Deteriorata

Merry Christmas from the shores of Lake Erie

2009-12-24T09:57:00.004-05:00

On Winter's Margin

On winter’s margin, see the small birds now
With half-forged memories come flocking home
To gardens famous for their charity.
The green globe’s broken; vines like tangled veins
Hang at the entrance to the silent wood.

With half a loaf, I am the prince of crumbs;
By snow’s down, the birds amassed will sing
Like children for their sire to walk abroad!
But what I love, is the gray stubborn hawk
Who floats alone beyond the frozen vines;
And what I dream of are the patient deer
Who stand on legs like reeds and drink that wind; -

They are what saves the world: who choose to grow
Thin to a starting point beyond this squalor.

Mary Oliver

And, as a bonus, a patient deer:

Why I Marched

2009-10-12T12:31:00.005-04:00

-- Because as long as any of my fellow citizens can't enjoy the same rights that I do and are not "equally protected" under the law, America is ignoring its own Constitution.

-- Because just as the civil rights movement for Blacks needed the participation of Whites to succeed, the civil rights movement for GLBT people needs the participation of straight folks to succeed, too.

-- Because the person who lives in THIS house:

...and the people who work in THIS building:

need to understand that equal rights for GLBT citizens is not an issue that is going away.

I'm tired of hearing "He has too much on his plate now." I'm tired of hearing "You have to wait until the country is ready." I'm tired of hearing "Your tactics are ill-timed and confrontational."

Dr. King wrote from his Birmingham jail cell:

We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was "well timed" in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."

We are tired of waiting for America to come to its senses and recognize the equality of all its citizens, regardless of sexual orientation. I know a march is not enough;we need to keep the pressure on the President, on Congress and on state legislatures. And contrary to Barney Frank, we can do both.

Those of us who stand on the side of love and justice will never give up until all of us enjoy the same rights, privileges and protection of the Constitution.

Flu Bayou

2009-10-06T08:17:00.002-04:00

I got my flu shot this morning. Well, let me clarify -- I got my first flu shot, for the seasonal variety. Whenever the H1N1 vaccine becomes available, I'll get that, too. I've gotten a flu shot every year it's been offered (free!) and never had any problems. Of course, I did a get a mild case of it last year, but I like to think I would have been a lot worse off if I hadn't.

My employer is making the vaccine mandatory. We are a rather large medical center and though our vaccination rate in the past has been around 75%, they're aiming much higher this time around. The only deferrals accepted are for medical or religious reasons, and if you do defer, you need to wear a mask from now till about March. If you don't take the vaccine just because you don't want to, you can be fired. that has a few folks up in arms but NC is a Right To Work state so good luck with that.

I know the shot doesn't provide complete immunity, but it gives you a much better chance of avoiding real misery (and a pretty serious illness if you've got some other medical things going on).

So knowing that I have prepared my Flu Box. In one of those big plastic lidded storage containers I have 6 cans of soup, a box of crackers, a six-pack of Vernor's Ginger Ale (thank Gnome they're finally selling it down here) , a couple bottles of Gatorade (or whatever that less sugar alternative is) some herbal tea and an extra box or two of Kleenex. That should get me through the worst of it. I've also checked the Tylenol supply. It's good.

I am ready.

Wild Kingdom

2009-09-30T13:07:00.004-04:00

The past few days have been glorious here in NC. Sunshine, cool temperatures, Carolina blue skies -- perfect squirrel watching weather. Today's lunchtime feeding started out as most of them do, with some peanuts and sunflower seeds strewn on the ground and then the waiting for somebody to notice. After about ten minutes one squirrel appeared, then another, and the feasting began. A couple big crows stood on the periphery and would occasionally glide in, take a peanut, and glide out again.

Then I saw it -- a flash of white up in the trees. The crows scattered and the squirrels stood stock still. One of them began making a sound that was a cross between a moan and a bark. I knew we had an unwelcome visitor, but I wasn't sure exactly what kind of wicked this way came. I just knew that Something Very Threatening lurked in the trees. One of the squirrels scampered up into the maple tree and curled himself up into a ball, cleverly hiding his white belly and blending perfectly into the bark. But the other one was frozen on a stump and at that point I was feeling very guilty about baiting the field.

And then the Something Very Threatening revealed itself by flying into a tree closer to me, where I could get a good look at him.

A beautiful Redtailed Hawk. He rested in the tree for a minute while I and every other living creature around me held our breaths. And then he flew off. I watched the two squirrels continue to hold their poses, and after about five minutes the one on the ground decided it was safe enough to resume hoovering up the sunflower seeds. The one in the tree stayed where he was, though, and every so often he looked straight at me. I couldn't tell by his expression if he was rebuking me for leading him into a trap or asking me if it was safe to come down.

I've seen hawks around Winston-Salem before, usually sitting on the tops of light poles. Two weeks ago I saw what I am sure was a Merlin (although my friend in the Audubon society chuckled and said "If you think you saw a Merlin, then you saw a Merlin") in that same area of the park. But this was the first time I'd seen predator and prey so close together.

If anyone wants to know what I want for Christmas, a good pair of binoculars would be on that list.

Field Notes

2009-09-05T15:37:00.002-04:00

I've been feeding the wildlife at the park for a while now, and it's become an addiction. At least once a day I must visit the park, food in hand, and watch the show. I can recognize individuals squirrels now, especially one who had a sore on his back (which is now healing nicely -- Nature has a way). I also find myself getting annoyed at people who walk their dogs on my lunch hour (which scares the squirrels) and anyone who parks in the best spot for throwing food from my car. Once the mosquitoes calm down I'll actually get out of the car, but till then all you people just stay away from the spot at the far left end of the lot, okay?

Going once or twice every day has led me to some conclusions:

1) Gray squirrels have an amazing ability to blend in with the bark of trees. They can hold stock still and unless you'd seen one scamper up the trunk, you'd never know he was there.
2) Crows are greedy, but shy. They are reticent about investigating a possible food source and wait till others have sampled whatever's there. Then they swoop down and take 4 or 5 bits at once.
3) Blue Jays are badass birds. They will take out squirrels, birds, other Blue Jays and small dogs if any of those get between them and the food.

