VOTE!

A conversation between John Stewart and Dave Gorman on The Daily Show -

Stewart: "A Fox News poll has [Bush's approval rating] down to 32-33%. That can't be good for the Bush administration"
Gorman: "Depends on how you look at it John. 33% is more than enough to win an election."
Stewart: "...Uh...Dav...Dave, it's not."
Gorman: "It is John if you look at it right:




"This chart represents the population of America,








"and these folks represent the 33% of people who approve of the president.








"But voter turnout at the last election was only 61%,







"which means that 39% of the population doesn't count.





"So now, the Bush-approving 33% is 54% of the voters. More than enough to win an election, especially when you consider that's the same 33% that has the guns.

Harper's Index for March 2006

Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006. Originally from March 2006.

Sources indicated in brackets.

Number of U.S. counties where more than a fifth of “residents” are prison inmates: 21 [Prison Policy Initiative (Northampton, Mass.)]

Number of these that are in Texas: 10 [Prison Policy Initiative (Northampton, Mass.)]

Portion of New York Senate districts that would not meet the minimum population level without their inmates: 1/9 [Prison Policy Initiative (Northampton, Mass.)]

Percentage of U.S. House contests in 2004 that were decided by fewer than 10 percentage points: 5 [Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives]

Percentage of districts in 1972 that chose one party for President and another for the House: 44 [The Brookings Institution (Washington)]

Percentage that did in 2004: 14 [American Enterprise Institute (Washington)]

Percentage of Democrats and Republicans, respectively, who say the Iraq war was “worth fighting”: 4, 84 [M.I.T. Public Opinion Research Training Lab (Cambridge, Mass.)]

Total projected cost of the war per U.S. household, based on a January estimate: $19,600 [Joseph Stiglitz, Columbia University (N.Y.C.)]

Amount that one of Saddam Hussein’s military uniforms sold for at auction in December: $16,000 [Manion's International Auction House (Kansas City, Kans.) ]

Monthly fee that Court TV is charging for live Internet coverage of his trial: $5.95 [Court TV (N.Y.C.)]

Number of suicide bombings known to have been carried out by Iranians: 0 [Robert Pape, University of Chicago]

Minimum number of times that Frederick Douglass was beaten in what is now Donald Rumsfeld’s vacation home: 25 [Harper's research]

Percentage of African-American families that have zero or negative net worth: 31 [Edward N. Wolff, New York University]

Chance that the family of an African-American child is too poor to qualify for the full U.S. child tax credit: 1 in 2 [Tax Policy Center (Washington)]

Percentage change in the amount of housework done by women after they marry for the first time: +17 [Sanjiv Gupta, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)]

Percentage change in the amount done by men: ‒33 [Sanjiv Gupta, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)]

Rank of 2004 among years when the most U.S. babies were born out of wedlock: 1 [National Center for Health Statistics (Hyattsville, Md.)]

Number of half-siblings who have found each other on a website for children of anonymous sperm donors: 1,316 [Donor Sibling Registry (Nederland, Colo.)]

Greatest number of them who have the same father: 21 [Donor Sibling Registry (Nederland, Colo.)]

Minimum number of registered sex offenders who evacuated during Hurricane Katrina and cannot be accounted for: 2,000 [U.S. Administration for Children and Families]

Miles from Berlin’s World Cup stadium that a four-story brothel has recently opened: 2 [FKK-Saunaclub Artemis (Berlin)]

Percentage change since 1992 in the number of civil wars worldwide claiming more than a thousand lives: ‒80 [Human Security Centre (Vancouver)]

Chance that a nation lacking resource wealth will have a civil war in any given five-year span: 1 in 100 [Paul Collier, Centre for the Study of African Economies (Oxford, England)]

Chance that a nation with resource wealth will: 1 in 5 [Paul Collier, Centre for the Study of African Economies (Oxford, England)]

Number of weapons that have been turned into tools for African farmers by a British nonprofit since 2001: 2,200 [APT Enterprise Development (Moreton-in-Marsh, England)]

Number of farm implements that a rocket launcher yields: 5 [APT Enterprise Development (Moreton-in-Marsh, England)]

Average percentage decline in U.K. child injuries during weekends when a new Harry Potter book is released: ‒46 [Stephen Gwilym, John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford, England)]

Number of books published in Britain since 2004 that have “shit,” “shite,” or “crap” in their titles: 23 [Harper's research]

Percentage change since 1995 in the number of U.S. fantasy books about dragons: +91 [Locus Magazine (Oakland)]

Percentage of Americans who believe that China will be stronger than the U.S. in a decade: 42 [Harris Interactive (Rochester, N.Y.)]

