In honor of Waldo: Some where Chester A. Arthur is laughing

The folks over at Mike's America and Sunlit Uplands are biting their nails, gnashing their teeth and generally stocking up to move to cabins in the woods at undisclosed locations.

First the voters of the Country ignored their pleas against the Marxist-Socialist-Communist-Fascist-Muslim-Terrorist-Homo lover-"Pro Abortion"-did-we-mention-he's-black candidate because as they know, he was born in Kenya. The people spoke and cast the majority of votes in more than enough states for Obama to be declared the victor at 11pm on Election night.

Then they got slapped in the face from the Supreme Court who refused to hear their case about his birthplace. Who would have ever thought that the Bush appointments of Alito and Roberts would reject this claim -- then again, Bush doesn't believe the Bible is the literal and factual word of God in the way all good Muslims Fundamentalists and Evangelicals, so no wonder. (By the way check out his 'Above My Pay Grade' remark on Evolution)

Now the Electoral College has cast its ballots - and darnit if they didn't do it in favor of Barack Hussein Obama II, despite the hopes for faithless electors.

The only recourse now is to appeal to members of Congress before they vote on January 6 to ratify the electoral college vote -- that and pray the Prophet of Parowan has foretold.

Good luck to you Yahoo's in the wilderness, don't forget your snuggies and to drink your juice.

Sphere: Related Content

QOTD: Metrognome

(Photo from Phiipn)

From Jezebel:

It's that time of year again, when the thermometer drops below 40, and suddenly the streets fill not just with dry leaves and black ice but urban guys suddenly ransformed into lumberjacks. The beards grow, the sweaters come out, and seemingly overnight, the cities are crammed with scrawny Hemingways. You know what I'm talking about: the Metrognome.

The metrognome comes in several forms. There is the archetypal Pacific northwestern/Western metrognome, of course, attired in flannels and beard year-round. The metrognome was originally identified, in fact, in San Francisco. The southern metrognome has been known to evoke the Civil War. Then there is the seasonal metrognome, who comes out only when the weather grows cold. This varietal wears a beard, yes, but his clothing also becomes considerably more rugged than is his wont, or than is necessary in an urban environment. The metrognome is not to be confused with the Bear, who is characterized by a certain natural burly hirsuteness. The metrognome transformation, by contrast, is completely inorganic and owes nothing to actual appearance. As "metro" implies, there is an element of deliberate grooming and styling involved.

Metrognomes are something more than hipsters with beards, it's a sign that beards have arrived as a part of the mainstream pop culture. Beards have been a part of hipsterality for several years, a staple of lower east side neighborhoods (and other hipster enclaves) whether a product of orthodox imitation, erstwhile inspiration or shear laziness, the origins of this trend are muddled. Suffice it to say with not a little bit of obviousness that beards are nothing new from Xerxes to Marcus Aurelius to Augustine to Abraham Lincoln to Sean Connery and beyond, it goes without saying that the beard is nothing new. But throughout it all the beard has come to represent many things but nothing as basic and persistent as manliness.

Like many trends in the hipsterality it took Hollywood to bring it to the surface and mainstream it, and Jezebel says as much attributing the moment to Hollywood's strike last winter. And one act of "rebellion" led to a 100,000+ more as men attempted to throw off the yoke of corporate banality and regain a sense of independence and non-neutered masculinity - though the efforts shimmer with irony as most men involved will attend to grooming these beards, and then you can't get passed the name itself, Metrognome.

In the interest of full disclosure, I suppose one could consider Mattheus Mei a metrognome, that or one dandified hipster. And as Jezebel closed so I say to you. He's coming to a microbrewery near you, and the time is nigh. As in tomorrow at 6pm, Hunter Gatherer.

Sphere: Related Content

Brew at the Zoo

I had a fabulous time at Brew at the Zoo this evening, and will cherish my souvenir glasses. It was fun hanging out with Gashwin, St. Liz, Dogwood and Mrs. Dell, St. Izzy showed up after his bike trip across America though didn't make it in the park for beer and I believe I saw Snead from afar, but there was no way I was getting out of the long line for beer, sorry Snead.

