How utterly bizarre ...
http://wordle.net I gave the url of this blog
Main Span
3 days ago
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
3-in-1
Yup, 3 posts in 1 day. This doesn't even qualify (much) as procrastination. Well, maybe it does.
I have a big presentation tomorrow morning at Honeywell. My internship ends on Friday. I get Labor Day, and then school resumes on Tuesday. I've got classes on epidemiology (infestion disease statistics), ethics, something about 'risk based decision making', and my thesis research. Oh, an apparently the course which equals my internship, which I forgot to register for. At least this way it's being paid for NIOSH, rather than my husband.
Our power just went out. Apparently Mother Nature is trying to catch up with our drought and dump it all tonight. One of those gung-ho Midwest storms, complete with tons of lightning. Thank goodness for the battery in my laptop.
My term paper about the methods of analysis of radioactive fallout from the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl is what I'm procrastinating about. And the final exam for the class.
Gregor's vocabulary is pretty small still. However, his newest word is Mull [trash]. He now has a stuffed weasel (ferret?); it was an inadvertant, spontaneous purchase at Ikea. I was pushing him around in the shopping car, and had to go through the Ikea-Kids department. He grabbed the ferret out of its bin. Soft, cute, he grabbed it and held it in his arms with a big smile. Great. Sure, he can hang onto it while I go compare prices for bedframes. About 15 minutes later, I realize the error of my decision: one ought never let a teething child have a soft cuddly toy which doesn't belong to him. The animal's tail was thoroughly wet from being chewed upon. Ah, well, at least it was only $7.95. And he still likes it.
Power back on.
Michael's German is getting rapidly better. He's still obsessed with Cars. Temper tantrums are becoming a bit tiresome.
Well, I suppose I ought to stop the not-quite-procrastinating and review the material for my presentation tomorrow. And find some nice clothes to wear for it.
If you're reading this, it's at least 8 a.m. CST. Cross your fingers that my presentation goes well.
I have a big presentation tomorrow morning at Honeywell. My internship ends on Friday. I get Labor Day, and then school resumes on Tuesday. I've got classes on epidemiology (infestion disease statistics), ethics, something about 'risk based decision making', and my thesis research. Oh, an apparently the course which equals my internship, which I forgot to register for. At least this way it's being paid for NIOSH, rather than my husband.
Our power just went out. Apparently Mother Nature is trying to catch up with our drought and dump it all tonight. One of those gung-ho Midwest storms, complete with tons of lightning. Thank goodness for the battery in my laptop.
My term paper about the methods of analysis of radioactive fallout from the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl is what I'm procrastinating about. And the final exam for the class.
Gregor's vocabulary is pretty small still. However, his newest word is Mull [trash]. He now has a stuffed weasel (ferret?); it was an inadvertant, spontaneous purchase at Ikea. I was pushing him around in the shopping car, and had to go through the Ikea-Kids department. He grabbed the ferret out of its bin. Soft, cute, he grabbed it and held it in his arms with a big smile. Great. Sure, he can hang onto it while I go compare prices for bedframes. About 15 minutes later, I realize the error of my decision: one ought never let a teething child have a soft cuddly toy which doesn't belong to him. The animal's tail was thoroughly wet from being chewed upon. Ah, well, at least it was only $7.95. And he still likes it.
Power back on.
Michael's German is getting rapidly better. He's still obsessed with Cars. Temper tantrums are becoming a bit tiresome.
Well, I suppose I ought to stop the not-quite-procrastinating and review the material for my presentation tomorrow. And find some nice clothes to wear for it.
If you're reading this, it's at least 8 a.m. CST. Cross your fingers that my presentation goes well.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Shades of Trainspotting
Peter & I were discussing lord knows what the other day, and got onto the topic of acting in films. We tend to have rather ... um... divergent tastes. I really liked Iron Man. Peter wouldn't watch it if it was on the TV here. We both particularly like the scene "the dirtiest toilet in Scotland" with Ewan McGregor.
McGregor
Gregor
Our darling son #2 is soooo helpful. There had been a minor little accident of biological proportions from son #1. I put the consequent dirty underwear in the toilet bowl to let them soak the ... um... off. We had dinner. Gregor finished early & got down from the table. He went downstairs to play. Right? Flush ..........
Adios underwear.
Of course, the toilet stopped working.
Hola toilet plunger. plunger? yooo hoooo... no idea where it is. Great shades of Trainspotting, I tried to get them out. Thankfully, not head first.
Zoom out to Target. Buy new plunger. Go home. Plunge.
Shut the door to the bathroom.
McGregor
Gregor
Our darling son #2 is soooo helpful. There had been a minor little accident of biological proportions from son #1. I put the consequent dirty underwear in the toilet bowl to let them soak the ... um... off. We had dinner. Gregor finished early & got down from the table. He went downstairs to play. Right? Flush ..........
Adios underwear.
Of course, the toilet stopped working.
Hola toilet plunger. plunger? yooo hoooo... no idea where it is. Great shades of Trainspotting, I tried to get them out. Thankfully, not head first.
Zoom out to Target. Buy new plunger. Go home. Plunge.
Shut the door to the bathroom.
Ferraro
Totally loving MPR's coverage of the DNC. One of the political bloggers on their staff - the chief news editor or somesuch - posted a question about whether the Clinton delegates ought to cast their votes for Obama. His point was that reading her speech was much more moving and clearly better written than listening to her deliver it. (it was a blanket statement, not just pointed at her.) It was something we had been discussing in passing a day or so ago. I posted the following on his blog.
"How can you not cast that vote?"
Couldn't.
If I was delegated to vote for her, I would. Period. For the primary reason critical to our democracy, I pledged to do so. I keep my word, as I would hope the politicians I elect would also do so. (ha!)
Second, and perhaps the vicious little voice in my head: Obama doesn't *have* to get the nomination. If more of the delegates vote for Clinton, she would get it. After all, if I *really* wanted her to get it, why not give it the last try? The convention is the true and final doorway to November 6, not the primaries.
Today the conventions have become an idol worshiping festival. Her delegates ought to vote for her, if they are committed to do so. It might bring the conventions back to having a real function. (might or might not be good, but it would be more than a love-fest in Denver).
My grandmother was 13 when women were granted the right to vote. I was born 42 years ago, long enough that I remember Geraldine Ferraro being selected to run as VP. I was 18 in 1984, when she was on the ticket. I didn't have to imagine: I cast my first presidential vote for a ticket with a woman.
And why have I never heard Ferraro mentioned in this race? Not to be too cynical, but is it because it might detract from H.Clinton's "first woman ever" mantra? Clinton's supporters are offended that Obama didn't "respect her enough"? I am offended that I never heard her mention Geraldine Ferraro's accomplishments, even if it was only mentioning that her laying one more brick on the path that Clinton could follow to the Big Ticket. Somewhere amidst the idolatrous "18 million cracks" hooey. Hey, Ferraro was even from NY. She served as an ambassador to B.Clinton. It's not like H.Clinton wouldn't know who she was.
If I had been in Clinton's position yesterday, I would not have let go of my delegates until after the first vote. Partially, simply because I didn't have to. Partially to make my final stamp: see what I have done. And, partially, so that my delegates could concretely see what *they*, as delegates, had accomplished (to make them less divisive after the convention).
If you're reading speeches, try the Montana governor (whose name eludes me). *He* was a great speaker last night.
"How can you not cast that vote?"
Couldn't.
If I was delegated to vote for her, I would. Period. For the primary reason critical to our democracy, I pledged to do so. I keep my word, as I would hope the politicians I elect would also do so. (ha!)
Second, and perhaps the vicious little voice in my head: Obama doesn't *have* to get the nomination. If more of the delegates vote for Clinton, she would get it. After all, if I *really* wanted her to get it, why not give it the last try? The convention is the true and final doorway to November 6, not the primaries.
Today the conventions have become an idol worshiping festival. Her delegates ought to vote for her, if they are committed to do so. It might bring the conventions back to having a real function. (might or might not be good, but it would be more than a love-fest in Denver).
My grandmother was 13 when women were granted the right to vote. I was born 42 years ago, long enough that I remember Geraldine Ferraro being selected to run as VP. I was 18 in 1984, when she was on the ticket. I didn't have to imagine: I cast my first presidential vote for a ticket with a woman.
And why have I never heard Ferraro mentioned in this race? Not to be too cynical, but is it because it might detract from H.Clinton's "first woman ever" mantra? Clinton's supporters are offended that Obama didn't "respect her enough"? I am offended that I never heard her mention Geraldine Ferraro's accomplishments, even if it was only mentioning that her laying one more brick on the path that Clinton could follow to the Big Ticket. Somewhere amidst the idolatrous "18 million cracks" hooey. Hey, Ferraro was even from NY. She served as an ambassador to B.Clinton. It's not like H.Clinton wouldn't know who she was.
If I had been in Clinton's position yesterday, I would not have let go of my delegates until after the first vote. Partially, simply because I didn't have to. Partially to make my final stamp: see what I have done. And, partially, so that my delegates could concretely see what *they*, as delegates, had accomplished (to make them less divisive after the convention).
If you're reading speeches, try the Montana governor (whose name eludes me). *He* was a great speaker last night.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Def: Patriotic
The word patriotic should be struck from the (American) English language.
I'm so completely sick & tired of this word being bandied about as some sort of touchstone to demand immediate and abject acceptance of whatever harebrained dumb-fuck opinion is being offered.
"Some authors ... argue that patriotism is distinguished from nationalism by its lack of aggression or hatred for others..." obviously these are authors who've never visited the USA recently.
The Correlates of War project found some correlation between War propensity and patriotism. Yup, the 'my country, right or wrong' - which in reality means "my country, but only if I get it my way, and if everyone else likes my way".
I guess I totally fail to be a patriot. As long as my kids get a good education, the roads are maintained in good working order, the level of crime is manageable, and the politicians aren't totally gutting my financial input to the country, ... oh, I guess none of that's happening anyway. I really don't give a damn what we call it.
"I'm proud to be an American" ... yeah?
So what have you done about it recently that would make me want to be American?
I'm so completely sick & tired of this word being bandied about as some sort of touchstone to demand immediate and abject acceptance of whatever harebrained dumb-fuck opinion is being offered.
"Some authors ... argue that patriotism is distinguished from nationalism by its lack of aggression or hatred for others..." obviously these are authors who've never visited the USA recently.
The Correlates of War project found some correlation between War propensity and patriotism. Yup, the 'my country, right or wrong' - which in reality means "my country, but only if I get it my way, and if everyone else likes my way".
I guess I totally fail to be a patriot. As long as my kids get a good education, the roads are maintained in good working order, the level of crime is manageable, and the politicians aren't totally gutting my financial input to the country, ... oh, I guess none of that's happening anyway. I really don't give a damn what we call it.
"I'm proud to be an American" ... yeah?
So what have you done about it recently that would make me want to be American?
Please, mommy ...... but I waaaaaaant it!
Despite what I might or might not thing of Pawlenty, or the DNC, I completely fail to believe - as stated in this DNC press release - that the governor has any obligation, where he "failed to take adequate action to help Americans in jeopardy of losing their homes".
I thought I was supposed to be a responsible adult? I didn't take out a debt I couldn't pay. Do you want to fix the housing crisis...? Let the housing crisis fix itself. Sit back and watch the homes foreclose.
What else is going to convince people to be better stewards of their own money? This Interventionist attitude treats us like we're 6 years old and can just rely on Mommy to bail us out, after choosing a toy we can't really afford.
Like the Governor is supposed to be responsible for holding my hand to make sure my mortgage is paid?
I thought I was supposed to be a responsible adult? I didn't take out a debt I couldn't pay. Do you want to fix the housing crisis...? Let the housing crisis fix itself. Sit back and watch the homes foreclose.
