Friday, October 26, 2007
um, does anyone else find this headline disturbing?
It's been a while since I took Biology in High School, but aren't we primates?
Dawn in Portland. I let the dog out, then walked outside in my bathrobe. To the east, I see the outline of Mt. Hood, surrounded by a glow of very early-morning light. To the west, I see the extremely full Moon. It's very quiet.
Karen is still in bed, and will sleep late. I woke up around 4, and turned on my little bedside radio, listening to NPR and Air America while dozing in and out, until 7. I am mostly packed, of course - still a couple of very minor decisions to make.
Plane doesn't leave for six hours, and my work projects are under control - must resist urge to tinker this morning.
I know Karen will go into a last-minute frenzy of house-cleaning, which, considering that a teenager, with many priorities other than house-cleaning, will be in charge for the next week, seems on the verge of pointless.
I know I've been derelict in not posting a photo of the kittens upstairs. Here's one:
Dawn in Portland. I let the dog out, then walked outside in my bathrobe. To the east, I see the outline of Mt. Hood, surrounded by a glow of very early-morning light. To the west, I see the extremely full Moon. It's very quiet.
Karen is still in bed, and will sleep late. I woke up around 4, and turned on my little bedside radio, listening to NPR and Air America while dozing in and out, until 7. I am mostly packed, of course - still a couple of very minor decisions to make.
Plane doesn't leave for six hours, and my work projects are under control - must resist urge to tinker this morning.
I know Karen will go into a last-minute frenzy of house-cleaning, which, considering that a teenager, with many priorities other than house-cleaning, will be in charge for the next week, seems on the verge of pointless.
I know I've been derelict in not posting a photo of the kittens upstairs. Here's one:
Thursday, October 25, 2007
heading off for the cruise TOMORROW!
Yes, a giant ship transporting 2000 over-fed people in a large circle for a week, after most of them arrived and will depart by jet airplanes.
I am part of the problem, and the problem is getting worse.
Beautiful, peaceful Fall day in Portland, where the living is good and easy. It's all so unreal.
I am part of the problem
Beautiful, peaceful Fall day in Portland, where the living is good and easy. It's all so unreal.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
getting ready to head out again
We leave Friday afternoon for Florida, to cruise around the Caribbean for a week with family. It's not our favorite kind of vacation, but Karen's 96 year-old Mom has limited mobility and eye-sight, so this is what we do.
In the past, on cruises, I spend hours researching shore activities, to maximize the experiences to be had in each port. This time, there's been little of that. Karen's brother did arrange for one cave tour in Belize (where he had gone some years ago), but, other than that, we have no plans.
On my iPaq, I have two PG Wodehouse novellas, a bunch of O. Henry short stories, and a dozen political/cultural essays by George Orwell, plus a bunch of music. There will be Internet access on the boat (overpriced, as always), which is a mixed blessing.
My mother in Wisconsin is clearly declining - her (even older) brother and his wife are flying there from Phoenix next week, for what they all surely realize is their last visit together. In Portland, Edie, our siamese cat who gave birth to 4 kittens three weeks ago, was ill yesterday, and I am just now waiting for a call-back from the local vet, about what to do.
Meanwhile, we've had three days of spectacular weather, which is greatly disappointing. It's always better to escape to a warm, sunny place, if you're not leaving a warm, sunny place that's your home!
So, my duffle-bag is out again, piles of clothes are being assembled and rethought, and I pulled our 20 year-old snorkels and fins out of the cellar closet. Two client visits today, to turn over recently-completed stuff, and a computer-guy meeting tonight at our synagogue. Busy day - wonder how I'm going to fit a visit to the vet in there?
In the past, on cruises, I spend hours researching shore activities, to maximize the experiences to be had in each port. This time, there's been little of that. Karen's brother did arrange for one cave tour in Belize (where he had gone some years ago), but, other than that, we have no plans.
On my iPaq, I have two PG Wodehouse novellas, a bunch of O. Henry short stories, and a dozen political/cultural essays by George Orwell, plus a bunch of music. There will be Internet access on the boat (overpriced, as always), which is a mixed blessing.
My mother in Wisconsin is clearly declining - her (even older) brother and his wife are flying there from Phoenix next week, for what they all surely realize is their last visit together. In Portland, Edie, our siamese cat who gave birth to 4 kittens three weeks ago, was ill yesterday, and I am just now waiting for a call-back from the local vet, about what to do.
