Happy Birthday, JS

Usually I just make do with a quick shout out and maybe a quip, but this has been a year of major changes and growth for my former next door neighbor at MSFT jschonbr. In addition to major changes at work, he's become a Druid priest, performing ceremonies and preparing locales for them; transplanting from the LA area to become active in the local SCA chapter, and expanding and refining his beer brewing business, Oak Ash and Thorn. May the coming year see more growth and stability.

ObamaDramaDingDong

Yesterday on one of the "face the nation"-ish radio shows, I finally heard a Voice Of Reason™, an expert who was being asked the now-cliché question "Would Hilary accept the VP slot with Obama?". The expert pointed out that the way it works is the Democratic Convention delegates choose the nominee, not the press, not the pundits, not the pollsters. And no matter what the numbers from the primaries say, anything can happen at the convention. Delegates may be pledged to a candidate, but they don't have to vote that way. There's a lot of time between now and the convention - August 25-28 - a lot can happen.

He also pointed out how the Dems have a history of running a VP candidate who is a fierce rival of the Presidential candidate. Lyndon Johnson was one. Heck, when the country was new, the person who came in second in the Prez race became the VP. That was changed in 1804 with the 12th Amendment.

To add to the amusements, the electoral college can vote any way they please. Each elector has two votes, one for Prez and one for Veep. It's not against the rules for them to cross those up - this actually happened during the 1988 election - one elector cast his Prez vote for the Demo Veep candidate.

Bottom line - let the process play out.