Musings of a Wandering Elf

The January Series of Calvin College -Joel Salatin: January 17, 2012

2012-01-13T16:27:00.000-05:00

The January Series of Calvin College -Joel Salatin: January 17, 2012

Marriage Equality in New York

2011-06-13T09:25:00.002-04:00

New York's legislature has before it a marriage equality bill that supporters are confident will be passed by June 20th. We all know how fiercely the opposition works against such legislation, so it is up to us to let our friends in New York know that now is the time to contact their legislators!

I'm sharing with you today, a video featuring New Yorkers supporting this legislation in every day, no-nonsense terms. Please, enjoy and pass along!

1/6th Complete

2011-05-12T12:57:00.000-04:00

Okay, I have done it, I have completed one term of law school and am deep in the second week of my second term. In fact, right now, I should be briefing some boring property cases. I have learned some valuable lessons. There is a ton of drama and mystique associated with the first year of law school. I believe that this is pure subterfuge to make law students feel like they are perhaps just a bit smarter or better than they are. So, you run around your first term, chasing your tail and doing everything wrong. That's what takes up so much damn time. Now, I'm wiser, more focused, more confident (though we still have not received our first term grades yet - further adding to the mystique, they hold them until the fourth week of the second term [WTF?]) and actually ahead on all my reading, outlining and studying.

Perhaps I'll have some blog-worthy thoughts this summer.

Now, there has been some disappointment, I have been passed over again (for the sixth time) for promotion in the Navy. You'd think that my BA, Afghanistan and my Meritorious Service Medal would put me over the top but, I guess not. I can't change the quotas and I also cannot change the fact that at my pay-grade it has become extremely political and I may not be kissing enough male ass, or it may just be that I don't have a dick. Doesn't matter at all for advancement from E-1 to E-6 but once you start competing for E-7 to E-9, a board selects the candidates, most of the members are of course male and I do a very male-dominated job. You know they still don't want us bitches on their ships, bottom line. Anyway, just four more years left.

I'm old now. 40 and I feel every bit of it today. I had a two week break from classes and, of course, I spent the entire break sick as a dog so I did absolutely nothing. I mean, NOTHING. So when I started back running last week my left hip dissented. I've been taking it easy and alternating runs with walks and bike rides, going to start swimming again as soon as I get my hind end over to the YMCA for a membership. I suspect I'll be over it soon, but in the meantime, there is nothing quite like hip pain to make you feel old. Gray hair and wrinkles got nothing on my left hip. I've got three 5Ks and a triathlon planned for this summer, so I really need to get better soon!

So that's the mundane, tune in next time for the magical!

This Won't Be Nice

2011-04-08T22:59:00.002-04:00

This won't be nice, simply because I am pissed.

I am pissed that the US Congress is tied up in a budget battle that is all about their own individual special interests and has nothing to do with the people they are elected to represent.

I am pissed that people blindly fall for stupid rhetoric. Example, military won't be paid. Boo fucking hoo. I am part of that military that won't be paid and not only am I responsible enough to adhere to the advice freely given by financial advisers to us military folk I am also not blind to the reality that DFAS does not need to have the accounting until the 12th for payment on the 15th. That being said, the military doesn't have to worry about not being paid for another, oh four days, so all you lovely ladies whining about your old man's paycheck on tv, shut your trap and get real, do you really, I mean REALLY think that your husband won't get his pay. I'll answer for you, NO, no you don't but you'd like to let the GOP take every opportunity to stick it to the Commander in Chief even thought it is Congress' DUTY to come up with a budget.

Okay, since I brought up the mere topic of military men let me move on to military women. I am sick and fucking tired of the inference that my service is somehow not enough because I'm "just a girl." Yeah, I didn't go to Afghanistan and spend a whole year away from my family, putting on flak vests at random times because we were being fired upon. Nope, that wasn't me with a weapon on my side, prepared to use it when necessary, because I AM JUST A GIRL. So, yeah, TSA agent, that's my boyfriend's backpack even after I just showed you my military ID to get through your freaking check point.

Okay, so I've now brought up the subject of women which leads me to Planned Parenthood. I really, really, really depended upon this organization when I was poor. They provided me with annual pap smears (cancer screenings) and even helped me get treatment when one of those pap smears turned up abnormal. Yeah, they may have saved my life and ensured that I had good working bits to actually give birth to my son. They also ensured that I didn't have any "unintended" pregnancies giving me the pleasure of assuring my son that he was planned, this means a lot (I should know, since I was one of the unplanned ones and I ruined my parents' lives). Since no federal funds go to abortion (Hyde Amendment) I don't know what the fucking problem is except that some assholes just want to be assholes.

Oh, so now that I've mentioned Planned Parenthood, let me just mention that Planned Parenthood is not contributing to our country's deficit. If you want to know what is doing that just look at GE's tax return (big on return) or even mine. Not only did I NOT pay any taxes this year, I actually got a REFUND. Yep, the government paid me. Multiply that by just about everyone and it's no surprise that the government's in debt. Laughing out loud, thanks to all those Republicans extending the Bush Tax Cuts. Awesome. Those did not contribute to the deficit at all. REALLY!

Hmm, what else is costing us big bucks? War contracts! There are more civilian contractors working in Afghanistan than there are military personnel. That is not a joke. Our government is handing out multimillion dollar contracts to perform duties that our military is trained and experienced at (such as fucking cooking and serving food to troops or driving trucks or building shit or...well, you get the point, there is really no need for civilian contracts, particularly when our military costs us much less since they tend to make less than their civilian counterpart statistically).

So, next time Congress wants you to join their bandwagon, no matter which party line they pretend to support, remember this: the people that were elected to represent US, the PEOPLE have been ASSIMILATED by the BORG. Sadly for us, the borg in our case just happens to be special interest groups with the money to buy our representatives.

We need statesmen not politicians!

My amusement now consists of wondering what would happen if everyone who had their head up their ass pulled it out at the same time...

Okay, I'm going back to studying for finals now, perhaps when I emerge the next time from my books I'll be a bit nicer.

Strange Things Afoot

2011-03-10T21:33:00.003-05:00

I'm often struck by the ludicrousness of my fellow man. It sure feels like we are sinking into some deep, dark abyss reminiscent of "the good old days," more commonly known as the Dark Ages.

The Righteous are firmly exerting their control with deep grasping handfuls of our humanity, without regard for humanity. Pull out your old battered copy of The Handmaids Tale, ladies because the assault is full on. Big bad Congress and our newest crop of Governators are working hard to bring on the next Inquisition.

The tragic result of fanaticism, unspeakable pain such as the Deaver family experienced in Nebraska. 15 minutes of the most horrifying thing I can imagine, watching your child die.

Texas is working on the latest punishment for those floozies who find themselves in the family way, forcing them to have a sonogram, describe what they see and listen to the heartbeat. That'll cure those little hussies. Seriously, the Viagra-pumped sex fiend is never involved.

Okay, for real and more seriously, human sexuality is so freaking complex and the relationship diversity and disparity in just our "western" culture is staggering. Do a handful of old, fat, white dudes (generally) get to decide what is best for all of us? They've never been coerced to give in to the varsity football star. They've never yearned for love and attention so much that they freely and frequently get it the only way they know how. They've never been taken advantage of with the help of drugs or alcohol. They've never been told that they will submit to their husband, that he has rights and that he will not be denied. They've never been told to keep their mouth shut or something bad will happen. They've never felt the panic of realizing that their birth control failed them.

Just one more bitty rant on the above topic, it kills me every time I hear some high-on-their-horse person talking about how some chicks just use abortion as birth control. Yeah, because there aren't cheaper, less invasive versions available. I can't wait until I hear someone say, "the pill makes me fat so every time I get pregnant I'm just going to spread my legs in some doctors office that I have to drive miles to get to, because the Righteous ones have made damn sure that there isn't one in this county, let him dilate my cervix, insert tools and vacuum me out, after I pay an arm and a leg, and then to top it all off I can't have sex again for weeks afterward because of the risk of infection, which really cramps my style because I'm a real slut, you know. But, really, this is the best form of birth control for me because I can afford it financially and mentally."

Then there's the downright crazy, elected officials who want to send New Hampshire's "crazy people" to Siberia.

The reactionary fall out of the midterms is out of control scary. Voting, it's a right and a responsibility.

This is what "pro-life" means?

2011-02-19T14:04:00.000-05:00

This is what "pro-life" means?

Fairy Tales & Scary Monsters

2011-02-03T20:32:00.004-05:00

Within the past five weeks I have been made to realize that I am not quite as brilliant as I once thought. Indeed I may have more in common with a box of rocks instead of just heaviness, which I will refer to as heft. I like that. Okay, it's not true and even if it is I won't know for several months, in the meantime I should take a look around me.

Holy shit! There is all this stuff going on and instead of slinging it at you in the form of random links I feel that I should try just a little bit harder to make a real connection. Today, I want to talk about fairy tale weddings.

When I was a little girl I fantasized about having a fairy tale wedding, I have a feeling that most girls do, I assume it is because we inhabit a society that expects and instills these desires in young girls (I'm having some disgusting and deranged Stepford Wife epiphany right now). Ugh, we are trained. My real wedding wasn't exactly fairy tale, the groom stayed out the night before gambling and cruising strip clubs (he calls them shoe stores [disclaimer: he does not frequent them, my dad took him and I'm sure they only went to one]). I would have been pissed, but this is the man that I cannot get mad at (well he did win $1200 playing Black Jack and one of those ladies managed to get his raggedy old ball cap that I'd been trying to sneak into the trash can for months prior [we ran into her a few weeks later in Target and she said she didn't know where the hat was, but I know, she knew that nasty thing needed to hit a trash can fast and I thank her]). I am absolutely unable to be mad at him no matter how hard I try. Powerless. Currently his power is his Deliverance-style missing tooth. All he has to do is smile to cause me fits of laughter, uncontrollable fits, no matter how pissy/prissy I am being at the time. I know (hope) the dentist will get around to fixing his grill real soon (golly, it's been a couple of months now). So, the wedding itself wasn't the fairy tale but the life I've had since then has been pretty damn good and I wouldn't trade it for anything (well, we could have skipped the whole Afghanistan thing and the missing teeth drama and...)!

So, my thought is this, I am so lucky to have this, I have so much love in my life, what kind of monster would I be if I advocated to keep the opportunity to have something just as special from other people? Well, I'd be a big-fat-head-jackassholio! That's what I'd be and that's basically what kind of jackassholios we have running around trying to amend state constitutions to disallow civil unions, voting on stinky propositions to il-legalize same sex marriage, defending "marriage" through federal acts. It leads me to the conclusion, the only logical conclusion, really. The jackassholios aren't trying to deny the benefits of marriage to same sex couples because they are greedy and want to keep their love to themselves, they are doing it because they are scared that someone else might actually be blessed with the love that they have not found themselves (probably because they are so freaking worried about what everybody else is doing).

Oh, and I also hope that all little girls and boys who dream of fairy tale weddings have the opportunity to create memories that they will cherish no matter how far from their fantasy it may be.

I leave you with Zach Wahls as he describes his family during a public forum on House Joint Resolution 6 in the Iowa House of Representatives (House Joint Resolution 6 would end civil unions in Iowa).

My Review of Roku HD Player

2011-02-02T10:52:00.001-05:00

Originally submitted at Roku

The new HD, with built-in wireless, delivers top value in high-definition streaming.

Love My Roku

By CarriBBop from Lake City, MI on 2/2/2011

Pros: Great value, Built in Wi-Fi, Compact, Easy to set up, Easy to use

Cons: Want more video choices

Best Uses: Primary TV

Describe Yourself: Netflix fan

We use our Roku to stream 2-3 movies per week. We just got the Roku in December and I'd say that it has already paid for itself because before we sometimes used to give into temptation and purchase a DVD, now we just wait until we get home and watch it using our Roku.

The Roku was so easy to set up, it practically sets itself up! I'd estimate that it took less than ten minutes to take out of the box, hook up and start streaming. Anyone can do it. It is also very small so doesn't take up much room.

We have no complaints about our Roku, it has saved us money, time and provided hours of fast, easy entertainment! I have already recommended this to several friends who were considering purchasing an additional Blu Ray or gaming system in order to stream movies.

(legalese)

Guns cost more lives than they save

2011-01-27T11:45:00.000-05:00

Fantastic article over at Salon.

Full of reason, logic and common sense.

Watch out!

Guns cost more lives than they save

POGO’S Reform Agenda: A Good Government Guide For The 112th Congress

2011-01-25T19:03:00.000-05:00

POGO’S Reform Agenda: A Good Government Guide For The 112th Congress

Jon Stewart wonders about Glenn Beck's Nazi theory

2011-01-25T12:26:00.000-05:00

Jon Stewart wonders about Glenn Beck's Nazi theory

Sharing

2011-01-13T11:53:00.003-05:00

I'd like to share with you this post from a few days ago at AWOP. I have nothing of value to add, the post says it all and features some mighty fine clips too.

Constitutional cowards

Enjoy and have a great day!

Okay, I am adding this nifty little Schoolhouse Rock flick, just because it is so cool. It has some notes in the beginning which you can get rid of by clicking on the arrow next to the full screen option, select the top option and the notes disappear. Yay!

Movin' On

2011-01-11T22:16:00.002-05:00

So, finally (after more than 20 years, for real), I am finally making good on my declaration that I would become a lawyer. I am staying in the city that the school is in during the week and only going home on weekends. At least we had some excellent family separation practice last year, because this truly feels like not much of a sacrifice after nine months in Afghanistan!

I can promise you that I have already learned a lot in the first 7 days of class but I can also tell you that my brain is so full of mush that I cannot form a logical thought. I'd love to come up with witty and thoughtful posts, and I get the ideas, but after studying for six hours and attending class for 3 hours every single day, when I get a chance to check out blogland I'm just a soggy noodle!

I'll just try to remember that I have less than 103 weeks left of law school and rumor has it that it gets easier.

MTV Tackles Abortion Today

2010-12-28T10:27:00.003-05:00

Let me start by admitting that I have no idea what is airing on MTV these days. I recall the very early years watching hours of VHS tape that some kind souls sent to us poor under-civilized children residing in the dark-ages in Germany. We wore holes in those tapes watching them non-stop, over and over. Back then MTV aired music videos and it was great. Now apparently they have a crap-load of "reality" programming. I've seen the tabloid covers, including People magazine, that appear to honor the new bevy of teen girls who are pregnant, and even pregnant...again. Apparently there are two series, 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. My opinion, based on seeing the magazine covers in the checkout lanes, is that these young ladies are being glamorized. I'm no prude. I believe that our children should receive comprehensive sex education to include the realities and consequences of pregnancy. I just don't think that we, as a society, should create a situation in which teen pregnancy is set on a pedestal and that's what it seems like here. Of course, I haven't seen the shows, so perhaps there is a greater message being sent. But, even if that is so, that message is being distorted by print media.

I would like to mention that MTV is airing a special entitled No Easy Decision today, of course I won't be seeing it firsthand (don't get MTV and not missing it). No Easy Decision tells the story of three teens who, for their own reasons, have decided to have abortions. No matter what your position on the issue, I do believe that this special could be very informative viewing (and, just this once, I do wish that I had MTV, but I'm sure it will become available on hulu or something soon).

Links for further reading:

MTV's "No Easy Decision" Focuses on Abortion
MTV to air special report tackling abortion

On Teaching (Sort Of)

2010-12-17T08:24:00.002-05:00

I saw this today and I thought it was pretty neat so I had to share.

I considered teaching at one point. I was an instructor for the Navy for four years and enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, my students were mainly young adults and I had certain tools at my disposal to ensure strict compliance, but it was a rewarding opportunity that I am very glad that I did not pass up. So, I decided to attend the local college and get certified in secondary education. I concentrated in Social Studies, since my BA is in History it seemed a logical choice and I totally understood the requirement that I take Michigan history (being non-local, all I can tell you is that they make cars here). What I did not get were the requirements to take a ton of additional 100-level courses without the option of challenging the course. This certification was supposed to be post-baccalaureate. Geography 101 slayed me, the instructor was a pompous bigoted ex-Mennonite who blathered on about those dirty Muslims and attempted to skool me in Germany's post-WWII culture and attitudes. Guess he didn't know that I did some serious WWII study (Europe not Asia, I'll admit that all I know about Japan is that we dropped some hideous bombs on them from a plane named the Enola Gay [okay, I know a little more, but I like the effect]) as an undergrad or that I lived more than a decade in Germany. I complained to the administration, crucified the unqualified yahoo on critiques and that dude is still there teach Geography 101 (sadly, most of the students are very young people who are completing their basic requirements to continue on at 4-year colleges or pursue professional certificates). His effect could be extremely significant on a whole generation of northern-Michiganders, and many of them are already starting from the rear. Here is what I took out of the situation:

1) Rather than allow students to challenge a course (and save some dough) the school in question is a money-grubbing institution that will milk you for every last dime (even if they don't provide you a cent's worth of instruction).

2) Some people are too lazy, or unconcerned, or something, to do the right thing. I strongly feel that this instructor should have been censured, and possibly, terminated for espousing his political views upon the students, not teaching the subject matter and, most importantly, not having a full command of the subject matter. Many of the instructors are people who retired from some other profession (this can be a very good thing, but not in this case).

At the end of the day, I had a job that required visits and communication with all of the high schools in the two local counties. I realized that it would be years before a Social Studies position opened up and I started looking to continue with a Masters in History and going from there. Unbelievably, the Jedi forces collided with the most awesome set of circumstances that I ended up being led down a path that I had first tread upon over 20 years ago. Law School. Okay, there was that little blip in my new plans (perhaps the price that I pay for the scholarship and GI Bill that will fund my new journey), but I will finally be starting law school in a mere 16 days.

Letter to Congress

2010-12-15T09:50:00.000-05:00

I am writing today to request that you vote for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" – the same language that passed the House in May. I am a 16-year military veteran and I can assure you that service members are mature professionals who are paid to do a job that they are able to do very well. It is ludicrous that anyone would even say that we couldn't do our job just as well because of the personal lives of our coworkers.

