people and cats
Aug. 23rd, 2025 02:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
calimacB. and I share our home with, of course, two cats, and I wouldn't have it any other way. They're fascinating and adorable if sometimes exasperating creatures who both give and receive love and are a constant source of conversational topics. I never had a cat when I was single - I was away from home too often for it to be fair to an animal - but B. had one when I met her, which was a strong point in her favor as far as I was concerned, and we've been cat-enabled ever since.
So are most of our friends. If they have pets, it's usually cats. Just an occasional dog here and there.
And that's common in society today. I've seen statistics that there are more pet cats than pet dogs in the US. But it didn't use to be that way, not at all.
In my childhood, it seemed that just about every household in the neighborhood had a dog. And those dogs ran loose, and whenever I rode by on my bicycle, or even walked innocently by on the sidewalk, each and every one of those dogs would run up and viciously bark at me at top volume, threatening my life. This was especially frightening if I hadn't seen the brute coming. That alone should be enough to explain my lifelong aversion to dogs. Being constantly under attack by dogs remained the case for me into early adulthood, but somewhere around 30 or 40 years ago people started keeping their dogs locked up.
If there were any other pets in the neighborhood, maybe there was a caged bird or a bowl of goldfish. Never a cat. I cannot recall ever coming across any - until I went to university and started hanging around with SF fans. They had messy and colorful abodes, which nobody in my childhood did, with books and papers scattered around everywhere, and they had cats. I was quickly smitten with these charming animals that did not bark or unprovokedly bite, and knew I was in the right place.
I recently came across written evidence of the unease and discomfort that past society felt for cats. It was in the autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. When she was a young woman and rather shy, one of her aunts suggested to her "that if I were stuck for conversation I should take the alphabet and start right through it," asking her interlocutor for her opinion on topics beginning with successive letters. For example, C was for cat, and the question was, "Do you have the usual feeling, Mrs. Jellyfish, about cats? Do they give you the creeps even when you do not see them?"
The usual feeling? The creeps? That is a deeply alien world that Eleanor was living in.
So are most of our friends. If they have pets, it's usually cats. Just an occasional dog here and there.
And that's common in society today. I've seen statistics that there are more pet cats than pet dogs in the US. But it didn't use to be that way, not at all.
In my childhood, it seemed that just about every household in the neighborhood had a dog. And those dogs ran loose, and whenever I rode by on my bicycle, or even walked innocently by on the sidewalk, each and every one of those dogs would run up and viciously bark at me at top volume, threatening my life. This was especially frightening if I hadn't seen the brute coming. That alone should be enough to explain my lifelong aversion to dogs. Being constantly under attack by dogs remained the case for me into early adulthood, but somewhere around 30 or 40 years ago people started keeping their dogs locked up.
If there were any other pets in the neighborhood, maybe there was a caged bird or a bowl of goldfish. Never a cat. I cannot recall ever coming across any - until I went to university and started hanging around with SF fans. They had messy and colorful abodes, which nobody in my childhood did, with books and papers scattered around everywhere, and they had cats. I was quickly smitten with these charming animals that did not bark or unprovokedly bite, and knew I was in the right place.
I recently came across written evidence of the unease and discomfort that past society felt for cats. It was in the autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt. When she was a young woman and rather shy, one of her aunts suggested to her "that if I were stuck for conversation I should take the alphabet and start right through it," asking her interlocutor for her opinion on topics beginning with successive letters. For example, C was for cat, and the question was, "Do you have the usual feeling, Mrs. Jellyfish, about cats? Do they give you the creeps even when you do not see them?"
The usual feeling? The creeps? That is a deeply alien world that Eleanor was living in.
Summer mid-season anime impressions
Aug. 22nd, 2025 08:54 pmpetrea_mitchellA bit late for first impressions, but I still feel the urge to get my thoughts out there.
Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole has ugly character designs and a ton of talking, and yet is a joy and a treasure and I can hardly wait for the next episode from week to week. This is an adaptation of a manga by Eguchi Natsumi, the author of Hozuki's Coolheadedness, and starts off with a similar mix of comedy and folklore geekery. But then it adds a lot more layers. First there's the giant supernatural cat antics, and then it turns out that Eguchi has been storing up a lot of thoughts about how girls and women are socialized to behave in contemporary society, and then there's the matter of the ongoing flashbacks to World War II.
Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show is great if you are well-versed in both the Cthulhu mythos and the anime death game genre, an overlap not likely to occur much outside Japan. The little problem with the subtitles in episode 1 has been ironed out and now my only complaint is that the new translator doesn't know how to spell Ticktockman. Because the show has borrowed him too, for some reason.
Sword of the Demon Hunter is getting into the big events of the late 1860s while shifting its tone ever further away from grimdark. It may be trying a little too hard at this point, particularly with a recent episode where it is implied that someone eventually reforms but we miss the most interesting part of their story.
Hanako-kun season 2 part 2 is still gorgeous to look at, but suffering badly from being watched the same day as Dekin no Mogura. It isn't dragging as badly as the previous cour, but it feels like it is ambling with unnecessary slowness toward an ending that can be seen a mile away.
I was all set to hate Ruri Rocks for the same reason the geology displays at some science museums annoy me. I hate when the exhibit is basically just "look at the pretty rocks" with no context for them. But this show actually wants to provide the geological context, so great! Plus it has really excellent character animation! Instead, it annoyed me by spending way too much time pointing at the camera at the chest and bottom of the adult lead, so I'm still not planning to watch a second episode.
Bullet/Bullet and Onmyo Kaiten Re: Birth Verse were okay for as far as I watched them (1 episode and 2 episodes respectively), I don't think I'd mind watching more, but I haven't gotten around to it, so clearly I didn't like them that much.
And nobody picked up the latest Cute High for streaming, so I don't know what I think of it.
Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole has ugly character designs and a ton of talking, and yet is a joy and a treasure and I can hardly wait for the next episode from week to week. This is an adaptation of a manga by Eguchi Natsumi, the author of Hozuki's Coolheadedness, and starts off with a similar mix of comedy and folklore geekery. But then it adds a lot more layers. First there's the giant supernatural cat antics, and then it turns out that Eguchi has been storing up a lot of thoughts about how girls and women are socialized to behave in contemporary society, and then there's the matter of the ongoing flashbacks to World War II.
Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show is great if you are well-versed in both the Cthulhu mythos and the anime death game genre, an overlap not likely to occur much outside Japan. The little problem with the subtitles in episode 1 has been ironed out and now my only complaint is that the new translator doesn't know how to spell Ticktockman. Because the show has borrowed him too, for some reason.
Sword of the Demon Hunter is getting into the big events of the late 1860s while shifting its tone ever further away from grimdark. It may be trying a little too hard at this point, particularly with a recent episode where it is implied that someone eventually reforms but we miss the most interesting part of their story.
Hanako-kun season 2 part 2 is still gorgeous to look at, but suffering badly from being watched the same day as Dekin no Mogura. It isn't dragging as badly as the previous cour, but it feels like it is ambling with unnecessary slowness toward an ending that can be seen a mile away.
I was all set to hate Ruri Rocks for the same reason the geology displays at some science museums annoy me. I hate when the exhibit is basically just "look at the pretty rocks" with no context for them. But this show actually wants to provide the geological context, so great! Plus it has really excellent character animation! Instead, it annoyed me by spending way too much time pointing at the camera at the chest and bottom of the adult lead, so I'm still not planning to watch a second episode.
Bullet/Bullet and Onmyo Kaiten Re: Birth Verse were okay for as far as I watched them (1 episode and 2 episodes respectively), I don't think I'd mind watching more, but I haven't gotten around to it, so clearly I didn't like them that much.
