Accepting Asperger's

For the first time, the complaining and whining of other individuals on the spectrum is finally starting to get to me. It's like being a skateboard fanatic HATING other skateboard fanatics. I've accepted being on the autism spectrum because I can't help it; that's just how I was born. God's roll of the dice was against my odds. It has been in so many ways. But I've been blessed in others. I have a loving stepdad, I still have my loving mother, I have a college degree (that I'm finding paying back is becoming difficult) and a life ahead of me. When I read this person's blog post, it made me feel better about myself in so many ways. I know that I am far from alone.

But it's given me a voice to help others. It's given me passions. It's like what Ralphie May once said: "God's officially given us lemons, let's make lemonade." I've had my share of adversity in my life, but I've found ways of overcoming them. For instance, I tend to be a good social networker, adults my mother's age and senior citizens adore me, I'm a bit analytical, which allows me to also jump into a social scene and feel comfortable shaking hands and making small talk (something I do poorly) and in general not so much be the life of the party but instead play social diplomat, for lack of a better term. I want to put that into practice when I relocate over the winter.

True, there are some days where I wish I had an opportunity to see what it would be like to be neurotypical. For one day, I'd like to know what it is like not having certain sensory issues, what it would be like to have more self-esteem, what it would be like to date more often.

But I have a lot of big goals, and those goals are only made stronger by having autism. I want to be America's first elected official who is open about being on the spectrum, (as I've said before, I look up to the late Harvey Milk). I want to speak at the Democratic National Convention in a few years. I want to help parents navigate the tricky waters that come with having a child on the autism spectrum. And I want to help those who don't have autism too. Some of my political goals (if I am lucky enough to get into elected office) are to create an environment that is friendly towards job creation, find ways to fix crumbling infrastructure, making honesty and transparency in government mandatory and attend to the greatest needs of the communities I would serve.

We all have challenges in our lives and I just happened to have been born with a big one. I've heard the old "Autism doesn't define me. I define it" lingo, but as I've said, I redefine what it is to be an American twenty-something with autism.

I can't quit now-I've come too far. That being said, I do need to refocus my efforts onto productive things.

A quick thought

Because of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), I have health insurance until I'm 26 and when I do get a full time job, I won't be discriminated because of my autism.

If the GOP destroys Obamacare, it's going to be a rough ride for me. But I'll agree: the president's administration NEEDS to do damage control. Bring in more Silicon Valley folks.

And next time you want to reform healthcare, consult Apple. They can sell an iPod to almost anyone. So the same should go for legislation.

Sasha's commentary for October 29, 2013: The Good, the Bad and the Upsetting

Dear Boeing,

Get you act together. Do you really want Airbus to overtake you as a company to the point Airbus has a monopoly? And build a new 737. The MAX is great, but it's a 737 upgrade to say the least. A new clean sheet design needs to be done, and fast. Charles de Gaulle, I hope I never visit your grave, as I would throw an American flag on it. (Or maybe not, as I think this entry suffices enough insult). This is a quickie blog entry, for good reasons.

No matter what the MTA does, there's a public relations crisis after it. For instance, giving subway riders affected by Superstorm Sandy free rides on the anniversary  has received a fair share of insults. The MTA needs an external audit done on it, find out what (other than the unions) is causing inefficiencies at the agency. Furthermore, the cost of living in the New York metro region needs to be brought down.

Wow. Congress can't get any lower. Has partisan politics gotten to the point where there's name calling among our nation's legislators? I guess no one has heard of decorum. How sad.

On the upside, Bill de Blasio is apparently a fair and attentive landlord. I like that he's likeable, something we don't see to often with elected officials.

Although Vermont senator Bernie Sanders has budget ideas that are not only sound but apparently beneficial for the entire nation, I don't see it going anywhere, partially because of a Republican insistence on high defense spending. What happened to doing the right thing and not trying to please constituents? You win voters by doing the right thing (except with gun control it seems, especially the way it's been handled in New York).

Here's some news items of interest for my fellow New York Times readers.

The last blog entry for today I'm not writing. There are some things that are better left unsaid.

And I know what I will be doing at 8PM tonight-a moment of silence. For me, today has just been a buzzkill of a day.

Sasha's commentary for October 28, 2013

We're now in what I think is week two of the Obamacare rollout debacle, and I must say that American's can't do jack squat right: we should have an online core.

I'll say this: John King has given the State Education Department here in New York a bad name. And obviously Governor Cuomo has no say in the matter. Regardless, the implementation of the Common Core in New York has needless to say has gone horribly, and teachers are being examined and questioned to death.

This week for Cuomo has not gotten off to a great start started horribly. The NY political press is already critiquing the governor's stand on the Moreland commission, which is looking to be an embarrassment for Cuomo. I'm still weary on this little tidbit:

But the groups were disinvited in favor of elections officials in New York and elsewhere. Moreland Commission spokeswoman Michelle Duffy said they were removed because the program had grown too lengthy. (They can still submit written testimony.)

Grown too big? If the commission takes a decade, so be it! And let the legislature complain, but if needed I do believe that the state Court of Appeals should be able to step in if needed. The legislature should be allowed to express their grievances there. And I'd have a feeling by doing that they should get their way: this particular commission ruled unconstitutional. I still think the commission should say to Cuomo that you're not excluded because you're the governor. Maybe if Cuomo could come clean to the state and admit his wrongdoings he could win some favor with the voters in the state.

Or maybe it's Cuomo himself. Maybe the governor just truly has an attitude that is just like the attitude of New Yorkers: we tend to be really arrogant and tend to step on one another to get our way. Maybe his abusing power is partly a personality issue. Whatever it comes down to, I just hope the Democrats can if worse comes to worse, run a primary opponent against Cuomo. I've outline that in a prior blog entry. Maybe it's time for a well-tempered governor from upstate. Someone like myself, preferably.

But Cuomo should get a little break too. A good chunk of the state political press is conservative. And I'm sure the Daily News swings to the right as well.

I'm a fan of the lieutenant governor (partly because I myself want the job one day) but if Bob Duffy has made quite an "oopsie", he should probably resign.

That isn't going to work: we've had three Democrats as governor, and both burned bridges on their way out. Heck, I'm not Mayor Bloomberg's biggest fan but if he could be electable I'd vote for him.

