My Eight Rules

From a reporter @ MinnPost.com, re: riots this week in StPl

Some of [the faux johnny-come-lately-I-wanna-be-a-reporter-and-say-I-was-at-something-cool] them are pretty interesting. Covering the protests in St. Paul this week, I saw a woman with a media card around her neck who was dressed neck-to-toe in army surplus, had a motorcycle helmet on her head and wore a mask like the Lone Ranger's. I saw a big silver-haired guy in a huge photo-vest with the pockets packed full, shooting a cell phone camera. I saw a two-person video crew, a small attractive young woman and a tall rangy young man, and when something was going on during a march, the woman would sit on the man's shoulders, and run the camera, while the man maneuvered through the crowd to give her best shot. The CBS crews could learn from those two.

But the problem is, a lot of these new guys don't know what to do in a riot.

My eight rules

So here's a list from a long-time riot aficionado, who would prefer not to see anybody get hurt. Especially media people. However off you are.

1. Always — ALWAYS! — know where the cops are and what they're doing.
St. Paul cops busted an AP reporter by accident a couple of days ago; he was pretty experienced, but he apparently lost track of where he was, exactly, and he wound up on his back. That happens if you don't take great care. They'll usually let you out of jail pretty quickly, though.

2. Don't mess with riot cops during a riot.
A San Francisco radio talk-show host did that, and she got busted. One of her associates described the arrest as brutal. I saw the tape and I'd call it "gentle." She got lucky. Cops don't have time to listen to windy explanations during a riot, and if you deliberately push into them, as she did, you're toast. Don't do that. Be polite. Smile. If you need to talk to them, look for a guy with stripes, or a silver bar or two. You gotta remember, the cops get scared and angry, too.

3. Always — ALWAYS! — know where the Little Assholes are.
Most people in protest mobs are pretty sincere, and don't want to fight cops or break things. But there's a subset of most any anti-war mob, the LAs, who are similar to the football hooligans in Britain. They are there to break things for their own entertainment. They don't have much real interest in politics — they're just LAs. You can pick them out because they wear fashionable bad-ass street dress — black or olive drab, boots or heavy running shoes, bandanas, hoodies. They tend to pierce themselves a lot. The dress is usually pretty worn, and they tend to cluster; so look around the crowd and when you see a sudden darkening of dress, you've found the LAs. You need to know where they are, because when they start breaking things, that's your film-at-six.

4. Very important. Learn to walk backwards.
You'll notice that in the best riots, the real pros spend a lot of time walking backwards, but rarely run into anything. That's because they're pros. If you don't know what you're doing, you can walk backwards into a parking meter and damn near kill yourself.

5. All riots have their own geography, or shape.
When you find the LAs, watch their relationship with the cops, and find an angle where you can see both. When the trouble starts, you want to be close enough to see and hear, but not so close that you suddenly get cut off and find yourself with no place to run. You need the room to wheel. You don't want to be the first guy to arrive at trouble, before it has a chance to shape up — you don't want the cops to unexpectedly come in behind you. Be the fifth or sixth guy to arrive, after you know how things are shaping up. If a real fight gets going, people tend to run in the channels — the streets. If you're absolutely caught, get your back against a wall, your hands in the air, and looked scared. There's a good chance everybody will ignore you.

6. Listen carefully.
Breaking glass or sudden gusts of screaming means good photography. If you hear loud pops, that's probably flashbangs meant to frighten people, but it could be gas. Gas can mess you up, if you get too close. If you get gas, try to run out of it. It's usually pretty local, so if you can run 50 yards, holding your breath, you can often get out of it. It'll still burn your skin a little, but at least it's not in your lungs. Bandanas are useful for dipping in water and washing your skin, and for concealing your identity, but I can tell you, they're no damn good for breathing through in a gas attack. Of course, loud pops could mean shooting. If there's been shooting, then the photography could bring a Pulitzer, but it could also get you killed. That's decision time. If you're a true media, run toward the loud pops. Just don't be the first to arrive. (See rule 5.)

