Strangers in the Night (or early morning)

Woke up at about 8:30 (latest I've slept in I don't know whenever) to see a strange back at the computer tap, tap, tapping away. It turned out to be my youngest grandson (of the ones who live in town) playing a computer game. His dad is in charge of the Armory today. Seems they rent it out for special occasions and he has to watch that wedding guests behave themselves. He's the company sergeant so gets all the fun stuff. Anyhow, he took the his older son and daughter along but Mike wanted to stay. He obviously envisioned a whole day of computers games. Guess again Mikie. He's six months and one grade ahead of Elcie - same school. Good kid but fixated on computer games. I told him we'd share.

When he signed off I noticed my pumpkin of last night had turned into a pair of wolves. I may wave my magic wand and turn them into something else. Elcie had struck again. Remember Cinderella and her ball gown that turned pink and blue and pink and blue? That's how I feel about my desktop.

Anyhow, chicken and dumplings tonight, I think. Jim and the other kids won't get back until almost 11:00 p.m. and may arrive starving. And it's raining and colder - time for comfort food.

I have one more vote on over the roll and one sensible person on toilet paper strike. This morning I once again walked in to find an empty roll - neither over nor under. I fixed it - that was before I read your comment, Gawdessness - I may rethink my options. Except everyone would put it under the roll and then, because I'm obsessive, I'd be compelled to fix it.

There may be states with weirder political processes but I haven't found them. CA can put Propositions on the ballot either from the State Legislature or the "will of the people". It takes very few signatures to start the proposition ball rolling and then it's usually (but not always) a majority vote. Democracy at work right? Wrong. Every airhead with a cause and a little money can get one Prop on there, pay for television time, send out slanted, misleading advertising and generally rabble rouse. They're written in legalese. The State Attorney General provides an overview and the voter pamphlet (with sample ballot) provides for arguments from both sides as well as a list of sponsors. Problem is, it's hard enough to get people to the polls without expecting them to read as well. If that sounds snobbish, I'm sorry, but it's true. It's certainly what happened with Congress and the Patriot Act; why would I blame ordinary citizens for not absorbing fine print. It's why so many years we have "warring' propositions and many that are downright unconstitutional. I'm hoping that's what will happen to Prop 73 if it passes (parental notification). We also have some knocked out by the Feds, such as our medical marijuana law. Most of the controversial Props wend their way through the Court systems for years. I like the principle but there has to be a better way.

Oh and the other thing we do is never stop numbering so this year we have Props 73 through 80. Next year we start with 81. I don't know if they ever start over (like at 100?) Some years we might have 20 of the little suckers on the ballot (at least they're at the end of the ballot so people won't be so glassyeyed they vote for the wrong person by mistake.

Sorry, California people, I know you know all this but if I start ranting about CA politics, at least everyone who reads this will know how the system works (or doesn't).

Kids now playing hide and seek to hip hop music on radio.

Incidentally, it's also how our Gubernatorial recall (which put the Terminator) in office happened. Same procedure. Grey Davis had done nothing impeachable as far as I know but they wanted him out so this was how they did it. He wasn't the greatest governor we've ever had but I think we could have survived to the next election or, if not, go the impeachment route and see what happens.

From the little I've read about Canada's election procedure, it sounds very attractive. Money and advertising strictly limited. Political as I am, I get so sick of ads, smear campaigns, and the waste of money. I voted Republican for one of the few times in my life a few years ago when "our guy" ran a vicious smear ad (on the order of Dukakis and Willie Horton) right before the election. I changed my vote and wrote to him explaining why. I think he won anyhow.

I haven't checked the morning mail yet except for gmail where the "comments" come in. If I survive this day, I'll probably be back.