Here's a memo to Andy: background checks are popular, but everything else about gun control isn't.

I'll second this one: some people need to lay off the baby bump. This PA law might seem ridiculous, but at least it's a good kind of ridiculous. A good analogy indeed: "a pregnant woman is not a puppy."

This house race in Massachusetts is EXACTLY why I'm penning a letter to the Democratic National Committee: vulnerable candidates get primary challengers. That's what should have happened in 2010. And if the Democrats want to win elections for good, run candidates who are patriotic. My point exactly. (See the link)

It's true: the Second Avenue Subway really is a line to nowhere. It's for the time being an extension of the "Q" line. It needs to be extended as soon as possible to Grand Central Terminal. At the rate it's going, William Ronan, the former MTA chairman who ran the company in the early 70s, might live to see the line completed. He's already over 100, and apparently, still alive. At least I hope-I'd like to meet him. He's a civil servant with a good background, including a Ph.D. And if we're going to extend the line, we need to get our act together, which includes regulatory reform.
Benghazi was yes, a tragedy and should be investigated but not if it's going to be a GOP witch hunt. And what is with all the radical constitutionalists? The Constitution is made of paper. Thus, it's a living document. And let's deal with the whole need to secede. It seems since Obama took office and since Lanza did his horrific shooting at Sandy Hook, this nation has gone berserk.

My message to politicians in general: start acting like rational human beings. All ideological warfare ends at the people's house (whatever capital/government meeting building it is).

Sasha's commentary for October 23, 2013

Last week, Chicago's O'Hare Airport opened a brand new runway. And because of that, I need to upgrade my flight simulator setup. O'Hare is supposed to be an entirely different animal by 2020, with an entirely new runway configuration and all.
UPDATE: I'm taking a hiatus from the FS community for a few reasons.

To the person who says that women who keep their maiden names have worse sex lives with their husbands, I call BS. Why? Think about it? Nothing's changed, the spice from your pre-marriage days should be there. By the way, marriage is a partnership, not a dictatorship. Of course, I think a woman taking her husband's last name is kind of weird. I know its origins are from the days where women left their own families and joined their husbands. I agree with Lindy West, at least partly. Preferably, I would want my spouse to keep her own last name. Marriage isn't a hostile business takeover, it's supposed to be a harmonious merger.

A class action lawsuit against homosexuality? That has to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

It's been twenty years since River Phoenix overdosed, and yet he took no one's heed? If I was given a warning to lay off the drugs by Dan Aykroyd, I'd quit ASAP.

Bill Young passed away on Friday, but he left behind this little tidbit:

On October 1, appropriated funding for many federal agencies was allowed to expire.
Representative C.W. Bill Young, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee made it clear that he will continue to support all legislation to fund the federal government.
“The time for politics is over; let’s get on to legislating and the hard work of tackling our $17 trillion national debt and solving important national issues like the current flood insurance crisis,” said Young.  “All sides need to sit down and work these problems out together.”

I wonder if it would be easy to assume if he would have been the 88th vote to reopen the government had he been able to vote.

I was hoping New York as a whole would approve the continuing resolution to re-open the government, but no, two Western New York representatives voted against reopening. So, I hope these two lose (Chris Collins and Tom Reed) their jobs come next November or lose primaries to more moderate Republicans. In order to fix our nation's debt problems WE need to close loopholes and raise taxes on those making more that $1 million a year.

On the home front, New York State desperately needs to clean up government, and lower the cost of living. There HAS to be a way to do it, or either make New York job friendly so young adults can move to the state, so we have a tax base. An AARP survey has shown that two-thirds of baby boomers are thinking about moving out of New York City because of the cost of living.

I have a letter I'm going to send to the Democrats later this year: make sure vulnerable Democrats aren't running for reelection. If a seat is going to be lost, let it be with someone who has no chance of winning anyways. The Republicans will always be the stronger party for various reasons. However, I think the Democrats running veterans for certain offices will definitely help the brand.

There's this little puppy from 2012:

The most important question is whether Perry -- who has been serving since George W. Bush left for the White House in 2000 -- will run for another four-year term. He hasn't ruled it out, and he's continued to raise money. But the scars from Perry's ill-fated presidential run in 2012 are more than superficial. A late October University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll found that only 22 percent of voters would vote for Perry for governor again in 2014, compared to 42 percent who said they would vote against him and 35 percent who said they wanted to see who ran against him -- a horrible result for any Republican in Texas. The most obvious potential primary contender -- or the frontrunner if Perry decides not to run again -- is Attorney General Greg Abbott. But the state has a huge Republican bench that's been frozen out of the governorship during Perry's long tenure, so a wide-open primary is possible if Perry leaves, likely including candidates from the party's establishment and Tea Party wings. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Wendy Davis, who just won a second term in a Republican-leaning district, might be a plausible contender for the nomination; Democrats also dream of San Antonio Mayor and Democratic National Convention keynoter Julian Castro, but he seems inclined to stay on as mayor. It may not matter -- any Democrat will be at a steep disadvantage in a statewide race in Texas, and that should remain the case at least until demographic changes favorable to the Democrats kick into high gear.

A fillibuster and national attention later and Davis is now running. Cuomo? He needs PR improvements. Or not as much as I have come to believe.

Jury is in: Turns out that Cuomo is actually in a pretty good position to stay in the Governor's Mansion next year. It doesn't help that the Republicans don't have a candidate as of yet, someone worthy enough to defeat Cuomo. But I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees the need for Cuomo to get the constitutional referendum passed. Of course, the New York Post has had a grudge against Cuomo since the day he took office. I think next time we'll stay away from turning Attorney Generals in New York into governors. We haven't had the best experiences with them. The sad news: Tom Suozzi's poll numbers are disappointing. But then again, Long Island is traditionally conservative.

What Cuomo needs to do: get the state back in working order. Also, New York is going to need to find the money to rebuild the state's pathetic infrastructure. If the state's fiscal books start to enter the black, it might be time to stash away that money.

It's very obvious that we're a nation of pessimists. Look at any "comments" section of a internet news article. It's part mudslinging, part negative Nancy's. I do see a silver lining in all of this: it might take past Obama's term in office for the job market to have 2006-07 unemployment numbers, or even Clinton-era unemployment numbers, but I also see

I'm calling bullshit on this one. Amtrak will ALWAYS be more environmentally friendlier than any airplane travel. However, the airlines are getting the fuel economy better straightened out, thankfully. Travel by air is in my eyes, highly energy inefficient. We need to find alternative fuels, and the sooner the better, because we don't have resources for seven billion people to live extremely comfortably. I think half the world's problems are due to overpopulation. Let there be a demographic crisis for a few decades.