Do the American people think that we do nothing but have sex at work?

As a woman, and a veteran, I am insulted by the "excuses" for not repealing DADT because the reasons put forward rely on the assumption that I am not doing my job because I am having sex. To further put things into perspective, the last time I had to actually shower with other people in an "open bay" shower was at boot camp 16 years ago. I'm not traumatized, though I later found that some of the women in my company were lesbians and might have seen me nude. We were there surviving a tough experience together and, bottom line, doing our jobs. Oh, and I am not equating boot camp to deployment situations. I spent most of the last year of my life in Afghanistan, where I got to shower in my own stall (and if I was scared of anyone seeing me naked, I could disrobe and dress in that stall as well).

My experience in the military has shown me that I'm far more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted by a male compatriot than to be asked out by a lesbian.

So, having said all that, I implore you to vote for the repeal of this policy that does nothing more than insult the integrity of US service members.

Did It, Done...

2010-12-14T15:02:00.002-05:00

I missed a day, guess NoBloPoMo remains elusive to the likes of me. Got some great excuses though.

1) I'm broke. Yes, I came back from the war and filed for unemployment, I think that my plan to attend school in January coupled with already limited employment opportunities is impeding my ability to find work. My claim is under investigation, because I quit the job I had prior to deployment to attend law school back then. Timing sucks, if I were in school I could benefit from the GI Bill and be okay. Now, I just have zero income and we are living off of one part-time paycheck (due to my insistence that my husband take a part time job to ensure that he would be home for our child while I was gone). Great planning and it's biting us in the hind end right now.

2) I'm frustrated. I've been canceling accounts, to save money as well as trying to cash out an old 401K that is not worth much but will get us over this final hump until January. This has led to endless moments spent on hold, untimely disconnections that result in redialing and more moments spent on hold, transfers to "someone who can help" me that again result in moments spent on hold only to eventually have the person on the other end try to convince me not to close my account, offer me a cheaper option and finally say okay only after I have screamed and cried. Good thing I'm not wearing makeup these days.

3) I'm irresponsible. With our money issues I still insisted that we get one "family" gift (truthfully, at the time, I fully expected that the unemployment payments would keep us on top until school started). The first family gift was a BluRay player that was supposed to be Netflix ready. Woke up at 4 AM on Black Friday to get onto the Wal-Mart website and get this BluRay player as well as a television for my son. Wal-Mart never posted the time that they would start their sale online and imagine my disbelief when I found that the TV was already sold out (even before the sale started in any stores in the United States, I'm talking EST here). Anyway, I was able to get the BluRay player and then spend $50 more at Target for the damn TV. We waited in anticipation for the BluRay player because while the TV remains hidden, we set the player up right away (you know, for Netflix, that recently raised our rates by $1 monthly because everyone wants to stream from the site...we could actually reduce our current rate by $2 if we select just streaming). Well, that stupid BluRay player cannot play Netflix. Went to Wal-Mart's website and discovered that I, along with hundreds of others had been duped by false advertising. The good news is that it was no problem taking it back to the store. The even better news is that I found a little thing called Roku that I was able to purchase for $10 less than the BluRay player. We got it yesterday and were linked to our Netflix account and streaming within 5 minutes. So instead of blogging I was watching a movie and totally escaping my reality. Now one of the great things about this Roku is that there are several channels that one can subscribe to, for free! Now, I'm working on getting the boys to agree to cancel our satellite so we can save $30 a month. I have a good argument (obviously, see 1 & 2 above) but the light is so close that we can almost see it. We know that we just have to get through December and then all will be well, thanks in no small way to the Post-911 GI Bill which includes a monthly housing allowance. We budgeted for that event already (since I was planning on going to school last fall, you know!) and we did take great advantage of the extra money while deployed by paying off our vehicles. We just didn't plan for three months of part-time income.

So, instead of blogging yesterday, I was crying, screaming, and (finally) watching "Men Who Stare at Goats."

The Taliban and Fluor...Equally Disgusting

2010-12-12T19:37:00.003-05:00

This is a sad story but it does give some background and a sense of what it is like to be in Afghanistan as a girl or woman. This is also one of the reasons that I think we should stay in Afghanistan, not that I think that we are doing a good job. I think we had an opportunity to do a good job and then we went to Iraq (and some people want us to believe we went there to prevent the proliferation of WMD, don't think so).

Bottom line, if we pull up and leave the Taliban will regain their complete control over the lives of women in Afghanistan and that is not a good thing, particularly not for a country that had women politicians, doctors, professors...until the Taliban put an end to that. The linked article describes how crappy the warlords were (our prior abandonment of this country enabled a situation that encouraged the rising of "warlords" out of the mujaheddin) which led to the warm welcome of the Taliban, only to find out that they were just as crooked, violent, hateful and despicable.

It's not a good situation but think of this as well. Veterans experience unemployment at higher rates than non-veterans, we are in the midst of an economic crisis and extreme unemployment. If everyone comes home, where will they work? How will they put food on their tables? There are a great many reservists and National Guardsmen who actually volunteered to go (more than once in some cases) because they lost their jobs here. It's just a matter of reality.

Now, there are a great many people working for US military contractors in Afghanistan, these jobs could help us with our stateside unemployment rates but apparently it is cheaper to hire eastern Europeans. So, these contractors could help by encouraging the employment of Americans or...the government could quit giving these yahoos contracts and let the military do these jobs. Duh? Why is Fluor hiring Bosnians to work their dining facilities in Afghanistan when each branch of the military has freaking cooks? Now try to come up with a logical answer to that other than someone in Washington DC is hooking up a pal.

Enjoy this little excerpt about Fluor (from the Project on Government Oversight):

Ranking: 64
Fluor Corporation

Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) provides services on a global basis in the fields of engineering, procurement, construction, operations, maintenance and project management. Fluor is a FORTUNE 500 company with revenues of $9.4 billion in 2004.

Federal Contract $: $1073.7m

Total Number of Instances: 24

Total Misconduct dollar amount: $ 198.4m

Yes, you are reading that right. Fluor has been cited in 24 instances of misconduct (ranging from Breach of Contract to Overcharging the Government) yet they continue to enjoy government contracts. How much money could we offset our deficit by if our government actually called in the monies owed by companies like Fluor?

The nasty reality of these government contracts is nearly as shitty as the Taliban.

Omelet Queen

2010-12-11T19:56:00.002-05:00

I have ordained myself the Omelet Queen! After years of up-and-down weight gain, and the memory that my last success was with Atkins, I have returned to the Atkins plan and am enjoying omelets in the mornings. Here are some of my faves:

Avocado, Red Onion, Cheddar, Green Salsa

Smoked Salmon, Green Onion, Capers, Cream Cheese

Morels, Drunken Goat Cheese (this is probably my all-time favorite omelet and my wonderful family collected morels and froze them for me while I was in Afghaniland, so as soon as I can get the Drunken Goat on sale again I'll be back at it)

My goal is to lose 30 pounds before I turn 40. It's so true that the older you get the harder it is to manage. I sort of wish that I was a little more appreciative of my skinny self in those younger days. Truly, I can honestly say, the weight is not so much important as the health. Since I've been home I've been working very hard, lost 5 pounds (without dieting at all, just exercise) and my doctor has reduced my blood pressure medicine twice. If I do really good, I can eliminate that prescription altogether at my next appointment (in about 2 1/2 months).

Why Atkins? Well, I've known for about 20 years or so that I have a problem with carbs. I have a really hard time just eating one oatmeal cream pie, or just one no-bake cookie or just one of anything sweet and carby. The only way that I've found to not give into those cravings are to not have those things at all (or to only have one when I can't get another, such as the gas station sells single no-bakes and after getting home I am certainly not going back to get another). Not to mention that just about everyone in my family has diabetes and I have had some blood sugar level issues in the past. After I meet my goal, I'll probably go a little bit more South Beach Diet for lifetime maintenance.

See, the thing is that I've always thought that I was a healthy eater, but since I've been home (with the extra time and all) I've been monitoring what I ate and the balance just wasn't there. I'm feeling pretty good so far, it's been three days. It's quite possible that you will hear more about this as time goes on, I apologize in advance.

On another note, I did run a half-marathon in Afghaniland and followed up here with a 5K on Thanksgiving (and I hate to run...and my legs look great).

My Horrible, No Good, Rotten, Pathetic Day

2010-12-10T19:17:00.002-05:00

I did a little rip from Alexander and I apologize for that. Today just hasn't been totally awesome and I have a migraine. Bummer.

First, I waited on hold forever to speak to someone at the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency. I called because, though I have been officially unemployed since the end of October, I have not received a red cent from the guvvie. Well, apparently the state is doing an investigation, that could take 6-10 weeks, because I QUIT my job last fall to attend law school. Now, I didn't go to law school then because I got recalled to active duty and had to enjoy a high paid vacation in Afghanistan. Yay me! So I get back in October and cannot start school until January at the earliest (my intention) but I am also without an income and apparently no one is keen on hiring me right now (even when I fail to mention that I will be a very temporary employee). I kind of thought that I could get a short term gig at a retail store this time of year. The bright spot is that there is a "waiver" that may allow me to continue collecting UI while in school, the clerk put my intentions on file, so at least something got done, however small. Of course, my luck will be that my UI claim will get denied altogether because I'm planning to attend school.

Okay, so after that I was feeling broke and sorry, but decided to run downstairs and get something out of the freezer for dinner. OMG! The veggies in my veggie freezer were thawed, the freezer apparently has not been working for at least a couple of days now. I didn't get into it yesterday. I think I may have saved everything, the middle parts were still frozen and I had some room in my meat freezer and in the refrigerator freezer. I did have to take four paper bags full of strawberries over to the neighbors (they have three chest freezers!). Needless to say, we are going to be eating a lot of veggies over the next week or so, because everything was still cold but I want to eat up everything that was thawed. Might cook some things up into a veggie soup that I can refreeze in lunch portions for my upcoming school days.

So, I'm still working on a post about my friend Dave Camp, perhaps I'll get that out to you tomorrow. For now, I'm going to enjoy a glass of wine (not that it will help the headache but it will help me feel ultra-rebellious and I like that right now).

My wish for you is that your day is much better!

Roger Miller Rocks!

2010-12-09T20:46:00.002-05:00

This punk rock girl has always been a Roger Miller fan (I not-very-secretly also love Tom T. Hall, how could I not, he wrote my theme song, "I Like Beer") ever since I first heard "King of the Road." Now my little boy, in preparation for his school's Christmas Concert (I believe they are calling it that at the school he attends, of course this is the place where an administrator said to me, "At least you'll be on a ship" when it was explained that I was going to Afghanistan) has been singing "Little Toy Trains" nonstop. As far as the school goes, I just wish there was a little more diversity acceptance around here, but that's for another day and perhaps for my other blog Missaukee Madness (where I've also been very negligent, or a very bad girl, perhaps Santa won't notice).

At any rate, Roger Miller is a real American icon. Check out the bio at the fan site by clicking on his name above. In the meantime, have a good listen.

WTF?

2010-12-08T18:42:00.002-05:00

There is just so much going on, I don't know where to start, so I'll just jot down a few thoughts that I will work to expound upon in the upcoming days.

1) Darth Cheney Strikes Again, not a new film out in theaters and, in all reality, nothing new at all. Remember Halliburton? How can we forget, it's like that zit on your chin that keeps coming back or even worse a hemorrhoid. Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 16 charges against Cheney and Halliburton Chief Executive David Lesar (along with two other executives). KBR already pleaded guilty to last year as a result of a US investigation into the same bribery case. Even so, KBR continues to benefit from government contracts in Afghanistan. Our government is failing us on a huge scale, the current shenanigans regarding Unemployment Insurance extensions and tax cuts are only the tip of the iceberg.

2) Tax cuts for the wealthy won't help us, but they will add significantly to our deficit. Since the government deals in Monopoly money perhaps I should start sending that crap in to pay my own bills. See these explanations, as they are better than anything I could possibly come up with: Do tax cuts help the economy? and A tax-the-rich lesson finally goes public over at AWOP. It's about time for a little more job creation and a little less good-ole-buddy ass patting.

3) Dave Camp, my own Representative, who has enjoyed years and years on the government payroll at our expense has been selected as the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. His constituents have enjoyed some of the highest unemployment in the country, not to mention some of the highest in Michigan. I'd think that there would be a better choice for this position. Unfortunately, the people who blamed the Democrats for the current jobless situation in Michigan elected him again. If that's a vote against the status quo, then these folks need a lesson in "change."

I'm starting to believe that those Mayans really know something about the end.

A Real Scrooge

2010-12-07T19:16:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure which rock these women are crawling out from under. I sure wish Palin would crawl back under it and close the door behind her. In the past we've been blessed with Sarah's stupid and Michelle's (Bachmann) stupid, among others (my sincerest apologies to those I've left out) and now we get Kate O'Beirne. O'Beirne, of the National Review, recently showed her own personal Ebenezer in the form of an audacious rant against school lunch programs.

Thanks to Crooks and Liars for the footage.

I'd say that the most ridiculous point of her rant is her accusation that parents who rely on school lunch programs to ensure their children have a healthy meal each day are guilty of neglect. We have a real problem with child abuse in this country, and we need to do something about that. But, seriously, not being able to feed your children because you simply cannot afford the food is not abuse, it's reality for way too many American families these days.

I just don’t get why millions of school children qualify for school breakfasts unless we have a major wide spread problem with child neglect.

Let me explain, Kate, millions of school children qualify for school breakfasts (and lunches) because the policies of your party have put their parents out of jobs (not to mention that the GOP's lording over the citizenry have reduced access to birth control and sex education, directly affecting the number of children born into poverty unnecessarily).

Kind of reminds me of another clueless yahoo, Cynthia Davis, remember her? Perhaps these women are so privileged that they don't have to do their own food shopping and preparation. Must be nice to be so ignorant and happy bah humbug to you too.

Mom, Do You Think I'm a Redneck?

2010-12-06T20:10:00.002-05:00

Last month we finally got rid of our redneck status symbol. A red early '70s era Thunderbird that had sat in our yard, in front of the chicken coop even, for the past three years. We managed to sell that thing for $300 and I was getting pretty excited. I actually thought we'd be moving up in the world. I am starting law school in a few short weeks and my reputation should probably be a little more refined, right?

The forces of redneck have conspired against me since then. We took our boy-child to the first high school playoff football game, because our local school actually made it. It was a fine and chilly night but on the way there, I seriously heard my son use the word "winder" to remark upon the spirit-fully decorated windows of a fan's car. Winder? On top of this, he was sporting a camouflage coat and a blaze orange knit cap. I sort of miss those days when I had to physically dress him. This is the same kid, who not too long ago walked into the kitchen and said, "mom, do you think I'm a redneck?" Hmmm, let me think about that one.

Fortunately for me, that coat needed to be replaced. The zipper was giving him fits. So, I passed up the camouflage models and picked up one of those Carhartt tan knockoffs. Mildly redneck but I thought I could get him to accept this small change in his style because his dad, of course, wears those Carhartt coats and being like dad is still totally cool. He immediately expressed his concern that his new coat would not match his old camouflage snow pants. When I assured him that tan went with camo perfectly fine, he asserted quite adamantly that "camouflage goes with camouflage!"

Not to be outdone, my husband broke his front teeth when he slipped in the snow onto a huge piece of angle iron that he was carrying. Because of the time of year, and our dentist is only open up here twice a week (I imagine demand is much higher at his other office, located in a much larger city...well, it is actually a city and that's something). So, he's managed to have two of the appointments of the who-knows-how-many it will take to get his grill repaired which leaves the status as follows: three chipped up teeth and one totally missing (the right side incisor). Totally attractive, if you're a redneck. Let me tell you, I will be ecstatic when his smile is back to 100% but he seems to be really enjoying his new look.

I can tell because he even downloaded "Dueling Banjos" as his ringtone and when his phone rings he just shines me that jacked up smile.

So Much Going On & Nothing At All

2010-12-05T20:50:00.002-05:00

Well, the news wires are full and I've done nothing all day but avoid it all. I've cleaned bathrooms, to include teaching my son how to really clean his sink. I also made him shovel snow off of the deck for the second day in a row. Guess I'll have to get off of my fat ass tomorrow and do it myself. Darn school, gets in the way of all my evil mom shenanigans.

So, here's my little rant(ish) item today. I first saw this on Fox (yes, Fox, for some reason my husband likes to watch their pathetic morning show which always puts me in a stunning mood first thing in the morning. So, there's this story about this yahoo who is dumping Wachovia Bank because they won't put up a Christmas tree at his branch. My first thought was, if this dude is going to make a big stink about CHRISTmas, why would he want a pagan symbol erected to commemorate it. But, okay, I'll accept that this pagan symbol has been appropriated and is standard among many American Christian households this time of year (first brought to the US by a Unitarian, by the way). My second thought is this, if he is really a Christian, he wouldn't want his bankers to sin. Since Christians cannot practice usury (I heard this from Shakespeare, by the way, I can't believe how freaking learned I am), he should desire that his bank employs no Christians and therefore they should not have any Christian symbolism upon its premises at any time. Finally, I should hope that a bank, as a place of business, who hires people to perform banking transactions, not decorate, would remain a professional institution (particularly after taking OUR money to stay in business, bailouts and all that garbage). How are they going to pay for these holiday decorations, with bailout money? Forgeddaboutit! Save your money and DO YOUR DAMN JOBS!

How about I start boycotting any place that respects my views but will not openly share my views. Isn't enough that they have respect for my views? I'd think so but obviously idiots like this don't. Really, get over yourselves!

Again, the War has erupted only, it's not the War on Christmas (as these folks claim), it's really the War on Anyone Who Does Not Openly Kowtow to People Who Want to Make a Big Deal About How They Are Not Accommodated at Every Turn. Gee, WWJD? He seemed like a pretty decent, nonjudgmental and loving kind of guy to me. This new brand of fundamentalist is a blight.

