Monday, October 31, 2005

Pick a Pig Day

I've decided that it's important to affirm what is special about being a Christian, rather than a Muslim. In that spirit, I've decided to set aside 1 day a week to indulge in eating the OTHER WHITE MEAT - PORK!

I'm thinking of making it Tuesday or Wednesday - any preferences? Email me with suggestions.

I have some hot sausage in the freezer - I better take it out. Maybe I'll make Dirty Rice - that makes a great day-after lunch, as well.

Tags =

Sunday, October 30, 2005

A cure for what ails us

I found this link on my girl MaxedOutMama's blog. As usual, The Anchoress is stunningly profound. It's long, but worth every savory bite. The Anchoress replies to a Wall Street Journal post of Peggy Noonan.
we must do something else, if we are to stave off the Painless Coup. We are going to have to turn away from our distractions - the television, the radio, the magazines, the talkshows, the films, the fashions, the escapist entertainment, even the internet. We will have to turn away from these empty things - to make them smaller in our lives, where they and the popular culture now loom so large - and we are going to have to get quiet.

A good musician knows that music is not created only by playing notes, but by understanding the spaces between the notes, and their value. Just so, it will not be enough to simply repeat what is true - if that is all we do, it will only add to the din - there must also be silence, in which to do our other, more powerful work.

It is a cacophony of noise that fuels so many illusions, and allows those “chapters of trouble” to be so deftly written. The overstimulation of our senses has severely dulled our internal sensors. We have lost our bearings and our boundaries so profoundly that we are no longer guarded, interiorly, against scam-artists and tricksters.
She continues, correctly, I believe, analyzing the anomie (a sense of alienation and purposelessness) that Noonan suggests afflicts American society. For The Anchoress, as for me, the answer is clear:
We have to get those bearings back - to find our centers and get back in touch with our “gut instincts,” which are there for a reason. And the way to get back to the center - to our center, our “gut” - is through prayer and meditation and contemplation. Prayer has power. No force can stand against it. Not even the force of a generation bearing down and driving hard against everything that came before itself.
Tags = Culture

Not that likely

Lisa, another SC blogger, of Organized Chaos, posted something we all need to remember:
i hate giving democrats advice. there's always a slight chance they might take it.
Tags = Blogging

Funny stuff about baseball

When I was reading this, I laughed out loud, which is a strange thing to do when you live alone. Well, actually, it's not a big deal unless you see it in a movie or on TV, where there the action is used to establish that the person is a whackjob.

Which, of course, I'm not.

What made me laugh:
2. Bat: The bat is the piece of wood with which a batter tries to hit the ball. The bat is usually hewn from Canadian maple or Kentucky ash and should be a solid piece of wood and should not be hollowed out to contain tennis balls, cork, metal, or any other foreign substance that gives the batter an unfair advantage over the pitcher...okay, I can hear you snickering out there, knock it off.

3. Batter: A man who makes what I make in a year for the amount of time it takes him to adjust his jockstrap, and that's without him trying to hit a ball. If he manages to do this three times out of every ten times attempted, he is a good hitter. This may work in baseball, but if the doctor your best friend recommends has a similar average vis-a-vis the survivability of his patients, you may want to get a second opinion about that growth on your left leg.


The rest is just as funny.



Is it too late to say "Wait until next year"?

Tags = Sports

The New Guy

I wanted to point out a new guy on the Blogroll - The Liberal Wrong - Wing. I found him when he emailed me; I checked him out, and I thought he deserved a slot.

Now, before I become swamped (was going to write unindated, but I wasn't sure of the spelling) with requests to add your blog, let me clarify:
  • I normally find the blogs on the blogroll by myself
  • I HATE spammers that have blogs unrelated to my interest, but send me stuff - don't bother, I'll just block you from commenting or emailing. If I REALLY get ticked off, I'll sign you up for spam myself. I've never done that, but don't get me that steamed.
  • I like to put quirky blogs on the list - but they should be posting about politics, culture, or Catholicism. Need I add, that the politics I'm interested in are generally more conservative?
  • If yours fits those categories, don't be shy. Send me a short email with the link, and I'll check it out. Don't expect an immediate reply - this is a labor of love, not money.
  • Don't bother unless you have some posts to look at. Wait until you have a few dozen, then send the link.
Tags = Blogging

Blogmother

One of my favorites, Ace of Spades, is creating a Blog Family Tree. I added my history to the mix, not because my blog is that significant, but because I wanted to honor my Blogmother, Maripat, who invited me to co-blog on Right We Are! (now defunct - go to the WayBack Machine, and enter
http://rightweare.com
to see what it looked like).

I'd never considered starting a blog, I just read others. But, when she solicited a second helper, I immediately responded - to my surprise, she accepted. Alas, she shut down the site several months later - personal life interfered with keeping it up. But her generousity led to an interesting experience, and, eventually, to starting my own blog.

I just checked - my 2 year anniversary is coming up on November 13. I noticed that I've posted over 300 times in that period. That, roughly, works out to 3-4 1-2 times a week for 2 years. I didn't realize that I had that much to say.

(When reading those numbers above, I realized my mistake. Obviously, it's a day of rest for my brain.)

Blogging has slipped into being just one of those things that I do. I have no intention of slowing down. In fact, I'm planning on setting up a regular schedule of posting (probably still 3-4 times during the week, with more posts on the weekends).

Initially, I tried to be like the other blogs - very authoritative and referenced. I've gradually realized that I'm special (in the good sense). I just look around, and write about what I see. It generally comes from my perspective - female, married, with children and grandchildren. Teacher, Catholic, Nerd. Still a registered Democrat - never bothered to change the party.

Tags = Blogging

I hate it when that happens!

I had a rare treat this weekend - I met Amy Welborn and her husband, Michael Dubruiel. They were there as authors of MANY books. I took a picture, but, of course, being the total techno-newbie when it comes to graphics, I lost it. Also forgot to get the two books I bought autographed.

As Homer Simpson says, "D'oh!"



I've been reading Amy's blog for ages - it was one of the first I found through The St. Blog's Parish webring. She offers commentary on a variety of ethical and moral issues, life in general, and provides a glimpse of what an author's life is like. If you believe her, a lot like yours and mine. But even more hectic.

Tags =
One of the many centers for the young representatives to gather. The one in the miter is one of many who enjoyed combining Church traditions with a little pre-Halloween dress-up. Posted by Picasa
Putting a statue to good use - I will have to ask Shannon which saint this is supposed to represent. Posted by Picasa
A quiet moment in a long day. Posted by Picasa
That's a picture of Shannon from her 1st vows. Posted by Picasa
The sisters in their booth. Posted by Picasa
Shannon's shirt Posted by Picasa

And, of course, it will ALWAYS be totally voluntary

Our good neighbor, Canada, whom the Liberals always seem to use as the standard for enlightened thinking, has introduced a bill to legalize euthanasia. The bill has several interesting provisions:
The person "(ii) either

(A) continues, after trying the appropriate treatments available or refusing the treatments that have not been tried, to experience severe physical or mental pain without any prospect of relief, or

(B) suffers from a terminal illness,"
I have some issues with that "trying the appropriate treatments available or refusing the treatments that have not been tried". Does that mean that Canada can keep a treatment from being available (for cost reasons), then allow those patients to be "offed" without penalty to the murderer gentle soul who only wants to spare the soon-to-be-deceased any pain, whether physical or psychic. What a way to balance the health budget! Just keep those treatments from being available, then pull the plug on the suffering!

