Dave Mancuso dot Com

The President won four more years. I was really surprised–I predicted that Kerry would win over 314 electoral votes.

Oh well. Kerry was a flawed vessel anyway.

So George Bush won a second term, more than his father before him. I do think it’s time that we try–try really hard–to come together as a country. But I also have some hopes for the Bush second term presidency.

I hope that he drops the witch hunt against gay marriage.

I hope that he builds better partnerships in the world than we have in the last few years.

I hope that the bad parts of the Patriot Act continue to be struck down in court.

I hope that he guides us into much better energy innovations that reduce our heroin-like addiction to foreign oil.

And I hope that he realizes that a leader can say he made a mistake without seeming like less of a leader.

As for the rest of his platform, I don’t have a problem with it (except dropping Afghanistan like a toy we’re bored with–I wish we hadn’t done that). Heck, economically the deficit is so whacked out that it’s just surreal to me anyway. I know Mr. Bush believes in what he’s doing, and that he believes that his means justify his ends. I pray that he knows something we don’t, and that it all turns out OK.

(I wish Steve Forbes’ flat tax had more traction with America too, but that’s just a non sequitur)

Things are so close.

C-Span has the best map, but CBS is calling things earlier than other stations (which may bite them in the butt).

“I think the American people expect more from us than cries of indignation and attack. The times are too grave, the challenge too urgent, and the stakes too high–to permit the customary passions of political debate…
All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try.”

John F. Kennedy, The New Frontier

Vote well.

Dungeons and Dragons is thirty years old?

Some of my liberal friends have been saying this all along: that the White House will pull Bin Laden out of its back pocket just in time to influence the election and win.

I have to think that this is a joke or hoax. It would be too suspicious to be otherwise.

I hate to put strong political opinions in here, and frankly I’m (as some people are tired of hearing me say) fiscally conservative and socially liberal. So I really, really try to see both sides of the argument(s).

But one thing that bugs me about this election on both sides is how it seems more like a football championship sometimes than a political debate. I mean this about the “spectators,” us plain folks. I see Democrats and Republicans trash the other side for negligible or questionable positions/incidents, but then go waaaaay out on a limb to rationalize serious shortcomings on their own side.

It’s weird to see. I swear sometimes that these people must be blind. To rage about the failing of a politician but then ignore or rationalize the same thing on “your own side”–that’s not being honest with yourself. Have things become so desperate that we can’t admit our own side’s faults?

Oh well–I always said that man was the rationalizing animal.

War machinery disappearing from Iraq right under the nose of our satellite observation, without a trace.

I was talking with Mike about the presidential race polls, and he mentioned that Kerry and Bush were about tied. Oh, and Nader had like one percent. With a poll margin of plus or minus three percent.

So then Mike said that really, seen in that light, the margin of error had a better chance of winning the election than Ralph Nader did.

Funny guy, that Mike.

Hey, looks like Apple has decided to give an update on Tiger (Mac OS 10.4) at the O’Reilly Mac OS X conference.

Which with any luck and company approval, is where I’ll be later this month.

Sweet!

I love to go camping, but our summer vacation was a little frustrating, with the poor choice of spots and the constant drizzle/overcast skies. A hint: Sandusky Ohio may have Cedar Point Amusement Park, but not much of anything else if you’re vacationing there. Put-In-Bay island was a distinct disappointment (and also a distinct ripoff). Although to be fair, all the people were as nice as pie.

But all the places were BORING.

At any rate, tangent aside, we went camping again this weekend (October 1-3). It was scheduled in advance, so we were committed.

It was a fun weekend, and the weather was (I thought) perfect. It would have been nice to take our pop top camper with us, though.

You see, to take a camper, you need something to tow it with. Like a ’93 Ford van, for instance.

Which we have.

But not right now.

You see, it left us high and dry at the library last Saturday–wouldn’t start. We’re sitting there with the kids (and our books), turning the key with absolutely no result. Hey, at least we could all read our books while we waited for AAA.

So you would think a starter problem could be fixed within a day or two, right? Yes, it can, but not when you ask the garage to check out the whining noise coming from the transmission.

And you kinda know what they’ll say.

So, yes–a new transmission is needed, for about $2300. OK, that’s expected. You figure you’ll drive it around for a bit until it really dies, until the dealer explains to you that when the planetary gears go, your car stops. Dead. As in, you’re going 60 miles an hour on the highway, and your car stops dead in its tracks immediately.

Oh.

So you figure it’s repair time, right? After all, the dealer says it should be ready by Thursday, so all systems are go.

Unless Thursday becomes Friday.

And then the kicker sets in. It’s Friday afternoon, and the dealer explains to you that the transmission is installed and filled, but that Ford won’t warranty it unless they also replace the transmission oil cooler. Of course, that’s on the way, but nowhere to be seen yet on Friday afternoon. And camping is imminent. Like, right now imminent.

So, we dragged the tent and cook kit, etc., out of the camper and packed up the Subaru Forester for the trip.

You haven’t lived until you’ve pitted your best Boy Scout packing skills against a Subaru Forester, let me tell you. You know you’re getting a little manic when you’re packing stuff under the kids’ legs. And between them. And on top of them (blankets and pillows). Really, in the end, you’re just packing the kids into the vehicle along with everything else (make sure that they’re getting good air!). Good thing they’re not too big (hey, they thought it was the coolest thing–glad someone was amused).

Are you still really with me this far? Man, you have stamina. So, that’s why we went camping with the old tent this weekend. Hey, it was fun in the end.

But now it’s Wednesday. Guess what part hasn’t shown up yet at my dealer? Apparently the oil cooler is coming to Etown by way of Guam.

Which means that my brother could have probably sent it here faster than DHL is taking.

Hey, thanks for listening to one of my classic Dave Mancuso circular and tangential rants. Stay tuned, and I may even get the van back on the road by oh, who knows–maybe 2007?