The Virtues of Mac & Cheese

2010-12-04T18:27:00.002-05:00

Homemade Mac & Cheese is the best thing, ever!

I love making macaroni and cheese at home, I experiment with all sorts of variations (and leftovers). Today I picked up a rotisserie chicken and some cauliflower and broccoli on sale at the local food mart. Added all to the basic mac & cheese recipe (after putting a little steam on the veggies to soften them a bit) and headed to absolute tummy heaven.

Basic mac & cheese (I'm pretty sure this is a Betty Crocker type basic, I've been using this "recipe" for years but I know that I didn't make it up myself):

1 box of pasta (I like to use whole grain for extra heartiness)
1/4 cup of butter (of course you could substitute any number of imitations to reduce fat)
1/4 cup of flour
big pinch of salt
small pinch of pepper
small pinch of mustard powder
dash of Worcestershire (I bet you could use paprika or nutmeg here instead for some rockin' taste variation)
2 cups of milk
2 cups of shredded cheese

Cook your pasta and drain. Melt butter in saucepan. Once melted whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce. Continue whisking until smooth, then stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring (or it will stick). Once it boils add the cheese and stir until melted. Then mix the cheese sauce with your pasta (and any other additions) and pop in the oven until the top is just how you like it (about 20 minutes for me).

By the way, I was thinking earlier today, that if dogs had disposable income I could make a killing selling an opposable thumb. I know my dog would thoroughly enjoy the ability to work doorknobs, particularly now that we live in a house where the doors actually close.

On Compromise or Sacrifice

2010-12-03T19:47:00.003-05:00

Well, we had a treat this evening. Pizza from the local party store. If you're wondering what a party store is (because I sure as heck did when we moved to glorious Michigan) then I'll explain. In New England we would have called it "the packy" or the package store, because it's where you can buy beer and what they refer to in the Northwest as "hard pop" aka booze. A party store is basically a liquor store but they also have lots of other crap. For example, this one that has the best pizza in town also has sandwiches, salads and burritos in a behind-the-counter kitchen right next to the massive coolers full of soda, beer and wine. Pizza and beer might make this a perfect store but it gets even better than that. At this particular party store you can buy hunting and fishing licenses, bait (including some weird fish egg dye), gloves, redneck ball caps, all-in-one camouflage make-up kits and Jones soda. Well, there's a ton of stuff there that I want to take pictures of (for proof, you know).

So, after all that blathering on about the damn party store, let me get to the point. We ordered pizza to pick up (they don't actually offer delivery, so this statement is moot, but it has a certain balance that I prefer). I prefer a pizza loaded with vegetables, including mushrooms. My husband wants the meat lovers and thinks that he is accommodating me by substituting ham, pepperoni or bacon for the sausage because he knows that I think that the sausage looks like dog food (and not the good kind either). Guess the whole "I like vegetables on my pizza" has gone unheard or dismissed over the past 15 years or so, because bacon is not a substitute for onions and ham is not a substitute for mushrooms and pepperoni is not a substitute for peppers (even if it does share six letters). So, I suggest that the boys get themselves a meat lovers and that I get a small veggie (I typically don't eat that many slices anyway). I think this is fair but what happens is this, we get a "veggie" pizza in which the mushrooms are replaced with ham and then a small pepperoni pizza for the boy (who doesn't like green peppers or onions). Really?

I shouldn't be surprised because I only like two kinds of doughnuts: glazed raised and chocolate glazed cake. That's it. That's all. If I have to eat one, it will be one of those. Not a Long John, not a Bear Claw, not a chocolate frosted, nor any of the other 50 million of fatty varieties out there. "I do not like it, Sam I Am." Very occasionally over the past 15 years, or so, my wonderful husband has allowed me to sleep in on a Sunday and picked up doughnuts. Guess how many times he has managed to pick up one that I like. None. Not ever. I'm serious.

So, I get torn between appreciating the gracious act and being radically pissed that this man, whom I love to bits, will not concede these small things to me. Before you think that I think that he is a total cad, I'll tell you, he has done plenty of totally thoughtful, unexpected and wonderful things for me (and does them quite often-seriously, he did get me this '65 Mustang when I returned from my first deployment and after this most recent deployment, it was fully restored). Of course, this only adds to my frustration at being irritated with his inability to get me my favorite doughnut or just letting me get a pizza with only vegetables on it (including mushrooms).

At the end of the day though, ham on my pizza is a small sacrifice that I'll willingly make with the knowledge that we can always make our own pizzas at home and everyone can have exactly what they want on them. I'll keep smiling and reminding these boys that they are my world.

Have a wonderful, stupidly stupendous day. Which reminds me, one of my very old friends (who I've been keeping in touch with on that evil facebook) has been performing an act of kindness each day as the opportunity strikes him. It has been a joy to see how much personal satisfaction he has gotten from giving freely of himself to perfect strangers. I'm thinking about trying it myself.

Bringing Simple to the Holidays

2010-12-02T17:55:00.003-05:00

I'm working on finding the perfect "Peace on Earth" holiday card to send out this year. I am so excited that I found tons of free (yay free!) options online (even some photo cards, it would be nice if we had some sort of family photo but I do not think that there is even a single print of the three of us together). We just happen to have a stack of white card stock laying around here from some past, forgotten project. It's a good plan.

I have not purchased wrapping paper in at least five years and I've firmly decided that I will never do it again either. I've managed with some hand-me-down rolls until now but I think this will be the year that we stencil Christmas trees onto newspaper. I am very excited and I think it will be a fun way to spend some special time with my son, we can discuss deep stuff like saving this world we live in. Once again, I will be using old cards to make gift tags. We sometimes get freebies in the mail this this time of year, and I'm no snob, I'll use those too! One year, I made laminated tags with my son's photo on them for the extended family. It was fun, cute and I still see those things hanging on refrigerators when we visit.

Another upcoming project, in the same vein, is sewing up some reusable shopping bags with the little tab so that the clerks at the grocery store can use them as easily as the store bought ones that are made with toxic crap (I'm sure it was lead but I'm truly to lazy to look it up, sorry). China banned single-use plastic bags in 2008, saving billions of barrels of oil each year (of course, it's all part of the master plan, China manufactures many of the reusable bags sold at stores and they are full of lead...there's a conspiracy there somewhere). At any rate, I'll be sure to let you know how this goes.

Final thoughts, extended from yesterday, there is nothing more precious than the relationships we humans participate in. Enjoy your season!

Zeitgeist

2010-12-01T19:52:00.002-05:00

I have been pitifully remiss in blog posting since I've returned from beautiful Afghaniland. In an effort to amend my poor habits I signed on for December's NaBloPoMo, thus making daily posting mandatory. Forced goal setting; something absolutely necessary for a slacker like myself.

What have I been doing? One might ask and all I have to say for myself is that I've been eBaying and playing online games. Perhaps not the greatest use of my time but I have managed to pare down the family's retched DVD collection. This is part of my Zen Plan, in which I am attempting to live with what I need rather than with what I want.

Anyway, on to Zeitgeist. Zeitgeist is NaBloPoMo's theme for December. The best definition I've found is "the spirit of the time." I like that.

In the spirit of the time, I've been downsizing (as alluded to above with the eBay endeavors). I've done some other things as well. The spirit of this time, as I feel it, is one of high unemployment, ineffective government and holiday preparation. This is the short and very generalized list. Holiday preparation includes a big dose of expectation management and my personal desire to meet others' expectations in a manner that celebrates the meanings of the season and doesn't rely on material gratification. Again, my son has surprised my with his Christmas list that includes PlayStation games (yes, that's PlayStation, with no numbers following the title). I was worried that this would be the year that he realized that other kids have so much more than he does (not that he doesn't have plenty, just putting myself in his place, amongst a bunch of little kids with cell phones, Wiis and satellite TV in their bedrooms). But, once again I got lucky and PlayStation games can be had on eBay for as little as a buck a piece. Hooyah!

We are making do with much less this year. I am currently unemployed awaiting the start of law school in January, when I'll actually receive a housing allowance courtesy of the fabulous Post-911 GI Bill. I've found that I am quite the housewife. I enjoy making homemade meals and even having them ready, along with a pot of coffee, when my husband comes home from work each day. I'm sewing new curtains for my kitchen and dining room (pics will follow). Also doing a lot of vacuuming and laundry! Guess that goes with the territory, huh?

I recently stood in line at a local store behind a woman who bragged that she had completed all of her Christmas shopping already. I noticed that she used her Bridge Card (food stamps) to purchase her groceries and a credit card for the toys (of which there were an abundance). I'm certainly not making any morality statement on her situation. I'm well aware that there are thousands of families in this country who have found themselves on public assistance, tragically unexpectedly, over the past couple of years. My only thought at the time, was sadness that she thought that she needed to spend so much on toys for her children when her family is obviously struggling to meet their actual needs. I know that little can replace the joy a parent feels when they have managed to secure happiness from their children. The thing about material happiness, though, is that it is fleeting. Mere time spent is much better spent than cash, in almost every case.

I can think back on every great gift I got for Christmas growing up and I cannot even say what happened to that ten speed or those cowboy boots. The thing that would have made me the happiest would have been to have my dad home. He was in the Air Force and somehow, over the 16 years that he was with us, he was only home for his very last Christmas before he passed away. I would give anything now for one more day with him, any day, it doesn't have to be a holiday. My dad though, was of the large poverty-stricken-family-mold, and as an adult it was important for him to provide for his family financially. He probably spoiled us kids and he didn't even mean to. He just wanted us to have the things that he never could have had as a child. This reminds me of the old woman, Hoora, in the third part of the Iranian film "The Day I Became a Woman." She takes a ludicrous shopping spree, after the death of her husband and an inheritance, purchasing everything she ever wanted but there's no place to put it and she even forgot what the last tie was for on her finger. I recommend the film (for other reasons also, which I will save for another day).

I had a lot more to say today, but I've either forgotten or gotten distracted. I'm sure there will be more about living in the spirit this month, along with lots of other crazy stuff that has been on the Wandering Elf's mind this past year.

For now, I'm going to spend some time with my son.

Edie's Story

2010-11-11T08:07:00.003-05:00

Today I am sharing Edie's story. Edie, with the assistance of the ACLU, has filed a lawsuit to have her marriage recognized. It seems as though our government has established an intricate system to punish LGBT Americans. Yes, we must PUNISH them for being who they are. What are our priorities? I'd like to live in a society that promotes respect not one that encourages hate.

Additionally, today is Veteran's Day. There is much ado about thanking veterans and plenty of discounts and free meals to be had. This veteran is of the opinion that the best way to thank a veteran is to participate in the democratic process, exercise your rights, treat your fellow countrymen with respect and conduct yourself with honor in all actions.

Oh, and I thought our president was going to get rid of DADT...

Katie Makkai - Pretty

2010-10-27T08:23:00.000-04:00

I'm back

2010-10-08T17:19:00.002-04:00

Yes! I am back in the land of freedom and I'm super excited to get back into blogging again. I'm actually working on some real good blog posts (okay, I just said that so you'd come back). I do promise to provide some super snark though (I think I can do that).

Thanks for hanging in there whilst I paid my dues for freedom.

Thank a vet in the best way possible, by voting on November 2nd!

People First: Empowering People With Disabilities

2010-07-23T18:16:00.002-04:00

Religious Doctrine Can’t Trump Patients’ Lives and Health | RHRealityCheck.org

2010-07-09T19:35:00.000-04:00

Religious Doctrine Can’t Trump Patients’ Lives and Health | RHRealityCheck.org

Sharron Angle the Cliche'

2010-07-08T22:16:00.002-04:00

I'm sure you have heard by now Sharron Angle's advice to pregnant victims of incest is that they make lemonade out of lemons instead of considering an abortion. I know this sounds ridiculous. It is inconceivable that a 13-year-old carrying her father's child be made to carry that child to term. First, pregnant girls under the age of 15 are 5 times more likely to die during pregnancy and child birth than women in their 20s. Additionally, there is the potential of birth defects as a result of the close bloodline relationship between the parents.

A few thoughts here:

1) The victim may want to carry the child to term because it may provide the avenue to stop the incest; it is proof. This is the victims choice.

2) The abuser may force the victim, who is underage, to have the abortion because it will hide his abuse. Here's an example of how parental consent can be a tricky subject.

3) Adoption is always a viable alternative, particularly for white babies with no health issues. Other babies are not so lucky (the age of the mother and the incestuous relationship already increases the potential that this baby may not be one of the lucky ones). By the way, there are approximately 123,000 children available for adoption through foster care in the United States right now. Where are all those willing families that we hear so much about? Guess what, for all those childless couples bemoaning the high costs of adoption, adoption through foster care doesn't cost anything. In fact, the state pays you until the adoption is finalized and some children qualify for additional funding based on their needs.

At any rate, no matter what your beliefs are this is a serious subject that deserves more than a snappy cliche' for a response. Not only that, I'm not buying her "counseling story."

And I have been in the situation of counseling young girls, not 13 but 15, who have had very at risk, difficult pregnancies. And my counsel was to look for some alternatives, which they did. And they found that they had made what was really a lemon situation into lemonade. Well one girl in particular moved in with the adoptive parents of her child, and they both were adopted. Both of them grew up, one graduated from high school, the other had parents that loved her and she also graduated from high school. And I'll tell you the little girl who was born from that very poor situation came to me when she was 13 and said 'I know what you did thank you for saving my life.'

-MSNBC

I'm not calling her a liar, but even if this story is true I do believe that it is conveniently embellished.

Just as convenient as her "counseling" story is her cliche' response to the backlash from Harry Reid, blame Obama:

At a time when the Federal Government is already burning through our tax dollars, the Obama Administration and Harry Reid are using federal funds to pay for abortions via the abolition of the Mexico City Policy and the passage of Obamacare.

-Sharron Angle

Needless to say she's a few balloons short of a parade (see, got my own cliche's).

Some suggestions that she might use in future interviews:

Cheer up, it's not the end of the world.
Look at the light at the end of the tunnel.
Don't rock the boat, baby.
Let it all hang out.
Feeling bad is just a new sensation.
Don't worry, be happy.
The show must go on.

Of course, I could go on forever, just see for yourself at Cliche' Finder!

Shameless

2010-04-28T10:56:00.002-04:00

I entered a contest, Your Best Candid Wedding Photo, at Rachel Ray's Everyday website. Of course, you need votes to win a $600 gift card to IKEA. Now, I've never even shopped at IKEA and the truth is that I would probably give the gift card to a special friend of mine who loves, loves, loves IKEA if I did win it. But, it doesn't matter, I still want some votes...so if you can spare a minute, take a peak at my entry here. While you're there, you can enter the contest too and then we can all vote for you!

If you love Rachel as much as I do, I recommend the site...we love her recipes and she always has tons of fun stuff!

Concerned American Woman

2010-04-27T16:21:00.002-04:00

This afternoon I was blessed with a phone call from the Concerned Women for America who wanted me to listen to a recorded message full of true Christian values to remind me that we need to get the United States back to being the Christian nation that it once was and making sure that we get rid of nasty stuff like personal, private decisions made by women under the care of their physicians. I was encouraged to stay on the line so that I could remark upon the recorded message. I'm absolutely positive that voicing my opinion would have resulted in a direct plea for monetary support. I'm also sure that the woman on the other end was surprised at my response which I will paraphrase below:

As a member of the United States military, who has sworn to protect the Constitution, including the First Amendment which guarantees that the United States will never legally be a "Christian" nation, I support the legal right of a woman to make private decisions regarding medical procedures with the advice of and in the company of her physician.

I was insulted by the suggestion that I would support their agenda to make this a "Christian" nation. Does the Concerned Women for America actually suggest that my sacrifice to this country and the Constitution is less because I exercise my protected right to be neither a Christian nor a hypocrite?

I'd also like to take a minute to remember the 9th amendment:

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Concerned Women for America, I do not like you, I think you suck, I think you do not understand the Constitution and I'd really appreciate it if you lost my number.

Hate by any other name...

2010-04-27T14:22:00.002-04:00

...is still hate.

I took a little bit of hit yesterday on Facebook due to my expressed opposition to Arizona's new law aimed at illegal immigrants but not aimed very well as it allows ample room for the harassment and curtailed liberties of legal US citizens. This law is also redundant, it is already illegal to be an illegal immigrant or illegal alien (quite possibly why we include the word illegal in any discourse we have on illegal immigration). Should we be wasting time and money legislating things that are already legislated? Then there is the nit-pickery, is a state able to legislate on such a matter at all? Most importantly, this law is merely a misguided reaction to a tragic crime. The proponents of this law want us to believe that illegal immigrants are the perpetrators of rampant violent crime.

Some people even tout official sounding though apparently bogus statistics to back up their claims and further instill fear into the public. Historically, Americans have lived in fear of nasty immigrant crime yet, also historically, immigrant crime rates have not exceeded those of native born citizens. It is important to note here that past studies have focused on non-native immigrants vs native born persons, rather than persons here illegally vs those in the US legally (kinda makes you wonder where some numbers come from). However, taking that into account you will come up with the same prevailing conclusion among learned and studied persons, that illegal immigrants actually are incarcerated at a lower rate than native born citizens. Which means what? Well, it could mean that those scary Mexicans that moved in down the street aren't nearly as scary as that 19-year-old white kid living next door to you, even if you have known his parents for five years and they are great Christian Tea Party attendees and all that jazz.

Aliens were less likely to be prosecuted for violent federal
offenses (murder, rape, robbery and assault) than were citizens--
1.4 percent versus 8.5 percent during 1994.

-BJS Press Release: SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 1994

Sure, most relevant data is aged and difficult to dig through and decipher but there is certainly enough to form an opinion. My opinion is that this law is some more of the crazy bat antics of those hysterical ultra conservatives who won't be happy until the United States is a country of homogenized white Christians. More specifically, as brought to my attention at Its my Right to be Left of the Center today, white nationalist (or white separatist, if you prefer) groups such as FAIR, the Council of Conservative Citizens, and the AIC Foundation. These are people who play with things like eugenics. Remember that old concept that gave birth to such un-savories as involuntary sterilization?

