Push polling in June in Ohio, WTF? (poll)
Thu Jun 29, 2006 at 06:27:07 PM PDT
I will be the first to admit that I don't know much about polling. Sure I occasionally read Mystery Pollster around election time, but in general I am not up on polling.
But it seems like the GOP in Ohio is up to no good as usual. Or perhaps they are just trying out a new bag of tricks. In any event, this evening I got polled for the first time. An elderly woman called and requested me by name and said she was from Fenton Polling (or something like that).
Argentina's Economic "Crisis" of 2002 and why you should give a rat's ass
Mon Apr 18, 2005 at 02:26:33 PM PDT
Pessimists, bears, doomsayers. There are a lot of folks around these parts talking about economics and a lot of voices predicting a downturn or worse: a recession, crisis, or depression. I am not particularly optimistic myself which is why in the short term I am taking steps to try and cover my own ass.
In any event, I occasionally see mention of Argentina in these sorts of discussions and reference to Argentina's crisis. The people doing the mentioning of it tend to do it in the right context. However, I would be willing to bet that most Americans and even most Kossacks have no idea what the "Argentina crisis" was or why it occurred.
Having done a research paper on this specific issue last year for my international econ class, I would say that I know more about it than your average person. The optimists say it could never happen here and the true pessimists say it will be much, much worse. So jump with me if you want some details.
Did you miss these tax savings?
Thu Mar 31, 2005 at 07:43:10 AM PDT
In the Extreme Theocon diary, it was mentioned that Virginia has a tax credit for people contributing to political campaigns. Last year when I did my Ohio income tax I discovered this to be true there as well. Too late to claim it even thought I had done my taxes myself in Ohio at least the past 10 years. I even went and checked the 2002 forms to see if it was a new things that the Republicans had snuck in to benefit themselves.
Nope. It was there the year before which made me realize that since prior to the Dean campaign I almost never donated political contributions to anyone that it was never something that I paid any attention too.
Is your state one that gives a tax incentive to donate?
yes it's fucking political
Tue Mar 22, 2005 at 07:19:31 AM PDT
Friday I got offered a job. Finally. After hard core job hunting for about 10 weeks and off and on job hunting before that for about 18 months while I hid out in grad school. Eventually I realized I wasn't personality-wise cut out for research or the ivory tower. So I decided that as much as job hunting may seem like snipe hunting that this is not nearly as bad as dealing with boring research and academic BS.
So I got offereed a job and now it's time for negotiating the salary. So I thought I would come to the Kossack community for advice since in some ways this is a big family from the evil trolls to the big mouths to the quiet lurkers. But then I briefly thought "well this isn't really political". Salary negotiation and all. Or is it?
Barbara Boxer Roses and one of the problems with DKos
Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 04:47:00 PM PDT
A few minutes ago I called 1-888-501-7673 to chip in $10 toward 3 roses for the
Barbara Boxer Rose Campaign . The first time I called it was busy but the second time I got through and pledged $10.
Now, this ins't just a repetitive diary highlighting the fact that tonight is the last chance to participate in this. It is highlighting what I see as a problem with DKos and wanting to discuss what can be done about it.
The Barbara Boxer Rose campaign has apparently been posted about on DKos sporadically for the past two weeks, but it is the first time I have come across it and it was only because I was reading some of the comments on the Dean/DNC/ActBlue fundraising thread that I even got wind of it.
rant against magnetic ribbons
Sun Feb 06, 2005 at 07:11:02 PM PDT
Ever since someone here on Kos pointed out
this site with kind of snarky yellow ribbons, I have been thinking about the whole magnetic ribbon trend. Part of me thinks a ribbon with "Support the Magnetic Ribbon Industry" or "God Bless Jingoistic Ribbons"* would be rather fun in this red state conservative hell I live in now. But more of me hates these ribbons to the point that I couldn't allow one, even a mocking one, on my vehicle.
So why do I hate them? It isn't that they have essentially become a symbol of the Republicans. Particularly when there are several of them on a new mega-SUV. I mean, I don't hate elephants.
And I don't hate them because I see so many of them on their sides as the Fundies use the ribbons to double as a Jesus fish. Jesus fish have always made me laugh after reading on ReligiousTolernace.org how the fish became a Christian symbol.
Habitat for Humanity with poll
Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 11:19:31 AM PDT
So I was checking out the websites of various organizations that I like with the intention of giving some tsunami aid and I came across this
news release from yesterday that Habitat fired its founder and president Millard Fuller and his wife, co-founder of Habitat, Linda Fuller.
