5/30/2005

Gerrymandering

I am writing the following to my Governmental representatives and other opinion groups supporting an effort to reduce the Gerrymandering.
    I have just read the editorial in the New York Times discussing:
    "Ending the Gerrymander Wars"

    I think that this effort is one of the most important ones in this congress, and I hope that you look into this proposal, evaluate it, and either work in a bipartasan way to revise it or pass it.

    Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/opinion/30mon1.html?8br
    Comments:
    http://forums.nytimes.com/top/opinion/readersopinions/forums/editorialsoped/todayseditorials/index.html?page=recent


    Thanks...

5/27/2005

NotePad V5

(NOTE: I mispelled it as NotePad, and except in the "title"s have corrected it to NoteTab, Sorry, My Bad)

I like NoteTab, and as it has been over a year and a half since it has been upgraded, I am starting this Blog entry to allow the status of the upgrade to be posted and, if appropriate, Feature enhancements to be suggested.

Status:
My post to the mailing list asked for an update on the current status and suggested that we offer to help pay for a new version with specific features. Please feel free to add your suggestions to this Blog, or to NoteTab yahoo group. I will update this posting as I get more information or if it seems "reasonable" to start collecting a list of the Feature requests

Enhancements:
  • Customizable syntax highlighting -- ron_riche
  • Tree view outlines -- ron_riche
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts -- ron_riche
  • Shortcuts to clips -- ron_riche
  • Blocking/columnar selecting -- ron_riche
  • Make line numbers paragraph numbers when word wrap
    is on -- ron_riche [pet]
  • Make 'scroll past end of line' buffer dependent -- ron_riche [pet]
  • $10 -- Allow the Replacement window to be "hidden" by the Main window -- mll
  • $10 -- Click on a blank area in the tabs bar to open a new text area NoName... -- mll
  • $10 -- Retain the "Regular Expression" and "All" setting in the replacement dialog between activations -- mll

Also see:



Unrelated Links:

5/26/2005

definitions

In discussing politics there are a number of words/phrases that are used differently by various people. The following is my attempt to define/discuss some of these.
  • Position classification
      1. Universial -- If 90% of the population supports it.
      2. Consensious -- If 66% of the population supports it.
      3. Majority -- If 50% supports.
      4. Extreme -- If 10% of the population supports it.
    • Bipartisan -- A position that is supported by at least 33% (or 10%) of both parties. Note: Given that there are often a few people of each party who might support any position, I would reserve this to one that is supported by a significant percent of each party.
      • Partisan -- Reverse -- A position that is supported by at least 66% of one party and opposed by 66% of the other party
    • Flag phrase -- A phrase that indicates the positon of the speaker. Often the same issue can be refered to by different phrases depending on which side of the issue one is on. Various people have indicated that the "framing" of the issue may also help to convince the un-decided the valdity of a specific side.
    • Toxic Terminology also Black Hole issue -- A word, phrase, etc. that is so emotional that it prevents any further discussion, e.g. Hitler, Partial birth abortion, etc.
    • Wedge Issue (used by Democrats), Moral Issue or Faith based issue (used by Republicans) -- An issue that is emotionally very important to a small group within the population but has little direct effect on most people's lives.
    Also See:

    5/25/2005

    memo-of-understanding

    Memorandum Of Understanding On Judicial Nominations (RedState.org)
    • but Frist hangs tough on 'nuclear' (The Hill)
    • The group of 14 (CNN)
      • Democrats
        1. Robert Byrd (West Virginia)
        2. Daniel Inouye (Hawaii)
        3. Mary Landrieu (Louisiana)
        4. Joseph Lieberman (Connecticut)
        5. Ben Nelson (Nebraska)
        6. Mark Pryor (Arkansas)
        7. Ken Salazar (Colorado)
        Republicans
        1. Lincoln Chafee (Rhode Island)
        2. Susan Collins (Maine)
        3. Mike DeWine (Ohio)
        4. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
        5. John McCain (Arizona)
        6. Olympia Snowe (Maine)
        7. John Warner (Virginia)
    Sequence of events?
    1. Vote on, and in general confirm:
      Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla R. Owen, William H. Pryor, Jr., "FS", William G. Myers III, Henry Saad, Terrence W. Boyle, Richard Allen Griffin, William Haynes, Brett M. Kavanaugh.
    2. Sometime the President proposes a Judge (perhaps for the Suprime Court) who a sufficient number of the "Group" Democrats wish to filibuster. (Note: this might occur after the first 3 of the preceeding judges are confirmed.
    3. Either a sufficient number of the "Group" Republicans
    • a) decide that this is not an extraordinary circumstance, and thus vote to overturn the filibuster rule, or they
    • b) decide that the commitment to retain the filibuster rule is to be maintained and thus they vote to retain the filibuster rule.
    If "a)" then the memo is a "winner" for the Republicans as they got the first 3 approved before there was a test of the filibuster rule. if "b)" then the memo is a compromise, the Republicans get the first 3 approved in return for ensuring that the Filibuster rule is retained thry 2006

    Political Calculations -- easy-to-use, simple calculators are created and presented to do math related to current events, in addition to more traditional analysis

    5/20/2005

    spin

    THE SPIN TIMELINE: It has gone chronologically something like this:
    1. It's not true. It's not true.
    2. It may be true but it's not ...
    3. Okay, it's ..., but isn't official policy.
    4. It may be true and official policy, but we changed the policy and we uncovered the abuses ourselves.
    5. It may be true, it may have been widespread, but we've punished the culprits. (Low Level)
    6. It may be true, it may have been widespread, it may still be happening, but all these reports are old news.
    7. "6.", but it is also being done by our enemies.
    8. "6." but it was done for a higher good.
    Examples of ...:
    • Torture
    • Stating that there were WMD's
    • Calling the others "like" Hitler

    software-voip

    Implement the 911 service by VoIp software/Hardware?


    If one is "building" a VoIp system, is it possible, LEGAL?, to set it up so that the user could initally enter their current zipcode/areacode and then have the hardware/software that they are using intercept the 911 dial and re-direct it to the proper 911 system.

    It seems to me that this might not require much on the part of the supporting DSL/CABLE system, but could be reasonably easly implemented by the VoIp software/hardware.

    See:

    5/19/2005

    world-taxes

    The Tax World Gets Flat & Happy Jack Anderson, 05.23.05 -- Forbes
    • The [Tax] Misery* score is the sum of the taxes shown [on the image to the right], at the highest marginal rate in each locale. It is our best proxy for evaluating whether policy attracts or repels capital and talent
    • Tax Misery by country chart Original source Mahalanobis.
    Links
    • E-democracy "Building online public space in the heart of real democracy and community since 1994." > Groupserver "best social software platform we've seen to date for online communities that average citizens actually use" (Britsh)
    • Free Press.net > National conference for Media Reform (may 15, 2005, Program Archives...)
    • Media Minutes is a weekly radio review (~5 min) of news at the intersection of media and democracy from the FreePress.net every Friday
    • Public radio -- xml feeds
    • Posner... on estate taxation
    Judical review...

    5/18/2005

    dtnna-leafblower

    On June 13, 2005 Palo Alto will deal with leaf blowers. This Blog entry will point to the material that I have recieved on the issue as well as allowing comments on it.

    So far the information that I have is:
    On May 26, 2005 there will be a meeting discussing this situation: (flyer) , (Letter)

    Patricia Targ

    Thursday, May 26, 7:30 PM
    1010 Harriet Street, 94301
    325-2657

    5/12/2005

    5/11/2005