(Dance in the sunshine) Take a load off of your mind
Our music is very real (So very real)
Truly a treasure, musical treasure

Come along, pack your bags
Get on up and jam y'all
Come on and ride on the funk, y'all

Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
(Come along, ride the boat, hey bring it on me)
To the Land of Funk
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
(Do you wanna ride with me)
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
(Do you wanna go, ah)
To the Land of Funk, Funk, Funk
To the Land of Funk, to the Land of Funk, to the Land of Funk

Hey, come on, come along take a ride
There's a party over there, that ain't no jive
It's live, live, it's all the way live
Don't even have to walk, don't even have to drive
Just slide, glide, slippity-slide
Just forget about your troubles and your 9 to 5
And just sail on (That's what you do), just sail on
Now the groove's so funky, hey, what to you think
What is it called, let's call it Lakeside stank

If you're ready to party and you wanna get down
Bring your ma, your pa, and brother James Brown
Bring Auntie Em and Toto too
And all the party people to do their do
We'll dance and party till the early light
And say, “Hey, we're feelin' alright”
So come along, come on take a ride
There's a party over there, that ain't no lie
We're leavin' here in a cloud of smoke
And th-th-that-th-th-that-th-th-that's all folks

Whoa, whoa, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

We just want you to feel (We just want you to feel)
Nothing but pleasure, musical pleasure (Want you to feel)
‘Cause music is a world of fantasy
Let's live it together (Together), musical pleasure (We want you to feel)
So come along beyond your seat (Come along beyond the seat)
(Dance in the sunshine) Take a load off of your mind (Yeah...)
Our music is very real (So very real)
Truly a treasure, musical treasure

Hurry up
Pack your bags and jam y'all
Come on and ride on the funk now

Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
(Do you wanna go, do you wanna go, do you wanna go, do you wanna go)
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
(Come-a, come-a, come-a, come on, come on now to the Land of Funk)
(Do you wanna party, do you wanna jam)
To the Land of Funk
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage
(Come on and dance in the sunshine)
Come along and ride on a fantastic voyage

Where to Begin?

Words fail.

Happy New Year?

Another New Year's post, this one from Japan.

(I would have expected something like this in Germany, but not Japan)

I like the dedication of their workers though

Funabashi-Higashi Post Office plans to return the cards to the senders after cleaning them and will also give the senders fresh New Year cards and towels as an apology

The Post You Shouldn't Read

Because misery loves company, I'll link to this piece from Defamer.

Be warned. Excessive mulling upon details of this story could lead to PERMANENT hysterical blindness of one's mind's eye.

(I'm serious,. . . . . almost)

Perspective

The current unemployment figures came in far better than expected.

The Washington Post's reporter felt it necessary to make sure you maintain perspective lest you think things might actually be going well from hearing this news, first paragraph

The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level in more than five years last week, but economists cautioned that the decline is probably overstating the improvements in the labor market.

Thanks for putting that in perspective, wouldn't want to have even a moment of optimism about current economic or political conditions. (draw your own conclusions as to why)

The Nobody Saw Those Movies Awards

The SAG Awards, and the DGA Awards nominations were announced this morning.

Both favored smaller films that haven't met with widespread commercial success.

If I were voting Stephen Chow and Kung Fu Hustle would sweep these awards, by far the best written, directed and acted film released in the U.S. in 2005.

The DGA Awards might be renamed the big fat self-important lefty film award this year. How Syriana or The Constant Gardener didn't supplant Capote I'll never know. But for that slip up it would have been 100% on the self-important lefty films of the year receiving DGA nominations.

And who does the Academy announce this week to host their award show. John Stewart. Enough said. (almost enough said, I predict, BDS, the Award Show). (and the ratings will continue to tank)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This weekend and next are the best weekends of the year. 4 NFL playoff games, win and advance, lose and fume till August.

Vegas is the place to be this weekend (but not for me, this year), between the playoffs and CES, it's a crowded, crazed, mildly debauched slice of heaven.

The lines on this weekends games are out, here are my picks (for entertainment purposes only, PLEASE no wagering based on my recommendations, I wouldn't put my money where my mouth is, nor should you).

I'll keep it simple, Every road team will win this weekend.

Redskins are on a roll and they are going to keep on rolling (at least for one more week). Tampa Bay is a good team, but I think they are going to get controlled on both sides of the ball, and Joe Gibbs is Joe Gibbs, and this is the playoffs. So if I were a betting man, rather than taking the paltry 2.5 points for picking the road dog I'd place a moneyline bet at +115 and count my money on Monday. The over/under is a bit trickier for this game, or any playoff game, as teams get desperate at the end and scores have a way of piling up at the end. I think the over 37 on this game is a good bet though, not a strong belief though, just a hunch.

