politics (and not food)

During my morning coffee yesterday I sat next to genial artsy guy and nondescript artsy Japanese girl. They had this conversation:

Guy: I mean, like, Ralph Nader.

Girl: [Silence]

Guy: Like, I've never voted before, but I totally voted for Nader. I hated everyone else and I agreed with like everything Nader said. I hate Kerry and I hate Gore.

Girl: [Silence continued]

At this point I physically restrained myself from walking over and ripping out the guy's throat. Certainly the guy has a right to 1. not give a shit and not vote and 2. be mindless and vote for the candidate of his choosing and 3. still be an fucking obnoxious, intransigent asshole about his vote, but someone should take him out back and clue him in on the fact that he's not fucking voting for president of his own navel.

But after watching election returns over fish and chips at Telephone Bar I'm feeling a bit more charitable. At least until I cross the next defiant Nader-voting moron.

My beloved home state did well with the exception of, as usual, my district.

Re: People We Don't Know. So Spencer Ackerman's propensity for referencing Gorilla Biscuits and Avail on The American Prospect's blog and the fact that he got fired from The New Republic already makes him way cooler than me. Then I find that he also cooks. Truly Too Hot for TNR.

And now I'm staring at a grant application that decided not to save itself after I did exactly that last night. For shame.