7. Dress right.
If you're really going to get your ass whipped, it'll more likely be by the cops than by the protesters, because the cops are better at it. Therefore, dress for the cops. I recommend khaki slacks and a golf shirt; something that sends a fairly respectable middle-class message. Neat jeans and a golf shirt or a collared shirt will work. You don't want to push it too far — if you wear really nice grey slacks, an oxford cloth shirt and a sport coat, some LA might throw a bottle of urine on you. You want to look exactly like a semi-intellectual media. Or would it be a medium? Also, listen — if you're going to be a media, you've got to get something better than a photographer's vest and a $59.95 digicam.

8. Given a choice, at a riot, it's better to be a reporter than a photographer.
A reporter can put his notebook in his pocket and impersonate an innocent bystander. A photographer is stuck with a lot of equipment, and if the mob turns ugly, that can get you in trouble. If you're a reporter, keep track of the photographers with flash units; they tend to attract attention to themselves, as do TV cameramen with their lights. Keep a little distance. If you're a reporter with a cameraman, and things get ugly, and he asks you where you're going, tell him you have to check something out. I'm not saying that photographers are dumber than other people, but they are the folks who walk around with brilliant white lights in nighttime riots.

Follow these simple media rules, and you probably won't get hurt, and you'll probably get the story. Best of all, you'll also look like a pro.

no big surprise

okay, anyone who knows me will quickly realize that this is simply another method of expressing deeply held sociopolitical opinions. You are likely a member of the raving angry left (except for mom, who's so far left, she's right). You will likely find this simply amusing, if you bother to watch it at all.

I love democracy. I love the 1st Amendment even more. But, god, I love Comedy Central. Um... the one on TV, not the one at 1600 Penn. Ave.


p.s.
a little plug for Polinaut
We explore the universe of campaigns and politics. Join us in the search for intelligent life.

Live-blogging the RNC

Tuesday's RNC Love-Fest

Generally, I like these guys @ City Pages (local weekly paper definitely not aimed at republicans). Not sure if you'd care about this, but if you didn't see/hear the RNC culture-war-love-fest last night, you might find this amusing. Did you hear that John McSame was a POW?


ah, well, gotta go buy textbooks and learn about epidemiology. or ethics. or risk analysis. or find my new lab.

No, really, come visit!

"Inviting as many as 20,000 guests to Minneapolis and St. Paul for the convention will have an incredible economic impact. People will stay in hotels. Go out to dinner. Spend money. Shop. And return home with wonderful stories to tell about Minneapolis-St. Paul."

Jeremy Hansen, spokesman for Mayor R.T. Rybak
September 28, 2006
After the Twin Cities were awarded the convention


hey, not the normal image of Minnesota, eh?
Yes, that would be tear gas outside of the Xcel Center, where the convention hoopla is going on.
















and, yes, this sniper & his buddies & their tear gas are @ Mickey's Diner, which is a block or 2 away from the Xcel Center. At least they'll be able to get good food afterwards.

The little slaughterhouse who couldn't

Evil Incarnate.

Incarnate

in carnate

in carne

(carne means meat)


The U.S. Appeals Court ruled 2 to 1 that under a 1913 law, test kits that are used only after an animal is killed still constitute "diagnosis" and "treatment" — this for a disease that has no treatment and is 100% fatal — and therefore fall under the USDA's authority to regulate.

So,

The little slaughterhouse who couldn't. They are prohibited by the USDA from testing 100% of their cows for mad cow disease.

Too bad.

Why?
Because then the folks up the road @ Hormel would need to do it, too.

Got mad cow?
Don't ask, don't tell.

This appears to be the government's approach to everything under the sun.

Beef processing
gay soldiers
pregnant teenage fundamentalist Christians
hurricane landfall
moral compass

Police State

Wonderful Police State of St. Paul

http://blog.indecision2008.com/2008/09/01/a-lovely-afternoon-stroll-through-the-police-state-of-st-paul-minnesota/

What a retard, part 1

Woods, who held up a sign that read "Tropic Thunder is insulting and hurtful to me and others," was eventually moved to tears by the whole experience. "I won't be quiet and let movies make fun of people," he told the manager of the movie theater and the arresting officers. "People who make money making fun of being retarded should be ashamed of themselves," he added.

So, where do we go from here? Are all of the good offensive words going to be gone?

