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« February 2004 | Main | April 2004 »
Thanks, Ms. Lauren.
March 31, 2004
Forlinking up an article like this:
Innsbruck-based lung specialist Prof Dr Friedrich Bischinger said people who pick their noses with their fingers were healthy, happier and probably better in tune with their bodies.He says society should adopt a new approach to nose-picking and encourage children to take it up.
Dr Bischinger said: "With the finger you can get to places you just can't reach with a handkerchief, keeping your nose far cleaner."And eating the dry remains of what you pull out is a great way of strengthening the body's immune system.
I won't even ask how you found it. I'm just going to quietly disconnect from the internet and go watch the Soprano's DVD I rented.
More on "free" press
March 31, 2004
Tom Tomorrow reports on how urban legends are so easily spread around the news:
As a reader suggested, Friedman probably feels justified in not correcting his t-shirt anecdote because he's simply relaying what someone else heard. If I write, "A man on the street told me that Tom Friedman's columns are written by a team of trained monkeys," then the only factual assertion is that this is what some guy on the street told me, and I guess I have no obligation to set the record straight. Even if it is repeatedly pointed out to me that Tom Friedman actually does write his own columns, and doesn't even own a single trained monkey.
I guess my theme for the day is pisspoor reporting, and how it fucks with our perceptions. I'm sure it's always existed, but I've noticed the insidiousness of it since the war began. Someone will report a half-truth or an outright lie as fact or opinion, and that story carries, but the correction does not. Items are omitted and quotes are taken out of context. And the casual news-listening public doesn't hear the whole story.
I'm sure I can load this up with more links, and perhaps I will later when I'm not busy feeling stressed and overburdened over here.
Bloggin is, after all, my HOBBY, not a paying profession like it is for the goobers who are fucking things up in the media.
Meanwhile, back in the US, the "free press" reigns supreme.
March 31, 2004
ZNet | Mainstream Media | Clarke and Media Failures
You have heard this politicizing of his testimony aided and abetted by virtually every show on the air. He has been on 15 or more news programs and on most of them the questions were the same, as commentator Harry Browne noted on HarryBrowne.org: "Providing their usual support for big government, TV and press reporters repeated and discussed statements Clarke made in 2001 and 2002 -- statements that seemed to back up the charge that Clarke was an opportunistic hypocrite. "But did you notice that every reporter showed us exactly the same statements from Clarke? Some of the apparent 'statements' weren't even complete sentences. Why did everyone who commented on Clarke's apparent flip-flop focus on exactly the same fragments? "They did so because those were the only fragments they had to work with. The quotes were all provided by the Bush administration -- and they're the only quotes available. If the reporters had possessed the original documents, some of them would have picked out other statements or fragments from those documents.
Frank Rich: Operation Iraqi Infoganda
This phenomenon [of faux news broadcasts] has been good news for the Bush administration, which has responded to the growing national appetite for fictionalized news by producing a steady supply of its own. Of late it has gone so far as to field its own pair of Jayson Blairs, hired at taxpayers' expense: Karen Ryan and Alberto Garcia, the "reporters" who appeared in TV "news" videos distributed by the Department of Health and Human Services to local news shows around the country. The point of these spots - which were broadcast whole or in part as actual news by more than 50 stations in 40 states - was to hype the new Medicare prescription-drug benefit as an unalloyed Godsend to elderly voters. They are part of a year-plus p.r. campaign, which, with its $124 million budget, would dwarf in size most actual news organizations.
Of course, you will never see THIS reported in the major media.
I'm listening to Public Enemy this morning, making lunch, reading the news, and contemplating Canada.
[I'm sure most of these links were ripped from the comments at Eschaton, which is what occupied the better part of my news reading this AM, and which is where I also found THIS surreal gem:
It is "deeply offensive and contemptible" to hear "elites and intellectuals on the campaign trail" dismiss progress in Iraq since last year's overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), the elder Bush said in a speech to the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association annual convention.]
Democracy in Iraq, at last!
March 31, 2004
For the most part, the US isn't leaving the Iraqi media to Iraqi's. Shortly after the start of the occupation, the Pentagon announced it was founding a new TV station, al-Iraqiyia, which would be run by Americans. Then, last month, the State Department launched a new Arab satellite channel, al-Hurra, the Freedom, broadcast from a federal building in Virginia. Imad al-Khafagi, al-Hurra's Bureau Chief in Baghdad, literally came to Iraq with the American military.
[link swiped from discussion at atrios]
Who is the biggest fool?
March 31, 2004
I know internet polls don't really prove anything, but this is an encouraging (or totally depressing, I can't decide which) thing to come across first thing in the morning.
Go ahead and cast your vote. What the heck, you know?
Wal-Mart defends Patriotism
March 30, 2004
Patriotboy is at it, again...defending truth, justice, and the Wal-Mart Way:
I say to hell with the traitors. Wal-Mart should be proud to be a symbol of authoritarianism. Indeed, I urge you to sponsor a Triumph of the Will like tribute to fascism at your headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. I'm sure the local Chamber of Commerce would love the idea. Think about it. Bentonville could become the new Nuremberg.
It's so sad that General Christian is on the other side. We could use more manly men like him on the lefthand side of the political spectrum.
[themowingdevil hepped me to this link]
Out of Shape
March 30, 2004
I've also decided that, in addition to needing some vacation time, I need to schedule some serious exercise time into my day. I am out of shape, and I just don't have any time in the day to work out like I used to.
So, today we went across the street to the playground. And, while the kids played in the pebbles and on the playset, I took Spike (the boston terrier) on a walk around the perimeter of the playground. I stayed within site of the children the entire time, and I did some fast walking and even JOGGED a lap, which was actually kind of fun for me.