Number of copies sold in Japan since last summer of a comic book about the worthlessness of China: 180,000 [Asuka Shinsha (Tokyo)]

Number of copies sold of a similar comic book about Korea: 370,000 [Shinyusha (Tokyo)]

Chances that a Japanese person will make eye contact during conversation with another Japanese person: 2 in 5 [Karl MacDorman, Indiana University School of Informatics (Indianapolis)]

Chances that he or she will make eye contact during conversation with a robot: 3 in 5 [Karl MacDorman, Indiana University School of Informatics (Indianapolis)]

Amount paid in January for one of William Shatner’s kidney stones: $25,000 [GoldenPalace.com (Kahnawake, Quebec)]

Amount paid last fall for a Ford Escort driven by Pope John Paul II: $680,000 [Kruse International (Auburn, Ind.)]

Number of U.S. states whose constitutions require that public officials believe in a supreme being: 4 [Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (Kingston)]

Number of the 193 “laughing episodes” during Supreme Court arguments last term that were caused by Antonin Scalia: 77 [Jay D. Wexler, Boston University School of Law]

Number caused by Clarence Thomas: 0[Jay D. Wexler, Boston University School of Law]
This is Harper's Index for March 2006, a Harper's Index, originally from March 2006, published Monday, April 24, 2006. It is part of Harper's Index for 2006, which is part of The Harper's Index, which is part of Harpers.org.

"It's not that we can't make news like this up, it's that we wish we had to." - John Stewart

So Bush's top advisor, Karl Rove, is stepping down from his post to oversee midterm elections throughout the country. His replacement? Joel Kaplan, former White House Deputy Budget Director. Why is this news-worthy? Do you remember the 2000 riots in Dade County, Florida during the election recount? They were termed the "Brooks Brother Riots." Republican officials were sent on all-expense paid vacations to Florida with instructions to "shut it [the recount] down." Yeah... Kaplain was there. He was caught on film with several other top Republican officials when news camera crews filmed what was hapening. Here is a good recap of the story.

So that's right, ladies and gentlemen, your corrupt government just keeps on getting more currupt! The White House has given a top level job to someone who helped start a riot that caused 10,750 votes to be thrown out in an election that was factually stolen. There is no doubt. There is no guessing. Courts, legal analysts, and everyone but the current administration has come out and verified the factual evidence that proves that the 2000 election was stolen through evil, dirty, underhanded tricks like starting riots so votes would be thrown away.

Short of telling you how I want you to vote, I URGE you to pay attention to these things when you vote! Your congressman is what gives these charlatans the power they have! The Republican party has more money. That's a fact. Their campaigns will be [already are from what I've been reading] FILLED with LIES. The Republicans know they are going to have a difficult time getting elected so they are beginning to call for investigations of gas price fixing, yell and scream from their ivory towers about immigration, fake trying to sound candid at interviews, etc. IF WE AS A NATION ELECT A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS THEN BUSH WILL NOT HAVE FREE CONTROL OVER YOUR RIGHTS, YOUR FREEDOMS, AND YOUR LIFE THAT HE HAS BEEN EXCERCISING IN THE NAME OF "FREEDOM" FOR SIX YEARS NOW! Please trust me and at least look into it if you can't just take my word. I understand that. But look into it! You are being led by liars, thieves, and morally corrupt individuals who have committed more unlawful acts against the world than most of the people who went on trial at the Nuremburg Trials after WWII! You believe in freedom? Well you don't have it but they are making you think you do. Be free! Investigate! Think! Act! PLEASE!

FIN!

I want to thank all of you for making this year
possible. I've reflected alot trying to decide if it
was irresponsibility that landed me in the pickle I
found myself in but realized that my ultimate back-up
plan all along has been my family and friends. I've
done everything I can to make this work but I knew in
coming here that if things got really bad, I would be
able to find support from my family. I was only able
to make it through this 8 months because of all your
help and I wish that I could give more in return than
simple words. After this, I will always know what it
is like to want... I will always know the true
definition of the word "need." Someday I will be able
to help someone out... that's the best thanks I can
offer. From the call for help my mom put out, I have
received enough money to live through May and part of
June. I can't thank you all enough. Your words of
encouragement, care packages, food and financial
support have meant the world to me as I sit up here
alone... and because you have helped, I have been able
to focus 100% on my studies and finish my first year
with flying colors. If you hadn't heard, I will be
receiving a full ride to school next year in the form
of a TA (teaching assistant) job and a small
scholarship. Thank you for helping me make it through
this rough spot... next year will be so much easier.

