Now I can look forward to receiving political mailers from all the campaigns that think the election doesn't happen for another three weeks. We have an absolutely appalling local competition going on for superior court judge. The state and local propositions were not particularly difficult to figure out (they have been in some other elections), and the only race for which I could find no information to inform my decision was for a seat on a water conservation [AKA irrigation] board. That one I didn't vote on. A Republican state assembly member was running unopposed, so that one didn't get a vote either. Lieutenant Governor was an interesting one; a Republican (no danger of voting for him) versus the pretty left-wingy Democratic incumbent who some years ago, in a race for another office, had an affair with the wife of his campaign manager. Being "an unforgivable violation of the man code," it lost him a significant number of male votes, but interestingly enough women were considerably more forgiving, giving more weight to his political actions in office. It is reasonable to assume that the objective of anyone seeking the Lieutenant Governorship is to use it as a stepping stone to higher office. I couldn't see voting for either candidate.
Thanks to the changes to California's primary system that the D's and R's managed to get through, all other parties are essential frozen out and in some cases one gets only a choice between two candidates of the same party. Current registration percentages:
1) 72.7% of eligible voters are registered 2) Democratic registrations: 43.4% (stable for 12 years) 3) Republican registrations: 28.2% (down 7% in 12 years and continuing down) 4) Other party registrations: 5.3% (stable) 5) Decline to state: 23.1% (up 8% in 12 years and continuing to climb)
We got the tulip tree in the front yard pruned; it had grown maybe nine or ten feet since I last gave it a hard pruning. (I think that was just before surgery about six years ago.) A light pruning next year, and more regular pruning after that as long as I can. [P.S.: I really should have bought a proper pruning ladder a long time ago. It's a huge help.]
Momentous day. We went for a long walk with our son and granddaughter. This evening, for some reason, I rubbed the area above my left eye and felt what seemed like a little skin flap. Tugged on it and YIKES!!! it was a TICK!! I was fortunate that it was "just" a dog tick, not the kind that carries Lyme disease. But it was still wiggling and I'll tell you it freaked me out (but I didn't let go of it and it is now a goner). Just as we calmed down from that, Mah*Sweetie found a little deer tick on his side!! That's the kind that carries Lyme, but we got it off plenty wary enough. Some of you are probably old hands at such things, but neither of us has ever encountered a tick before. Then we each found one the same day! Y.U.C.K.!!
Every bit as nice looking as Howard Dean in the White House...
ReplyDeleteCuba leads fight against Ebola in Africa as west frets about border security
[Click]
--Alan
I finished marking my ballot for the November election and it is ready to be mailed Monday.
ReplyDelete--Alan
Well done, Alan!
DeleteNow I can look forward to receiving political mailers from all the campaigns that think the election doesn't happen for another three weeks. We have an absolutely appalling local competition going on for superior court judge. The state and local propositions were not particularly difficult to figure out (they have been in some other elections), and the only race for which I could find no information to inform my decision was for a seat on a water conservation [AKA irrigation] board. That one I didn't vote on. A Republican state assembly member was running unopposed, so that one didn't get a vote either. Lieutenant Governor was an interesting one; a Republican (no danger of voting for him) versus the pretty left-wingy Democratic incumbent who some years ago, in a race for another office, had an affair with the wife of his campaign manager. Being "an unforgivable violation of the man code," it lost him a significant number of male votes, but interestingly enough women were considerably more forgiving, giving more weight to his political actions in office. It is reasonable to assume that the objective of anyone seeking the Lieutenant Governorship is to use it as a stepping stone to higher office. I couldn't see voting for either candidate.
DeleteThanks to the changes to California's primary system that the D's and R's managed to get through, all other parties are essential frozen out and in some cases one gets only a choice between two candidates of the same party. Current registration percentages:
1) 72.7% of eligible voters are registered
2) Democratic registrations: 43.4% (stable for 12 years)
3) Republican registrations: 28.2% (down 7% in 12 years and continuing down)
4) Other party registrations: 5.3% (stable)
5) Decline to state: 23.1% (up 8% in 12 years and continuing to climb)
We got the tulip tree in the front yard pruned; it had grown maybe nine or ten feet since I last gave it a hard pruning. (I think that was just before surgery about six years ago.) A light pruning next year, and more regular pruning after that as long as I can. [P.S.: I really should have bought a proper pruning ladder a long time ago. It's a huge help.]
Anonymous was me--but that was probably obvious...
Delete--Alan
Momentous day. We went for a long walk with our son and granddaughter. This evening, for some reason, I rubbed the area above my left eye and felt what seemed like a little skin flap. Tugged on it and YIKES!!! it was a TICK!! I was fortunate that it was "just" a dog tick, not the kind that carries Lyme disease. But it was still wiggling and I'll tell you it freaked me out (but I didn't let go of it and it is now a goner). Just as we calmed down from that, Mah*Sweetie found a little deer tick on his side!! That's the kind that carries Lyme, but we got it off plenty wary enough. Some of you are probably old hands at such things, but neither of us has ever encountered a tick before. Then we each found one the same day! Y.U.C.K.!!
ReplyDeletewary = early
DeleteOne can VERY well do without that. Had the deer tick not yet been able to bite?
Delete--Alan