"Gee Brain, what do you want to do tonight?" "I don't know Pinky, maybe screw over the American people?" Harsh words, yes, but Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has shown some really negative moves in the last month. But I wouldn't compare him to the Brain.

Speaking of craniums, it's no brainer that Paul Ryan's worst nightmare is Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. Do I see the budget committee having to make some serious compromises? Yes. And some of those compromises neither side is going to like. But here's my longtime argument to the GOP: do you want no deficit or low taxes, because in my eyes, you can't have both. Sanders is a European-style socialist, which makes him far left here in the States. The senator is one for high taxes on the richest people and most profitable programs to pay for federal programs and other services-some which

In my eyes, Amtrak is probably one of the few federal programs that is the best bang for the buck. It's no secret that Amtrak's financial performance is improving. I do see Amtrak profitable operations wise in a few years, but NEVER in regards to capital projects. That will always need to be taxpayer funded, and should, even if Amtrak does manage a profit. After living four decades on a shoestring, I think it is time that Amtrak be allotted more federal dollars, and I hope the states can improve their short and medium-length Amtrak routes. But Amtrak right now is in a tight bind: it has no spare equipment to speak of, and many new pieces of equipment are not due to enter service for a few years.

Speaking of Amtrak and trains, California went from supporting high speed rail to being on an anti-high speed rail move. Sure, the project should deserve some closer scrutiny, but at the same time, I bet there are many people with some serious misconceptions about the project. My point here: infrastructure spending in this country is dangerously low. Raise the gas tax, even by just a few cents. Here's another thing: conservative economics isn't always right. Anyways, here are a few key facts on California's HSR project. And I hope Caltrans has taken conventional trains into consideration.
Listen, even CEOs have quiet divorces, heck, there are some quieter celebrity divorces than this one. Manuel John Mehos, who heads a bank in Houston, divorced his wife and now is accusing her of being a bad parent because she had an abortion? Maybe she had that abortion because if she had that child, you'd be an even bigger monster than you are now. Reading this article, I have to believe that this marriage was doomed from the start. And to subpoena medical records? That's sort of low.

Manuel John Mehos

It turns out that Ted Cruz is continuing to destroy his credibility. A heck of a lot of people, myself included have tweeted that Obamacare is helping and not hurting. Yes, Cruz is a tiny bit right that some people will see premiums increase. Maybe we do need government to bring down the cost of healthcare. It's a right, not a privilege, and the industry shouldn't be cleaning people's banks.

Jon Huntsman is right. The Obamacare rollout needs more time. It's not that it's bad, it's just complex. And I like how the former Utah governor didn't do the usual "Obamacare needs to be destroyed/dismantled/is the wost thing for America talking point the Republicans have. He, like myself is worried about the rising cost. I'd like to believe that part of keeping those costs in check include putting a foot down on not only insurers but also the healthcare industry as a whole. 

A recent poll shows that Ken Cuccinelli is behind former senator and GOP chair Terry McAuliffe by SEVENTEEN points. Somehow I find it quite fishy. That being said, I do believe that McAuliffe has this in the bag (as it's his race for the winning), but it's going to be a close race, and I'd be surprised if McAuliffe wins by an over two percent margin.

All of my ranting comes down to this: America needs the Westminster system of government.

Breastfeeding shouldn't be controversial. If humans were meant to have mammary glands, put them to work. My own research on the topic has found that breastfeeding is a good part of shedding baby bearing fat, prevents breast cancer (someone explain that one to me) and helps the infant's immune system. Barring sore teets, if I were a woman, I would breastfeed whatever offspring I have, and be darn proud of it. But I must say, this is one comment that got to me:

Two quick comments.
I don’t get the modesty things since men are allowed to go topless just about anywhere, anytime, and some of the heavier men have breasts larger than some women.
As far as breast feeding is concerned, at home or in public, it might be time to stop when the kid starts asking to be fed. Otherwise, I fully endorse the practice.
Question.
How many fathers have taken a few sips after the baby has been fed? - See more at: http://blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org/inbox/2013/10/19/how-did-something-totally-natural-become-so-controversial/#sthash.E7nLauNl.dpuf

Two quick comments.
I don’t get the modesty things since men are allowed to go topless just about anywhere, anytime, and some of the heavier men have breasts larger than some women.
As far as breast feeding is concerned, at home or in public, it might be time to stop when the kid starts asking to be fed. Otherwise, I fully endorse the practice.
Question.
How many fathers have taken a few sips after the baby has been fed?

I'd say gross, but I think the commenter summed up a major point: there's a lot of things that should be gross that we find sexually appealing. The man who said that, Pete Klein, is an author of vampire stories from the Adirondacks? He's not sipping blood but something else, but Pete, thanks for the laughs!!!

Chivalry is dead for a couple of reasons: we're a sex-uped society. Some of us don't even understand the concept of a one-night stand. Some of us are still sexually challenged. And I don't mean sexual orientation-wise. I mean the ability to get into a situation that would afford me having sex. I might be emailing John Piccuito, see if he has any advice for us high functioning autistics.

A quarter-life crisis. That's been my life since last summer. Honestly, I've wasted away 2013. I'm very aware of that fact. I've accomplished a lot as well, but for the most part, I've wasted it away as well.

Before I go, here's a memo to politicians: legalize weed. The benefits are endless.

And finally, dang, Tom Daschule's wife is a former Miss Kansas? Damn, hats off to him! So maybe there is hope for me and the former beauty queen from the Big Sky Country!

UPDATE: (another) Here's an interesting article on how the House voted on ending the shutdown. Note: You might need a NYTimes subscription.

Quote of the day: "Welcome to the Internet. We give no mercy."

Two quick comments.
I don’t get the modesty things since men are allowed to go topless just about anywhere, anytime, and some of the heavier men have breasts larger than some women.
As far as breast feeding is concerned, at home or in public, it might be time to stop when the kid starts asking to be fed. Otherwise, I fully endorse the practice.
Question.
How many fathers have taken a few sips after the baby has been fed? - See more at: http://blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org/inbox/2013/10/19/how-did-something-totally-natural-become-so-controversial/#sthash.E7nLauNl.dpuf

Sasha's commentary for October 16, 2013: A Shutstorm End?

