A Simple Way To Go Faster Than Light That Does Not Work

I got called out about insinuating in an earlier post that Romney would institute an ultrapatriarchal dystopia should he become POTUS. Listing my justifications for this hyperbole, I came to the realization that, while he is famously anti-abortion and anti-teh-gay[1], I wasn't able to name his stances on the big political-scientific issues. So let's do a little research, shall we?

Generally, I get the impression that he doesn't really give a shit about any of this stuff and is willing to say whatever his machine thinks the base - that magical 27 percent - wants to hear, with each position given the little "but we don't know for sure!" wink meant to mollify more moderate conservatives cough cough. But I did find at least one surprise here.

Global Warming: As his governorship started to morph into a presidential run, he publically mumbled that maybe there wasn't any global warming, and later backed the state out of environmental responsibilities. Now his campaign issues press releases talking about "the radical environmental ideas of the liberal left ".

Stem cells: Oh, I remember this now. He's been openly anti-stem-cell-research for years, telling researchers in his own state to stuff it. He hasn't changed his mind in current press releases, where he speaks of how, after he thought about it for a while, it became clear to him that stem cell research is a dead end, and nevermind what some ethically challenged eggheads up in their towers think.

Evolution: In a recent interview, Romney said he found it reasonable to believe that God set evolution in motion - a common position for non-backwards religious folks to take, and one I don't have much of a problem with. This surprises me, because it's not the obvious cynical "Teach the Controversy!" play to the jesus-base. Keep your eye on this one; it's a clear outlier and I bet it changes.

This all just confirms for me that Romney's down in the "I'd vote for a random number generator over this guy" category, much like our current president. I don't know if the lack of a bumbling-manchild vibe makes him more or less likable than GWB. But really, it doesn't matter.

[1] Yes yes, lol flip-flop. Listen, that's allowed. In 2004 I spit acid at those who mocked Kerry for changing his mind on positions ever, and I reserve the same treatment for those who challenge Romney on the same grounds. You get some spit in both eyes if you defended Kerry then and attack Romney now on this non-issue. There are so many more valid targets than this, folks.

I do not trust this weather. Surely something is afoot when one's Cambridge home is cooler than the air outside, by virtue of the shade -- in December.
Naturally my thoughts turn to worries about global warming, but I don't remember this past summer as particularly dreadful.

Several months ago I read articles on science websites about big ol' chunks of Antarctica breaking away from the mainland, detected by satellite imagery and such. I believe that mention of this got all the way up to cnn.com as far as mainstream media penetration, but it didn't rise above the bottommost headlines, under the 'SCIENCE' subheading. Not very good.

I told Cthulhia via email that I wouldn't mind accompanying her and queue on their road trip this weekend, but haven't heard back from her yet, and am not pressing the issue. On the one hand, I have a lot of work to do, and staying home would probably help me accomplish it. On the other, I have never been to NYC, let alone during these most interesting times, let alone in the company of cool people, and I think I'd net a tidy bundle of valuable XP from the experience. Plus: I do have a laptop, as I am so prone to forget. On the third hand, having friends like cthulhia means that these sorts of opportunities pop up not entirely infrequently, so I wouldn't weep to pass this one up. I shall do whatever.

Went to a most interesting lecture wednesday afternoon, Nadine Sorensen(?), president of the ACLU addressing an MIT crowd about U.S. government intrusion of its citizens' Internet usage. I wrote a report about it, but it's on the iBook, which is currently not on any network, alas: Rick came and took away the house firewall, and busy busy Charles, though he has toiled mightily upon it, has yet to properly set up the firewall rules of the replacement box we were able to scrounge. He has kindly given me an account on it, though, allowing me to LJ at you now by way of lynx. Not too bad, but I found yesterday that trying to do Web development with nothing but consoles is kinda painful. Despite this, my first contract job (what an awful-sounding phrase...) shall be completed this weekend, NYC or not.

Charles is one of these people who broadcasts their good moods by speaking in a silly accent. There ought to be a name for these people.