I've also observed that the preference for food, among all customers, is as follows
1) French fries
2) Peanuts
3) Popcorn
4) Cherries/Grapes

With that diet I guess I should scatter some Zocor along the way, too.

I am a proud, card-carrying member of the Cult of Clete.

2009-08-04T09:15:00.003-04:00

A grand slam earlier this year, and a walk-off home run last night. Yes, I know he has Nancy Pelosi eyes but

Luncheon Theater

2009-07-15T17:30:00.007-04:00

I've taken to spending my lunch hours at Miller Park, where I can eat my sandwich in peace without the plaintive cries and outright begging of cats. Part of the attraction of Miller Park are the squirrels who are also good at begging, but not quite as loudly as the cats.

In 1989 a tornado came through town and Miller Park was closed for about a month while downed trees and branches were dealt with. The poor squirrels, who were used to handouts from the lunch crowd, were thoroughly confused when faced with the prospect of gathering food themselves ("What are these acorns of which you speak?")

I was a little concerned these past few days because the squirrels seemed to have disappeared. I didn't see a one on Monday, and just one on Tuesday. But today they were back in force, and they were quite amusing to watch. At first there was one...then two...until I counted about a dozen.

Squirrel snacks today consisted of popcorn and cherries (I try to provide a balanced diet)

Here's one determining the edibility of a popcorn kernel.

I haz a cherry.

This guy's my favorite. I've seen him before and it took a while for him to show up today. Notice the red tail and patch on his back. Some Yankee red squirrel must have passed through town...

I also provide lunch for a couple blue jays, cardinals, and one very persistent chipmunk. And I saw what I thought was a millipede crawl across the sewer cover. A very big millipede. {shiver}

Jane Goodall's got nothing on me.

I'm ready.

2009-06-27T13:20:00.001-04:00

Sunscreen.....check
Beach books....check
Rye, Absinthe, Peychaud's Bitters....check

Topsail, here we come!

Oh sure. Two months idle and then two in one day.

2009-06-17T18:40:00.002-04:00

But I had to put this up. This is my letter to Barack Obama:

Dear Mr. President:

I knocked on doors, worked the phones and contributed to your campaign because you promised change. As a straight woman, it appalls me that you cannot bring yourself to use your considerable persuasive powers and oratorical skills to address the immoral discrimination against the GLBT community. You quoted Dr. King and spoke of "the fierce urgency of now".

When your Department of Justice files an incendiary brief in a challenge to DOMA that relies on analogies to incest and pedophilia and goes well beyond what was necessary to secure that the petition in question is not granted a writ of certiorari, you have gone beyond the sin of omission. Ignoring discrimination against the GLBT community is one thing; actively participating in it with such vehemence is another.

Today's memo on federal benefits for same-sex couples is the straw that broke the camel's back and spurred me to write this letter. When bold action was called for, you took the cautious route. I cannot help but believe this was a political decision. But you, sir, are the President with a Democratic majority in Congress. If not now, when?

My GLBT friends are in pain, both because of your action and your inaction. If, in 2012, Don't Ask Don't Tell and the DOMA are still in effect, then you and the Democratic party will get no help from me as you campaign. And please do not try to scare me with "But the Republicans would be worse." God help us all, DICK CHENEY is sounding more progressive on GLBT issues than you.

I know there are many other issues and conflicts you must attend to now, but you cannot use those as an excuse to participate in extending discrimination against the GLBT community. They and their allies will not be quiet and will not wait while you deal with all the other items on your agenda. Dr. King also said "This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism."

Be the man we voted for, not just another politician whose campaign promises were a means to secure funds and votes. We worked for you. It's time for you to show that our work and trust were not in vain.

Sincerely,

I haven't been as active as I should have been, but I'm going to make up for it now. I'm going to write letters and give to fundraisers and make my voice heard. And I'm going to Washington in October for the National March for Equality

Silence is deadly, and I won't be silent any more.

Not much. How 'bout you?

2009-06-17T11:53:00.003-04:00

Good Lord has it really been two months since I wrote anything here? I'd love to say it's because I've been doing something exciting and interesting, but mostly it's because I've been:

1) Crocheting. I taught a class in it this Spring and teaching has turned me back into a hooking fool. (Great name for a band, BTW). Ravelry has become a bit of an obsession for me -- checking every morning for new patterns.

2) Watching the Tigers. Things are looking rather dismal right now, and since misery loves company, I've been spending lots of time on Bless You Boys, commiserating with my fellow fans.

3) Trying to stay dry. We are officially over drought conditions in NC, except for the extreme northeastern part of the state, and I think we managed that in the last three weeks. I can't remember the last day I needed to wear my sunglasses.

4) Counting down the days (11) till I am here:

Mark Fidrych 1954 - 2009

2009-04-13T20:18:00.004-04:00

I don't usually get all that choked up over the deaths of people I've never met, but this is so damned sad.

When he first signed with the Tigers, he rented an apartment in Southgate, another blue collar downriver suburb of Detroit. He was always nice to the kids who hung around on their bikes, waiting for a glimpse of the Best Thing In Baseball, 1976 Edition. When his arm gave way he moved back to Massachusetts and lived a simple, happy life. Ernie Harwell said of him "He reminds me of that line of Rudyard Kipling: 'He could meet triumph and disaster and treat them the same way.' "

The Bird

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T19:50:00.002-04:00

And speaking of rising from the dead...

CENTRAL	W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	RS	RA	DIFF	STRK	L10
Detroit	4	3	.571	-	3-0	1-3	41	33	+8	Won 3	4-3
Kansas City	3	3	.500	.5	1-2	2-1	14	19	-5	Won 1	3-3
Chicago Sox	3	3	.500	.5	3-3	0-0	24	19	+5	Won 2	3-3
Minnesota	3	4	.429	1	2-2	1-2	26	37	-11	Lost 2	3-4
Cleveland	1	5	.167	2.5	1-2	0-3	33	51	-18	Won 1	1-5

Last year we didn't hit .500 until some time in June. I like this year better.

