While we wait for the Proposition 8 saga to play out in the courts, a little bit of sweet justice:

Prop 8 Campaign Can't Hide Donors' Names

Lawyers for Protect Marriage, sponsor of the constitutional amendment [outlawing same-sex marriage in California] that won voter approval Nov. 4, said contributors have already faced consumer boycotts, picketing and even death threats after the state posted their names and other information in mandatory campaign reports.

They argued that the law requiring disclosure of all donors of $100 or more interfered with the campaign's right to participate in the political process and should be struck down, modified to raise the dollar limits, or at least not applied to contributors to the measure outlawing same-sex marriage.

They want special treatment to have the law "...at least not applied to contributors to the measure outlawing same-sex marriage." Are they for real? And actually, let's be clear exactly what these folks did: they provided financial support to a measure stripping gay couples of their rights to marriage, rights granted by the California Supreme Court months earlier.

So we should just make an exception any time there is any controversial measure up for a vote by which support (or opposition) could result in death threats? Please. There are yuppie tools in my building who would post a death threat on Yelp for feeling neglected by a waitress.

So what's the real reason behind the request for exemption? Could it be that the fallout is more enduring and more damaging than supporters expected, especially as it is becoming more clear to people -- even some supporters -- that is was WRONG and SHAMEFUL to support Proposition 8?

Hmmmmm, and boycotts can be bearable, but not coupled with a recession.

If you're unwilling to stand up for your beliefs, and are afraid of consumer boycotts because of said beliefs, then you are a coward and a slimy, hypocritical liar. And oh yes, I have checked the list and I have made my calls and written my letters and initiated boycotts, as have many of my friends.

And if you're ashamed of it being publicized that you are on the wrong side of history, then simply make the right decision. There is nothing wrong with gay marriage (and it's coming, it's just a matter of time), just like there was and is nothing wrong with mixed-race marriage. Yet the opponents of gay marriage use the same tired arguments that mixed-race marriage opponents did years ago. And just look how the opposition fared in the history books.

It's a sad truth that every Proposition 8 supporter who gave $100 or more to the campaign will be immortalized in history as backward and ignorant. Can you imagine 20 years from now, when these folks' children or grandchildren learn about the history of gay civil rights and their names pop up on a Prop 8 supporter list? That's right, they'll be filed right alongside the fools that preceded them. It will happen -- viva la internets!

/rant

I feel like all I've been doing is complaining lately, but I just have to post what's currently pissing me off. From this article, in a nutshell, it is namely:

1) State officials say the amount of pesticide applied shouldn't pose severe health risks, but they've also refused to rule out that the spray can affect humans, particularly sensitive people such as children and the elderly.

Or people with lungs, or skin, or eyes. Read on...

2) The U.S. Department of Agriculture obtained an "emergency exemption from registration" from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that allows the agency to use the pesticide in aerial sprays over California cities. Because of that exemption, the spraying program isn't subject to state approval, according to representatives of the state Department of Pesticide Regulation.

Not subject to state approval. That has all kinds of implications for future nastiness.

3) There is no widespread infestation of the light brown apple moth, but U.S. Department of Agriculture officials say they are trying to head off a potential disaster.

Check out this fact sheet about Checkmate -- the pesticide being used -- and the light brown apple moth.

What is laughable is the assurance by the Feds that since the EPA has no concerns about the pesticide and even allows farm workers into the fields after spraying, we shouldn't worry either. This is the same EPA that exempted power plants from new mercury emission rules and needed a Supreme Court order to force them to regulate greenhouse gases. Um, yeah, sure -- I feel better already.

Less important, but still relevant: what happens to organic farms in the area? Also, my inner conspiracy theorist is inevitably suspicious about being used as a guinea pig for other more destructive applications, like biological weapons. This isn't right, and it smells fishy.

To paraphrase Senator William Proxmire – ‘If a foreign government crop dusted our children and our cities with powerful, secret, untested, unwanted pesticides – we would consider it an act of war’

David Dilworth, Nov 2007, HOPE Executive Director

I am so glad I graduated from my high school 16 years ago and was not around for this utter shite.

It is Web-based, so [Vice Principal Pat] Chabot looks up the videos on his computer. He can also track people along the cameras as they go from place to place on campus.

"It's digital, we can go back at least a week, possibly two weeks," Chabot said. "What's neat is I can just type in whatever time and date and I can see what happened."

Internet security and privacy issues at the very least aside, again, I thank god I graduated from this godforsaken place in 1992 when all we had to worry about were hapless narcs who looked like 1983 and asked you for weed after talking to you for 15 minutes.

