After the jump, what lies beneath Los Angeles in real life:

Proceed at your own risk »

Sometime in November, I’ll be interviewing for this position:

The [TMCC] Financial Aid Systems Coordinator works in support of the Director to help oversee the operation of the Financial Aid Department. This position manages the financial aid systems functional areas for the department encompassing all technological programs/services. Additionally, this position provides the full range of financial aid services for students, parents, and staff. This position will also have financial aid advisement duties, administrative duties and will be responsible for supervision of classified staff.

I really want this job.  Got some work to do to prepare.

Ross Miller (D.) v. Danny Tarkanian (R.)

This is the Battle of the Dads: Ross is a son of Nevada’s longest serving governor, Bob Miller. Danny is the son of a famous college basketball coach who won an NCAA championship at the aforementioned UNLV, but always seemed to be under constant scrutiny by the NCAA.

It’s a classic case of two good ol’ boys using one political office to gain access to a higher office, but it’s been a nasty campaign, with each of the candidates throwing big-time mud via TV ads.  Neither are distinguishing themselves or taking the high road. Nevertheless, I gotta pick one when I walk into the voting booth and (imho) “None of the Above” is a wimp-out.

All things being equal, I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about Ross Miller’s dad and that works for me.

Steve Martin (R.)(not the actor/comedian) v. Kim Wallin (D.).

Uh, does anyone know anything about this race?

Oh yeah: Steve is the incumbent State Controller after being appointed to the post by Governor Guinn earlier this year. The job became vacant after the previous office holder, Kathy Augustine, was allegedly murdered by her husband (a nurse) via an injection of drugs that seized up and stopped her vital organs.

What has that got to do with the current candidates? Practically nothing, but you can’t escape the story in these here parts. Plus there’s the added political flavor of Steve being appointed to the position by the (Republican) governor while Steve is running for the office. Kim cried foul, of course, but Steve’s nameplate is on the door for now.

Both candidates have the same main qualification (they want the job) so whom am I endorsing? If I have to pick one, it’ll be Kim because she’s the Democrat. Sometimes politics is more of an art than a science.

Getting back to The Big Picture, there are many inside and outside Nevada government that say the job is redundant and could be easily absorbed by the State Treasurer’s office. A bill gets floated in and out of the biennial Legislature every session to do just that, but nothing ever comes of it, probably because it would involve a change to the State Constitution.

When the time comes, if it ever does, I’ll be voting to do away with the Office of Nevada State Controller.

Back in the Dark Ages, I created what I thought were common sense rules about blogging. Phillip Lessen does a much better job and serious bloggers should tattoo his rules on their foreheads. To summarize:

1. Use descriptive headlines.
2. Write in an inverted pyramid style.
3. The first link should be the main link.
4. Re-introduce core ideas in longer posts.
5. Use lists, images, tables, etc. to make your entries easier to read.
6. Write for a global audience.
7. Credit your sources with a mention and link.
8. Mark updates and changes.
9. Spellcheck your posts and read them for clarity.
10. To practically all of these rules there are exceptions.

Here’s the link to his full article.

My rules:

1. You are responsible for what you write…forever.
2. Write about people as if you were talking to their face.
3. Never write about your stupid boss.
4. Identify your sources of information.

Here’s the link to my entry.

Mr. Lessen’s article found via the Horse Power blog. Thanks, dude!

Not too long ago, I was quoted in a local newspaper on the subject of leaving Iraq:

[Your friendly blogger] feels that the second we leave, the government there will disappear and a probable extremist Islamic based group will take over. He feels we should leave anyway, since we have lots of things to fix here. “And it is possible to make friends with your enemies. Remember Vietnam and 50,000-plus casualties, anyone?”

I believe we can become allies with most of the estimated 1.4 billion adherents of Islam.

Proceed at your own risk »

Below the jump is a series of YouTube videos about the old, “barely-used” Bush/GOP message in Iraq. You’re going to get very tired of Three Little Words, but the videos serve as an illustration of the problems we Americans face in Iraq and with our own administration.

Is the Bush White House really this inept? Or are they using this mistake to distract us from the real problems in Iraq?

Warning: none of the videos are pro-Bush, especially the first. I welcome any links to videos that specifically counter the content of the below.

Kudos to my blogging muse, Myna the Minx, for inspiring this entry.

Proceed at your own risk »

Continuing the tradition of the PostCard of the Week, courtesy of PostSecret:

Proceed at your own risk »

Brian Krolicki (R.) v. Robert Unger (D.)

I’ll go with Brian because he’s already served in the Capital Building before (State Treasurer) and he didn’t piss too many people off and run us into bankruptcy. By the way, LtGov’s not even a full-time job, but someone’s got to watch the store while the boss is in Aruba.

Would you please buy a frickin’ clue?

2005 World Series Champion: Chicago White Sox

2006 World Series Champion: St. Louis Cardinals

We tried and true fans are sick of watching our most bitter rivals win it all and we’re especially tired of being the butt of all jokes in baseball. There’s a reason Wrigley didn’t sell out as usual this year: we finally figured out that Lovable Losers are still Losers.

Lou Pinella may, repeat, may be a step in the right direction but he hasn’t won The Big Dance in a long time. Getting A-Rod would be a symbolic gesture if you don’t get the stinking quality and durable pitching to support the hitting. Some good hands in the infield might be a plan, too.

Let’s go, Cubbies, LET’S GO!