Jacksonville are big underdogs against defending champion New England. Jacksonville is a better team. It's hard to bet against Belichick (and foolish) but +290 for a team as good as the Jaguars is very hard to pass up. And it's going to be a shoot out, both teams are going to score more than 30 points, I think, so it's going to be way over 37 points.

That's Saturday, now for Sunday. Eli has been amazing and the Giants have been doing just enough each week to give themselves this home game in the playoffs. But, he's not ready, Carolina has an awesome defense and will punish the younger Manning if he holds the ball a fraction too long (which he will). It's going to be close though, so I'd take the 2.5 points and the Panthers and cross my fingers cause the Giants might get lucky again. The line on this is 43.5, but I think defense will decide so I'm guessing under for this battle.

Pittsburgh are road favorites in the playoffs against Carson Palmer and the former Bungles, now Bengals. 3 points are a lot of points to give up when betting for a road team in the playoffs, but usually playoff experience counts for something, and Pittsburgh has far more experience than Cincinnati who may play as if they are happy just to be there. The line has moved to 46 for the over/under so a reasonably high scoring affair is expected, but I think the defenses of both teams will be decisive in this game also, so under 46.

4 games, eight chances to be wrong. To summarize Was +115, over 37; Jax +290, over 37; Car +2.5, under 43.5; Pit -3, under 46.

Now I'll fight the urge to change these details after the fact and see how I do.

One nice thing about being in L.A. is that you can just watch and analyze the games based on the teams and not local loyalties (unlike say in College, where I would have been influenced by all the Trojan hype, and congrats to the Longhorns, great game, great performance by Vince Young, and a well deserved championship).


Sunday Morning UPDATE: I could have been more wrong, but barely. Both games were under and the Jaguar's plane must be stuck in a holding pattern somewhere over Logan Airport cause that team never showed up (maybe they thought their game was on Sunday as an alternate explanation) (After 3 Superbowl victories I still refuse to believe New England are for real, and I have my doubts about the Jordan Era Bulls, too). In the ever hopeful disposition of a gambler, there's always the next games to redeem myself.

Sunday Evening UPDATE: A small measure of redemption indeed. Yes and Yes on Car/Under, Yes and No on Pitts/Under. Now to start thinking about that next glorious week of four meaningful NFL playoff games (will I jump on the NE bandwagon? will I give Chicago any credit? is Seattle for real? has Indy recovered from their emotional rollercoaster? stay tuned)

But will he get votes in Philly?

The all time Pittsburgh Steeler great wide receiver, Lynn Swann, has announced his bid for the governership of Pennsylvania as a Republican.

Now here's my other top 4 ex-jocks (all 80s/90s Basketball players) who should be politicians and what they should run for.

4. Kevin Johnson, Congressman, Sacramento, CA. He's been active in the community, opened a chain of low cost private schools for at-risk students, and has hinted that at wanting to enter politics in either party. He could win and his ideas about charter schools, faith and enterprise would suggest that he's more a Republican than a Democrat.

3. AC Green, Congressman, Portland, OR. All time NBA Iron Man (1110 straight starts). Famously abstinent. Devoutly religious, and one of the key role players for the Showtime Era Lakers. Also strongly involved in the community he was raised. AC would be another natural for the GOP and help break the stranglehold the Democrats enjoy on African American votes in poor communities (to the great detriment of those poor African Americans).

2. Magic Johnson, Mayor, Los Angeles, CA. He hinted at a mayoral run in the past, and may still do so in the future if Villaraigosa pisses him off. He'd win in a landslide. No other figure has as much goodwill built up across a wide swathe of Southern California culture. It would be a step down in power and prestige for him, but you never know, he might feel the need to do so one day.

1. Charles Barkley, Governor, Alabama. He's joked about this in the past, but he would be the GREATEST GOVERNOR EVER!!!!! And he'd naturally be a Republican. He ain't no role model, but he's also nobody's fool. He's a fiscal conservative (except when it comes to gambling), social moderate (he's not as outwardly religious as many politically active jocks, but he also fully supported the NBA's dress code). Sensible, outspoken, smart, funny, would hate to see him leave his TNT show, but would love more to see his press conferences.

Offensive, Really?

So it turns out the Catholic League found South Park's season finale offensive.

I can't imagine why.