Meanwhile, we've had three days of spectacular weather, which is greatly disappointing. It's always better to escape to a warm, sunny place, if you're not leaving a warm, sunny place that's your home!
So, my duffle-bag is out again, piles of clothes are being assembled and rethought, and I pulled our 20 year-old snorkels and fins out of the cellar closet. Two client visits today, to turn over recently-completed stuff, and a computer-guy meeting tonight at our synagogue. Busy day - wonder how I'm going to fit a visit to the vet in there?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Accepting Hillary
Gore is not going to run - he's made it quite clear. It's going to be Hillary - she has been annointed by The Power - and pretending that it ain't so is a waste of energy.
She has the cash, she has the zeitgeist, she has the name recognition.
Obama as a VP makes sense - a Democratic ticket that couldn't be better designed to bring out the worst in the die-hard rednecks, many of whom are still blind as to who has been picking their pockets since 1980.
It's going to be ugly.
Hard to believe that we are still over a year away from the next election, if it is permitted to happen. Easier to believe that a GOP that sees itself doomed to ignominious defeat will pull some stunt out of their voluminous bag of magic tricks (standard election fraud, The Fear, and martial law, in some combination, ought to work fine).
And, if Hillary does make it to Innauguration Day, what kind of a world will she be tasked to manage? Yikes.
Seems to me her best strategy is to say to the other Democratic candidates, "give it up, acknowledge that I'm going to be in the top slot, and I'll put you in the Cabinet position of your choice, announcing that slate after the last Primary."
I surfed thru the TV channels last night, before heading off to read my current book, and was struck by the profoundly-sad heights of human triviality that the networks present. 'Beauty and the Geek,' while it does offer many opportunities for cleavage-comparisons, seemed to say that those women are little more than great hair, great skin, and did I mention cleavage?
Gore will emerge as a the first global leader in history, who is not holding political power. There have been UN General Secretaries that approached this status, but Gore will redefine the category.
Hillary may do OK. We could do much worse. On Cheney's dying day, he will still be convinced that everything he did was right and necessary.
Bush will fade into permanent disgrace - the National butt of jokes, reduced to celebrity golf tournaments and sports commentary. He will find this wonderful.
Have you sensed that I have not had any coffee this morning? Must address this.
She has the cash, she has the zeitgeist, she has the name recognition.
Obama as a VP makes sense - a Democratic ticket that couldn't be better designed to bring out the worst in the die-hard rednecks, many of whom are still blind as to who has been picking their pockets since 1980.
It's going to be ugly.
Hard to believe that we are still over a year away from the next election, if it is permitted to happen. Easier to believe that a GOP that sees itself doomed to ignominious defeat will pull some stunt out of their voluminous bag of magic tricks (standard election fraud, The Fear, and martial law, in some combination, ought to work fine).
And, if Hillary does make it to Innauguration Day, what kind of a world will she be tasked to manage? Yikes.
Seems to me her best strategy is to say to the other Democratic candidates, "give it up, acknowledge that I'm going to be in the top slot, and I'll put you in the Cabinet position of your choice, announcing that slate after the last Primary."
I surfed thru the TV channels last night, before heading off to read my current book, and was struck by the profoundly-sad heights of human triviality that the networks present. 'Beauty and the Geek,' while it does offer many opportunities for cleavage-comparisons, seemed to say that those women are little more than great hair, great skin, and did I mention cleavage?
Gore will emerge as a the first global leader in history, who is not holding political power. There have been UN General Secretaries that approached this status, but Gore will redefine the category.
Hillary may do OK. We could do much worse. On Cheney's dying day, he will still be convinced that everything he did was right and necessary.
Bush will fade into permanent disgrace - the National butt of jokes, reduced to celebrity golf tournaments and sports commentary. He will find this wonderful.
Have you sensed that I have not had any coffee this morning? Must address this.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Randi Rhodes hospitalized
Apparently the victim of a violent mugging in New York. Details are sparse, other than her losing some teeth and being out of commission for a few days.
Meanwhile, read some of the comments ('Anonymous', of course) from the compassionate conservatives. Sickening.