Avert the crisis? The Tea Party IS the crisis. It's not big government that's the problem, it's that government isn't right-sized (it could be a smidge smaller) and not efficient. More efficient.

I have to give the writers of City and State some credit, but it seems that there is too much New York bashing. But they are right on a few things: New York's infrastructure is in rough shape, almost to the point of emergency, much of it we, the public can't see. For New York to survive, New York's government needs restructuring, and that might mean cutting costs sensibly. I'd say going open source be part of that package. And although I tend to vote on all of them, the constitutional amendments I'll agree that they don't do a whole lot. Although they really are needed and I do see some economically depressed counties (like my native Franklin, Erie, Sullivan and others) voting upwards of 90+% in favor of legalizing gambling in New York next month, New Yorkers really need true constitutional reform. It's no longer 1892 or 1938. And I hope in 2017 or even earlier a constitutional convention in New York is called. Even our nation needs a new one.

But New York also needs to find a way to pay off some of these infrastructure debts and others to allow for future projects to go ahead. Does that mean more standardization across New York, whether it be purchasing computers, city buses and K-12 textbooks? I don't know, but the state needs huge reform.

Somehow, I see this Joe Lhota advertisement not doing a whole lot. Maybe Bill de Blasio wants to meet these bikers and get their perspective. And although New York City needs an adequate amount of law and order, the city also needs a less tense and healthier psychological environment. Most cities do.

And off topic, Amtrak's blog has tips on how to sleep overnight in coach on Amtrak. That's a good question. Anyways, I'll take the roomette and shower before I board the train. For shits and giggles one day, I might take an overnight Amtrak train trip in coach, just to see how feasible it truly is.

Court dismissed. Bring in the dancing lobsters, and DECENT programming back to TV. Maybe this will help?

My thoughts on software piracy

Software piracy has been around since the days of the floppy, but with more and more software being digitally distributed, the problem is only getting worse. Or is it?

The cost of certain software only makes . For instance, Adobe is known for price inflation on their products, and it's gotten to where I use Paint.NET and GIMP for my image editing needs. The two work good together.

I prefer to buy legitimate licenses, but either the software company does not offer discounts to consumers (Microsoft) or discontinues particular software, or the price is not worth the admission. But for me, I have found software that is free and open source or a better value, which has reduced my need to pirate software.

Thus why I am so in favor of the FOSS movement. Sure, OpenOffice and Firefox have their bugs, but also are predictable and reliable (although Firefox REALLY is overdue for upgrades). And Ubuntu has shown to be a flexible Linux distribution. If New York State wanted to save some nightmares, how about starting by bringing Linux to the schools across New York State, and later, onto state agencies?

Also, I'm against software activation. Often it leads to other problems. Unless you can deactivate the software and move it to another computer, I have an issue with it. And what happens if the software provider is defunct, and you need to activate something, or they have discontinued support? I want to own my license, not rent it, and a few years ago I read an article in Computer Shopper (a now defunct magazine) about renting software, and now it has come of age. Personally, I'd like to see Adobe get what's coming to them, and as much as I've had my criticisms of Steve Jobs, he was ahead of his time on Flash. As it's aged, Flash has gotten worse. 

So support your open source vendors, and do your homework!

*This article, like all of them, is subject to changes and (more often) expansion* 

Shutdown Shitstorm: My thoughts

It looks like the shutstorm is coming to an end. I was hoping in some ways that it would make the Democrats look good, but as usual, the GOP will come away looking good. I hope not too good. And still, I hope Americans remember this: WHY did the GOP have to do this in the first place? This was quite the unnecessary shutdown? Polls have shown that the backlash from the shutdown will put the GOP controlling the House as risk. However, there might be some damage control which might only make our government's problems worse. The overwhelming majority of elected officials act like spoiled brats. An article on the Rolling Stone website has shown the level of hypocrisy that elected Republicans have displayed since the shutdown: one member being uncomfortable with leaving Congress, a couple screwing over the nation over healthcare, and the usual Republican "can't watch my mouth".

Even the airlines have been effected, with airlines across the globe not getting their newly built aircraft. Yes, it is sad but it seems that unfortunately that is the end result.

I look at it this way: people who have a fear and paranoia of government are the last people who should be elected to political office. That's what many voters did in 2010. They elected people who wanted to dismantle government, not uphold it.

I also think that many in the GOP are in denial over the president's reelection last November. Back in 2011 it looked like as if Obama was beatable. But the far right has alienated voters so much that President Obama looks calm and rational. Sadly, I have a feeling that Obama will have to cave in a little with Obamacare.

In the end the state of our nation's government, no less my state government (more on that), is pathetic and disturbing. If I ever run for elected office, I'll do so on a platform of sanity.

Sasha's commentary for October 15, 2013

The last forty-eight hours have been both good and bad for rail. Amtrak hyped up the fact that it carried 31 million riders this year. How about 35 million for next year?  And Indiana has FINALLY reached an agreement with Amtrak to keep the Hoosier State run. About time! But there's also bad news: the already financially strapped Adirondack Scenic Railroad has seen one of its leased engines sabotaged by some individuals. As I have posted in the past, rail advocates across the Adirondacks and all of New York have been fighting to keep the rail corridor from Utica to Lake Placid intact. The "Adirondack Recreational Trail Advocates", which I see as a railroad hate group, has been fighting railfans and the state Department of Transportation on whether to tear up the line or not. Needless to say I'll be drafting a letter to Senator Betty Little asking her to strengthen and protect scenic rail operators from both political and special interest harassment. I see whoever did this as harassment.

Lately this whole psuedo-hostage holding, whether it be towards a tourist railroad in Lake Placid that has big plans for the future or the Tea Partiers in Congress crying foul is getting not only out of hand, but sickening too.

Huffington Post (who I've been trying to boycott as their site slows down my web browser big time) has an article on several way to be annoying on Facebook. Needless to say I've probably lost a Facebook friend (or two, or three, or several) because of this.