What else is going to convince people to be better stewards of their own money? This Interventionist attitude treats us like we're 6 years old and can just rely on Mommy to bail us out, after choosing a toy we can't really afford.
Like the Governor is supposed to be responsible for holding my hand to make sure my mortgage is paid?
Monday, August 25, 2008
VP T-Paw?
Will Governor Tim Pawlenty become our nation's next vice president? It's hard to keep track of all the many factors at play. Each week, the VP Pawlenty Meter (TM) provides an odds sheet to ensure you make your best bet.
OK, first a confession: We have no inside dope, so we don't really know for sure that Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty will be chosen by McCain this week. Which means we may very well look just as foolish as the rest of the media when they were prematurely forecasting Obama's pick. But the stars are certainly seeming to line up in his favor. - City Pages
Minnesotans are struggling between paying attention to the Fried Food on a Stick at the State Fair this week, or wondering if the Gov will be the Veep. (BTW - the paper has a horrid photo of him, he really doesn't look that dorky.) I think the Fair's winning. After all, we won't really be able to avoid the whole thing by Monday, when the Axis of Evil invades our fair cities.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Shock & Awe
Millionaire vs. Meth
Wow. Airing on prime time in the Big Sky country. The video clip appearing when you click on the link is the most .... um, just the most.
Tie vote for Most Creepy - and probably most likely to effect teenaged girls just developing their sexuality. Top of page: "Sisters"
The Montana Meth Project today [sic] unveiled its new advertising campaign, including a series of television ads directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, the Oscar-nominated director and producer whose works include “Babel,” “21 Grams,” and “Amores Perros.”
Want good ads? Don't hire the schoolhouse rock crew.
This is not your parents' "Just Say No".
Wow. Airing on prime time in the Big Sky country. The video clip appearing when you click on the link is the most .... um, just the most.
Tie vote for Most Creepy - and probably most likely to effect teenaged girls just developing their sexuality. Top of page: "Sisters"
The Montana Meth Project today [sic] unveiled its new advertising campaign, including a series of television ads directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, the Oscar-nominated director and producer whose works include “Babel,” “21 Grams,” and “Amores Perros.”
Want good ads? Don't hire the schoolhouse rock crew.
This is not your parents' "Just Say No".
[def.] Point Source
Point source, a natural or anthropogenic discharge location producing unwanted materials into the environment
my first personal contribution to Wikipedia. Cool, eh? Maybe if I thoroughly contribute to the page for this, I'll get bonus points from my Public Health Pollution professor?
Hey, this isn't even really procrastination. I noticed it was absent when looking for it for an assignment.
my first personal contribution to Wikipedia. Cool, eh? Maybe if I thoroughly contribute to the page for this, I'll get bonus points from my Public Health Pollution professor?
Hey, this isn't even really procrastination. I noticed it was absent when looking for it for an assignment.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Great Minnesota Get-Together
1,500,000 people at the State Fair **
7,000 applications for
3,000 workers
2,714 4-H animal exhibitors, of which are:
580 beef
283 rabbits
280 poultry
267 goats
471 dairy animals
381 sheep
453 swine
450 different foods for sale
63 of which are sold on a stick
4 sold by the bucket
50 games on the midway
5,000 entries in the Creative Activities, of which there are
19 categories for cookies
6 categories for scrapbooking
11 categories for competitive stamp collecting
4 sheep which will eat radio microphone if opportunity presents
10 times per day ask 4-H ers to sweep cattle barn
14 4-H ers seen texting and sweeping
200 animals will be born at the fair
Misidentification of animals by parents to their children:
3 identified lambs as "goats"
5 identified turkeys as "geese"
1 identified a duck as a "pelican"
only 12 days to get all of this in!
**This year, I guess it will be 1,499,996 people in attendance, since the 4 of us won't be going.
7,000 applications for
3,000 workers
2,714 4-H animal exhibitors, of which are:
580 beef
283 rabbits
280 poultry
267 goats
471 dairy animals
381 sheep
453 swine
450 different foods for sale
63 of which are sold on a stick
4 sold by the bucket
50 games on the midway
5,000 entries in the Creative Activities, of which there are
19 categories for cookies
6 categories for scrapbooking
11 categories for competitive stamp collecting
4 sheep which will eat radio microphone if opportunity presents
10 times per day ask 4-H ers to sweep cattle barn
14 4-H ers seen texting and sweeping
200 animals will be born at the fair
Misidentification of animals by parents to their children:
3 identified lambs as "goats"
5 identified turkeys as "geese"
1 identified a duck as a "pelican"
only 12 days to get all of this in!
**This year, I guess it will be 1,499,996 people in attendance, since the 4 of us won't be going.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Sparklers, Bullets, Roller Coasters, Falafel & Kinderstube
At the GAI German Festival
4th July had sparklers with some of the neighborhood kids.
Gregor's godfather, Joachim, visited us earlier this month. If you were there, you might remember him as the organist for our wedding in Gladbeck. We had fun at the park. Entirely missed the drive-by shooting that happened less than 100 yards from where we were.
We repeated last Summer's visit to Valley Fair. This time, Gregor was large enough to ride in some of the kiddie rides. Peter also took him on one of the big-people rides.
In the front row of the roller coaster. I think this was Michael's favorite ride. The ride (The Mild Thing) gave the kids 3 round trips. After each time around, the cars came to a complete stop, and each kid had to give a thumbs-up to indicate that they still wanted to ride. Occasionally a kid went around once, realized they didn't want it, and could easily get off. Michael, as seen in the photo, wasn't even waiting for the trip to stop or be asked if he wanted to keep going. As soon as it hit the turn into the station, his thumb was sticking right up. As he repeatedly cried throughout the day "more! more! more!"
Our little adrenalin junkie. Right most with blue hat.
playing mechanic
Sunday afternoon: Falafel & Mr. Giraffe
At GAI Familientag / Family Day. It was a celebration held by the Germanic American Institute, which runs the German immersion schools (2 preschools & K-8). Michael is going to the Kinderstube (preschool). His German has been getting markedly better in the past 3 months. It is more often complete sentences. And it's separating from English a bit more. This evening, he was speaking with Peter on the phone, and when Peter didn't understand the German, Michael repeated himself in English. Papa, ich will dich nicht da bleiben. I don't want you to stay there.
It's been great for Michael making new friends. He is sad that a couple of his new friends are leaving in a couple weeks to go to kindergarden. He wants to go with them. Since they're going to the German kindergarden, we're hoping that he can, indeed, go. We are struggling with getting him to understand that he can't go right now with them. "you need to wait until next September" just isn't really temporally comprehensible to a 4 year old.
In the clip, this is a group of children from Michael's class & his favorite teacher, Frau Anna. The audio is poor. Poor to mediocre video.
Gregor
4th July had sparklers with some of the neighborhood kids.
Gregor's godfather, Joachim, visited us earlier this month. If you were there, you might remember him as the organist for our wedding in Gladbeck. We had fun at the park. Entirely missed the drive-by shooting that happened less than 100 yards from where we were.
We repeated last Summer's visit to Valley Fair. This time, Gregor was large enough to ride in some of the kiddie rides. Peter also took him on one of the big-people rides.
In the front row of the roller coaster. I think this was Michael's favorite ride. The ride (The Mild Thing) gave the kids 3 round trips. After each time around, the cars came to a complete stop, and each kid had to give a thumbs-up to indicate that they still wanted to ride. Occasionally a kid went around once, realized they didn't want it, and could easily get off. Michael, as seen in the photo, wasn't even waiting for the trip to stop or be asked if he wanted to keep going. As soon as it hit the turn into the station, his thumb was sticking right up. As he repeatedly cried throughout the day "more! more! more!"
Our little adrenalin junkie. Right most with blue hat.
playing mechanic
Sunday afternoon: Falafel & Mr. Giraffe
At GAI Familientag / Family Day. It was a celebration held by the Germanic American Institute, which runs the German immersion schools (2 preschools & K-8). Michael is going to the Kinderstube (preschool). His German has been getting markedly better in the past 3 months. It is more often complete sentences. And it's separating from English a bit more. This evening, he was speaking with Peter on the phone, and when Peter didn't understand the German, Michael repeated himself in English. Papa, ich will dich nicht da bleiben. I don't want you to stay there.
It's been great for Michael making new friends. He is sad that a couple of his new friends are leaving in a couple weeks to go to kindergarden. He wants to go with them. Since they're going to the German kindergarden, we're hoping that he can, indeed, go. We are struggling with getting him to understand that he can't go right now with them. "you need to wait until next September" just isn't really temporally comprehensible to a 4 year old.
In the clip, this is a group of children from Michael's class & his favorite teacher, Frau Anna. The audio is poor. Poor to mediocre video.
Gregor
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Ready to be Morally Offended?
While looking for something else on the archdiocese's website, I noticed they have movie reviews. No doubt for Good Catholics who don't want to be morally offended. Because Roger Ebert is probably too much of a heretic. So, their ratings are:
A-I General audience
A-II Adults & Adolescents
so far, so good. better than some random -13 age.
A-III Adults
actually, I'm finding this pretty good (as a system, not nescessarily how they are applying it)
L Limited audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling
fair enough, just because it's 'adult' doesn't mean I want to watch slasher films
O Morally offensive
So, how is this system applied?
L -
a strong caution must be raised about the underlying "anything-goes-for-love" message and several other problematic elements. Overall freewheeling morality, light sexual references and innuendo, casual treatment of marriage, divorce and nonmarital relations, some vulgar gestures, brief rear-nudity sight gag, an anti-Catholic remark and a few crass words. [Mama Mia!]
and yet,
A-III
Brief, nongraphic adulterous sexual activity, much rough and crude language and sexual references [Days & Clouds - another 'if it's got subtitles we don't apply the rules equally]
O -
Tropic Thunder
Pineapple Express
Step Brothers
The Wackiness
Wanted
The Love Guru
Sex and the City
I think I'm ready to be morally offended
A-I General audience
A-II Adults & Adolescents
so far, so good. better than some random -13 age.
A-III Adults
actually, I'm finding this pretty good (as a system, not nescessarily how they are applying it)
L Limited audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling
fair enough, just because it's 'adult' doesn't mean I want to watch slasher films
O Morally offensive
So, how is this system applied?
L -
a strong caution must be raised about the underlying "anything-goes-for-love" message and several other problematic elements. Overall freewheeling morality, light sexual references and innuendo, casual treatment of marriage, divorce and nonmarital relations, some vulgar gestures, brief rear-nudity sight gag, an anti-Catholic remark and a few crass words. [Mama Mia!]
and yet,
A-III
Brief, nongraphic adulterous sexual activity, much rough and crude language and sexual references [Days & Clouds - another 'if it's got subtitles we don't apply the rules equally]
O -
Tropic Thunder
Pineapple Express
Step Brothers
The Wackiness
Wanted
The Love Guru
Sex and the City
I think I'm ready to be morally offended
Homeless in a Desert of Wealth
This is identical to the banner hanging across the front of the Dorothy Day Center. The Monument to Poverty across the street from the soon-to-be-consecrated Temple of Evil in St. Paul.
i.e., the central homeless shelter is directly across the street from the Xcel Energy Center.
Apparently it caused quite a little stir when the Powers That Be realized that their Only Secret Service Pre-Approval Security Zone includes the homeless shelter. And we all know what sort of rock-throwing suicide-bombing terrorists those homeless folks are.
And, yes, it was strongly suggested to shut down the shelter for the duration of the convention. A fact greeted by shocked silence, swiftly followed by a hue and cry. Did the idiots actually think the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of one of the most liberal metropolitan areas would go quietly into the night at such stupid suggestion as this?
Not only are they staying open, they are expanding services and bed space.
i.e., the central homeless shelter is directly across the street from the Xcel Energy Center.
