Octopus Overlords

$iljanus wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 11:57 am I did my part and voted early today. The RINO Charlie Baker is probably going to win big but as a protest vote I picked the Dem candidate because let's face it, the GOP is the party that has enabled the Asshat In Chief and I'm just rather vexed with them at the moment. I'm sure that Baker will do just fine though governing MA and I don't mind if he wins.

I left the governor line blank because I won't support a Republican who isn't strongly anti-Trump, and I can't support Gonzalez's plan to tax the universities. Baker has tried too hard to stay neutral about national politics. He's up by 30-40 points anyway, so my non-vote doesn't matter.

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:17 pm

$iljanus wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 11:57 am I did my part and voted early today. The RINO Charlie Baker is probably going to win big but as a protest vote I picked the Dem candidate because let's face it, the GOP is the party that has enabled the Asshat In Chief and I'm just rather vexed with them at the moment. I'm sure that Baker will do just fine though governing MA and I don't mind if he wins.

I left the governor line blank because I won't support a Republican who isn't strongly anti-Trump, and I can't support Gonzalez's plan to tax the universities. Baker has tried too hard to stay neutral about national politics. He's up by 30-40 points anyway, so my non-vote doesn't matter.

Universities should absolutely be subject to some kind of tax. Google university endowments and you'll find lots of articles from different political sides about how a lot of University endowment funds are so large that they are basically hedge funds with universities attached.

Obviously we would want to be careful about where to set the tax (and I'm not familiar with Gonzalez's specific proposal on that), but *some* sort of tax I would 100% support.

In any event, going to head out later and early vote. Going to vote for Gonzalez mainly because f the GOP in 2018 (and I do tend to support democratic policy initiatives), plus I worry about how Baker would govern in a second term when he inevitably starts thinking about running for President (call it the Romney effect). Going to vote no on the nurse initiative, yes on the "transgender people should have rights initiative".

Oh, and obviously voting for Diehl.

Russia has allegedly been spreading far-right propaganda on Facebook to try and influence the US midterms

The US Justice Department has charged a Russian woman with links to a close ally of President Vladimir Putin with conspiring to interfere in the upcoming US midterm elections.

The criminal complaint, filed in September and publicly disclosed on Friday, alleges that Elena Khusyaynova was instrumental in a wide-ranging campaign to influence American politics via social media, evidence that Russian attempts to interfere in domestic American affairs did not end with the 2016 US election.

The efforts, apparently referred to as Project Lakhta," involved the creation of thousands of social media and email accounts, and had a budget of more than $35 million, the criminal complaint alleges.

35 million.

Holy crap.

Defiant wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 2:21 pm

The efforts, apparently referred to as Project Lakhta," involved the creation of thousands of social media and email accounts, and had a budget of more than $35 million, the criminal complaint alleges.

Project Lakhta was in the news just recently. Seems like it was a blanket operation covering a lot of the rat fucking they were trying to do in the lead up to the election, and we got ahold of the accounting documents for it which is how we now know so much about their influence operations now.

The Daily had a good episode on it today. It's really frightening. Russian "news" organizations with absolutely no visible signs that they are Russian-based providing click-bait outrage articles to millions of people.

Yeah, well at least their not the MSM, so you can at least trust them not to be fake news.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:48 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:17 pm

$iljanus wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 11:57 am I did my part and voted early today. The RINO Charlie Baker is probably going to win big but as a protest vote I picked the Dem candidate because let's face it, the GOP is the party that has enabled the Asshat In Chief and I'm just rather vexed with them at the moment. I'm sure that Baker will do just fine though governing MA and I don't mind if he wins.

I left the governor line blank because I won't support a Republican who isn't strongly anti-Trump, and I can't support Gonzalez's plan to tax the universities. Baker has tried too hard to stay neutral about national politics. He's up by 30-40 points anyway, so my non-vote doesn't matter.

Universities should absolutely be subject to some kind of tax. Google university endowments and you'll find lots of articles from different political sides about how a lot of University endowment funds are so large that they are basically hedge funds with universities attached.

Obviously we would want to be careful about where to set the tax (and I'm not familiar with Gonzalez's specific proposal on that), but *some* sort of tax I would 100% support.

Wife works for MIT where they have strong feelings about protecting that, so it's a nonstarter in our household. I like Gonzalez's progressive proposals and his attempt to raise revenue for them, but MIT's endowment hits too close to home for us. Plus, Democrats lost their collective mind when Republicans proposed the same thing just a year ago.

Harvard? Yeah, go ahead and tax that shit.