It was not fun for Spike, however, as on our second lap he went to have some playtime with another dog (I asked permission of the dog's owner before I let him off the leash) and the other dog promptly latched onto poor spikey's neck and would not let go. AFter about 5 horrifying minutes of the dog's owner trying to physically pry her dog off of spike, her dog (who was the size of approximately TWENTY spikes) finally let loose. Amazingly, there wasn't any blood. BUT, poor spikey was EXHAUSTED, and spent the rest of our time on the playground gasping loudly for breath. I kept trying to give him water, but he seemed to not want or need it. I was trying to get him to relax and slow his breathing down, but he kept getting all excited. The funniest/scariest part was when we would try to bark, and it ended up sounding more like a QUACK.
Thus continues my frustrating day. But at least that part was marginally funny. I keep waiting for the poor little guy to keel over and die of a heart attack, but we got home and he was ready to play with the other dogs, wheezing, coughing, and all.
It's somewhat encouraging to know that even if I'm in bad shape, I'm in better shape than the dog.
vacation
March 30, 2004
I think I've come to the conclusion that what I really need is a really long vacation away from the kids. Like, maybe even a whole entire weekend. Wouldn't THAT be nice?
In lieu of that, I think we're going to get out of the house and go for a long walk after everyone is finished with lunch. Without the dogs, because they cause more stress on a walk than anything else. And without a thought of time limits or all of the deadlines looming in my little world. A walk would be a very good thing. It will only be a few more weeks before it's unbearably hot outside, and I need to get the blear out of my eyes, and these boys need to release some extra energy which is currently evidently only being released by their mouths.
Yes. A walk. A walk will be a good thing. If I was a drinker, I would say a shot of something or other would be a good precursor to this walk. But I'm not...so a deep breath of fresh air will have to serve me.
I'm so tired
March 30, 2004
It's been one of those days where I feel like my space keeps getting violated. The kids have been all over me today, and even when I have taken time to attempt to interact with them, I am feeling somewhat smothered by them. We spent an hour playing the popular 70's board game STOP THIEF! which is really a very fun game, once the rules are modified to make it less of a game of logic and more of a game of luck, which is essential when one of the major obstacles of play is keeping the three year old from throwing the game board out the window. Truthfully, I realize that Cole is only 3, and he's not a particularly mellow or patient three-year old...so there is only so much one can expect of him in terms of sitting still or respecting the game playing of his older brother and his mom...but I do get so tired from holding in the frustration of having to attempt to be as polite as possible in asking him to please not upset the board AGAIN. I also realize that it's just a game, but I am just so tired of having to repeat my requests over and over and over again.
Regardless, we had fun playing the game, and Coley did a little bit better about controlling his destructive behavior to allow us to have fun. I made up a rule that if he felt like he needed attention, he needed to come sit in my lap, rather than upset the game board. That seemed to work a little better. He's slowly learning.
It's mostly frustrating to me because when Monk was 3, he was already able to sit for the duration of a nice game of chutes and ladders, and he had the patience and presence of mind to actually follow the rules and play correctly. I didn't realize at the time that this was a demonstration of an extraordinary attention span.
Actually, I'm not sure if it's that Monk has an extraordinarily long attention span, or if Cole's is extraordinarily short, or even if they are just at the extreme ends of "normal" or "average." What I do know is that the difference between them is exhausting, and difficult to manage. It makes it very difficult to accommodate both of them in any given activity. The problem is made worse by the fact that Coley is extremely mama-centric, and Monk is going through a phase in which he's possessive of my time, as well...or just generally wanting to be the center of attention. Our days are closest to ideal when Monk holes himself up in his room most of the day, and I can focus on alternating between cleaning up and reading to/playing with Cole, and checking in on Monk at various intervals. We come together at lunchtime and talk, and then go our seperate ways for a couple of hours, and then come together again for stories and/or games.
Today, though, things fell apart early. We all woke up too early, the boys were too keyed up too early, I felt like I didn't have the space to take care of my needs first thing in the morning, and everyone was way too loud.
Being a parent is definitely the most difficult thing in the world that I've ever experienced. It's a constant balancing act. My needs need to be met in order for me to meet their needs, but so often their needs need to come before mine, and it's so easy to forget to take care of myself...not to mention that they aren't always eager to assist me in ensuring I have the time and space to do so. For instance, while I was writing this, I was also preparing lunch, calling the kids in, serving lunch, attending to a poop accident, talking to Monk about baseball, math, and the romans, listening to coley talk about his play-doh creatures...and I'm sure there were other things, as well.
No wonder I'm so tired.
Make your own graffiti
March 30, 2004
My writers' block is so bad, I can't even think of somethign clever to fit on a graffiti bridge, but maybe you will do better.
[link courtesy of Uff]
Writer's Block
March 30, 2004
I have determined that I'm suffering from writer's block. I have a lot to say, but I just don't have the energy to struggle for the words that normally come easily. So, that's cool. I'll take a break from any real writing, and just do linkys and/or little updates about my day....or nothing at all.
I'm feeling this tremendous urge to invest in a high speed internet connection, even though my budget doesn't really allow for it. Although it seems high speed internet is getting closer and closer in cost to what I currently pay for my dial-up connection.
The children woke me up at, gosh, it must have been 6:45 or so this morning "Because the sun is up and it's daytime now, mom!" I am totally dreading the time change. I managed to stay in bed with them for 45 minutes or so because it's kind of chilly in the house and the bed is nice and warm, but it wasn't exactly comfortable or restive. Now I'm feeling playfully cranky.
Monk and I rebounded from our terrible Sunday to have a pretty good Monday. He's REALLY into reading books now, so he usually spends a good portion of the day reading. But we also quizzed each other with Brain Quest 2nd Grade, and I showed him how to multiply 2 and 3 digit numbers the long way and the short way. We talked about some of the rules of multiplication and addition, and how you can interchange them. And we talked about subtraction and division as the opposite of addition and multiplication, and I showed him a problem that required division to find the solution. The kid LOVES math. He loves talking about math. And I'm excited about explaining it to him, because it helps me to understand and appreciate math better to put into words all of this stuff that I have figured out for practical purposes AFTER I was taught a bunch of impractical math methods in school.
