July 29, 2011

TGIF

I'm going to spend the weekend recovering from my first 5-day workweek in over a month. If you're looking for a quick diversion and have the Chrome browser installed on your computer, check out the interactive video for OK Go's new song "All Is Not Lost". If the video is any indication of future trends, web content will either get much more interesting or much more annoying. The song itself is worth a listen as well.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 06:46 PM | Comments (0)

July 28, 2011

Reading Comprehension

The Times Topics blog has a list of words that its readers look up most frequently in the Times' on-line dictionary. It contains true obscurities like "panegyric" and "crepuscular", but it contains a few that should be gimmes for the paper's typical liberal elite reader. I mean, "ubiquitous"? Really? And isn't "brinkmanship" fairly self-explanatory? Perhaps an explanation lies in the fact that the Times is available to anyone with an Internet connection and so its readers have a broad range of vocabulary skills. And that's not intended to sound like English major snobbery. If reading the Times teaches people incredibly useful words like "feckless" and "schadenfreude", that can only be a good thing. 

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:53 PM | Comments (0)

July 27, 2011

Nice Things Cost Money

Count me among those who isn't making unhinged threats to cancel his Netflix subscription in the wake of the company's recent announcement of price increases for its streaming/DVD bundles. While I'm a little irked at another price increases so soon after a previous increase last winter, I understand Netflix's motivation. Licensing streaming content from the studios requires mountains of cash and having customers pay $8.99 for streaming and DVDs via mail isn't going to cut it. Netflix's streaming selection is still thin, but that isn't going to improve without additional revenue. I'll still pay less than $30 per month after the price hike and I still consider that a bargain considering the convenient entertainment it provides me.

Netflix will probably have a rich streaming catalog before long and the whole DVD-by-mail model will begin to seem archaic. In the meantime, I don't object to funding their ongoing efforts to keep me glued to the TV.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)

July 26, 2011

Goal-Oriented

I have two tasks to accomplish tonight:

• Finish a book club selection so that I don't have to cram it all in tomorrow night; and
  
• Spend all of the gift certificates I accumulated on my birthday before the national economy crashes and the only valid currencies are gold ingots and bars of silver. 

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 07:25 PM | Comments (1)

July 25, 2011

Critic At Large: U2 AT TCF Bank Stadium

I've been to many concerts, but never one quite so full of technical wizardry and skilled showmanship as Saturday's U2 concert. Despite a driving rainstorm that lasted for most of the two hours that the band was on stage, they treated the audience to a thrilling performance that highlighted their consummate professionalism and musical cohesiveness. Songs that are 20 years older or more--like "Mysterious Ways", "Pride", and "I Will Follow"--sounded fresh and vital. The Edge's falsetto accompaniment on "The Fly" and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" was almost indistinguishable from the original recorded tracks. Bono was Bono: swaggering and dramatic and pompous. But it's hard to roll your eyes and maintain one's postmodern sense of irony when he's leading 60,000 people in a sing-along of "Where the Streets Have No Name". All you can do is smile and join in.

The band kept most of its focus on its older catalog (a wise move, considering the forgettableness of their last couple albums). I was pleased that they included "Zooropa", one of my favorites from their early flirtation with electronica. I wasn't sure what to make of the enormous claw-like structure that formed the stage, but the giant video screen was a nice touch. Seeing their oversized selves perform in the rain was like watching a music video directed by someone who stopped watching MTV in 1989. And I mean that as a compliment.

I've seen U2 in concert three times now (always in Minneapolis) and I expect I'll probably see them again. They showed no signs of growing tired of the touring life. But it will be difficult for them to top the sheer spectacle of this performance.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 07:27 PM | Comments (0)

July 22, 2011

XXXVIII

I'll wrap up the week by noting that my birthday is tomorrow. No presents are expected, although I wouldn't mind a trinket from Comic-Con if you happen to be there. My present to myself is tickets to tomorrow's U2 concert, along with other assorted acts of debauchery. I'm not sure what to expect from age 38, but I'm sure I'll find out soon. As long as I manage to stay out of jail and/or the hospital, I figure I'll be doing okay for myself.

