Monthly Archives: May 2011

Your Favorite End of the World Scenario

Hollywood never met an end of the world scenario it did not make millions off of. What is the scenario that you most want to experience? And I am not including the Rapture as an option.

Alien Invasion–First contact with aliens is probably the one historical event left that I want to witness (I had two historical events, but wouldn’t ya know it, we went ahead and elected a black President). But the problem is, as any Star Trek fan knows, no advanced and peaceful species is going to contact us in our pre-warp state. The Prime Directive applies. So we might as well accept the fact if Aliens are going to contact us now, they are going to be malevolent, intent on our annihilation so that they can have our planet. But ever since I saw V as a kid, I have longed for this:

Election of Sarah Palin, or for that matter, any of the current crop of Republican Presidents.–Hyperbolic much, Delaware Dem? Not anymore. The current policy positions of the Republican Party, if enacted, guarantee the end of all life on this planet. Having Sarah Palin as President… whew … my mind can comprehend many things, but even I cannot fathom the simultaneous horror and inexplicable comedy that she would bring. But since we are pretty much living out this end of the world scenario right now, with only Barack Obama standing between us and total destruction, let’s move on to the next one…

Yellowstone Supervolcano Eruption–This one scares me a little, because it is supposed to happen at any moment. But while it would destroy North America, it really would just cause another ice age for the rest of the planet, and humans can survive that.

Nuclear War–The “Day After” scenario. I am comforted by the fact that I live on the East Coast and work in the fourth largest city in the country. That makes it a safe bet that if there is a nuclear war, or even a nuclear terrorist attack, then I will die instantly in a flash of painless blinding light. Because if there is one thing you don’t want to do, it is survive a nuclear war. If you were close to an explosion, you will most likely die a horrible and painful death due to radiation poisoning in a couple of weeks. And if that doesn’t get you, you will eventually die of cancer at some point, all the while living in a post atomic horror where society has collapsed and everything you touch is toxic, all the while knowing that your generation ended it all. Talk about guilt.

Massive Worldwide Earthquake / Tsunami / Polar Realignment –The “2012 Movie” scenario. The problem with this scenario is that it really is not the end. Many will survive, and rebuild. That was the biggest disappointment for me in that movie. People survived. It wasn’t the end, as all the 2012 Mayan hype tells us. Plus, do you really want to live in a world were John Cusack survives the apocalypse? I think the survivors would envy the dead.

Asteroid / Comet–The “Deep Impact” or “Armageddon” scenario. The nice thing about this is that we will get some warning. So we will have a couple of months of saying goodbyes and partying it up. But there is no doubt about it: in this scenario humanity is obliterated. The planet itself will survive in some form, and in a few eons life will again grow. But we humans are fucked.

Zombie Apocalypse–The “28 Days Later” scenario. Either the dead rise from their graves (silly), or a virus infects humans (i.e. the Rage virus). Either way, the infected roam the Earth looking to feast on the normals. Eventually everyone becomes infected, until there is nothing left to eat, and then we all starve to death. Sounds unpleasant.

Plague–The “I am Legend” or “Outbreak” scenario. SARS. Mtoba virus. Ebola. Bird Flu. Everyone gets sick and dies. Painful and gross deaths too.

Solar Eruption.–The “Knowing” scenario. An explosion on the Sun sends out a massive flare that scorches the Earth until it is burnt to a crisp.

So, which is your favorite? Vote in the poll.

Schwartzkopf and Claymont

If you are the Majority Leader of the Delaware House of Representatives, it is probably best that you not reveal that you never knew that Claymont wasn’t an actual town.

Pouring over maps of Delaware for the past three months of his life, House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf of Rehoboth Beach says he learned a lot about the First State as he drew new legislative district boundaries for the House of Representatives. “I’ll tell you something I found out,” Schwartzkopf told reporters during a redistricting briefing in his office. “The area of Claymont is not an incorporated area. … It’s like Hardscrabble in Sussex County. It’s not incorporated area. It’s just there.”

It doesn’t matter that I also did not know that. And I live in the Bellefonte area, just down the street. In fact, if Claymont is not an actual incorporated area, then why are there “Welcome to Claymont” signs on Philadelphia Pike and Governor Printz Boulevard? But I digress. I can afford to look idiotic, and it happens often. But if you are the Majority Leader, wouldn’t it be the wiser course to keep your mouth shut about something you just found out. Maybe I am being too hard on Pete, and perhaps this makes him look humble and folksy to his downstate readers. But I dunno.