The Boys (and Girl) of Summer

2009-03-24T13:19:00.005-04:00

Such sad news from Detroit. George Kell, former third baseman for the Tigers and broadcast partner of Ernie Harwell, died today at the age of 86.

I grew up listening to George and Ernie broadcast Tiger games on the radio. You could take the radio with you anywhere -- the garage, the car, the park, and thanks to WJR ("The Great Voice of the Great Lakes") you could even pick up the signal at the lake or up north. Especially after sunset in the summer, which was fine because you could get the night games. The trouble with television is you had to sit there and watch -- you really couldn't do anything else. George and Ernie were the voices I heard in my room at night, in the dark with the windows open and the still summer air barely rippling the curtains.

I can remember the first game I went to at Tiger Stadium. It was with the Safety Patrol boys and Service Squad girls. (My Lord -- do they still have such things?) We got a free trip downtown on a Saturday in the schoolbus, courtesy of the local police. I remember one of them even boarded the bus before we left to see who brought a glove to catch those homers that were sure to come flying our way in the stands. We had seats in the upper deck, left field, where we had a great view of Willie Horton.

What I remember most was how incredibly green the field was, and how bright the contrast of the white lines and the home team's uniforms. To this day I have never seen a green that compares to that deep, perfect shade. And the white! So brilliant it almost hurt your eyes to look at it.

After that trip I always saw the green field the same way whenever I listened to George and Ernie, even if it was a night game.

Now George is gone, and Ernie's no spring chicken. Tiger Stadium is gone, too, replaced by Comerica Park. It's a nice place and a fine stadium and all things must pass. But I still listen to baseball on the radio, thanks to XM. I prefer it to the jazzed up, graphic-for-every-pitch television version with announcers who are in love with the sound of their own voices. The Tigers' home opener is April 10, against Texas.

I'll be listening.

Just like Michigan!

2009-03-02T08:14:00.005-05:00

Only our snow will melt by tomorrow afternoon and it will be 70 on Thursday.

I actually made it in to work since I waited for the really nasty stuff to start melting. It's still quite lovely on the trees and grass, and there are umpteen zillion kids out there having a blast with sleds that hadn't been used in so long they had to clean the cobwebs off them first.

And, as I've said before, this snow will make for a bountiful lilac display in April.

In like a lion

2009-03-01T16:42:00.002-05:00

Issued by The National Weather Service
Raleigh/Durham, NC
3:53 pm EST, Sun., Mar. 1, 2009

... WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST MONDAY...

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW CURRENTLY OVER EASTERN GEORGIA WILL PIVOT NORTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TONIGHT. AS THIS OCCURS... WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. ALTHOUGH PRECIPITATION MAY INITIALLY BEGIN AS A WINTRY MIX... PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BECOME ALL SNOW BY MIDNIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWFALL CAN BE EXPECTED AT TIMES OVERNIGHT... WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW MOST LIKELY FALLING ALONG THE INTERSTATE 40 AND INTERSTATE 85 CORRIDOR FROM CHAPEL HILL... WEST TO GREENSBORO... AND SOUTHWEST TO CHARLOTTE.

STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THE WARNING AREA ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 3 TO 6 INCHES... WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO FALL ACROSS THE TRIAD AND WESTERN PIEDMONT... IN LOCATIONS SUCH AS BURLINGTON... GREENSBORO... WINSTON SALEM... ASHEBORO... AND ALBEMARLE. THE LIGHTEST AMOUNTS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE EXPECTED TO FALL ALONG AND EAST OF THE HIGHWAY 1 CORRIDOR... INCLUDING LOCATIONS SUCH AS RALEIGH... AND LOUISBURG.

DESPITE THE PREVIOUS WARM CONDITIONS... TRAVEL WILL LIKELY BECOME TREACHEROUS LATE TONIGHT AS SNOWFALL BEGINS TO ACCUMULATE ON AREA ROADS AND HIGHWAYS DURING PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW. TRAVEL ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES WILL BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. IN ADDITION... STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED... AND WIND CHILLS COULD FREQUENTLY DROP INTO THE TEENS TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING.

CITIZENS OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND CONDITIONS... AND TO AVOID TRAVEL TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING IF POSSIBLE.

As a citizen of Central North Carolina, I'd happily do my civic duty and avoid travelling on Monday morning. I'm already planning on it, in fact. The day has been cold, wet and raw and I'm just waiting for the snow to start. I'm sure it will be lovely and it will be even lovelier if I don't have to drive in it. I can easily drive in the snow in Michigan, but trying to maneuver up and down these slippery hills is no fun.

Of course, after all this hype if we don't get a decent snow cover I'm going to complain loudly to the management.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

2009-02-24T08:16:00.001-05:00

I have beads. I have paczki from the Sanitary Bakery in Nanticoke, PA. Tonight, I will eat pancakes for dinner.

Tomorrow, I give up chocolate for six weeks.

Poof!

2009-01-20T19:14:00.002-05:00

He's gone. (And so is the countdown clock.)

Back to Crawford or Houston or Dallas or Peru or wherever the hell he's going.

And in his place, we have Barack Hussein Obama. And the work begins...

A History Lesson

2009-01-19T23:08:00.003-05:00

The countdown clock at the right is a little fast and is already showing that George Bush's term has ended. We'll cut it a little slack and just chalk it up to excitement.

As I write this, it's a little over 12 hours until Barack Obama takes the oath of office and becomes President of the United States. We've heard a lot about the people who have gone before and worked to make this day possible. I want to talk about someone who doesn't get a lot of mention, but who is my personal hero of the civil rights struggle, Bayard Rustin.