Incidentally, I actually voted for a Libertarian for auditor after the Globe endorsed him over Bump.

I much preferred Russia's less well known, but equally influential, Project Latke:

I think I'm going to vote for the Republican in the NY governor's race. I can't recall the last timed I voted R. Maybe 1994, in the Illinois governor's race? Maybe never.

But the Republican candidate has run a substantive, centrist campaign, while Cuomo has been his usual bag of bluster. Cuomo will win, of course, but I'll feel better about myself on Wednesday morning.

So right after getting her citizenship, my wife registered to vote, right at the immigration office. None of the "check my registration status" sites are showing her registered, although they claim recent additions might not appear. This was first week of September. Should we be concerned? I'm in a district where Trump's cabana boy is slightly favored, so challenger needs all the help she can get.

Get ahold of that Irish guy.

If she doesn't appear on the rolls, she should be able to vote on a provisional ballot.

Jeff V wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 9:33 am So right after getting her citizenship, my wife registered to vote, right at the immigration office. None of the "check my registration status" sites are showing her registered, although they claim recent additions might not appear. This was first week of September. Should we be concerned? I'm in a district where Trump's cabana boy is slightly favored, so challenger needs all the help she can get.

I'd call the Secretary of State's office (or whichever office in your state mans the voter rolls) and ask them: (1) If they are showing her as registered; (2) if not, what she should do; (3) anything that your wife should bring with her on election day in case she's not showing up on the list of voters when she gets to the polling place.

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:31 pm

El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:48 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 1:17 pm

$iljanus wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 11:57 am I did my part and voted early today. The RINO Charlie Baker is probably going to win big but as a protest vote I picked the Dem candidate because let's face it, the GOP is the party that has enabled the Asshat In Chief and I'm just rather vexed with them at the moment. I'm sure that Baker will do just fine though governing MA and I don't mind if he wins.

I left the governor line blank because I won't support a Republican who isn't strongly anti-Trump, and I can't support Gonzalez's plan to tax the universities. Baker has tried too hard to stay neutral about national politics. He's up by 30-40 points anyway, so my non-vote doesn't matter.

Universities should absolutely be subject to some kind of tax. Google university endowments and you'll find lots of articles from different political sides about how a lot of University endowment funds are so large that they are basically hedge funds with universities attached.

Obviously we would want to be careful about where to set the tax (and I'm not familiar with Gonzalez's specific proposal on that), but *some* sort of tax I would 100% support.

Wife works for MIT where they have strong feelings about protecting that, so it's a nonstarter in our household. I like Gonzalez's progressive proposals and his attempt to raise revenue for them, but MIT's endowment hits too close to home for us. Plus, Democrats lost their collective mind when Republicans proposed the same thing just a year ago.

Harvard? Yeah, go ahead and tax that shit.

Incidentally, I actually voted for a Libertarian for auditor after the Globe endorsed him over Bump.

Fair enough, then. I wouldn't vote to tax my wife's employer either, I suppose.

Voted straight line Democrat (though a lot of the races were unopposed, which made that easier).

The woman behind me in line didn't get to vote, but then I'm not sure that she should vote. Strike one was when she was complaining about how her husband is impossible to buy gifts for, and her example was that she bought him an expensive watch for his birthday, only he already had an expensive watch that her parents got him for their wedding, so he was like "I'm not totally sure what to do with this". Which like...seems like a fairly normal and entirely predictable reaction?

Anyway, strikes two and three were when she got to the front of the voting line in Boston, at Boston City Hall, only she was viciously turned away in a cruel act of voter suppression because: (2) she lives in Brookline; and not sure if this came as a surprise, BUT: (3) Brookline is not Boston.

Howcome everybody gets to vote early around here? Whatever happened to election Tuesday, in this case, the sixth? Not fair.

I'm voting on Tuesday (although my wife did early voting). I'll also be going around to polling places to assess whether they are appropriately accessible to those with disabilities and the elderly as part of an agreement the city board of elections came to with the feds.

I'm voting Tuesday as well. My wife can't fit it in, despite being off that day. If Beto loses by one vote there'll be hell to pay.

I just checked where we vote. it's a mile from our house. I think she can squeeze it in.

All of Colorado votes by mail. Well, we receive ballots in the mail, but we can drop them off at a ballot collection box, we don't have to actually mail them back. Which is what I usually do anyway, but after the USPS facility in one of the counties this year "misplaced" a truck with 60k ballots (blank, not the ones that people already voted), I'm even less inclined to ever trust the post office with my filled-in ballot.

coopasonic wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:32 pm I'm voting Tuesday as well. My wife can't fit it in, despite being off that day. If Beto loses by one vote there'll be hell to pay.