So, what is the Rapture anyway?

Tomorrow is at least the 3rd time I recall the Rapture being predicted in my lifetime.

But what is it anyway? It is not the end of the world. It is more like an prologue to a book about the end of the world, and it is a long big ass book.

The Second Coming of Christ will occur in stages. First, He will remove all Christians from the Earth, to protect them. This is called “The Rapture.”

Now, most evangelical Christians I meet say it is not enough to just be Christian, you must be a believer. And it is not enough to believe in just Jesus Christ, but you must believe in pretty much every literal word of the Bible. For example, I have been told that I will be left behind because I believe in evolution, rather than the Genesis story (it is called a story for a reason folks).

But anyway, let’s assume here that God is a liberal God and not an angry hateful discriminating conservative God, and takes all Christians away.

After The Rapture, God will begin executing judgments against unbelievers, during a period called the Tribulation.

According to this guy Camping who predicted tomorrow as the Rapture, this Tribulation period will last until October 21. Other predictions and interpretations have it going on for years and years.

At the end of the Tribulation all nations will attack Israel, and Jesus Christ will physically return, leading the armies of heaven. At the Battle of Armageddon they will destroy everyone who is not a believer [while also fighting Satan, who also is in physical form]. Then Satan will be bound, and Jesus will set up the Millennial Kingdom, headquartered in Jerusalem. Jesus and the saints will rule over the nations of the Earth for a thousand years. During this period there will be people born who are not loyal to Christ. However, it usually will not be obvious. Therefore, at the end of the thousand-year period, God will release Satan and let him tempt those who inhabit the Earth. A large group will take up arms against the Lord and be defeated. Then, Christ will judge all who have ever lived, giving rewards to some and punishment to others. Those who were “destroyed” will be cast into the Lake of Fire, i.e., Hell. After that, God will destroy heaven and Earth because they have been polluted by sin. He will create a new heaven and a new Earth, put those who were saved on the new Earth, and rule it forever.

The one thing I take away from this story is that Jesus is not a big fan of Democracy and voting rights. “He will rule the Earth and all its nations for a thousand years?” Really? Who elected him? No term limits?

Another thing I take away from this story is that the Rapture and the subsequent Tribulation and the still further subsequent Thousand Year Kingdom and much further Second Battle of Armageddon (because a sequel would be so cool) is that it is all a prolonged example of incompetence. George W. Bush writ large on a biblical scale. I mean, after Jesus and the Saints destroy all nonbelievers in the first Battle of Armageddon, they somehow allow more nonbelievers to exist or be created, and they allow Satan to go on living, albeit bound. And then they release Satan after a thousand years, just to see what happens. What the fuck?

This Rapture story makes Jesus look like a Dr. Evil, or any Bond villain, in creating a very elaborate death scene for Austin Powers (sharks with freakin laser beams), and leaving the lair assuming that the deed is done.

Reading the Rapture story makes me less a believer, to be frank. I mean, I want my omnipotent God to not let Satan go once he has been captured. It really is not too much to ask.

Anyway, that’s what the Rapture is all about.

I think I am going to convert to Judaism.

Redistricting Hearings

Next Thursday, the House will hold a public hearing on redistricting, at 7 p.m. in the House Chamber in Legislative Hall. The Senate will hold a similar hearing on June 2 in the Senate Chamber, also at 7 p.m.

I am not a fan of the PDF maps that have been produced so far to describe the various House and Senate options. So I will attempt to put together more user friendly version of both plans this week. I will also attempt to put together a map reflecting my colleague El Som’s redistricting thoughts.

Almost Shatneresqe

Newt Gingrich has had a no good very bad horrible catastrophic disastrous launch to his presidential campaign over the past week. It by far exceeds the horrible launch our very own Joe Biden suffered in 2008 when he launched his own campaign and then went on to gaffate about a clean and articulate black man running for President that year.