His life is much too complex and full for me to do it justice in a blog post, but he was a remarkable man. He is the man who introduced Martin Luther King, Jr. to the teachings of Gandhi. He was one of the organizers of the March on Washington. He was a co-founder of the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) He spent three years in prison because he refused to register for the draft during WWII.

But hardly anyone has heard of him. He recognized that his homosexuality and dabbling with communism in his youth would be a lightning rod for attacks by those opposed to the civil rights movement, so he worked in the background and sought no credit or attention for himself.

He was an amazing man, and you read more about him here. And I know that at noon tomorrow I will be thinking of him, and hoping that somewhere he is smiling.

Merry! Happy!

2008-12-25T12:31:00.002-05:00

When I arrived (after a ten hour drive) on Sunday, the temperature was -2 and the windchill was Godawful below zero. It has since warmed up to 22 this morning. But Christmas is better with snow, and there certainly is lots of it up here.

I hope all of you are warm and surrounded by folks you love and who love you. Here's my present to you all -- a view from the Lake Erie Metropark and an appropriate poem from Wallace Stevens.

The Snow Man.

One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

Next year at the beach, I swear.

2008-12-20T10:15:00.003-05:00

I'm off to Michigan tomorrow. Michigan, where a winter storm yesterday looked like this:

They're expecting more snow tomorrow. The temperature right now is 18 degrees, with a windchill of 8.

I wish I could find my boots.

That's some moon.

2008-12-12T18:17:00.003-05:00

There's a full moon tonight, which may explain why my day went as it did. I vaguely remembered reading something about this full moon being especially spectacular, so I looked for it as I drove home. I turned the corner to the east, and there it was:

Okay, that's not exactly the moon I saw when I turned the corner. It's the moon I saw once I got home, got my camera and tripod and headed out looking for a spot that was relatively dark. Unfortunately, my attempt at "arty shot" of moon through trees caused the focus to center on the trees, rather than the moon. Ah well. It's still a pretty moon.

Go take a look

'Tis the Season

2008-11-10T15:07:00.002-05:00

Even though the Christmas stuff has been out since Labor Day, those of us with any sanity have ignored it and don't really get into the mood until after Thanksgiving. However, if you're sending packages overseas, now is the time to start shopping and sending.

And that brings me to that little button on the right, which will take you to anysolider.com. This is a great organization that can link you to a member of the military serving overseas and you can peruse his or her list of requested items, make up a boxful of stuff and send it over.

The items they request don't cost much at all -- in fact, I've filled quite a few boxes going through the Dollar Store. They need toiletries and stuff that smells nice. They need puzzle books and writing paper. They need snacks and junk food. But mostly, they just need to know that we're thinking of them.

If your office does a gift exchange, why not can it this year and pool your money to make up a few packages? I bet you even have some friends and family members who would willingly forego getting any more "stuff" for themselves (and avoid all that holiday shopping) in order to provide a nice holiday package for someone who could really use some holiday cheer. Even if you can't afford a package, just sending a letter or card would brighten someone's day.

Go on -- click on the button and start reading the stories and requests. Just be forewarned -- it's addictive.

I live in a blue state.

2008-11-05T21:25:00.003-05:00

I live in a blue state.
I live in a blue state.

Of course I'm overjoyed that Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States. But you have no idea of what it feels like to realize that North Carolina will award its 15 electoral votes to a Democrat for the first time since 1976. I know, I know --we're still counting here and nothing is official -- but the provisional ballots usually break the same way as the ones already counted, and Obama leads. Not by much, but enough to take the state.

I have no voice today. I stood out in the rain and the wind yesterday passing out literature for 7 hours, and then I headed downtown for the Victory Celebration and screamed a little too much, I guess. Nothing hurts -- I just can't talk, which made choir practice a lot of fun tonight. At least I could still keep time.

My only regret about yesterday was that decent, honorable Roy Carter couldn't unseat evil Virginia Foxx in the NC 5th. I really hope the DNC targets that race in two years -- Foxx is an embarrassment to us all.

But I live in a blue state. North Carolina voted for Democrats for Governor, Senator and President.

North Carolina voted for a Black Man for President.

There's a whole lot of spinning going on here:

Fired Up!

2008-11-03T19:13:00.003-05:00

And ready to go.

I'm taking tomorrow off to work the polls. I wouldn't be any use at my desk anyway, since I'd be checking websites every two minutes for the latest update.

Instead, I'm getting up at 5 AM to head to one polling place and put up signs and then heading to another polling place on the other side of town to hand out flyers from 6:30 - 11:00. At 3:30 I head back to the first polling place and hand out flyers till the polls close at 7:30. Then it's downtown for the big Victory Party:

I spent yesterday afternoon canvassing 52 houses, trailers and apartments. Didn't get to talk to a lot of people (it was an absolutely gorgeous day and people were out enjoying it. Or they saw us coming and didn't open the door.) One person, when we identified ourselves as working for Obama, just said "Scoot." (That's North Carolina polite for "Get the hell off my lawn.") Many people had already voted, and all of the ones who said they had already voted had voted for Obama.

My favorite moment came when I was knocking on an apartment door and the Hispanic man sitting on the porch next door said "Nobody lives there anymore." And then he asked what we were doing. When we told him, he smiled and told us he was a new American citizen, voting in his first election, and he was "100% for Obama." That got me through the last hour of canvassing.

So...in about 24 hours the results will start coming in. If Virginia goes for Obama, it's all over but the shouting. If North Carolina does, I'm going to be parked at the cash bar at the Millennium Center. And if Kay Hagen defeats Liddy Dole, I may not show up for work on Wednesday.

I leave you with Sam Cooke:

Long time comin' indeed.

Free Enterprise While U Wait

2008-10-30T18:02:00.002-04:00

The Winston-Salem Police Department has a website to which I was directed by the officer who was dispatched to my accident on Monday. He told me the accident report would be up on Wednesday and I could access it and get a copy for myself.

And so, apparently, could anyone else, because in the mail today I got letters from six lawyers and three chiropractors. Four of the letters had "complimentary" copies of my accident report.

