Disturbing email

A friend forwarded me an email that made me incredibly sad. In fact, I'm fairly amazed that he sent it to me in the first place, considering that we have discussed similar issues in the past and have extremely different views on things. I emailed him back asking him not to send me such bigoted emails anymore, and he responded that he didn't feel that any of it was bigoted. So, I'll put it out here. The italicized text is what he sent me in the original forward, the the normal text is my response.

Bet you stand up and say HELL YEAH! after you read this.

I like big cars, big boats, big motorcycles, big houses and big campfires.
Fine, then don't complain about gas prices as consumption goes up and supply goes down because we refuse to switch to alternate, and less damaging sources of energy. Also, don't complain about traffic on the way home, and wild animals in your back yard who have no where else to go. And certainly don't complain about your lung problems due to poor air quality, or about the enormous amount of money we pay to put out forest fires every year. Just go on with your life and ignore the fact that there are other people living on this planet.

I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some governmental stooge with a bad comb-over who wants to give it away to crack addicts for squirting out babies.
I guess you don't believe in helping people get a fair start in life either. This argument of handing money away to crack addicts for squirting out babies is really overdone. The fact that a few undeserving people get aid is not a case for getting rid of social programs altogether, and it's certainly not fair to throw everyone who receives aid into the same boat. Our capitalist economy, by definition, exists due to a hierarchical society and a divide between the rich, middle class, and the poor. Some people are able to make it out of destitution, but many are left behind. In a country where our very economic system is built on keeping others down, doesn't it make sense to provide them with basic needs?

Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.
Yes, killing does make you a killer and if you are convicted of a dangerous crime, you shouldn't have access to guns; there is nothing wrong with background checks to make sure that weapons don't end up in the hands of the wrong people. There is also no reason on earth that anyone needs an automatic rifle for hunting. Be a real man or woman and learn the craft - don't take the wussy way out.

I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, that is why there are no girls allowed.. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts!
Girl scouts and boy scouts do different activities. This statement is so sexist that I can hardly believe anyone would actually subscribe to it. I was in girl scouts and hated it. I was jealous of my guy friends who learned cool stuff in boy scouts. Why segregate kids and make them feel like there is something wrong with the other sex being part of their group and enjoying similar interests?

I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion. I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers.
Yes, it is a phobia of something that people don't understand, and it's obnoxious. Get over it, and accept that fact that people don't "choose" to be gay or lesbian. It's biological and found all over in nature. Of the many friends I've had who finally came out of the closet, none of them found it easy and none of them ever chose to be attracted to their same sex. Get your mind out of the gutter, and stop jumping to the thought of people in bed.

The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television,and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the United Caucasian College Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America and see what happens. Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.
Hmmmm...seems to me that there are very few popular television shows with a predominately black cast. Just because we don't call something "White Entertainment Television" or "Miss White America" doesn't mean that there isn't prejudice involved in our network programming. I don't feel threatened by programs or entertainment that cater to the African American population.

I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.
Fine, but keep your rude comments to yourself.

When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling, it is the law of statistics.
Then how come the reverse isn't true? In cities where the majority of people are white, there is still a proportionately larger number of black people arrested. Why were kids in the inner city being arrested for drug use, while white kids at my school were getting away with it?


I know what sex is, and there are not varying degrees of it. If I received sex from one of my subordinates in my office, it wouldn't be a private matter or my personal business. It would be "FIRED" immediately!
Forget about Clinton already. He didn't do anything that half of the U.S. population hasn't done themselves. So what if he got a friggin blow job - the economy was great and we had allies around the world. Seems like a better world to me.

I believe that if you are selling me a milk shake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen you should have to speak English!
Well then - I suppose that you support a raise in taxes to fund better education, as well as volunteer for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in your spare time to help in this effort. No? Really? Well, where do you expect these people to get the help that they need to learn English? I worked for six years in a community college, helping immigrants learn English. Most were so exhausted after holding down several jobs, and trying to find a babysitter for their kids that their progress suffered greatly. Most of them had crappy jobs I might add - cleaning up after everyone and doing the jobs that we are too good to do. And they put up with our self-righteous attitude and serve us just the same. You think that's fair? They work harder than most people can even think of, so if they don't speak English perfectly, give them a friggin' break and repeat yourself once or twice.