But, wait! There's more!
(iii) has, while appearing to be lucid, made to a medical practitioner, or to the person who aids the person to die, two requests more than ten days apart expressly stating the person’s free and informed wish to die,
So, the doctor just needs to state that the person WANTED to be dead, and, PRESTO! He can legally kill relieve the poor person's intolerable pain.

And we all know just how noble and unbiased the doctors always are. Like Kevorkian.

I REALLY like the "appears to be lucid" part. R-I-G-H-T! "Honest, although this person is suffering from Alzheimer's and that's the reason she qualifies to leave somewhat - er- prematurely, they just had this incredibly LUCID moment, in which, of course, she expressed her desire not to continue to live like this."

Happens all the time. Honest Injun.

In case it's not totally clear, I'm against this. I'm told that experts in pain management say that NO PAIN is beyond help (that may be an overstatement, but clearly most are within the range of assistance). It may take a pump, it may take narcotics, it may take some time, but the bottom line is that pain is, generally, manageable. The cases that hit the headlines are because some doctor is afraid of using available pain management techniques.

Now, understand, I'm not saying that some people are not honestly suffering pain. But the means to manage it are around. If someone is suffering, the doctor should be called on the carpet. Or, better, find another doctor. Because that one is not doing his/her job. There is just no reason that cancer patients, for example, should have to live in pain. It may cost to get them the treatment they need. But the technology is there.

Now, is there a down side to that pain management? Sure. It can be a trade-off between dulling the pain and keeping that patient mentally alert. In the last stages, the patient will generally be somewhat to greatly foggy in their mental functioning. Eventually, the patient will "shut down" from the massive doses that are needed.

Is that euthanasia? No. The death is an unintended side effect of the pain medication. It isn't the intent.

Frankly, I don't understand why more women aren't in this fight. We are the majority of the elderly that will be affected by legislative actions such as this. The majority of the "snuffed" are women. Doesn't that bother the media that cater to women? Where are Ladies Home Journal, O, Oprah's Magazine, Redbook, et al? How about AARP? Their website shows only THREE hits to a search of "euthanasia". I can't believe that they have so little interest in the subject - hell, they show 75 hits in a search on "sex".


Oops! I hit the publish button, but forgot to credit The Curt Jester, who first alerted me to this action.

Tags = Medicine

At the Catholic Youth Conference



I just returned froom Atlanta, GA, where I spent some time at the National Catholic Youth Conference. I was visiting my daughter, whose order (Sisters of St. Joseph, Third Order of St. Francis) had a booth to acquaint young women with some information about religious life.

Below is a picture of my daughter, with some of the other members of her family.



I'll upload pictures later, once I get around to unloading my camera from the car. I almost didn't go, as I had a nasty intestinal bug Friday morning. By afternoon, I was considerably better, so decided to go ahead with the trip. I didn't eat much there, but I had no further trouble.

Tags = Catholic

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Blogging today

A Fox News story on the GodBlog convention totally misses the point
Blogging's popularity is no doubt on a rapid rise, although it hasn't yet taken hold over the vast majority of Internet users.

By the end of 2004, 8 million U.S. adults — 7 percent of adults who use the Internet — reported having created a blog, according to a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.
Traditional media always focuses on the fact that it's only a small percentage of the Internet population that publishes a blog.

Dolts. It's an even smaller percentage of the reading population that ever started a newspaper or TV/radio station. It's not necessary for every single reader to CREATE A BLOG, but they are clearly being influenced by the phenomenon. Those who aren't writing blogs are reading blogs, more every day. And, as they become accustomed to getting a larger percentage of their news from blogs and websites, they dependence on MSM decreases. More every day.

Why do some of us feel compelled to blog, and others not? Could be we like to write, have strong opinions (when formerly offline with them, tended to drive our families and friends up the wall expressing them at great length), and not afraid to blaze the trail.

Or, maybe, nothing can shut us up when we want to have our say. Sort of like those guys in the early days, Adams, Monroe, et al. Citizen publishers all.

Tags = News and Politics

The wolves are snapping at the administration's heels

The Fox News story points out SOME of the scandals of recent presidencys. The story led with Raymond Donovan, a sitting Cabinet secretary under Reagan. In theory, that's why that part was at the top - because they both served in the Cabinet. Me, I'm inclined to believe that it was more because he was Republican. They could have, instead picked the most recent Cabinet official to have been indicted - Henry Cisneros, the Housing Secretary under Clinton. But, that would have meant that the story would start with a Democrat. That's a no-no.

What's interesting is the number that may have substantial political motivations, if you judge by the number of acquittals. Unless the politician got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, the juries tended to acquit.

Another Fox story focuses solely on "Scooter" Libby, and provided support for his eventual acquittal by pointing out that
Only one person went to prison in the Iran-Contra affair, although several people pleaded guilty to making false statements. President Clinton and his wife, Hillary, were cleared in the Whitewater investigation of fraudulent land deals in Arkansas, a subject well-suited to a lack-of-memory defense. The land deals took place a decade before they came under criminal investigation.
I kinda feel sorry for Harriet - after the initial excitement, she had to feel let down when she saw the evaluations of her performance each night on the news. She probably felt that she could handle it, but it's clear that she was a real nice person, just out of her depth. Whether she had the "smarts" to do the job or not (and most are inclined to think "not"), she certainly proved that she didn't have the political savvy for the position.

Tags = News and Politics

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

This is too cool!

I have always felt that I was the center of the world - doesn't everyone?

Now, you can view my world. It's a site called Frappr, and it lets you create a map that others can join. It works for blogs, groups, families, and any other collection of people who are geographically separated. Check it out, and join my world.

Tags =

Mid-week Update

Wilma is on her way out, having done about all the damage she will be able to. From what I hear from the locals here (SC), the hurricane season should start to wind down from now on. There may still be activity, but it should be lessening.

My daughter has just set up a web camera. Her husband has taken a new job out of town, so they'll have a commuter marriage for a few months (like mother, like daughter). The camera will be a big help.

I had a presentation on our new interactive learning system (think of a projection system, with mixed text, graphics, and video - and a classroom full of kids with remotes, answering questions). The board loved it - we had to practically pry the remotes out of their hands. I've installed the base system on my laptop, so I can construct new stuff for my classes. It does take a little time to make, so I'll only do a new one about once a week. But, over time, I'm hoping that all the teachers in the department will spend a little time getting a set of these presentations/quizzes together, so we can all benefit.