Is this a great country or what?

$#$*@&!!!!!!

2008-10-27T18:01:00.006-04:00

I had my first accident in 25 years today.

I was in the middle lane of a three lane street and the light had just turned green. As I pulled out, the car on my right suddenly turned to the left in front of me, apparently trying to make a left turn from the far right lane. C-R-U-N-C-H right across my right front bumper.

We pulled over and as I was dialing 911, the other driver came out of the car all crying and apologetic, telling me that her father had just had open-heart surgery and her husband had just filed for divorce and she was lost downtown and she was so, so sorry. I was just numb, especially after I saw what the right front of my car looked like:

I'm just surprised I didn't collapse into a weeping puddle right there on the street.

So the claim has been filed with my friendly State Farm agent (and we'll see how friendly he continues to be after my first claim with him EVAH!) Fortunately, the other driver also is a State Farm client, so the process should be seamless. My agent agrees that the place to go for the repairs is the local Toyota dealer, since it's a Prius and I don't trust anyone else to know what to do with it. He also assures me that they do good work.

You know what gets me in all of this? I left work early to get to a friend's house so our little group of singers could do a quick rehearsal for our performance at a Vigil for Healing which was held this evening.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Guess what I did today!

2008-10-20T10:04:00.008-04:00

Thanks to the Democrats in North Carolina in the 60's, you must vote for President separately from voting a straight party ticket. At the time the Democrats were worried that straight party voting would affect downticket races, since a number of NC Democrats were conservative and favored people like Nixon. It is not, as some folks on DailyKos seem to believe, some last minute GOP effort to commit voter fraud and disenfranchise Democratic voters.

Sheesh.

In fact, it may very well mean an over-vote for Obama vs. the rest of the ticket. There are a lot of new voters who registered this year because of Barack Obama and they're going to be looking for his name, not a party affiliation, on the ballot. There are also a number of Republicans who want to vote for Obama for President but will vote a straight Republican ticket for the rest of the slate.

The ballot is not confusing at all. The Presidential selection is at the top, with a big notice that you must select a candidate separately from a straight party ticket. If my observation of the people standing in line at the polling place, lists in hand, is any indication, voters are coming to the polls prepared. And the poll workers are very clear as they give you instructions. All early voting in Forsyth county is done on touch-screens. I was a little leery of that until I saw the cash register tape-like paper running along the side of the machine, which the poll worker said was a paper record of my vote.

So -- I did it. And even though I voted early, I will perform my usual Election Day ritual of taking cookies to the poll workers in my precinct. I believe it's going to be a very long day for them. And isn't that wonderful?

I voted for Barack Obama because I agree with his economic policy, his approach to foreign affairs and his understanding of the complexities of the problems we face. And because I want this couple in the White House:

Whoa.

Biblical wisdom

2008-10-09T15:14:00.003-04:00

Whosoever winketh with the eye shall cause sorrow:
and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.
Proverbs 10:10

Dear NC Drivers,

2008-10-01T21:20:00.001-04:00

I know we haven't had a lot of experience lately, what with the drought and all, but North Carolina law (and common sense) requires that you TURN ON YOUR FREAKIN' HEADLIGHTS WHEN IT'S RAINING.

Thank you.

Yes, We Can

2008-09-27T15:30:00.008-04:00

About 17,999 of my closest friends and I got together in Greensboro to welcome the next President of the United States. The day was overcast and rain threatened, but that didn't stop us. The line to get in went on for blocks and blocks, and when you finally turned the corned and saw the train station venue it was like you had reached the Promised Land.

We must be pretty special, because we got both Biden AND Obama the day after the debate.

I haven't seen that many smiling people, of all different races, ages and sizes together in one place in a loooooonnng time. And even though it was a long line and a tight fit, we had a great time. And Senator Obama did not disappoint

And then we all headed home.

I have just seen the next President of the United States.

Damn.

Turning NC Blue

2008-09-25T15:01:00.004-04:00

This Saturday, September 27th, please join Barack Obama and Joe Biden in Greensboro, where they will talk about their vision for creating the kind of change we need.

Change We Need Rally
with Barack Obama and Joe Biden

Washington Street

In front of the J. Douglas Galyon Depot

Greensboro, NC

Saturday, September 27th

Gates Open: 10:00 a.m.

Program Begins: 12:15 p.m.

This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required

For security reasons, do not bring bags and please limit personal items. Signs, banners, lawn chairs, alcohol, coolers, and pets are not permitted. Entry to event requires consent to metal detection inspection. Event will be held rain or shine.

Parking Information:

Attendees are recommended to park in City of Greensboro parking garages which are free on Saturdays and are located at:

Greene Street at Washington Street

Davie Street at Market Street

Bellmeade Street at Greene Street

N. Church Street between Friendly and East Lindsay

Street Closures:

Event participants should enter through gates off of Elm Street. Streets will be closed surrounding the Depot starting Friday, September 27th, at 6:00 p.m. Additional street closures will begin Saturday morning, September 27th, at 6:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m., and will affect the blocks of:

Davie and McGee

Davie and Washington

Davie Street to Market

Washington Street from Davie to Lyndell Street

Church Street from Washington to Market

Lyndell Street to Market

Hughes from Church to Lyndell

Closures should affect traffic patterns from 6:00 am Saturday September 27th, through 3:00 p.m. Traffic may be congested in the area through 6:00 p.m.

Time flies

2008-09-01T20:36:00.002-04:00

It's been a hot, busy summer, but since Labor Day marks the official end of the season, I'm hoping things will get cooler and calmer soon.

Lots of catching up to do...

-- Fern and Clover are just fine, thank you. Clover took a while to warm up to me but we're buddies now, to the point where she lets me clip her nails. Fern could be a little friendlier to her; their encounters consist of Fern licking Clover's face and then hitting her in the face with her paw. They are sisters, after all.

