Required Reading

I'm not going to name any specific examples here, but more astute readers will probably know what I'm thinking of. I have a question to pose. Am I the alone in thinking that a lawmaker should actually read a bill before voting on it?

It seems like there ought to be a law for that. Don't vote on a bill if you haven't at least skimmed it on your lunch break. I understand that these bills can get so long they come with their own research librarian, and that's before you load them down with pork. I understand that those bills have to be some of the most boring reading on Earth. I really do get that. But you know what? It's your job, plain and simple. Yeah, it sucks, but that's what you're getting those inordinately large paychecks for. We didn't elect you to smile in front of cameras, defend other members of your political party, or spend your entire term running for reelection. We elected you to write bills and to vote on bills. You wanted the power, this is the price.

Nobody's expecting you to memorize these things. This isn't school, we don't need you to quote sections of it by rote. But you should understand what's in this bill your colleague is proposing. Don't vote for it just because one of your guys wrote it. Certainly don't vote against it just because one of the other guys wrote it. That's High School nonsense, and you're supposed to be beyond that by now. And don't stick to party lines and then whine when the other guy does the same thing. That might fool the people who just show up at rallies to be told things they want to hear. But those of us who are paying attention notice it, and it's not winning you any points.

Once again, because this bears repeating. No one's expecting you to memorize the whole thing, but you should at least understand it. When I go to vote, there's usually a proposal or two that I'm asked to voice my opinion on. When those come up, I read them carefully. Then I read them again, because I usually didn't understand it the first time. Then I read it a third time, to make sure I get it. Yes, it's boring. Yes, there's other stuff I'd rather be doing. But you know what? It's my civic duty, and I take that seriously.

Oh and one more thing. If you don't read it, don't go on news and try to defend yourself by saying "Have you seen the size of that thing? Do you actually expect me to read the whole thing?"

Yes, Mr. or Ms. Member of Congress, that's exactly what we expect you to do. It's your job.

-Long Days and Pleasant Nights

Facial Hair Blues

I shaved my beard for Halloween, as I usually do. So I decided to participate in No Shave November to grow it back. Unfortunately, my facial hair grows very slowly. It's the middle of the month, and I still look like a neckbeard.

I think next year I should pick a costume that incorporates a Van Dyck, like Ming the Merciless or David Xanatos.

The Political Landscaper

I'm not going to talk about the election yesterday. Not any directly relating to it, good, bad, or other. I just had one thought I wanted to commit to the Internet before it fled my mind.

Years back, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected Governor of California, I joked that it was a brief step towards making the future of Demolition Man a reality. It was a joke, but I was kidding on the square, as they say.

It seemed to me that every four years, the people trotted out as serious contenders for the White House made the idea of a Schwarzenegger presidency seem more and more likely. Every four years, the bar got lowered, so that wackos who would have been laughed at in the previous election were being taken seriously the next time around.

Now it seems to me that a Schwarzenegger presidency is not only plausible, I wasn't even thinking far enough ahead. After all, it's not like we haven't had an actor become President before. And all it would take is a single Amendment to allow a foreigner to be President. And I have the feeling there's plenty of people who wouldn't have cared if it did turn out that Obama was born in Kenya.

So the idea of an actor born on foreign soil winning the Presidency isn't too far fetched anymore. No, we gotta go farther. So in that vein, I think that we can look forward to seeing Jack Slater run for President. As in, the titular character in Last Action Hero. Someone who is not just a fictional character, but someone who is a fictional character within the work he appears in. A "show within a show" character, as it were. He's not even real in the movie, that's how fictional he is.

And I think he has a decent shot at the White House. I might even vote for him We could do worse.

-Long Days and Pleasant Nights

I have to say, I'm impressed

You may have heard, last night the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in over a century. I'm not a baseball fan myself, but I've noticed something about baseball fans in this city: They don't understand the meaning of "not a fan." I've had the following conversation at least twice every baseball season of my life.

Fan: Do you like the Cubs or the White Sox?
Me: I don't watch baseball.
Fan: Yeah, but do you like the Cubs or the Sox?
Me: I'm not a sports fan.
Fan: ...But do you like the Cubs, or the Sox?

Maybe this is the case everywhere, or just in areas that support more than one team. But in Chicago at least, you're not allowed to have no preference. They seem to be incapable of understanding that other people may not be fans. If you're one of those people and don't understand what I'm saying, imagine this alternate scenario.

Me: Which is better; Star Trek or Star Wars?
Person: I'm not into Sci Fi.
Me: OK, but, Star Trek or Star Wars?

I must say that I imagine this conversation has taken place somewhere. Sports fans aren't the only people to have myopia about their interests.

