Linkee-poo is Mr. Cranky Pants This Morning

Because I'm reading instead of writing. Sigh. Will get this one day. Also one of the reasons I've thought of taking a hiatus.

If you're in the NY area, and are looking for some part time work, Tor.com is looking for a "Community Aggregator." Why this job requires coming into the office seems a little beyond me (except, I think one of those lines translates to, "and sell the social media thing internally"). And I'm not one to trash another's opportunity, but this strikes me vaguely of being a professional video game player. I understand the need, and the business model behind it (except for the "in their offices" part), but haven't we gotten to the point where this is just part and parcel of the business? (Disclosure, yes, the day thing is struggling with its own "social media" presence so I may have had more connection to this than most)

Another example of a separate legal system working in tandem with our civil law. In this case it's Jewish law and orthodox members (one of whom happens to be working within government) and how they perceive things compared to our secular law. It's a divorce case and the tension is between both how divorce is done within Jewish Law, and how it's done in our secular law. Also notice how the "shared custody" issue would be perfectly reasonable within the secular law, but is prohibitive when you consider Orthodox Jewish Law. I wonder why we don't hear those people who scream about sharia also scream about the beit din? (Grokked from Jay Lake, who had a different interest in it)

Well, here's hoping the Tea Party holds to their expectations. Why do I wish that? Because of the ramifications. 1) I expect most TP members to become disillusioned in the reality of actual governance and 2) many of those they "helped" elect will be gone in two years as the TP throws their weight behind someone else. Also, it seems the TP doesn't want to expand the debt ceiling. So when government shuts down and we have trouble paying our warfighters, keep federal office lights on, and in general, make a hash of the place, I expect the blowback will be something they're not prepared for (having told themselves the myth they are the silent majority and the rest of the country holds to their ideals). While it may sound nice to shut down the IRS, the department we all love to hate, (or pick your favorite department to hate; Education, CDC, FCC, Energy, National Weather Bureau and Hurricane Forecast Center, whatever) when our warfighters are stranded in foreign countries trying to buy their ammo on the black market (or worse, behave like the Russians in Georgia, which I severely hope not, but it's hard to tell what someone will do when faced with starvation and working for no pay), National Parks and Monuments close, and your refund, social security, medicare, unemployment checks fail to arrive, or a hurricane slams into Florida with little warning, you think the TP were loud last year? You might want to invest in ear plugs for that avalanche. Okay, well, I'll use the euphemism of "social unrest."

And thinking of such, that is holding the new congress to their higher standard, I guess it doesn't include being consistent when it comes to rhetoric. Yes, all those "tricks and underhanded tactics" are back in vogue and perfectly acceptable when it's conservatives doing them. Or, you know, you could just exempt your priorities from being held to the same rules regarding the deficit. But then, they can also grand stand so they look good in their newsletters back home all the while saying, "Well, I tried, but you know Washington." Proud of your accomplishments yet? I guess when they toss out all those freshman conservatives, they can always get jobs on K Street. You know, like they've done since '94.