I've been reading a lot in my evenings. I have no TV, so I've found myself with a lot of time on my hands. That's been a good thing - sometimes, I don't think we, as a society, realize how much time is sucked away by watching TV. I've had time to get on the Internet, even with dial-up, get back to practicing my recorder (I've just about got "When the Saints Come Marching In" down), and studying for the PRAXIS (it looks as though I'll get a free re-take, probably in January).

The Bird Flu menace seems to dominate many of the headlines. It's been detected in birds from Asia to Europe. The US will probably, in a relatively short time, find itself facing an outbreak. What would that mean? I'm guessing that the poultry industry will have to slaughter a whole lot of birds, to calm the public.

It doesn't seem to matter to consumers of chicken - apparently, all you have to do is cook the poultry or eggs thoroughly. But, it's sure to feed the panic that springs up regularly, thanks to trash TV - especially trash news.

I'm just waiting for the Miers hearings - I'm betting that it'll be a bloody one. After losing so decisively with Roberts, the only way the Democrats can restore what the French call their "Amour propre" - that exaggerated sense of self-esteem that seems almost laughable - is to savage the next nominee. Harriet, I hate to tell you, but you've probably gotten the nomination to serve as the sacraficial lamb. Maybe she knows that. I hope so. I'd hate to think she's walking into this blindly. If she survives, she'll have to be good. Or lucky.

Tags = News and Politics

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Famous vs. Important

I was reading a meaty series of posts on Sigmund, Carl and Alfred, and I just had to excerpt from one in particular
In our time, however, the incredible has happened. The court jester has become the king. Those who play the heroes have become the culture's actual heroes. Those who direct fantasy movies are directing the direction of our youth. And with entertainers as the principal people we look up to, so much of our society has become silly and trivial.

This is exactly what was going through my mind as I watched the narcissism of the Academy Awards. In America today, there exists not a single mainstream televised awards ceremony for anything other than movies, television, acting and music. Even when brave soldiers are awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry, it is not broadcast on television.


With these "shining" examples dominating the media choices every night, is it any wonder that our society becomes more than a little confused about their importance? Why, in God's name, would we let our children watch people whose values are so contrary to our own?



I have a little suggestion: before watching anything on TV, ask yourself - would I let these people watch my precious children without supervision? If not, why would I let my child spend time with them, even at a distance?



Charles Barkley, the basketball player, said it straight:

  • My initial response was to sue her for defamation of character, but then I realized that I had no character.
  • If I weren't earning $3 million a year to dunk a basketball, most people on the street would run in the other direction if they saw me coming.
  • And, his most famous quote - I am not a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models. Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.


Amen, brother, amen.

Tags = Entertainment and Media

Who owns you?

I found a great link to a philosophical piece, courtesy of Bad Hair Blog. The article deals with human rights. Now, I have strong beliefs about the importance of the individual. It probably stems from my Catholic upbringing; the essential core of the right is that humans do not exist for the state, nor even the family, but for a mission that they determine for themselves (and, I would add, with the grace of God). In essence, the question is, why am I here? To be able to answer that question, you have to believe that it is your right to decide that for yourself. If someone else is in charge of your destiny, you cannot freely make that determination. Therefore, you have to "own" your destiny, or your own self.

That's the real reason that slavery is wrong - slaves cannot chose their own destiny. It isn't the working conditions, or the unsavory choices they face - millions around the world, although nominally free, find their choices limited, and their working lives a nightmare of brutality and toil. A slave doesn't own himself. That's the issue.

The core of Alvaro Vargas Llosa's argument:
The discussion about human rights, therefore, is a discussion between those, on the left and the right, for whom the end justifies the means and therefore legitimizes the use of state force against peaceful individuals, and those for whom the rights of an individual take precedence over the government’s aims and interests. If you think individual liberty is paramount, you do not justify Castro’s human rights violations on the grounds that U.S. foreign policy against Havana is unjust, and you do not justify Pinochet’s elimination of 3,000 Chileans on the grounds that his free market policies were ultimately beneficial for the country.

One essential problem with the issue of human rights has been the difficulty, on the part of the left, to understand that property rights are at the core of that very notion. Ultimately, the “right” a person has not to be violated is the property he or she exercises over his or her body (by extension, a person should enjoy the “right” not to have his or her possessions expropriated through outright violence or distributive compulsion). And the right has had a hard time understanding that notions such as “free markets” and “free enterprise” are meaningless if the government concentrates power around it to such an extent that society is no longer a “spontaneous order” (in Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek’s famous phrase) but an autocratic command system in which human rights are conditional on the government’s plans.
That's the problem with the Kelo decision - it strikes at the core of liberty. More important than Roe v. Wade, will be the issue of your absolute right to own your own property, without interference from government.


Tags = Human Rights

Saturday, October 22, 2005

I'm going to GIT my links!

My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy has done it again. She's declared an Open Trackback weekend. Clever girl. She gets links, we get more potential readers, and the excitement just keeps building!

I'm also linking to The Politics of CP. He's been uncovering some VERY interesting information about fringe Islamic groups, and you won't believe where some of them are located - there is one right here in South Carolina. Go check him out, and find out if you should be concerned about strange activities in your neck of the woods.

Speaking of strange activities...



Tags = Blogging

WARNING - DON'T TRY TO DRINK WHILE READING!

Hog On Ice has posted some classic rules for screenwriters:
don’t kill a whole Chinook full of them while they’re on the way to get the terrorists, just so Steven Seagal can show up in a gigantic maternity kimono and fight them with one hand while eating Ho Hos with the other.

I love Steven Seagal movies, but dude, could you give the drive-thru a rest and let the rest of us have a shot at the food? Here’s a tip: you can be a perfectly good Buddhist without actually LOOKING like Buddha.


There's more - go there.
Tag = Entertainment

FOR A GOOD LAUGH, CLICK HERE

I've been finding an endless source of amusement on the Democratic Party website. Alas for the Dems, the "Internet-savvy" politician has brought little but his customary acidic accusations against the "Evil Empire", AKA the Republican Party and those who support them. Among his gifts to the web:
  • A report on the status of "emergency contraception", which the party claims will reduce need for abortions by 50%.

    Really? So, responsible use of contraception is a choice employed by only HALF of sexually active women? Pray tell, if they can't plan ahead, even by a 1/2 hour or so, what makes the Dems think they'll be responsible enough to get their backside out of bed long enough to get the "Plan B" stuff? Even if it's over the counter. ESPECIALLY if it's over the counter - since OTCs are not generally covered by prescription drug plans. I'm betting most will just cross their fingers and wait.

    The bigger issue here is the possibility that Plan B drugs will be used by OTHERS - not the pregnant woman, but her husband, boyfriend, parents, lover's ex-girlfriend, etc. What's to stop them? Without a prescription, there will be no paper trail.

  • Hysteria about Social Security, which promises that the usual suspects will be unfairly treated if privatization takes place.