I found this very interesting. I had heard for a while about the dispute and sexual harassment that went on. On one hand I feel a little for the Fullers being forced out of what has essentially been their baby for the past 40 years. On the other hand I am glad Habitat's board took action as sexual harassment is unacceptable. In addition, Habitat isn't just the Fullers' dream for a better world anymore.
Sex Discrimination hits home
Wed Jan 19, 2005 at 07:35:28 AM PDT
I know that there are a lot of lawyers around these parts so I thought someone might be able to help me on this. Isn't it illegal to refuse to interview all female candidates who are otherwise qualified for a given job? It certainly seems like sex discrimination in violation of Title VII to me.
I was informed today that a company that I had applied to will not be interviewing me. The hiring manager (a male) was very interested in me and was "impressed" with my resume. However he said that the HR manager (a female) vetoed this. The hiring manager told me over the phone that he believes this is because of a sexual harassment complaint that occurred in this department. A woman filed a sexual harassement complaint that the company and the EEOC found had "no just cause". Then the woman filed a lawsuit that is currently in court.
Ralph Nader for Protest voting for other offices (i.e. not the President)
Mon Oct 18, 2004 at 06:45:02 AM PDT
I voted for Ralph Nader today, but before you draw and quarter me, I should add that it wasn't for the office of the US Presidency. I, of course, voted for Kerry-Edwards to run this country for the next 4 and, hopefully 8 years. I don't particularly like Ralph and think in general he would be awful if actually elected to office.
However, I did vote for Ralph to be my representative to the state house in MA to represent the first district of Worcester. Now obviously Ralph isn't running for that position, but it came down to a write-in vote for either him or Mickey Mouse. I decided that voting for Ralph is the ultimate protest vote when you are protesting the Democrats. And in this case, I am pretty pissed off about the local Democratic party.
In a state where the Democrats control both U.S. Senate seats and all ten U.S. House of Representative seats and veto-proof super-majorities in the state House and state Senate, how the hell did the Democrats have no one running against Lew Evangelisdis, an anti-gay Republican who wants to enshrine discrimination into the constitution? Was there no one who would run? Not even someone to just have their name on the ballot even if they didn't campaign? Hell, I would've run if I had known before the deadline that no one was running. But I ASSUMED (that is made an ASS of U and ME) that the local Democratic party was competent enough to at least put in a place holder or protest vote recorder for those who don't like Evangelidis or Republicans in general, even if they knew it wasn't a winnable seat. Sometimes an "unwinnable" seat suddenly becomes an opportunity if the person retires or dies or has a sex scandal or starts acting mentally unbalanced and the Democrats should always have a candidate ready to capitalize on the misfortunes of the Republicans.
Getting out the vote in Ohio
Sun Oct 17, 2004 at 04:31:14 PM PDT
So yesterday I finally bit the bullet and bought a plane ticket to Ohio. I leave at 6 am on Oct. 30 and spend Halloween there and come home after we win, on Nov. 3. I am going to Columbus since that is where I've lived most of my adult life and still did as of last December.
My question is this: Who should I volunteer with?
ACT?
John Kerry's campaign?
Some other organization?
Please give me your advice and reasoning.
Oh, yeah. I also intend to weedle a car out of my mom while there.
Cost to Turn out the vote
Thu Oct 14, 2004 at 01:58:14 PM PDT
I didn't see anyone else post on this in the past 50 diaries. So apologies if this has already been discussed.
Today's NYTimes had an interesting article in the business section about a study on the cost of getting out the vote and the effectiveness of various methods. Two Yale political scientists have summarized their findings in a book "Get Out the Vote!".
Professors Green and Gerber conducted a remarkable series of experiments in which potential targets of voter mobilization drives were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a treatment group that received a mailing, say, and a control group that did not. The researchers then examined actual voting records to see if turnout increased for the treatment group relative to the control group.
Keep reading to see some of their key conclusions or just read the whole article.
Freep the hip hop debate poll
Tue Oct 12, 2004 at 05:00:28 PM PDT
http://www.miniclip.com/hiphopdebate.htm
Right now Bush is up 56% to 44%.
They are claiming this is the biggest election poll ever taken.
"Bush and Kerry battle Hip-Hop style. Place your Vote in the Biggest Election poll ever taken. Once you've seen all their moves VOTE for your favorite candidate."
Bush is not going to win the hip-hop vote so let's ensure he doesn't win this poll either.
Where should I go to GOTV? (poll)
Thu Oct 07, 2004 at 11:41:10 AM PDT
As some of you know who read my fairly infrequent diaries, I am an Ohioan in Massachusetts. I have a somewhat flexible schedule because I am a grad student and it is possible for me to shift my work around so that I have Friday (or maybe Thursday) through Tuesday of election weekend off.