If he won't let movies make fun of people, we'll just have to stop making comedies. Next time they have someone be the butt of a joke over having big ears, I guess the "I have big ears, and you're being mean to me" crowd will march on the Lagoon in Uptown. How about you just accept the fact that you're going to be offended occasionally.

Grow up. Be offended. Get over it.

What's with all of this happy "respect others' opinions" hypocrisy? doesn't that mean they get to respect my opinion that the use of the word 'retard' can be appropriate? Or is this a case of "I can call myself [insert offensive word here], but you can't"?

Why can't a word be used with two different meanings? Peter told me that some organization advocating the rights of the disabled was calling for a boycott of the movie. Of course, I asked why. "For using the R-word." I stared blankly at him, waiting.... Upon hearing the explanation, my immediate response was "what retard came up with that idea?" Did I mean to be offensive? Well, I suppose so.

Am I oppressive to the rights of the physically or mentally disabled? No. Are they mentally retarded? Yes. Is that a PC term anymore? Apparently not. Is it an accurate use of the English language? Yes. I remember the majority of the kids in high school calling Ronnie & Donnie retards. It was never meant "accurately"; it was meant as a derogatory term. Not necessarily of those two boys personally, but a derogatory opinion of those who are mentally limited below the norm (how's that for a 'retard' replacement?)

Maybe we can lobby to have "normal" removed from vernacular English. I'm offended, because I'm not normal, and everyone uses the word like it's a good thing to be normal. This is emotionally oppressing me into a false sense of self-worthlessness due to my inability to maintain some sort of arbitrary status quo implied by your use of 'normal'.



So I wrote this a week or so ago. Subsequent:
Action film parody "Tropic Thunder" held onto the top spot at the North American box office for a third straight week ...
I guess the rest of America is totally insensitive or perhaps oblivious to the cultural bomb of one word.

Creepy

Now, is he creepy or what?

Document = done

The Golden Rule for OSHA & FDA audits: If the inspector takes a picture of something, you do too.


Apparently the St. paul police have figured this out, in the obviously media feeding frenzy available. In video posted by MPR from another media outlet, at the end of the "police are oppressing us" images, there's a StPl policeman with what appears to be a video camera.

None of that Rodney King here in Minnesota.

Don't visit

I realized that I invited everyone to come visit for this display of civic freedom and oppression. Don't. Apparently there's a "no fly" zone from now until the 5th over this entire corner of Minnesota. How the hell are the delegates getting in? Carpooling from Madison and Duluth?

Was Denver this good?

I gotta admit, I really like our new home.

Jumbotron:
"The Jumbotron will be a huge embarrassment for Gov. Tim Pawlenty, as it will be located just a few hundred yards from convention delegates, VIPs and the international media." (from True Blue Minnesota).

They just won a judicial injuction ... "... ruled from the bench this afternoon that the Capitol Area Architecture and Planning Board can't enforce its decision [to prevent] True Blue Minnesota [from putting] up a big digital billboard flashing anti-war and other political messages."

"We were going to plug the thing in anyway," said Mannillo, when the hearing was over. "We'll be up and running by the time the convention opens."

I went to their website
True Blue Minnesota videos
Holy cow! check out the "Iraqi Speed Bump" 11 seconds. Holy Cow. Tell me your stuff is that good, Kevin.

The St. Paul & Minneapolis Police got the convention off to a good start early this morning, making at least 4 raids on "anarchists" 2 days before the party begins.

The flashing digital billboard folks wanted to be in front of international media? The only serious media covering the raid (linked above) were: Minnesota Public Radio and ...... Al Jazeera.

So it begins

For all practical purposes, the Republican National Convention is underway with the first police raid of the convention.

Images of our language

How utterly bizarre ...

http://wordle.net I gave the url of this blog

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.

bumper stick of the week

Are you drunk?
Or talking on your cell phone?

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".

[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.

[def.] GOP

near Hiawatha Avenue footbridge

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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')

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Cub: "No Comment"

aus Der Spiegel Don't you just want to pet it? Before it grows to 600 pounds and wants to eat you?

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".

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 ..

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?

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.

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.

When you've gotta go ...

A whole new concept of peeing behind the bush.

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.

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?

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.

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)

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

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