If John Boehner is fighting to keep his speakership, he should just throw in the towel now. He's lost the support of the American people. And the Republicans in Congress are beyond stubborn; Boehner proposes something but even the GOP isn't happy with it. Harry Reid is right. I would not be surprised if the shutdown lasts until January 2015. He's trying now to get conservative support, not bipartisan support for a bill to end the stalemate in Washington. I'm calling the White House tomorrow and telling them to bring in a mediator. If we do default (which looks ) the GOP deserves to lose its majority and every member of the Tea Party voted out of office. If you are a moderate or someone who is open to compromise even if it doesn't make you happy (like me for the latter). I'd get rid of the debt ceiling, raise taxes on Americans making more than a half grand a year and a little on those making more than $250k. Boehner's turning out to be more selfish than anything else. If our nation's stability was at stake, I'd give up my job (and it's only an added position, sure the House speaker gets another almost $100k on top of what a member of Congress earns). Sure, even I agree that the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) probably needs to be re-written a little but what we really need is to put a leash on the healthcare industry and lobby. And Obamacare itself? It has teething issues, yes, but it still has a chance. Repealing it now would be worse than a new healthcare bill. I'd rather spend four years on a healthcare bill than trying to destroy it just to prove a point, while at the same time putting our nation's stability at risk.

Even special interest groups are making a bad situation worse. The Heritage Foundation has stated "it would “key vote”" the debt ceiling and continuing resolution, so needless to say, why I would make a different politicians: I would ignore whatever negative shenanigans that the Heritage Foundation throws at me. They're no more influential in my decision making than the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP). (Actually that statement is a boldfaced lie, but my point is that improving rail is bipartisan. Christian values, while can be bipartisan, tend to be prejudice towards some groups, in in some cases, snobbish). If I was in Congress, I'd advocate for doing SOMETHING. Forget trying to get a majority of a party, just get a freaking majority!

BTW for MSNBC: Chris Coons is from Delaware. Chris Murphy is from Connecticut.

Also, my alma maters don't have football teams. Okay, both Irvington and Brewster do, but they only sort of count, and I didn't graduate from those two high schools. And both SUNY Potsdam and North Country Community College lack football teams.

And lastly, I'll concur like most guys in the United States: Maria Kang is HOT. Three kids and you have a body like that? But I have to kind of defend her. Yes, it is a somewhat hurtful photo and statement as not all mothers can pull off what she can. But Kang has credibility, not only as a former beauty pageant contestant but as someone who has had a body image issue. What is bulimia? A psychophysical eating disorder that is also associated with poor body image. I don't think she's trying to be rude at all. Harsh? Maybe a little. But part of maintaining a healthy body weight is proper diet and exercise. Eat breakfast. Don't go overboard on the carbs and sugars (and for someone like me who does, DON'T bring soft drinks into the mix!), and eat right in general.

And One More Thing...

From July, in Georgia:

Shortly after 1 p.m. Monday, Michelle Nunn declared herself a Democratic candidate in the 2014 race for U.S. Senate, the very seat once held by her father.

Cool. Another kid of a politician who think they can run for elected office on their parent's name...wait a sec:

Nunn will come under immediate pressure to weigh in on issues of the day. She tackled a few on Monday:
— On the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare: “It’s difficult for small businesses. I think there are things that are not working with ACA. That’s something that needs to be changed,” she said. But Nunn’s emphasis was on fixing health care reform, not eliminating it. She also pointed out that, by rejecting an expansion of Medicaid under the new law, Georgia was depriving 25,000 veterans of health care coverage.

A Democrat who is a critic of Obamacare and thinks it needs to be fixed but not eliminated? PERFECT! In the words of Sarah Palin's cooky pastor: "Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around."

Democrats who think Obamacare is broken but can be fixed: PERFECT! A few aspects of it are broken, but most of it is wonderful. Kids can stay on their parent's plans until they're 26, pre-existing conditions aren't grounds for coverage denial, no coverage caps, women (who often lead healthier lives than men) aren't forced to pay higher premiums, all reasons the ACA needs to stay law.

My advice to parents with kids on the autism spectrum

Listen up parents: as I don't have kids, but one day hope to, I do have some words of advice, but some of them come from a child's point of view. I'll refine this list as I go, so call this a perpetual blog entry.

1) What might work with one autistic child might not work for another. For me, some neurotypical approaches were more appropriate for me than a modified approach. In a certain situation, you might have to try several approaches before settling on one that works.
2) Don't think your child is limited because of their autism. We've been breaking down barriers for ages now, and those barriers are countless. This year alone we've broken down a few, one being beauty pageants. Maybe in 2015 or 2016 I'll break down the politics barrier. (Mark my words: I'll be upset if I'm not the first person on the autism spectrum elected to public office).
3) Don't be afraid to force them out of their comfort zone once in a while. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be able to make phone calls myself, drive to Canada, etc. But...
4) Don't drive your kids to the point they'll have a breakdown. My stepdad (I'll use the Southern cliche: Bless his heart!) has been known to do this to me. You need to understand what their capabilities are and work within that, while leaving room and sanity for that to expand.
5) Embrace your child's unique talents: for instance, I can dismember a computer faster than Freddie Kruger can dismember a human (sorry for the graphic language!). But I can also reassemble that computer. That strange hobby might be a quick path to a living in a few years.

And finally, for now:

6) Have an open ear: many of us are able to communicate, and some (like myself) are able to communicate with near fluency. As Carly Fleischmann has shown, even non-verbal autistics have a sense of humor and an opinion on a given issue. And me? I have opinions that can run from here to San Francisco! Okay, let's make that LA!

My rant towards the autism communty

By no means am I attacking anyone personally. This is just a rant.

Lately, I've found myself more and more repulsed by other auties and Aspies. In general, I know several, on here and on Facebook who drown their lives in autism. There's more to life than our conditions. Let me paraphrase a (semi-celebrity) crush: Autism doesn't define me, yes, it's part of who I am. But there's more to me than my autism/Asperger's. Yes, I do understand that there are some, even on Facebook, who have it a LOT worse than I have it.

From a Facebook group this morning: a message aimed at me

just to keep you updated, we've had issues in this group with things being called "creepy" so in the future please try to use another word?

When did "creepy" become another "r" type word? I didn't know what "creepy" was offensive! My challenge to everyone out there: are there any other words for "creepy" in the English lexicon?