-- It was another summer of drought, broken only by a storm during the last week of July that left my immediate neighborhood looking like a tornado had come through. Turned out to be very localized wind shears. Lots of trees down (none of mine, though, thank Lobster) and power outages. Last week the remnants of Fay came through with three days of gentler rain. Hanna should arrive this weekend. I intend to spend Saturday watching it rain.

-- The Tigers are a mystery to me this year, and thus I'm no longer blessing the boys. Go Twins!

-- Barack Obama will be President of the United States. Repeat and savor.

We hold these truths to be self-evident

2008-07-04T21:18:00.003-04:00

It was a joy again this morning to hear the Declaration of Independence read on NPR. Always get emotional when I hear those words and consider the courage of those who put their lives on the line and took on a tyrant. Among the list of grievances:

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

We fought a revolution against signing statements, DOJ abuses, extraordinary extradition and Guantanamo. It is a shame that 232 years later the Democratic leadership of Congress and our Presidential nominee are so afraid of losing a few votes (in an election that takes place as the current administration enjoys a 24% approval rating) that they acquiesce to this King George. So much for lives, fortunes and sacred honor.

Bless you, boys.

2008-04-08T20:13:00.000-04:00

I've been a little distracted lately so I didn't do my traditional post. And I can't help but think this miserable start is all my fault. We all knew the pitching was iffy but these big bats they paid a mint for during the off season were supposed to neutralize that. When Brandon Inge is your best hitter, you know times are hard.

This needs to end right now and it's time for me to do my part.

GO GET 'EM, TIGERS!!!!

UPDATE: The day after I put this post up, they win their first game. That' s enough to convince me. It's staying at the top all season.

I wanted two cats; I got a mini-series

2008-04-04T17:27:00.003-04:00

In the continuing saga....

Ivy never returned. I put out tuna on both porches and fed the raccoons. I put out a humane trap and snagged the neighbor's cat. It was pretty apparent that she was gone and not coming back.

So, I talked to Marilyn and we made arrangements for me to get another cat from that litter. And she informed me she may have given me the wrong cat last time. It's kind of hard to tell with four brown tabbies, but two of them were more socialized than the others, and she's afraid she may have given me Cat 3, when she meant to give me Cat 2.

This afternoon we met at the vet and she brought me a replacement cat. She looks just like Ivy with a little patch of white under her chin and she has about half a pound on Fern. And she also has some Dental Issues, but not as bad as Fern. With a good cleaning she may be in better shape. But Fern is already on Science Diet Dental Care (and she lets me brush her teeth! Whatta cat!) and gets Greenies as treats and I'm looking into this Oxyfresh Pet Oral Hygiene solution so both of them will have the best teeth possible.

I had no idea how Fern would react to a new (well, not so new but a stranger for a month) cat. She has really enjoyed all my attention and is definitely alpha female around here. Right now, Fern is sleeping between my legs and the new cat is sleeping in the open carrier right next to me. Fern has made a few growling noises at first but I think we may have achieved detente for a while, at least for as long as naptime lasts. I've marked both of them with my perfume so everybody smells the same. Nobody seems too nervous for now.

Oh, and the name of our new cat?

Clover.

April, come she will

2008-04-01T10:33:00.003-04:00

Maybe it was the early Easter, or maybe the lousy weather the past few days, but April kind of snuck up on me. I had to scramble to get my Gameday audio subscription so I could listen to the Tigers yesterday. (They won't be selling beer in Comerica Park this year. They lost the opener.)

(Sorry -- an old joke that I love to tell every year)

But it is April indeed, and April is National Poetry Month. Whether it's Chaucer's "Aprille" percing to the roote the droghte of Marche or Eliot's cruelest month, it seems a month made for poems. In honor of April, in honor of our rather soggy weather, I give you Langston Hughes:

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.

I guess it wasn't just a phase

2008-03-21T19:24:00.003-04:00

So much cat drama!

I had to go out of town last Saturday night, and when I came back I noticed that the right side of the accordion panel next to my room air conditioner in the bedroom had been pulled back. And Ivy was nowhere to be found.

I checked all the usual hiding places, but she wasn't there. I checked around the house and yard, but she wasn't there. I thought maybe...maybe she had found another indoor hiding place, but when I got up the next morning and the food had not disappeared as it should in a two cat household and the litter box had not been utilized as it should in a two cat household, I knew she was gone.

I let Marilyn know that Ivy had taken off and she went into Full Missing Cat Mode, listing her with a couple websites and making me a flyer and calling me back at work a half dozen times to suggest places to look and things to do. One of the things she suggested was putting tuna out on both porches. I did that. The next morning both tuna dishes were turned over. I figured I was feeding every possum and raccoon in the neighborhood.

I've walked through the neighborhood and looked under my neighbor's porches. I've pretty much made up my mind that this cat is not coming back. Maybe she got spooked during the thunderstorm on Saturday and just took off in a frenzy.

But this leaves me with a dilemma. I wanted two cats so they could keep each other company while I was at work. I particularly wanted litter mates since they would get along. There are two other cats available from the litter that Fern and Ivy came from, but that would mean dealing with Marilyn and I get the feeling she is a)a little obsessive when it comes to these cats and b)a little distrustful of my ability to care for another cat.

I don't know what to do. Fern needs a cat. She is the sweetest, most affectionate, loving cat and I know she needs a companion when I'm not here. I've already told Marilyn I would like another cat from that litter, but after the last few days of her phone calls I'd just as soon let this relationship wither.

In the mean time, here's Fern. I know her eyes are closed in this picture, but her eyes are closed a lot. Add a deep, contented, purr and you'd have the essence of Fern.

The Tooth Fairy Goes Broke

2008-03-13T17:20:00.002-04:00

Fern had her teeth cleaning yesterday, and as part of the process she had eight teeth removed. She can still eat dry food and that's what the vet wants her to stay on. She also has liquid antibiotics that she takes once a day. She's not crazy about it, but she lets me do it. Had I tried this with Olive I wouldn't have any skin left on my arms. The antibiotics may help save her other teeth, at least for a while.