And nobody picked up the latest Cute High for streaming, so I don't know what I think of it.
staying home
Aug. 22nd, 2025 05:42 amcalimacStill testing positive and feeling a bit cruddy, so I didn't attend the folk music concert I had a ticket for yesterday and stayed home instead. That enabled me to get a bit more work done, and also to attend two Zoom meetings - the virus can't be transmitted over Zoom, so far as we currently know - one of which fizzled out when the host lost her internet connection (see, B! we're not the only ones that happens to), and the other one of which was largely occupied with listening to an adjunct professor express distress with life at a budget-cutting university. I sympathize, but the detail, and repetition of same, was more than I needed.
Dinner was takeout from our favorite local Mexican place, closest thing to a meal out I've had in over two weeks, and again I couldn't eat more than half of it, something I'd never experienced with their food before. At least this time they gave B. the burrito she ordered, instead of one she didn't.
Next week is the Banff String Quartet Competition, which I'll be watching livestream - attending in-person, which I did twice in the old days, is so not on for me now - and I don't have to go anywhere for a week and a half, and that to a dentist appointment which I can always reschedule, having already done that once. Tickets for the fall season have begun trickling in, but that doesn't start for another two weeks after that, and the first concert doesn't much appeal to me.
And so we sit.
Dinner was takeout from our favorite local Mexican place, closest thing to a meal out I've had in over two weeks, and again I couldn't eat more than half of it, something I'd never experienced with their food before. At least this time they gave B. the burrito she ordered, instead of one she didn't.
Next week is the Banff String Quartet Competition, which I'll be watching livestream - attending in-person, which I did twice in the old days, is so not on for me now - and I don't have to go anywhere for a week and a half, and that to a dentist appointment which I can always reschedule, having already done that once. Tickets for the fall season have begun trickling in, but that doesn't start for another two weeks after that, and the first concert doesn't much appeal to me.
And so we sit.
Home From Worldcon
Aug. 19th, 2025 08:04 amkevin_standleeI got home from Seattle yesterday, after a smooth flight (first class is spoiling me).
( Who He )
It was a great Worldcon for Kayla. My contribution was minimal, as expected, and that's fine.
Today is a booked day of rest. Lots of sleep needed. If only I could sleep while Kayla had fun.
( Who He )
It was a great Worldcon for Kayla. My contribution was minimal, as expected, and that's fine.
Today is a booked day of rest. Lots of sleep needed. If only I could sleep while Kayla had fun.
realm of silence
Aug. 19th, 2025 04:35 amcalimacI haven't had anything to post for several days because I've been in isolation mode, on two counts.
First, B. and I have contacted the covid. First time for either of us. We've been highly vigilant so far, but we relaxed enough to go unmasked to a family gathering just when we shouldn't have.
Covid symptoms vary in nature and severity. Mine have been mostly cold/flu-like symptoms, plus the interesting one of loss of appetite. I cannot eat more than half of what I usually do. B. is having it much worse. Due to our age and condition, we're both on paxlovid. Picking that up from the pharmacy was just about my only exit from the house lately. We've got plenty of food and we're isolating.
Simultaneously, my computer was in the shop for a much-needed overhaul, prompted by a catastrophic glitch. This also took several days, so at the same time as I was isolating, I was isolated from the online world. I had access to e-mail, more to read than to write it, but I couldn't do much of anything else. Whole lotta book-reading going on.
But now it's back, and I can start getting ramped back up on work. I'm feeling better - so is B. - but I'm going to stay isolated for at least another couple of days before I take another covid test to see how I'm doing.
First, B. and I have contacted the covid. First time for either of us. We've been highly vigilant so far, but we relaxed enough to go unmasked to a family gathering just when we shouldn't have.