Coley spent most of the day playing in the sandbox, but I think we did some reading, as well. And he ran around the house pretending various things were weapons. Sigh.
It's a beautiful spring morning. The clothes are hanging out on the line, probably a bit damp from the night air still. We don't have any concrete plans for today. I might see if playgroup is happening at K8's and, if so, go hang out there this afternoon. This evening, I have a meeting to attend for MAIN, in prep for the webraising that's taking place on April 17th. I get to see my sweetie, which is making me smile right now.
I hope you have a lovely day...
I am the evil oppressor
March 29, 2004
On the work blog, I posted a long drawn-out description of the hellish ordeal I went through with monk last night. But the gist of it was that it ended with me banishing Monk to his room for the rest of the evening, about which punishment he had this to say, rather dramatically:
"You can take away my privileges! But you can't take my Friends, my MEMORIES, or my MIND!"
I am, in fact, the evil oppressor.
What's your motivation?
March 28, 2004
MSNBC - Transcript for March 28
MR. CLARKE: [...]Let's talk about motivation. You're asking me is that the motivation. So let's talk about what the motivation actually is. The actual motivation for writing this book is to, number one, tell the people who have been asking me for two or three years, you know, what happened on 9/11 and why couldn't we stop it. I hope the 9-11 Commission answers those questions, too. But I had to get it off my chest. I had to tell the families of the victims. I had to tell lots of people who have been asking me, "What went wrong? And how, with all of your experience, can you advise us on what mistakes you made personally? Can you advise us not to make those mistakes again, and with that experience, how do you advise us about structuring the government so that we can avoid this kind of thing in the future?" I had to get it off my chest. That's the motivation.
I'd say that's an admirable motivation.
Why I'm paranoid.
March 28, 2004
Imagine if Bill Clinton had walked out at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner, where Presidents traditionally poke fun at themselves, and stuck a cigar in his mouth and said, "Mmmmm, tastes like kosher pussy." Imagine if he had showed slides of himself sitting on a toilet, using legal documents to wipe his ass, and said, "That's where the Rose Law Firm documents went." Imagine if he showed a slide of Al Gore in a blue dress and said, "I told Monica it made Al look fat, but I jacked off on him anyways." Imagine the hue and cry. Imagine the outrage. Tom DeLay would have been burning down the Congress to censure him. If the members of the press had laughed, all anyone would say is how their laughter confirms that the media really is "liberal."
It's been almost a week since this happened, and I'm still struck speechless by it. If I wasn't certain before that the election would be rigged, I'm quite certain now. There is no way that a president in an election year would engage in such tasteless humor unless he knew for sure that it wouldn't effect him in the election. And there's only one way for someone to know for sure that something is not going to effect him in the election.
Friday News Blogging, Part 2
March 26, 2004
LA Weekly: Features: A Taliban-Type Law
What Joe Klaas did not believe in, however, he spells out to the committee as he continues. "As a former prisoner . . . of the Nazis . . . I can say that taking 25 years of somebody's life for committing a nonviolent crime is violence almost on the level with murder."
[Link lifted from this post at Talk Left.]
~~~*~~~*
Ballot Initiatives Hijacked by Corporations
Think of corporate influence peddlers and you might envision distant figures working the halls of Congress and state capitols. But more and more, they roam city halls, municipal offices and even local shopping malls attempting to snuff the growing trend of communities setting limits on corporate activities. Regardless of location, the goal of the corporate lawyers and lobbyists remains the same: to use the enormous wealth of their employers to get what they want. And they're willing to seize the initiative -- the ballot initiative, theoretically the purest form of democracy -- to accomplish their goals.
The bloggers at the No War Blog continue to bring up excellent points, and actually facilitate great dialog in the comments. No War Blog: Krugman on Clarke
On a related front, what disturbs me as well, is that the whole 9/11 commission of inquiry has a militaristic framework. This is not surprising considering that the Bushies hand-picked the group (and yet is still, to its great shame, trying to stonewall the commission). From the preliminary report issued today, one would conclude that the big mistake before 9/11 is that we didn't invade Afghanistan! Jesus H., we've done that, and it doesn't seem to have a huge impact on stopping terror. Fighting terror with terror, is like trying to put out an oil fire with water, or worse, with more oil. But that kind of militaristic mentality is not limited to Bush & Co, but seems to pervade American society.
~~*~~*~~*~~*
Bob Edwards...FIRED?!!
In explaining why Edwards had been given the boot, Stern said it was "about the right sound." What sound is that, Ken? Too loud? Too soft? Too much bass? I always thought that Edwards had just the right "sound" and that, anyway, NPR and "Morning Edition" were not -- to use a Sternism -- about "sound" but about information -- facts and such things. "It's not about Bob," Stern continued with the standard line of any boss who has ever fired anyone, it's about "who are the right people to meet these needs." ?
I'm sorry, but I think I need a better explanation than THAT.
[link courtesy of randomwalks.]
~~*~~*~~*~~*
My list
March 26, 2004
I've taken some time to myself this week to think through what it is that I would require of a relationship. My previous list was good, but it was perhaps a bit too unrealistic...and while I would like to say that I will never get into another relationship again if I can't have all of my needs met, that's just downright selfish. So I am finally articulating the few things that are absolutely necessary for me to consider a serious relationship...seriously.
In no particular order:
- Potential Partner must have a job. Preferably a job which requires useful skills - either marketable or practical. It doesn't have to be a high-paying job, and the Potential Partner does not have to be wealthy by any stretch. I would prefer that the Potential Partner enjoys the chosen career path, or at least finds it tolerable.