Nice.

More reading:
The American Prospect
Americas Program
Center for Immigration Studies
Crime, Corrections and California
Its my Right to be Left of the Center
Noncitizens in the Federal Criminal Justice System, 1984-94

US taxpayers want Arizona to prove statehood

2010-04-23T09:40:00.003-04:00

Taxpayers push a bill that would require the state to show proof of statehood to maintain DC representation.

By The Wandering Elf, Irreverent Press

US taxpayers who still aren't convinced Arizona ever had the ability to remove itself from the territory of New Mexico and achieve statehood in the United States are pushing a bill that would require the state to show verifiable proof of statehood in order to retain federal representation with two Senators and eight US House representatives, including US Senator John McCain.

Opponents say the bill, presented Friday to Senators Levin and Stabenow of Michigan, is casting the United States in an ugly light and could give the people broad powers to kick a state out of the Union. However, the United States reports that it has gotten used to being cast in an "ugly light" and will not stop seeking International "Most Ugly Light" status. The United States continues to encourage nuttery among its elected officials and encourages all to aspire to the heights of Ron Pauldom.

The measure's sponsor, taxpayer Carri B. Bop of Michigan, says she isn't sure if Arizona could prove its eligibility for membership in the Union and wants to erase all doubts. She adds that she has no affiliation with the Hutaree or any other nutty Michigan militia "unit."

New Mexico officials have repeatedly confirmed Arizona is a federally recognized state, but like Hawaii, who have repeatedly confirmed the citizenship of the President they cannot be trusted.

Arizona's support for "Most Ugly Light" status:
Arizona lawmakers want Obama to prove citizenship

The Wandering Elf also notes with disdain that after serving the United States in military efforts in the US and abroad for more than 15 years (at great personal sacrifice, just ask her son) she has recently found that like President Barack Obama she is not a US citizen holding only a "certificate of live birth" and not the truly valid "birth certificate" required by the esteemed Birther movement. "Damn," she said, "I could have been hanging out in Amsterdam smoking hashish instead of wasting time voting and other silly stuff like that."

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Just Another Day...With A Boy

2009-12-23T21:18:00.002-05:00

It started as soon as he left the bus. Tim and I could hear the bus driver yelling at a student on the bus. From what we could make out she was telling the student not to say certain things in front of elementary school children. Our son's school is one of those K-12 numbers common in rural America...so the bus is reflective of the student population...18-year-olds sharing transportation with 5-year-olds (certainly not ideal to us parents of younger children).

So, as soon as the kid enters the garage, the grilling begins. In an ultimate Freudian maneuver, he explains that "Assley" wrote "ask me about my wiener" on the window. For clarification, he quickly amended the young lady's name to "Ashley." Sly Tim asks Kyle if there would be a reason for that type of action. The kid feigns total ignorance (I'm so sure). Around and about, and around once more, until mom (that's me) asks, "does Ashley have a wiener?"

Fast forward to our wonderful living room where we are subjected to a "Build-a-Bear" commercial. Teasing Tim tells the kid that Santa is bringing him a "Build-a-Bear." The response is the usual 8-year-old boy's fervent denial. I explain that he should have a teddy bear to sleep with (you know, since I'll be gone and he'll be lonely and all...okay, I admit it, this mom was looking to lay a little bit of a guilt trip in order to receive the usual reassurances that I'm #1 in this kid's life).

Backfire!

The response is, and I quote, "I already have a teddy bear but I sleep with a snake."

Poor kid looks bewildered as his father and I bust a gut on the couch. Tim's making black mamba comments while the kid further explains that it is a "giant stuffed anaconda." It's not getting any better. The teasing is never-ending and finally in a great 8-year-old comeback, the kid accuses me of sleeping with a large anaconda myself. Does it get any better?

Yes, it does!

Tim assures the little guy that I do not sleep with a large snake.

Imprudence

2009-12-20T19:22:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm still hanging in if not around. Spending every single minute I can with my family before I head off to the "graveyard of empires."

The USPS continues to irk me with "imprudent spending."

Insurers Drop Rape Victims Who Take HIV Meds - Politics News Summaries | Newser

2009-10-22T22:56:00.000-04:00

Insurers Drop Rape Victims Who Take HIV Meds - Politics News Summaries | Newser

It's a Material World

2009-10-21T17:20:00.003-04:00

We are at war. No, I'm not talking about Iraq or Afghanistan. I'm talking about a world war against women and children. Those human beings who walk this earth constantly reminded that they are not free. They are possessions, accessories, appointments, appurtenances, assets, baggage, belongings, chattels, effects, equipment, estate, fixtures, furnishings, furniture, goods, impedimenta, paraphernalia, province, real estate, settlement, tangibles, territory, things, trappings, tricks, wealth.

Even in the United States, where women represent more than 50% of the voting public, we find it difficult to stand up for ourselves and effect change that will make a real difference in our lives as mothers, workers, wives, girlfriends...titles which, in themselves, reinforce ownership.

State Rep: In Oklahoma, There’s A ‘Feeling That Women Aren’t Capable Of Making Reproductive Decisions’

In War Zones, Rape Is A Powerful Weapon

Nicole Kidman Addresses Congress on Violence Against Women

Body In Georgia May Be That Of Missing Florida Girl

Action urged to curb child-abuse deaths: Report cites 35 percent rise, calls for more money and tougher oversight

The only solution is ideological change on a global scale, anything less is simply not enough.

This is the world we live in.

Don't our children deserve better?

C'est du jamais vu

2009-10-20T20:56:00.002-04:00

"I have never seen such violence in my life. I swear that this is the first time in Guinea that we have witnessed women's bodies being treated as if they were battlefields. It goes against our culture and traditions. I'm horrified. We're all horrified," she said.
-Guinea Shaken By Wave of Rapes During Crackdown, by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

The above article is horrifying. The events described occurred during military resistance to pro-democracy protests last month. I don't have the energy for any real attempt at commentary on this today but I will say that I am pleased that our Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has joined the chorus demanding accountability for these vile and dehumanizing incidents. Do I think that it will really matter? No, not today, and not even tomorrow, it's going to take a global paradigm shift to make a dent in the incidence of rape around the world...

That is Hot!

2009-10-12T22:53:00.009-04:00

I was over at Joey's Pad and somehow got to thinking about Ewan McGregor. Which led me to thinking about people I think are hot! Of course, the earlier post I did today about Ian MacKaye didn't help much...Skyewriter just had to remind me of this hot Krishna dude that made my insides all warm and such. So, I thought I'd share my list of hot peeps with you.

Ewan McGregor

Not just dreamy but also a Jedi Master (you know what they say about a man's light saber!).

Edward Norton

From skinhead to superhero, this man rocks!

David Bowie

Yeah, I know I'm twisted, but the eyes...I cannot resist...

Jude Law

What can I say?

Willem Dafoe

Intriguing...or I'm hot for Jesus! Whichever...

My husband

What you cannot tell from this picture is that he has the bestest blue eyes...seems like a trend, eh?

Blast From the Past: Suggestion

2009-10-12T08:37:00.004-04:00

Here's a clip of Fugazi performing Suggestion with Amy Pickering on vocals.

I like this song best when Amy Pickering sings it (no offense, Ian), a woman's voice to the lyrics makes my soul squirm. We women know that everywhere we go there's an idiot there saying to himself, or his buddy, "I'd tap that." I just watched one of those Chris Hansen-Dateline-predator shows last night and every single man said they didn't know why they came to have sex with a 13-year-old girl but we know why, don't we? There are men among us who will do anything to get their rocks off. I truly believe that the number of people (not just men) who will do something monstrous, given the opportunity is a lot higher than we would like to even think about.

Why can't i walk down a street free of suggestion?
Is my body the only trait in the eye's of men?
I've got some skin
You want to look in
There lays no reward in what you discover
You spent yourself watching me suffer
Suffer you words, suffer your eyes, suffer your hands
Suffer your interpretation of what it is to be a man
I've got some skin
You want to look in
She does nothing to deserve it
He only wants to observe it
We sit back like they taught us
We keep quiet like they taught us
He just wants to prove it
She does nothing to remove it
We don't want anyone to mind us
So we play the roles that they assigned us
She does nothing to conceal it
He touches her 'cause he wants to feel it
We blame her for being there
But we are all guilty

Every time I hear this song it just smacks me upside the head. Does it get any better? I saw Fugazi live in Boston sometime in the early 90s (probably '90 or '91). It was the kind of show a girl could go to by herself and not be scared that some punk was going to rape her in the restroom. It was important that everyone treat everyone else well, including in the mosh pit, otherwise the music would stop. Just like that, until Ian was satisfied that the idiots had realized that bully behavior just wasn't welcome.

Ian MacKaye is a man that is easy to respect. He is a man who never sold out to commercialism during a period of time when it seems everyone else in our world has. Including the politicians sitting fat in Washington DC allegedly representing us while in fact they are paid off by special interest groups with the sole goal of padding their own pockets. Ahhh, Ian MacKaye you are refreshing.

I tried to embrace the straight edge philosophy and still support that way of life, there are far worse things for young adults to get into. I was just too much of a beer drinker to spend any large amounts of time stone cold sober. The straight edge lifestyle took its name from a Minor Threat song that advocated a drug and alcohol free lifestyle. There are always those that can appreciate a good thing but cannot resist taking it even further.

In Charlottesville, MacKaye discusses the troubling evolution of straight edge from personal philosophy to humorless dogma. "People who beat people up for getting high are looking for a line to draw," he says. Militant straight edge became a dizzying game of one-upmanship--some punks even went so far "straight" (no drugs, no sex, no meat) as to become Hare Krishnas.
-Andrew Beaujon, Spin

Really, Hare Krishnas? The food was great, and free. I did always feel bad about leaving my leather Doc Martens on the shelves prior to entering the temple, but was always warmly embraced. While learning with the Krishna's I also met a wide variety of people including hardcore rockers and even once-popular television actors. Krishna Consciousness and straight edge hardcore was a match.

P.S. Some excellent vegetarian recipes can be found here.

Women (and Men) in the Military: DADT

2009-10-09T15:06:00.003-04:00

Women were dismissed from the military for being gay at a greater rate than men last year, according to new statistics obtained by a California research group.
-CNN

Being a woman in the military is a tough gig. Not only are you reminded daily that you are substandard, though policy, standard operating procedure, attitudes of male members and the general public but being a woman in the military is a lot like being a lighthouse. You have a big light on your head that gets brighter and brighter with the preconceived expectations of your chain of command and your fellow service members.

The Pentagon will not go on the record about why the data has rolled out this way. So, I will have to go out on a limb and make a guess. I can think of two reasons that military women are disproportionately harmed by DADT:

1) The military attracts women who are not classified by society as feminine.
2) If a female member rejects a man's advances, she must be gay.

This reminds me of that old "joke"...a slut will screw everyone, a bitch will screw everyone but you. We can just add a little to the end, and a lesbian won't screw anyone.

The only traditions of the Royal Navy are rum, sodomy and the lash.
-Quote falsely attributed to Winston Churchill

The ironic thing is that even if the military were successful at eradicating GLBT and female service members from its midst it would still not eradicate so-called homosexual acts. Look at prisons, sodomy is rampant, homosexuality is rare. Take a peek at Afghanistan, homosexuality is forbidden in Islam and punishable by death however sodomizing boys and young men is a-okay (and I am not equating homosexuality with pedophilia). I agree that these men are not homosexual, they are merely using other men and boys as objects for sexual release whether the recipients consent or not (just as women have also been used since the arrival of human beings on the planet). It is simply a fact that anytime men live in close quarters for extended periods of time (or in the case of Afghanistan, women are inaccessible) both consensual and non-consensual sexual acts occur. So, to get back to the irony of DADT...DADT is directed at homosexual acts and (supposedly) not directed at service members who identify as homosexual (as long as they keep it to themselves) but in practice it actually attacks service members who identify or are perceived as homosexual and does nothing to curtail the, gasp, feared and reviled homosexual acts.

The presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability.
-§ 654. Policy concerning homosexuality in the armed forces

The problem is, as I have not very eloquently and probably not inoffensively illustrated above, straight men are just as likely (if not more likely) to engage in homosexual acts. So, while the military is kicking out qualified patriots they are keeping assholes who are merely looking for an object with which to relieve themselves...the world would be so much better if they just used a freaking toilet.

DADT is stupid, discriminatory and, yes, even dangerous. There have been homosexual acts for as long as there has been a military. That is probably only surprising to homophobic macho men but I think that the more homophobic and macho a man is the more likely he is to participate in rape regardless of his victim's gender. DADT also works to deter reports of sexual assault by victims, how can a young man report a sexual assault committed by another man if he fears he will be labeled as "homosexual" and discharged from the military? He cannot and thus he is denied justice and treatment. How many times has DADT been used to coerce a woman into unwanted sex? Once is too many times.

Some resources to learn more about sexuality and homosexual acts in the military:

Boys at Sea: Sodomy, Indecency, and Courts Martial in Nelson's Navy
Gay Men and Lesbians in The Military
"Rum, sodomy, and the lash": what the military thrives on and how it affects legal recruitment and law schools

Defense of What?

2009-10-08T16:43:00.004-04:00

On October 1st, 2009, Senator Al Franken of Minnesota submitted an Amendment for consideration to the United States Senate. After consideration, the Amendment was agreed to with a vote of 68-30. That's good, this is an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill that will prohibit federal defense contractors from receiving federal funds if they “if they restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court." What's totally not so great is the 30 senators that voted against it.

Why would a senator vote against this amendment?

Some options:

They are receiving financial incentives from these companies.

They think that women belong in the kitchen and those that dare to venture out get what they damn well deserve.

They think that these uppity bitches are just trying to make trouble.

They think that women are mere objects to be used.

I'd be interested in hearing each one of these 30 senators explain to Jamie Leigh Jones, and the other women who have been sexually abused by their freaking co-workers, why they voted against this amendment. Here are there names: Alexander (R-TN), Barrasso (R-WY), Bond (R-MO), Brownback (R-KS), Bunning (R-KY), Burr (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Coburn (R-OK), Cochran (R-MS), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Ensign (R-NV), Enzi (R-WY), Graham (R-SC), Gregg (R-NH), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johanns (R-NE), Kyl (R-AZ), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL), Thune (R-SD), Vitter (R-LA), Wicker (R-MS). Note that they are all Republican (big business always trumps real people, huh?). You can Call Out these senators here.

Defense contractors are a supreme waste of tax dollars. A) They are doing jobs that the military can do, B) they cost a whole hell of a lot more than the military, C) several of the companies have defrauded us in the past yet we still let them play, D) they are stupid assholes.

Some examples that point directly to option D:
Akal Security Inc.
Coherent Systems International Corp.
Combat Support Associates
KBR Inc.
Raman International Inc.
Wackenhut

Above, Wackenhut security guards at the embassy in Kabul...acting like stupid assholes on our dime.

Shame, Silence & Safe Haven

2009-10-03T07:02:00.003-04:00

There is so much shame surrounding sex in this country that it is simply maddening. It is a shame that a 16-year-old girl will work to conceal her pregnancy rather than talk about it with her parents, with her school nurse/counselor/trusted teacher, and seek prenatal care (by the way, a woman can obtain prenatal care at Planned Parenthood).

Baby Found On Doorstep In South Fulton

The story is short but the most revealing aspects of this case are in the comments which reflect the views of the society surrounding the teen.

Many of the commentators mention the Safe Haven law as if the teen should have known (duh?). Have you ever seen any literature about the Safe Haven laws in your state? Perhaps you are like me, you have heard of such laws, have a general idea of what such laws entail but have never seen a definitive breakdown of how the law is applied in your state. As with all the other popular state laws, this one is not written nor applied the same in every state in which it has been enacted. In 2008, Nebraska and Alaska passed Safe Haven laws bringing to total to 50. Unless you live in Washington DC, there is a Safe Haven law in your state, and that's great. What's not so great is that the necessary information is not getting to the people who may actually benefit from the knowledge of these laws.

Below, an example of the ideology that works to keep pregnancy education and information from our youth.

Protecting Children - Jessica's Law

2009-10-01T15:22:00.003-04:00

John Couey passed away on September 30, 2009 due to complications from cancer. He had already been sentenced to death in 2007 for the rape and murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunford in early 2005. Couey's extensive criminal record includes one prior sex offense against a child in 1991. He was sentenced to five years in prison and served less than two. Completing his sentence would not have prevented him from murdering Jessica but I would argue that the early release of an adult convicted of indecent assault against a child under the age of 16 really illustrates the true value that our society places on the lives of children.

Jessica's Law was passed in Florida in 2005 with the intention of reducing the ability of sex offenders to reoffend. The Jessica Lunsford Act was also introduced in 2005 at the federal level but was never enacted. Key provisions of Jessica's Law in Florida include mandatory minimum sentences of 25 years in prison and lifetime electronic monitoring of adults convicted of "lewd or lascivious acts" against a child under 12 years old. Rape and sexual battery of a child under 12 carries life imprisonment with no chance of parole. Jessica's Law has been enacted across the nation with just a few states holding out.

The electronic monitoring is especially important. You see, John Couey was actually living at a residence other than the one he reported when he registered as a sex offender. Megan's Law ensured that sex offenders had to register and Jessica's Law followed it up to try to plug the holes that were missed. It is Jessica's Law where you find those definitions of how many feet away from a school a registered sex offender may reside, or ever physically be. The idea is that if we know where these offenders are every moment we can prevent, or at least reduce, the ability of an offender to reoffend.

These "reactionary" laws sound good on paper but are they really worth it? Jessica's Law in California has contributed to the situation in Antioch, California where Philip Garrido kept Jaycee Dugard for 18 years. Antioch is home to 122 registered sex offenders who have found residence in other cities impossible due to the residential restrictions enacted by Jessica's Law. At least we know where they are, right?