Enjoy the weekend.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 06:04 PM | Comments (2)

July 21, 2011

Need To Know

When I returned to work today, many of my colleagues mentioned how they tuned out the news while they were unemployed. "Reading the news just made me angry," said many of them. I can sympathize with that sentiment. There's not much good news to be had at the moment, what with all the talk about debt default, climate weirding, and oppressive regimes overseas. Avoiding the news seems like a sensible prescription for better mental health and a happier disposition.

But I'm not one of those people who can tune out. If I don't scan my newsfeeds at least a couple times a day, a general sense of unease settles over me. It's probably a mild case of OCD exacerbated by Twitter and the like. If I could physically manipulate my iPhone during commutes and waits in checkout lines, my compulsion would be even more apparent. All this time spent absorbing the world's dysfunctional behavior probably isn't doing anything to improve my own catalog of neuroses, but it does give me some small and amorphous sense of control. That desire for control is probably what drives most information junkies. We know we're all powerless against the tidal forces shaping world events, but we secretly hope that whatever scraps of information we glean from our constant scanning can somehow be fitted into the edifices of our own lives. It makes no sense, I know, but that won't stop me opening Google Reader as soon as I'm done with this post.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 07:09 PM | Comments (1)

July 20, 2011

Aftermath

As of about 9:00 this morning, the Minnesota state government shutdown ended. Shortly thereafter, I received the call to return to work tomorrow. I'm not sure any grand lessons have been learned from this experience. Our political leaders continue to focus on short-term ideological wins rather than the state's long-term budget problems. And I'm not sure voters with notoriously short memories will hold their elected officials accountable for their lack of vision.

From a health policy perspective, there's not much to like in the final budget. Republicans are bragging about holding costs down through "reform", but many of those reforms are simply cutting payments to providers (including my nurses) and forcing some low-income individuals to purchase private health insurance that is less comprehensive than what's currently available through public health coverage. "Reform" now seems to be Republican newspeak for "I've got mine and, by the way, here's a little less for you poor folk." And now it's up to us bureaucrats to implement said "reforms", which will we do with skilled professionalism. But we may vent our frustrations during an occasional happy hour get-together or in a long-winded blog post.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 03:52 PM | Comments (0)

July 19, 2011

My Checking Account Breathes A Sigh Of Relief

The governor called a special session for later this afternoon, so my unemployment stint should be coming to an end soon. Depending on procedural details, I should be back in the office Wednesday or Thursday. Being out of work for nearly three weeks has reminded me how fortunate I am to have a job to which I can return. I spent a little time during my time off perusing job vacancies and opportunities are still relatively scarce for both new and experienced attorneys. I'm glad I don't have to compete for those jobs with the 600+ newly minted attorneys who are just out of school and looking for work.

I'm not quite ready to stop worrying, though. This budget deal likely contains further administrative reductions and another round of more permanent layoffs may be coming. But for now, I'm looking forward to seeing my colleagues and cleaning up my inbox.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)

July 18, 2011

Not Just Another Pretty Face

Today's Star Tribune profiles Jenni Taylor, a young woman who became a quadriplegic several years ago and is now competing for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America. Jenni also blogs about her life with a disability at The Site That Breathes (a reference to her dependence on a ventilator). I've had the pleasure to briefly speak with Jenni about air travel with a ventilator and she is indeed a sweet woman. Go give her blog some well-deserved attention and wish her luck on her upcoming competition.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 12:04 PM | Comments (0)

July 15, 2011

15 Minutes

For a few hours yesterday, a photo of me and Governor Dayton appeared on the homepage of the Star Tribune. Here's the pic:

After the Humphrey Institute event, I briefly chatted with the governor and thanked him for his support of state workers. Several photographers snapped pictures of us, but I didn't think much of it at the time. Several Star Tribune readers commented that the picture deliberately portrayed Dayton in a sympathetic light by showing him talking with a "wheelchair-bound person." Of course, expecting enlightened political discourse from Strib commenters is a little like expecting an orgy to break out at Sunday services. I considered posting a brief comment pointing out that I was just one of many invited Humphrey Fellows at the event who briefly spoke with the Governor and that my disability should not be interpreted as a political statement, but then I decided I'd have more fun gaming on my computer.