From where I live now I could make daily trips to New Hampshire or Maine. I could also easily drive to PA if I can scam a place to stay. Or I can fly home to Cowtown (Columbus, OH) stay with friends and work on getting out the vote there or in the SE part of the state where I grew up. The latter will cost around $200 and I'll be away from my kid and spouse for almost a week.
I'm conducting a poll of where you think is most likely to swing to Kerry and need extra bodies to do it. Is it going to come down to Ohio or somewhere else?
Climbed the Mighty Mountain
Thu Sep 30, 2004 at 08:33:02 PM PDT
In his closing remarks Bush said
We've climbed the mighty mountain. I see the valley below, and it's a valley of peace.
That sounded like some sort of biblical talk raw meat to his fundie base. My spouse said it sounded somewhat familiar (he almost became a priest) but that he thought whatever the quote was, Bush he screwed it up. Likely because he doesn't know the bible very well and only plays a Christian on TV.
Now searching about 20+ bible versions at http://bible.crosswalk.com/ I did not come up with anything for "valley of peace" and nothing relevant for "mighty mountain". Can you figure out what he was trying to communicate? Where is pastordan?
Electronic Voting Election Law Webcast from Ohio State U.
Thu Sep 23, 2004 at 08:58:36 AM PDT
Today, September 23, from 2004, 1:00 - 4:45 p.m.
Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law is having a panel discussion on election law and touch screen voting and electronic voting machines. It is being Webcast live
for anybody interested in how this is playing out in Ohio and around the country at least according to scholars.
The first panel will feature discussion of the empirical research on voting machines. It will also include computer scientists who will discuss both the risks and advantages of electronic voting. Finally, it will include discussion of the vulnerabilities of electronic voting, and proposals that have been made for enhancing its security.
The second panel will focus on the voting rights dimension of the controversy over electronic voting. This includes the claim made by some advocates that paperless electronic voting threatens to deny the right to vote, by preventing reliable audits of election results. On the other side, the panel will also include supporters of electronic voting who believe that electronic voting reduces the number of residual votes, and has the potential to enhance equal voting for people of color, non-English proficient citizens, and voters with disabilities. It will also assess the possible legislative, judicial and administrative responses to the risks posed by electronic voting.
The Truth about Ohio Part 1 of a series
Mon Sep 20, 2004 at 10:44:14 PM PDT
I keep reading posts on here about how Ohio is a lost cause. That they are backwater homophobic nitwits and that the Kerry campaign should give up on the state. It kind of pisses me off being an Ohioan, since while the state Democratic party is very inept, Ohio is not a completely red state like Alabama or Utah or Oklahoma or even Indiana. People act like the entire state is filled with white fundie homophobes. While Ohio has more than it's share, I also knew plenty of folks like that in Illinois and Massachusetts (the latter where I currently live). Anyway, here, I give you some analysis of where the votes are going to come from to push Kerry over the top on November 2.
The first group (or really groups) is the Arab American/Muslim segment of the Ohioan population. (you did know that Ohio isn't 100% Christian, right?)
Rant against outsourcing and poor management (+poll)
Sat Sep 18, 2004 at 06:23:20 PM PDT
ManfromMiddletown had a quote from Hillary Clinton on outsourcing that in my experience is right on:
You're probably asking, "How can we compete against countries where a computer programmer's wages are $10,000 per year while the equivalent U.S. wage is $100,000?" The explanation is that additional costs must be added to the offshore wages themselves to get the complete picture on costs. Companies have to spend money for planning, offshore transition, vendor selection, technology, communications, offshore management, travel and security. Many employers do not take every one of these costs into consideration. Add up all the costs and suddenly a call-center worker with a raw wage of $5 an hour offshore has a true cost of $17. And that's why we have the potential to be competitive.
There is a bandwagon effect going on where companies believe that it is cheaper and then work the numbers to prove that it is. The question is: are they willfully ignorant to the actual costs or just stupid?
Are YOU committed to winning
Thu Sep 16, 2004 at 09:31:28 AM PDT
I see a lot of armchair quarterbacking around here about what the Kerry campaign is doing wrong or right or ignoring or needs to change or whatever.
But I want to know if you are actually committed to winning this election? A lot of people are involved around here: they read this site, watch the news, listen to Air America, throw things at the TV when Bush or CNN is on. But are you really committed?
From a book I'm reading on the difference between commitment and involvement
You're probably familiar with that classic illustration of the difference between involvement and commitment. When you're makig eggs and bacon, the hen is involved - but the pig is committed.
The hen is busy laying one egg after another...The pig, on the other hand is totally committed to the process! It's going to sacrifice its life to make the bacon.