I listen to Randi every day, and was somewhat surprised when a guest hosted yesterday's show. Now it becomes clear.
By the way, no money or jewelry was taken from her. Too soon to know what/why this happened, but I can't help wondering if the assailant was wearing a brown shirt.
UPDATE: there are now conflicting stories about the incident - might NOT have been a mugging. Hold off on further speculation until we know more.
Meanwhile, read some of the comments ('Anonymous', of course) from the compassionate conservatives. Sickening.
I listen to Randi every day, and was somewhat surprised when a guest hosted yesterday's show. Now it becomes clear.
By the way, no money or jewelry was taken from her. Too soon to know what/why this happened, but I can't help wondering if the assailant was wearing a brown shirt.
UPDATE: there are now conflicting stories about the incident - might NOT have been a mugging. Hold off on further speculation until we know more.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
why isn't this story on every front page?
So, former Qwest exec Joe Nacchio says that the Bushies wanted Qwest to engage in warrantless wiretaps 6 months BEFORE 9/11/2001?
Um, that would be 1 month after the 2000 Coup d'etat.
Doesn't this qualify for a collective 'WTF' moment? Hello?
Um, that would be 1 month after the 2000 Coup d'etat.
Doesn't this qualify for a collective 'WTF' moment? Hello?
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
I disagree with Wesley Clark
I respect him, but I think this petition campaign to get Congress to dump Rush from Armed Forces Radio is dead-wrong. Go ahead and sign it, if you think it's the correct action. However...
Free Speech is Free Speech, no matter where it comes from. The antidote to Bad Speech (which Rush certainly is) is NOT to censor it, but to publicly criticize it.
I know this goes against the George Lakoff approach, which says that ridicule is ineffective with Those People, but I still maintain that making it clear that Rush is an unacceptable boob is more effective, in the long run, than purging him from the airwaves (which makes him a martyr).
Just finished reading a wonderful biography of George Orwell, and then read 'Animal Farm', for the first time in 40 years (just takes a couple of hours). Great writing - relentless in its portrayal of the arrogance of power and privilege.
Time to make coffee and get to work. John Dean is on Air America in one hour.
Free Speech is Free Speech, no matter where it comes from. The antidote to Bad Speech (which Rush certainly is) is NOT to censor it, but to publicly criticize it.
I know this goes against the George Lakoff approach, which says that ridicule is ineffective with Those People, but I still maintain that making it clear that Rush is an unacceptable boob is more effective, in the long run, than purging him from the airwaves (which makes him a martyr).
Just finished reading a wonderful biography of George Orwell, and then read 'Animal Farm', for the first time in 40 years (just takes a couple of hours). Great writing - relentless in its portrayal of the arrogance of power and privilege.
Time to make coffee and get to work. John Dean is on Air America in one hour.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
back home
Ah, the familiarity of a dark, drippy Sunday morning in Portland.
We landed around 11 pm and were home before midnight. The dog and cats were happy to see us - the house was in pretty good shape - just a pizza box, a slightly-disheveled guest-room bed, and other assorted debris to let us know that teenagers were here.
Mom was to spend Saturday night in the hospital and should be released this morning. She was obviously improving by the time we said our goodbyes, Saturday afternoon.
Although we did have about an hour in the Minneapolis airport, I didn't go seeking the Larry Craig bathroom. I guess the novelty has worn off. I did use the facilities there, but did not accidentally touch the foot of the guy in the next stall.
One moment from this trip stands out. We went for a very brief walk outside Mom's facility. Next door to it is a children's DayCare, and there were a bunch of very energetic little kids, running around the play structure, jumping around, and squealing.
With us watching from across the fence, I flashed on the end of '2001 - A Space Odyssey', where we cycle through a human life, young to old, with the constantly shifting perspective. That's Life, I guess, except for the part about being reborn as a cosmic baby - the jury's still out on that.
Cleaning the house, going thru the mail, talking to the still-pregnant-and-enormous cat, doing laundry, preparing a shopping list - all the domestic chores for today. It's somewhat reassuring.
Scanned my calendar for October - lots of events coming up in the next few weeks, culminating in our next trip - a flight to south Florida for a week-long Caribbean cruise. Still, I put my duffle-bag in the attic - don't need to think about repacking it again for a little while.
Wondering when, and under what circumstances, I will be seeing my Mom again.