    According to the Democratic Party website,
    Nearly 45% of all non-married women 65 and older get 90 percent or more of their income from Social Security.
    Apparently, someone from the Dems got their stats confused. That statistic isn't backed up by their own web resources, which said
    AARP, the senior advocacy group, says 25% of retired women, including 46% of unmarried Hispanic women, have no income beyond Social Security. AARP also says 33% of retired African-Americans live on Social Security alone.
    The official Social Security site says:
    Social Security is the only source of retirement income for 29 percent of unmarried elderly women

    This is largely due to the fact that most women didn't work consistently in a single job long enough to collect retirement benefits, until recently. Social Security points that out, saying
    Elderly women are less likely than elderly men to have significant income from pensions other than Social Security. In 2002, only 21 percent of women aged 65 or older were receiving their own pensions (either as a retired worker or survivor), compared to 28 percent of men.

    Pension coverage is increasing for women in today's workforce. In 2002, 53 percent of women employed full-time were participants in a pension plan compared to 54 percent of men. Women generally receive lower pension benefits due to their relatively lower earnings.
    So, using statistics about current retirees is a bad way to bolster keeping the current system. We'd be comparing apples and oranges.

  • Dean, speaking about the fight to keep Bush from getting his choices for SCOTUS
    "If we lose, better to go down fighting and standing for what we believe in, because we will not win an election if the public doesn't think we'll stand up for what we believe in."
    Wadda ya mean "if" you lose? You did. Big time.

  • Speaking about a meeting with Cindy Sheehan (Lord, that woman is an embarassment to military moms):
    I met with Cindy Sheehan and three activist supporters here in my office at the DNC (two of whom were involved in the Presidential race) on Saturday after the rally. Some of you have met her, but for those who have not, I thought I would share my impressions.

    She is a delightful person. She had not a drop of holier than thou zealotry. She is unpretentious and very clear. All this I expected, given the terrible sacrifice she has made, and her willingness to speak out.
    Give me a hanky!


Tags = News and Politics and Entertainment

THE LOGIC BEHIND VOTER IDS

I've been following the progress on getting states to require IDs to vote. Georgia just struck down a requirement. Other states are considering enacting legislation, as well. The Democrats, uniformly, are against it.

What are their arguments?

  • From the Democratic Party web site:
    Today, "a federal court temporarily barred Georgia from enforcing a new state law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls." The federal judge hearing the case in Georgia "agreed with critics who claimed the law amounted to an unconstitutional poll tax."
    A poll tax?

    Mister, you've got to be kidding. I can't think of a mentally stable adult over 18, with the possible exception of someone recently moved, who can't produce a legal ID. Without an ID, you can't open a bank account, get a library card, video card, or grocery frequent-shopper card. You can't rent an apartment, drive a car, or get a job.

    So, no person who does any of the above can claim they can't produce an ID when asked.

    What are these acceptable IDs?
    - Georgia driver's license (they struck the phrase "valid", allowing those with expired or suspended licenses to use it for ID purposes)
    - ID card issued by any branch of the government, provided it had a photo
    - US passport
    - Government employee photo ID
    - Military ID
    - Tribal ID card, with photo

    I looked over the bill. The original language contained other acceptable ID, including gun license, employee ID, and even a utility bill, etc. I don't know which legislators objected to the other IDs, but the list seemed to contain too many exceptions, not including photos. There's a provision that indigent citizens may have the fee for an ID waived. That didn't even satisfy the critics.

  • It's an insult to Hispanics to ask them to prove that they're eligible to vote.

    Really? Someone ought to inform the Mexican government:
    Every registered Mexican voter has a Voter ID card, complete with photograph, fingerprint, and a holographic image to prevent counterfeiting.

    At the Mexican polling station, there is a book containing the photograph of every voter in the precinct. This book is available to the poll workers and observers from various parties. If there’s a doubt as to someone’s identity, the poll workers can simply look up the person’s name and see if the photo matches up.

    The Mexican voter’s thumb is smudged with ink. That way, if he shows up at another polling site to vote, they know he’s already voted elsewhere. (The ink wears off after a few days.)
    The above information is from VDARE.com
  • Blacks are unfairly targeted, according to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund:
    the pending ID bills are an effort to keep minority and elderly participation at low levels by requiring more hoops to jump through in order to take part in the democratic process.

    Georgia's proposal is one of the most onerous.

    On April 22, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed one of the strictest measures in the United States for screening voters. It requires voters to present one of six forms of government-issued photo identification at the polls. Under the old law, Georgia voters were allowed to present any of 17 forms of identification, including bank statements and utility bills, which contain no photos.



The Democratic has a confusing statement about the issue. On one hand:
Democrats are determined to reforming the voting system in this country to create federal standards for our elections. Our voting system must include verification, accountability, and accuracy.
That sounds good, doesn't it? But then their site goes on to say:
Democrats want to increase access to polls with Election Day registration, shorter lines, and early voting. We also want to modernize election equipment and increase impartiality.
If you have Election Day registration, won't that increase the number of questionable votes? More importantly, how can you "include verification" if you won't use picture ID? Not that having a friend vouch for you isn't a time-honored tradition in some parts of the country, but, the trouble is, those parts of the country are just exactly the ones where voter fraud is rampant.

Now, I've lived in small towns before. Towns so small that, before you can get your phone turned on in the new place, everyone in town knows who you are, the names of your kids, and your party affiliation. I could go anywhere in that region, and cash a check without a driver's license with me.

Obviously, they could have dispensed with the check on Election Day. But they checked my ID when I voted. I'm not kidding. They checked it. Every time.

Now, they obviously knew me. Hell, they'd lend me $5 if I asked. Without signing paper. But they took their responsibilities as registrars and poll watchers seriously. Trust, but verify, as a very wise man once said.

Why don't they do that in the big cities? Where they REALLY don't know your name?

Because they want an excuse to steal the election. But, without actually FEELING like a crook. So, they don't ask for the ID. They don't officially want to know. They turn a blind eye.

And they pervert the Constitution.

Tags =

Thursday, October 20, 2005

JUST CATCHING UP

I'm going into work late today - not really late, we've shifted time for reporting from 7:30 or so to 11:00. The down side is that we can't leave until 7:00.

It's due to Parent Conferences and Report Card Pick-up. It makes for an interesting day. Part of the day, we just have some time to get stuff done - organizing, planning, meeting with other teachers. Today, I will be showing other science teachers how the Quizdom setup works. It's an interactive class system that lets kids "buzz" in with a remote. In theory, which (surprisingly) matches the practice, you can make sure kids understand one concept before moving on to another. I tested it out on my classes, and it was amazingly effective.

I'm just trying to decide whether it's worth the time to put on a pot of coffee. Probably not. Although, my coffee is MUCH better than the stuff available at school. For one thing, it's freshly ground. For another, it's a better grade of coffee. I also keep it in the freezer, so it keeps its quality.

I feel OUTSTANDING - the medication that I've been using since late July is the best ever. My peak flows are high, I've had only 2 (small) asthma episodes since I started using it, and I have more energy than I've had in a long time. Dare I hope to believe that this will last?

The only down side is that I looked at the approved list of meds on my new plan, and it doesn't seem to be covered. Usually, there's some ability to get companies to make exceptions, if the medical need is established. However, until my husband leaves his current employer, I'm going to pull a Scarlett O'Hara - I'll think about it tomorrow.