I'm still not exactly sure when I'll be called back to work. It could be as soon as Tuesday if everything goes smoothly.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:23 PM | Comments (3)

July 14, 2011

Concessions

One of the advantages of being a Humphrey Policy Fellows alumni is that I get invited to events like today's appearance by Governor Dayton. I was in the audience when he announced his conditional acceptance of the last GOP offer. That offer would have closed the budget gap with borrowing against the state's tobacco settlement fund, yet another delay of school funding, and additional accounting gimmickry. In addition, Dayton wants all social policy riders and a 15% cut to the state workforce removed, as well as a $500 million bonding bill. No word on whether the Republicans will take this deal. 

As you might expect, I have mixed feelings about this proposal. Dayton is trying to be the grown-up in the room and bring an end to a shutdown that is making life difficult for more people each day. The zealots who control the Republican Party have made good-faith negotiations impossible and Dayton probably figured that prolonging the shutdown will only deepen the pain for ordinary citizens. He's still got another three and a half years and will have additional opportunities to push his agenda in the future.

But unless the economy roars back to life, Minnesota is likely to face another deficit in two years. And if we still have a divided state government, state leaders will get to fight this battle all over again. This deal does absolutely nothing to address the state's structural budget problems. Perhaps I should start tucking away money for the next layoff.

A lot of people will see this as a cave on the part of the governor. While I can understand that perspective, I'm not sure he had many options.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)

July 13, 2011

Self-Improvement Plan

If I'm not careful, prolonged unemployment will slowly turn my brain into gray mush. I should start a daily mental exercise regimen that includes a game of chess against the computer, the NY Times crossword puzzle, reading the complete works of Spinoza, and teaching myself Latin. But what do I do instead. Watch a video of the climactic lightsaber duel from The Phantom Menace rendered with an a capella soundtrack. I'll probably watch it again after I post this. And then maybe I'll play a little Plants vs. Zombies in a pathetic attempt to fool myself into believing I accomplished something. Feeling despondent, I'll then watch 5 episodes of Farscape on Netflix. And then, right before I drift drift off to sleep, I'll promise myself to start learning Latin first thing in the morning.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 04:39 PM | Comments (3)

July 12, 2011

Social Butterfly

I've been playing around with Google+ over the last few days. It hasn't reached a critical mass that would allow me to compare it to Facebook and I'm not sure it offers anything that will persuade your Aunt Ruth to switch. But the clean interface reminds me of Facebook's early days before the plague of Farmville and Mafia Wars updates. I can't imagine that Google+ will continue to exist in isolation from Facebook or Twitter, but its ability to separate people into social circles may make it the preferred network for more collaborative activities and more discrete sharing. I'm also curious to try the video chat feature, but that will have to wait until I have a webcam. And a webcam will have to wait until I'm employed again.

If you'd like an invite to Google+, let me know and I'll do my best to hook you up.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 04:01 PM | Comments (0)

July 11, 2011

No End In Sight

When the shutdown first began, I anticipated that I would be out of work for at least a couple weeks. Now, I'm beginning to wonder if I'll be back in the office before August. No new negotiations are scheduled and there is a decided lack of urgency on both sides to reach an agreement. The fact that core essential services are continuing probably contributes to that lack of urgency. While I'm grateful that I'm still receiving health coverage, our elected leaders might have felt more pressure to strike a deal if their constituents weren't receiving vital services. Then again, I may be overestimating the Republicans' capacity for empathy.