Having said all that, I won't pretend that I didn't care at all about the World Series. My father was a big Cubs fan, as is my wife. And I've lived in Chicago my whole life, so the spectre of not winning in over a century has hovered around me as much as anyone. So I did have some hopest that things would finally go the Cubbies way, and this city (or at least half of it) would have something to celebrate.

I had no idea if they would win or lose. But I was worried that either way, there would be riots. Sports championships seem to have that effect on people. But I've been scanning news sources, and I can't find any evidence that this was the case. I'm rather proud of us for this. For the most part, it's been business as usual. I have to commend my fellow Chicagoans, we know how to win with style.

-Long Days And Pleasant Nights

Get Out the Vote

This is something that I discussed in a previous post, but with the election coming up, I find myself thinking about it more and more. This November, a lot of people will not bother to vote. I can understand the reasoning in a lot of cases, but it's something that bothers me greatly.

One thing that bothers me is the same as when people do whatever they can to avoid jury duty. They're willing to reap the benefits of living in this country, but can't be bothered to engage in the responsibilities inherent in citizenship.

But mainly what gets to me about refusing to vote is the concept of voter apathy. The idea that your vote doesn't count. Fortunately, this trend is changing, albeit slowly. The last few election cycles, at least during Presidential elections, has been the highest then it was since the 60s, but we're still seeing around 40% of people not going to the ballot. But there's still a lot of people who don't think their vote makes a difference.

I disagree. For starters, by not voting, all you're doing is ensuring that your vote doesn't count. The best way to make sure your voice isn't heard is to stay silent.

Try a little thought experiment here. Say voter turnout this year is 55% (slightly less than 2012). That leaves 45% not voting. Now imagine, for the sake of the argument, that most or all of that 45% aren't voting because they think both Trump and Clinton are poor choices (and I think this theory might have some validity). Now imagine they think that a third party candidate would be a great choice for President, but they are staying home because they think voting third party is throwing your vote away. Just think if that 45% decided to head to their polling place on or before November 8th, and they all voted for that third party candidate.

I'm not saying that person would win, but it would definitely change things. People would perceive this so-called two party system differently. People might reconsider the power their vote has. Clinton or Trump might still win the majority and thus the White House, but they might not feel so secure in the Oval Office.

Now, I'm not saying that if you vote third party it'll fix all our problems. I'm not even telling you that toy should vote third party. Make your own decision. Vote for who you think is the right candidate. You don't have to go with the lesser of two evils. If the person you want isn't on the ballot, write them in. Vote however you want, but for Heaven's sake, vote for someone. It's something to consider.

And if you don't vote, don't try and tell me it's my fault that the system is full of corrupt politicians. I'm making an effort here, which is more than you did.

-Long Days and Pleasant Nights

Dragon Ball Z

90% useless

Earlier this year, a movie called Lucy came out. I only saw the previews for it, so I can't comment on the film's quality. But from what I did see, the basis of the movie is that the titular character can perform amazing feats because she's using more than 10% of her brain. My first thought upon hearing that was "people still believe that nonsense?"

As has been explained countless times by people more qualified than me, and will probably have to be explained many more times, humans do not only use ten percent of their brains. We use all of our brains, same as we use 100% of our stomachs, or 100% of our eyes. We don't use it all at the same time, true, but even then, more than ten percent is used at once. You're using more than ten percent of your brain right now, as you read this. You use more than ten percent even while you're asleep.

This ten percent fallacy, while it crops up occasionally in (usually soft) Science Fiction, seems to get the most press in the realms of mystic pseudoscience. Hemp-wearing, patchouli-smelling New Age Retro Hippies from Sedona, if asked, will likely tell you that the untapped 90% of the brain contains untapped abilities that can unlock the true power of the human psyche. And then they'll try to sell you a book to read, seminar to attend, and/or herb to smoke that will help you achieve your full potential. It usually turns out that just one isn't enough, either. One has to wonder why, if they've plumbed the secrets of the cosmos, they still have to worry about crass concerns like money.

And if  you think about it, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Whether you believe in evolution, the Book of Genesis, aliens dropping monoliths on the planet, or whatever, why would we be walking around with organs that are 90% unused? That's extra weight we don't need slowing us down, energy our bodies need being wasted for no reason. From a purely biological sense, it would be an albatross around the neck, hindering our survival. The world simply doesn't work that way. If we really only used 10% of our brains, then our brains would be 10% of the size it actually is. That or we'd be extinct.

One last thing, there's a related idea that says if we were to use 100% of our brains, it would transform us into some sort of superman, possibly even a being of pure thought. Unfortunately for us, there is a time when the human brain is 100% active: during a seizure. And I don't think anyone would consider that to be the pinnacle of human development.

 -Long days and pleasant nights