Covid symptoms vary in nature and severity. Mine have been mostly cold/flu-like symptoms, plus the interesting one of loss of appetite. I cannot eat more than half of what I usually do. B. is having it much worse. Due to our age and condition, we're both on paxlovid. Picking that up from the pharmacy was just about my only exit from the house lately. We've got plenty of food and we're isolating.
Simultaneously, my computer was in the shop for a much-needed overhaul, prompted by a catastrophic glitch. This also took several days, so at the same time as I was isolating, I was isolated from the online world. I had access to e-mail, more to read than to write it, but I couldn't do much of anything else. Whole lotta book-reading going on.
But now it's back, and I can start getting ramped back up on work. I'm feeling better - so is B. - but I'm going to stay isolated for at least another couple of days before I take another covid test to see how I'm doing.
Global War Of Terror V - Constitution Club NI
Aug. 18th, 2025 06:26 pmdrewkittyFrom: GovCal
To: Secretary of Education
Re: "Constitution Clubs"
I hear from several reliable sources that these damn things are popping up not only at the California University, where I can kind of tolerate them, but also in the high schools. Makes me want to see red. Or maybe brown.
Your opinion?
From: SecEd
To: GovCal
CC: Collections Group
Re: "Constitution Clubs"
Boss,
The layers of irony here are enough to float a battleship. You're asking me to express my opinion in writing on a topic relevant to my department. Under the U.S. Constitution, this is an explicit power of the President in Article II. This is not of course the United States, but I am your department head and serve at your pleasure.
The California Constitution is such a bloated mass of crap that while I'm sure an equivalent exists, I would have to dig for it. We don't have to rewrite it and we don't have any intellectual quality on tap at the same level as America's Founding Fathers. (Homeland sidewalked them all.)
The rise of Homeland and her horrific crimes came as much from a lack of public knowledge among Americans of their human, civil and Constitutional rights - and gross ignorance of the laws of land warfare and the treaties that make up international humanitairain law - as from anything Homeland did with a cattle prod or a pistol.
That people want to - on their own time, using State facilities only incidentally as any other community group would - study civics is a Good Thing. That they want to study American flavored civics when that nation is our enemy general, our arch foe, is problematic.
I think Collections should be in this loop.
From: Collections Working Group, Counter Intelligence Section
To: GovCal
CC: SecEd
We are finding the "Constitution Club" phenomenon amazingly useful.
It is a covert soft agitprop operation funded and supported by the Untied Snakes, particularly CIA under their Agency for International Development (AID) cover and laundering the funds through an amazing variety of sources - all of which are compromised when the last dollars pay for facility rental fees and the snacks that draw the crowds.
If the Americants hadn't come up with it, we would have done well to do it ourselves.
Not only does this give us a chance to track our problem children, it helps train the next generation of California loyalists.
We are watching.
From: GovCal
To: [distribution list] 'all you damn fools'
Fine. Fine. Fine! Some rules of engagement I insist on.
I am sticking by the "no United States Flags" rule. If I see that red-white-blue rag in a State facility (other than the San Francisco museums, of course) I am going to throw a serious temper tantrum. Probably close that entire school.
Freedom of speech is not advocacy of treasonous restoration of United States dominion. There's a line. Make sure they stay on the other side of it, or I will park a fucking tank on that school's front lawn. Flying the New California Republic battle flag, quite starless.
Millions of Californians did not die so the Untied Snakes can sneak back in wearing the 1st Amendment like a wolf wears the coat of the sheep it skinned.
Capiche?
###
The classroom is three-quarters full. There is a side table, that had a buffet, that now has the remnants of one. The audience is seated with their snacks.
Three people are at the front of the room. Two of them are wearing business suits. A third is wearing a sensible blouse and slacks which clash horribly with her holstered pistol and the snarling bear credentials around her neck.
She speaks.
"I am Agent Betty. I will only be here once. I am only here to say this once. This 'Constitution Club' thing is pushing the limits. You have the right to be here, you have the right to speak, and you have the right to discuss these topics.