And lastly: the Âû Facebook Fad: As almost all of you know, Âû is short for the invisible Autism Union (or is it Autism United), which I see as no more than a FAD. I'm all for autism solidarity, but I'm not going to have it tattooed. There is more to my life than having an autism diagnosis: my friends and family, my interests, my passions.

And the grudge against Autism Speaks? Give it up already! They're not perfect, but it's the job of HFA's and Aspies to right whatever they say.

I understand and accept if people take offense to what I have to say, but this is how I see the autism community at times: kind of old-man style complaining.

Why (If Cuomo Becomes an Outright Liability) I Want to See Kirsten Gillibrand as Governor of New York

As much as I dislike the New York Post (thanks to Murdoch's blood), I will admit this: 2014 isn't looking good for the Democrats in statewide office in New York. Since 2006, the state's most powerful people: the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller have all been Democrats.

But they've almost all had one thing in common: downstate. Very few statewide politicians come from Upstate and I can't recall the last governor we've had who has been a native of upstate. And Pataki doesn't county. Garrison, by my skewed definition of upstate, is downstate. (My definition of the upstate-downstate divide is I-84. You live north of 84, you're upstate. South: downstate).

Now I'm not saying that Andrew Cuomo has been a terrible governor, in some ways, he has done things that no one has thought possible. He's held a firm line on taxes,

But the negative press in New York has not helped. His PR machine, quite simply, sucks.

My fear is that we've had three short-term serving Democrats in New York since Pataki left office. I don't think NY voters are interested in yet ANOTHER Democrat as governor. I am though interested! We just need the right one.

I PRAY for a primary challenge against Cuomo. Sure, they're dangerous if your party is looking at reelection. But, if you have popular statewide figures, it's a better shot. Here's my picks:

• Kirsten Gillibrand: First elected as a moderate Democrat in the 2006 referendum on Iraq and Bush, Gillibrand has become a force unmatched in New York history. She's from the Albany area, was (and I guess still is, if the Senate has one) a Blue Dog Democrat, support gun rights (that support stops with background checks and in general has recently gone out the door, although she has held a gun in her life, something I doubt Cuomo has ever done), supports the death penalty (which having an opinion on that in NY does not matter), is against illegal immigration but wants reform in that area, wants government budgetary reform, is pro-choice (in a state where three-fourths of voters support abortion rights, with sensible restrictions),  Generally, she comes off more likeable than Cuomo, and I don't think has the same combative attitude. She could easily win if she can run a strong campaign, and I would overwhelmingly support her.
• Tom Suozzi. As I one day hope to be a county executive here in New York (as a stepping stone to the politicla dead-end office of Lieutenant Governor). Suozzi lost to Spitzer back in '06 partly based on the "Spitzer wave" that year. Spitzer had the money, statewide name appeal, early start (in fact, Spitzer's announcement was part of why Pataki didn't run for a fourth term, as Nelson Rockefeller is the only NY governor since I don't know when to get elected four times and Mario Cuomo lost his race for a fourth term, which ironically Pataki was the candidate who beat Cuomo the elder) and the momentum. Suozzi is best known for promoting the Cuomo tax caps, which has only partly helped New York's government problems. But it would be REALLY suspicious for him to run when he's trying to get his job as Nassau County Executive back. Bets are off with him.
• Bob Duffy: He keeps a too-low profile and is the governor's lackey, so that might not quite work. But as an upstater who spent time as Rochester mayor, cleaning up that city, Duffy has the chutzpah and credentials.
• Thomas DiNapoli: Good ol' DiNapoli. The guilty conscience of the Cuomo administration. If there's someone who knows how bad New York is in the pits, it's this guy. A product of Nassau County, has served in a dozen plus elected offices.

But Cuomo has things in his favor: he's been tough on taxes, has championed dairy farms in the state, passed same-sex marriage legislation, he's trying to get the state straightened out. But his PR and handling on the SAFE Act make him a political liability. But how much? The father in law of the son of the head of the New York Republican Party ran for the Republican mayoral primary in New York City AND LOST. There's hope. New Yorkers, are for the most part, liberals. All four upstate cities, their suburbs and NYC, plus the North Country and half the people in the NYC suburbs lean left. The New York State GOP is too moderate for the national party. And Paladino is permanently unelectable with his behavior, which makes mine (which can be weird at times, yes, I'm willing to take shots at myself) look normal.

But maybe it is time for a Republican to run New York. Unless the Tax Foundation has a bias already against New York, it seems Cuomo has been a lame duck since his first day in Albany. It's true. We have more taxes than any other state, and yet it seems that New York's quality of life doesn't equal the value of the high taxes. And he's been a hypocrite on government transparency, something that is of utmost concern of mine.

Bringing Back an Old Friend: Ginger Foutley

During the summer of 2000, I fell head over heels with a cartoon character. This girl, someone from Connecticut, was struggling to fit in, much like myself. Since then, Ginger Foutley has been one of my fictional heroes, someone who can beat the odds . Now I still don't get how a member of this family, or even a distant relative became the (I hate saying this) angelic voice behind such a sweet and sassy cartoon character. But I could never, thanks to network execs, get to constantly watch the show thanks to changing time slots. (NOT a great way to build an audience). I forget if I watched the first episode but on at least one occasion I did watch an episode the first time it aired. For me, ATBG was one of the few aspects of my pre-adolescence that I loved.

It's been nearly a decade since the last As Told By Ginger episode was produced and after watching all the episodes that have been released, I can say that the "series finale" leaves more questions than answers. How do the characters get to where they are at the end of the series. Even the creators, if I recall correctly, we're imagining a fourth season, but Nickelodeon (and the idiots at Viacomm) pulled the plug on a show that had some breakthroughs for a show. It was more like a tradition coming of age show than let's say, Family Guy. The characters don't where the same outfits every day and every episode. The world around Ginger changes, and that extends to the characters themselves. Episodes had references to prior episodes. To make a long story short, it was groundbreaking for a cartoon series, or at least not your average cartoon series.

The ending of the show shows Ginger suffering from depression, part caused by a breakup with her and ex-boyfriend Darren struggling with new relationships, her mom's remarriage, the beginnings of high school and how her friends are coming in to their own during that transition period. There is, and here's a name for a first new episode, unfinished business. ATBG is not the only show that has this issue, but it's a show close to me. And I'd watch ATBG over South Park any day, and I'm a die hard fan of the show about four boys from a small mountain town in Colorado.