After his many skewerings over his rejection and then embrace of the Paul Ryan Medicare killing budget, his spokesman released this statement earlier this week:

“The literati sent out their minions to do their bidding,” (said a Trump spokesperson). “Washington cannot tolerate threats from outsiders who might disrupt their comfortable world. The firefight started when the cowardly sensed weakness. They fired timidly at first, then the sheep not wanting to be dropped from the establishment’s cocktail party invite list unloaded their entire clip, firing without taking aim their distortions and falsehoods. Now they are left exposed by their bylines and handles. But surely they had killed him off. This is the way it always worked. A lesser person could not have survived the first few minutes of the onslaught. But out of the billowing smoke and dust of tweets and trivia emerged Gingrich, once again ready to lead those who won’t be intimated by the political elite and are ready to take on the challenges America faces.”

Such a tour de force deserves dramatic presentation. To wit, Sir John Lithgow:

Reminds me of the William Shatner presentations of Palin-speak:

Friday Open Thread

Welcome to your Friday open thread. Our wonderful and yet Unstable Isotope is taking a much needed two week vacation to parts unknown. So please do not assume that her disappearance means she has been pre-Raptured.

Derrick Powell was sentenced to death today for fatally shooting Georgetown Patrolman Chad Spicer in 2009. However, it seems this is destined for a lengthy appeal, given the inconsistent verdict and the jury’s split decision on the death penalty recommendation.

The Bradley case is coming home. Back down to Sussex. This is due to the scumbag monster waiving his right to a jury trial. Since there is no jury, there is no need to change venue so that you get an impartial jury, which was the reason the trial was moved north in the first place.

Former President Dumbfuck is making big bucks on the speaking / lecture circuit. $15 million since he left office. He charges $150,000 a speech. More power to him, I guess. If I could make millions at something I fail spectacularly at, I would be laughing all the way to the bank.

No more Terminator 5. Now maybe Hollywood can come up with an original idea.

Bin Laden’s porn collection. It is safe for work.

Tim Pawlenty has a Mudd Moment.

DeLuca Escapes

So Senate President Pro Tem Anthony DeLuca has been cleared of the recent charges that he violated the federal Hatch Act that prohbits elected officials from exploiting government jobs for personal or political gain. Deluca says he is now completely exonerated for anything and everything he has ever done in life. He is ready for the Rapture tomorrow.

Well, not really.

Still, a federal investigator said in a May 10 letter to DeLuca they did find “inconsistencies” between statements he and Department of Labor staff made and official records that suggest an anti-discrimination program reported to DeLuca during his first two years on the job.

DeLuca, D-Varlano, has faced intense criticism in recent months from fellow Democrats for his dual employment and how he wields his power in Legislative Hall. He said Thursday the letter “completely exonerated” him of any wrongdoing.

The letter did not say DeLuca is completely exonerated.

The Office of Special Counsel said it could find no direct evidence DeLuca had direct control of federal funds for a discrimination contract with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If DeLuca had controlled federal funds, he could have been forced to choose between running for re-election in the 11th District next year or resigning from his $68,913-a-year job at the Department of Labor.

That’s not complete and total exoneration. That’s the federal government saying “You’re fucking lucky punk.” It means the Office of Special Counsel cannot prove it with direct evidence. It means DeLuca got away with it.

Gogan wrote, the inquiry “uncovered evidence that — to some extent — corroborated the complaint’s allegations,” such as conflicting job descriptions for DeLuca and organizational charts that suggested DeLuca was involved in discrimination investigations.

Hey, Anthony, come here. Listen close. Take this good fortune you have just received and go to Vegas. It is time for you to retire.

Senate Democratic Plan Is Out!

Hope that DL is paying me and all of our contributors time and a half today.

The Senate maps are virtually impossible to read. But the Senate has thrown everyone a curve. They retain Senate District 3 (Marshall) and Senate District 12 (Connor), with Connor’s district taking on a V-shape, they combine SD’s 6 and 8 (Sorenson and Sokola), and they create a new SD 6 in the coastal Sussex County area.

As of now, there are no district maps to look at, just county and city maps, here. Frankly, they’re a mess.

Harris McDowell’s 1st District will now run all the way from the City north to the Delaware state line. Simply unbelievable.

Dori Connor’s 12th District has an utterly insane V-shape.

The 3rd picks up most of its numbers from McDowell, including ‘The Flats’.

The 5th has been crafted to be much more favorable to Cathy Cloutier, her D deficit cut in half.