I handed in the last essay of the year and didn't
really know what to do with myself afterwards. It's
really an odd feeling when something consumes 20 hours
of your every day and then suddenly just stops. So I
came home to start hacking away at the mountain of
dishes, laundry, and clutter that have accumulated
over the past few weeks. Yeah... it's pretty bad.
I'm heavy into the job search and have applications
out everywhere. I am really hoping to hear something
from someone soon. I applied for 2 graphic design
jobs I found online tonight that I am very qualified
for... and they just put the ads up yesterday so
hopefully my timing will work out. I'll let everyone
know when I hear something. Because of the help you
all gave, I am no longer stressed about finding a job
since I have a month cushion now. Again, thank you.

If you're interested, my latest project is online here.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you all! It may have
been because I hadn't really slept for a few days
before she told me, but when mom shared the news that
help was on the way I cried... I can't remember ever
crying because I was happy. Thank you...

So easily entertained...

Has anyone else ever noticed that Osama Bin Laden is always wearing a US Army field jacket? It cracks me up... on the one hand, it's a constant reminder that he was trained by US Special Forces in the 1980's... on the other, he's carrying on a holy war against us while wearing a jacket that was probably made in Deerborne, Michigan. See, even the holy crusaders lack the convictions they spew...

Here are a few other things I got done this semester...

humble thanks of a destitute student...

So since I last wrote, I've worked my tail off to finish my last project...

Here is the result of my labors...

My final review was excellent, but in a slightly twisted way. I had one of those critics who should never be invited into the school but she's also one of those who no one else wants and so when it comes time to find critics at the end of a year, she's cheap and available... So it goes. Whereas all the other Canadians (students) sit and take whatever nonesense someone throws their way (really is a freaky cultural passivism), I am not Canadian... not by a longshot. So when this woman started saying ridiculous things, I gently brought her back to bear on topic time and again. The short version is that, in the end, I was able to respond to this woman in such a way as to make her stop speaking altogether. Don't worry, Mom, I wasn't mean, rude, unprofessional, or anything bad. That's the best part, I responded in a completely tactful manner and she had not a leg to stand on. I love it... god bless military training. She was so academically embarassed by her own words that she decided it better to wait until the next person to unload her bunk. So while I received little helpful feedback on my project, I had fun and so did the two dozen or so people who showed up to watch me. Even my professors were about to fall out of their chairs a couple of times... really, no one likes this lady. So now that studio is done I've submitted the page above to Luce Studio in San Diego in hopes of earning a one-month internship they are offering this summer. There are alot of people applying so I'm really not expecting anything, but here's to hope. I'll let you know sometime this next week...

On to more important things now... my mom sent out a call for help on my behalf to friends and family last week. The response has been something of a miracle. I wish I had more than words to offer in thanks... I don't even know who has sent money... I only know that the money sent will be enough to get me onto another bike and pay for living expenses in May, at least. Thank you, thank you, thank you all! I've told this story to all of my friends at school and, more than once, have heard, "Wow, you've got a good family." I do. My only thanks other than words will come someday when someone needs help from me. I hope I can give as much as you all have. Again, thank you. You've put food in my cupboards, you've bought me a new bike (soon), and you've untied the knot that's been in my stomach for a week or two. I am exceedingly grateful. And don;t worry... those who thought to mention it... I never spend money that family sends me on cigarettes. That's a secondary expense that I take care of if/when I can from my own funds. I've had to cut way down and switched to black market smokes from the indians. It's the best compromise I can do right now...

So that's it for now. I'm going to go write the beginnings of my last paper today... god help me. It's due Monday at noon... I figure I'll get the preliminary writing done today, major revisions tomorrow, and then editing Monday morning before I hand it in. Once that's done, it's time to beat feet downtown and find a stinkin job. I have applications out spanning a few different fields but haven't heard anything yet. I'll be sure to let everyoine know the second that changes. It's cloudy out today... good. That will make me want to stay inside and write.

Thank you all again... thank you so very much.

And the hits just keep on coming

As if I weren't mentally unstable enough already, I walked out this morning to leave for school and my bike was gone. I never leave it outside... I was in a hurry last night though so I chained it to the front of the building. This has broken the last bit of will I think I had. I have 3 days left to finish my project and 5 days of work to do... lost a good half day to this crap... I have more than a dozen job applications out and no reply... I'm almost out of money... bottom line is that I can neither afford a new bike right now or a bus pass. If anyone can help out, I can really use it now... my stomach is in knots and I've wanted to do nothing but break down and cry this morning. This was just too much... I have officially lost my mind. I hate to sound so pathetic but sometimes you just have to call a duck a duck... so it goes.