I must say I believe my favourite beer this evening was the Weihenstephan. It was delicious and the Trappist Monks that craft Orval did an excellent job, and now I'm conflicted between which monastic beer is best (comparing to Chimay of course)

If you all missed, try and make it next year. It was awesome! And I must say, I'd believe untamed beer would be proud. Next up the Savannah Craft Beer festival at the end of August.

Thanks everybody for the fun time tonight and thank God I didn't get as drunk as we all know a Mattie Mei can.

Sphere: Related Content

Schadenfreude!

From National Geographic Channel

Apparently some coffee connoisseurs are taking delight from Starbuck's woes. This smug feeling will last slightly longer than a "true" machiato, or kopi luwak, while the contempt for the corporate and the mean (sorry Juan, Maxwell) is as foul as they are without that first cup in the morning.

Sidenote, how would you coffee fiends like to spend the rest of your life doing this

Sphere: Related Content

The rise of the collective!

While the right wingers are accusing Mr. Obama of being a Marxist, mum seems to be the word when it comes to local collectivization. The high gas prices and sagging economy are pushing people to form collectives in ways and numbers not generally seen in this country since the rise of the hippie in the 60s and 70s and representative of the trend setting bourgeois hipster culture of the 90s. People aren't just carpooling to work in response to high gas prices. Locally we're seeing folks coming together to "stick it to the man" by forming food co-ops. Not only do they save lots and lots of money, but they also support the local economy by buying from local farmers.

Anyone want to start an Earlwood/Elmwood Collective?

Sphere: Related Content

The First Wave.....

Gotta love a PSA! The State has a couple of responses to my letter about 17 year olds and the vote. I'll mine through the other
periodicals given some time after their publication.

In regard to Mattheus Mei's letter Friday (“Some 17-year-olds are eligible to vote”), I don’t know what the schools are currently doing, but
when I was a 17-year-old high school senior at Andrew Jackson High School in the fall of 1979, I was given the opportunity at school to become a registered voter so that I could vote in the primary in January 1980.

Most of us took advantage of that opportunity 28 years ago, so I assumed that this was a common practice by now. It really is a shame if it’s not, because that event made such an impact on me that I’ve not missed a single presidential or gubernatorial election since.

I did learn in school what an honor it is to live in a democratic nation and the importance of voting, especially as a woman. I’m thankful for my teachers and my alma mater for giving me that opportunity and instilling in me the importance of voting.

ANITA
WOOD
Lexington

and....

In response to Mattheus Mei's letter, at Lexington High School, this past week, we registered more than 100 new young, first-time voters so that they could indeed participate in the primaries next month.

This was a bipartisan effort led by the Lexington High School Young Democrats and Young Republicans clubs.

I am confident that this has taken place in many other high schools around the Midlands and the state. At Lexington, we have taken a proactive approach in educating our students about their civic responsibilities and provided them with the knowledge that they can use to become informed, lifelong voters.
KELLY EVANS
Lexington

As Queen Greene stated to me in an e-mail, it's good to know that some people read the paper.


But even more importantly, it's good to know that by taking part in the process schools have produced more conscientious citizens. In the case of Lexington High I'd say I'm surprised they have an organization of Young Democrats and Young Republicans, but then I'm reminded that Lexington High is the size of a small Liberal Arts College, and that despite being a county school, it's a sight more Urban (I would add Urbane, but that's a stretch) than say Lee County, or even the schools in Cheraw that I attended.


And unfortunately I must disagree with Ms. Evans, South Carolina is still a rural state, and though it's wonderful that in Urban Centers that this is normative, I don't believe it's normative in other areas of the state. Yes Ms. Wood did attend AJH which is in Kershaw county but I believe this was the end of an era as it were, because it's with in the 80's that you see the paralysis and apathy of Youth begin.

Sphere: Related Content

Hot Spots in Cola

Click here. It's a link to Forbes Magazine, and you can see where in Columbia, SC you can find a FREE hot spot for wireless internet, you can also back out and see where else in the world, yes world, you can sit and enjoy free wireless internet.

Sphere: Related Content

Slim your waistline, while fattening your wallet

Apparently some folkes believe that as the price at the pump increases, it could cajole Americans into excersising more and spending less. It's a possibility but probably not a sure bet. Never, after all, underestimate two things - the drive to want more (which involves spending money) and the desire to do less (like anyone will actually walk to the bank around the corner in South Carolina in July/August). Only time will tell on this one...

Sphere: Related Content