Piggish Patti Blevins gets a 2-1 D edge while her neighbor Dave Sokola gets tossed in with Liane Sorenson. As always, Patti Blevins exercising ‘leadership’ on her own behalf.

And to top it off, only 16 districts show up on the sheet with all the demographic data.

Headed off to the Queen for tonight’s shows, so no time to comment more, but this is an awful plan, poorly executed and presented.

(UPDATED)–The Democratic Redistricting Plan–My First Take

While I haven’t looked at all the districts yet, I’m very encouraged by what I’ve seen so far.

First, the highlights:

*All four Wilmington districts, and all four majority-minority districts, are retained in this plan.

*Two R districts in northern New Castle County disappear–the 11th (Lavelle) and the 20th (Manolakos). Lavelle is placed in Debbie Hudson’s 12th District, and Manolakos is grouped with Joe Miro (22nd RD).

*Two new districts are created—the 11th, which would ‘encompass the southwestern quadrant of southern New Castle County south of Middletown and west of U.S. 13 and the northwestern quadrant of Kent County. It would include the municipalities of Townsend, Kenton and Hartly;’ and the 20th, which ‘would incorporate the municipalities of Lewes and Milton, running south near Long Neck, encompassing the Harbeson area and reaching west near the city limits of Georgetown’.  The numbers indicate that these will both be swing districts, and that independent voters will likely decide the winners. The 11th has a stronger D registration edge (about 10%) but I’s in this area tend to be conservative.  The 20th has a very marginal D edge, less than 400 more registered D’s than R’s. But I have to think that Pete has someone in mind here who could win. We’ll see.

*The redrawn 37th (Briggs-King) would take in the entire City of Georgetown, and would increase the Hispanic population in the 37th ‘from 17.22 percent to 19.39 percent.’ This is probably the best that could be done to maximize the Hispanic influence in this district, but I’ll defer to those who have a much more intimate understanding of those population patterns than I do.

Now, my opinions:

I love, love how Brandywine Hundred has been redistricted. The 7th RD (B. Short) picks up a significant portion of Claymont between Green Street and Philadelphia Pike, and loses a couple of its more Republican subdivisions, Chalfonte and Foulk Woods. The district becomes both more compact and solidly Democratic all at once.

I’m a little less in love with the 6th (Heffernan), as it picks up tony Surrey Park and Chatham (home of Bob Weiner) from Short, and Deerhurst from Lavelle. However, the 6th also picks up a nice D ED from Short, S. Graylyn Crest, and one from Lavelle, Green Acres. With Heffernan’s name recognition with the Brandywine School Board, this should still be her district to lose.

Dennis E. Williams’ 10th remains a swing district but with a pretty decent D plurality (1700 more registered D’s than R’s). While he picked up Republican communities like Chalfonte (he’d previously had a small portion of this huge community, now he has the whole thing) and Foulk Woods, he and/or the caucus wisely kept him east of the Concord Pike, thus eliminating his Chateau Country ED’s. I’d call it at worst a wash. Plus he keeps his districts east of Marsh Road, which are D districts.

The city districts are interesting. Dennis P. Williams (1st) goes further east up Washington Street Extension beyond his current Brandywine Hills boundary. It will have only a marginal impact on his district.

The 2nd District (Bolden) will now extend through the riverfront and pick up Browntown and Alban Park.

The 3rd District (Keeley) picks up some of Gerald Brady’s area going out Lancaster Avenue, including Colonial Heights.

The 4th District (Brady) will now venture almost out to Hockessin. Which is not to say that Gerald Brady will venture out to Hockessin.

One other district of note is the 21st (Ramone), which has 2000 more registered D’s than R’s. This looks like by far the best pickup opportunity for the D’s in 2012…if they bother to run someone this time.

There appears to be at least one major glitch on the maps. If you click on the 31st, Reps. Scott and Bennett appear to have been drawn into the same district. Leaving no incumbent in the 32nd. That has to be a mistake, right? Anybody?

Anyway, I don’t pretend to be an expert when it comes to Kent or Sussex Counties at all. So I encourage everybody to weigh in on what they see on these maps, who might be in line to run in the new districts, and just to snark away.

Plus, you can bet I’ll be back with more. Lots more.

ADDING: Additional, more detailed, higher-res maps have been released with Before and After looks at the House maps.

North New

North Old

South New

South Old