What year is it?

I've been in the same clothes for 3 days I think... not sure. I've pulled at least 3 15-hour days in a row... again, not sure. I just want to stop building this stupid model... that's all! Soon... very soon...

I caught you a killer bass...

This is the fish I made. It measures 14" top to bottom x 18" nose to tail x 3" thick. These are bad pictures... I have to get someone to take good pics of them.

"It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN!" (dwee doo dweeeeee doooo... dwee doo dwee dwee dooooooo...)

I got the first one today... that first email from someone I graduated high school with 10 years ago. Yeah, my 10 year reunion is this summer... wow. That always elicits a laugh, young or old.

So my birthday came and went... sorry I couldn't be home to take your calls... I was at school from 9am to midnight. It's been like that alot lately. Getting ready to be worse. I just spent the last 3 days at school, coming home only to shower and feed the cats. I got a good night's rest last night though and I'm going to enjoy today before getting back to it tonight. It's been snowing and raining all week but it's finally getting warmer... mid forties today. Really, I'm not kidding... it's beautiful! I didn't buy a bus pass this month and so I'm back to riding my bike. I think I'll bike down to the outdoor market and buy some veggies. I plan on taking my crock pot to school and cooking soup while I work tonight... (and I can bring my crock pot to school thanks to the fancy rucksack I got for my birthday!) I'm going to make studio smell SO good... and they get NONE! HA! Well, most of them anyway. Soup tonight has been dubbed "family dinner," as it involves a handful of people bringing some chopped veggies to throw in the pot. Come to think of it, that's not very family-like at all. I'll bring that up later. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to a good meal. That was my reward last night for working straight through the past 2 or 3 days... a good meal. Actually I'm not sure how long exactly but point is, I've been working hard. So I fixed zucchini stir fry and watched a movie I got from a friend. It was a good night and a good night's rest. I should clean my apartment today but it will have to wait. Sorry I owe so many people calls... especially you Maury. Haven't talked to you in awhile... but you guys are used to this. Now is when I disappear for a few weeks. Final crits are on Easter Monday... clock's ticking. Talk to you guys then.

I drew this today...

I really enjoy this drawing. I thought you might too. It's what I'm working on for my studio project - a school of design situated at the end of the 850' Coney Island pier in New York City.

So close to done...

So it's been a couple of weeks since I wrote. I'm staring down the barrel of the last 3 weeks of school and the pace has definitely picked up. I haven't been able to get into my project this semester so it's come along slowly. I spent a week working on a fish sculpture, did some painting, and just generally wasted alot of time being at school but doing nothing. I decided that if I can't rationalize my work this time then I'll just do the sexiest drawings I've ever done and see what happens. I figure after five years of education I should be able to intuitively create something of value. This project is really building on everything else I've learned. I'm not into it at all but I just keep adding lines to paper... layering ideas upon ideas in hopes that eventually it will add up to a complete work. The French neoclassical painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres told Edgar Degas to "Draw lines, young man, draw lines." I'll let you know how that goes.

I went to an [architecture] "Fancy Dress Party" last night which was a birthday party for all of the April birthdays. Everyone dressed up... I wore my suit and hat with a rose boutonniere that I picked up from a flower shop across the street. They brought out a chocolate cake at about 2 this morning and sang happy birthday to us. There were no utensils so I started us off taking bites out of the cake as it was passed around. I got the whole cake smashed in my face and proceeded to spread the love. It was a great time. Picture a bunch of students standing around in suits and evening gowns... covered in chocolate cake. Good times...

So today I'm putting a job application in with a stone mason in Chinatown. I saw an ad in his window so I figure, what the heck. I've got a couple-dozen or so applications floating around but haven't heard anything yet. I'm really looking forward to being here this summer... but only if I can find a job. I'm working every lead I get but jobs are tough to come by in Ottawa. Here's to luck.

This next week, I have a final project due in my computer class (which I'll work on for the rest of today) and I have to get to work on a paper for Thomas' class. Studio is going to take time because I have to start producing masses of work. I just picked up groceries from the food bank on a day when they get fresh groceries so my cupboard is full of decent food and ready for crunch time. God, I'm sick of noodles. Heheheh... you could say starch builds character.

Mary K., I got your card and gift. Thank you so very much!

Cheers all...