With all the recent activity, I’d almost forgotten to take any autumnal color shots.

This is a demon pod tree. Pretty, but evil. o

Great article on the state of the Republican base:

Democracy Corps: Republican Base Voters Living In Another World

It makes claims that the anti-Obama people in their focus groups aren’t racists, but ideologically different:

One thing that the firm makes clear, though, is that this is not about racism, but about ideology: “Instead of focusing on these intense ideological divisions, the press and elites continue to look for a racial element that drives these voters’ beliefs – but they need to get over it. Conducted on the heels of Joe Wilson’s incendiary comments at the president’s joint session address, we gave these groups of older, white Republican base voters in Georgia full opportunity to bring race into their discussion – but it did not ever become a central element, and indeed, was almost beside the point.”

I guess. Most racists in a focus group aren’t going to cop to it. I still think that race is just under the surface, particularly from southern state politicians.

However, the following definitely underscores recent posts I’ve made on blurbomat:

Conservatives see themselves as an oppressed minority, holding on to knowledge that isn’t represented in the wider media and culture: “Conservative Republicans passionately believe that they represent a group of people who have been targeted by a popular culture and set of liberal elites – embodied in the liberal mainstream media – that mock their values and are actively working to advance the downfall of the things that matter most to them in their lives – their faith, their families, their country, and their freedom.”

The funny part of those feelings isn’t that “elites” want to destroy anything. If anything, it appears that progressives are trying to rebuild; rebuild the U.S. foreign relations, the economy, healthcare, faith in the government to do good and the notion that disagreements are expected and worth talking about in graduated, infinite terms as opposed to binary terms. The funny part of the paranoid feelings from fringe conservatives is how pervasively wrong headed they are. o

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

LDS apostle: Prop 8 backlash against Mormons like civil-rights-era persecution of blacks

Noteworthy:

“During my lifetime I have seen a significant deterioration in the respect accorded to religion in our public life, and I believe that the vitality of religious freedom is in danger of being weakened accordingly,” Oaks said. “Atheists and others would intimidate persons with religious-based points of view from influencing or making the laws of their state or nation.”

Here’s a video on this story from the local Fox affiliate:

(free advice: Thanks for letting people embed the video! It’s a weird size. Aspect ratio should be closer to actual video source…)

Here’s the story from KSL, the church-owned television station.

[ Note: Video removed for sludgy load times. ]

I think it’s called “burying the lede“.

I wrote about how fringe conservatives do this all the time (here); they play a victim role out of one side of their mouth while similarly using the very tactics to act out the thing they claim is working against them. In this case, Mormons are free to discriminate against equal rights for gay citizens, but the backlash is infringing upon Mormons’ freedoms of religion.

While I don’t agree with people vandalizing churches or firing people because they fall on a particular side of an issue, if an organization takes a strong stand against something, it’s flat out naive to expect no backlash, including from within your ranks:

Reid rips LDS Church’s Prop. 8 support

Give ‘em hell, Harry! o

No big surprises, but still makes me happy to see some movement:

Senate panel OKs middle-of-the-road health plan – Yahoo! News

You know it’s just going to be an ugly autumn from now until legislation hits the President’s desk… o

Another one from 2008 that I couldn’t see that I had posted anywhere. The sensor was really dirty and maybe that’s why I never did the clean up work?

We’ve had gray days here and I’m trying to see the light as it were. o

Marlo’s hair is starting to stand up. It’s very cute. Also: eyelashes! o

Starring Tom Hanks, John Candy and Eugene Levy. And Daryl Hannah.

This one was from 2008. San Diego. Sick vacation from heck. o

Taken at the Echo Drive-In, Roosevelt, Utah.

I have no idea what’s going on here. o

Echo Drive-in, Roosevelt, Utah. Tricky lensbaby shot where I tried to get both the swing and the sign in focus. Didn’t quite get there in the fading light of day, but not a bad effort with a 50′ focus plane. o

o