Apparently it caused quite a little stir when the Powers That Be realized that their Only Secret Service Pre-Approval Security Zone includes the homeless shelter. And we all know what sort of rock-throwing suicide-bombing terrorists those homeless folks are.
And, yes, it was strongly suggested to shut down the shelter for the duration of the convention. A fact greeted by shocked silence, swiftly followed by a hue and cry. Did the idiots actually think the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of one of the most liberal metropolitan areas would go quietly into the night at such stupid suggestion as this?
Not only are they staying open, they are expanding services and bed space.
People v. ?
Really, come on out to visit in 2 weeks! Minnesota Nice will even assure you that you have legal representation after getting arrested!
War
Sometimes I wonder if still photography doesn't have more impact than film. Moving pictures certainly have the power of making it seem more 'real' (although my brother assures me that nothing you see on the screen is actually real). Only photographs give the opportunity to simply gaze up on an unchanging image.
Old enough to have seen this over and over. and again. and again. ...
Mechanized warfare
Is he even old enough to buy beer?
Leaves me thinking of the Gaming Guys. And spending a weekend up in Cadillac w/ the Michigan National Guard wargaming with Charlie Company. I see these photos and can only see the faces of the men I knew there.
Old enough to have seen this over and over. and again. and again. ...
Mechanized warfare
Is he even old enough to buy beer?
Leaves me thinking of the Gaming Guys. And spending a weekend up in Cadillac w/ the Michigan National Guard wargaming with Charlie Company. I see these photos and can only see the faces of the men I knew there.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Time of Mourning
I need to sit and cry.
My hard drive suffered, died, and was buried. Unfortunately, there will be no 3rd day resurrection.
I'm not sure if I'm more devastated about losing 9 months of academic work or 9 months of family photos
or 9 months of
financial records;
writing that long story;
poetry I copied;
a few novels I bought electronically;
several downloaded music albums
Great - so Apple fixed the cracked cover on my keyboard, cleaned my screen, generally cleaned the dust bunnies out, and I've got the new wiz-bang ops. sys. Great, whoppitity-do. Where's my shopping list? Where's that list of legislators I was going to write? That stupendous photo from Earth Day 1970? The 2 months worth of work for my term paper? Countless hours of organizing things for class and home?
If there was anything I was going to send you ... I won't. That great photo of the boys? Not that either.
Might as well cry.
My hard drive suffered, died, and was buried. Unfortunately, there will be no 3rd day resurrection.
I'm not sure if I'm more devastated about losing 9 months of academic work or 9 months of family photos
or 9 months of
financial records;
writing that long story;
poetry I copied;
a few novels I bought electronically;
several downloaded music albums
Great - so Apple fixed the cracked cover on my keyboard, cleaned my screen, generally cleaned the dust bunnies out, and I've got the new wiz-bang ops. sys. Great, whoppitity-do. Where's my shopping list? Where's that list of legislators I was going to write? That stupendous photo from Earth Day 1970? The 2 months worth of work for my term paper? Countless hours of organizing things for class and home?
If there was anything I was going to send you ... I won't. That great photo of the boys? Not that either.
Might as well cry.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Benefits of Infidelity.
How many different times in one article can someone espouse the idea that 'what goes on within a marriage is no one's business', swiftly followed by '... then we have a right to know'?
Who the hell cares who he was sleeping with? Is his dick on GPS (Global Positioning system)? Or maybe a VPS (vaginal positioning system)?
Why is staying married after an affair/marital infidelity/screwing around so utterly incomprehensible? Just because divorce is easy to do, does it need to be easy to choose? Who are we to judge her decisions? Maybe she just doesn't care that much if he is playing hide the wiener with someone else? Maybe he sucks in bed, and she's glad to have a break. Maybe she's got a boy-toy on the side and is gleefully laughing at the media attention being drawn away from her own vices?
Who cares?
I really don't care if the president is screwing around on his/her spouse. Does this display grave moral defect? Sure. So does eliminating social security. So does invading Iraq on inadequate grounds. So does tax breaks for the rich...
And you know what?
All of those other things screw the poor, screw the many, screw the powerless. These screw me, without my consent.
Let him go screw anyone he wants, individually. It will be a welcome break from the entire government trying to rape my sanity and pocketbook.
Why attribute her actions as a "lioness defending her cubs"? Why not simply assume that she made an adult decision to stay married to him?
People don't want to believe this. The masses would rather believe that there is an absolutist right/wrong, black/white. They don't want to take the time to attribute deeper motives than some biological pre-programed instinct. They want to believe that She Couldn't Help Herself. You women want to be treated like you've got brains, and not just ovaries? Assume that she made a choice of her own free will, whether or not you understand or approve of it. That's women's lib.
Who the hell cares who he was sleeping with? Is his dick on GPS (Global Positioning system)? Or maybe a VPS (vaginal positioning system)?
Why is staying married after an affair/marital infidelity/screwing around so utterly incomprehensible? Just because divorce is easy to do, does it need to be easy to choose? Who are we to judge her decisions? Maybe she just doesn't care that much if he is playing hide the wiener with someone else? Maybe he sucks in bed, and she's glad to have a break. Maybe she's got a boy-toy on the side and is gleefully laughing at the media attention being drawn away from her own vices?
Who cares?
I really don't care if the president is screwing around on his/her spouse. Does this display grave moral defect? Sure. So does eliminating social security. So does invading Iraq on inadequate grounds. So does tax breaks for the rich...
And you know what?
All of those other things screw the poor, screw the many, screw the powerless. These screw me, without my consent.
Let him go screw anyone he wants, individually. It will be a welcome break from the entire government trying to rape my sanity and pocketbook.
Why attribute her actions as a "lioness defending her cubs"? Why not simply assume that she made an adult decision to stay married to him?
People don't want to believe this. The masses would rather believe that there is an absolutist right/wrong, black/white. They don't want to take the time to attribute deeper motives than some biological pre-programed instinct. They want to believe that She Couldn't Help Herself. You women want to be treated like you've got brains, and not just ovaries? Assume that she made a choice of her own free will, whether or not you understand or approve of it. That's women's lib.
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Worst
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night ...
Minnesota's on-going contribution to our nation's high standards of education and culture. "Russ Winter, of Janesville, Minn., was runner-up last week in the detective division of San Jose State University's 26th annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for writing an opening sentence to a nonexistent novel." -Mpls Strib
While his was amusing, the Grand Prize winner was truly momentous.
Theirs was a New York love, a checkered taxi ride burning rubber, and like the city their passion was open 24/7, steam rising from their bodies like slick streets exhaling warm, moist, white breath through manhole covers stamped 'Forged by DeLaney Bros., Piscataway, N.J.'
and who thought north Jersey couldn't be romantic?
Minnesota's on-going contribution to our nation's high standards of education and culture. "Russ Winter, of Janesville, Minn., was runner-up last week in the detective division of San Jose State University's 26th annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for writing an opening sentence to a nonexistent novel." -Mpls Strib
While his was amusing, the Grand Prize winner was truly momentous.
Theirs was a New York love, a checkered taxi ride burning rubber, and like the city their passion was open 24/7, steam rising from their bodies like slick streets exhaling warm, moist, white breath through manhole covers stamped 'Forged by DeLaney Bros., Piscataway, N.J.'
and who thought north Jersey couldn't be romantic?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
best ACT scores = Blue?
4th year in a row, Minnesota has the highest average ACT in the country. Of course, no one in the local media mentioned where (geographically within Minn.) those test scores were the highest. The western 'burbs, where the highest $ is? I'd be more interested in how the scores were distributed across various factors: local average income, local per capita spending on schools, in the Twin Cities or out, &c.
I expect the Republican Idiots in St. Paul to abruptly use this as justification for cutting or eliminating early childhood education (which is stunningly huge here). Ignoring the fact that these past 4 years of results are the result of having the ECFE in place.
I expect the Republican Idiots in St. Paul to abruptly use this as justification for cutting or eliminating early childhood education (which is stunningly huge here). Ignoring the fact that these past 4 years of results are the result of having the ECFE in place.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Professional Rant
Research scientist commits suicide and is now being tried in popular media obviously this might hold no interest to you, and you're free to ignore it.
I was eagerly anticipating what the media was going to report about this ... I was perfectly willing to believe they had the wrong person. After all, other innocent people have gone to jail. Is this the epitome of "trial by the media" or what? After reading this, I find it even more ludicrous that the gov't claimed "there was no evidence that anyone else was involved." That is simply, patently false. What do they call the other two people who were splashed across the media, as being under serious suspicion? How about Steven Hathill, whom the gov't is paying $6 million for damages after John the Fuckhead Ashcroft blabbed his name as a suspect? Or the other fellow who wasn't an American citizen?
I dealt with people from USAMRIID. I've even visited it, and seen their gung-ho biological containment labs. [pretty cool, considering they're retrofitted into a 1950s building]. I dealt with anthrax at my job.
Okay, to put this all in perspective: at my last (unspecified) place of employment, where we had lots and lots of anthrax, I was the person responsible for all transfers of the material to any other agency. I got questioned by the FBI about this, in the aftermath of the anthrax letters. I had to cope with a consultant (of an unspecified agency) who showed up at work, and informed me that he had taken a couple of vials of viable anthrax bacteria with him, on a plane, from our labs to his employer in another state. This happened *after* the bioterrorism attacks. I don't think anything in my entire professional career has struck me so totally dumb. I spent the rest of the week straightening out this farce with the relevant federal authorities, who are supposed to be notified prior to a shipment, which is supposed to only happen with other licensed labs. Which he wasn't. All through this, and the total wrath of God never fell on him. I called and strongly suggested to the relevant federal authorities that they ought to do so. Nope. On a plane!! And he was so "I'm macho, look what I did" about it. The look on his face after I suggested he accompany me to the company president's office was no quite so macho. A rare point of walking up to the Big Man's door, and simply announcing to his secretary 'I needed to see him right now and I'll wait'.
So, you can bank on it: any total idiot could get away with stealing the stuff. It wouldn't require a highly educated scientist.
Just in case you are fond of reading conspiracy theory websites/blogs, feel free to go there, rather than my professional irritation. In the AP & Reuters' articles, the following statements were made. Unfortunately, my personal opinions weren't. :)
a) vaccinated for anthrax & yellow fever
He was required to get this simply because of his job requirements. I'm not guessing here; the gov't has the same requirements my employer did. I got vaccinated for it (anthrax), too, for the same reasons as Ivins.
vaccinations were "several weeks before the first anthrax-laced envelope"
Annual booster shots are required for this; and for someone who's never gotten vaccinated, it would take a lot longer for the immunization to fully take effect (18 months, actually). Not to mention, Ivins would have had to been growing the stuff for much longer than "early September". Ivins would also have been getting vaccinated for anthrax for years. As no one has accused him of stupidity, it's safe to conclude that he knew this. This is one point which is completely, 100% total fear-mongering. Anyone working with virulent B. anthracis who has the opportunity would get vaccinated against it.
If this vaccination is so suspicious, why aren't they looking for yellow fever organisms, as well?
b) "adequate explanation for his late laboratory work hours around the time of the attacks"
Can you seriously provide "adequate" information about what you were doing 7 years ago at work?
c) "sought to frame unnamed co-workers" -
does this mean he simply stated who else had access to the material, and could have been guilty?
FBI: Who else might have done this?
Answer: Jane Doe
... sounds quite a bit different than
FBI: "Good Morning"
Answer: "pssst, hey, you should go look at her, she's here late all the time and hates Bush".
d) "the genetic parent to the powder involved" - to me, this does not mean "same as" or "identical to"
e) "sole custodian of" doesn't sound like "only person who could had access to"
f) "taking 22 swabs of vacuum filters and radiators and seizing dozens of items" - no where do the words which tested positive for B. anthracis appear in this sentence.
g) Items seized: "among them were video cassettes, family photos, information about guns and a copy of The Plague by Albert Camus"
Yeah, cause sure as shit, owning a gun makes you a bioterrorist (like all those lunatics in Idaho, where anthrax is easily found in ordinary soil, while they're out shooting shit). And the Ivins family photos are certainly critical to establishing whether or not he was growing this crap in his basement.
h) The Plague?
