Eep. That is not good. I'm not a huge fan of his, but the next person behind him in most polls right now is Carol Moseley Braun and I am really not a fan of hers. (She may have the distinction of being the one person in Illinois politics who found Chicago-style corruption so sub par she went to Nigeria to find some more.)

This will go to the state supreme court anyway though, and even if it goes against him, having the clear frontrunner out of the race could shake things up.

What a sweet deal, Kat! $15 coming your way, courtesy of a few texts!

1. The arts should be self-funding. 2. Artists are liberal hippies.

Well, maybe they could be if there was universal health care and half of the artists are working "day jobs" for the simple reason that they need health insurance. Seriously, since I paid off my debt, I am pretty sure I could live (in fairly genteel poverty) in just what I could make doing theatre and maybe some other (making curtains etc) things, but I have 2 chronic conditions and never, ever want to give up my health insurance now that I am aging.

But seriously, I don't understand how universal health care could fail to act as a jobs stimulus. First of all, isn't the argument that cutting business taxes enables them to hire more workers-- well if they could stop paying for healthcare, that would save them a lot of money. Secondly, I think there are probably hundreds of thousands of people who would freelance/become artists or entreprenuers if they did not have to worry about becoming sick. ETA: And if we all quit our jobs, there would be more jobs for unemployed people!

Why do you hate America, Sophia??

But seriously, the Canadian I'm seeing said to me recently that the line about taxes being so low here is all crap, once you add in healthcare costs. But, you know, those are OK, because you're paying a private company and not the government!

Thanks, P-C! I totally appreciate it. If people want to get $15 for free and then donate that $$ to other projects, they totally should, but I'd appreciate it getting this one funded.

I want to teach Stiff and then get a field trip to the morgue. Is that screwed up?

Secondly, I think there are probably hundreds of thousands of people who would freelance/become artists or entreprenuers if they did not have to worry about becoming sick.

I'm surprised this isn't touted as an issue more often. It seems like healthcare is always an issue for people trying to go into business for themselves.

I'm ashamed to admit how severely I'm ignoring most political news, but I feel so helpless to do anything with the rage.

Which is probably part of why I adore Fred Rogers so much - he seemed so blissfully rage-free, and so passionately committed to relentless kindness. Such an amazing and improbable response to how toxic most of the world is.

Also, heh. I forwarded one of the Rogers pieces (the longer one that Mental Floss had linked to) to my mom, and she just emailed me to say that she read it through twice and cried all her makeup off.

Kathy, it'd be easier to think about it that way if I had a life, which sadly, I feel that I do not. The cancellation of Countdown just gives me five more hours a week to lie about reading the classics, or pretend that tomorrow really is going to be a 1,000 word day.

The United States of Shame, What Each State Is Worst At

Pleated-Jeans created The United States of Shame, a map that shows the statistic that each state is worst at.

Huh. I went to college in the state that is worst for binge-drinking....

eta: Also, WTF, Washington State? (Though I guess one state has to be worst for that category.)

What's up with Washington State?

The inevitable cross-post.

Also, that's just cold about North Dakota and Maine.