My father and grandfather should not have died in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.
Why? We go and disrespect other countries all the time. For instance, what about everything going on in Iraq? It's a disaster, as I knew that it would be. I know people in the military who completely disagree with what we're doing there and want nothing more than to come home to their family and friends, but are unable to do so because of the oath that they took. However, many of them feel like everything is a sham and no longer believe in the cause, if they ever believed it in the first place. As it stands now, I will be paying for this war for the rest of my life, as will my children. And for what? Absolutely nothing.

Additionally, several of my family members have fought in wars past, and they fought for the ideal of freedom for everyone - including the people who come here from other countries. Lest we not forget, we are a nation built on immigrants. So, unless you're Native American, you have absolutely no reason to complain.

I think the police should have every right to shoot your sorry ass if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the order"freeze" or "stop" in English, see the above lines.
Sure, see my thoughts above as well.

I feel much safer letting a machine with no political affiliation recount votes when needed. I know what the definition of lying is.
Obviously, you've never seen the track record of the company who created the electronic voting machines. See here: http://www.blackboxvoting.org/?q=node/view/78. I'd rather take my chances at having a monkey recount the votes.


I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business.
The double-negative in this sentence notwithstanding, this is just ludacris. Our society and economy have benefited enormously from small businesses, many of which were started by foreigners. This is just almost too racist for me to even fathom.

We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document and open to their interpretations.
Well, here you go then: I'm a bona fide U.S. citizen, and I'm telling you that our constitution is a living document - that's what the amendments are for - duh!

I don't hate the rich. I don't pity the poor. I know wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television, and that doesn't stop you from watching them.
This statement doesn't even make any sense.

I believe a self-righteous liberal or conservative with a cause is more dangerous than a Hell's Angel with an attitude.
Alright, I see the point in this. Extremists either way are bad news. But the statements in this email just smack me as being from a conservative, right-wing nut case; so, you lose credibility based on that.

I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better and put your name on the building. Ask your buddy that invented the Internet to help you..
Sure, no one has to give their money away, but I doubt that Bill Gates agrees with you completely on this. He and Melinda Gates have an entire foundation set up to give aid to people who need it. Check it out: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm. Also, taxes are the responsibility of everyone to pay, and those who make more money can more easily afford life's necessities as well as luxuries, so it makes sense to tax those who are barely making ends meet a lot less.

It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid and smack his/her little ass when necessary and say "NO".
It takes more than a spanking to teach kids right from wrong. I do believe that children need boundaries and enforcement of those boundaries, but for many parents spanking becomes the only tool to get the children to behave and can lead to abuse. If you're not creative enough to figure out better ways to control your kids, don't have them in the first place.

I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And please stay home until that new lip ring heals, I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me french fries!
I'm not sure what this political statement thing is about. Piercings and tattoos are pretty main stream, and have more to do with the individual than what people think of them. My tattoo is for me, and me only. I couldn't care less who doesn't like it. I agree the lip ring thing is gross, and if that is a true case, that person should have been sent to a doctor for treatment of the infection and told to refrain from serving food until it healed.

I am sick of "Political Correctness" and of all the suck ups that go along with it. I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa, so how can they be "African Americans"? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and no where else.
Barring the fact that this statement is completely stupid - both Africa and America are continents afterall - we are again pointing to the black community as though the prejudice and past history of slavery in this country meant nothing. Although I was born in the U.S., my ancestry is German, French, Italian, and Spanish. I'm proud to be all of those things because it makes me unique, and has allowed me to appreciate and connect with my family's past. Political correctness can get out of hand, but why single out African Americans? There are so many other types of political correctness gone awry, that this one seems pretty silly in comparison.

And if you don't like my point of view, tough! GET OVER IT!!! WAKE UP WHILE YOU STILL HAVE A COUNTRY TO WAKE UP TO.

If you are not ashamed of America, forward this to everyone in your address book while you can still do it for free. !

I will wear all black tomorrow...

...in mourning for my country if Bush wins the election.

Growing fascism in the U.S.

Over the last four years, I've had a growing concern about the increase of über nationalism in our country. Especially concerning is the current attitude of unquestionable loyalty to the people in power at the cost of the rest of the nation.

A friend sent me a link to a Web site that highlights the following 14 points common to past fascist regimes (i.e. Hitler, Mussolini, etc.):

1. Powerful and continuing nationalism
2. Disdain for the recognition of human rights
3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause
4. Supremacy of the miliary
5. Rampant sexism
6. Controlled mass media
7. Obsession with national security
8. Religion and government are intertwined
9. Corporate power is protected
10. Labor power is suppressed
11. Disdain for intellectuals and the arts
12. Obsession with crime and punishment
13. Rampant cronyism and corruption
14. Fraudulent elections

Do yourself a favor and go to the site. It has a great explanation of each of those points, including links to information backing up how the Bush administration falls in line with them. If you care about the future of our nation, you need to read this and realize where we're headed - before it's too late. We have the benefit of hindsight here people!