"You DO NOT have the right to display the flag of the Untied Snakes. You DO NOT have the right to say or even imply that California should once again be a subordinate state of the so-called Union. You especially DO NOT have the right to take any action towards that would-be restoration. Those are crimes. I've talked to the Principal. I've been briefed by my bosses who have been briefed by the Governor. Any student, employee or member of the campus community who commits a Type Five violation will be promptly and efficiently expelled, never to return."
Dead silence.
"Keep it hypothetical. Talk about the distant past. Talk about the recent past, when San Francisco was a city and not a glowing pile of slag and ash. But be very wary of the present and avoid the future. We are a nation of laws, not of men or of women nor even of Pat."
A nervous chuckle.
"We have freedom of speech. We do not have freedom from consquences of that speech. Good evening."
With that, she walked out, low sensible heels briskly clicking against the concrete sidewalk outside.
"Hard to follow that. I'm Doug Alvarez, your faculty advisor. My job is to sit over there in the corner and listen. I won't correct errors of fact, that is your problem. I won't censor you, that is also your problem. But if I speak up, it's because of that line Agent Betty mentioned. Just for agreeing to sponsor and host this group, I'm on a watch list. I don't care. Watch me all you like. Freedom comes in many forms and this is one of them."
With that, he took the 'Reserved' seat in the corner and despite what he had just said, opened a book and started reading.
"Good evening, folks. Sorry for the necessities. I am Al Hansen and I am your ... mediator. I may lecture a bit but my hope is that all of you will be speaking and debating and conversing. As is your right.
"The purpose of this group is to study the Constitution of the United States. It is worthy of study in itself, as a masterwork of politics, as a social contract that carried its nation through two civil wars to date. It is a framework for discussion of human rights, of civil rights, and of social rights. Notice that I did NOT just say the same thing three times!
"I would like to avoid the rocks and shoals of having this discussion in a ... ah ... free and independent state. At the same time I do not wish to fling mud by using derogatory terms talking about Americans in the past. Let's leave the 'cant's' and the Snakes at the door.
"Tonight's topic is an introduction to the Bill of Rights with a particular focus on the 1st Amendment, which is the _American_ interpretation of the freedom of speech. Who can start us off by reading the 1st Amendment?"
Despite the pre-printed copies distributed, a certain hesitation in the room.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
A pause.
"Thank you, Sarah. Now to start off, why would such a right be addressed to Congress? Where do we find that Congress? Anyone? Look in the front. Anyone? Fred?"
"Article 1, Section 1."
"Would you mind reading it?"
"All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States."
"Exactly. So Congress makes the laws, but the Constitution forbids the Congress to make certain laws. So, by implication, can anyone else other the Congress make those laws? That wouldn't make any sense if they could, would it?"
And the discussion was off to a lukewarm start.
###
At the end of the night, when the crumbs of the buffet had been cleared away and some discarded copies of the Constitution gathered up, Al and Doug started putting the chairs back into classroom format from the circle they had been in.
"Thank you, Doug."
"Fuck you, Al."
"Excuse me?"
"I know what you're trying to do. So does Agent Betty, so does the Principal and so do most of my students. You're trying to sneak in the legitimacy of America through the back door. I know you have no visible means of support and I'm kind of surprised you haven't been arrested for drifthood. I feel sure you find Collections agents listening at your door if not hiding under whatever you use for a bed. I'd rather have you do it out in the open, that's all, because I do believe in the freedom of speech. Even hate speech."
"I don't think this is hate speech. I also believe in freedom of speech. It's simply that this is a point of view most of these students have never been exposed to."
"America had her chance. Then she blew up San Francisco and sent in occupation troops. Had you noticed half of our crowd is Rifle Club or ROTC or both? They want to understand their enemy to hurt her better. I want that too. There's a rot at the root of America, at her core, it's in that Constitution too. Three fifths of it at least. See you next week."