- Potential Partner must cherish my children and treat them with patience and kindness. Potential Partner must be willing, if not eager, to spend time with my children (when it's appropriate to do so) and balance their needs with mine. Potential Partner absolutely must not attempt to compete with my children for my affection, time, or resources. (duh)
- Potential Partner must pick up the fucking slack. Potential Partner must offer to help where needed and even more importantly, Potential Parnter must FOLLOW THROUGH when help is offered. I realize that sadness and exhaustion happens...I'm well aware of it because it happens to me, too. But I do not have the fucking option to just opt out of my commitments, and neither should Potential Partner. I simply refuse to allow another person into my life who feels that they can let their problems overtake them to the point where they are no longer capable of functioning, and then expect me to do my share of the work, as well as the share of the work they had committed to taking care of. That shit don't fly around here, and I won't allow it into my life. Also, PP must not expect me to remind about things that PP promised to do. PP must Assume that if services have been volunteered, I have officially removed it from my already hectic to-do list, and I'm assuming it will get done. If PP can't keep track of these things, PP should not volunteer to do them in the first place. HOWEVER, if I do suddenly remember and ask about the progress, PP should not accuse me of "nagging."
- Potential Parter should have good relationships with other friends and extended family, and should include me in those relationships when the relationship becomes serious. Potential Partner should also be willing to hang with the mamas, even if sometimes the conversations become foreign and uncomfortable.
- Potential Partner should have hobbies or talents that take a significant amount of energy. I should not be the only thing that Potential Partner invests time in.
- Potential Partner should understand my need to be alone, and should not become inconsolably insecure when I need to take some time to myself. Likewise, Potential Partner should assert similar needs as warranted, and should not put me in a situation where I'm invading space not clearly demarcated.
- Potential Partner should be able to deal with the fact that I talk way too fucking much (hahahaha). Potential Partner should not pretend to be OK with this, only to indicate otherwise when it seems like it might be a good way to avoid blame for something else. (ummmm. Not that I have any experience with this.)
- Potential Partner should be lefty-radical. Sorry conservey-boys...I just don't think I can deal with the constant conflict. It's too much a part of who I am for me to ignore.
- Potential Partner should approach conflict with the understanding that people are inherently good, and conflicts arise mostly from insecurity and misunderstanding.
- Potential Partner should know that I am not perfect, and that I don't expect perfection from Potential Partner. That any of the above characteristics can't possibly be exhibited by someone at all times, but that all of the above are the characteristics that should be the default mode of operation. That I am also accountable for this, and that I expect to be gently held accountable when I make a mistake...and I expect to be held accountable for being gentle in my interactions with Potential Partner.
There. That only took, what? About a year to write? I am still doing research, and might possibly add to this in the future, but this is what come to mind immediately.
Is there anything missing?
P.S. Since the last time I posted about this, I was firmly reminded by someone that I was being bitchy and unrealistic and that I should just accept people as they are and stop being so demanding, I need to add this. I am well aware of the fact that humans are fallible...and that there is no way that someone I love will live up to these qualities at all times. I accept that. I'm actually a pretty patient and tolerant person when it comes to relationships. It could be argued that I've been far more patient and tolerant than might be healthy for me. My purpose in writing this list is to ensure that I have an eye towards what is important to me, as I tend to get knocked on my ass by people - I tend to be easily dazzled and impressed, and I tend to forget myself. This is my reminder. It's also a reminder to myself about how I feel *I* should behave in the context of a relationship.
So, there.
Oh, and...not that I think this matters to anyone, but this list is no indication of my availability. I happen to be very happily in the process of getting to know someone, and I don't want that person or anyone else to feel as though this list is some sort of weird "want ad" for potential partners.
Friday News Blogging, Part 1
March 26, 2004
It's Friday, and I will be adding to these links all day as I surf.
Richard Kahn links to a SF Chron article on Sudden Oak Death
This is a little story with a big meaning for American forests -- the seeds have been sown wide and far for a catastrophic outbreak of sudden oak death, which will take pristine wild oak groves and reduce them to firepits and gnarled stumps. The oak is of course one of our greatest trees, and for those with a more spiritual (or pagan) side, it is holy to druidic and wood nymph types. For the rest of us, it is just a noble species, providing swaths of shade and majesty on summer days the way in which few other trees can match.
I really hope disaffected youth aren't stupid enough to fall for this, but I'm glad there were people there to help confuse the issue. [link courtesy of Tom Tomorrow]
Meanwhile, the dems just get cooler (and richer) one "secret website" at a time. I think commenter Velvet Revolution has it right when s/he says:
Nothing scares the Republicans more than regular people getting involved in the process.
Indeed.
Noam Chomsky has a blog. Wow. [link courtesy of zagg, who also has a brief update about his feelings about some current events.]
Since Zagg mentioned it, spookydoll also posted about Saturday's protests, and the importance of protest in general. And r@d@r posts an impassioned "hell, yeah."
Meanwhile...More Fucking Lies:
[...]once again, the Bush Administration seems to be hallucinating aluminum tubes.
Spring Cleaning
March 26, 2004
I've been busy with my spring cleaning. Nesting, I think it's called...only without the "being pregnant" part. And I haven't been around to blog much, although I have been listening to the news a lot. There has been lots of news.
I've also been refining and adjusting the rhythm with the kids, and we've had a great week. Monk's been spending a lot of time curled up in his chair by the window, reading. Cole's been...POTTY TRAINING. So, it's been mellow, but busy here.
Yesterday was Monk's first baseball practice. I have decided there is absolutely nothing cuter than a little boy in a baseball uniform. He doesn't have the cute little pants, but he has the too-big shirt and the hat, which he thinks is "cool" to wear backwards. I'm so proud of his attitude. He says he caught the ball "sometimes, but when I didn't, I just ran after it and threw it in." This is such a huge thing for Monk, who for so much of his life has refused to do anything that he doesn't immediately do really well. He just marched right on to a team of ball players who have already been playing together for some time, and...practiced. Maybe he will become a professional baseball player, after all.