George Lakoff's book is worth a read

Another interesting article for you: Winning Words on the Sierra Club Web site. I've been reading George Lakoff's new book, Don't Think of an Elephant and I'm really enjoying it. I've been coming up with all kinds of new ways to frame issues based on the stuff I learned. The article I've linked to is just a sampling of the information he covers in the book. Below I give you a little summary of what he talks about, but do yourself a favor and read it.

Lakoff asserts that conservatives are brilliant with the way they frame issues, which is why so many people end up supporting them even if the politicians and policies they are supporting end up only helping big business and the wealthy in the end. It isn't that people are stupid (well some are, but that's another subject - my opinion, not Lakoff's)); it's that they make associations based on the framing of what they hear.

A few decades ago, the republican party started putting a lot of money into figuring out how to frame their issues. Progressives need to learn a lesson and start figuring out how to frame issues in ways that people can understand, because obviously our pointing to facts and figures isn't changing the average American mind (as evidenced by the fact that approximately 1/2 the nation is still supporting Bush as the election nears).

Lakoff explains that people relate to politics in two ways, which he calls the strict father and the nurturant parent. He explains a bit about both of these things in the article, and they are helpful to understanding how people use frames to understand issues.

Take taxes for example. Republicans throw around the term "tax relief" all the time. By using the word "relief" in relation to taxes, they are creating an idea of taxes as a burden and something that people need to be protected from paying. Automatically there is a relationship built between those two words and suddenly taxes become a bad thing, even though we know that we need taxes to pay for things like roads and schools. Some other stupid things that republicans have framed well are No Child Left Behind, Clean Skies, Healthy Forests, etc. - these are all horrible in reality, but they sound good and most people don't have the time or want to delve any deeper than the name. "Clean skies - why that sounds great!" despite the fact that Clean Skies has actually led to more pollution.

So there you have it - a very brief description of Lakoff and framing.

Awesome opinion piece about the state of the nation

While reading this piece, We're Being Gaslighted, I found myself saying, "EXACTLY!", "RIGHT ON SISTER!", and so on. Oddly enough, this is written by an actual sister; Joan Chittister is a nun and best selling author. This particular opinion piece is just what we need to think about as we near election time. On a side note - check out some of the other stuff they have on their site - very interesting and timely.

Jon Stewart is awesome on Crossfire

I just have to say that I love Jon Stewart! Take a look at the clip of him confronting the hosts of Crossfire about their shoddy coverage - it's great! I especially love that the hosts completely missed the whole friggin point he had - that they should do a better job of giving us the information that we need. The kept telling him that he's more funny on his show, etc. Well, duh! Of course he is. He wasn't trying to be funny on Crossfire; he was trying to make a point. Someone needs to give those guys a pink slip if they're that dumb.

Political ads

I just watched a great program called Up Front with Robert Mak. The program reviewed several political ads making a rotation over the last few weeks, and gave information about whether the claims made in the ads were plausable.

The one that interested me most was one from George Nethercutt. He has been showing an ad of one of our current senators, Patty Murray, giving a speech at a school. In the ad, he shows a short clip of her explaining that Osama bin Laden has built roads, schools, hospitals, etc. and has made people's lives better. I was immediately suspicious about the context from which the clip came. Patty Murray is a wonderful senator and I knew that she couldn't possibly be making a statement that she liked Osama bin Laden. I had a feeling that it must have come from a larger analysis of why people follow bin Laden, which is something we desperately need to do to understand how to combat the problem at the source.

In the program, they asked Nethercutt whether he had taken her content out of context, and he said that he had watched the whole tape of her appearance at the school and did not take that clip out of context. Thankfully, Up Front showed over a minute of Patty Murray's speech from that day and I found out that my intuition was right. The statements that Nethercutt shows in the ad is just a short section from which Murray was talking about how to deal with situations such as the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The full context of what she was saying about bin Laden specifically, was why people follow him. She pointed out that he has done certain things to make their lives better, and in areas that are so poor, a little bit goes a long way. She compared the cost of the war in those areas to the cost of building infrastructure there - both of which are very expensive tasks, but one of which would help to win the people (by giving them things that they desperately need) and that wouldn't cost lives. She admits that it's not a simple question to answer, but asks the students to think about alternatives and consequences to our current path.