Sorry, the impetus for these cameras does not sound like protecting students, but more like Panopticon shenanigans. Welcome to the real world, kiddies. I'm glad to see that my government's excuses for gross privacy violations in the name of the smallest bit of security are finally filtering down into the redneck high schools of NorCali.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Oh people, get over yourselves.

The parents also say that the "Juno" line also plays on racist Asian stereotypes in an unacceptable way.

"Could you have made that joke with any other minority?" Scott says. "I don't think so. You'd catch hell."

No, you can't make that joke with any other "minority" (nicely charged word choice there, but sorry to inform you: the issue is China's policies, and native Chinese and their children, not Chinese-Americans) because there is a grain of truth in the line they reference. And racist Asian stereotypes? Where?

I feel silly having to point out that it seems many parents who are complaining sought out China as a place to adopt children because of truths this line references; mainly, the proliferation of available children in China because of their policies and culture, and the relative ease at the time at which one could adopt. Issues, anyone? Nevermind also that this line is said by a smart-alecky teenager who is pregnant. Bitch please, this is why it's funny and also meaningful to the storyline.

Stop projecting your issues around your own whiteness/privilege/guilt and the adoption of your Chinese child from parents who probably couldn't take care of her and/or wanted a better life for her, and stop making your child a victim. Your kid will be happier for it.

No no no to iris-scanning, even if it's "for the children." Sure, the powers-that-be parade out the most vile scum as the reason why we need it. Of course. But come on! I know, it is surely not as scary as the unbelievable Proposition 69 (collection of DNA samples from all felons, and from others arrested for or charged with specified crimes). But it is more unfounded and reeks of band-aid tactics and ulterior motives.

Hey Alameda County, here's a thought: how about hire 300 more cops to patrol the streets of Oakland, starting with money voters approved years ago for just 60 new officers we have yet to see, so we actually have a force comparable to other cities of our size?

Until they can explain why they might reasonably need iris-scanning, create laws around its use, hire the humanpower to manage sex offenders closely and personally like they should (how about all those who don't register?), and change the laws so that they aren't lamely labeling both 17 year olds who have sex and people who get caught pissing in public as sex offenders, we'll talk. But I'll probably still say no, on the grounds that, hello, this does more to make regular folk victims of crooked people in power than it does to "protect the children!" Scanning my body without my permission, possibly even from a few yards away? And storing that easily manipulated data in a database run by government toadys who don't know their head from their ass? Yeah, nice.

And the comments on this one! "I would prefer the DNA and blood characteristics of every single person be banked;" "I have nothing to hide, and we sadly live in a world with a lot of bad people. Anything to keep my family safe is fine with me;" "...not to mention after all the horror stories I have heard from people I know who had their identity stolen, I would LOVE the bank to require me to submit to an iris scan before any transactions."

Good god. I need a European visa.

In order to marry my interests in, 1) ranting about everything I like or dislike to anyone who will listen, and 2) glorious eating, I've broken down and begun Yelping. Check it, here.

But saudade, you cry, isn't teh rant what you do here? Yes, but at Yelp you get those little star-thingys and it is oh so satisfying.

NR: Abundance: a Novel of Marie Antoinette

NP: KALX, 90.7 FM Berkeley

In case you didn't know...

...that Caltrans spent over $500,000 of California tax money to pay for something that could have been conveyed for far less if we just stopped pandering to the willfully clueless, now you do.

I get the need for some level of advertisement. And if you have driven on the freeway at all in NorCali in the last three weeks, you could not have missed those flashing signs on the side of the road screaming, "BAY BRIDGE CLOSED LABOR DAY WEEKEND!" But expensive color flyers and paid tv and radio and movie preview ads? Grrr, give me my hard earned money back! Hire one person to actually work at a State of California office to call churches, schools, and other community centers to get the word out! News and radio peeps will follow up -- for free -- because that's how news and community works.

But for those who've been hiding in a cave or on a six-month world cruise: The bridge will close at 8 p.m. Friday and reopen no later than 5 a.m. Tuesday.

It's cold, I know, but if you fall into these categories: while you may not deserve to have to turn around and drive to San Mateo to get into San Francisco, sometimes you gotta take one for the team.

I too have been stuck on the bridge -- which is HELL -- and also had to go 'round "the backdoor of the Bay" on the Golden Gate and Richmond/San Rafael to get home to sweet Oakland when they've been working on the Bay Bridge. So, when I have something to do in the city, now I check to see what I'm in for.

I can, however, get fully behind footing the bill for the insanely expensive BART trains for the weekend, and running them 24 hours. May even take a wee electric voyage myself over the weekend then.