I am SO PROUD of my little man.
In addition to that, I've been insanely busy at work with a couple of projects, and I might soon be even busier with some contract work. Trainer for hire stuff, which should be good for me. It's always nice to step out of the material that I usually present, and do something completely different with a new audience. It's going to be INSANELY busy around here when that happens, but it will be temporary, and when it's over, I will have a little extra cash in my pocket...which will be very nice...and much-needed.
I didn't talk about the show I saw last Friday, which I fear was so long ago in my feeble memory that I can't properly conjure up a good review. Nor have I talked about the million other things that have been in the news or have popped into my head long enough for me to think "Gah, I really should blog that." Perhaps I'm due for another hiatus, but I had planned to write in my paper journal every night, and can't seem to bring myself to do that. Typing is easier, and I get incredibly lazy by the end of the night and do not want to work on moving the pen across paper.
And tonight is date night with Monk. I am not sure what we are going to be doing, but I'm looking forward to hanging out with my little baseball boy.
I hope your day is going well.
Equinox
March 23, 2004
I can't believe I haven't yet written about our wonderful first day of spring/vernal equinox celebration. Perhaps because it was far more understated than the glorious solstice celebration. Still, it was nice...and the children enjoyed themselves, and we all managed to have some good fun and good food.
Since I invent all of my own holidays by conglomerating my favorite things about other holidays and celebrations...and since L has the kids all day on Saturday, which is the day the vernal equinox actually occurred, we celebrated on Sunday.
Saturday night, the spring fairy came and hid some little things here and there for the kiddos. Books, mostly. Cuisenaire rods, some odds and ends that have ended up in the gift box one way or another. And the sandbox that the spring fairy picked up off the freecycle list. The sandbox was a score. The very definition of score. As well as a few yummy chocolatey things.
So, the kids traipsed about the house, finding hidden treasures, while I lounged a bit, then cleaned up a bit. Then we all enjoyed the nice weather while I listened to NPR and other public radio programs, and busied myself with cleaning up.
At around 1 or so, J arrived. The spring fairy had brought the kids some kites - a cute bat kite for Coley, and a beginner stunt kite for Monk. The plan was to take the kids across the street to fly kites, but first they had fun smashing cascarones all over each other.
Unfortunately, it wasn't quite windy enough to get the kites really up and going. There was some frustration, but we all ended up containing it and having a semi-enjoyable afternoon. I'm kind of struggling with a sometimes overwhelming amount of irritation and frustration with Coley because, well...because he's three and he likes to do a lot of tempter tantrumming and whining and destroying...not to mention a great deal of waking up at 2 in the morning screaming - which doesn't really help me get enough sleep to maintain patience for the rest of the behavior that follows when the day is new. But we sorted things out, and salvaged the day, and came home.
It seemed to click better once we got home. Monk taught J how to roll egg rolls, and they helped Cole do a few, and J fried them up while I prepared the "cosmic" soup (which is creamy corn soup from Sundays at Moosewood coookbook). And so we enjoyed egg roll appetizers and then J and I had some corn soup and the kids played and J read to them and played Stratego with Monk and had fun.
Then at some point, J left...and I put the kids to bed and I think I fell asleep watching Dangerous Liaisons on television and I think this recount of the day would be a lot happier sounding if I wasn't trying to simultaneously write it, keep my nose from dripping copious amounts of snot on the keyboard, clean up a spill and some pee from Coley, make lunch, and battle fatigue all at the same time.
Maybe I should go back to just posting links to news items and other blogs. I just don't have it in me right now to do anything requiring any amount of concentration.
Blah.
Those Urinals
March 23, 2004
That's what the title of the e-mail said, with a link to the article about the piss-in-the-mouth urinals that Virgin Airlines was going to install in the men's executive lounge. After us ladies (and maybe a few men) got all hysterical about it, they thought better of it. Not, however, before doing the whole "We're sorry you feel that way" song and dance, claiming they were amazed at the negative response since the designer of the toilets was, in fact, a woman. There's a post at Trish Wilson's Blog about the female designer's response.
Sigh.
I really just can't muster the words. You know? I'm flashing back to the discussion about sexism and blogging a year ago, and the justification that the editor of the article was a woman and therefore I had no right to raise an objection.
And maybe it all ties in with the hip hop links in my previous post. Because that conversation, too, included a lot of comments about how women need to be the agents of change. Which, yeah, by default perhaps. But women do not just magically manage to avoid being sexist in a world that teaches us to BE sexist from the day we are born. We as women aren't free of that oppression, either. Not only are we fighting against the oppression from outside, we're also fighting it from within - both within ourselves and withing the larger group of people who identify as women.
Gender issues in hip hop
March 23, 2004
The discussion began here, and Jason has a summary of other links. I'm definitely adding lizelle's blog to my links. She rocks. I'd like to add my voice, but the reality is that I don't know enough about hip hop to respond intelligently to conversations like these.
The dialog at those posts is incredible, though. Enlightening, respectful, intelligent, and insightful. I might have something to add at another time. For now, I'm just observing...and pointing you in that direction.
Just Deserts
March 22, 2004
While standing in line at the grocery store yesterday, I noticed what I thought was a huge typographical error in the upper right corner of Time Magazine. Something along the lines of "Martha Stuart gets her just deserts."
I HAD to look it up, so I went to the time site and did a search for "Just Deserts" and was directed here, where I got a little language lesson.
Of course, NOW it makes sense. "DESERVE"..."DESERTS" - makes sense. But I still like to equate justice with a huge slice of tasty pie.
Did I really hear that?