Let's take a look at Philip Garrido. He was a registered sex offender. Law enforcement knew where he was. They even visited his home in 2006 that he had children living in his backyard but officers did not bother to go into the home or the backyard to investigate. It's quite possible that with the supervision demands of 122 offenders that things slip. Recently, we also received news about a group of offenders camping in Georgia because they have no where else to go (Georgia's law prohibits convicted sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of areas where children gather). Unintended consequence to be sure, but we need to remember that if we force these individuals to far away we will cease to know where they are.

Garrido had previously been convicted of violently kidnapping and raping a woman in Nevada and received a sentence of 50 years, of which he served a mere ten (incidentally, Garrido nearly got away with this one too as the officer who first came upon the scene initially believed Garrido's assertion that he and his victim were merely lovers in a spat ignoring the woman's desperate pleas otherwise).

John Couey was also interviewed twice by police during the search for Jessica Lunsford and she was still alive the first time and may have been during the second. Surely, the police positively identified every person they spoke with and would have known that Couey was a sex offender. Is there any way within the law to increase scrutiny of sex offenders in an investigation such as the one that followed Jessica's disappearance in 2005?

Had Philip Garrido served his entire sentence he would not have been free to abduct Jaycee Dugard. But, again we see a little snapshot of the long-lasting ideas that the lives of women and children are inconsequential. Society frequently cheapens the effects of a sexual assault against a woman. It's as if they are saying to victims, "well, it didn't really hurt, did it?" Or even, as Whoopi recently said, "it's not rape-rape." I mean come on, why else do you have that hole there, you slut?

Reactionary laws are rarely the answer to our problems and some of these laws may even bring into question Constitutional issues. We need to find a better way to protect our children from sex offenders and I have a few small suggestions:

1. Pay attention to how we talk about sex offenses and especially the victims of these crimes. Really, does anyone else find it ironic that Woody Allen is defending Roman Polanski? Look at all the language surrounding Mackenzie Phillips' recent revelations.

2. Be specific in our terminology when labeling offenders, allow judges the ability to apply common sense to sentencing (i.e. remove mandatory sentencing guidelines) and use sex offender registries effectively. Wisconsin's age of consent is 18, there is an abundance of "Romeo & Juliet" sex offenders required to register in that state that do not belong in the same places as Philip Garrido and John Couey. There are more than 500,000 registered sex offenders across our nation, now many of these are "Romeo & Juliet" cases that should come off of the rolls thus relieving the burden on law enforcement (which would actually make our children safer)? Sex offender registries need to be reserved for those most likely to reoffend and the most dangerous. Get the public urinators off the list. Additionally, legislation in many states is unfairly slanted against GLBT people (think about sodomy laws, would consenting adults be guilty in your state?).

3. Most importantly, be a person that your child can talk to. I never told my dad about the abuse I experienced because I was afraid of how he would react. I did tell my mother. She called me a slut. I'm certain that additional children were abused because of my silence. Most abusers are known to the family putting the child in a precarious position. We see the monsters on TV but we need to remember that there are a lot of other monsters that never make it there and they are infinitely more dangerous. Additionally, I believe that if sex offenders are driven underground by increasingly restrictive residence laws they find themselves in an environment like Antioch, CA…where it's easy to reoffend.

4. I am also a fan of "family" restrooms and nearly have a panic attack any time I wait for my young son to emerge from the men's room. A repeat offender in my area accosted his last victim in a public restroom. My panicky response is natural but I know that my son is much more likely to be abused by someone we know rather than by some sicko stranger in a public place. In other words, he is much more likely to be abused by someone who is not on that list...

These are not enough but they are a start.

I referenced the following articles and websites for this post:

Jessica's Law Eyes Sex Offenders
House 1877: Relating to Jessica Lunsford Act
Florida Gets Tough New Child Sex Law
Convicted Child Killer Couey Dies in Prison
Florida Department of Corrections
How Jessica's Law turned Antioch into a Paedophile Ghetto
Whoopie Goldberg Defends Roman Polanski: 'It wasn't rape-rape'
Questions Arise on Monitoring of Sex Offenders
Hysteria Hits Home - Michigan's Unfair Anti-Sex Laws
A Sad Lesson in 'Know Thy Neighbour'

Shut Up, Huck!

2009-09-26T08:56:00.002-04:00

Seriously, this is all old news but I'm in a snit today because I heard his voice.

"The reason we have so much government is because we have so much broken humanity," he said. "And the reason we have so much broken humanity is because sin reigns in the hearts and lives of human beings instead of the Savior."

Yeah, those people never do anything bad. Sunday school teachers don't molest and kill little girls, right? Christian abortion foes do not murder people...in church. I agree that human beings are the source of sin...regardless of their religious beliefs.

"I'm often asked why taxes are so high and government is so big. It's because the faith we have in local churches has become so small. If we'd been doing what we should have -- giving a dime from every dollar to help the widows, the orphans and the poor -- we now wouldn't be giving nearly 50 cents of every dollar to a government that's doing ... what we should have been doing all along."

Gee, I'm not so sure that the church can spend the money any better than the government. See. See again. Once more.

"I didn't get into politics because I thought government had a better answer. I got into politics because I knew government didn't have the real answers, that the real answers lie in accepting Jesus Christ into our lives."

Sounds like you should go back to preaching buddy. Americans have the absolute right to not share your religion. Any single person who states that they want to bring religion to public office should be automatically disqualified. You want to preach...be a preacher.

All Huckabee quotes from here.

Do ask, I’ll tell

2009-09-22T08:47:00.000-04:00

Do ask, I’ll tell

Please click on the link above to view a powerful new video by A World of Progress. Sexual orientation is not an indicator of patriotism nor is an indicator of talent or ability. The focus of the military needs to be retaining talented members not ferreting out, humiliating, and persecuting.

Our military attracts members from every "walk of life." I've served alongside the rich and the poor. I've served with people of all races. I've served with men and women. I've served with gays and lesbians. I've served with conservatives and liberals. I'm concerned with two things only: can that person do their job and can I trust that person to have my back and my country's back?

Trust is vital among our military men and women. You simply cannot do your job well if you are worried that there is someone, on your side, out to get you. You cannot do your job well if you are worried that if you say the wrong thing that your team will turn against you. It's just not possible.

Finally, those in our government and associated with our government such as Senator Coburn's chief of staff, should be a bit more mindful of the people who are sacrificing their lives so that he may retain the freedom to spout such hateful drivel.

Major Margaret Witt has a court date scheduled for September 2010.

“I joined the Air Force because I wanted to serve my country. I have loved being in the military – my fellow airmen have been my family. I am proud of my career and want to continue doing my job,” said Major Witt. “Wounded people never asked me about my sexual orientation. They were just glad to see me there,” she added.
-ACLU of Washington

There is a shortage of flight nurses in the Air Force, barring Major Witt from performing her duties only serves to compound that fact. The actions of the Air Force in Major Witt's case serves no one.

Wandering Time is Near

2009-09-21T12:36:00.004-04:00

This wandering elf is soon to embark on another adventure in her life. Within the week, I will travel to Virginia.

The Good Part:

I will actually score a visit with a Constance. Haven't seen her in a few years (well, maybe more like four...but before that it had been like 16 years, so time between visits is improving).

The Bad Part:

I'm sure that I will spend countless hours doing absolutely nothing; hurry up and wait.

I remember the first time I traveled to Norfolk. I remember being a little bit concerned that I'd be living in the south. Really, I'm from Maine, Virginia is pretty much the deep south to me. Anyhow, I was young, fresh from boot camp and "A" school, dressed in my best (well, my only) Service Dress Blues.

That's not me (I'm way cuter), but I was wearing the slacks version (I never wore any of the silly skirts that served only to take up room in my sea bag-geez, I was in the military, going to work on a ship, hardly the place for a skirt...I think I'll come back to that later). I had all of my uniforms and a few civilian items crammed into a big green sea bag that weight about two tons. It was virtually everything I owned with the exception of some items left with my evil mother and my good friend Fred. I arrived on a cold and rainy night. I remember it was the kind of rain that feels like pin pricks on your skin.

I was dropped off at the end of the pier, no brow-side service for a lowly fireman (the navy engineering rate kind, not the worshiped heroes who slide down poles). I hoisted that sea bag on my shoulders and began the long trek down the longest pier to the farthest brow (the enlisted brow apparently was closed at night) only to be greeted by a salty, grizzled, scrawny old dude with teardrops tattooed down his cheek. It was after hours, the ship was quiet, it seemed like ages waiting for the Messenger of the Watch to find a female from the Duty Section to find me a rack (at that time, I'd have taken any place just to lay my head).

Your rack is the only space that you have to yourself on a ship so it's a pretty bad thing if you find that someone has been sleeping in your rack (we're not like those submariners, no hot racking for shipboard Sailors, thank you very much). Well, this chippy that came to get me, didn't feel like waking anybody else up and stuffed me into someone's rack. That the person whose bed I was in became one of my closest friends is totally besides the point, I nearly got my ass kicked way too early in the morning for a defensive response and I was more than a little pissed off.

The ship was scheduled to go on a six month deployment shortly after I reported but it was canceled and we were scheduled for decommissioning instead. My travels on the ship were limited to Boston, Newport (RI) and Charleston (SC). I was fortunate to connect with some old college buddies in Boston and eat a ton of seafood all along the east coast!

This was my ship following 1996 decommissioning. She looks pretty sad, huh?

Bring on the Sith!

2009-09-19T18:12:00.006-04:00

Or, bring on the shit!

Sometimes I cannot help myself. Well, last night my ears were burned by the sound of Limpdick as I flipped through the radio stations...the nightmares kept me up half the night and the indigestion took care of the remainder. So, I'm on no sleep and desperately seeking the sweet solace that I can only find (or that only I can find) in Star Wars (or at least silly Star Wars references).

Funding vs. Access

2009-09-18T10:21:00.002-04:00

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life Action met with White House officials today to express her concerns that taxpayers would pay for abortions under any new health care reform. I just saw her on FOX stating that they did not want to block access to legal health care procedures but that her group does want to prevent taxpayers from having to pay for something they don't advocate.

I'll bet that if you asked each and every taxpaying American they could identify something that they don't want their tax dollars to fund. Homeschooling families are probably irked that they have to pay into substandard public education. Peace advocates are probably tired of paying for seemingly endless war. Geez, I'm tired of paying for roads that never seem to be free of potholes. I'm tired of paying for oil subsidies. I'm tired of paying for the luxury lifestyles of our representatives. This list could go on forever.

Groups like Americans United for Life Action have already severely eroded access to abortion and continue to do so in this country each and every day. Preventing American citizens from obtaining a legal health care service is despicable. Just ask the opponents of health care reform...they don't want the government to "ration" their health care but, on the other hand, they have no qualms about telling other people what health care they can have access to (and currently they apparently do not mind that insurance companies ration health care to their customers).

The most recent survey found that 88% of all U.S. counties have no identifiable abortion provider. In non-metropolitan areas, the figure rises to 97%.

Add physical access limitations to a shortage of providers, violence at clinics, various states' restrictive legislation and lack of insurance coverage and what do you get?

NO CHOICE for many American women.

There are several reasons that a woman may choose to abort a pregnancy including health, rape, financial concerns...but whatever they are we would do well to remind ourselves that those reasons are hers and not ours.

Equal Access to Legal Medical Services

2009-09-16T10:44:00.003-04:00

I am quite irritated and will try to keep this post civil as it is only a "pre-post" of a much larger post that I intend to make but here is the crux of it. I am so freaking sick and tired of the country's determination to ENSURE that there is no FEDERAL funding for a LEGAL MEDICAL PROCEDURE that IS NOT ANYBODY'S business except for between the patient and the doctor.

In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Grassley said among the outstanding issues to be resolved are the costs to taxpayers, affordability for individuals, preventing taxpayer money from funding abortions, screening out illegal aliens, limiting medical malpractice lawsuits and lowering the overall costs.
-CNN

Gee, Senator Charles Grassley, you will never, ever, ever have an abortion so shut up!

And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up: Under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortion, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.
-Houston Chronicle

Again, even you, President Obama, won't have an abortion and besides, federal conscience laws DENY legal medical services to American citizens. What if an abortion, a legal medical procedure, is prescribed by a physician to save a womans life? Why should SHE not have access to that procedure? If she has purchased insurance, even a "public option," why should that insurance NOT cover a legal medical procedure.

I, an American, believe that is imperative that all Americans have access to legal medical care. I, not a Christian, have a Constitutional Right to not be subject to anyone else's religious beliefs. I, a sexual abuse survivor, am not naive enough to believe that all pregnancies are welcome.

Finally,

I, a WOMAN, am sick and fucking tired of MEN opining about SHIT that they will never fucking have to worry about.

Sir, You Are a Liar...

2009-09-10T09:38:00.002-04:00

Dear Joe Wilson,

I heard you shout "You lie!" at the President of the United States last night as he stated that there would be no health care for illegal immigrants under reform. You lied last night. HR 3200 specifically prohibits health care coverage for illegal aliens just like our current laws prohibit illegal aliens from participating in government health insurance programs. I know that you called the White House later to apologize, but frankly, that's just too little too late. The damage had already been done.

As I spoke with my husband this morning he said to me that it was probably like that in the beginning of our nation, with our leaders cursing and muttering within the revered halls of Congress much like teenagers in a street brawl. Perhaps that was true but we have these new things now, born from technology, the most important of which (especially for you last night) is live television. There is no slick editing on live television. Nope. They cannot fix it in the cutting room.

As I told my husband, it simply doesn't matter how Congressmen comported themselves in the past. We Americans still hold these very politicians that we complain about on a daily basis as role models to our children. We tell our kids, you can be anything when you grow up, a Congressman representing your great state or even the President of the United States. We like to tell our kids that those jobs are important, that those jobs change lives, that those jobs have the power to do the greatest good for our fellow citizens. What we know to be true is quite the opposite.

We should be ashamed of ourselves because we know that the vast majority of politicians are quite simply, Liars and Cocksuckers! We should be ashamed of encouraging our children to work hard so that they may one day be the Supreme Leader of the Liars and Cocksuckers. We don't want our kids to become the Head Liar and Cocksucker of any state, no matter how great we tell them that state is. The really good thing is that we have great Liar and Cocksucker role models like you, Joe Wilson, to ensure that our children never aspire to such heights.

I have been moved by the speech of politicians. I have been moved by the patriotism of my fallen comrades. I have been moved at the passing of the flag at a retirement ceremony. Joe, your conduct does not move me (well, to be fair, it does move my bowels but that's not really what I was talking about). Your conduct does not make me proud. Your conduct proves to the American people that you and others in your party will do everything in your power to prevent a bipartisan anything during this administration. You will resort to acting like a spoiled brat. I should not be surprised at all, particularly not after all the idiotic blathering that's come from your side of the aisle.

Teabaggers, Birthers, and even Deathers (as in Sarah Palin and her exhausting "death panel" claims). The wonder of it all is that some Americans have actually lost their ability to think for themselves. An ability that would prevent them from jumping on these bandwagons that are nearing a cliff, quickly.

Personally, I am so tired of all of it. If you, and all of your Liar and Cocksucker buddies, cannot grow up and do your fucking jobs, then get out of the way so we, the American people, can find someone who can.

Al Swearengen, perhaps?

Joe, if you think that my rant is childish then good for you! You identified sophomoric ranting and bullying. That's exactly what you do! Yay! Give Joey a round of applause. If you are merely insulted then... "tit for tat" ...you insulted the American President and the American public last night, so back at you, you fucking liar!

Sincerely,
An American

Sharing

2009-09-09T19:49:00.000-04:00

Keeping It Real: The "News"

2009-09-02T16:23:00.002-04:00

High school marching band can’t wear evolutionary T-shirts

Band parent Sherry Melby, who is a teacher in the district, stands behind Pollitt’s decision. Melby said she associated the image on the T-shirt with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

“I was disappointed with the image on the shirt,” Melby said. “I don’t think evolution should be associated with our school.”

That damn "theory" of evolution! Don't worry lady, no one is associating that theory with you!

Okay, let's keep it real, Pollitt stated that the shirt was pulled because the school must be neutral on religion. Sir, the very act of pulling these shirts demonstrates that the school is NOT neutral on religion.

'Deviant hazing' alleged at U.S. Embassy in Kabul

"This is well beyond partying," said Danielle Brian, POGO's executive director, after showing a video of a man with a bare backside, and another man apparently drinking a liquid that had been poured down the man's lower back.
...
Among the recommendations from the group: immediate military supervision of the private security guards, a review of whether the contract should be revoked, and consideration as to whether government forces should replace private security in a combat zone.

So the State Department contracts with a PRIVATE contractor to do a job that the U.S. Military is trained to do. No wonder we're broke. My unsolicited response to the recommendations:
1) immediate military supervision of the private security guards. Obviously, Someone needs to provide supervision.2) a review of whether the contract should be revoked. Gee, why not let a company that "has been cited several times for shortcomings in the security required by the contract" continue to be rewarded with a huge contract at the tax payers' expense.
3) consideration as to whether government forces should replace private security in a combat zone. What? You mean that we already have trained personnel who can do this, at a lower cost. WTF, man, get those contractors out of there TODAY!

Michelle Duggar Pregnant: How Long Until The Duggars Take Over The World?

After the next generation of Duggars breeds at this rate, there will be 400 members of the clan (not counting the husbands and wives that married in). The third generation will have 8,000 members, the fourth will have 160,000, and the fifth will have 3.2 million...more than five times the population of Vermont.

Okay, I think it's disgusting that she wants to have that many kids, however it is her choice and not my business. What is truly, truly disgusting is the exploitation of these children by their parents and TLC...truly, the thing that they do, and get paid for (the thing you might call a job) is screw and have more kids. What makes them any different than the "welfare queens" that everybody bitches about? I'll tell you what, welfare moms are treated like crap, don't make as much and are required to actually look for work.