The entire season was a meta-commentary on magical thinking. Whether it was Scientology, PETA, Global Warming nuts, AA, or the Catholic Church, everyone who make excuses of one sort or another for bad behavior got parodied.

The Catholics are still powerful enough to get the episode pulled from future repeats (I'm sure it will still be on the season DVD though).

This is an important point though

The Catholic League also sought a personal condemnation from Viacom board member Joseph A. Califano Jr., who the group noted is a "practicing Catholic."

Califano was only too happy to oblige. After viewing the episode, he released a statement calling the episode an "appalling and disgusting portrayal of the Virgin Mary."

The idea that a satiric representation of pilgrims veneration of a cheap plaster (presumably) statue of the Virgin Mary is somehow equivalent to an attack on the Virgin Mary herself is problematic. It's this sort of idolatry which has been off putting about the Roman Catholic church for, ooohh about a millennia or so.

A statue is not a saint, it should not be venerated, whether it bleeds, cries, pees, or defecates it's always a statue and a representation of the form of a saint and not the saint itself. The image of whatever in whatever (like the Mother Teresa bun recently stolen) is another phenomena that seems Catholics are especially susceptible to. That's one of the things Mohammed got right. Churches shouldn't be full of graven images for people to worship. If you are inclined to worship, worship the ideas and morals and spirituality of your faith, not its icons.

My suggestions anyway, take it for what you will, I'm hoping the Catholic League will prohibit it's members from visiting this site, I could use the traffic bump that would cause.

BDS, The Movie

Went to see the new Woody picture (quite good, if amoral).

While suffering through the interminable previews, the preview for the new Paul Weitz film caught my eye.

American Dreamz starring Dennis Quaid, Hugh Grant and Mandy Moore can be summarized as BDS, The Movie. I'll let the studio speak for themselves.

On the morning of his re-election, the President (Quaid) decides to read the newspaper fo the first time in four years. This starts him down a slippery slope. He begins reading obsessively, reexamining his black and white view of the world, holing up in his bedroom in his pajamas. Frightened by the President's apparent nervous breakdown, his Chief of Staff (Dafoe) pushes him back into the spotlight, booking him as a guest judge on the television ratings juggernaut (and the President's personal fave), the weekly talent show American Dreamz.

If that wasn't bad enough get a load of the subplot for Omer.

Omer, a recent Southern Californian immigrant (who just happens to be a bumbling, show tune singing, would-be terrorist awaiting activation). When both Sally and Omer make it to the final round of Dreamz --- where the President will be judging along with Tweed --- the stage is set for a show the nation will never forget.

So, not only do you have the Texas talking Preznit, you also have the self hating Brit, the wannabe Arab terrorist, and the determined social climber with dimwit boyfriend (performed by Chris Klein, current King of dimwittedness) all thrown together in a 'satire' that will undoubtably show how corrupt, shallow and evil our government, media, and people are. I'm guessing everyone will mark their calendar for the April 14th opening.

Makes me want to retract all my criticism of Hollywood sequel-itis, if this is what their idea is of originality, give me Pink Panther (again).

Happy New Year! Now have a miserable Quarter Century

Washington Post has six Opinion pieces about what the next 25 years (under the heading POPULATION 2030) have in store for the United States. They are all predictably dour. I'm going to enter each of these pieces into my complex, detailed, and very expensive translation matrix and pop out a plain English version of what they were really saying.

First up, DC by the Sea by Joel Garreau.
Duuuude, Kevin Costner was a prophet, both Waterworld and the Postman weren't just movies, but prophetic statements on what the future will look like. China and India will surpass us and suffer to keep our mean, poor nation afloat (forgetting that much of China and India are coastal flood plains that would also have big problems if this author's dire predictions regarding rising sea levels were accurate). And naturally it's all Boooosh's fault, money quote

Twenty-five years ago, the federal government's ability to turn disaster into catastrophe -- the loss of New Orleans and the bungling of the war on terrorism -- sent Americans a message: You're on your own.

Second up, The End of Plenty by Bill McKibben.
Duuuude, we are running out of water! (Let's ignore ocean's full of water available for desalinization). Gratiutous China will surpass us comment, check, Gloom DOOM, check, It's all Boooosh's fault, check (unstated assumption, if only we had followed the Kyoto Accords like sane nations the world wouldn't be in this Global Warming mess), money quote

All these fairly grim projections may, in fact, be optimistic. They assume a physical world that operates in the future the way it has in the past. But, as this year's outlandish hurricane season hinted, that may be a sucker's bet.