I'm glad that Up Front showed a larger clip of her talk because I think it's important to know what these politicians are trying to pull over on us. All of the ads they showed had some questionable facts or statements to them, so it's just a good reminder to ignore the spin and look at the people and what they do when you're making a decision.

Little black dress

I have two late fall/early winter weddings to go to this year. It's a bit odd, since I think I've only been to two weddings at this time of year in my entire life, and suddenly I have two in the same year. Go figure.

Anyway, the problem that I have is that my lovely summer dress that I wore to numerous occasions (including a wedding and a 25th wedding anniversary party) won't really cut it for this time of year. If I wore it, I'd be likely to freeze my buns off.

I've looked online at all of the wonderful dresses out there, and of course the ones that I like are all several hundred dollars. I happen to be a big fan of Laundry by Shelli Segal dresses, but I really can't afford one right now.

Aside from the cost, I really need to just go to the mall and try some dresses on. I've found that some dresses that look lovely in theory are actually terrible when I put them on. It all has to do with body shape and finding the right style for you - not the stick thin models they use to show off the dresses.

It's times like these when I think men have it easier. Mind you, I love being a woman and being able to dress up all girly, but men have a pretty straight forward choice for weddings, no matter what time of year. Usually, the standard choice is a nice suit or pair of slacks and a nice button up shirt. And you can usually figure out which one of the two to go with depending on the time of day that the wedding is going to be held.

But with dresses, there are so many more to chose from, so many different colors, lengths, fabrics, etc.; and not all of them are suitable for various times of the day. Ugh. My head is spinning, how about yours? Well, it looks like I'm going to need to look for a new little black dress. I had one awhile back, but lost a lot of weight and now need to get something that fits properly. But certainly, the little black dress is the answer to my problem this time around.

Happenstance

I watched an interesting movie this past weekend. It was called Happenstance (known in French as Le Battement d'ailes du papillon), and it starred Audrey Tautou, the same French actress of Amelie fame. The movie was similar to Sliding Doors, a movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow from the late 90s.

Both explore the idea of how the smallest, most insignificant things can have a huge affect on the outcome of our lives. It's an interesting idea, and one that has always intriged me. What if one moment in your life was timed just a bit differently? Would you be the same person that you are today, and if not, how would your life be different? It's an interesting question to ponder.

The two movies, while similar, explore the idea of fate a bit differently. In Sliding Doors, everything depends on whether or not Gwyneth Paltrow's character makes a particular train, and the movie shows how her life ends up in both situations. Happenstance, on the other hand, shows a series of connected events among several seemingly unrelated characters, all culminating in a final meeting of Audrey Tautou's character and her soul mate.

I'd definitely recommend seeing both of them. However, if you don't know French, or at least don't want to read subtitles, you may not really enjoy Happenstance.

Liberals want to ban the bible?

I heard something disturbing the other day. Apparently the republican national committee (RNC) has circulated ads in Arkansas and West Virgina promoting the idea that if liberals are elected (read between the lines: Kerry and Edwards are elected), the bible will be banned. They get this message across by showing an image of the bible with the word "banned" across it as well as showing two men in a marriage ceremony with the word "allowed" across it. Can I just ask one question - when the hell did the RNC start being run by second graders? It's like the return of cooties or something. "Ooooh, run away - they're k-i-s-s-i-n-g! Cooties for you!"

I feel like the world suddenly flipped upside down and normally rational people suddenly believe that the world is flat. Or in this case, that they at the very least believe that the world is black and white. Let me break it to you - the world ain't black and white, and if you think it is you have some serious growing up to do.

I'm extremely tired of the republican party trying to draw liberals as Godless souls from whom the country must be safeguarded by Christian crusaiders. I happen to be Christian and liberal - true story. Here's the thing - I believe in what I believe; however, I don't force my beliefs on anyone else because we have a little thing in this country called freedom of religion. That basically means that no one religion trumps any other, and that those who do not believe in anything are free to do so.

If someone is curious and asks me about being a Lutheran, I'll share with them. But I don't take out an ad and send it to everyone with what I believe. I let my actions speak by being a considerate person, treating other people with respect, caring for my family and friends, not judging people who are different from me, and being a good citizen. I'm not perfect, but God knows that doesn't expect perfection because I am human.