If I were to bring back the series, I'd have some discontinuities from the original series. One would be that Ginger's grandparents would be alive, and the extended families of the character's would be explored. Dr. Dave's last name would not be his first. Real communities in Western Connecticut (yes, Fairfield County, which borders show creator Emily Kapnek's native Westchester County, which coincidentally borders my native Putnam County, which borders Fairfield County as well. Ginger and her friends would make trips into New York City. Big names in the tri-state area, whether it be politicians like Jodi Rell or newscasters like Chuck Scarborough would make cameo appearances. There might even be a crossover with Kapnek's current show, Suburgatory. Yes, the genius behind As Told By Ginger is still relevant.

I agree with this blogger that the show deserves more love. All the shows this blogger have all seen the wrath of Viacomm's piss poor management. But I disagree that the show had a beginning, a middle and an end. It was more like a series of middles. But this I agree with: it was definitely way ahead of its time. The show was nominated for three Emmy awards. Didn't win, but a nomination in itself is an honor in a genre dominated by South Park and whatever Fox has. But could a show like As Told By Ginger work today, as 3D animation, if I am not mistaken, has cut costs?

And to make this hit closer to home, one of the characters in the show was named Sasha, and was, yes, a guy! Even better yet, a love interest of Ginger's. To add icing to the cake, Sasha was the reason behind an episode.

There was something else I was going to say, but I forgot what that was. But I hope I've given a show I grew up with an argument behind/for its resurrection.

I'd discuss some spoilers but I'll let you guys do the research. And for those interested why I'm so nutsy about this show, here you go?

Any questions?

Airbus vs Boeing, or Boeing vs Airbus

I've made it clear: I have an anti-Airbus bias. However, I do have reasoning. My dad's cousin Walter, who is like an uncle to me, worked for Boeing in the 1990s before leaving the company to pursue other ventures. Despite that, Walt still has many connections in the company, and his preferred airline is Alaska Airlines, which is an all-Boeing operator (in fact, just like Southwest, all they fly now are 737s.)

In many regards, I do respect the European manufacturing giant. Their aircraft lineup has a near identical lineup, whether it be an Airbus A318 or an A380. Boeing lacks that with their jets. The A320 is a more comfortable aircraft than the 737. But when I see articles showing that Airbus is outselling Boeing, it pisses me off and puts a damper on my day.

Personally, I do believe the aviation industry has an anti-Boeing view. Is it out of a McDonnell Douglas regard (as Boeing did buy out the faltering aviation giant in 1996) Or is it a matter of the company itself (whether it be leadership, product line, or the connections to the American military)?

And don't get me started on my strong dislike for Charles de Gaulle. The late French president was simply a jerk. Although Wikipedia is far from the best source, and I'm having trouble finding the original, I read that de Gaulle was seriously interested in the Airbus project out of spite for both Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. Or maybe we do have a bit in common with the French, probably clothed in arrogance and centrism-like beliefs.

And finally, I have my criticisms of aviation site Airchive.com. Their articles as of recent have shown support for the US Airways-American Airlines merger, which is just as bad as the Penn Central merger, if all goes through. My opinion of Doug Parker, the CEO of US Airways, well, let's just say I have no respect for him. Granted, he runs a tight ship in demanding territory (the Northeast).

These of course, are my views, and I don't have 100% aminosity towards Airbus. They've got the jetliner cockpit down to a "T". The A320s cockpit in 1988 was a half-century ahead of anything else, for the most part. It's not hard to go from an A318/A319/A320/A321 cockpit to an A330/A340/A380 cockpit. It's all fly-by-wire. And I guess Airbus can aggressively sell more too.

Boeing, it's time for a second 737 plant.

Explanations for my numerous dislikes

When I dislike something, I usually have a good reason for it. A hint: I'm an underdog, and I don't like big dogs.

NOTE: When I dislike something, I have a reason, not a "I just don't like it." Even if it's a silly reason, I can back up what I say.

The Star Alliance: If Emirates were to join the alliance, every non-SA member would be in trouble. Emirates (which in itself deserves an entry) is an airline that does not know when to stop growing. The Star Alliance is the largest alliance (and oldest of the three alliances). But they do have some good players: LOT Polish Airlines is I think one of the world's better airlines, paying good attention to their key markets. Hopefully the Dreamliner, now not grounded, restores the airline's shine.
Airbus: "Haha, we're better than you Boeing." Personally, I'd like to give the finger to the heads of JAL for ordering Airbus jets. I call that going to the dark side. Sure, they have cookies, but they taste like fucking plastic! Airbus is turning into a global company, something I'm no fan of. Stay in Europe, you arrogant pricks! I do respect Airbus for their ergonomically and psychologically comfortable cockpits (and type commonalities) but the balance between Boeing and Airbus is for me growing uncomfortable. This has been a bad year for Boeing. I sadly hope that Airbus has one next year. Here's a hint for the (not based in Seattle anymore) giant: move your HQ back to the Jet City, and build a second 737 plant. And build a real 737 successor. The 737 has hit its limits. It kind of did already with the Next Generation lineup (the -600/-700/-800/-900). Do you WANT to lose more orders to those guys in France?
The New York Yankees: I'm a Mets fan for a few reasons: they're not overhyped, I was born in Queens, the only MLB game I've ever been to was at Shea Stadium (obviously the Mets were playing that day, and I couldn't sit still) and . But it's more than geography that makes me a Mets fan. Of course, a survey has shown that Yanks fans are more likely to be sober. But I should go easy on the Bronx Bombers-they've had a rough season. Even their network agrees with me! (A team with an ego issue? YEAP!)
Wall Street Journal: The kings of paywalls. Also, I disagree with their op-eds, and I couldn't have a calm chat with Rupert Murdoch. Couldn't. Impossible. HINT: if you want free local news articles, check out your TV station's website. They haven't gone paywall. YET.
New Jersey: you can have your football teams, Hudson County (which is a DUMP) and Chris Christie. (Okay, Christie is a Met fan. Partially forgiven). And the whole thing about NJ being an obnoxious state. I'm with former governor Mario: root for the Bills.
West of the Hudson River: I think taking the bus to New York City and ShopRite are ridiculous. This article I couldn't give a shit about.
House Speaker John Boehner: you care more about being Speaker than our country's sovereignty and safety. Go back and stay in Ohio. And Rep. Mark Meadow, I hope NC voters kick you out of Congress.
Obama: You should have gone to marketing school. Or have brought in (now deceased) Steve Jobs to package Obamacare.
McDonald's: "I'm lovin' it" IS SO BLEEPING ANNOYING! Do something else with your marketing. As for me, I'm sticking with the Satisfries. But even I'll agree: McD's makes darn good fries.