I just checked where we vote. it's a mile from our house. I think she can squeeze it in.

Just tell her that you're taking her as a reward to someplace fun (an arcade, massage place, etc.). Then just say you have to pop in and do something real quick, and then go into the polling place with her, and just be like "ok, just fill this out real quick, and we'll be on our way".

coopasonic wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:32 pm My wife can't fit it in, despite being off that day.

Unacceptable regardless of whom she is voting for. Tell her to get to the polls and vote. My wife and I will be dragging our daughter along to stand in line with us.She (the daughter) is thrilled. Seriously. She is. And I'm going to keep repeating that to myself until after we have voted and can go home and hide from her wrath.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:26 pm Howcome everybody gets to vote early around here? Whatever happened to election Tuesday, in this case, the sixth? Not fair.

Vote Yes on Prop 3 and make this the new reality for all of us!

Z-Corn wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:50 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:26 pm Howcome everybody gets to vote early around here? Whatever happened to election Tuesday, in this case, the sixth? Not fair.

Vote Yes on Prop 3 and make this the new reality for all of us!

is it three or two? Either way, I'm voting yes on both of them. No DeVos lies can dissuade me.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:10 pm The woman behind me in line didn't get to vote, but then I'm not sure that she should vote. Strike one was when she was complaining about how her husband is impossible to buy gifts for, and her example was that she bought him an expensive watch for his birthday, only he already had an expensive watch that her parents got him for their wedding, so he was like "I'm not totally sure what to do with this". Which like...seems like a fairly normal and entirely predictable reaction?

Anyway, strikes two and three were when she got to the front of the voting line in Boston, at Boston City Hall, only she was viciously turned away in a cruel act of voter suppression because: (2) she lives in Brookline; and not sure if this came as a surprise, BUT: (3) Brookline is not Boston.

Ladies and gentlemen, the "Average American Voter".

gilraen wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:43 pm All of Colorado votes by mail. Well, we receive ballots in the mail, but we can drop them off at a ballot collection box, we don't have to actually mail them back. Which is what I usually do anyway, but after the USPS facility in one of the counties this year "misplaced" a truck with 60k ballots (blank, not the ones that people already voted), I'm even less inclined to ever trust the post office with my filled-in ballot.

We do the same, plus there is a certain gestalt for dropping them off on election day that makes the whole thing that much more special (for me). I am really fascinated by the local issues on the ballot for CO and fear with national craziness dominating airwaves it may have kept some people from really thinking through on the initiatives. If 112 and 74 both pass it could be wild to watch the after effects. Off the cuff I was in favor of 74 (takings bad) but the then I realized the absolute crater it will blow in the state budget (especially if we pass 112). So you want additional setbacks from oil and gas wells, per 74 that's a taking and you will need to pay the oil and gas industry billions of dollars to make them whole. And the fix our damn roads initiative is another wolf in sheep's clothing that is bad policy that might sound rather attractive to non-informed voters of all stripes.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:56 pm

Z-Corn wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:50 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:26 pm Howcome everybody gets to vote early around here? Whatever happened to election Tuesday, in this case, the sixth? Not fair.

Vote Yes on Prop 3 and make this the new reality for all of us!

is it three or two? Either way, I'm voting yes on both of them. No DeVos lies can dissuade me.

I would hope you vote Yes on all three proposals!

As your attending physician I recommend moderate doses of reefer, stat!

In all seriousness though...you ever think of seeing if CBD helps you at all? Please don't feel you have to answer if I'm prying.

Z-Corn wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 5:27 pm I would hope you vote Yes on all three proposals!

As your attending physician I recommend moderate doses of reefer, stat!

In all seriousness though...you ever think of seeing if CBD helps you at all? Please don't feel you have to answer if I'm prying.

I strong Yes on all proposals but I won't be touching CBT or anything else until it becomes without a doubt legal. My company still reserves the right drug test and medical card wouldn't shield me from their discretion.

My candidate from WA42 posted this- https://xkcd.com/2067/?fbclid=IwAR01JMN ... NhDSy7_GTM

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 5:43 pm

Z-Corn wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 5:27 pm I would hope you vote Yes on all three proposals!

As your attending physician I recommend moderate doses of reefer, stat!

In all seriousness though...you ever think of seeing if CBD helps you at all? Please don't feel you have to answer if I'm prying.