It's good thing Fern is the one who needs all the work, since she's the friendlier one. She has claimed a spot on a chair under the kitchen table as her own, so she's pretty easy to find and can be coaxed out with just a little scritch on her head. Ivy is another story. She managed to find her way into the space behind the drawers next to the kitchen sink. When I brought Fern home last evening, she was perched on top of the cornice board over the picture window in the living room.

I hope this is just a phase.

The Best Cure

2008-03-09T15:03:00.002-04:00

I managed to make it through one night without a cat. When I woke up the first morning without Olive, I called the vet about the male and was told he had been adopted the night before but...BUT....if I really wanted another cat, they knew of a woman who was working with somebody in the city who had 28(!) cats in her house and animal control was about to move in. So, I made the phone call.

Marilyn was incredulous when I called, especially when I told her I really wanted two sisters, if possible. She didn't have any kittens, just adult cats. Was I still interested? Of course I was. I don't do kittens anymore (too damn much energy) and my last two adoptions were adult cats. They were just plain brown tabbies. Was I still interested? Of course I was. I don't need designer cats and I'd had plain brown tabbies before and all cats are beautiful. It just so happened she had two sisters of a litter of four who were just Cat 1 Cat 2 Cat 3 and Cat 4 at this point. They were spayed and up to date with their vaccines. They were on the last days of antibiotics and eye drops for a respiratory infection. I told her yes yes yes on all counts and we made arrangements to meet at my vet and do the adoption.

So there I was on Thursday, sitting in the reception area with two empty cat carriers. The staff was as excited as I was, and in walked Marilyn with her two cat carriers. Only hers had cats in them.

And what lovely cats they were! Two brown tabbies, almost identical except for the white patch on one's chest. We went back to the exam room and opened the carriers and I got to see just how absolutely sweet they were. They let me hold them immediately and purred and snuggled and nuzzled and rubbed and frankly, I got more affection in 10 minutes than Olive had given me in six years! The vet checked them out -- no ear mites! -- and found that one had pretty significant gum disease. Marilyn explained that she had just noticed the redness the day before and she was soooo apologetic and said she would have let me know if she had seen it earlier but since both cats had been eating dry food exclusively, she didn't think to do a closer exam. I reassured Marilyn that it was just fine, that there were no perfect cats and I'm not one of those folks who would renege on an adoption because something might be wrong with the baby. The vet explained that with a good teeth cleaning and antibiotics, we should be able to take care of things. Worst case scenario -- all her teeth would have to be pulled and she'd be on canned food. Still, not a problem. We made arrangements for me to bring her back in the morning for her cleaning.

So I took them home and out of the carriers they began exploring. I stuck around for an hour or so but then had to leave and when I got back, they were in full hiding mode. And they stayed that way overnight. I had to call the vet in the morning and cancel because I couldn't find my cat. Later that afternoon I found her hiding place and after a little coaxing, she came out and then it was "Pet me! Love me! Pet me! Love me!" The other one is a little better at hiding and a little shyer. But food has been eaten and litter box has been used, so I think we are going to be fine in time.

I'd post a picture, but I can't get both of them together at any one time, so you're just going to have to wait. In the meantime, I trust you can understand how happy I am to welcome into my home two plain brown tabby sister kitties.

Oh, their names?

Fern and Ivy.

Olive

2008-02-28T17:43:00.003-05:00

She came into my life as a stray that had found her way to the porch of a friend who could not take in another cat. My friend knew I had been looking for a companion for Maude, who seemed to need a lot more affection than one person could provide. So off I went to see this little gray kitty with no tail. And, of course, I had to take her home.

She spent her first week here in the front bedroom. Maude seemed totally oblivious to her, until one evening when she heard a noise from the other side of the door, sniffed a bit under it and turned to me with a look on her face that said "Hey! Did you know there's another cat here?" And then there was a week of an old screen door that I used to separate them so they could see each other safely.

After that I removed the screen door and the fun began. Poor Maude tried so hard to be a gracious hostess, ignoring the hissing and occasional bat of the paw for a few weeks, until she finally had enough and batted back. That seemed to equalize the relationship to the point where they both became wusses. They would pass each other in the hall, hugging the wall. They would sleep on the bed with me but each had her own corner. And since the bedroom was Maude's territory, Olive didn't spend a lot of time here, preferring to use the cat door to commune with nature on the screened-in back porch.

Olive took her time warming up to me, too. We finally bonded in the mornings when I would sit on the ledge of the bathtub to fix my hair. She would jump into my lap and let me pet her, and eventually she understood that when I put the curling iron down I would be standing up and the lap would disappear.

When Maude died last fall, Olive suddenly became Queen of the Bedroom. She claimed the bed as her own, never went out on the back porch and slept on the pillow next to my head. When I came home at night she wouldn't come greet me, preferring instead to remain on the bed and only move from there when she heard the food hit the bowl. She became rather affectionate and would nuzzle my chin every night and let me rub her head -- but only for as long as SHE wanted.

Tuesday I came home and instead of her usual place on the bed I found her hiding under the sideboard in the living room. She didn't come out when I called to her or filled her bowl. Very odd. And when I brought the food to her, she wouldn't eat. Something was obviously wrong. On Wednesday at lunchtime I brought her chicken soup from Whole Foods. She still wouldn't eat. I called the vet and was told to bring her in that afternoon.

Now, Olive was never a very good patient at the vet. In fact, it was noted in her file that she was "feisty" But on Wednesday she let them weigh her and poke her and listen to her heart, which is when the vet detected a heart murmur. A few blood tests and an xray later and we had a finding of an enlarged heart. The vet had warned me when she heard the murmur that heart disease in cats is very scary.

To determine what was causing the cardiomegaly would require an ultrasound, EKG and some other tests. And for that she would have to be sedated and the vet didn't think she would survive that. And even if we did find out what the ultimate cause was and what meds to treat it with, the prognosis was still not good. I've since learned that six months was about average. It would require daily medication and probably more frequent vet visits and testing, and Olive wasn't going to stand for that.