Boredom is already settling in. Another 2-4 weeks of unemployment will have me bouncing off the walls.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:13 PM | Comments (0)

July 08, 2011

Final Countdown

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 05:49 PM | Comments (1)

July 07, 2011

Socialism Works

In news that should shock absolutely nobody, researchers have determined that people with access to Medicaid coverage fare much better than low-income individuals without health insurance. The study found that those with Medicaid coverage were more likely to receive preventive care, more likely to have a regular doctor, and more likely to report better health outcomes. The findings won't surprise most health policy wonks, but the study is still an important tool in ongoing efforts to preserve Medicaid funding, particularly at a time when deficit reduction talks are focusing on significant cuts to Medicaid. Advocates for the poor now have concrete evidence to counter those who would say that emergency rooms and free clinics can provide adequate health care to the uninsured. It probably won't sway the most rabid Tea Party types, but it might help persuade moderate Democrats and Republicans to recognize the vital role Medicaid plays in the lives of ordinary people.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 05:38 PM | Comments (0)

July 06, 2011

America, The Screwed

You know the Republican party has gone off the deep end when even mild-mannered David Brooks has trouble saying nice things about the GOP. His entire column on the debt ceiling negotiations is worth a read, but here's the money quote:

If the debt ceiling talks fail, independents voters will see that Democrats were willing to compromise but Republicans were not. If responsible Republicans don’t take control, independents will conclude that Republican fanaticism caused this default. They will conclude that Republicans are not fit to govern.

The same could probably be said of Minnesota Republicans. By any reasonable measure, Dayton has already demonstrated his willingness to compromise. But the Republicans have only demonstrated that their rigid ideology is nearly indistinguishable from religion.

I'm more than willing to admit that Democrats have their shortcomings and blind spots. But after witnessing Republican governance in action over the last few months, I can't understand why anyone of good conscience and reasonable mind would continue to support them. I get that the economy sucks and people are in a foul mood, but are even conservatives willing to tolerate a non-functioning state? Have we become so cynical about government that we are content to keep the reins of power in the hands of a group of people who are no longer a political party, but a cult?

For all our sakes, I really hope not.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 11:57 AM | Comments (1)

July 05, 2011

Blue Panel

Minnesota's political graybeards, having decided that some adult supervision is needed to solve the state budget crisis, are assembling a committee of former legislators and other budget experts to craft a settlement that will get the support of both Republicans and Democrats. It appears to have the support of the governor, but the GOP is already dismissing it as a stunt. That doesn't forebode well for the committee's stated goal of bipartisan support. But at this point, any ideas that might end the shutdown are worth considering. Unfortunately, the Minnesota GOP has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Tea Party Insanity, Inc. and may simply not be capable of entertaining grown-up proposals. We may just need to muddle through with a temporary fix and give Minnesota voters another opportunity to express a clear opinion about the role of government in Minnesota. Of course, that's assuming they have a clear opinion.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 01:34 PM | Comments (0)

July 04, 2011

Back In The Day

After skimming through my blog entries from the last government shutdown, I'm struck by how blasé I was about the whole thing. Of course, I was able to use vacation time during that time and I wasn't too worried about losing any income. Now, I'm officially laid off and will be filing for unemployment, which leaves me feeling decidedly un-blasé. Actually, I should do that now. Enjoy your 4th.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 02:44 PM | Comments (0)

July 01, 2011

Slackerdom 2011: Day #1

The governor doesn't anticipate resuming negotiations before Tuesday, which means I probably won't be returning to work until later next week at the earliest. Dissecting the politics of this clusterfuck has left me exhausted, so I'm just going to do my best to enjoy this pause from the daily bureaucratic grind. I have the latest Rothfuss tome loaded on my Kindle along with several other books and a bunch of Star Trek series queued up to stream on Netflix, not to mention plenty of quests awaiting my alter egos on World of Warcraft. I may even venture outside once the asphalt stops melting.

Enjoy the weekend.

Posted by wintermute2_0 at 04:17 PM | Comments (0)