Some 1940s novel set in Africa?
How about Preston's The Hot Zone, a non-fiction book, set in his own place of work?
How about Miller's The Coming Plauge, about epidemic possibilities across the globe today?
But most particuarly, I'm curious to know if he had a copy of Alibek's Biohazard, yet another non-fiction description about the development of Soviet anthrax warfare projects in the 1990s? Especially since I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that Ivins knew Alibek personally.
[ ... all 3 are, by the way, great books ... maybe I'd better get rid of all of the books on bioterrorism in the house. And, yes, I have several, but not Camus ...]
i) "affidavit filed by Charles B. Wickersham, a postal inspector, the scientist told an unnamed co-worker" - and just how does a postal inspector come into any knowledge about what some other dude at USAMRIID thinks about the deceased? If it is such credible information, why don't they have an affidavit from the co-worker?
j) "The FBI's investigation had dragged on for years, tarnishing the reputation of the agency in the process." Well, no shit, Sherlock.
k) "tracing back to Ivins' lab the type of envelopes used"
tracking back to his lab
= Government purchase order for the office supplies
= no one else at Ft. Detrick with access to the laboratories could possibly have had the same envelopes
= it was the cheapest thing the gov't could buy
= I could probably buy it at some dime store.
as an editorial note, having just cleaned up the grammar/spelling & applied my Professional Appropriateness Language Function (apologies to all, if you read this earlier and were put off). I don't mind using crass language for effect, but I do avoid it at work or in professional endeavors. This blog isn't my professional work, and the "turn off coarse language" option didn't get selected.
I was eagerly anticipating what the media was going to report about this ... I was perfectly willing to believe they had the wrong person. After all, other innocent people have gone to jail. Is this the epitome of "trial by the media" or what? After reading this, I find it even more ludicrous that the gov't claimed "there was no evidence that anyone else was involved." That is simply, patently false. What do they call the other two people who were splashed across the media, as being under serious suspicion? How about Steven Hathill, whom the gov't is paying $6 million for damages after John the Fuckhead Ashcroft blabbed his name as a suspect? Or the other fellow who wasn't an American citizen?
I dealt with people from USAMRIID. I've even visited it, and seen their gung-ho biological containment labs. [pretty cool, considering they're retrofitted into a 1950s building]. I dealt with anthrax at my job.
Okay, to put this all in perspective: at my last (unspecified) place of employment, where we had lots and lots of anthrax, I was the person responsible for all transfers of the material to any other agency. I got questioned by the FBI about this, in the aftermath of the anthrax letters. I had to cope with a consultant (of an unspecified agency) who showed up at work, and informed me that he had taken a couple of vials of viable anthrax bacteria with him, on a plane, from our labs to his employer in another state. This happened *after* the bioterrorism attacks. I don't think anything in my entire professional career has struck me so totally dumb. I spent the rest of the week straightening out this farce with the relevant federal authorities, who are supposed to be notified prior to a shipment, which is supposed to only happen with other licensed labs. Which he wasn't. All through this, and the total wrath of God never fell on him. I called and strongly suggested to the relevant federal authorities that they ought to do so. Nope. On a plane!! And he was so "I'm macho, look what I did" about it. The look on his face after I suggested he accompany me to the company president's office was no quite so macho. A rare point of walking up to the Big Man's door, and simply announcing to his secretary 'I needed to see him right now and I'll wait'.
So, you can bank on it: any total idiot could get away with stealing the stuff. It wouldn't require a highly educated scientist.
Just in case you are fond of reading conspiracy theory websites/blogs, feel free to go there, rather than my professional irritation. In the AP & Reuters' articles, the following statements were made. Unfortunately, my personal opinions weren't. :)
a) vaccinated for anthrax & yellow fever
He was required to get this simply because of his job requirements. I'm not guessing here; the gov't has the same requirements my employer did. I got vaccinated for it (anthrax), too, for the same reasons as Ivins.
vaccinations were "several weeks before the first anthrax-laced envelope"
Annual booster shots are required for this; and for someone who's never gotten vaccinated, it would take a lot longer for the immunization to fully take effect (18 months, actually). Not to mention, Ivins would have had to been growing the stuff for much longer than "early September". Ivins would also have been getting vaccinated for anthrax for years. As no one has accused him of stupidity, it's safe to conclude that he knew this. This is one point which is completely, 100% total fear-mongering. Anyone working with virulent B. anthracis who has the opportunity would get vaccinated against it.
If this vaccination is so suspicious, why aren't they looking for yellow fever organisms, as well?
b) "adequate explanation for his late laboratory work hours around the time of the attacks"
Can you seriously provide "adequate" information about what you were doing 7 years ago at work?
c) "sought to frame unnamed co-workers" -
does this mean he simply stated who else had access to the material, and could have been guilty?
FBI: Who else might have done this?
Answer: Jane Doe
... sounds quite a bit different than
FBI: "Good Morning"
Answer: "pssst, hey, you should go look at her, she's here late all the time and hates Bush".
d) "the genetic parent to the powder involved" - to me, this does not mean "same as" or "identical to"
e) "sole custodian of" doesn't sound like "only person who could had access to"
f) "taking 22 swabs of vacuum filters and radiators and seizing dozens of items" - no where do the words which tested positive for B. anthracis appear in this sentence.
g) Items seized: "among them were video cassettes, family photos, information about guns and a copy of The Plague by Albert Camus"
Yeah, cause sure as shit, owning a gun makes you a bioterrorist (like all those lunatics in Idaho, where anthrax is easily found in ordinary soil, while they're out shooting shit). And the Ivins family photos are certainly critical to establishing whether or not he was growing this crap in his basement.
h) The Plague?
Some 1940s novel set in Africa?
How about Preston's The Hot Zone, a non-fiction book, set in his own place of work?
How about Miller's The Coming Plauge, about epidemic possibilities across the globe today?
But most particuarly, I'm curious to know if he had a copy of Alibek's Biohazard, yet another non-fiction description about the development of Soviet anthrax warfare projects in the 1990s? Especially since I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that Ivins knew Alibek personally.
[ ... all 3 are, by the way, great books ... maybe I'd better get rid of all of the books on bioterrorism in the house. And, yes, I have several, but not Camus ...]
i) "affidavit filed by Charles B. Wickersham, a postal inspector, the scientist told an unnamed co-worker" - and just how does a postal inspector come into any knowledge about what some other dude at USAMRIID thinks about the deceased? If it is such credible information, why don't they have an affidavit from the co-worker?
j) "The FBI's investigation had dragged on for years, tarnishing the reputation of the agency in the process." Well, no shit, Sherlock.
k) "tracing back to Ivins' lab the type of envelopes used"
tracking back to his lab
= Government purchase order for the office supplies
= no one else at Ft. Detrick with access to the laboratories could possibly have had the same envelopes
= it was the cheapest thing the gov't could buy
= I could probably buy it at some dime store.
as an editorial note, having just cleaned up the grammar/spelling & applied my Professional Appropriateness Language Function (apologies to all, if you read this earlier and were put off). I don't mind using crass language for effect, but I do avoid it at work or in professional endeavors. This blog isn't my professional work, and the "turn off coarse language" option didn't get selected.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Coffee & Dinosaurs
On Sunday after Mass, we were having our (now) usual lunch at the May Day Cafe, about 2 blocks from our house. The "art" exhibit was - thank goodness - being changed. The new one is dinosaur fossils and a couple casts of fossils. I assume the archaeologist didn't want some stupendous find getting dropped on the coffee shop's floor if/when my sons tried to climb up to see it. The other photos are just the kids. Michael has gotten sporadically camera shy. Since I didn't think you needed to see 5 picture of the back of Michael's head, there's only one of him.
Back to getting up at 3:30 a.m. Good night.
Snakes & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails ... and Dirt
That's what little boys are made of
Real fossils
Cast of a fossil
Same cast, with people for an idea of scale
Michael
Gregor just being cute
Petting Raven
New favorite stuffed toy (weasel? ferret?) and favorite holy grail (mom's night stand with all that 'hands off stuff')
Back to getting up at 3:30 a.m. Good night.
Snakes & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails ... and Dirt
That's what little boys are made of
Real fossils
Cast of a fossil
Same cast, with people for an idea of scale
Michael
Gregor just being cute
Petting Raven
New favorite stuffed toy (weasel? ferret?) and favorite holy grail (mom's night stand with all that 'hands off stuff')
3:00
I don't think I've ever gotten up at 3 a.m. before. Gone to bed, yes. Get out of bed, no. I'll be doing this for the next several days. I will then take a day off and do nothing but sleep.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Over the Hedge
Walk down to the factory floor. Put money in soda pop machine. Get coke. Put money in junk-food dispenser. Get bag of honey-barbeque Fritos. (When are they going to get around to re-filling the chili-cheese ones? what better way of destroying my diet? Sugar, fat & salt all at once!) Watch bag fall.
All I can think of, when I buy something from the vending machines, is the racoon in Over the Hedge. I keep expecting the bag of junk-food to get stuck.
All I can think of, when I buy something from the vending machines, is the racoon in Over the Hedge. I keep expecting the bag of junk-food to get stuck.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Bits & Pieces
This has been a great week. Well, actually only the past few days, but they were great.
1. I have not forgotten everything I knew about organic chemistry. Prof. Moore would probably drop dead (if he hasn't kicked the bucket already)
2. I am not (too far) behind my internship project.
3. I have been mistaken as the daughter of a co-worker from someone thinking I'm about 10 years younger than 42.
4. Need a specialized chemical glove? Pow, got the best answer in 30 seconds.
5. Brainstorm session regarding ergonomic problem no one wants to deal with? My solution was the best liked.
6. The choir fellow at church is very nice, and wants to know when Peter and I will be able to start cantor-ing at mass.
Damn fine few days.
Strangely, the same choir fellow's father is from Clarksburg. Apparently everywhere he's familiar with in the state is around there. I wish I could remember how he spells his name - it sounded familiar.
I can see why Minneapolis is (reputedly) the best place to live - after San Francisco - if you're gay/alternatively-lifestyled.
There's a note I saw about "don't confuse your comfort with your security". Something our Beloved Fuhrer apparently doesn't realize.
The other day at Powderhorn Park (3 blocks away), the boys were the only white kids there. A not uncommon occurrence. Yesterday day at Currie Park (up near the U.), they were again the only white kids. However, this time all of the other kids were Somaali. Not to be too nationalistic, there was a distinctly different feeling between the two. And it wasn't the color of everyone else's skin - it was simply the fact that the black kids in our neighborhood are all American. How far does speaking English go to being One of Us? It's not like the kids were playing any differently: just dressed differently. My own kids are just as American as I am; but running around with their father, one might not think so, since they don't speak English to one another. I never considered whether someone might think they aren't American.
I bought a new bike. Of course, mine has a 1/10th h.p. engine, unlike my brothers'. I don't think Schwinn makes them with motors. It will be a great improvement, since I plan to ride to school come September.
Holy God of Politics!!
It just occurred to me that classes start on Tuesday 9/2, the day after Labor Day. For some reason, I thought the Republican National Jerkoff would be over on Labor Day. Nope! Derailed mass transit, blocked roads, mobs of rabid conservatives ... All between me and the Ivory Tower. Back to the very gay-friendly environment ... perhaps the hoard of gay/lesbian/other should go have a sit-in at the Xcel Center: hold hands, kiss, make out, hell, have sex on the street. Make the moralistic bastards as uncomfortable as possible, and make them leave sooner, so that I can get to classes.