Study: Matt Ryan has the prettiest face in the NFL

Here's one record Brett Favre does not hold: He's not the NFL's most handsome quarterback.

Oh, yeah? Well, he's pretty damn close!

Just behind Ryan on the symmetry scale was Favre, whose face rated 99.78% symmetrical.

Holocaust museum shooting suspect opposes psych evaluation

"Your Constitution guarantees me a speedy and fair trial," he said from his wheelchair during the hearing before U.S. District Judge Reginald Walton.

Apparently he does not think that it is his Constitution. So, what planet is it that he hails from?

"I'm a United States citizen, and as a U.S. Naval officer, I swore to protect my country," he said. "I take my vows very seriously."

Oh, now he is a United States citizen and he was a U.S. Naval officer...what vows did he take seriously? Last time I checked, killing United States citizens was not considered protecting the country. Oh, yeah, he's talking about his country...er, planet.

Blast From the Past: When the Shit Hits the Fan

2009-08-30T11:24:00.002-04:00

Repo Man was released in 1984. I was a 13-year-old kid growing up on an Air Force base in Germany (or more correctly, West Germany). I was just starting to get into punk rock and really easing into rebellion. My step-father, an Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, was quite conservative in his politics but I was closer to him than any other parental figure in my life and I've taken his teachings to heart. This was the man who said he was fighting for the rights of protesters who torched his beloved flag. He believed in this country and he made me believe too. One of the big things he taught me was that we needn't always agree (in fact, we often did not) but we should learn to civilly present our position and keep our ears open to the opposition. They will only shout louder and louder if they feel that they are not being heard. He always listened to me, even though his rule was law in our home.

Most of my friends thought he was an asshole, at least upon first meeting him but he tended to grow on them (even if he did have to ask if their mother's had matching earrings in their jewelry boxes at home). I always knew that when I pissed him off, and steam was pouring from his ears, he still loved me. I think that makes a great parent, that your children always know that you are not being mean to them but you are doing your damnedest to protect them because you love them so damn much.

My dad passed away in 1993 and I still miss him every day. There have been times when I've actually felt him close to me. In fact, shortly after his death I received a phone call...a message actually, that sounded just like him and the message was that I should take a break and do something for myself, specifically go out to dinner. That day I found $80.00 and I did go out to eat. That's exactly the kind of thing that he would have said to me. He knew that I had a tendency to get all wound up inside, he saw my stress and recognized it when no one else did though I could never tell him why I was a bunch of knots (and still sometimes am). I couldn't tell him because I knew that it would probably kill him if he knew that there was a time when he did not protect me from one of the awfullest of horrors that a child can ever experience.

Harry Dean Stanton, who played Bud in Repo Man reminds me of my dad and this song reminds me of how things were in the early 80s (mind you, my dad never looked as rough as Harry, but there's just some quality in his voice that makes me think of my dad). There was a severe recession in 1980-1982 following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The revolution caused an increase in oil prices across the globe which resulted in an energy crisis kind of like that one in 1973. I could now force on you my opinion of the auto manufacturers in Detroit, who have had ample time to make (and sell) more fuel efficient vehicles or the oil subsidies that have effectively made Americans completely unaware of the real cost of oil, but I'll save that for another day.

Right now, I'm thinking about how the world spins round and round. How we come back to these things over and over again. I wonder if we will ever figure out how to break this cycle of recession or if we will just have to take the advice of the Circle Jerks and remember that "we all gotta duck when the shit hits the fan."

Number Four

2009-08-20T21:24:00.003-04:00

It's no little secret that I love the Green Bay Packers.

I also love Brett Favre.

So, how do I feel now that he's signing with the Vikings?

Unlike other Green Bay fans, I do not feel stabbed in the back. I do not begrudge the man a few more years of doing what he loves. He's just a wee bit older than I am and I feel like I can understand wanting to experience just a little bit more. Just a little bit more time playing a young man's game. Just a little bit more of that feeling of the field, the team, the adoration. Just a little more time to decide what the hell he's going to do for the next 30 years or so.

I am disappointed.

Yes, I am and let me tell you why (though you did not ask and likely do not care). I am disappointed that Brett now has a very high chance of leaving the game as a joke when he could have left two years ago as one of the greatest (if you must know my personal opinion, THE GREATEST) quarterbacks to ever play the game. People have a short memory, you know. Apparently, they already have a hard time remembering all those other athletes that cut short their retirement...Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Roger Clemons, Muhammed Ali, Martina Navratilova, George Foreman, Mario Lemieux...

Brett, I still love you but I will never root for the Vikings...(well, maybe I will if they're playing the Bears, or the Lions, depending on the standings).

Too Stupid to Learn

2009-08-07T20:20:00.003-04:00

More proof that our education system has been failing us since at least the 1960s.

Rush Limbaugh graduated from Cape Central High School in 1969. He followed that with an unsuccessful attempt at Southeast Missouri State University.

Presumably at some period during his education, he passed an English class. Probably was introduced to the various uses of the fabled dictionary. Now he makes his living off of words and he would have his listeners believe that he actually knows what he's talking about. Of course, in their defense, it must be noted that they are products of the same education system.

Now, I've already told the world that Rush Limbaugh is Un-American and for the poor, unknowing (quite possibly under-educated) masses I even explained the differences between Socialism and Fascism to include an accurate explanation of Adolph Hitler's use of the word "socialist" in the phrase "National Socialist Workers' Party." I now know that Rush does not read my blog and I'm deeply, truly saddened. Of course, it may just be that he is actually too stupid to learn.

In his latest foray into stupidom, Rush has compared Obama's health care logo to the Nazi swastika. Gee, I thought it looked more like a caduceus than a swastika. Does he mean to suggest that doctors are Nazis too?

Of course, the comparison of President Obama to National Socialists is actually pretty damn stupid. Hey Rush, remember the 1936 Olympics (...Cornelius Johnson...I bet you wanted me to say Jesse Owens, gotcha!)? Yes, it's true, National Socialists are racists. I even got my ass kicked by Nazis in 1990...real ones...because some of my friends weren't the right color...and I bet they'd like to kick Rush's ample rear right now for sullying their reputation.

Finally, and most seriously, health care is an issue which affects every single one of us. Is there a way that adults can come up with a solution? I believe so but it is not acting like a bunch of crazed children, high on sugar, at town hall meetings. It is not calling fellow Americans Nazis (unless they are, and when the Nazis start feeling real comfortable coming out to town hall meetings we'll know it...even Nancy Pelosi will know it). It is not scaring the shit out of Americans with outright lies.

P.S. I'm no grammar expert (you already know this!). I'm just a lowly historian and wannabe law student who enjoys words. I frequently use a dictionary and I have multiple...I'm sure I could spare one to send to Rush.

P.S.S. Click here to sign the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's petition calling on the GOP to denounce Limbaugh's comments comparing Democrats to Nazis.

Talk (Parts I & II)

2009-08-06T10:45:00.003-04:00

I stumbled across these great films at Jodie's blog, Disabled Acomplishments. They were made by Britain's Disability Rights Commission (now the Equality and Human Rights Commission) but they are just as relevant to the United States. President Obama signed a proclamation just last Friday celebrating the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I'm not celebrating. My personal experience has shown me that the ADA is widely misunderstood by employers (just like the board meeting at the beginning of the first film) and that we Americans still have a long way to go in the arena of civil rights. Sadly, I cannot count the number of times that I've heard employers refer to people with disabilities as "those people" over the past two years.

Oh, Poor, Poor Pitiful Me

2009-08-05T07:35:00.003-04:00

Doesn't your heart just bleed with sympathy for this Boston cop?

Poor choice of words? Characterizing behavior?

I love the use of the "patriot" card, "I served my country, I volunteered to go to Iraq..." (Guess that's the new one, huh?)

He says he has post-traumatic stress because of this. Well, buddy, you just insulted a whole hell of a lot of veterans and abuse survivors with that claim. You know people who actually experienced trauma. If being called out for being ridiculously stupid on TV is traumatic to you then you don't have what it takes to be a cop or a member of the US military.

Leadership requires a thick skin...and the ability to think before you hit send. It also requires unselfish dedication to those you serve. All I've heard from him is, "poor, poor pitiful me."

Geography Joke

2009-08-02T15:46:00.004-04:00

Sailor: I got mobilized and I'm going to Afghanistan.
Michigander: Well, at least you'll be on a ship.

I guess the Navy will be breaking out Captain Kirk's USS Enterprise for this mission.

P.S. I shouldn't be surprised at all, this is the state that brings you Thaddeus McCotter. I vote that we give Detroit to Canada.

I Love Boston!

2009-07-29T14:33:00.003-04:00

I recently had some news for which I was a little bit unprepared and it has caused me to suffer a bit of nostalgia.

Nostalgia which reminds me that I love Boston, even though the last time I was there (2003) almost everything that I loved was gone or remodeled beyond recognition.

The Rat was demolished in 2000...I think there's a McDonalds there now. Father's Too is no more.

The BU Bookstore is now the Barnes & Noble at BU, the largest bookstore in Boston.

Kenmore Square's only lasting image...that damn Citgo sign!

And, we all know what happened to the Boston Garden...

Less Known Jedi Knowledge

2009-07-27T11:17:00.002-04:00

For the more advanced Jedi warriors only!

"Why fart and waste it, when you can burp and taste it?"
-Yes Dear (TV Show), 2/5/06

"We're so good, we'll shit your pants for you"
-Pistofficer

"How Homophobia Hurts Everyone and What to Do About It"
-Found on a brochure

"I put the F U in fun."
-???

"Cock juggling thunder cunt."
-Jenn, 3/29/06 (wish I could remember who she was talking about, might even be funnier!)

"Would it help if there were a lawyer involved?"
-Tiff, 4/11/06

"I'm not creepled by dead people."
-???

"Don't sweat the petty things, pet the sweaty things."
-Mark

"It might be the alcohol, but I think I'm attracted to you."
-???

"Choose your meat."
-seriously, a brochure for something

Thumbs Down to Pity!

2009-07-21T14:50:00.002-04:00

Benjamin Snow has a message for Hollywood.

View it here: Thumbs Down to Pity!

Vader Time!

2009-07-18T20:32:00.001-04:00

Gee, I've been way too long without a Star Wars reference.

Something's Been Bothering Me

2009-07-17T17:25:00.004-04:00

I've heard a lot of white dudes use the phrase "reverse racist" in reference to SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor. In fact I just heard it again from Pat Buchanan.

This is a very poor use of words.

What in the hell is a "reverse racist"?

If a racist is a person who believes that one race is superior to another race and it is commonly understood that the racist is a person who believes that their own race is the race that is superior then a "reverse racist" must believe that their race is, in fact, inferior.

Now, if you take away the qualifier of one's own race and just say that a racist believes that one race is superior to another, then the term "reverse racist" refers to a person who believes that one race is inferior to another. Which really means the same thing. If you believe that one race is superior then you must also believe that another is inferior. The addition of the word "reverse" in this case is a waste of time, space and breath. Furthermore, this entire example makes no sense. How many racists do you know that think some other race is superior? This concept is so stupid the only proof that I have that it actually exists is Dave Chappelle's KKK spoof.

So, what these white dudes (Pat and Rush, among others) are really saying is that their race is superior (because only white dudes can be racists) and that Sonia Sotomayor does not buy into that and since she doesn't they are going to call her out on that by using the term "reverse racist."

Hey! These white dudes have actually managed to come up with a way to say, "I'm a racist" without having to put up with the bad publicity.

Maybe it's time they get some (more).

It Hasn't Even Started to Hurt Yet

2009-07-16T17:53:00.002-04:00

I've been in orientation.

Just orientation, three days of it.

Doesn't seem so bad.

I mean, come on, it's just orientation.

Orientation that had homework due prior to even starting. Orientation that has homework assigned in the midst of it. Orientation that, apparently, is trying to impress upon me something of what my life will turn into.

Something like this:

Too Lazy to Read? Then Shut Your Pie Hole!

2009-07-14T14:22:00.005-04:00

Too Lazy to Read? Then Shut Your Pie Hole!

That's the best advice that I can give to the deluded masses that insist on deluging our Senate today with calls, emails and letters imploring our elected officials to vote NO on the "Pedophile Protection Act."

What, you didn't know that the Senate was going to vote on the "Pedophile Protection Act" this week? Well, then consider yourself more intelligent than Focus on the Family's James Dobson who has also referred to S. 909, commonly known as the Matthew Shepard Act, as "utter evil."

Certain so-called "Christian" commentators and general muck-stirrers will have you believe that S. 909 is an attack on Christianity. Yea, they will even have you buy into the notion that it will criminalize Christianity!

Come again?

`(1) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN- Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin of any person--

...

`(2) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR DISABILITY-

Did someone say "criminalize Christianity?"

The above quoted material is from the Act as it was introduced to the Senate. Note that it actually adds religion to the criteria. Now, please explain to me, how that moves to "criminalize" Christianity?

As for protecting "all 547 forms of sexual deviancy," this is rhetoric designed to scare the average American into thinking that paraphiles will receive some sort of special rights or protections. That's thinking about it backwards. Let me spell it forwards: If a person is a known pedophile, or even a perceived pedophile (don't tell me you haven't looked at someone and said to yourself, "That dude's gotta be a perp"), it still gives no other human being the right to select that person as the victim of assault or murder. Let me spell it some more, just because a person has been labeled a paraphile, using the diagnostic criteria in the DSM it doesn't make them a criminal. Not all paraphilias, even if acted upon, could constitute illegal activity. For clarity, the diagnosis of Pedophilia does not require that a person acts out on his or her "urges" or "fantasies." A pedophile becomes a criminal when he or she violates the law by acting out on his or her thoughts. Now let me add some irony, Congressman Trent Franks opposed HR 1913 (this Act in the House) because, it "does not punish criminal intent, but criminalizes thought."

Well, you can't have it both ways, now can you, Trent?

Let's dig deeper, what is this list published by the American Psychiatric Association that people keep getting this 547 number from? I'm sorry but I cannot find the actual list except for something on the ever accurate Wikipedia that refers to an unamed scientific resource. Are they talking about the DSM-IV (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition)? Because I'm looking at it right now and listed under Paraphilias are the following: Exhibitionism; Fetishism; Frotteurism; Pedophilia; Sexual Masochism; Sexual Sadism; Transvestic Fetishism; Voyeurism; and Paraphilia Not Otherwise Specified. That adds up to...nine. Presumably these 547 deviancies published by the APA must fall under the last heading Paraphilia NOS. Right? This is where we can come up with a billion different variations of sexual deviancy by adding a Greek root to the word "philia" such as this list found on Wikipedia. Take a look and you will find that some of these "philias" are downright strange and not all of them are criminal, even if acted upon.

Congressman Trent Franks has said that S. 909 will "break" the Constitution. Once again, I refer to the actual Act as introduced to the Senate:

(3) CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any constitutionally protected speech, expressive conduct or activities (regardless of whether compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief), including the exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment and peaceful picketing or demonstration. The Constitution does not protect speech, conduct or activities consisting of planning for, conspiring to commit, or committing an act of violence.

(4) FREE EXPRESSION- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual's expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely upon an individual's membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs.

Furthermore, the association of the term "Pedophile Protection Act" to S. 909 or the Matthew Shepard Act is shameful and appalling. Why would anyone besmirch the memory of Matthew Shepard. At the very least it is rude and offensive. Think about it. He is someone's child, and he is dead, what are you going to do when someone talks about your child that way?

Well, guess what? I think James Dobson looks gay. So, S. 909 could actually help prosecute his attacker(s) were he the victim of a hate crime, not just because they may have been singled out for his religious beliefs but also because of the perception that he might be gay (isn't the church a hidey hole for homosexuals?).

I also think that Trent Franks looks like a pedophhile, so S. 909 could help him too (and isn't Congress a hidey hole for criminals?).

See how stupid perception can be?

Maybe the Matthew Shepard Act is Unconstitutional and maybe it is redundant since we already have laws against violent crimes but if you are going to oppose it, please actually read the Act and give us a real argument. In other words, stop making up lies and spreading fairy tales to get your way.

It's not working.

Resources:

Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Introduced in Senate)

Next on Senate agenda? 'Pedophile Protection Act'

Paraphilia

'Pedophile Protection Act' stirs 200K letters to Senate

Governor Sanford Should be Fired

2009-07-11T10:29:00.006-04:00

Governor Mark Sanford should be fired, not because of his infidelities, but because he left his place of employment without notice, for multiple days, without contact and did not transfer responsibility to Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer before he left. Any one of the Governor's constituents would be summarily fired from their employment had they acted in the same manner and held the same disregard for their job. Is Governor Sanford any better than the people he represents? No, absolutely not.

Despite assurances from his staff that his whereabouts were known at the time it is now clear that he either lied to his staff or they lied rather than admit that they did not know where he was because he was evidently not hiking the Appalachian Trail (ironically the Appalachian Trail received some of that stimulus money the Governor so vehemently opposed). Even his wife, Jenny, was real enough to admit that she had no clue where he was adding that he missed celebrating Father's Day with his sons. Perhaps there should be an investigation to the conflicting statements that were released by the Governor's office.

Governor Sanford's press conference announcing his infidelity and the ensuing focus on that infidelity is a smoke screen covering the real issue. In fact, the governor's insistence on retelling his affair in profound detail seems to indicate that the mere retelling is profoundly pleasurable to him and, frankly, the thought of him standing there, aroused, telling the American public about the love of his life sickens me. The details of his infidelity are irrelevant with the exception of any provided during the course of an investigation of whether or not tax payer money funded any of his personal business.

The Governor has found an ally in Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (yes, the very man who is the godfather of Governor Sanford's youngest son, one of those sons that was neglected on Father's Day because his dad was really busy elsewhere) who likened Mark Sanford to President Bill Clinton. But, it must be pointed out that the similarity is the mere presence of an affair and this case must be considered absolutely apart from any prior actions of a former president.