I've just about caught up on my favorite blogs. One of my favorites, The Sheila Variations, has a long post about how she started, why she blogs as she does, and such. It's good, and it made me think about why I do this.

My first motivation was that I really do like to write. In the past, that meant keeping journals, writing letters, and writing books. I always had trouble keeping journals - I'd start, but I'd run out of things to write about. It seemed as though my days were much alike, which, of course, most of us find that they do run to a pattern. I've since varied what I write about. Sometimes, it's just a short update on events. Often, I blow off a little steam at people I'm temporarily annoyed with. I also make sketches, reflect on past events, and just generally let the thoughts flow. I think of my journal as an offline blog.

Writing letters was always hard. Other than my grandparents, few people bothered to answer. It seemed like dropping bottled messages into the sea - something of a waste of time.

I started writing several books. I made good progress, but my life outside of writing always seemed to intrude. It was hard to me to insist on that carved-out space when other tasks were more urgent. So, several times, I put away my work, intending to return when life was not so hectic. It never got less hectic. So, the books died out. No burial. No ceremony. Just stuck in a drawer.

Blogging fit into my life. I could write in spurts. I could write for short times, save the draft, and return. I could write any time of the day or night.

It also gave me feedback. No longer did I send out messages that were unanswered. People listened; they responded. Their comments said "You are not alone". I never realized that I hungered for that validation until I received it. It was like water to a thirsty plant. I bloomed.



Tags = Blogging

Monday, October 17, 2005

EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSY PIG - I MEAN PINK

I've a new picture on the blog today, in honor of the campaign to Free Piglet. For those who haven't been following it, the Brits have caved in to PC thinking, and banned the pig.Lost Budgie Blog has much of the story.
Politicians in West Midlands banned the display of toy pigs and other pig-related items in municipal offices as a result of a single complaint from a Muslim. Among the banned items were piggy banks, novelty pig calendars and a tissue box featuring Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.
Many bloggers have the same reaction I did, and are joining me in defiantly nailing our pigs to the blog-mast.
Tags = News and Politics

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Free Piglet Posted by Picasa
Free Piglet! Posted by Picasa
Free Piglet! Posted by Picasa

DROP EVERYTHING, AND GO HERE

i've been reading The Anchoress for some time, now. I started when I found her site through The Terry's Blogs list. I continued even after that lady died, and I've always found her to be thoughtful and incisive.

She's written something for the CBSNews.com: Blog that I think you'll want to read. In her words:
Televised news seemed either moribund or yappy or designed for the attention span-impaired, so I clicked off the television and clicked on the Internet. In short order, I there began not simply to consume news, but to roll around in it like a capitalist wallowing in a pile of hundred dollar bills, and I didn’t give televised news another thought.
The rest of the piece is just as good, pungently meaty, and straightforward about her take on media bias. She pulls no punches.

Tags = News and Politics and Media

ANOTHER NEW LINK

I'v added another link to a Carolina blogger - this one is Mike's America. Like me, he is an Ohio transplant to the Lowcountry (we call it that because, well, we don't build basements in this part of the country - we're not too far from sea level).

He has a funny story about Nancy Pelosi and the Delay indictment. The last line of the story is the kicker.

Mike also links to another great blogger I always like, Ace of Spades, who mysteriously disappeared from my Blogroll (but will be re-enrolled posthaste). Ace has the list of top 10 requirements for employment with Al Qaeda
10. Must be eager to work with a dynamic group of diverse suicidal maniacs

9. Must be a "self-starter;" also, a "self-detonator"

8. Must be a "people person"

7. Absolutely no prima donnas! Whether it's fetching coffee or sawing off the head of a female schoolteacher, there are no "small tasks" at Al Qaeda, only "small workers"

6. Must have a good "phone voice"

5. Must be willing to relocate to Paradise on 24 hours notice
Read the rest of the list

Tags = News and Politics

WHO'S YOUR DADDY?

Real Clear Politics writes about the tendency of voters to egg on legislators to enact laws that take over the job of parents.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed a bill that prohibits the sale to minors of video games that ``depict serious injury to human beings in a manner that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel.''

Have you noticed? Politics can be surreal. Remember the ``Terminator" movies? In his previous incarnation as an action hero, Arnold was exceptionally skilled at inflicting ``serious injury to human beings in a manner that (was) especially heinous, atrocious or cruel.''

Anyway, California isn't alone. Michigan has passed a similar law banning the sale of ``ultra-violent explicit video games'' to minors under the age of 17. And Illinois also has a law on the books that bans the sale or rental to minors of violent or sexually explicit games.

Most of the opposition has come from, shall we say, interested parties. There's the video game industry, which pulls down about $25 billion annually worldwide. And an outfit called the Entertainment Software Association, which has sued to try to block the legislation in Michigan and Illinois from taking effect. The group insists those laws amount to censorship and violate the First Amendment.
What rot!

I'm going to make a suggestion about ratings on games - I propose that the video industry voluntarily slap a sticker on games, giving THE REAL RATINGS:

  • Obviously, your parent has a substance abuse problem
  • The kid who bought this game should call The National Association Against Child Abuse
  • Does your Mom or Dad run a swingers club from their home?
  • The kid who bought this game has a stupid parent
  • Do not ring up this sale, just call the cops and turn in the parents


It is not the job of a minimum wage sales clerk to keep YOUR kid from doing something wrong. It's YOUR job. If you're not up to it, turn the kid into a child welfare bureau, and walk away. The kid will then have an opportunity to be adopted by someone who WANTS to be a parent.

Tags = Entertainment

TEN TIPS FOR PROTESTORS

Believe it or not, I've never read The Daily Kos, before today. But when I read about Tips for Protestors (doesn't that remind you of Glamour's Do's and Don'ts - sprightly advice on what to wear?), I had to look - and see what I found!
Don't's:

Don't have a hippy drum circle:

There are few things more annoying and irrelevant than a bunch of dreadlocked Boulderites banging on drums while dancing around with erect nipples under their hemp shirts.

Don't have a gothic pagan chorus on the stage talking about mermaids:

This actually happened at the last November 3rd movement rally. It has nothing to do with the overall point of the protest. Rather it is just an opportunity for superficial hipsters to whine about "mother earth". They then leave to go get coffee and don't stay for the rally.

Don't talk about gay rights or other issues that have little to do with the Iraqi invasion:

Believe it our not, all of the protesters do not see eye to eye. Although Palestine and gay rights are very important issues (and yes, I do realize that there are parallels between imperialism with Palestine and Iraq) that does not mean we should have speakers that talk for 30 minutes on the subjects. It is sloppy and off message to the united coalition of organizations and individuals against the Iraq war to talk about different issues that they may not agree with. Stay with a poignant message and prosper.

Don't use the slogan "No Blood For Oil!":

Face it. The bromide is tired, used. Be creative.
I'm not sure that the advice to "Be creative" will be understood by those folks who are oh-so-cleverly hammering their foes with the phrase "IRAQ = VIETNAM" - yes, they ALWAYS use all caps.