They both got the reference.
Not wanting to pour gasoline on the open breach, Al got his hat and left.
###
(original)
Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3
"Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. [...] "
###
The reader is invited to explore https://constitution.congress.gov/
For example, Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3
To: Secretary of Education
Re: "Constitution Clubs"
I hear from several reliable sources that these damn things are popping up not only at the California University, where I can kind of tolerate them, but also in the high schools. Makes me want to see red. Or maybe brown.
Your opinion?
From: SecEd
To: GovCal
CC: Collections Group
Re: "Constitution Clubs"
Boss,
The layers of irony here are enough to float a battleship. You're asking me to express my opinion in writing on a topic relevant to my department. Under the U.S. Constitution, this is an explicit power of the President in Article II. This is not of course the United States, but I am your department head and serve at your pleasure.
The California Constitution is such a bloated mass of crap that while I'm sure an equivalent exists, I would have to dig for it. We don't have to rewrite it and we don't have any intellectual quality on tap at the same level as America's Founding Fathers. (Homeland sidewalked them all.)
The rise of Homeland and her horrific crimes came as much from a lack of public knowledge among Americans of their human, civil and Constitutional rights - and gross ignorance of the laws of land warfare and the treaties that make up international humanitairain law - as from anything Homeland did with a cattle prod or a pistol.
That people want to - on their own time, using State facilities only incidentally as any other community group would - study civics is a Good Thing. That they want to study American flavored civics when that nation is our enemy general, our arch foe, is problematic.
I think Collections should be in this loop.
From: Collections Working Group, Counter Intelligence Section
To: GovCal
CC: SecEd
We are finding the "Constitution Club" phenomenon amazingly useful.
It is a covert soft agitprop operation funded and supported by the Untied Snakes, particularly CIA under their Agency for International Development (AID) cover and laundering the funds through an amazing variety of sources - all of which are compromised when the last dollars pay for facility rental fees and the snacks that draw the crowds.
If the Americants hadn't come up with it, we would have done well to do it ourselves.
Not only does this give us a chance to track our problem children, it helps train the next generation of California loyalists.
We are watching.
From: GovCal
To: [distribution list] 'all you damn fools'
Fine. Fine. Fine! Some rules of engagement I insist on.
I am sticking by the "no United States Flags" rule. If I see that red-white-blue rag in a State facility (other than the San Francisco museums, of course) I am going to throw a serious temper tantrum. Probably close that entire school.
Freedom of speech is not advocacy of treasonous restoration of United States dominion. There's a line. Make sure they stay on the other side of it, or I will park a fucking tank on that school's front lawn. Flying the New California Republic battle flag, quite starless.
Millions of Californians did not die so the Untied Snakes can sneak back in wearing the 1st Amendment like a wolf wears the coat of the sheep it skinned.
Capiche?
###
The classroom is three-quarters full. There is a side table, that had a buffet, that now has the remnants of one. The audience is seated with their snacks.
Three people are at the front of the room. Two of them are wearing business suits. A third is wearing a sensible blouse and slacks which clash horribly with her holstered pistol and the snarling bear credentials around her neck.
She speaks.
"I am Agent Betty. I will only be here once. I am only here to say this once. This 'Constitution Club' thing is pushing the limits. You have the right to be here, you have the right to speak, and you have the right to discuss these topics.
"You DO NOT have the right to display the flag of the Untied Snakes. You DO NOT have the right to say or even imply that California should once again be a subordinate state of the so-called Union. You especially DO NOT have the right to take any action towards that would-be restoration. Those are crimes. I've talked to the Principal. I've been briefed by my bosses who have been briefed by the Governor. Any student, employee or member of the campus community who commits a Type Five violation will be promptly and efficiently expelled, never to return."
Dead silence.
"Keep it hypothetical. Talk about the distant past. Talk about the recent past, when San Francisco was a city and not a glowing pile of slag and ash. But be very wary of the present and avoid the future. We are a nation of laws, not of men or of women nor even of Pat."