I strong Yes on all proposals but I won't be touching CBT or anything else until it becomes without a doubt legal. My company still reserves the right drug test and medical card wouldn't shield me from their discretion.

I thought the days of companies interfering in employee’s sex lives was long over.

From the "Kids these days..." file:

12 Young People on Why They Probably Won’t Vote

More than half of American adults plan to cast ballots in November, but only a third of people ages 18 to 29 say they will. Here, 12 young adults on why they probably won’t vote.

tl:dr -- They're all idiot hipsters.

Those idiots make me mad and sick both. Need a good ass kickin.

My polling place is at the end of my block. It takes no time at all; it’s an extremely easy process. But I think that’s also what makes it seem sort of alienating and anticlimactic. You go in and you’re like, “This is the climax of democracy,” like, the sticker on my chest is the climax of democracy.

Not voting because it's too easy? We're doomed.

Defiant wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:20 pm

My polling place is at the end of my block. It takes no time at all; it’s an extremely easy process. But I think that’s also what makes it seem sort of alienating and anticlimactic. You go in and you’re like, “This is the climax of democracy,” like, the sticker on my chest is the climax of democracy.

Not voting because it's too easy? We're doomed.

Idiots. Simple-minded, simple gratification idiots.

The "Climax of Democracy" isn't your voting (or the cute little sticker, if they never grew out of that phase). The Climax is seeing the results of the votes in action!
But holy shit, if they don't get a hand job in the voting booth then it's just not rewarding enough.

Freyland wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:28 pm

Defiant wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:20 pm

My polling place is at the end of my block. It takes no time at all; it’s an extremely easy process. But I think that’s also what makes it seem sort of alienating and anticlimactic. You go in and you’re like, “This is the climax of democracy,” like, the sticker on my chest is the climax of democracy.

Not voting because it's too easy? We're doomed.

Idiots. Simple-minded, simple gratification idiots.

The "Climax of Democracy" isn't your voting (or the cute little sticker, if they never grew out of that phase). The Climax is seeing the results of the votes in action!
But holy shit, if they don't get a hand job in the voting booth then it's just not rewarding enough.

Doh! We forgot to hand out participation trophies!

Fitzy wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:31 pm

LordMortis wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 5:43 pm

Z-Corn wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 5:27 pm I would hope you vote Yes on all three proposals!

As your attending physician I recommend moderate doses of reefer, stat!

In all seriousness though...you ever think of seeing if CBD helps you at all? Please don't feel you have to answer if I'm prying.

I strong Yes on all proposals but I won't be touching CBT or anything else until it becomes without a doubt legal. My company still reserves the right drug test and medical card wouldn't shield me from their discretion.

I thought the days of companies interfering in employee’s sex lives was long over.

For real, you might need CBD to get over the pain of CBT...don't forget your safe word!

Only you can stop computer based training.

Max Peck wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:13 pm tl:dr -- They're all idiot hipsters.

I really, really dislike hipsters, but then I remember that I was an insufferable prick in my 20's too, so I can't be too judgmental.

Max Peck wrote: ↑Fri Nov 02, 2018 8:13 pm From the "Kids these days..." file:

12 Young People on Why They Probably Won’t Vote

More than half of American adults plan to cast ballots in November, but only a third of people ages 18 to 29 say they will. Here, 12 young adults on why they probably won’t vote.

tl:dr -- They're all idiot hipsters.

A third would be 50% more than the 20% of youngsters who voted in the last midterms, so that's actually a huge increase.

Some of these kids are saying that they simply aren't inspired by establishment candidates, who don't speak to their lives or interests or futures. They're at least thoughtful. Then you have the ones like Anna: "When I was at the post office to register, this poor girl, clearly also a college student like me, didn’t know what “postmarked” meant and had no idea how to send an important document by mail. Most people my age have zero need to go to the post office and may have never stepped into one before." And Megan: "Typically, I check way before that time, then forget to check again, or just
say “Fuck it” because I don’t own a printer or stamps anyway." Or Nathan: "It’s a wild theory, but setting voting up so that it’s all on social media, putting all that information in just an Instagram Story, in a Snapchat filter or whatever — bulleted-out, easy-to-read, digestible content — would encourage me to vote. Just maybe it’s a social-media page or an Instagram page where it gives daily facts about how to do things or DIYs on how to vote for yourself, something like that. Just to make it easily digestible to a younger audience that’s on social media, ’cause that’s how they digest their information."

Good lord. Maybe America just doesn't deserve democracy anymore. It's such a hassle.

Heh, this thread is funny coming from a bunch of parents.

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