Encarta says, "the function of government is to secure the common welfare of the members of the social aggregate over which it exercises control." I tend to agree with that assessment, so I guess I just don't understand why our constitution has to be backed by conservative Christian beliefs. Why not Buddhist beliefs? Or how about Muslim beliefs? I hear that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world - so by democratic standards, wouldn't that make a majority?

The fact is that we have a large and diverse population in this country, and it isn't fair to impose one group's standards on every other group. I can go on living my life with my husband without fearing that a same sex couple next door is somehow going to derail existence as I know it. Likewise, although I couldn't go through with an abortion, I would never make that call for another woman because that's not my decision to make. Until that baby is developed enough to exist on it's own outside of the mother, it's none of my business - end of story.

I just wish people could get past moral issues like that and realize that those issues can't be governed by public policy. We have an ideal of separation of religion and state in this country, and that is a wonderful thing. We need to work to preserve that separation so that we don't end up with a theocracy - a fate which would put us in a government similar to Afghanistan under the Taliban and Iran under Khomeini. Um - no thanks - I think I'll stick with democracy. Oh, and I'll ask those people who tout their pride in America while trying to rule with religion to grow up and make the distinction that liberals aren't anti religion or anti American, or anything of the sort. We're just here trying to make this country a wonderful place for all Americans, regardless of age, race, religious affiliation, economic standing, gender, sexual preference, and so on.

Driving tips

Every morning as I'm driving to work, I'm mystified by the things I see people doing on the road. People seem to have lost all of their driving skills. I'm not saying that I'm Mario Andretti, but I at least try to be a courteous driver.

For your enjoyment, I've compiled a list of things that absolutely boggle my mind and I'm hoping you may read it and become a better, more enlightened driver.

1. Using blinkers. I swear that new cars come with blinkers; but to look at the general population on the road, you'd think car manufacturers stopped making them after the mid nineties. Not true! I, in fact, own a car made in 2001 and it has blinkers! And it's not even an expensive car. What's even more astounding than that is that I actually use my blinkers!!! So please, please, pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top: give me a signal so that I know what the hell you're doing; I have enough trouble trying to keep my life straight without trying to be a road psychic.

2. Planning ahead. I can't even fathom the number of times I've nearly had a collision at 50-or-so mph due to a knucklehead who can't plan ahead for the exit he or she needs to make. (On a side note, these are usually the people who aren't using blinkers either, or I would have realized their need to get over and actually let them in!) Believe me - your procrastination won't help you make up time if we collide.

3. Paying attention. When you're going 60 mph on the freeway, it's not the time to suddenly be a chicken. If you turn your blinker on, chances are that someone will take pity on your soul and let you in. So pay attention; I am a kind person and will let people in who use their blinkers, but I get ticked when people wait all day to get over.

4. Doing dangerous things while driving. I kid you not - several months ago on my way home from work, I was behind a person reading a newspaper while driving. Needless to say, I sped my butt up and got away from them as fast as possible. This should really go without saying, but I'm finding less and less people with the common sense to make rational decisions: if you didn't get up in time to shave, put on makeup, read the morning paper, or any of these other suddenly-dangerous-at-60-mph-tasks - FORGET ABOUT IT! People aren't going to die if you have a five o'clock shadow or your cheeks don't have that rosy glow; they may however die if you have to slam on your brakes and jam a mascara wand in your eye, causing a terrible chain reaction.

5. Talking on the phone. OK, I'm not totally against talking on the phone while driving, but it makes sense to mitigate the risk by doing a few very simple things. First - remember that you are in a moving vehicle near other moving vehicles and that is your first priority. Second - get a headset so that your hands are free to steer, and yes, use your blinker. Third - pull over if you're trying to get directions from someone on the phone so that you don't make any sudden dumb movements in front of the rest of us.

6. Attending to non-driving tasks. Here's a thought - pick out a small musical selection *before* getting on the road and have it in a convenient place in case you need to change CDs. This isn't the time to grab your gianormous book of CDs and start flipping through them. Likewise, when eating in the car, prepare the things you'll need ahead of time - before leaving the parking lot; put the straw in your drink, unwrap your burger and arrange it so that the wrapper catches the drippings, etc.

So, that's pretty much my list. It's amazing how such a small number of things can completely unravel me by the time I make it to the office. But I guess you have to multiply those 6 categories by the hundreds of people on the road and you catch my drift. So, don't be one of those people - just don't.