1. I have not forgotten everything I knew about organic chemistry. Prof. Moore would probably drop dead (if he hasn't kicked the bucket already)
2. I am not (too far) behind my internship project.
3. I have been mistaken as the daughter of a co-worker from someone thinking I'm about 10 years younger than 42.
4. Need a specialized chemical glove? Pow, got the best answer in 30 seconds.
5. Brainstorm session regarding ergonomic problem no one wants to deal with? My solution was the best liked.
6. The choir fellow at church is very nice, and wants to know when Peter and I will be able to start cantor-ing at mass.
Damn fine few days.
Strangely, the same choir fellow's father is from Clarksburg. Apparently everywhere he's familiar with in the state is around there. I wish I could remember how he spells his name - it sounded familiar.
I can see why Minneapolis is (reputedly) the best place to live - after San Francisco - if you're gay/alternatively-lifestyled.
There's a note I saw about "don't confuse your comfort with your security". Something our Beloved Fuhrer apparently doesn't realize.
The other day at Powderhorn Park (3 blocks away), the boys were the only white kids there. A not uncommon occurrence. Yesterday day at Currie Park (up near the U.), they were again the only white kids. However, this time all of the other kids were Somaali. Not to be too nationalistic, there was a distinctly different feeling between the two. And it wasn't the color of everyone else's skin - it was simply the fact that the black kids in our neighborhood are all American. How far does speaking English go to being One of Us? It's not like the kids were playing any differently: just dressed differently. My own kids are just as American as I am; but running around with their father, one might not think so, since they don't speak English to one another. I never considered whether someone might think they aren't American.
I bought a new bike. Of course, mine has a 1/10th h.p. engine, unlike my brothers'. I don't think Schwinn makes them with motors. It will be a great improvement, since I plan to ride to school come September.
Holy God of Politics!!
It just occurred to me that classes start on Tuesday 9/2, the day after Labor Day. For some reason, I thought the Republican National Jerkoff would be over on Labor Day. Nope! Derailed mass transit, blocked roads, mobs of rabid conservatives ... All between me and the Ivory Tower. Back to the very gay-friendly environment ... perhaps the hoard of gay/lesbian/other should go have a sit-in at the Xcel Center: hold hands, kiss, make out, hell, have sex on the street. Make the moralistic bastards as uncomfortable as possible, and make them leave sooner, so that I can get to classes.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Drug Running Subs
The Mexican navy says it has seized nearly six tonnes of cocaine found inside a 10m-long (31ft) makeshift submarine in the Pacific Ocean. with video
def: Life of Riley
Well, actually this is a matter of translation
english: to lead the life of Riley
german: living like God in France
english: to lead the life of Riley
german: living like God in France
Your Kids Should Play Soccer
Being able to save passengers on a plane: another reason to play soccer.
Members of the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer were among those who grabbed the passenger near an exit door..., apparently, keeping the idiot from opening the door in mid-flight. Although, I do wonder if you could even open it at altitude ... it would seem like a truly stupid design if you could. After all, there would be no reason to do so without normal air pressure outside the door. But this sounds more heroic.
Gillian Callaghan, who was traveling with her 12-year-old son, said she never panicked because the flight crew seemed to keep things well under control. She said she felt sorry for the man.
“He was just having some troubles, confused, not a scary guy,” she said.
Now, you know if the man had even just looked like an Arab, the entire airport system would have gone on Red Alert, the government would have gone berzerk, and the passengers would have been an emotional disaster, and the soccer team would currently be being hailed as heroes in a much bigger fashion. And this mother would definitely not have said he was 'not a scary guy'.
How sad. I think this just demonstrates the reality of the world. Shit happens, white people do insane things on airplanes, and no one panics.
Members of the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer were among those who grabbed the passenger near an exit door..., apparently, keeping the idiot from opening the door in mid-flight. Although, I do wonder if you could even open it at altitude ... it would seem like a truly stupid design if you could. After all, there would be no reason to do so without normal air pressure outside the door. But this sounds more heroic.
Gillian Callaghan, who was traveling with her 12-year-old son, said she never panicked because the flight crew seemed to keep things well under control. She said she felt sorry for the man.
“He was just having some troubles, confused, not a scary guy,” she said.
Now, you know if the man had even just looked like an Arab, the entire airport system would have gone on Red Alert, the government would have gone berzerk, and the passengers would have been an emotional disaster, and the soccer team would currently be being hailed as heroes in a much bigger fashion. And this mother would definitely not have said he was 'not a scary guy'.
How sad. I think this just demonstrates the reality of the world. Shit happens, white people do insane things on airplanes, and no one panics.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Welcome to America
"Now you can vote. You've got to vote. You've got to vote," she says [to her newly citizen-ed father].
Garubanda is from Uganda and she's on track to become a citizen. And she's already looking forward to registering to vote.
"When I become a citizen, that's the first thing I'm going to do," she says.
This week, 845 of the more than 1,124 people in Minnesota who became citizens turned in their voter registration cards.
And you wonder why Minnesota is consistently the highest turnout rate in the country on election day?
Maybe if all of those jackasses who despise immigrants would just get off their ass and vote, they might get their way because at this rate, the immigrants will out number them, perhaps not in percent of the population, but definitely percent at the polls. I'm at an ethical quandary between "keep your stupid ideas to yourself" and "if only more people voted, our democracy would last longer".
Garubanda is from Uganda and she's on track to become a citizen. And she's already looking forward to registering to vote.
"When I become a citizen, that's the first thing I'm going to do," she says.
This week, 845 of the more than 1,124 people in Minnesota who became citizens turned in their voter registration cards.
And you wonder why Minnesota is consistently the highest turnout rate in the country on election day?
Maybe if all of those jackasses who despise immigrants would just get off their ass and vote, they might get their way because at this rate, the immigrants will out number them, perhaps not in percent of the population, but definitely percent at the polls. I'm at an ethical quandary between "keep your stupid ideas to yourself" and "if only more people voted, our democracy would last longer".
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Cartoon Elephants - 2
An annual solicitation of local cartoon talent took the obvious subject "Cartoon Elephants Come to Town". While all of the images are better than I could produce with a pen, not all of the content was great. 1 or 2 are amusing to local residents (you probably wouldn't recognize our Gov. T-Paw). But, there are a couple I liked.
** I sincerely hope these can be viewed enlarged, since they could from the source material, which is how these are uploaded/linked. My apologies if they aren't, and you can just ignore this and pretend that I posted something sublimely amusing.
*** just checked - click on image to get an enlarged version. You can still pretend it's sublimely amusing.
OKAY, SO OBVIOUSLY THE IMAGES AREN'T APPEARING HERE. I'LL GO BACK & TRY TO JUST INSERT A LINK HERE, WHICH WILL BE FAR LESS AMUSING, SINCE YOU PROBABLY WON'T BOTHER TO OPEN THE LINK, WHICH IS MORE WORK THAN JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WAS POSTED HERE. definitely just pretend it was really funny
3rd try ... if this doesn't work, I"m going to just delete this whole entry.
Didn't make the publisher's cut for the print version, but as far as Truth In Content, this has it.
Mildly amusing in the way only the Truth can be ...
Not Hilarious, but nice use of source material ..
** I sincerely hope these can be viewed enlarged, since they could from the source material, which is how these are uploaded/linked. My apologies if they aren't, and you can just ignore this and pretend that I posted something sublimely amusing.
*** just checked - click on image to get an enlarged version. You can still pretend it's sublimely amusing.
OKAY, SO OBVIOUSLY THE IMAGES AREN'T APPEARING HERE. I'LL GO BACK & TRY TO JUST INSERT A LINK HERE, WHICH WILL BE FAR LESS AMUSING, SINCE YOU PROBABLY WON'T BOTHER TO OPEN THE LINK, WHICH IS MORE WORK THAN JUST LOOKING AT WHAT WAS POSTED HERE. definitely just pretend it was really funny
3rd try ... if this doesn't work, I"m going to just delete this whole entry.
Didn't make the publisher's cut for the print version, but as far as Truth In Content, this has it.
Mildly amusing in the way only the Truth can be ...
Not Hilarious, but nice use of source material ..
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Spam?
I didn't think a blog could get spammed. Pow! 4 spam hits with - of course - stupendously stupid "posts". The little map showing where the hits are ... I'm willing to be all 4 are from the Indonesia/Pakistan hits. Come on... the 2nd hit in N.Z. I'm willing to believe might be from someone reading STFU&GBTW's blog, which has a link here. Pretty much anywhere in the USA, chance. The ones in European countries where I have no in-laws are just confusing.
Who in god' holy name would think this is a real human being?
lotto 649 numbers has left a new comment on your post "Columbus, OH - day 1":
I truly appreciate it.
Seriously, what would it do, if these got posted? Confirm that this blog is connected to a real email account? Would it just spam my account there, too?
Who in god' holy name would think this is a real human being?
lotto 649 numbers has left a new comment on your post "Columbus, OH - day 1":
I truly appreciate it.
Seriously, what would it do, if these got posted? Confirm that this blog is connected to a real email account? Would it just spam my account there, too?
Monday, July 14, 2008
Columbus, OH - day 1
The boys & I were at the zoo today. Michael wanted to nkow "do we have to share our zoo?" This one is "ours", the one in St. Paul isn't. The new exhibit it spectacular. I had no idea how absolutely huge sea otters are. The little cute things living in the lakes and rivers are just stunted little things. Wild pigs are smaller than I thought. The leopard was just as heat-prostrated as I imagined it would be.
The new exhibits for the bears, though, are stunning. We were standing at the side of the swimming pond, which was under cover and glass. Michael mut have spent a full 10 mintues standing 2 feet away from a bear, who was swimming back and forth and doing some bizarre behavior that looked like trying to tap dance on the fish at the bottom of the pond.
In the newly renovated center area, there are new sculpture of the animals recently installed and some of the long-term residents. The photos are the boys next to the baby bear sculpture. The mama bear was about 12 feet high. Michael informed me it was like the bear in Jungle Book. I wanted to know if it was going to sing "Bear Necessities", which he assured me was silly.
oh, and today's bath was unnecessarily exciting. annoying. frustrating. disgusting. demonstrative of maternal love, since they're both still alive. Yes, this would be Micha standing in the tub & pouring water into the tub. And, yes, that would be Gregor, who has just emptied a full 2-Qt pitcher out of the tub, onto the bathroom floor.
The new exhibits for the bears, though, are stunning. We were standing at the side of the swimming pond, which was under cover and glass. Michael mut have spent a full 10 mintues standing 2 feet away from a bear, who was swimming back and forth and doing some bizarre behavior that looked like trying to tap dance on the fish at the bottom of the pond.
In the newly renovated center area, there are new sculpture of the animals recently installed and some of the long-term residents. The photos are the boys next to the baby bear sculpture. The mama bear was about 12 feet high. Michael informed me it was like the bear in Jungle Book. I wanted to know if it was going to sing "Bear Necessities", which he assured me was silly.
oh, and today's bath was unnecessarily exciting. annoying. frustrating. disgusting. demonstrative of maternal love, since they're both still alive. Yes, this would be Micha standing in the tub & pouring water into the tub. And, yes, that would be Gregor, who has just emptied a full 2-Qt pitcher out of the tub, onto the bathroom floor.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Silent Racism ...?
