So I got my ballot.
I have enough time to send it and have it arrive in America, but why bother.
Here's what happened ...
I am registered decline to state. I registered as such when I went into journalism, as I don't think it's appropriate for journalists to belong to political parties. You may disagree, but it was something I felt strongly about.
Well I left America but am still registered decline to state. In past primary elections, I would just walk into the precinct, ask for any party ballot and vote in that primary. Since 2003, I've voted as both a Republican and Democrat in the primaries. I usually pick the ballot of the party with the most contested elections.
Anyway, the California Republican Party, which I used to work for, decided they don't want decline to state fence sitters to play with them Feb. 5, also known in political circles as "Insane craziness super duper extreme to the max Tuesday."
I didn't know this when I requested my ballot. I requested a GOP ballot, which I cannot have because I am not a registered Republican.
So they sent me a ballot to vote for either the Peace and Freedom, Green, Libertarian or American Independent parties.
So I'm not going to bother wasting my vote on one of these jackass clowns.
Anyway, that's today, tomorrow we learn how I would have voted if I received the ballot of my choice.
I will probably also endorse a Democrat for the first time ever. You people are about to witness history.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Where is my absentee ballot?
Ok, Now I'm getting worried. I requested the damn thing from the Los Angeles County election's office a month ago, and while I understand the absentee applications didn't begin processing until January 7, I still worry.
I need to get the damn thing in my hands.
Why is it that the elections office only gives us a month to apply for and receive an absentee ballot? Why can't I get it sooner? The election is Feb. 5, I want it now.
And this isn't just impatience, I need to make sure it arrives by mail in enough time to send it back.
In addition to the time factor, I go back and forth each day on who gets my vote. I know I'm going to vote Republican, and I'm constantly back and forth between Guilliani, Huckabee or Ron Paul (I'll explain these in my "who I'm voting for" blog.)
Should I get my ballot, I will blog and share with you, the dear reader, who I am voting for.
Until then here is the first in an occasional series titled, "An open letter to ...." Today's open letter is to Hillary Clinton.
Dear Hillary
You might have fooled the people of New Hampshire, but they're idiots. You won't fool me however.
That crying stunt was just that. A cheap attempt to manipulate votes.
You are a robot and robots don't cry unless they have been programmed to do so. And even so, why would someone program a robot to cry when it could do something useful.
How come Edmund Muskie becomes a joke and you get a pass? He was crying real tears and you weren't.
Anyway, I was never going to vote for you, but now will campaign against you and persuade Seoul expats to deny you their vote.
Sincerely
James C. Loughrie
English Teacher and political activist against people who fake crying to get votes
I need to get the damn thing in my hands.
Why is it that the elections office only gives us a month to apply for and receive an absentee ballot? Why can't I get it sooner? The election is Feb. 5, I want it now.
And this isn't just impatience, I need to make sure it arrives by mail in enough time to send it back.
In addition to the time factor, I go back and forth each day on who gets my vote. I know I'm going to vote Republican, and I'm constantly back and forth between Guilliani, Huckabee or Ron Paul (I'll explain these in my "who I'm voting for" blog.)
Should I get my ballot, I will blog and share with you, the dear reader, who I am voting for.
Until then here is the first in an occasional series titled, "An open letter to ...." Today's open letter is to Hillary Clinton.
Dear Hillary
You might have fooled the people of New Hampshire, but they're idiots. You won't fool me however.
That crying stunt was just that. A cheap attempt to manipulate votes.
You are a robot and robots don't cry unless they have been programmed to do so. And even so, why would someone program a robot to cry when it could do something useful.
How come Edmund Muskie becomes a joke and you get a pass? He was crying real tears and you weren't.
Anyway, I was never going to vote for you, but now will campaign against you and persuade Seoul expats to deny you their vote.
Sincerely
James C. Loughrie
English Teacher and political activist against people who fake crying to get votes
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Just got in ...
and boy, it's nice to be among the Koreans again, speaking a language I somewhat understand.
Anyway, I'll have pictures and stories up later.
For now, here's a video of a baby panda from the Beijing Zoo.
Anyway, I'll have pictures and stories up later.
For now, here's a video of a baby panda from the Beijing Zoo.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
These people have some crazy holidays ...
Two of them within the last month and a half, and neither were real "holidays" but the kind of crap hallmark and Kaplan would be jealous to create.
Pepero Day.
November 11. Yes Veterans Day for you Yanks and Armistice Day for my British and ANZAC friends.
But in Korea, it's a marketing day dedicated to a Korean chocolate-covered cookie stick. It's actually a knock-off of a Japanese snack called Pocky. I love these people. They can knock off or bootleg anything.