Friends

When I look back through my life, I'm amazed at the amount of friends I've had. More than that though, I'm amazed at how many people I've lost track of over the years and wonder what's going on in their lives. I suppose that's what high school reunions are for, but what do you do about the people you didn't go to school with? What kind of a plan is there to reconnect with them? I mean, there are a lot of tools now to find people you've lost touch with and such, but for most people I've lost contact with it's more the curiousity than the actual drive to re-establish a relationship - not exactly something I'm going to pursue.

If I really look at the people with whom I'm friends now, I can see being friends with them for the rest of my life. This is especially true for the people who have stood the test of time and been able to satisfy my needs in many different phases of my life. Those are the truly special people. I'm not talking about acquaintances here; everyone has acquaintances, and I think we all know who those people are. They can move up to become full-fledged friends, but usually they are the ones who slip away quietly and one day we say to ourselves, "hmmm, wonder what's going on with so-and-so these days..." and the thought ends there.

But true friends are the ones who have been on the other end of the phone with you when you were crying about some boy; the ones who remind you that you're special even when you feel like crap on the bottom of a shoe; the ones who take you back even if you've been nasty on a bad day; the ones with whom you can share a hardy laugh about something that no one else on earth would understand; and certainly the ones who love you enough to put up with your shortcomings.

I may not see or speak to these people daily, weekly, or even monthly, but they are my soul mates. They are the people who remind me who I am, where I came from, and where I'm going. They represent many facets in my life and make things worthwhile. To those people, I'd like to say thank you and let you know that I appreciate everything you are to me.

The Dave Matthews Band Rocks!

One of the things I did over the three day weekend was to head out to the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington, to see the Dave Matthews Band.

It was my first time seeing a concert there, in part thanks to my mom, who was just a little bit overly frantic about concerts at the Gorge when I was a teen. I recall my cousin getting tickets for us to go see Lollapalooza when we were in high school. I was quite excited about the prospect, especially since my favorite band, Smashing Pumpkins, would be playing and it was right after the release of Siamese Dream (my favorite album). It just so happened that the concert took place on the first day of school, and no matter how many times I begged, there was no winning her over.

So, fast forward to labor day weekend. The traffic really wasn't bad at all, despite the reports on the local news channels that there would be a lot of construction on I-90 and to leave a lot of time for being stuck in traffic. We only went for the Saturday show, but that was certainly expensive enough (who can afford $55 each for three nights?). Jem and Jason Mraz were the opening acts, and they were both great. It was nice that the wind died down by the time DMB came out to play. The sound was wonderful, and the view was beautiful; if you've never been to the Gorge, it's a plateau on top of a river canyon looking over the Columbia River, which makes a lovely view.

For me, the highlight was when DMB played "Crash", which is really the song that got me into DMB in the first place. The set list was: The Stone, Best of What's Around, So Much To Say, Seek Up, Joy Ride, I Did It, Help Myself, Song That Jane Likes, Sugar Will, Stay, Crash, Lie In Our Graves, Fool To Think, Typical Situation, and Too Much. Then they came out for an encore and played Don't Drink the Water, and Everyday. I'd definitely recommend that anyone see them live, since they are such a great band and sound wonderful in person.

The Political Compass

A friend sent me a link to a site called The Political Compass earlier today. The basic premise on this site is that we have over simplified how we view politics. They propose that rather than a simple spectrum from left to right, it is more accurate to look at politics in a quadrant. They have a lot of information about how they ended up with this idea, and you can take a quiz on their site to figure out what quadrant you fit into. I ended up in the one occupied by Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, and the Dalai Lama, which is pretty friggin cool (if you ask me). Try it yourself and find out all of the people you align with politically :)

Will Farrell ad

You simply have to see this Will Farrell commercial - too funny!

Blogs from soldiers in Iraq are being shut down

I am saddened to see that a particular blog I was following of a soldier's experience in Iraq is gone. I knew that there was trouble on the horizon. A couple of weeks ago the soldier met with some of his higher-ups to discuss the content in his blog and according to the entry, they urged him only to avoid talking about things that may endanger the troops; and his following entries were then less detailed and I think he did a good job following their orders.

But that must not have been enough, because he has now removed all of his entries and left only one: "Ever Get the Feeling You've Been Cheated?" A friend of mine alerted NPR and they now have some coverage on the issue, Soldiers' Iraq Blogs Face Military Scrutiny.