We landed around 11 pm and were home before midnight. The dog and cats were happy to see us - the house was in pretty good shape - just a pizza box, a slightly-disheveled guest-room bed, and other assorted debris to let us know that teenagers were here.
Mom was to spend Saturday night in the hospital and should be released this morning. She was obviously improving by the time we said our goodbyes, Saturday afternoon.
Although we did have about an hour in the Minneapolis airport, I didn't go seeking the Larry Craig bathroom. I guess the novelty has worn off. I did use the facilities there, but did not accidentally touch the foot of the guy in the next stall.
One moment from this trip stands out. We went for a very brief walk outside Mom's facility. Next door to it is a children's DayCare, and there were a bunch of very energetic little kids, running around the play structure, jumping around, and squealing.
With us watching from across the fence, I flashed on the end of '2001 - A Space Odyssey', where we cycle through a human life, young to old, with the constantly shifting perspective. That's Life, I guess, except for the part about being reborn as a cosmic baby - the jury's still out on that.
Cleaning the house, going thru the mail, talking to the still-pregnant-and-enormous cat, doing laundry, preparing a shopping list - all the domestic chores for today. It's somewhat reassuring.
Scanned my calendar for October - lots of events coming up in the next few weeks, culminating in our next trip - a flight to south Florida for a week-long Caribbean cruise. Still, I put my duffle-bag in the attic - don't need to think about repacking it again for a little while.
Wondering when, and under what circumstances, I will be seeing my Mom again.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Friday night in Wisconsin
Karen and I stopped by my Mom's Assisted Living place this morning. Mom was not looking all that great - seemed pale and was breathing with a little difficulty. Nevertheless, we took a very short walk outside, so that she could enjoy the warm sunshine.
At lunch time, Karen and I took off for Cedarburg, a nearby town famous for its antique stores and restored brick buildings. It was charming. We had a little lunch, then browsed around for a couple of hours. Karen bought some antique salt-and-pepper thingies and a glass plate. I bought a CD of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie tunes ($3). Each to his/her own.
We got back to Mom's around 2:30, and she was looking awful - breathing with difficulty and hands shaking. We phoned my sister-in-law, and decided to take her to the Emergency room. We spent the next 5 hours there, while they did some tests, administered some medications, and analyzed the x-rays and tests. She was visibly better by early evening, but they decided to keep her there overnight, for observation.
My brother said that Mom has been in just about every different examining room at the Emergency dept. of this local hospital, over the past three years. Sucks to get old.
We finally got back to my brother's house around 8, ate some dinner, then tried to relax. Karen is watching a DVD - some Jerry Bruckheimer action/sci-fi film, with Denzel Washington. Allen went to sleep. I retreated to the bedroom, to read blogs and get ready for bed myself.
We head to the Milwaukee airport late tomorrow afternoon, and should be landing in Portland just before midnight, tomorrow night. All in all, it's been a nice visit - Karen and I went bike-riding yesterday, returning to my brother's house 10 minutes before the lightning and hail storm hit. The countryside around here is pretty, in a gently-rolling-but-mostly-flat sort of way.
Tired now. Long day.
At lunch time, Karen and I took off for Cedarburg, a nearby town famous for its antique stores and restored brick buildings. It was charming. We had a little lunch, then browsed around for a couple of hours. Karen bought some antique salt-and-pepper thingies and a glass plate. I bought a CD of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie tunes ($3). Each to his/her own.
We got back to Mom's around 2:30, and she was looking awful - breathing with difficulty and hands shaking. We phoned my sister-in-law, and decided to take her to the Emergency room. We spent the next 5 hours there, while they did some tests, administered some medications, and analyzed the x-rays and tests. She was visibly better by early evening, but they decided to keep her there overnight, for observation.
My brother said that Mom has been in just about every different examining room at the Emergency dept. of this local hospital, over the past three years. Sucks to get old.
We finally got back to my brother's house around 8, ate some dinner, then tried to relax. Karen is watching a DVD - some Jerry Bruckheimer action/sci-fi film, with Denzel Washington. Allen went to sleep. I retreated to the bedroom, to read blogs and get ready for bed myself.