March 22, 2004
I swear this morning on an NPR or local public radio sports report, I heard a newscaster mistakenly refer to the NCAA as the NAACP. Did anyone else hear this, or am I just going insane?
State of War.
March 22, 2004
So let's do a little round-up of first anniversary developments. It looks like the Spanish vote and the decision of the new Spanish prime minister to follow his party's long-term position on the Iraqi war and occupation by withdrawing his country's troops at the end of June (barring a major UN takeover) were a bit like yelling "Fire!" in your classic crowded theater. Fastest to the exit were the Hondurans with 370 troops. ("The decision was announced by Defense Secretary Federico Breve only one day after Honduran President Ricardo Maduro said the troops would stay. Breve said the Honduran decision 'coincides with the decision of the prime minister elect of the Spanish government.'" {Los Angeles Times, 3/17/04) It is rumored that El Salvador and Guatemala may soon follow suit. Next came the Dutch. The opposition Labor Party called last Tuesday for a July withdrawal of their contingent of troops (while a Dutch civilian died in ambush in Baghdad this week). When Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende met with President Bush later in the week, he refused in person to commit his country's troops beyond July. Almost immediately, the South Koreans rushed for the doors, announcing that they would not, as had been planned, send several thousand troops to the northern city of Kirkuk, a flashpoint of Kurdish desire (Hans Greimel, AP, 3/19/04). They are, claimed the government, looking for a new, safer place to put their troops. (Is there an offshore island around?) The Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, the staunchest of staunch "coalition" allies, promptly claimed his country had been hoodwinked -- the actual word he used was "misled" -- on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. (Monika Scislowska, AP, 3/18/04) (What his government was really hoodwinked on was its share of the spoils of Iraq's "reconstruction" and this may be but a warning shot across the bow of the all-American reconstruction effort.)
The German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer promptly announced that NATO was far too overstretched to consider future deployment to Iraq. While that truly staunch, if seldom noticed, coalition ally Prime Minister John Howard of Australia began to publicly fret about how developments in Iraq would affect his election prospects next year. And so it went among the "allies."
liberty?
March 22, 2004
No War Blog: Empire and Iraq (again)
As Donald Rumsfeld said recently, in a stupendously patronising speech: 'The secretary compared the impossibility to pinpoint an end date for troops in Iraq to that of teaching a youngster how to ride a bicycle. "They're learning, and you're running down the street holding onto the back of the bike seat," he said. "You know that if you take your hand off, they could fall, so you take a finger off and then two fingers, and pretty soon you're just barely touching it. (Leaving Iraq) will be like that. You can't know when you're running down the street how many steps you're going to have to take. We can't know that, but we're off to a good start." 'The corollary of this of course is that the Iraqis are children who must be watched in case they ride their bicycles somewhere that we, as paternal guardians, know might not be good for them. Then of course we must control, and, if necessary, chastise them (perhaps restricting democratic control in the current constitution is the equivalent of fitting stabilisers).
Thus one of the world's youngest civilisations talks to one of the world's oldest.
Friends
March 19, 2004
I KNEW there was a reason why I love Lorraine and Adam so much. This is part of it. hahahahahahaha.
Am I just overly cranky this morning?
March 18, 2004
Or is anyone else sick and fucking tired of the implied assumption that "VIP"s are, by default, men?
For an airline that has open mouths in the bathrooms, one would expect unconventional designs in the lounge areas. Instead of walls (who needs them?) there’s a free standing waterfall that pours out of the ceiling. It drains into a 100-foot pool that doubles as the wall of the lounge (why not?). The result: one exterior wall is the reflecting pool; the other is a triple height ceiling out on to the terminal. VIPs don’t have to mingle with the riff-raff (who would no doubt be milling by the urinals anyway), the Red Room is their special space. Like the cigar girls of the 1940’s, Virgin staff roam the clubhouse, weaving between pearlescent screens with the Hewlett Packard PC’s in hand to access anything for passengers at any time like reservations or ordering a meal within the clubhouse. And if Paris Hilton brings her laptop in her Louis Vuitton book bag, she can hang out in the WiFi zone to chat about The Simple Life with Nicole Richie.
Granted, they did mention PARIS HILTON, but, you know, that just adds to the fantasy. You know, harried businessman gets to piss in a woman's mouth AND THEN gets to gawk at Paris Hilton geeking out in the lounge.
Gah. I should refrain from reading Trish's blog (from whom I stole the link) first thing in the morning.
A Story by Cole
March 18, 2004
Cole: Mama? Can I tell you a story?
mama (groggily, just waking up): Sure...yeah...tell me a story.
Cole: Once upon a time, I sat in your chair. Then, I peed in your chair. TheEnd.
Saving this link for later
March 17, 2004
ZNet | Foreign Policy | US-Haiti
I don't have time to read it now, but...I feel like I need to add it to my reading list.
Required Reading.
March 17, 2004
randomWalks: Everything you ever wanted to know about offshoring
It'll take me about a million trillion years to read it all, but...DAMN. That's a lot of useful info.
This is so sad
March 17, 2004
Seventh Iraq war veteran kills himself after returning home
WASHINGTON, March 16 (UPI) -- A Colorado-based Army Special Forces soldier back from Iraq shot himself in the head in his front yard Sunday night, according to police -- at least the seventh soldier who has committed suicide after serving there. William Howell, 36, shot himself after following his wife around the yard with a handgun, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. Howell served with the 10th Special Forces group in Iraq and returned to Fort Carson last month, according to the Army. Another soldier who was attached to that unit in Iraq, Staff Sgt. Georg-Andreas Pogany, has claimed that the 10th Special Forces Group ignored him when he sought help with mental problems there, and then charged him with cowardice instead. Pogany, 32, also says the Army is ignoring the side effects of an anti-malaria drug called Lariam he took with the Special Forces, which has been linked to mental problems, aggression and suicides.[...]The Pentagon says 21 Army suicides have been confirmed in Iraq and Kuwait -- reflecting a suicide rate within the normal range.