I realize that there must be discretion in this area; we obviously don't need to be letting the enemy in on our strategy. But, this soldier was definitely trimming down the information at the end and still giving us a good picture of what war is really like. He even talked to some local Iraqi people and got information about how they feel with the troops there, how they feel about America in general, and so on. It was interesting discussion and much needed considering the massive liberal and conservative bias that our media now has. No one but these soldiers actually know what it is like to be there, and I for one was interested in hearing their story. It's a shame that they are being shut up, and we should ask ourselves how much of their freedom we should limit while they are there defending ours.

What's the big deal with the Olympics?

OK, so I may have a rather unpopular view on this one, but I can't for the life of me figure out what is so important about the Olympics. I just can't get into it for some reason. I think it's great that there are individuals out there who have spent years training and dedicating themselves to a sport or discipline. Goodness knows, I haven't done anything remotely close to what they have done. But, I still can't imagine sitting down and watching any of it on TV; and mind you, I love to watch TV. None of it interests me in the least. Oh well. Go USA!

Spiders in the shower

What is it with spiders and showers? I can't count the number of times I've run into one of the little eight-legged buggers in the shower over my lifetime. What is so friggin appealing about the shower that they feel the need to hang out there?

Just a minute ago, I'm getting ready to hop into a nice warm shower. It's been a hectic week, and as you've read in my last blog, I haven't been feeling 100%. So, I figure I'll hop in for a few minutes, and let my muscles warm up and relax. As I peel back the shower curtain, what do a find but a nasty little spider in the back by my shampoo bottle (insert your own scary music here)!!!

Now, those who know me fairly well, know that I'm pretty darned arachnophobic. I'm not empty-my-room-and-sit-up-all-night-long-because-I'm-freaked-out-about-the-spider-I-saw-on-the-wall kind of arachnophobic (like a friend of mine), but suffice it to say that I am a scream-out-loud-short-of-breath-call-for-my-husband-to-eradicate-the-sucker kind of arachnophobic.

Since my husband is gone this evening, I was stuck dealing with the problem myself. So, I turned the showerhead to the most powerful setting and shot it at the spider, who then decided to swim around a bit in the pool that was forming because we have a slow drain. Who in God's green earth decided that spiders should be able to swim? It was like friggin Wet n' Wild in there for him. I could just imagine him saying "whee" and all of his little friends in the wall or wherever getting excited at the prospect of a good time. I won't be surprised if I wake up in the morning and have spider fest going on in the bathroom.

I'm sure I looked like a complete idiot. Imagine a naked woman spraying a little spider with a shower head, meanwhile emitting little "eeks" whenever the spider got to a stable surface and started moving. I'm sure that in my own private little hell, I will have to face all of the innocent spiders who have lost their lives on account of my arachnophobia; I only hope that I have a huge-ass can of Raid and a space suit.

Coming down with a cold

Ugh. I think I'm getting sick and it's definitely not fun. Shouldn't there be a law or something that people can't get sick during the summertime? At least the weather has taken a turn for the worse over the last couple of days, so I won't feel so bummed about lying around the house.

Well, off for a nap :)

Common sense for common folk

What happened to natural selection? I thought that as time went on, nature would automatically start weeding out those who are less *insert characteristic* than others. As I get older (and hopefully wiser), I'm definitely seeing a decrease in natural selection as it pertains to the human race.

Perhaps all of our life-preserving measures and zillionth chance social programs are working against us. I'm not saying that civilization and modern advances aren't beneficial; I'm just exploring the possibility that we are carrying on less than stellar specimens and it's something to think about. We're actually working against nature. We find ways to circumvent our fate all of the time. How many times have you heard about women trying every last medical procedure in order to have a child or read about people surviving almost imminent death (thanks to a team of dedicated medical professionals) after doing something completely stupid?

Overall, it's the lack of intelligence and common sense that bothers me. I understand the natural urge to help people and want to save them from death and disease. I don't understand ignoring people who have spaghetti for brains (especially when they have children).

Take this woman I saw yesterday for instance. As my husband and I are driving along on a busy 5-lane road, we see a woman with a baby stroller cross the street. Now, normally, this wouldn't attract much attention. However, seeing as she wasn't crossing at the crosswalk, wasn't waiting for a clearing in traffic, and was actually holding her hands out to stop the cars coming around the corner at 40 miles an hour, I thought to myself, "she has reproduced." That's the first thought in my head. There's nothing stopping her from passing her insanity and lack of common sense onto another generation. And that's a scary thought.

