...that's right, it's election day here in California. We're supposed to vote on a bunch of propositions that will cost us more money in taxes and bonds and do nothing for the schools, because nothing is ever really done for the schools. Ever. Unless the parents spend some money and take care of it themselves.

Oh wait, There *are* programs that throw money at the schools. After all, the State of California just spent $70K on a 1000 foot long seatbelt prop to teach kids about the importance of buckling your seat belt when you're in a car. Never mind the fact that we don't have money for textbooks or building new classrooms. Excuse me? Buckling your seat belt is a state law, something that's taught in Driver's Ed, and we're going to spend $70K on a prop instead of on new textbooks, which every school sorely needs?

Ok, wait, this isn't about the schools, this is about the election. And there are a whole bunch of people who are trying to get thier names on the November ballot for governor, or lieutenant governor, treasurer, etc. Personally I don't like any of the major party candidates, and somehow voting for any of them on a day like today seems... well... like I'm casting a vote for the devil.

Never mind the fact that a studio green lighted and fast tracked a project just so that it could premiere today in the theatres - a very untraditional day for a movie premiere, but they wanted to be sure that they could build an entire ad campaign around it and capitalize on the creepiness of the date.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know it's not the end of the world (although Virgin Radio was trying to convince us that it was yesterday), and I'm not a tied up in the Scripture Bible-thumping Catholic, but it's a rather auspicious number that our date is today. After all, the so called 'mark of the beast' was actually a numeric representation of Nero's name and the Book of Revelations is supposed to be communicating the idea that someone akin to Nero will return and challenge those of us with faith and make us suffer.

That's another reason I'm leery of voting. Nero was in a position of power. We're putting people into office, in *positions of power*. Isn't that just a touch... well, creepy to say the least? Especially when the two best smear campaigns going on right now are between someone who has something to hide because he started the smear campaign, and someone else who wanted to run on something called merits but wilted when the smears started and decided to smear back.

Since when did playground taunting tactics make for good press in any election? Not in years, now that it's become a regular part of the landscape. Shame. But I digress, ever so slightly - do we really want to put people in a position of power that are focused on smearing the other guy and what negative things each will do to the State of California instead of what they will try to do in a positive direction for the State? Without bringing the current administration into the whole discussion, which seems to be a virtual impossibility these days.

So, anyway, here we are in California about to start voting in a statewide election on a day with an auspicious date that brings a lot of tension to some, and absolutely nothing to others....

... just don't blame me if we elect the next Nero.