Socialism... yuck hate the idea... What has the government ever done for us.

"All right... all right... but apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order... what have the Romans done for us?"

From "Monty Python's Life of Brian"

If large numbers of people believe in freedom of speech, there will be freedom of speech even if the law forbids it.

But if public opinion is sluggish, inconvenient minorities will be persecuted, even if laws exist to protect them.

I live in Philly and there is a NFL playoff game later on today involving a team from said city. There is also a team from the other side of the state playing in the later game. Jo, my wife, and I have "guessed" the score of both games. Lets see how well we do.

Jo - 28-17 Eagles , 21-17 Steelers
Matt - 28-14 Eagles , 17-7 Steelers

I can't think, I'm a drone that can't sleep, finals might be getting the best of me... tomorrow will be another round, so instead of laying in bed, I got up and posted the following Gnarls Barkley lyrics... maybe it will bring me peace as it expresses a bit of me and at this point, and it was rattling around my mind, and letting it go on the web might be what I need.

I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place.
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space

And when you're out there
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much

Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
probably

And I hope that you are having the time of your life
But think twice, that's my only advice

Come on now, who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you think you are,
Ha ha ha bless your soul
You really think you're in control

Well, I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember is thinking, I want to be like them
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done

Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably

Uh, uh

A Black JFK has been elected... his name is Barack Obama.... YEAAAAAAAAH!!!! Now for the long walk with our new leader and the travails that we will face together.

I'll tell you one thing, I am ready for "Talking around the kitchen table, People on Main Street, Friends, and Joe the Plumber" to take a hike over the cliche cliff.

I'm a registered Republican, and became so in 2000. I was an independent before that, but I wanted to vote for John McCain in that year's Pennsylvania Primary. At heart I'm still an independent and have voted for both parties since. To be honest though, my default is to vote Republican if I don't recognize the candidates on the ballot, yes this happens too often, as I basically agree with the party's basic principles.

One of the "benefits" to being a registered Republican is that I am on their mailing list, and each election cycle their hate mail comes to my mailbox to inform me how crappy the Democrats are. The latest one has a picture, on a folded cardboard 6 by 8, of a peaceful looking city on a bay or ocean with a few tall buildings (not New York, but similar). Bold across the front, "Do you want America to be safe?" or something to that effect. I opened up the folded glued cardboard and the panorama of the city continues and it says, "Barack Obama wants to talk to Terrorists" below that, "John McCain will stand up to them" and ends with "Who do you feel safe with." It was so absurd, I actually laughed when I read it. I wished the candidates could do better in appealing to people at a higher level, but at the end of day we have what we deserve. We can't be bothered with details, and the Karl Roves of the world take advantage of our short attention spans with quick audacious half-truths. It's done on both sides of the aisle, but it just seems more egregious and divisive on the right.

With the campaign rolling to its conclusion, I have to say the 2008 McCain has been very disappointing, especially in comparison to the 2000 McCain. Catering to the 18% who decide their vote on if you're a believer or not, McCain made a huge mistake picking Palin. The strongest argument McCain had was his experience, and he proceeded to gut it with his VP choice. He is, after all, 72 with multiple bouts of cancer. I don't want her to be our leader, you know. The notion of him standing up to do what is right unless there is an alternative that will help him get elected, as the Palin choice shows, further diminished another one of his strongest appeals. Pushing a tax cut to look more Republican is ridiculous with its breaks to the rich and big business. Finally, the dirty water politics he is playing now, as the Republican spinsters pull the strings, is just sad for a man I thought would run a respectful campaign that dealt with the issues. He is willing to sell his ideals to be elected and that alone makes him unqualified.

Obama can't be left off the hook either. He is getting in the mud and throwing it around too, probably on the advice of his string pullers; however that isn't what bothers me most - it's his overly nauseating rhetoric, and painting his ideals in flowery BS that makes me think of a used car salesman. Enough already. Can't he talk to people as people, with any type of ease and be to the point? Geesh, I'd rather have Andy Rooney talk about a blank piece of paper.

Obama did choose well with Joe Biden (Democrat Cheney), and Obama's message is consistent, positive, and, if you have a day or two and a nap, makes sense and, in essence, is fair to people. I believe he will be an excellent president and lead us to necessary healthcare reforms (everyone should have health insurance), mend international fences kicked over by W. Bush, and pull us through the latest turmoil with strong, encouraging, decisive leadership. Along with natural intelligence, strength of character, and perseverance, I feel he is not only the best choice, but also the only sensible choice this time around.

So Senator Obama, I've decided I'm voting for you. Now get off my lawn and off my TV, and take that hollow "sellout" opponent candidate with you.

MERIBOR
I've analyzed the rings in old
trees. I've examined rock strata
to correlate evidence of climactic
changes over the centuries.
(beat)
Father -- this planet is dying.

He looks at her with a mixture of anguish and
adoration.

PICARD
Perhaps I should have filled your
head with trivial concerns...
games and toys and clothes...

She smiles gently at him.

MERIBOR
I don't think you mean that.

PICARD
No... but it saddens me to see
you bear the burden of knowing
things... things you can't change.

MERIBOR
It's no more a burden than you
bear.

PICARD
But I'm not sixteen. With my life
ahead of me.

A beat, and then, pensively --

MERIBOR
Father? I think I should marry
Dannick sooner rather than
later... don't you?

PICARD
I can only say...
(Beat)
... Live now, Meribor. Always make
"now" the most precious time.
"Now" will not come again.

Cindy McCain

Cindy McCain dressed in a raincoat to talk about helping Gustav victims. Did you hear that getup cost $300,000 ; Mostly the diamonds. I guess you gotta look good for charity.


Then we have Palin, aka VPILF, who said "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick." I must admit I laughed, but turns out it's truer than not.

Personally I think she looks great without the plaster

Jon Stewart really takes on the Right Wing Operatives double talking <Link>. Do yourself a favor watch it.

~Matthew

Okay not really, but I do need to update this website a bit more often. I consider it a jewel of mine, and I never clean it, polish it, or wear it. Seems a bit of a shame, that I mostly only use it to test some piece of "cool" code in my prognosticating surfing... maybe with the time restriction that school places on me, I'll be more motivated to have some creative fun, with tangible results, and form a more coalesced site. Then again...