Graham noted that former president Clinton was discovered to have had an affair while in office, yet his approval rating remained high among Americans because of his job performance...
-Axcess News

Note that, President Clinton's approval rating remained high because of his job performance. He did his job despite his affair, apparently Governor Sanford is incapable of such multi-tasking.

By the way, Senator Graham voted to impeach Clinton, not because he had an affair but because of obstruction of justice. Senator Graham and the people of South Carolina, I am asking you to push Governor Sanford to resign, not because he had an affair but because he left his office, he neglected to fulfill the duties of his elected position, and he deserted the people of South Carolina. In other words, he did not do his job.

Really, all he had to do was to transfer responsibility to his Lieutenant Governor and leave contact information with his office. If he was not capable of even that, then I submit to you, he is not capable of leading South Carolina.

We all know that politicians give up a fair amount of their personal life when they choose public office and I think every one of us can sympathize with that, to an extent. After all, the politician did choose public office. We cannot empathize with someone getting elected and paid to do a job that they think that they can walk away from willy-nilly. In addition, it's awful hard to empathize with someone who preaches family values and believes that they can be legislated but apparently does not really know what family values are.

We call those people hypocrites.

Resources:

If America forgave Clinton, why not Sanford? senator asks

Push begins for investigation into Sanford's Argentina trips

Sanford Confusion: Gov's Office Won't Say They've Talked To Him

Senator: Sanford drops SLED detail and is MIA

Gotta Win a Contest...or Not

2009-07-11T09:11:00.002-04:00

I'm trying to raise some cash for law school, so this is a flagrant beg post for some assistance if you'd care to vote for my photo. Meanwhile, I will return to post a more serious post today...Cheers!

My Favorite Photo (I've Ever Taken)
Brickfish

Seattle Green Bag Campaign

2009-06-30T07:49:00.002-04:00

How many times have you been somewhere “nice,” just enjoying the beautiful serenity of nature only to find one of those nasty plastic shopping bags floating by?

If you were lucky it didn’t hold a pile of dog poop or a dirty diaper.

Seattle’s bag fee will be up for vote this August and the people of Seattle are experiencing some outside opposition. Who’s butting their noses into Seattle’s green business?

The American Chemistry Council for one. Those people behind those heart-string pulling commercials extolling the virtues of plastic primarily for the lives it saves when used in medical purposes. I don’t know that a plastic shopping bag has ever saved someone’s life. Though I’m sure a medical professional could MacGyver the crap out of one in a pinch I don’t feel that is a compelling reason to keep the things around. Yet, the American Chemistry Council spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to employ signature gatherers to ensure that the Seattle’s bag fee ordinance (passed last year) is on the 2009 ballot.

The facts:

Seattle’s City Council passed an ordinance in 2008 that placed a 20 cent fee on all disposable shopping bags at grocery, drug and convenience stores.

Funds collected would go to: Seattle Public Utilities for an educational campaign; bag giveaways for people who need assistance (such as low-income families or people who are homeless); and offset the costs of Seattle’s solid waste and recycling programs.

Stores would get to keep 5 cents from each bag to offset administrative costs of the ordinance.

Seattle does not want to ban plastic shopping bags, they want to curb over-consumption of the disposables.

A disposable shopping bag can take up to 1,000 years to degrade.

The annual cost of disposable shopping bags for retailers is estimated at $4 billion.

Petroleum is required to manufacture plastic bags. With skyrocketing fuel prices, who wants to “waste” it on a shopping bag.

The American Chemistry Council is funding the “Coalition to Stop the Bag Tax.” They represent companies like Exxon and Dow. They do not live in Seattle. They need to butt out.

I no longer live in Seattle either but feel that I can lend my support to the people of Seattle as they attempt to govern their own city by getting the word out.

Resources:

American Chemistry Council

MacGyver

Myth Busting: The Truth about 10 Common Bag Fee Myths

Seattle Green Bag Campaign

Monday Garden Club

2009-06-29T08:11:00.009-04:00

One good thing about going back to work on Monday.

I get to take a break from gardening!

I even got a sunburn, and then a sunburn on top of the first one. That hasn't happened in years. Well, not since I had to start working for a living, hah!

I made the heifers trot off to the other end of the pasture on Friday while we were enlarging the chicken's yard. You can see the hay waiting to be baled on the other side of their fence. That's what we did on Saturday.

Baby was on hand to supervise the enlargement of the chicken yard, naturally!

KB in the garden; peppers to the right; tomatoes to the rear. Oh, and that's grandpa's new barn going up there (nope, we are still not finished with our new barn either).

Strawberries...and re-purposing plastic bags to deter the deer.

We STILL have asparagus. Never thought I'd get tired of it...most of it turns into soup and gets frozen at this point.

Yes, that is my manly spouse prancing in the potatoes. Hmmm, he's been doing that a lot lately!

Still no pics but I did spend an ample amount of time in my front flower bed weeding, transplanting and digging up bulbs to replant this fall.

Go visit Aliceson at Feet off the Table for more Monday Garden Club!

200 Camels

2009-06-22T07:41:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I discovered an article on CNN, that read Poll: Few Americans have good view of Muslim world. I was intrigued that the number of Americans who view the Muslim world unfavorably had increased since 2002. Intrigued but not suprised.

This article forced me to think of an incident that happened to me in 1999 in the Suez Canal passing through with Egypt on both sides. It was a little tense sailing through there even during a recognized time of peace and I was forced to confront my ignorance and fear of the Muslim world directly on that day. A day that I said something extremely vile and hateful to a friend (who is still a friend after pointing out to me that my "hatred" was really fear of the unknown). A day that I recognized something despicable within myself and made a decision to face every future day with an open mind.

Following that day I made an effort to learn about the culture of the people I would spend a lot of time with over the next four months. I went on every guided tour available, I went into Mosques, I spoke to Muslim men and women and also spoke to non-Muslim visitors and residents about their experiences in the Muslim world. I even learned about human trafficking. I smoked a hookah. I rode a camel. I did not eat any hamburgers (I never once saw a cow but there were hamburgers on every menu). I learned that people are people; there are good people and there are bad people. To distrust all Muslims based on the assumption that they are terrorists or do not like Americans is as illogical as saying that all Christians are right-wing extremist domestic terrorists.

It just doesn't make any sense.

Does it?

On a lighter note, I visited Bethlehem later that same year with a group of people that included a much older gentleman. I exited the church to find him discussing something with an Arabian man. I was later told that the man had offered the older gentleman 200 camels in exchange for me. It probably would have been a pretty good deal but there was no place to store 200 camels...

Why Some People Are Gay: Notes (and Clues) from the Animal Kingdom

2009-06-19T23:57:00.000-04:00

Why Some People Are Gay: Notes (and Clues) from the Animal Kingdom

I happened upon the above article this evening while cruising CNN. I must admit a strange fascination with gay animals. It all started back in 1989 or 1990 when I took my first Anthropology class. I (obviously) learned a lot in that class. The two most important things being:

1) A child that is not allowed to bond with a mother will suffer great consequences (see Harry Harlow's rhesus monkey experiments-I am still horrified almost 20 years later)

2) Homosexual activity was observed in an overpopulated rat colony (John Calhoun-his work was the inspiration for Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH)...along with child-abuse, neglect, rape, cannibalism, bullying.

Being young (and perhaps a little bit naive, I did grow up on an Air Force base), I imagined that perhaps the apparent increase in homosexuality was somehow related to a theory that our world population had reached a saturation point. After completing my undergraduate studies, in history, I now relate my perception of increased homosexuality to bad press resulting from the AIDS epidemic. I have absolutely no idea why I thought that the world was overpopulated; perhaps I thought is was just San Francisco that was overpopulated (again, I blame the press).

My misguided theories aside, I never doubted that two people of the same gender could love each other truly, deeply and forever. I'd like to say that the most recent study (the one cited in the above article) confirms this but it doesn't. It cannot. The animal kingdom, as glorious, fascinating and complex as it's relationships are, cannot equal the complexity of the human experience (at least, not to us). What it does confirm, however, is that a wide variety of "relationships" are indeed natural.

Star Wars Muppet Health Care Mashup

2009-06-16T07:16:00.004-04:00

Seriously, Star Wars can be applied to anything...

Star Wars Muppet Health Care Mashup

Posted using ShareThis

I am actually working on some posts that actually require writing something more than, "Gee, isn't Star Wars great." Seriously!

P.S. I was just reminded about how someone told me that illegal aliens were receiving free medical care. Holy shit! You mean that anyone in our country who is in critical condition can go to an emergency room and not be turned away. It would be much better to let those damn illegals die on the street. Then they'd know better than to come to the United States of America, that fabled land of opportunity. 'Cause you know that most of those alien-people are child-molesting, mass-murderers...no one would come to America to actually try to provide a better life for their family (oh, there I go again, reminiscing about that so-called "land of opportunity.") Yeah, that's right because when they cross the border they are breaking the law, making them illegal...and no one here ever, ever breaks any laws (what's the speed limit, buster?) and we didn't cheer for Denzel Washington as he broke the law in John Q...well, that's alright because any one of us would do just about anything for our kids but those illegal parents obviously don't care about their kids they just want to suck up free medical care!

How Will You Finish?

2009-06-05T10:47:00.002-04:00

I was forwarded the following clip in an email this morning. I tend to attract this sort of inspiration on a daily basis; perhaps due to my current career status. Many of the "inspirational" stories I receive tend to be on the cheezy side and oftentimes I get the feeling that the message is, "golly jeepers, can you believe what this disabled person did?" rather than the true message which is, "we are all capable of a great many things and the only true barrier in life is the Philosophy of Can't or what is commonly referred to as 'giving up.'"

Nick Vujicic tells it like it is in the following presentation:

I believe that fear is the greatest disability of all.

-Nick Vujicic

Green Sleeves

2009-06-04T11:31:00.001-04:00

I recently found this "Green Sleeve" while shopping for a bag to take our laptop with me when I travel (usually on business). I found many great affordable, clearance options at our local Office Max and had selected one when I happened across a display with these tags that caught my eye. Not only are these bags made from recycled products, they were also less expensive than the "clearance" bag I was carrying around with me intent on buying.

I've checked online but have not been able to locate this product, not even at the Office Max website. So, if you need a sleeve for your laptop take a trip to your local store and check these out. I guess the only drawback is that this product is not made locally.

Philosophy of Can't

2009-06-03T07:15:00.002-04:00

Oftentimes I am struck by the attention paid to what cannot be done rather than directed towards that which can be done.

It's a good thing that people like Jim Abbott and Kevin Laue don't subscribe to the Philosophy of Can't. These are men who are truly challenging expectations. So why can't we all challenge our expectations, including how we think about people with disabilities. I see a lot of news stories out there about Kevin Laue's basketball scholarship and they all seem to send the same message, "Isn't it amazing that a boy with one hand can play such good basketball?"

Why is that amazing? Shouldn't Kevin Laue be rewarded for his hard-work and determination by earning a basketball scholarship? Shouldn't we expect that all human beings strive to achieve their best at whatever they choose to do?

Dave Telep, a national recruiting analyst, said Laue would be a surefire Division I prospect if he had two hands. But with just one, Telep said, opponents could limit his effectiveness.

“If he does make it, nobody in the country will have earned it more,” Telep said. “It’s going to take a Division I team with some courage to give him the chance to prove himself, but he’s a legitimate talent.”

-NY Times

Guess what, Telep? Manhattan College is that school that can see the talent through the expectations.

I challenge everyone to give the Philosophy of Can't the big brush off and become a Manhattan College fan!

P.S. Manhattan College is the home of the Seventh Inning Stretch!

Am I Really Surprised?

2009-06-02T07:00:00.002-04:00

Now, we all know that the media is outrageously biased these days but I just gotta let off a little bit of steam here. Really, when I go to CNN, or MSNBC, or even FOX, I just want the facts, you know, the news. I really do not want someone's biased opinion of the news. For that, I go to my friends' blogs, where I expect to get opinion and where I'm usually rewarded with well thought out and supported opinion which is, by they way, far better than anything I'm seeing from journalists who are paid to give me the freaking news.

Point #1: A doctor was murdered Sunday in church. According to CNN, he was a "doctor who performed abortions." The BBC's headline reads, "US abortion doctor is shot dead." Bet you didn't know that was a specialty offered in med school, okay, neither did I. That's because it is not a "specialty." Dr. Tiller was a board certified in family medicine.

News for the news: Dr. Tiller was a medical doctor who happened to perform abortions as a part of his practice. This particular news bit is related to an issue that cuts very deeply between two groups of people in our country and this method of headlining it just emphasizes how deep that cut goes. Kudos to the anti-abortion groups who have come out to condemn this shooting, but those aren't headliners are they?

Point #2: I was watching Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell the other evening. I was particularly engaged this evening because of a missing child from Michigan. Here's the clip:

Now, here's the rub. I truly want to be on Jane's side because I agree with the issues that she is bringing forward as they pertain to children, women and victims. The problem is, she's sort of got a credibility problem here, because she is obviously guilty of making general assumptions. She spends a lot of time haranguing this mother, who may have paid the ultimate price a mother could possibly pay for losing site of her young child, for letting her have contact with George Kennedy in the presence of other adults. Gee whiz, a layman like me can find, through public records that George Kennedy is a sex offender but not necessarily a child molester. In fact, a review of his parole conditions (again public information, readily available on the Internet) reveals the following condition:

1.2 - Responsible adult present if with child 17 or under

The second suspect identified, Roy Smith, also a sex offender, has no direct restrictions prohibiting him from contact with children. Now, why might this be? Well, probably because both men were convicted of sex offenses but neither was with a child under the age of 13. (I get my information from OTIS [Offender Tracking Information System] and the Michigan Sex Offender Registry, which I'm not going to link to as they are readily available to the public with a simple search). I'm not saying they are not bad guys and should be around any body's child because I don't know that, all I'm saying is, "Get the facts, Jane."

I am inclined to ask this mother why she let her 5-year-old play alone outside without supervision in a city nestled between Detroit and Toledo but I also might ask the Tyson's why their daughter was playing near a treadmill unsupervised. Neither of these questions are going to help, just like Velez-Mitchell's bullying is not going to help find Neviaeh Buchanan.

More stupid, recent headlines:

Billy Bob Thornton's daughter arrested in baby's death-CNN: Isn't that person's name Amanda Brumfield, not Thornton's daughter? This bit about Thornton belongs somewhere near the end of the news article, not in the headline.

Teens with special needs get a very special prom-CNN: Why do they have a "special" prom? Oh, because our special education system that emphasizes inclusion falls way short of that mark. Don't expect the media to promote inclusion any time soon, they are too focused on the special things that make teens with disabilities different instead of all the things that are the same about teenagers...

Feds to protect abortion providers-FOX: Ahhh, sounds like more special treatment...for abortion providers, not for family planning clinics or womens health centers, or any of those other places or doctors that provide a variety of healthful services to women, just to the abortionists.

Army Probes Shower Photos of Female Soldiers-FOX: Seriously. Who writes this crap, I can just imagine the lackey right now playing with his little monkey as he imagines the Army probing anything.

Couple Ordered to Stop Holding Bible Study at Home Without Permit-FOX: Now, that's not really true is it. They were actually told that they cannot have a religious assembly at their residence without a permit. This story actually reminds me of the sex parties held at Jim Trulock's house in Texas. Is the issue the bible study or the sex parties? Or, is the issue a large amount of vehicles parked on the streets of a suburban neighborhood on a regular basis which is a disruption for the neighbors whether the participants are meeting for worship or sex...

*Note: most of the headlines spotted were taken from the main pages of the news source (some of the headlines were different on the article's main page) which I would consider to be the real headline since it is usually the first identification of the news story seen on the Internet.

I'm guessing that it's too much to hope that the media starts acting like a news source but I do sincerely hope and pray that little Neviaeh is one child who gets to come back home.

Monday Garden Club

2009-06-01T07:11:00.007-04:00

I'm happy to report that I did accomplish something in my garden this week. Remember that front garden bed that had the nasty white rocks in it? Well, I planted a few new plants in there. Some Jacob's Ladder and a couple of Balloon Flowers that I had started from seed. I also separated some of the other plants in the garden and replanted. I'd like to separate and transplant the daffodils and tulips before too much longer (while I can still see the foliage-so it will be easier, I don't want to do the whole dig up, store and replant in the fall drama).

Timmy & I took one last (maybe) trek through the woods looking for morels. We only found a few but some of them were monsters! Wow!

I've been enjoying delectable morel and green onion omelets for the past few weeks.

I'm still picking, cleaning, eating and freezing asparagus.

And rhubarb...I actually made a pie this weekend but here's a pic of the crisp I made a few weeks back using Aliceson's recipe. I heard it was yummy (I actually do not eat much rhubarb).

Finally, I'm celebrating a return to Garden Eating with the harvest of this wonderful lettuce.

We spent most of the weekend working on our "new" barn, it's the barn we've been building since last fall and I've got to figure out a new name for it since it no longer seems really new. I even got to drive the SkyTrak. Cool.

Who's Next?

2009-05-30T07:19:00.006-04:00

This reminded me of an excerpt from Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address:

all too will bear in mind this sacred principle that tho the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal laws must protect, & to violate would be oppression.

(For those interested, the address in its entirety can be found here.)

Thanks to True Blue Texan, Riot Kitty, & Leftist Grandpa who have preceded me in posting this video.

Monday Garden Club

2009-05-25T20:18:00.005-04:00

Funny, I had intentions of taking lots of pictures today but I guess I was just way too busy. It was a wonderful day, a little cool early on but a sweatshirt did the trick. Our first task of the day was opening the little pig's yard up. We needed to pile some 8X8s next to the barn and fill in the dirt around them (my first workout of the day), our big hogs managed to dig underneath the concrete slab in the barn last year and we are trying to prevent that this time (ahh, getting smarter, eh?). We weighed one of them: 213 pounds.