Another good example is something I saw on the news last week; I see fabulous examples of stupidity on the news all the time, but this one really took the cake. A guy left his infant in his idling truck while going in for a job interview. Low and behold, someone comes to steal the truck with his daughter in it, so he runs out to stop it from happening. Again, I thought, "he has reproduced." The kicker is that the company with which he was interviewing said they'd hire him. I'm sorry, but anyone who leaves their kid locked in a vehicle should be cited with neglect and sent for parenting classes. That's not an individual I would want representing my business. What a dumbass.

I'm not saying everyone has to be Albert Einstein in the body of Lance Armstrong, but have some friggin common sense people! And can we please start sending these people to parenting classes or something? Let's start giving future generations a crack at a better existence than we have.

Mama mia! Tutta Bella!

If you are lucky enough to live close to Seattle, Washington, you simply must check out Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria in Columbia City. You may wonder why this is such a special pizzeria, so I'll go ahead and give you a little summary. The owner, Joe Fugere, went to Naples to learn how to make Neapolitan-style pizza, and then brought his knowledge back to our neck of the woods. The pizzas are made with the finest ingredients, and can only be made using low-gluten Italian flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and wood-fired ovens. The result is a delightful thin-crusted masterpiece. And did I mention that it's now one of just over 100 places in the world awarded the Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) certificate? The Verace Pizza Napoletana Association made it official in April of this year.

Perhaps one of the best things about this place is the price. While Tutta Bella uses only the best ingredients, you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for your meal. You get good service, good food, and good atmosphere at an affordable price!

Why do I always forget things when I get to my blog page?

Perhaps this is just a me-thing, but I seem to always have fabulous things I want to blog about until I actually get the time to write them down. I'm not sure what this phenomenon is, but it's really annoying me. Here I am; I have a good 10 minutes to spare writing down my thoughts, and I can't think of anything good to write. On my way to work this morning, I had all kinds of things floating around in my brain, but do you think I can remember a single one of them now? Of course not.

My officemate had a wonderful idea; maybe someone can develop the product and patent it. She suggested having an implant in my head that would automatically translate my thoughts into written words and upload them to my blog. It's a great idea, although I'd be worried about the bugs (hehehe...former software tester here, can you tell?). Who knows what kind of random things we'd see if this were actually developed.

Why rubberneckers might be good

OK, so I've had this idea floating around in my head for awhile, and figured I might as well get it on screen.

I'm prone to getting very upset on the road. I've never done anything stupid on account of it, but let's just say that I can get very vocal when people drive poorly. As such, I used to get REALLY upset whenever there was an accident and traffic suddenly ground to a halt. I mean, what on earth could be so friggin interesting that you suddenly forget that you're in a moving vehicle making an attempt to get somewhere? Move it along people!

Anyhow, as of late I've been thinking about this...thinking doesn't mean that I'm any less annoyed by the situation, but it makes my life a bit more calm when I'm in the car. Perhaps the slow down is actually a good thing in disguise. When there is an accident, there can be all kinds of unforseen things going on in the area - people about, things in the road, etc. So, while annoying, it may prevent worse things from happening. Or at least, that's what I'm going to tell myself to keep sane.

Bush feeds his dog a living fish

Ok, I watched something very disturbing earlier today, and feel that I must share this with the one person who may one day read my blog.

The guest on Fishing with Roland Martin today was President George W. Bush. For those who are unfamiliar with the fishing world, G.W. enjoys bass fishing and is even a member of BASS, a large bass fishing organization. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, except you would expect someone of his position in life to have an inkling of respect for the life that makes the sport so enjoyable for so many. Apparently this is a quality lacking in G.W., as he caught a largemouth bass during the show and actually threw it (still living and breathing) onto the deck of the boat for his dog, Barney, to play with and chew on.

Couldn't he at least have had the decency to kill the fish humanely and put it out of its misery before giving it to his dog as a chew toy? It's one thing if you want to catch and release fish, or even catch fish and eat them; but it's a whole different ball game if you're going to disrespect nature in such a way as I witnessed him do on the program.

My First Blog

Yep, here it is...behold the wonder of my first blog! My revelations will make you yawn, laugh, or cry, but I can't make any promises which of those three you'll actually experience.

Anyway, I don't really have anything interesting to say right at this moment, but I just wanted to get the first one out of the way and see what it looks like. Wahoo!