And that's not even one-fourth the list. Or one-tenth. I'll probably add to this list as I see fit.

If these things were a little different, I might not have frayed nerves.

Sasha's commentary for October 10, 2013: Shutdown Style

In this edition of Sasha's commentary, we see that the GOP is in denial over the government shutdown. The debt ceiling is included, with many shrugging it off. But it's playing with fire, as we've been known as a financially stable country (for the most party, paying our bills for two hundred years). But recently, that sanity and stability is being threatened by what I am calling a Republican psychological meltdown (See me circa 2002 for a good example. Yes, that sort of meltdown). I hope President Obama starts calling the shots, because America is hanging on for her life. Her government is in a comatose state right now. And thus, I hope the GOP loses its jobs. And that reminds me: I will spend the rest of my life destroying the Tea Party: and why do I say that? The Tea Party is part based on paranoia and part on conspiracy theories. And I'll say this about the Tea Party: we need more Rockefeller Republicans and New Democrats. 45% of very conservative respondents of a poll saying that an elite is aiming for a new world order? What the bleep?

Props to my Connecticut neighbors (who I used to hate but thanks to a television cartoon and other factors) I adore. I remember Newtown very well, and when I heard about the Newtown shooting last year, something inside me became a little sick. Sandy Hook residents deserve their new school with all the heartache they've been through. And let it be safe AND beautiful.

I'm not surprised that the Franklin County budget exceeds the state tax cap. New York state government is so tightly regulated that it's a double strike against municipalities: lots of regulations and mandates combined with a tax cap. Cuomo's tax cap plan is nice, but it needs to be combined in a shrinking state government. Huge state governments are a thing of the past in most states, and sadly if New York wants to succeed, we need as lean of a government as Texas has.

Turns of the First Lady of Texas, Anita Perry, is more with her husband's arch nemesis, Wendy Davis, on women's rights. (Of course, the first lady does agree with some of the restrictions). My only letdown: it seemed as if she was half fed talking points.

This is not the first and not the last blog I'm doing on the shutdown. But it's easy to explain why the GOP is taking the hit: the Tea Party faction. In general, the Tea Party is wildly unpopular, and the Tea Party Caucus is made up of some fifty plus members, about one fourth of the total Republicans in the House, with at least another twenty-five members of the House Republicans altogether who although not Tea Party Caucus members will vote with them regardless. I'd say the Tea Party plus House members ideologically aligned with the Tea Party standing at about 100. Wikipedia shows about fifty, which I call bull on. We do need a short term spending plan, but I see a few decades of American austerity budgets regardless. How about this: we have the military be on a spending leash, tax the rich and start rebuilding our nation's crumbling infrastructure. HINT: Amtrak could use a LOT of new trains. Republicans are in deep denial. Deep, deep denial, in fact, one poll shows the GOP with its lowest approval rating this year. At this point, only a mediator can help things. And the Tea Party losing elected office. People with that much paranoia need not be in public office.

The shutdown is so bad that even Chinese media is pointing fingers at our reckless spending. This is where I say Chinese capitalists are selfish and ruthless, if not heartless: they've been buying our debt for years. The problem is that the richest of Americans don't have to pay their fair share in taxes. What we need to is tax the heck out of the wealthiest of Americans. Or have Warren Buffet run the country.

I'm glad to see Bill de Blasio getting a warm reception from the fiscal conservative community. While we're on the de Blasio gravy train, Chirlane McCray is an amazing woman: a complete opposite her husband, except for political views. She's a short African-American woman, her husband is a tall white guy. And somehow they make a real good team. In fact, she has been pretty much the behind-the-scenes coordinator for the de Blasio campaign. But then again, I see marriage as a partnership, which is pretty much the way the de Blasio's see theirs. I have a feeling that de Blasio will be a well-grounded mayor. Just make sure the unions are getting their fair share but aren't taking the city to the bank and you have a great next few years in the making. But de Blasio does have an impressive personal life: he will be the first mayor in ages to have kids in public schools (at least his son) and he has a tight family.

It's about time Governor Cuomo. And if I ever see you with your BlackBerry, I'm going to tell you to go Android or I WILL SMASH your phone. Stop being a hypocrite. And I have a feeling that de Blasio will be a nightmare for Cuomo.

So HOW is Congress more popular than of all things, Miley Cyrus? She can spoof congress, not to mention that 60% of Americans want an entirely new Congress.

We have a week, if not less, to raise the debt ceiling, and the GOP and Obama really need a mediator at this point. A FEDERAL MEDIATOR. Tomorrow I plan to call the White House about this. This is getting ridiculous. Either Obama's going to cave or we're going to default. The two can't agree on JACK. Would both Obama and Boehner out of their positions help matters? Peter King, the congressman from Long Island, is a bit of a jerk and slightly anti-Islamic, but I would give him my vote of confidence as House speaker, as he has no interest in the job

I believe in recall elections because sometimes lousy elected officials NEED to lose their jobs, but a group of Colorado Republicans have gone off the deep end. You got your recall wish, and you want more? Before introducing more gun legislation, we really need to deal with our nation's long standing paranoia of government. I know this is risque to say, but Adam Lanza has caused more problems in death than in life. Lanza's legacy is WHY we need more gun control. For every mass shooting we have we see an increase in gun control efforts. Unwillingness to lose an election?

Missed but not forgotten? God, please! The Jenners can take down Speaker Boehner while they're at it!

And finally, I appreciate the Onion's constant work at showing how stupid Americans really are. Even Congress is too lacking in common sense to realize this. Bring in a freaking mediator at this point.

*Unrelated: the top ten school districts in Upstate New York. Why are they not in the Albany suburbs?

Also, this twenty-something has one cool mom! Rebuilding a VW camper? Neato!

Here's a college student who saved voting rights for other college students in North Carolina!