We head to the Milwaukee airport late tomorrow afternoon, and should be landing in Portland just before midnight, tomorrow night. All in all, it's been a nice visit - Karen and I went bike-riding yesterday, returning to my brother's house 10 minutes before the lightning and hail storm hit. The countryside around here is pretty, in a gently-rolling-but-mostly-flat sort of way.
Tired now. Long day.
Monday, September 24, 2007
simply brilliant
this ad campaign from Horizon Air, touting their Portland-Seattle shuttle flights.
Anyone who is a fan of the Ken Burns 'Civil War' documentary will hoot with pleasure at this. Someone deserves an award.
Anyone who is a fan of the Ken Burns 'Civil War' documentary will hoot with pleasure at this. Someone deserves an award.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I scream at my TV again
Last night, as we generally do, we watched the ABC Evening News. I love doing this because, as a less-subtle arm of the Bush Administration, ABC News accomplishes its mission thru less-flagrant innuendo and distortion than its cousin, Fox.
In other words, you have to think about both what they are saying and what they are leaving out, in order to fully appreciate the delusions being perpetrated. For example...
Last night, they did a brief piece on the alarming shrinkage of the Arctic ice-cap. A nice animated graphic showed its shocking reduction, over the past couple of years. They then immediately morphed into a series of quick cuts, showing naval vessels from several countries, all making their presence known to each other to bolster each country's claims on the newly-accessible seabed.
Then, the piece teasingly asked, 'and why is everyone so interested in the newly-accessible seabed?', and ended with the confident statement that it's the new oil fields that are certainly there, just waiting to provide a cash bonanza for the lucky country who establishes the right claims.
And there the story ended, moving quickly on to OJ.
And that's where I screamed at my TV, because the ABC copy-editors incredibly missed the opportunity (or was it intentional - you decide) to nicely close the circle on the entire piece. Here's the sentence they omitted:
"Isn't it ironic that the easing of the global hunger for new sources of oil (i.e. the 'good news' in this story) is directly responsible for the ice-cap disappearing (the 'bad news' in the story)."
In other words, burning oil has opened up the Arctic, to enable us to find more oil to burn.
Again and again, I return to the wise words of Kurt Vonnegut, who, when asked what he would say to the People of the Future, said: 'Forgive us - we were drunk on petroleum.'
In other words, you have to think about both what they are saying and what they are leaving out, in order to fully appreciate the delusions being perpetrated. For example...
Last night, they did a brief piece on the alarming shrinkage of the Arctic ice-cap. A nice animated graphic showed its shocking reduction, over the past couple of years. They then immediately morphed into a series of quick cuts, showing naval vessels from several countries, all making their presence known to each other to bolster each country's claims on the newly-accessible seabed.
Then, the piece teasingly asked, 'and why is everyone so interested in the newly-accessible seabed?', and ended with the confident statement that it's the new oil fields that are certainly there, just waiting to provide a cash bonanza for the lucky country who establishes the right claims.
And there the story ended, moving quickly on to OJ.
And that's where I screamed at my TV, because the ABC copy-editors incredibly missed the opportunity (or was it intentional - you decide) to nicely close the circle on the entire piece. Here's the sentence they omitted:
"Isn't it ironic that the easing of the global hunger for new sources of oil (i.e. the 'good news' in this story) is directly responsible for the ice-cap disappearing (the 'bad news' in the story)."
In other words, burning oil has opened up the Arctic, to enable us to find more oil to burn.
Again and again, I return to the wise words of Kurt Vonnegut, who, when asked what he would say to the People of the Future, said: 'Forgive us - we were drunk on petroleum.'
Monday, September 17, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
RESIST the Hillary/Obama/Edwards media focus
watch
As it was in 2004, there is a real alternative to where the media wants your attention directed.
As it was in 2004, there is a real alternative to where the media wants your attention directed.
Friday, September 14, 2007
as always, Paul Krugman nail it
reprinted here. It's always been The Oil, and nothing but The Oil.
By the way, anyone who ever accused Bush of not having an Exit Strategy, is dead wrong. He's got it all planned.
Bastard.
By the way, anyone who ever accused Bush of not having an Exit Strategy, is dead wrong. He's got it all planned.
Bastard.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
this is weird
Both Ramadan and Rosh Hashonna begin tonight at sunset. Since Ramadan cycles thru the months, over many years, this can't happen all that often. Anybody know just how rare this is?
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