There's more on the Kos site - check them out.

I found the reference to Kos on Organized Chaos. She's young, she's funny, and she's worth checking out. I have, and I added her to the Blogroll.

Tags =

Saturday, October 15, 2005

THOUGHTS ON BLOGGING

neo-neocon has an interesting post on blogging. She writes about the unmediated nature of blogs - nothin' between the blogger and the reader, except some elecrons. No editors. No lengthy process, during which the blogger might re-consider the wisdom of stating his/her thoughts quite that strongly, or using those words.

It's the immediacy I kinda like. A little like the bad old days of straight-from-the-hip journalism. Occasionally rash, and often inflammatory. But exciting.

I'm tired of pontificating, mock-I'm-an-unbiased-observer attitude that the MSM types affect. I really prefer my reporting and commentary to be straight about the biases - don't we all have them?

I even like the glimpses of personal life interwoven into the politics, culture, and commentary. I like them so much, that, when I moved to SC, I didn't bother to get a TV. My only news comes from a weekly local paper, and online reporting. And, to be honest, I don't miss the MSM - not one bit.

Judging from the ratings, I'm not alone.

Tags = News and politics
Bird flu has hit Romania. The H5N1 strain is the one that has concerned public health officials. Before you start panicking, remember that the human deaths have, so far, been confined to Asia. It's in Asia that the practice of keeping swine and birds (primarily chickens and ducks) in close proximity is widespread. That may be the factor that is allowing the virus to reach humans, via transmission from birds to pigs, then to humans. That's the route that most flu viruses take, which explains why most influenza attacks start in the East.

Tags = Health and Wellness

Friday, October 14, 2005

WHAT I'M READING

I found an interesting book in the local library this week. It's called The Worm in the Apple, and it's about the NEA (National Education Association).

Disclaimer: I previously belonged, grudgingly, to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Last year, I was teaching in a long-term position, and joined the NEA. In both cases, the amount I had to pay (they call it "Fair Share") was mandatory. It differed so little from the cost of joining, I decided to hedge my bets, on the off chance that I might need the "protection" of the union. (That sounds a little "Tony Soprano", doesn't it?)

In neither case did I receive anything of value from the union. I can't count the cheesy trinkets and candy I got on "Teacher Appreciation Day".

The author, Peter Brimelow, runs the VDare site. He can best be described as a long-time conservative. His particular passion is sounding a warning about immigration's potential to undermine America's cultural heritage.

The book is dense with financial information. It appears to have been well-researched, and, from what I can tell, is accurate. Brimelow peels the covers off the compensation secrets of union staff, and reveals many of the intertwined interests, including AARP and insurance companies (particularly Horace Mann).

Didn't know that there's a long-standing relationship between AARP and NEA? Neither did I. That connection, alone, should be enough to make you suspicious.

And, after reading this book, I'm inclined to forgo union membership in the future, and just join The Association of American Educators, an NON-union professional organization, that provides, among other things, liability insurance to its members at a fraction of the cost of the AFT or NEA.

Tags = School, Books, and Education

I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY

IMAO puts the Harriet Miers competency issue to rest:
So what is the job of a Supreme Court Justice? It's to interpret the Constitution. And what is the Constitution?

A FOUR PAGE DOCUMENT!

Think about it: the job of a Supreme Court Justice - his only job for his entire life - is to understand four pages of text. Why do you even need a legal degree for this? I'm not even sure you need a high school diploma.
He has a point, folks. I've actually read the document myself (My major in college was History - OK, I finally saw the light, and used my Science minor to get and stay employed). An intelligent high school sophomore could easily understand the provisions. In fact, in old-fashioned schools, they do. Those are the ones that still teach Civics instead of those squishy, touchy-feely Social Studies classes. What a waste of time THOSE are!

So, why don't schools still teach kids about the basic documents that underly our political system? Because it's too @#$%^&* hard for today's teachers - they actually have to read, and understand the core documents. Some do, and can. But too many can't. Or, find it easier to ask kids how they "feel" about issues, instead of giving them inconvenient facts that might undercut some of their precious liberal ideology.

I'm getting off-track now - not that it's not fun.



Miers is a competent lawyer. No one has suggested otherwise. But the major objection to her nomination is that she hasn't published. Which means that she hasn't felt the need to blather about her views on the law. Instead of which, she has worked to make money for her firm, which I assume they would prefer. (I've been told that law firms actually have no objections to collecting cash for their work)

Tags = News and politics

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

SUCCESS!!!

I was able to post via e-mail, so I may take advantage of that in the future.  It certainly is convenient, and can solve problems of slow access times.


The New York Times is up in arms about an African aid bill.  It seems that NYT is blaming
three interests some critics call the Iron Triangle of food aid: agribusiness, the shipping industry and charitable organizations.
Well, I can't say that I'm on the NYT's side in this one.

The bill would send money to organizations, who would then be able to buy needed supplies locally.  According to promoters of this initiative,
Had the Agency for International Development had the authority to buy food in Ethiopia in the mid-1980's, when a million perished, or in 1999-2000 when 20,000 died, it could have saved many more lives, said its administrator, Andrew S. Natsios, who added, "Speed is everything in a famine response."
Why, oh why, does this seem like a VERY bad idea to me? I seem to remember the last great African famine, when food rotted on the docks, since the available transport was used to carry on the war. I remember money being diverted from aid to guns.

Frankly, I am awfully concerned about letting the African governments get their hands on cash.  They don't seem to be able to handle it without finding that a huge amount of it sticks to their fingers.

This is a test

I'm checking out the "blogging by mail" function of Blogger.  At some point, it may be necessary to post that way to avoid waiting until I return home to update my blog.

CHEAPER BY THE - WAIT A MINUTE!



I don't care what anyone else thinks, I think the lady's got a healthy attitude about the situation.
Michelle Duggar just delivered her 16th child, and she's already thinking about doing it again.

Johannah Faith Duggar was born at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and weighed 7 pounds, 6.5 ounces.
I mean, what the !@#$%^&*( business is it of anyone else's? If they are happy about it, and it isn't costing the taxpayer anything, more power to them.

I remember when we told friends and family that we were expecting our 3rd child. EVERYBODY had a comment, most of them snide:
  • Have you figured out what causes it? (Why, no, why don't you explain it to us?)
  • Are you THAT Catholic? (Is that a bad thing?)
  • How are you going to afford it? (Why, I'm so happy to hear that you want to help us out - that IS why you asked, isn't it?)
  • I could NEVER do that. (And, considering the way you act towards your spouse, I'm not surprised.)
  • I'll pray for you. (Thank you - I'll pray for you, too.)
  • Have you considered the children you already have? (Why, no - actually, we hardly ever see or think about them. It's SO easy to ignore a 3 year old and a 9 month old.)


There's two ways to handle an impending bundle of joy - you can sulk, curse, blame, and fume - or you can prepare for the birth with whatever grace you can muster up. I recommend the second.
Tags = News and politics

I'M NOT THAT EXCITED

...but, then, I wasn't that excited about the IPod, either.