I guess that all depends on your definition of "normal."
Oh, wait...I forgot I should be jumping up and down with glee because of this. Yeah. That's RIGHT. Because, you know, I'm so happy to be proven right and all.
Hoo-fucking-ray.
March In Crawford
March 17, 2004
For more information click here.
Um...Uh...Um...
March 17, 2004
MoveOn.org: Democracy in Action
You have to watch it. Wow.
[full transcript of the Rumsfeld Face the Nation interview here. Thanks, J. I would say something about his affinity for all things 13 and the possibility that he's the devil, but that would be too obvious, and I don't believe in the devil, anyway.]
Only in Austin, Texas.
March 17, 2004
I'm crossing that crazy intersection over by Flightpath - where 53rd and 51st and Duval all cross over each other every which way. I'm a PEDESTRIAN, and I may be fat, but I have a distinct disadvantage when a car wants to play chicken with me. I look square in the eye of the driver of a truck that is stopping at the stop sign, and begin to cross, pausing to make sure the driver of the truck coming from the other direction is paying enough attention to notice me.
And the asshole I just looked at rolls RIGHT INTO ME. Thankfully, he wasn't accelerating or anything, but the guy freaking gives ME a dirty look, like I had no business walking in a crosswalk.
Ass.
The irony of it is that I got pulled over at that very same intersection last night for allegedly COMPLETELY RUNNING the stop sign. I didn't, but the cop claimed that I had. Thankfully, he got called away on an actual emergency before he could give me a ticket, but I wish he would have been there tonight.
Ass.
Iraq on the Record
March 17, 2004
This database identifies 237 specific misleading statements about the threat posed by Iraq made by these five officials in 125 public appearances in the time leading up to and after the commencement of hostilities in Iraq. The search options on the left can be used to find statements by any combination of speaker, subject, keyword, or date.
[link via ex-lion tamer]
Brenda Stardom Reports from Portugal
March 17, 2004
Brenda Stardom: PORTUGAL Prepared For TERRORIST Attack?
"While his responsibility for security only extends to its implementation in the stadiums at the finals, Santos and Euro 2004, S.A. have been working closely with the national authorities and the FPF and expect a safe and happy celebration of football. "We hope that security levels do not have to be raised to their maximum, because that is not the image that Portugal has abroad," he told euro2004.com."The security levels have been raised, but fast enough? I read something like this and shake my head. I was always bothered when I'd read over and over about how Portugal was preparing for security with the focus on hooliganism. Surely they had to be thinking they'd be a target and then there's that continuing talk of threats already been made, but they sure haven't been made public.
There has been a lot of news about the police threatening to strike along with the hotel workers during the games. The police have a real beef, the conditions under which they work make me wonder why they do it, even paying for their own uniforms, using their cellphones, most computers not working. In January this was being reported in taipeitimes.
"Yet less than five months before Portugal and Greece kick off in the opening game, police are voicing concern about what they claim is a sshortage of manpower and delays in deploying promised modern equipment, worth US$20 million and including water canon and new riot gear, to counter hooliganism.
"We haven't enough men for patrols now, never mind at Euro 2004," said Antonio Ramos, president of the Police Union and a beat officer. "We haven't been properly equipped for years."
Let's hope the tragedy in Spain kicked them hard enough to spur some real action.
I notice that Brenda is overlooked a lot whenever people roll out their lists of notable female political bloggers. I think she's amazingly consistent and insightful in her reporting, and more people should read what she has to say.
Spiritual Age
March 17, 2004
Monk just told me that my "spirit" is 3 or 4 and his is "70-something," because:
"When you're a child, your spirit's a grown-up, and when you're a grown-up...a child."
"Who told you this, Monk?"
"No one, I just made it up."
Voting in the face of terrorism
March 17, 2004
Lean Left: Voting in the Face of Terrorism
Terrorist attacks are going to occur around elections. That has long been a staple of terrorist organizations (the ETA, ironically enough, in particular), and there is no reason to think that will change in the immediate future. The question is how do you deal with such attacks when you are in the voting booth? One answer is to make your decision the way you normally would: based on all the evidence that you have at hand, decide what is in your country's best interest. All the information at hand, of course, includes the recent terrorist attack.
[Link via ex-lion tamer, who also writes eloquently on the topic]
Articulation
March 17, 2004
There's something that I have been trying to articulate, unsuccessfully, that is articulated very well in tthis post at Whiskey Bar:
What's missing -- intentionally, I think -- is any acknowledgement of how we got from a place where Le Monde could declare Nous sommes tous Américains, to a place where being seen as a U.S. ally has become a serious political health risk across most of Europe. From day one of the war against Al Qaeda, the Bush administration has treated "old" Europe with a barely (if that) disguised contempt. It refused to give NATO a meaningful role in the war in Afghanistan -- even though such support was offered immediately, and unconditionally, in the aftermath of 9/11. Following the the fall of Kabul, it resisted efforts to expand and internationalize the peacekeeping force, and gave only tepid support to European efforts to strengthen the Karzai government, at the expense of the regional warlords with whom the Pentagon prefers to do business.
All the talk on the right about the Spanish "giving in" to the threat of Al Qaeda ignores these facts and thereby evades responsibility for alienating those whose support is most needed. I don't know how I feel about the war against terrorism in general, only that the strategy used thus far does not seem to be working. Complaining about "appeasement" turns a complex issue into a misleadingly simple one.
Perhaps what we should be taking note of, based on the election in Spain, is not that the Spanish are attempting to "appease" the terrorists, but that the people are no longer willing to allow their government to appease the United States.