A nervous chuckle.
"We have freedom of speech. We do not have freedom from consquences of that speech. Good evening."
With that, she walked out, low sensible heels briskly clicking against the concrete sidewalk outside.
"Hard to follow that. I'm Doug Alvarez, your faculty advisor. My job is to sit over there in the corner and listen. I won't correct errors of fact, that is your problem. I won't censor you, that is also your problem. But if I speak up, it's because of that line Agent Betty mentioned. Just for agreeing to sponsor and host this group, I'm on a watch list. I don't care. Watch me all you like. Freedom comes in many forms and this is one of them."
With that, he took the 'Reserved' seat in the corner and despite what he had just said, opened a book and started reading.
"Good evening, folks. Sorry for the necessities. I am Al Hansen and I am your ... mediator. I may lecture a bit but my hope is that all of you will be speaking and debating and conversing. As is your right.
"The purpose of this group is to study the Constitution of the United States. It is worthy of study in itself, as a masterwork of politics, as a social contract that carried its nation through two civil wars to date. It is a framework for discussion of human rights, of civil rights, and of social rights. Notice that I did NOT just say the same thing three times!
"I would like to avoid the rocks and shoals of having this discussion in a ... ah ... free and independent state. At the same time I do not wish to fling mud by using derogatory terms talking about Americans in the past. Let's leave the 'cant's' and the Snakes at the door.
"Tonight's topic is an introduction to the Bill of Rights with a particular focus on the 1st Amendment, which is the _American_ interpretation of the freedom of speech. Who can start us off by reading the 1st Amendment?"
Despite the pre-printed copies distributed, a certain hesitation in the room.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
A pause.
"Thank you, Sarah. Now to start off, why would such a right be addressed to Congress? Where do we find that Congress? Anyone? Look in the front. Anyone? Fred?"
"Article 1, Section 1."
"Would you mind reading it?"
"All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States."
"Exactly. So Congress makes the laws, but the Constitution forbids the Congress to make certain laws. So, by implication, can anyone else other the Congress make those laws? That wouldn't make any sense if they could, would it?"
And the discussion was off to a lukewarm start.
###
At the end of the night, when the crumbs of the buffet had been cleared away and some discarded copies of the Constitution gathered up, Al and Doug started putting the chairs back into classroom format from the circle they had been in.
"Thank you, Doug."
"Fuck you, Al."
"Excuse me?"
"I know what you're trying to do. So does Agent Betty, so does the Principal and so do most of my students. You're trying to sneak in the legitimacy of America through the back door. I know you have no visible means of support and I'm kind of surprised you haven't been arrested for drifthood. I feel sure you find Collections agents listening at your door if not hiding under whatever you use for a bed. I'd rather have you do it out in the open, that's all, because I do believe in the freedom of speech. Even hate speech."
"I don't think this is hate speech. I also believe in freedom of speech. It's simply that this is a point of view most of these students have never been exposed to."
"America had her chance. Then she blew up San Francisco and sent in occupation troops. Had you noticed half of our crowd is Rifle Club or ROTC or both? They want to understand their enemy to hurt her better. I want that too. There's a rot at the root of America, at her core, it's in that Constitution too. Three fifths of it at least. See you next week."
They both got the reference.
Not wanting to pour gasoline on the open breach, Al got his hat and left.
###
(original)
Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3
"Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. [...] "
###
The reader is invited to explore https://constitution.congress.gov/
For example, Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3
WSFS MPC Retirement
Aug. 15th, 2025 08:43 pmkevin_standleeOn Thursday morning of Worldcon Seattle 2025, I attended the final meeting of my term as an elected member of the WSFS Mark Protection Committee. There was a fair bit of confusion about where the meeting would be, but we did eventually end up at a meeting room in the Sheraton.