Jobs did it again, apparently
The new video iPod, available in black or white, will be able to play video and podcasts. A 30-gigabyte version will sell for $299 and a 60-gigabyte, $399. Extra features on both versions include a clock, a calendar that Jobs said never looked better, a stop watch and a screen lock.

"It's really very beautiful and very thin," Jobs told assembled journalists and guests.

The video iPod will lock TV shows and music videos downloaded from the iTunes store with copy-protection software, just as Apple does for music. But it will also support the MPEG-4 video standard, meaning users could view home movies and other unencrypted videos on it.
I really can't see the excitement, but then, I already have videocameras and alternate video output equipment. The small screen seems to say,
Gramps, get out of the way - the future is about to run you over
After all, I also wear reading glasses. And really find Mozilla most useful (aside from the tabbing ability) for the ease of enlarging the text (just hold the CTRL key, and hit the + key).

So, perhaps I'm not the target audience. But, if you haven't already, it might be a good time to buy Apple. And all the companies that stand to make a bundle off the video downloads.



Tags = Technology

Monday, October 10, 2005

UNQUALIFIED?

I have just 3 words to say to people who have their knickers in a twist about the Harriet Miers nomination:
TOM C. CLARK
Don't remember him? He's the father of Ramsey Clark, and of whom Truman, who nominated him, said:
"It's not that he's a bad man," rued Truman. "It's just that he's the dumbest sonofabitch I ever met."
Face reality - the US will not dissolve if Miers is appointed Justice. Hell, she could hardly do worse than the Kelo decision, which will have to rank in the Top 10 Worst Supreme Court Blunders Of All Time. And the Justices that weighed in on the side of that stupidity are considered more qualified? Please!

Tags = News and politics

Sunday, October 09, 2005

WITHOUT INTERNET, I CAN DO A LOT MORE WORK

Count me as one of the many who love the Internet passionately. Yet, if I am honest, times (like this weekend) when I didn't have access were among my most productive. I simply accomplish more when I am not able to log on.

However, I am NOT about to detach myself from my addiction. It's too useful for keeping me up-to-date on events. Without a TV, I just don't have an easy way of keeping up on national events. In fact, the Internet is MORE useful in finding out what's going on than TV.

However, some of the reporting is just wrong, or even silly. Fox News has a headline - Scientists: 1918 Killer Spanish Flu Was a Bird Flu:
Scientists who re-created the 1918 Spanish flu say the killer virus was initially a bird flu that learned to infect people. Alarmingly, they find that today's H5N1 bird flu is starting to learn the same tricks.
NEWSFLASH: ALL FLUS ARE CARRIED BY BIRDS.

Dolt. For the uninitiated, all flu viruses are carried by birds. Usually, the carrier birds are unaffected by the viruses. The trouble starts when the birds land in Asia. You see, in Asia, it's common for the same farmers who raise birds (ducks, chickens, etc.) to also keep pigs. And that's where the trouble starts. The bird passes the virus to the pigs - they are the alternate hosts. In all this passing, the virus mutates. Quite a bit. Most of the time, the pig isn't affected very much. But, when it is, watch out. Pigs and humans will pass diseases back and forth, and what makes the pig sick, also makes the human sick. Because of the sheer number of viruses that birds carry, keeping them so close to an alternate host is crazy. But, also cultural. And, therefore, hard to eradicate.

I'm suspecting that the hype about the Killer Flu is overblown. What I've been reading about the 1918 flu seems to suggest that the virulence of it was a fluke, caused by:
  • many non-immune young people in a small, unsanitary space (due to the war)
  • rapid travel leading to sick people spreading the virus widely
  • farm boys, with little immunity to diseases of cities (which flu is), struck down quickly
  • overwhelming the scarce medical personnel
  • and, lastly, TB as a secondary problem - it was still a major problem in Europe and America at that time. A likely reason for the sudden collapse of victims would be another, chronic disease.

So, would flu be the major killer again? Well, it could, but, since we now have vaccines and treatments for pneumonia, and use oral and intravenous infusions before the situation gets critical, I doubt it.

If, however, you are worried, take the following steps:
  • Stay away from crowds
  • If you can, get a flu shot
  • If you have respiratory disease, also get a pneumonia shot
  • If you do become sick, drink fluids, rest, and take meds as prescribed by your doctor. Don't keep plugging away while sick. Quarantine patients from the rest of the family.
  • Most importantly, if you're sick, don't go to work/school. Stay home. You'll heal faster, and you won't make the rest of us sick.


Tags = Internet

IF YOU'RE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DESPARATE FOR A JOB

Some parts of the US have a more sluggish job market than others. I don't think any part is so desparate for a steady income that they'll respond to this
DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda has put job advertisements on the Internet asking for supporters to help put together its Web statements and video montages, an Arabic newspaper reported.

The London-based Asharq al-Awsat said on its Web site this week that al Qaeda had "vacant positions" for video production and editing statements, footage and international media coverage about militants in Iraq, the Palestinian territories, Chechnya and other conflict zones where militants are active.
Nice to know that the US doesn't have the only armed forces that are out-sourcing.

Tags = News and politics

Saturday, October 08, 2005

ONCE AGAIN - NO ACCESS!

Bummer.

I came home last night, looking forward to a long weekend of catching up on Internet and grading.

No phone service. Don't know why. Won't be fixed on the weekend.

Fortunately, there's a coffee shop in town with WiFi.

So, I'm sitting here, overstimulated and frantically downloading everything I think I might use in the next few days.

Sigh.

Life is awfully complicated sometimes.



I'm trying to remember that there are people in this world that are truly in extreme distress:
  • Homeless
  • Mourning
  • Hungry
  • Thirsty
  • Broke
  • Persecuted
  • In pain

But, being a solid member of the truly ungrateful human species, right now, I'm more focused on my irritating situation.

I really am a sorry individual. I wish I were a bigger person.

But I'm not.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

SNOBBISH DISDAIN REARS ITS HEAD AGAIN

UPDATE:


Baldilocks also had the same reaction to the sniping. Earth to elitists: This isn't the old days, when waiting on the tables of your "betters" would pay the tuition. There's a reason most kids, however academically qualified, don't even bother to apply. It's called FINANCIALLY IMPOSSIBLE!

OK - rant over.



I can't believe that I'm hearing one of the biggest objections to the Miers nomination is that she attended Southern Methodist University!

It's not even the religious underpinnings of the school that the elitists are talking about - it's the fact that she didn't deign to attend a more prestigious institution.

Earth to Snobs! Not all of the civilized world is eager to drop the equivalent of a new car each year (and a high-end car, at that), simply to rub elbows with our "betters". I am one who attended the local college, and spent the first two years at a - gasp - community college.

Oh, the horror! Worse, the brazen lack of shame!

Hey, when you return to school laden with 3 kids and a husband, you go for the cheapest nearby solution. It worked out, too. I've since taken classes at more pricy schools, and I can honestly say that the education was comparable.