After that, I trimmed the bushes along our back deck, the hedges in front of the living room and a crazy weigela near our porch. As I started weeding the front garden, Kyle started picking out the white "landscape" rocks until Tim came along on the big blue tractor. We spent the remainder of the afternoon clearing those ugly white rocks out (my second workout of the day) and now I'm left with a pretty sickly bare flower bed out front. I'm just so happy those rocks are finally gone (they were here when we moved in).

Not much real garden stuff but we did pick some more rhubarb and it's ready to go into a pie tomorrow after I get home from work (I'll make the crust in the morning).

Since, I didn't take any pictures, I'm adding the one below which are some of the green onions that I got out of the garden last weekend.

Cheers!

USPS...Again!

2009-05-22T18:43:00.003-04:00

You won't believe this, but the USPS is now putting a cap on how much they will spend to purchase a house for a relocated worker. An $800,000 cap.

The U.S. Postal Service will reduce the amount it pays for homes of employees who are relocating in the wake of a CNN investigation that found it was buying large homes for more than $1 million.
The Postal Service bought this 8,400-square-foot South Carolina home so an employee could relocate.

The new policy, which is expected to take effect June 14, will set a limit of $800,000 for a home. The limit is now $1 million, but before February there was no maximum.

-CNN

The USPS has purchased 2,646 homes in the past five years to accommodate the relocation of employees. No wonder they are taking billion dollar losses.

Sweet Meat

2009-05-22T06:37:00.003-04:00

I've struggled with meat for years. So much so that I was a vegetarian eater for several years and even a vegan for a short period of time. Initially, it was due to my concern over the standard of living of food animals as well as environmental factors. When I got married, I discovered that it was difficult to cook separate meals and I greatly relaxed my meatless dining habits only to be told in the early 2000s that I could no longer give blood due to potential exposure to variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) (aka Mad Cow Disease). Guidelines state that you may not give blood if:

You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

* From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany

You spent (visited or lived) a cumulative time of 5 years or more from January 1, 1980, to present, in any combination of country(ies) in Europe, including

* in the UK from 1980 through 1996 as listed in above
* on or associated with military bases as described above, and
* in other countries in Europe as listed below:

o Germany

-American Red Cross

I lived in Germany from 1981 to 1992, guess I got the message, I can not give blood because I may have eaten some bad meat. Not only did this news irritate me but once again I was repulsed by meat. After more investigation though I became more disgusted with the practices that allowed a disease like vCJD to spread. You see, large production farms, always looking to save a buck, decided to grind up the waste bits of farm animals and use it as food to feed other farm animals such as cows. That this was not banned at the outset is absolutely disgusting. What freaking moron thought of this practice, probably the same stupid fat f*ck who decided to grain cattle to "fatten" them up so that they can be ready for slaughter faster and make more fat f*cks. What's wrong with feeding an animal their natural diet? We could save ourselves so much by just feeding our feed animals the things that they are naturally made to eat. For cows, it's this green stuff that grows out of the ground. Stuff like grass, alfalfa, hay...Stuff that makes naturally lean beef.

Graining cattle is appalling and it's taken me years to get that through my spouses cranium but guess what, one taste of our own naturally fed beef and he's hooked. Graining cattle is force-feeding so that a cow can fatten up for slaughter in six months as opposed to the 2-4 years of normal growth to slaughter size. Corn-fed beef is also bad for you and I.

After the news that I could not give blood I absolutely refused to purchase beef from our local grocery stores, instead opting to travel to the nearest Whole Foods Market, about an hour away, to ensure that I could get grass-fed, hormone free beef for my family. Now, I'm practically spoiled, my beef is in my backyard, eating what they like to eat and generally looking pretty damn happy.

That's Honeymoon above, she's the boss (maybe it's the horns! or that she's bigger than our little Gelbvieh girls, Black Betty and Black Berry). You should see them running to us when we come up to the fence with a treat, yesterday it was dandelions that I pulled up from the yard. They are social animals and have not only provided my family with safe meat but are fun to be near and help us teach our child about responsibility.

So, what brought all of this on today?

The recall of 96,000 pounds of ground beef due to E. coli 0157:H7 contamination last night. The product was packaged on March 10th and the first illness was reported on May 13th, resulting in the recall on May 21st. E. coli is naturally found in intestines, so in the most basic sense, the beef in question is contaminated with fecal matter which is not exactly unusual in meat processing plants. That's why they want you to cook your meat to a certain temperature, and especially be wary of ground meat, because any contamination has been mixed into the meat instead of just resting on the outside.

View the recalled products here. You'll note that the products in question are USDA inspected but keep in mind only a small percentage is ever actually inspected. Read all about meat processing and inspection at Sustainable Table.

Bottom line, if you do eat meat please think about where your meat comes from, it could save your life. If you live nearby, I'll serve you naturally fed Scottish Highland beef and you won't even be able to stomach mass-produced beef again!

Sweet Star Wars Back Fat (I Mean Back Tat)

2009-05-19T21:20:00.001-04:00

Just couldn't resist!

Cheers!

Steele's Not Gonna Be Sweet No More

2009-05-18T21:53:00.004-04:00

RNC Chairman Michael Steel says that the GOP is done apologizing.

"The era of apologizing for Republican mistakes of the past is now officially over," Steele will say in a speech to the RNC's 2009 State Chairmen's Meeting, according to excerpts obtained by CNN.

-CNN

I didn't realize (or even expect) that the GOP had been apologizing for past Republican mistakes. Gee, all this time I really thought they kept apologizing for dissing the Rush-meister in an epic effort to kiss all of his big ass.

I'm not a fan of the GOP but I would have a lot more respect for the party if they would stand by their convictions for once, even if they happen to piss off a freaking radio personality.

Oh, yeah, two other things the GOP could do to earn my respect:

1) Quit whining
2) Quit lying

There's nothing wrong with being a conservative. There's nothing wrong with being a Republican. There is something wrong with being a hypocritical, whining, liar who grovels at the feet of a hypocritical, drug-addicted criminal.

Sweet 17

2009-05-17T21:36:00.006-04:00

This is the 17th Sweet this month and I've decided to cheat and leave you with these wonderful pictures of Aurora Borealis. Whether the phenomena be the "merry dancers" of Scotland or the fires of the Algonquin Nanahbozho the Creator, it is one of the most beautiful things in this world.

Sweet Miracles

2009-05-16T21:24:00.005-04:00

In a time when we, shamefully, have become accustomed to the worst of news the best has its way through the airwaves to present itself in the discovery and return of 3-year-old Briant Rodriguez to his mother.

As a mother myself, I cannot even begin to fathom the emotional response to the kidnapping of your child with the threat of murder and then the discovery and return of your child. Well, what more can I say, except that I'm not even connected to this story and my heart is bouncing all over the place at this news.

Now, they have not found the kidnappers and since the the story of this kidnapping broke, I've thought that it was extremely strange. I think it's still extremely strange and we will probably be quite surprised if the whole story ever comes out...

No matter the drama, or intrigue, or what-have-you, I'm really, truly happy for Briant and his mother as I'm sure this is the sweetest-(though late)-Mother's Day Gift she ever got and the one gift that we never wished necessary!

Sweet Green Dieing

2009-05-15T11:23:00.004-04:00

Moving away from other people's salaries, some of you know that I'm also fixated on a little thing I like to call Green Living. I finally found a way to take Green Living with me to the afterlife. I guess you could say that it is Green Dieing.

Recycled Paper Coffins! These ecopods are sooo sweet! They can be lined with feathers for a real angelic final peace. Then there's the Acorn Urn.

I've got to run along and get this into my will along with my New Orleans Jazz Funeral.

Soooo, Not Sweet

2009-05-14T20:53:00.003-04:00

Admittedly, I've been a bit perturbed about the salary of the Postmaster General, or even the huge pay increase for USPS employees last year but this morning I heard something totally unbelievable.

Some regional airline pilots receive as little as $12.50 per hour. Seriously.

I'm not an airline pilot but I've got an idea, that I believe is fairly reasonable given what I do know about flying airplanes, that being a regional pilot is tough work. Taking-off and landing multiple times during your shift. That's enough to make me not want to do the job, no matter how high the pay was and they are not offering much at all. These are busy pilots, they provided services to 160 million American passengers last year and they are not worth more than $12.50 an hour?

Sweet Slippery Time

2009-05-13T16:34:00.002-04:00

This week I have been pressed for time. Well, more like squashed and as the week progresses it just gets worse and worse. On top of everything I am presenting a workshop on Time Management on Monday, that I still have to prepare for and that I have not allotted any time to prepare for.

I've been asked in the past how I can do so much and I'll tell you that the secret (which is not really a secret) is organization. I'm pretty good at organization. It has even been suggested a time or two that I have a touch of the OCD. It's just one of my things but there's a hitch.

My powers of organization do not extend to those around me. My husband still insists on putting things in some other place than where they belong to include leaving his dirty clothes in a pile on the floor or emptying his pockets full of screws, nails and whatever else on the table and leaving it there. My son seems to be following in my footsteps, well at least he appears to be cowed into following my organization system outside of his room (his room itself...horrors!). He understands that bad things happen when you are not organized. Things get missed, like his school folder just this past Monday or his lunch several times. I'm not even going to start on my clients. The idea of planning ahead for anything, especially getting to an appointment it seems, is far beyond their scope. Fortunately my primary co-worker also suffers from the same sort of organization illness that I do. I think that's how I got the job.

It happens to me when I get in a hurry too. For example, I'm not prepared for this workshop on Monday because I was in a hurry when I scheduled it and did not make a folder, note or other reminder to remind myself that it needed to be done other than the date in my planner. Some planner, huh?

At any rate, I better get back to work...

Cheers!

Ahhh, Very Un-Sweet USPS News

2009-05-12T07:09:00.003-04:00

Seems that while the Postmaster General is quite possibly over bonus-ed, at least one of his employees cannot pay his mortgage. That is alleged motive of John Auito of Macomb, MI who reportedly stole $20,000 worth of first class stamps which he was then reselling at a discount. The great news is that Mr. Auito doesn't have to worry about his mortgage, or working, he can simply enjoy himself at Club Fed.

Interestingly, yesterday the federal government has backed off of plans to restructure USPS employee benefits to make them more similar to to the benefits that other federal employees receive. It seems that the USPS employees have labor contract bargaining rights. The current agreement runs through 2011, perhaps it can be addressed then. But for now, the USPS workers enjoy some pretty sweet deals. Too bad for John Auito, they just don't extend to mortgage payments.

Mr. Auito would have done much better by himself by seeking budget counseling and learning to live within his means particularly in light of this news reported in an article entitled America's Best- and Worst-Paying Jobs published just a few days ago on May 6, 2009:

Postal workers and models will be happy to know that their average annual pay increased more than anyone else's. Postal workers make 23.2% more than a year ago, bringing them up to an annual salary of $54,550.

Gee, and people were bitching about the 2009 3.9% pay increase for the US military and there is still a pay gap between military and civilian workers.

Not-So-Sweet Stamps

2009-05-11T06:06:00.003-04:00

Dozens of retired mailboxes sit in a parking lot at the U.S. Post Office sort center March 25, 2009 in San Francisco, California. Postmaster General John Potter told the House Oversight post office subcommittee that the U.S. Postal Service will run out of money this year unless they are permitted to cut mail delivery to five days a week and are able to impliment changes in how they payout retiree health care. The Postal Service lost $2.8 million last year and expect the losses to increse this year.
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America)

Today the price of USPS First Class stamps goes up 2 cents. Two years ago the USPS introduced the Forever stamp that would allow us to purchase the stamp at the current price and continue to use it for First Class mail under one ounce regardless of any price changes. Perhaps the USPS was hoping for a rush on stamps at the time to bring them further away from financial ruin but it does not appear to have staved the inevitable off for long.

Last weekend we found out by (angry) surprise that our local post office is no longer open on Saturdays. It would have been nice for the post office to maybe put a little scrap of paper in our mailboxes along with this news at some point prior to the schedule change but that's not the way things run around here. Let me give you another example. The neighboring county has received $18,000+ of ARRA funds for housing and food programs. The blurb was in the paper just this past weekend (yes, we get a "weekend" paper and yes, I'm talking about two days ago, just this past weekend) with the notice that private and public agencies that provide such services should have their completed applications in by Monday, May 11th. Way to get the word out! Yay!

Okay, back to this post office thing. Please review the following excerpt from a statement issued by Carolyn Gallagher, Chairman, Board of Governors, USPS.

In 2008, the Postmaster General’s salary was $263,575, the amount permitted by Congress in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006. In addition, based on his outstanding leadership in a very difficult time, the Governors awarded Mr. Potter a performance incentive of $135,041, which will be paid in ten annual installments after he leaves Postal Service employment.

The balance of Mr. Potter’s compensation package includes the estimated change in the future value of his federal benefits through the Civil Service Retirement System based on his 31 years of service with the Postal Service, and the cost of Mr. Potter’s security detail provided by the Postal Inspection Service.

Am I correct in my assumption that the USPS is a federal agency and that Mr. Potter is a federal employee? What the heck is a performance incentive? I support the effort to ensure that federal compensation is similar to that of the private sector but perhaps we should start with the people at the bottom, the military families that qualify for public assistance. Why does he need a security detail? To tell the truth, I didn't even know who the Postmaster General was until I looked up this story because I remember the discussion on the news channels in March regarding the financial problems with the USPS. I still couldn't pick him out in a crowd, unless he's the guy surrounded by the security detail. You get my drift?

Perhaps the final point should be the most logical one for any company, public or private, when the chips are down you budget accordingly and that means the goodies, like performance incentives, go away. Maybe it's time for Mr. Potter to take one for the team.

Happy Sweet Mothers Day (or How I Got Teabagged)

2009-05-10T09:52:00.004-04:00

My son, after feeding his chickens and deserting me to go visit his great-grandmother for some pancakes, returned home to demand rhubarb pie. I asked if rhubarb crisp, ala Aliceson, would be okay. Nope, it's gotta be pie. Then I said, "Hey! Aren't YOU supposed to be making stuff for me today?" He says, "Oh, yeah!" and runs off to get his backpack where he has a wonderfully constructed card and the gift photographed above which consists of a decorated tile that I may place my tea cup on and a tea bag.

Shortly thereafter my spouse called and I told him about the gift and then proceeded to ask him if I was just tea bagged by our son. He seemed to think so. He asked if I would let his mom and grandma know that he wished them a Happy Mothers Day but had to do some welding this evening. Then he added that when he gets home this evening he'll also tea bag me in honor of Mothers Day. Ha!

In parting, I'd like to thank my son for the great gift and then I'd also like to extend thanks to the tea bagging "tax" protesters for giving me endless sophomoric fodder for this blog and any comments that I can sneak in on any other blogs (my apologies to my blog friends for the endless tribute to tea bagging). Hmmm, tea bagging, the gift that keeps on giving. Catchy!

Sweet Saturday

2009-05-09T13:07:00.003-04:00

I'm taking a break from the news today! Actually, I've been so excited about my recent acceptance to law school that I've been a bit sloppy about a lot of things and have decided that I should just get my sh*t together and relax. So, I organized my coupons and made a shopping list. I tried to use some cool websites for family budgeting like Mint, Thrive or Wesabe. Unfortunately my small town credit union cannot link up at this time.

My new savings system has been to keep track of all the "savings" on my store receipts and, finally, today I actually transferred that money from that small town credit union (with 0 interest) to my ING savings account (that currently has 1.50%). My son and I will count change this weekend so we can make a deposit into his ING account as well. He's a good saver, kind of a miser actually.

I guess that I managed to instill the concept of saving into him and he has done quite well (well, for the first five years he had a lot of help). I remember when I purchased a CD for him using his ING funds he was really ticked off at me and said to someone, "my mom took $500 of my money and spent it on a disc."

I think I'll also clean off my desk and scan a few more photos. Part of a long project where I am storing the photos out of the way after scanning them (I am a clutterbug and am working seriously on some zen minimalization in my home. I'll share a great tip I learned from a busy working mother with three kids. They have an area in the kitchen to display those wonderful bits of artwork that accumulate. As soon as one is removed it is scanned and then discarded. I've started doing this myself and it really gets a ton of paper out of the house (well, after I've used the backside also). Occasionally I'll upload a ton of art work to a Picasa photo album and invite the family to view. It's nice to be able to share what he has been doing at school with family even though they are far away! I scan the report cards to share too!

When I find paper that only has one side used, I either put it in the scratch paper drawer of my desk for my son to create more artwork on or I cut the paper into fourths using the paper cutter at work and then use the note paper at work and at home. I got a real cheap paper napkin holder to hold the papers in near the phone. The picture above is one of the scanned works of art, it's one of my favorites (so favorite that I've not discarded the original as I'm considering having it framed).

So, that's my plans for the day and without further ado, I wish you the sweetest of Saturdays!

Sweet Stompin' Cheney

2009-05-08T06:31:00.003-04:00

I sure hope Cheney's was wearing his best dancing shoes when he made the following comment after opining that the GOP should not moderate.

"This is about fundamental beliefs and values and ideas … what the role of government should be in our society, and our commitment to the Constitution and constitutional principles," Cheney said in an interview with North Dakota radio host Scott Hennen Thursday, according to a transcript.

-CNN

Looks like he forgot to put on the dainty dancing shoes, opting instead for the super shit-kicking Constitution stompers that he's so fond of. It's high time to scrape the shit off those boots buddy.

Why the GOP should NOT moderate.

I'll go ahead and agree with Mr. Cheney on this one. The GOP should not moderate because they have effectively distanced themselves from mainstream America and especially from independent voters like myself, thus ensuring that their voting base dwindles ever smaller though for some reason keeps squealing louder and louder. Do you think they feel like Ned Beatty? Thanks for making it easy, Dick.

I don't think the party can come together as the moderates among the GOP are further alienated from the right. So, either there will be more defections out of the party entirely or a group will splinter off and form a new party. Competition is good.

Why Cheney should strike the word Constitution from his vocabulary.

He made an oath to support and defend the Constitution and then did everything but. Patriot Act, torture, making up stories to scare us, telling lies to Congress, detaining US citizens without due process...this is what the role of government should be in our society?