As is typical these days, all we did was receive some reports and punt most decision on to the MPC's next term. I did address the members at the end and thanked them for having been able to serve as an elected member for so many years. The MPC then officially thanked me and I got a round of applause.
I told them at the meeting that they might want to take a good look at me, as there's a non-zero chance that this would have been the last time they were going to see me.
After the meeting, Don Eastlake and I both had errands best suited to Walgreens, and since I knew where is was, we walked there together and got our stuff. I'd initially considered getting a burrito from Chipotle to have later, but the lunchtime queue there was out the door, so I thought better of it.
That was the sole item at Seattle 2025 for which we needed my membership badge. Kayla will do the rest of the work this week.
As is typical these days, all we did was receive some reports and punt most decision on to the MPC's next term. I did address the members at the end and thanked them for having been able to serve as an elected member for so many years. The MPC then officially thanked me and I got a round of applause.
I told them at the meeting that they might want to take a good look at me, as there's a non-zero chance that this would have been the last time they were going to see me.
After the meeting, Don Eastlake and I both had errands best suited to Walgreens, and since I knew where is was, we walked there together and got our stuff. I'd initially considered getting a burrito from Chipotle to have later, but the lunchtime queue there was out the door, so I thought better of it.
That was the sole item at Seattle 2025 for which we needed my membership badge. Kayla will do the rest of the work this week.
cars
Aug. 15th, 2025 01:26 pmtravelswithkumaTodays girls tooks bears tos places calleds Motors Worlds. https://motorworld.de/en/muenchen/
This places was fulls ofs cars. Was nices ,buts nots fors bears. Nots alls thats muchs funs. Girls seams tos haves likes tos looks ats thes cars.
This places was fulls ofs cars. Was nices ,buts nots fors bears. Nots alls thats muchs funs. Girls seams tos haves likes tos looks ats thes cars.
tops ofs germanys
Aug. 14th, 2025 05:36 pmtravelswithkumatodays girls gots bears ups earlys. thens wes wents ons trains, ands anothers trains, ands thens anothers stranges trains. tills wes gots tos thes tops ofs germanys. this was ways ways ups ins mountains. hows highs? girls says was 2962 meters ups.
bears thinks its this places https://zugspitze.de/en
Bears was mosts worries whens girls feels downs ons trains. bears worries bears was toooos muchs tos carrys. Girls says shes alrights, buts hers camars is sorts brokes somes. shes tells bears nots to worrys as shes cans stills takes bears pictures.
Was longs longs days, ands girls is nots soooos ups tos verys muchs.
bears thinks its this places https://zugspitze.de/en
Bears was mosts worries whens girls feels downs ons trains. bears worries bears was toooos muchs tos carrys. Girls says shes alrights, buts hers camars is sorts brokes somes. shes tells bears nots to worrys as shes cans stills takes bears pictures.
Was longs longs days, ands girls is nots soooos ups tos verys muchs.
water valve
Aug. 13th, 2025 07:13 pmcalimacA few days ago, we got a dismaying notice: our water would be turned off today for a period of 5 hours during the daytime. Some work needed to done on the valve controlling the whole complex.
If we were working, we could have been gone the entire period, but as it is, we're home. What if we needed to flush a toilet more than once? So we filled every pot, basin, and pitcher we have full of water, and prepared.
Didn't need to worry. About an hour into the 5-hour period I turned on a faucet just to check. It was running. I went out to where the complex's valve is and found a repairman. He said he was almost done. The 5-hour period was just cautionary in case something went really wrong.
If we were working, we could have been gone the entire period, but as it is, we're home. What if we needed to flush a toilet more than once? So we filled every pot, basin, and pitcher we have full of water, and prepared.
Didn't need to worry. About an hour into the 5-hour period I turned on a faucet just to check. It was running. I went out to where the complex's valve is and found a repairman. He said he was almost done. The 5-hour period was just cautionary in case something went really wrong.