So, there I was ... driving through the Northside (i.e. of Mpls), looking for the GDMFCSSoBs otherwise known as Com-f***ing-cast. Have I mentioned recently that I loathe and despise them? You don’t need to imagine. This should do it quite nicely. The *(*&*%&^ called, expressing their confused concern that someone had put in an order to install service in Apt. 110 (our former residence). This was 3 weeks after we had moved out. and 9 weeks after giving them notification when our service should be terminated. I didn’t even pretend to be confused. I started straight out:
“This is totally unacceptable. I have lost count! First, it takes 6 weeks of unending garbage to convince you to leave my service On. Now, I leave, and 3 weeks later, I find out this time, you’ve never turned it OFF! How can you guys stay in business like this?” oh. i’m sorry. we’ll get it taken care of. “Do your records say I owe you anything? Tell me that you aren’t charging me for the past 3 weeks!” no. no. we’ll take care of it. um, do you have the computer connection box? “The little grey thing with the lights on it?” yes. “Yes, we do. Do you want it back?” yes. But we’ll still screw you by making you drive all over the damn city looking for us. Because we can't possibly be bothered to be able to give you directions to it. We can't even be bothered to tell you which place is closest to you. Because we sure as shit can’t possibly be bothered to have the next Comcast truck swing by your house and pick it up. You know there’s only 14 of them in the 3 million people area, which is why we only make appointments for 4-hour blocks to make you waste your whole day waiting on us, just to facilitate our power trip, reveling in the joys of an unregulated monopoly.
Back in Northside ...
I desperately need to get rid of this damn box. And then I need to go drive around looking for a Walgreen’s to get my prescription refilled. Which at this point is critical. I think I’m on the right track to the elusive Comcast office, when I see a Walgreens. Screeeeeech. Swift right turn into their parking lot. Yes, they can refill it. It will only take 10-15 min. Great. I can put off Comcast for another 20 min. I wander off to the cosmetics aisle, blithely unaware that this store doesn’t get on the PA to announce “Prescription is ready for Tobias”. I’m looking for lipstick. It’s a small store, so I’m not so surprised at the fact they don’t have a monster-sized selection, like the one in the ‘burbs has. However, I am a bit taken aback when I realize that there is not one single container of face powder/foundation that even vaguely matches my skin tone. Not even if I spent the entire Summer outdoors. I stood there, blankly looking between L’Oreal and Revlon. Nada. This must be what it’s like for little black girls who want a Barbie doll that looks like them.
I’m contemplating the cosmetics. A swift glance around the store certainly verifies the selection, since I’m also the only white person in the store. I’m contemplating the fact that I’ve never been anywhere where I am so concretely a racial minority, other than the city buses.
I’m contemplating the reality that I simply expected that they would have cosmetics for me. Why wouldn’t they, after all? They just didn't need my business, or figured that I would simply go somewhere else to get what I wanted. I'm certainly not offended, just startled into someone else's reality.
So, 30+ minutes later, prescription in hand, I am an hour late getting to a location to study, since I also go stuck on 94 due to the fact that 35W is closed between 494 and the Not-Quite-Rebuilt bridge and the 35W/62 interchange might as well be closed. Half of Minneapolis seems to be under construction this Summer. People are complaining, which makes me scratch my head. Not in the No White People Cosmetics way, but simply the amusement of stupidity. They spend the other 9 months of the year bitchin’ and moanin’ about the quality of the roads and the epic size of the pot holes. Now that the DoT is actually doing this, they’re cranky.
“This is totally unacceptable. I have lost count! First, it takes 6 weeks of unending garbage to convince you to leave my service On. Now, I leave, and 3 weeks later, I find out this time, you’ve never turned it OFF! How can you guys stay in business like this?” oh. i’m sorry. we’ll get it taken care of. “Do your records say I owe you anything? Tell me that you aren’t charging me for the past 3 weeks!” no. no. we’ll take care of it. um, do you have the computer connection box? “The little grey thing with the lights on it?” yes. “Yes, we do. Do you want it back?” yes. But we’ll still screw you by making you drive all over the damn city looking for us. Because we can't possibly be bothered to be able to give you directions to it. We can't even be bothered to tell you which place is closest to you. Because we sure as shit can’t possibly be bothered to have the next Comcast truck swing by your house and pick it up. You know there’s only 14 of them in the 3 million people area, which is why we only make appointments for 4-hour blocks to make you waste your whole day waiting on us, just to facilitate our power trip, reveling in the joys of an unregulated monopoly.
Back in Northside ...
I desperately need to get rid of this damn box. And then I need to go drive around looking for a Walgreen’s to get my prescription refilled. Which at this point is critical. I think I’m on the right track to the elusive Comcast office, when I see a Walgreens. Screeeeeech. Swift right turn into their parking lot. Yes, they can refill it. It will only take 10-15 min. Great. I can put off Comcast for another 20 min. I wander off to the cosmetics aisle, blithely unaware that this store doesn’t get on the PA to announce “Prescription is ready for Tobias”. I’m looking for lipstick. It’s a small store, so I’m not so surprised at the fact they don’t have a monster-sized selection, like the one in the ‘burbs has. However, I am a bit taken aback when I realize that there is not one single container of face powder/foundation that even vaguely matches my skin tone. Not even if I spent the entire Summer outdoors. I stood there, blankly looking between L’Oreal and Revlon. Nada. This must be what it’s like for little black girls who want a Barbie doll that looks like them.
I’m contemplating the cosmetics. A swift glance around the store certainly verifies the selection, since I’m also the only white person in the store. I’m contemplating the fact that I’ve never been anywhere where I am so concretely a racial minority, other than the city buses.
I’m contemplating the reality that I simply expected that they would have cosmetics for me. Why wouldn’t they, after all? They just didn't need my business, or figured that I would simply go somewhere else to get what I wanted. I'm certainly not offended, just startled into someone else's reality.
So, 30+ minutes later, prescription in hand, I am an hour late getting to a location to study, since I also go stuck on 94 due to the fact that 35W is closed between 494 and the Not-Quite-Rebuilt bridge and the 35W/62 interchange might as well be closed. Half of Minneapolis seems to be under construction this Summer. People are complaining, which makes me scratch my head. Not in the No White People Cosmetics way, but simply the amusement of stupidity. They spend the other 9 months of the year bitchin’ and moanin’ about the quality of the roads and the epic size of the pot holes. Now that the DoT is actually doing this, they’re cranky.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Happy but not too
The TV actress said she would "happily" take a pay cut if it meant more people could afford to see her on stage.
I notice that nowhere does it say "she happily volunteered to do this for the Proletariat at minimum wage".
"Oh, la, it's so horrible making a living wage. Sure, I would work for less, if I had to. Oh, sorry, got to go, my Blackberry is calling me. We'll chat later about my pay ..."
What crap.
This self-congratulatory blather is more elitist than "give me £50 for a ticket." I've never paid that much for one. Not even the Phantom of the Opera production in Toronto. She's totally living in a financial disconnect with reality.
Sure, I know that theater tickets go for $100 (£50), which is probably cheap in some locations. I've seen great theater in Lansing & East Lansing. Paying $100 presumes that I want to go see some big-name production. Because I, as a connesieur of theater couldn't possibly be bored with the mundane production of Laundry and Bourbon by some Lansing theater group. And the production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Lansing Community College couldn't possibly have been better than the off-Broadway production in the big professional auditorium, could it? [well, parts were] Even the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, which is big-time, only charged $45 or $50 for great seats. I think we paid $30 for good ones.
And then she - and the rest of the throw $100 at a theater ticket crowd - can go pat themselves on the back for being One Of the People when they deign to visit one of the little theaters with such quaint productions.
It's not the price of a ticket. I don't care if you pay $250. I suppose it's possible that I might drop a hundred dollars for one, but I really can't imagine doing so. To see the Red Wings in the playoffs at The Joe? Hell, yes, I'd pay $100. But no one is expecting Chris Osgood to suddenly say "I'd take a pay cut if it meant making hockey more accessible".
It's the self-righteous superiority of "well, I would ..." Who the hell wants to make lower wages? I'm not taking a pay cut so that some company can make workplace safety "more accessible" and "less elitist". I'm sure KAS isn't going to take a pay cut so that some movie studio can make their tickets more accessible. By what? "I'll pay him $7.25/hr, and then we can charge $8.99999999999999999999999, rather than $9?"
The only people who prattle on about "elitistism" are either the elitists themselves, who don't want to be painted as such, or run-down disenfranchised marxists who are pissed that capitalism seems to work.
I notice that nowhere does it say "she happily volunteered to do this for the Proletariat at minimum wage".
"Oh, la, it's so horrible making a living wage. Sure, I would work for less, if I had to. Oh, sorry, got to go, my Blackberry is calling me. We'll chat later about my pay ..."
What crap.
This self-congratulatory blather is more elitist than "give me £50 for a ticket." I've never paid that much for one. Not even the Phantom of the Opera production in Toronto. She's totally living in a financial disconnect with reality.
Sure, I know that theater tickets go for $100 (£50), which is probably cheap in some locations. I've seen great theater in Lansing & East Lansing. Paying $100 presumes that I want to go see some big-name production. Because I, as a connesieur of theater couldn't possibly be bored with the mundane production of Laundry and Bourbon by some Lansing theater group. And the production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Lansing Community College couldn't possibly have been better than the off-Broadway production in the big professional auditorium, could it? [well, parts were] Even the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, which is big-time, only charged $45 or $50 for great seats. I think we paid $30 for good ones.
And then she - and the rest of the throw $100 at a theater ticket crowd - can go pat themselves on the back for being One Of the People when they deign to visit one of the little theaters with such quaint productions.
It's not the price of a ticket. I don't care if you pay $250. I suppose it's possible that I might drop a hundred dollars for one, but I really can't imagine doing so. To see the Red Wings in the playoffs at The Joe? Hell, yes, I'd pay $100. But no one is expecting Chris Osgood to suddenly say "I'd take a pay cut if it meant making hockey more accessible".
It's the self-righteous superiority of "well, I would ..." Who the hell wants to make lower wages? I'm not taking a pay cut so that some company can make workplace safety "more accessible" and "less elitist". I'm sure KAS isn't going to take a pay cut so that some movie studio can make their tickets more accessible. By what? "I'll pay him $7.25/hr, and then we can charge $8.99999999999999999999999, rather than $9?"
The only people who prattle on about "elitistism" are either the elitists themselves, who don't want to be painted as such, or run-down disenfranchised marxists who are pissed that capitalism seems to work.
cell phones & peanut butter
In that case, Moriarty says, an undercover officer was offered $200 for a cell phone — and only $50 for heroin.
And who still thinks technology hasn't altered the American Economy?
And who still thinks technology hasn't altered the American Economy?
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
4th of July
We survived a 2 day camping expedition into the great northern woods of Minnesota. Well, actually, we managed to not kill each other while at the Father Hennepin State Park up near Brainard (2 hr. north of the Twin Cities).
Gregor had never been camping before; Michael last did more than 2 years ago. Which was also the last time Peter & I did.
A total fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants preparation found us without some of the more important items, like dish soap or fuel for the cooker.
Not being intimidated by the prospect of creating fire from combustible solid hydrocarbons, I simply purchased a small packet of extremely expensive firewood. Oh, make that extremely expensive wet firewood. Even the little bits pulled off to make kindling were kind of ... soggy. The family next door took pity on me, and gave me a little gizmo to help start it. Worked wonders, for about 10 minutes. The fellow came back over with a couple pieces of dry lumber (read: old 2x4 with, no doubt, lead-based paint). Worked wonders. For another 5 minutes. I’m sitting there, embarrassed, and wanting to defend my ineptitude by weakly stating that ‘no, really, I can start a fire’. After his assistance, he still couldn't get it to light. He walks away, and returns with the ultimate combustion intervention: charcoal lighter fluid. Splash, spray, whoom! Less than 5 minutes later, there’s no fire. At this point, I am no longer embarrassed. Yet another 10 minutes later, with a bunch of super-dry kindling and little twigs and one of those gizmos, I had a fire. Barely. the whole time it was lackadaisically burning, I could hear the hissing of the moisture in the wood. Luckily, there was enough heat to manage to cook our dinner.
