"Barbara O’Brien’s wide-ranging account of Zen history is conveyed with a master storyteller’s ability to keep the forest from getting lost in a myriad of trees. Wearing her scholarship lightly, she blends just the right amount of skepticism about her hagiographic sources with a deep appreciation for the Dharma." — Barry Magid, author of
Nothing Is Hidden and
Ending the Pursuit of Happiness Order here!
I am still wondering how I can tell if my vote was the vote I put in. We have computerized machines here. The last presidential election I asked the poll person how I could know and she turned to the other lady and said I hate it when the news stirs up trouble like this. Then she turned to me and said your vote will be counted.
That was IT.
??
We simply have to go back to paper ballots. Other countries (I’m told Canada) do this, why not here?
Sad, when you just know Obama is going to have to get an extra measure of votes, above and beyond winning fairly, simply to overcome the corrupted election. This is America, 2008.
The first time I voted on an electronic machine, I asked the poll worker how they were working. “No trouble?” No trouble, she said. “We’re sure it’ll count the vote I made?” She nodded.
When I came out after voting, she said, “Did you hear that beep?” Yes. “That means your vote was counted.” I refrained from telling her that one of the first things I learned to program on a TRS-80 back in 7th grade was an utterly meaningless beep, and that this one could be just as useless. Instead, I went home and crossed my fingers.
There’s gotta be a better way.
We still use #2 pencils to darken ovals, here in the heartland. Almost makes the old outhouse and kerosene lamps worth it!
Homer looks like he’s praying to an ATM. I do that every week before payday.