[link via Back To Iraq]
Solemn Anniversary
March 17, 2004
Looking back on the year since the start of the war with Iraq, it's important that we credit our leaders for all of the lying, deception, spying, and mishandling of information that led up to the war:
A year after the invasion of Iraq, it is increasingly clear that the pre-war "debate" was a stage-managed manipulation of the American people, aided and abetted by a U.S. press corps that was too timid to ask tough questions when it mattered most. Now, with about 560 U.S. soldiers dead along with uncounted thousands of Iraqis, the Bush administration has entered what might be called its "getaway" period.
For those who want the Clif Notes of that article, there's summary here with a few good links and posts in the comments.
Chauffer for the Revolution
March 17, 2004
OK, maybe that's a tiny exagerration, but I did chauffer the lovely Mr. George to the airport this morning. SXSW seems to have been exceedingly hectic this year for more than just me, but I'll let George tell his own stories. It was nice to see him again, and see him off, and it was also nice to have the external compulsion to wake up early in the morning, early enough so that I had to actively rouse the children.
And now I'm pleasantly sleepy, sipping coffee while Monk plays Tony Hawk and Cole watches.
Speaking of Tony Hawk, this is one of the men that Monk would like for me to marry. This came up yesterday, out of the blue. It was as if it suddenly dawned on Monk that he could potentially benefit from this whole "mom and dad splitting up" thing. He told me that He wants me to marry R.L. Stine, so he will be first to hear about new Goosebumps books. R.L. Stine, or Tony Hawk. Tony Hawk would be cool. Or Bruce Coville.
You get the point.
Hahaha. But, we kind of decided that all of these guys were already married, and, besides, mom might just want to not marry anyone for a long time - maybe not ever. And that's OK too. They will still have their papa and all of our friends who love them like family. I think he was OK with that, too.
Anyway, I'm still kind of groggy, and I just had to clean up the first accident of the day, which was pee AND poop. After having had to clean up dog pee from the floor just minutes before. I"m really hoping it's not going to be one of THOSE days.
Money Issues
March 16, 2004
In spite of what some people in my life like to tell themselves (OK, ONE person) - I don't have money to burn, and I don't spend irresponsibly.
However, I'm currently bringing home about 200 bux a month less than I did last year, due to a payroll schedule change. I am hoping to adjust my budget accordingly, but I'm hemorrhaging a bit right now because of it. I'm a little over 200 dollars short this month and will have to pay my mortgage late, but I think I wil be able to ratchet down spending a bit and make up for it next month or the month after. I have the option of taking an advance on the "extra" paycheck that I will get in July (because we're now getting payed every other week, I will have 3 paychecks in July), and even though I'm going to take a hit in late charges, I'd really rather do what I can to adjust my budget and then use that July money for some extra things that need to get taken care of around here.
Some things I have done/can do in my attempt to save money:
-I'm now doing major grocery shopping every 14 days, and I think it's cutting down on food expense, although I really need to work on eating all of the produce before it goes bad. I'm thinking it would be better to get the major non-perishable groceries every two weeks, and getting produce every week as needed.
-I'm hanging all of my clothes out to dry as the weather allows. It helps that my dryer does not work, and I do not intend to have it repaired.
-Bus. Bus. Walk. Bus. I've been bad about driving lately, but I'm going to be leaving the kids with a friend who lives en route to the bus stop twice a week, and will be able to bus it to work at least that often.
-I'm in desperate need of some summery clothes, but I think I'll just cut off a couple of pairs of pants that I have and buy some new pants in the fall or something. There is basically no need to wear long pants here at all in the summer. I might hit my mom up for some handmedowns. She usually sends lots of stretch pants that make good cut-offs.
-Free Stuff. Freecycle rules. It satisfies my consumer urges and is totally easy on the pocketbook
-I have the opportunity to earn some extra money in the next few months. I am hoping that I can find childcare so I can do it. It will give me a bit of much needed breathing room.
I'm still saving up for the filing of the divorce papers. I had intended to file this month - last paycheck - but I had to pay the bug guy and now it's almost time for the change of seasons again, and there are some supplies that the kids want/need. It would be awfully nice if the other parent would take financial responsibility for his family, but he's too busy telling me that I SHOULD be able to afford to pay for everything to do so. That's OK, though. I hear that there's a 6% interest rate on back child support, and the longer he waits to pay, the more he will owe. He can tell me I'm a spendthrift all he wants, but my bank records disprove that, unless buying food for the family and an occasional treat for myself is considered extravagent. I'm tired of being terrorized by these accusations, though. And I wish he would just do the right thing and help defray some of the expenses related to keeping this household up and running.
Anyway, I veered wildly astray. I wasn't going to post this at all, but I'm always so curious about how people get by, and I figure the best way to find out how other people do it is to talk about what I'm doing and maybe others will join in.
No Media Kings Hosting Services
March 16, 2004
Dunno if anyone is looking for hosting, but I can vouch for Jim as being an all-around cool and trustworthy person. And your money will go to supporting his various ventures, which is double bonus punk points as far as I'm concerned.
I've been running my own server for the last year and a half. Since then, I've slowly been taking on other people on a word-of-mouth basis to the point where I'm hosting a dozen or so websites beyond my own. It's a pretty big responsibility, and I didn't want to take on more than I could handle.But so far people have seemed to appreciate the reasonable prices and responsive service, and it hasn't eaten into my time too much, so I'm throwing it open to the world at large.
Thank You
March 16, 2004
It seems like every time I comment at or link to Nakachi, I feel the need to simply say thank you.
i have ridden the metro. have watched lovers and grandmothers on those trains. still have my metro schedule. atocha station. have i been there? what did it look like? is that where i bought a wooden fan from a homeless woman, seated on the sidewalk? she sold them for a single euro. i gave her five and the words "para ti" when she tried to give me the change. was that the atocha station? was she selling fans at atocha on thursday when bombs in backpacks told the world "para ti"?
I love you, woman.