While walking along the shore of Lake Mille Lacs (one of those “you’re from Minnesota if you can pronounce this ‘right’” location names), Michael got to see many different things of nature: Monster-sized white mushrooms, and boy, do I mean monster-sized. A couple families of ducks. Crayfish (I didn’t realize they could live this far north and survive winter). Little fish. Dead crayfish and equally dead fish. Rocks. A bald eagle. Spiders. Fishing dock, a boat ramp. And, apparently his favorite, the playground swings.
Both boys had a blast playing at the beach. Gregor kept piling sand on himself. And his shoes. And down his overalls. Michael on the 2nd day, simply did away with the clothing, and proceeded to run back and forth between rolling in the sand and washing it all off in the lake. The cold lake, I might add. July 4 is not far enough into Summer to warm up any lake here.
Peter and I got to enjoy the walks in the woods, and mused that in a few years, we might actually get to see more of the woods once both boys are capable of walking with a bit more endurance.
On the evening of the 4th, after returning from the camping trip, we were sorting out piles and trying to get the boys in the bathtub, when someone knocks on the front door. There’s some man standing there as our neighbor hollers “there’s someone here to talk to you”. My initial thought is “who? none of my classmates or friends know where my new house is ...?” It’s a fellow we met at Mass last Sunday, who lives on the next block. They were having a neighborhood potluck-barbeque and thought we might like to join them. So, finish scrubbing the initial layer of grunge off the boys, and walked up a few houses on the other block and had dinner/wine/wading pool/beer with the neighbors & a pile of children. Our new neighborhood is certainly a ... diverse place. Hmmm ... Peter & I are straight and both white, making us, if not a minority, distinctly not a majority. Melanin content, sexual flavor or preference, or geographical origin not withstanding, we had a great time. Michael got to try his first Sparkler. A good warm-up for the fireworks.
After the potluck, we headed up another 2 blocks to the large city park where there would be some fireworks. Michael was not at all happy about this, having totally berserk freaked out the last 2 times we’ve seen fireworks. This went much better, all things considered.
At Powderhorn Lake, waiting for the fireworks.
At Minnehaha Falls, at south end of Minneapolis, where it flows into the Mississippi.
Gregor had never been camping before; Michael last did more than 2 years ago. Which was also the last time Peter & I did.
A total fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants preparation found us without some of the more important items, like dish soap or fuel for the cooker.
Not being intimidated by the prospect of creating fire from combustible solid hydrocarbons, I simply purchased a small packet of extremely expensive firewood. Oh, make that extremely expensive wet firewood. Even the little bits pulled off to make kindling were kind of ... soggy. The family next door took pity on me, and gave me a little gizmo to help start it. Worked wonders, for about 10 minutes. The fellow came back over with a couple pieces of dry lumber (read: old 2x4 with, no doubt, lead-based paint). Worked wonders. For another 5 minutes. I’m sitting there, embarrassed, and wanting to defend my ineptitude by weakly stating that ‘no, really, I can start a fire’. After his assistance, he still couldn't get it to light. He walks away, and returns with the ultimate combustion intervention: charcoal lighter fluid. Splash, spray, whoom! Less than 5 minutes later, there’s no fire. At this point, I am no longer embarrassed. Yet another 10 minutes later, with a bunch of super-dry kindling and little twigs and one of those gizmos, I had a fire. Barely. the whole time it was lackadaisically burning, I could hear the hissing of the moisture in the wood. Luckily, there was enough heat to manage to cook our dinner.
While walking along the shore of Lake Mille Lacs (one of those “you’re from Minnesota if you can pronounce this ‘right’” location names), Michael got to see many different things of nature: Monster-sized white mushrooms, and boy, do I mean monster-sized. A couple families of ducks. Crayfish (I didn’t realize they could live this far north and survive winter). Little fish. Dead crayfish and equally dead fish. Rocks. A bald eagle. Spiders. Fishing dock, a boat ramp. And, apparently his favorite, the playground swings.
Both boys had a blast playing at the beach. Gregor kept piling sand on himself. And his shoes. And down his overalls. Michael on the 2nd day, simply did away with the clothing, and proceeded to run back and forth between rolling in the sand and washing it all off in the lake. The cold lake, I might add. July 4 is not far enough into Summer to warm up any lake here.
Peter and I got to enjoy the walks in the woods, and mused that in a few years, we might actually get to see more of the woods once both boys are capable of walking with a bit more endurance.
On the evening of the 4th, after returning from the camping trip, we were sorting out piles and trying to get the boys in the bathtub, when someone knocks on the front door. There’s some man standing there as our neighbor hollers “there’s someone here to talk to you”. My initial thought is “who? none of my classmates or friends know where my new house is ...?” It’s a fellow we met at Mass last Sunday, who lives on the next block. They were having a neighborhood potluck-barbeque and thought we might like to join them. So, finish scrubbing the initial layer of grunge off the boys, and walked up a few houses on the other block and had dinner/wine/wading pool/beer with the neighbors & a pile of children. Our new neighborhood is certainly a ... diverse place. Hmmm ... Peter & I are straight and both white, making us, if not a minority, distinctly not a majority. Melanin content, sexual flavor or preference, or geographical origin not withstanding, we had a great time. Michael got to try his first Sparkler. A good warm-up for the fireworks.
After the potluck, we headed up another 2 blocks to the large city park where there would be some fireworks. Michael was not at all happy about this, having totally berserk freaked out the last 2 times we’ve seen fireworks. This went much better, all things considered.
At Powderhorn Lake, waiting for the fireworks.
At Minnehaha Falls, at south end of Minneapolis, where it flows into the Mississippi.
Monday, July 7, 2008
You Bet Your Life ... and mine
For summary comparison purposes:
Barack Obama plays one of the only games it's possible to win at; plays it in a way that avoids negative expected value; and by all accounts, plays it pretty well. (poker)
John McCain is intensely dedicated to a game that is expensive to play, consumes inordinate amounts of time, and is mathematically impossible to win over the long term. (craps)
Barack Obama plays one of the only games it's possible to win at; plays it in a way that avoids negative expected value; and by all accounts, plays it pretty well. (poker)
John McCain is intensely dedicated to a game that is expensive to play, consumes inordinate amounts of time, and is mathematically impossible to win over the long term. (craps)
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Stupidity of half-time interviews
While Der Spiegel managed to ridicule all of these, I think some are rather amusing, even if they started off as flip answers or verbal faux pas.
The ball is round, and the game lasts 90 minutes.
Der Ball ist rund und das Spiel dauert 90 Minuten. - Sepp herberger
After the game is before the game.
Nach dem Spiel ist vor dem Spiel. S. Herberger
The round thing needs to go in the square thing.
Das Rund muß ins Eckige - S. Herberger oder J. Derwal
You can win any game. You can loose any game.
Man kann jedes Spiel gewinnen. Man kann jedes spiel verlieren. - F. Beckenbauer
Soccer is like chess, with out the dice.
Fußbal ist wie Schach, nur ohne Würfel. - L. Podalski
There's only one possiblity: victory, defeat, or a tie.
Es gibt nur eine Möglichkeit: Sieg, Niederlage under Unentschieden. - F. Beckenbauer
Sometimes you lose; sometimes the other fellow wins.
Mal verliert man und mal gewinnt die anderen. - O. Rehhagel
Afterall, when it comes to goals, you rarely have to count above three, while with yellow cards, to count to two is sufficient. - explination why soccer players apparently can't count.
At the moment it's 1:1. But it could have gone the other way.
Es steht im augenblick 1:1. Aber es Hätte auch ungekhert laufen können. = H. Fassbender
The ball is round, and the game lasts 90 minutes.
Der Ball ist rund und das Spiel dauert 90 Minuten. - Sepp herberger
After the game is before the game.
Nach dem Spiel ist vor dem Spiel. S. Herberger
The round thing needs to go in the square thing.
Das Rund muß ins Eckige - S. Herberger oder J. Derwal
You can win any game. You can loose any game.
Man kann jedes Spiel gewinnen. Man kann jedes spiel verlieren. - F. Beckenbauer
Soccer is like chess, with out the dice.
Fußbal ist wie Schach, nur ohne Würfel. - L. Podalski
There's only one possiblity: victory, defeat, or a tie.
Es gibt nur eine Möglichkeit: Sieg, Niederlage under Unentschieden. - F. Beckenbauer
Sometimes you lose; sometimes the other fellow wins.
Mal verliert man und mal gewinnt die anderen. - O. Rehhagel
Afterall, when it comes to goals, you rarely have to count above three, while with yellow cards, to count to two is sufficient. - explination why soccer players apparently can't count.
At the moment it's 1:1. But it could have gone the other way.
Es steht im augenblick 1:1. Aber es Hätte auch ungekhert laufen können. = H. Fassbender
Synonyms
Super Party Size = Big Fat Butt Size
got me thinking about other synonyms.
Wind-swept look = didn’t bother to comb hair this a.m.
decadent = expensive
splurge = extra fat
indulge = higher profit margin
"flaws are unique and contribute to the beauty of [object you just bought]" = our quality control sucks, but since we only pay 15 cents/hour, we're going to laugh at you westerners for buying our 3rd world junk
multi-cultural event = us white folks want to hang with everyone else in an environment which allows us to maintain a numerical superiority
traditional food = as long as you're the only white person in the joint, yummmmm
traditional food from some European country where they're white anyway = something with the same name, but makes the natives' eyebrows raise
low-fat = too much sugar
handicap parking = why doesn't being 8 month pregnant count?
vegetarian = someone who still salivates at the smell of bacon
30% seasonal clearance sale = we already make our profit quota on all the other schmucks who wanted a swimsuit in March.
Death toll = body count
got me thinking about other synonyms.
Wind-swept look = didn’t bother to comb hair this a.m.
decadent = expensive
splurge = extra fat
indulge = higher profit margin
"flaws are unique and contribute to the beauty of [object you just bought]" = our quality control sucks, but since we only pay 15 cents/hour, we're going to laugh at you westerners for buying our 3rd world junk
multi-cultural event = us white folks want to hang with everyone else in an environment which allows us to maintain a numerical superiority
traditional food = as long as you're the only white person in the joint, yummmmm
traditional food from some European country where they're white anyway = something with the same name, but makes the natives' eyebrows raise
low-fat = too much sugar
handicap parking = why doesn't being 8 month pregnant count?
vegetarian = someone who still salivates at the smell of bacon
30% seasonal clearance sale = we already make our profit quota on all the other schmucks who wanted a swimsuit in March.
Death toll = body count
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Never Forgotten
The black & white bumper stickers w/ the POW/MIA logo & inscription: Not Forgotten are commonplace. A far more concrete commitment is an effort to fulfill this promise. There's a funeral for a US soldier next week at Fort Snelling National Cemetery (like Arlington, but in Minnesota). He was MIA in 1950 in Korea.
A while ago the identification was made of the Vietnam soldier buried at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington. It was questioned whether or not we could have such a monument in the future, due to the marvel of DNA identification testing. I suppose we would be better off being able to de-commission it. Ideally, because we weren't killing our fellow citizens; but at a minimum, because no one was left in the limbo of anonymity.
A while ago the identification was made of the Vietnam soldier buried at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington. It was questioned whether or not we could have such a monument in the future, due to the marvel of DNA identification testing. I suppose we would be better off being able to de-commission it. Ideally, because we weren't killing our fellow citizens; but at a minimum, because no one was left in the limbo of anonymity.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
What else do they have of mine?
I've had enough problems in my life with computers. Mix my driving record with some felon and spend the night in jail: do not pass go, definitely don't get $200. Have I mentioned recently that I hate Comcast? What total fuck-ups.