The funny thing is, Koreans already have their own version of Valentines Day, called "White Day" which takes place March 15. But the stores went nuts with pepero decorations. Students gave me candy throughout the day, and the same for Marissa. By the end of the day, we had a decent pile of chocolate-covered stick cookies.
But seriously, who makes a holiday for a cookie? One type of cookie. And what saps are these people that they fall for it. I know Valentines is a rip off and for suckers, (right Marissa? Please tell me I'm right) but there's at least a variety of products for men to be gouged by.
This is for ONE cookie.
The second holiday was even more bizarre to me.
November 15, the Korean SATs.
Each year there is a huge test, tantamount to the US SATs, that will make or break a Koreans chance of going to one of the better Universities here.
So on this day:
-Businesses agree to start later in the day or stay closed, so these test takers can have easier access to public transportation.
-Middle and Elementary Schools cancel the first and sometimes second period of classes to allow the high schoolers access, again, to public transportation.
(I almost said screw it to sleeping in for a morning, just to get on the subway and show the Koreans what a pain in the ass non-team player I am.
-(this one's my favorite) Police and ambulances are on standby to offer rides to any students who might run late for their exam. I shit you not. I saw this on TV and confirmed it with co-workers.
Thank God there isn't much crime here. Can you imagine calling the police, with the response being, "Sorry, we're taking the Kim kid to his exams. We'll be there after though."
The exam goes all day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I have to say though, it was a nice day not dealing with all those damn high school kids in line at various shops, on the subways or just around. It was like my dream when I lived in Los Angeles, that everyone who took my freeway to work would just die one day.
Well it's nice to just have a day sometimes.
Pepero Day.
November 11. Yes Veterans Day for you Yanks and Armistice Day for my British and ANZAC friends.
But in Korea, it's a marketing day dedicated to a Korean chocolate-covered cookie stick. It's actually a knock-off of a Japanese snack called Pocky. I love these people. They can knock off or bootleg anything.
The funny thing is, Koreans already have their own version of Valentines Day, called "White Day" which takes place March 15. But the stores went nuts with pepero decorations. Students gave me candy throughout the day, and the same for Marissa. By the end of the day, we had a decent pile of chocolate-covered stick cookies.
But seriously, who makes a holiday for a cookie? One type of cookie. And what saps are these people that they fall for it. I know Valentines is a rip off and for suckers, (right Marissa? Please tell me I'm right) but there's at least a variety of products for men to be gouged by.
This is for ONE cookie.
The second holiday was even more bizarre to me.
November 15, the Korean SATs.
Each year there is a huge test, tantamount to the US SATs, that will make or break a Koreans chance of going to one of the better Universities here.
So on this day:
-Businesses agree to start later in the day or stay closed, so these test takers can have easier access to public transportation.
-Middle and Elementary Schools cancel the first and sometimes second period of classes to allow the high schoolers access, again, to public transportation.
(I almost said screw it to sleeping in for a morning, just to get on the subway and show the Koreans what a pain in the ass non-team player I am.
-(this one's my favorite) Police and ambulances are on standby to offer rides to any students who might run late for their exam. I shit you not. I saw this on TV and confirmed it with co-workers.
Thank God there isn't much crime here. Can you imagine calling the police, with the response being, "Sorry, we're taking the Kim kid to his exams. We'll be there after though."
The exam goes all day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I have to say though, it was a nice day not dealing with all those damn high school kids in line at various shops, on the subways or just around. It was like my dream when I lived in Los Angeles, that everyone who took my freeway to work would just die one day.
Well it's nice to just have a day sometimes.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
A communist Christmas
Hello readers,
sorry I didn't post this week, but I was sick. Damn bacteria laden children.
Anyway, figured this was a grand opportunity to post our Christmas plans. We're going to China.
Marissa and I will take off December 24 and come back Jan 2. We'll see Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and, of course, shop for knock-off and bootleg goods.
We'll even re-create this picture:
Not only Nixon can go to China. I just wonder where Marissa and I will get all the random Chinese people to stand next to us.
We're both pretty excited. More this week on the exciting Korean presidential election (I can't believe how politics works here. They only started campaigning THIS YEAR? I prefer the American system of a four year election process.)
sorry I didn't post this week, but I was sick. Damn bacteria laden children.
Anyway, figured this was a grand opportunity to post our Christmas plans. We're going to China.
Marissa and I will take off December 24 and come back Jan 2. We'll see Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and, of course, shop for knock-off and bootleg goods.
We'll even re-create this picture:
Not only Nixon can go to China. I just wonder where Marissa and I will get all the random Chinese people to stand next to us.We're both pretty excited. More this week on the exciting Korean presidential election (I can't believe how politics works here. They only started campaigning THIS YEAR? I prefer the American system of a four year election process.)
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