Get over it, Toots. Attendance at an Ivy or wannabe doesn't indicate rare intellect, or even competence. It just says you've got the disposable income.

It's also no guarantee that the education received is top-notch. The more expensive schools are infamous for using TAs in the first 2 years. I never had a class taught by an assistant, and only a few taught by someone below the rank of professor. It was easy to approach them after class for assistance. Many became personal friends.

Scads of successful people acquired their post-high school education at ordinary local colleges. Not all attendees at the Ivies leave for a glorious future - don't forget a grad that Harvard would probably rather not admit is an alum - Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber.

Tags = Education

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

I AGREE - SORT OF

Common Sense and Wonder slams San Fransisco's mayor
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who became internationally known for his campaign a year ago to legalize gay marriage, said on Monday he considered wireless Internet access a fundamental right of all citizens.

Well, I'm on the fence on that one.

No, it isn't a fundamental right to have Wi-Fi. But it might be a smart move on the part of cities that want to be competitive in business lures.

It would be worth it for many towns to set up a free, city-wide Wi-Fi. Just as they currently provide free or low-cost services to businesses willing to move to their town, free Wi-Fi could be the "hook" that closes the deal.

Not to mention the benefits for a city whose citizens have free or low-cost access. That is, if they use the service to educate themselves and their children. And not to gamble, chat, or surf for porn.

Which is more likely, in your opinion?

Tags = News and politicsTechnology

5 YEARS LATER

It's hard to believe that it's been that long.

It's five years since Janet Reno used armed government employees to kidnap Elian Gonzales from his dead mother's family.

Kidnap is what it was. The proper way for a US Attorney General to act is legally, through the courts. If you don't prevail, that's the chance you take. The child was in no danger there. His relatives were, admittedly, over-the-top in their emotional playing to the media. But, that isn't a crime.

But, they were treated like criminals. And Elian never had a chance.

His father said that he wanted Elian to return to Castro's Cuba. Hard to accept, since his wife and other child were held on the island. Captives, you might say. Hostages, some others might say.

And he took him back there with him. Now 60 Minutes has interviewed Elian, and he is filled with praise for Fidel (his "father") and the dictatorship that holds the island in semi-slavery. You work for the state. Or you are a criminal. Not a lot of choices.

I'm reminded of the Russian media spokesman for the old CCCP, Vladimir Posner. Remember him? He was slick, media-genic, spoke Enlish like a native (he was born in America, and moved to the Soviet Union with his father as a teen). All the American media fawned on him as he presented a "we're just like you Americans" public relations campaign in America. And most of the media bought it. It was understandable. He negated the necessity of learning Russian - after all, here was this charming man who would explain the Soviet position so compellingly, and, get this, in English! What could be better!

After the Soviet government fell, he fell over himself to explain that he hadn't been free to tell the truth. Not unlike Elian's dad.

Funny, that's a story that the American media hasn't jumped all over. That foreign sources mightn't be telling the truth, or at least, not the full story. For fear. Of dying. Or, if allowed to live, fear of a government that has no problem making its citizen's lives a living hell.

Tags = News and politics

QUICK & EASY DIRTY RICE

Now, don't faint or anything, but I actually cooked something without a recipe or directions of any kind.

Since I've been here in South Carolina, I've had to do many things on my own. You get out of the habit after almost 32 years of marriage. As my husband worked as a chef, and a cook in a 4-star restaurant, I never bothered to learn much about cooking. I just enjoyed the food.

My previous experience in a kitchen was basic short-order stuff - sandwiches, stir-fry, eggs, and the like. Nothing fancy, just OK. It would keep you alive, but my seasonings were pretty much limited to salt and pepper. Never did garnishes.

I made DIRTY RICE.



It sounds as though it belongs in an Asian strip club, but it's just a spicy rice dish. Commercial sources of it include Popeye's Chicken, Bojangle's Chicken, and Zatarain's, which makes the boxed type (not bad).

This is the way I did it.
1/3 pound of Hot sausage
cooked rice (I used leftover rice)
Salt & pepper to taste

Cook off the sausage. When nearly done, dump in the rice. I added a little water, stirred, and seasoned.

That was it. Tasted great.

I'm so proud of myself.

Tags = Home

I'M B-A-A-A-C-K!!! AGAIN!!!

I have phone service. Therefore, I have dial-up.

Don't look down your nose at that. It's 300% better than no Internet at all.

It should help. At work, I do have Internet access, but, there, I tend to --- work. What a crazed idea.

At home, I have no TV (TV - what's that? I haven't seen anything worth looking at in a L - O - N - G time). Later this year, I may break down and get a small one, and maybe a DVD player. At current prices, I can hardly resist.

I've been out of the loop for a while. Since I work at a school, some sites get blocked. I never can figure out why. Although it's better than last year's filtering, which alerted you to a blocked site with (in LARGE, RED letters):
This site may have PORNOGRAPHY. You are forbidden to view it.

Need I add that I never knowingly accessed a porn site in my life? It was highly embarassing when that message popped up when there were kids around. I felt like a perv.

Found this Top Ten List via the always-excellent A Face Made 4 Radio, A Voice Made 4 the Internet. Follow the link to AFM4R,AVM4tI for the entire trail, which I'm frankly too tired to reconstruct.
Top Ten Signs Your Supreme Court Pick Isn't Qualified

10. "Lost 10 grand yesterday in the 'case' of Jets vs. Ravens"

9. "Spends most of her time trying to fit the gavel into her mouth"

8. "Her legal mentor: Oliver Wendell Redenbacher"

7. "Asks courtroom stenographer to, 'Quit that annoying tapping!'"

Get the rest of the list - they're FAB!

From the critiques I've found, Miers will have to overcome a lot of skepticism to establish herself on the Roberts court. I might suggest that Roberts "court" her - if she feels like "one of them", it will be easier to mold her into the justice conservatives would like - or at least tolerate. But don't ignore her - you can bet the liberal justices will co-opt her in a heartbeat. It sounds kind of junior high, doesn't it? But I think it will prove to be important. I just don't know how people-savvy Roberts is. In this case, it could be crucial.

Tags = News and politics

Saturday, October 01, 2005

INTERNET WITHDRAWAL

I've moved into the new place, but the phone service isn't working. Need I say that the Repair Department doesn't work on the weekends?

I'm temporarily using a friend's computer. I had to, to still the shakes.

So, after this post, no matter what happens, I probably won't be able to comment on it. Fortunately, I still have friends and relatives to vent with.

It's kind of strange to be living alone. Almost 32 years of marriage, kids, and such make you forget how quiet a house can be. I had to go out and buy a few items (food, can opener, coffee maker, etc.), but I expect to spend the remainder of the weekend, except for church, being by myself.

I think I'll go to the Salvation Army, and pick up a few books. Did I mention that I don't have a TV?

I may have to do something drastic, like grade papers or something.

Tags = Internet

Lies of the Left

This COULD be a lengthy post. But, I'll try to winnow it down to a reasonable length. The CA Parent Bribery 'Scandal' - the 1...