The information to anyone astonishes me.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif Okay, so don't care where Al Franken was living 2 years ago. I really could care less where Dr. Phil votes, although I would care that he only gets one. Still - what are these people doing for a life? Wouldn't you rather go to the movies than request FOI documents on Dr. Phil's voting record? How's that workin' for you?
The information to anyone astonishes me.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif Okay, so don't care where Al Franken was living 2 years ago. I really could care less where Dr. Phil votes, although I would care that he only gets one. Still - what are these people doing for a life? Wouldn't you rather go to the movies than request FOI documents on Dr. Phil's voting record? How's that workin' for you?
Monday, June 23, 2008
True Love
Our Son #1 has obviously discovered True Love. This evening, finishing dinner, he announced that he wanted to go outside and play with Josie (the next-door neighbor's youngest daughter). She's also 4. No big deal, happens every evening.
He then announced he wanted dessert. Obviously no surprise. He then stated his intention of going outside to share his dessert with Josie. Wow.
15 minutes later, upon receipt of his cookie, he pitched a fit that it got broken to share with Son #2. But .... he then asked Papa to break his piece in half. Why? So that he could take it outside and share with Josie.
Swappin' spit ain't got nothin' on sharing Pepperidge Farm cookies.
He then announced he wanted dessert. Obviously no surprise. He then stated his intention of going outside to share his dessert with Josie. Wow.
15 minutes later, upon receipt of his cookie, he pitched a fit that it got broken to share with Son #2. But .... he then asked Papa to break his piece in half. Why? So that he could take it outside and share with Josie.
Swappin' spit ain't got nothin' on sharing Pepperidge Farm cookies.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Beginning or End?
The boys' newest video wonder is Jungle Book. The original. well, not the one with pages... The Bear Necessities version. (auf Deutsch)
The video starts playing, the credits start rolling, and Michael starts demanding that I start the video, that 'it's the end!'
Of course, having been made before I was born, the movie credits are ... at the beginning.
The video starts playing, the credits start rolling, and Michael starts demanding that I start the video, that 'it's the end!'
Of course, having been made before I was born, the movie credits are ... at the beginning.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Political videos: ordinary, not-as-advertized, wow, and finally, well done
Ordinary:
Nice, old-fashioned 'get your attention' method, but it's still around because it works.
Not-as-advertised
"Shock" ad? Who is MoveOn.org kidding? This isn't shocking. Give the mom the same script and then ending with the 12-month old little Alex in baby-sized desert fatigues, lying dead in Faluja ... that would have been shocking. Or end it with an adult man in desert fatigues lying dead in some hell-hole in Iraq, with the mom saying "and I didn't want you to have little Alex's daddy either." Less shocking, more relevant.
Wow
You want a shock ad? Try this one. Right after the Hispanic/Latino/Mexican group, Somalis are the next biggest social/ethnic group in the Twin Cities. (nothing astonishing in the script, just the fact it was made)
Well done
okay, so we already know I'd rather vote for the Zipper/Chewy ticket than McCain/X . But this was better done than most I've seen, even if the computer editing isn't. The title caught my eye initially: "McCain: How he stopped worrying and learned to hate YouTube"
Nice, old-fashioned 'get your attention' method, but it's still around because it works.
Not-as-advertised
"Shock" ad? Who is MoveOn.org kidding? This isn't shocking. Give the mom the same script and then ending with the 12-month old little Alex in baby-sized desert fatigues, lying dead in Faluja ... that would have been shocking. Or end it with an adult man in desert fatigues lying dead in some hell-hole in Iraq, with the mom saying "and I didn't want you to have little Alex's daddy either." Less shocking, more relevant.
Wow
You want a shock ad? Try this one. Right after the Hispanic/Latino/Mexican group, Somalis are the next biggest social/ethnic group in the Twin Cities. (nothing astonishing in the script, just the fact it was made)
Well done
okay, so we already know I'd rather vote for the Zipper/Chewy ticket than McCain/X . But this was better done than most I've seen, even if the computer editing isn't. The title caught my eye initially: "McCain: How he stopped worrying and learned to hate YouTube"
The Imperial Jesus
'The Family' appears to be an interesting book, of the flavor 'god, just kill me now, before they destroy my life and the world'.
The Minnesota Independent ran a long article with the author. Toward the end is his reflections on how H. Clinton fits in with the conservative Christian group of his book.
The Minnesota Independent ran a long article with the author. Toward the end is his reflections on how H. Clinton fits in with the conservative Christian group of his book.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Total Guilt Trip
So, Friday rolls around, and I would have succeeded in completing my first full week of work in 4 years when I came home that night. The boys are eating breakfast. Peter is having a cup o' joe. I am heading out the door, saying good-bye.
Michael: Where are you going, Mama?
Me: I'm going to work. [there's a phrase unused for 4 years]
Michael: I don't want you to go to work!
Me: why not?
Michael: You need to stay here.
Me: why?
very long, thoughtful pause.
Michael: to be with me.
Four years old!!
four years old!
I don't do the good old-fashion Catholic guilt-trip! Where the hell did he learn it from!?? Where? Cut my heart out and pour Drain-O on it! I'm a horrible mother! He isn't even going to be at home! He's going to be @ Kinderstube (the german pre-school)!
God, this shit sucks.
I like my job, though.
Sunday morning, 2 days later:
Me: Come on, boys, it's time to get up & get dressed.
Michael: Where are we going?
Me: It's Sunday. We're going to church.
Michael: I don't want to go to church. I want to go to Kinderstube.
Gregor doesn't fling himself at me, when I come home anymore. The last 2 times he's run, arms out, joyfully across the yard, right up to me, and then zoomed around me, to catch the cat. Again today.
I like my job, though.
So, I signed this confidentiality-thing as a condition of employment at Honeywell. Which means I can't actually tell you exactly what I do for work. But, I was watching my boss today, and as he hectically told me for the 3rd time today that he would need to postpone our meeting, I simply said, "I used to have your job. I so totally sympathize."
I like my job.
Michael: Where are you going, Mama?
Me: I'm going to work. [there's a phrase unused for 4 years]
Michael: I don't want you to go to work!
Me: why not?
Michael: You need to stay here.
Me: why?
very long, thoughtful pause.
Michael: to be with me.
Four years old!!
four years old!
I don't do the good old-fashion Catholic guilt-trip! Where the hell did he learn it from!?? Where? Cut my heart out and pour Drain-O on it! I'm a horrible mother! He isn't even going to be at home! He's going to be @ Kinderstube (the german pre-school)!
God, this shit sucks.
I like my job, though.
Sunday morning, 2 days later:
Me: Come on, boys, it's time to get up & get dressed.
Michael: Where are we going?
Me: It's Sunday. We're going to church.
Michael: I don't want to go to church. I want to go to Kinderstube.
Gregor doesn't fling himself at me, when I come home anymore. The last 2 times he's run, arms out, joyfully across the yard, right up to me, and then zoomed around me, to catch the cat. Again today.
I like my job, though.
So, I signed this confidentiality-thing as a condition of employment at Honeywell. Which means I can't actually tell you exactly what I do for work. But, I was watching my boss today, and as he hectically told me for the 3rd time today that he would need to postpone our meeting, I simply said, "I used to have your job. I so totally sympathize."
I like my job.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
1.2 million sq. ft.
1,200,000 sq. ft. =
27.55 acres =
0.11 sq. km =
11.2 hectares =
1,111.111 times bigger than our house in Lansing =
1,114,836,480,000,000,038,753,601,580,957,696.00 barns*
Or
1.2 million sq. ft. = 10 minute walk from my office to the front door of the Honeywell plant in Golden Valley.
I've gotten lost very single time I've walked more than 20 feet out of my office door. With a map. Luckily there's a bathroom in the safety department's area, or else I'd have exploded or resorted to leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. Which would probably have gotten run over by the NASCAR forklift truck speedway.
*no clue what this 'barns' is, but it's awful damn small. It was just an option on the 'unit conversion' program.
27.55 acres =
0.11 sq. km =
11.2 hectares =
1,111.111 times bigger than our house in Lansing =
1,114,836,480,000,000,038,753,601,580,957,696.00 barns*
Or
1.2 million sq. ft. = 10 minute walk from my office to the front door of the Honeywell plant in Golden Valley.
I've gotten lost very single time I've walked more than 20 feet out of my office door. With a map. Luckily there's a bathroom in the safety department's area, or else I'd have exploded or resorted to leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. Which would probably have gotten run over by the NASCAR forklift truck speedway.
*no clue what this 'barns' is, but it's awful damn small. It was just an option on the 'unit conversion' program.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Enjoying our new home
We can sit in our front yard, watch the boys play, and the dogs & cats & bunnies stroll down the sidewalk, listen to the neighbors chatting, and enjoy life on a warm summer evening.
don't know why the front image doesn't show up ... this one has more Gregor.
don't know why the front image doesn't show up ... this one has more Gregor.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
DE 2:0 PO
Peter & I spent a few hours today @ the Glockenspiel pub in St. Paul watching the Germany:Poland game in the group games for the European championship. It would have been more enjoyable if the TV hadn't repeatedly shut off. Including shutting off for one of the goals. The crowd roars in frustration for the 3rd of 4th time the t.v. goes blank. A couple minutes pass. Several men decide they need to pee. Silence in the pub. Then a woman's voice in the corner yells "It's 2:0!" There is a groan of joy mixed with anguish at the fact we can't see it. The fellows in the john hear us screaming, and figure Germany just scored a 2nd goal. Nope. We screamed in jubilation simply because the game came back on.
All in all, it was fun. A small hoard of German ex-pats made a lively group. Who needs the Olympics? UEFA & World Cup are where it's at.
All in all, it was fun. A small hoard of German ex-pats made a lively group. Who needs the Olympics? UEFA & World Cup are where it's at.
Miraculous change? or simply depressing status quo?
I started to write "As a lighthearted Summer activity..."
I then read all the way through Sen. Nelson's legislation highlights including the elimination of the electoral college.
Go write you legislator. and mine. all of them. the 2 presidential candidates. Anyone else who will listen. tell them to fix the damn system.
This includes just about everything I think is fucked up with the Great American Democratic "I Might Get My Vote Counted" system. For a group of men who were so totally focused on "No Taxation Without Representation", it's amazing that the electoral college has lasted this long. My vote doesn't actually count. I am therefore without representation. I shouldn't be required to pay taxes. [well, at the moment the IRS is screwing that up too, but that's another story ...] What about that old "one person one vote"? Perhaps that only counts for the oligarchs in the country.
Or, as someone else put it, create a Constitutional crisis, if we get a repeat of 2000.
I then read all the way through Sen. Nelson's legislation highlights including the elimination of the electoral college.
Go write you legislator. and mine. all of them. the 2 presidential candidates. Anyone else who will listen. tell them to fix the damn system.
This includes just about everything I think is fucked up with the Great American Democratic "I Might Get My Vote Counted" system. For a group of men who were so totally focused on "No Taxation Without Representation", it's amazing that the electoral college has lasted this long. My vote doesn't actually count. I am therefore without representation. I shouldn't be required to pay taxes. [well, at the moment the IRS is screwing that up too, but that's another story ...] What about that old "one person one vote"? Perhaps that only counts for the oligarchs in the country.
Or, as someone else put it, create a Constitutional crisis, if we get a repeat of 2000.
15 seconds of fame
On Friday, I attended a forum hosted by Minnesota Public Radio regarding the current relationship between the Media and the Public. One of the media people there was taking notes. It was a chat about how We The People see the current and the desired relationship between the public and the media. It was interesting. Certainly biased simply based upon the fact all 14 of us are MPR listeners and are (with one or 2 exceptions) college educated and interested in politics/media. That said, it was still interesting. If you look about 80% of the way down the page linked above, one of the things I said got quoted. If it ever gets broadcast, I'll let you know.
Friday, June 6, 2008
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