Third up, Building a Future Without a Blueprint by Dennis Scott Brown
Duuude, suburbs are ugly, let's not build anymore suburbs. No really strong anti-Booooshism (how did this get published then? An implied slam against redstate suburbs love might be stretched into a slam on Boooosh voters.) but it does have a gratiutous the Chinese way is better plus a passing Katrina reference, money quote

What would I like to see? In post-Katrina planning, I'd like to see government playing a stronger role in managing the relationship between our growing numbers and the natural world. I'd also like to see housing types that would suit the evolving needs of Americans. One model to look at might be the lilong of Shanghai.

Fourth up, All Paved Over With No Place to Go by Jane Holtz Kay
Another, suburbs are evil, we'll be engulfed by the oceans, abolish the private car story. This one has a boomerist supremacy angle

Happily, word has it that a counter-car culture of octogenarian hippies from the 1960s -- from pedestrian activists to scientists, harassed mothers and climatologists -- has come up with some alternatives to motorized entrapment.

Only a passing Boooosh is evil comment (very disappointing for a contributor to the Nation) and no reference to how China is superior or will surpass us. But the piece has an extended 'The Green's will take over' fantasy motif

On the grand scale, compact-growth advocates have persuaded born-again hard-toppers in both the White House and the 50 state capitals to disown the oil hegemony, link their communities with rail, not roads, and practice the "smart growth" policies of the late 20th century. Green groups have infiltrated the ranks of the hard-toppers and enlisted builders to create eco-zones to replace the asphalt that destroyed so much of our biodiversity. Endangered species are making a comeback, first-growth forests are happily maturing and the turn-of-the-century's deaths from driving are down 70 percent.

Fifth up, When Experience Will Really Count by Julie Winkonur
IT'S ALL ABOUT ME. I'll be 67 in 2030 (The Horror! The Horror!). But, breathe, it's OK, everyone else will be old, too. I'll still be young and sexy compared to those older boomers (phew!). Her fantasies about the future of entertainment are more disturbing then any rising seas disaster, money quote

The Mature Majority will stay current with the culture, and possibly even dictate that culture in the coming decades. Surely by 2030 advertisers will finally catch on that people over 60 have the bulk of disposable income in America. Unlike today, oldsters will figure prominently in fashion spreads, TV ads and billboards for everything from blue jeans to sports cars. We will appear in lead roles on television, rather than as comical sidekicks, and we will finally be allowed to have passionate sex on the big screen (Imax, if we have our way).

Lastly, Breaking Racial Sound Barriers by Christopher John Farley
He has his own Ox to gore so he ignores the aging of the population, rising sea levels, and coming Chinese hegemony for his own personal war against music companies. To paraphrase Kanye West, 'The music companies hate Non-White people', would summarize this piece. Money quote

Racism will continue to be a problem in American society for the foreseeable future. It will manifest itself in many ways -- including through technology. In the next few years, digital rights management will become more Orwellian. The line between digital rights and civil rights will blur. Entertainment companies already spike their products with codes that prevent them from being used in unauthorized ways. In the near future, corporate interests will insert even more restrictive programs into their wares -- ones that shut down computers, spy on users, erase files, and even automatically siphon off private bank accounts when corporate music interests are infringed. Lower-income groups -- mostly made up of people of color -- will be the least able to resist these attacks on their virtual civil rights. Digital revolutionaries will have more fighting to do.

My take on the next Quarter Century:

I'm much more inclined to be of the Ray Kurzweil school, technological innovation will continue to outpace all the possible disasters that we can forsee for the future. It's going to be a wonderful time to be alive. The current challenges will stretch into 2030, interestingly, no references to Terrorism in these six pieces, I guess to acknowledge it is to suggest that President Bush might be right. Rising seas and resource shortages are overblown and about as accurate as the predictions from the 60s and 70s about food shortages (some people believed their Soylent Green scenarios). The history of the future is one of ridiculous optimism on one hand and gross pessimism on the other. The Washington Post chose to focus on gross pessimism for the most part. My guess is that these negative portents for the future spin from their hatred for the current administration and are about as accurate as all the doom and gloom scenarios being spun 25 years ago at the end of the Carter administration and the beginning of the Reagan administration. (I don't think anyone was predicting that The Soviet Union only had 11 years left back in 1980). China's got a revolution or two to endure before they surpass us on the global stage. Likewise India still has to deal with their domestic poverty before they can use their numbers to accumulate greater wealth. We are far better off now than we were in 1980 with a more diverse economy and a massive array of tools to increase rather than decrease the rate of technological improvements (nanotechnology, ever improving computer technology, genetics) and with it standards of living for everyone not just the rich and super-rich.