Full story here: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/heal...





This one hits really close to home for me. Growing up with an autistic sibling, I know how difficult it was for my parents and how hard they had to fight to get him what he needed. These bills are just appalling, and are just driving home the need to remove these sick fucks from office.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that Walker is a sociopath. He's showing a complete disregard for other people, appears to have no empathy whatsoever, lying without compunction, and a whole slew of other traits. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to find bodies buried in his basement...

I am so mad right now I could... do something people do when they're really mad.

Cross-posted through time and forums, specifically tailored for the Lounge*.




When did this happen? It's never come this fast before! I still got shit to wrap!

What night of Hanukkah is it? Has Kwanzaa started yet? What IS Kwanzaa?! Has the Airing of Grievances begun, or are we on to the Feats of Strength?

I really need to start paying attention...







Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa (if that's started yet), Blessed Solstice, Fantastic Festivus and Intoxicating Erismas to you all.

'To diverse gods
Do mortals bow;
Holy Cow, and
Wholly Chao'





I haven't been here that long, but the lot of you have grown on me rather quickly - even those of you I don't get along with too well. We won this year, but the battle for progress in our country and our world will never end. As we argue, insult and debate the best ways to do this in the coming year in threads both relevant, irrelevant, and filled with lolcats, let us remember the sage wisdom of the Rev. Lady Mal:

"Everybody I know who is right always agrees with ME."

My love and best wishes to everyone. May the Goddess shower you with her blessing. Or not.





* Meaning several pictures of lolcats have been added.

Anyone who knows anything about marketing is going to groan when I say this, but remember the first rule:

"Perception is reality."

How people see the left is how they define it. When the angry people are all they see, the perception becomes that the everyone on the left is angry. The protesters in strange get-ups using theatre and symbolism to convey their message instead of stating it simply invite the perception that our side is a bunch of loons. Most people won't understand the symbolism, won't understand why these women are dressed in pink, and it obscures the message. When they go home later that day, they won't remember what they heard, the image that will be present in their mind is how the people looked and acted. It's the same thing with gay rights activists, doing demonstrations in (no offense intended) ridiculous outfits with crazy-seeming actions.

No, not all of the left or all anti-war protesters or all homosexuals are like this, not even the majority. But these are ones people see, and that perception is the one they carry with them. Perception is reality.

It sucks, I know, but that's the way it works for most people. Admittedly, the media doesn't nothing to help this - how many times have you seen coverage of anti-war demonstrations or Star Trek conventions, and the only people they show are the guy dressed as Uncle Sam walking around on stilts next to two women dressed as elephants or the fat guy made up like Princess Leia? They represent a small fraction, but that small fraction becomes the whole in the minds of those who view it.

This comes back to the OP, in a somewhat roundabout way; if we get pissed off about EVERYTHING, it implies that NOTHING will make us happy. We get upset and bitch about what we don't like, but when good news comes up, it's practically ignored. Steven Chu was selected as Energy Secretary the other day, an enormously qualified and progressive man, but after those first two days, I have seen nearly nothing in regards to it. Compare this to thread after thread after thread against Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates and Rahm Emanuel.

My overall point, is that we do not need to sit down and shut up. We should not sit down and shut up.

But when we do stand and shout, it does not always have to be negative.