So I made the decision that I had to make. She came home with me last night and spent the evening on her blanket next to me on the bed. This morning we went to the vet for the last time. I've always believed that if at all possible, you owe it to your animals to be with them in their last moments. So I petted her told her how much I loved her and what a great cat she'd been.

And then she was gone.

She will be cremated (along with her blanket) and I will scatter her ashes over Maude's grave under the camellia bush. They will be closer in death than they ever were in life.

So, for the first time in 23 years I am catless. I always had a spare cat, but I thought I had a little more time ahead with Olive. But at the vet's office there's an older male in a cage with a sign on it that says "I Need A Home." His owner is moving somewhere that won't allow her to have a cat. He was very vocal this morning as I paid my bill. I told him "Thank you for your sympathy. Give me a week, okay?"

We all know where this is leading, don't we?

But for now, I am missing my Olive. She was feisty and sweet and lived life on her own terms.

Go in peace, my kitty.

Good for the lilacs

2008-01-17T14:31:00.001-05:00

Over the years I've developed the hypothesis that in order to guarantee profuse blooms in April the lilac bush requires one good covering of snow/ice in winter. Last winter was very mild with no "winter events" and there was a dearth of lilacs. So I am very happy to report this:

About an inch of snow/sleet/freezing rain overnight which turned to just plain ol' cold rain during the day. I had already planned on taking the day off (which was a good thing since repairing the water pump on the Prius took a while) so I slept in this morning and blissfully avoided Full Winter Storm Mode on local television, which goes something like this:

" This is Jim in Winston-Salem, and it's cold and slushy here. Now to Becky in Greensboro".
"This is Becky in Greensboro. It's cold and slushy here, too. Now to Frank in Burlington"
Ad nauseum

And of course the anticipation of the Big Winter Event went on and on yesterday, so all the grocery stores were quickly emptied of milk and bread, which only shows what lousy storm day planners everyone is down here. I prefer to stock up on more useful items like beer and Fiddle Faddle.

But at least I got a chance to consider the lilacs today, and to remind myself that in a short three months this:

will become this:

Happy New Year

2007-12-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

Up here in Michigan, where I'm spending the holidays, the skies are gray. The skies tend to be gray in Michigan in the winter, which is why I moved to North Carolina. In 1980, which was the last winter I lived here, the temperature never got above 17 for the entire month of January, and from Christmas to Valentines Day the sun never shone.

But there can be beauty in the gray of winter, especially on the river. I found the shores at Lake Erie Metropark to be especially lovely. I give you this picture, and my favorite William Stafford poem, as a gift for the new year.

Ask Me

Some time when the river is ice ask me
mistakes I have made. Ask me whether
what I have done is my life. Others
have come in their slow way into
my thought, and some have tried to help
or to hurt: ask me what difference
their strongest love or hate has made.

I will listen to what you say.
You and I can turn and look
at the silent river and wait. We know
the current is there, hidden; and there
are comings and goings from miles away
that hold the stillness exactly before us.
What the river says, that is what I say.

Makin' a list...

2007-12-22T07:38:00.000-05:00

Things to do today:

1) Clean out car (it still has beach stuff in the back seat)
2) Hit the liquor store for a few bottles of Dulseda, a dulce de leche liqueur. Yum.
3) Launder
4) Wrap presents
5) Pack
6) Load newly-cleaned car back up
7) Send email to the cheezburger folks suggesting that next year they offer lolcats Christmas cards, because I would definitely buy this one:

From the Department of Shameless Promotions:

2007-12-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

I know I don't have a whole lot of visits to this corner of the internets (except for all those people who are looking for the entire text of Tony Hendra's satire) but to those of you stick around to read the posts, many thanks.

Now I need you to do one more thing.

I need you to click over to Jackson Street Books and order a book or two from Dan and Tammy. They are independent booksellers and as you can imagine, it is not easy being an independent bookseller these days. And they are good people who are trying to make a difference in their neighborhood in Seattle. But times are tough and they are facing some major decisions about whether or not they can continue doing the work they love.

I have ordered all my books from them for the past two years and it couldn't be easier. You can contact them through their blog, give them your titles (and if you're really a Good Person you will give them the ISBN numbers that you have gleaned off amazon.com -- stick it to the man! ) and your credit card number. They will have your books to you in no time and they will have been packed with love.

So if you're like me and don't have a local independent bookseller in town, help out Dan and Tammy. You'll enjoy reading so much more!

They play beisbol in my county

2007-10-31T08:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday evening the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new minor league downtown stadium were held, just four blocks from my current housesitting gig. The stadium will be home field for the Winston-Salem Warthogs, who currently play their games at Ernie Shore Field.

Ernie Shore is a fine place to watch a baseball game, but apparently there's all this annoying grass where you could have seats, and it's not in the "right" part of town (although it's right across the street from where Wake Forest plays all its basketball games.) So the team owners convinced the county commissioners to fork over $12.5 million in tax incentives over the next 25 years and the city council to flat out pay $21 million in cash and another $8 million in tax incentives. Because we are losing "young professionals" and this will keep them in the city.

They hope.

I didn't go to the ceremony. I had a rehearsal and I also would have felt like a hypocrite since I did not support public financing of this stadium. I would like nothing more than to be proven wrong, but somehow I doubt this is going to be the key to revitalizing downtown. And I can think of a lot of other places the city and county could have spent their money, like affordable housing and health care, but nobody ever has fireworks to celebrate a new housing development.

Yes, we had fireworks. And I happened to be driving up the hill to the house when they started. And I happened to remember that I had my camera in the car. And despite everything, I am a sucker for fireworks.

Rain

2007-10-26T10:41:00.000-04:00

From the National Weather Service:

WIDESPREAD RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES...AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT TODAY. RAINFALL RATES BRIEFLY EXCEEDING ONE INCH AN HOUR MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING ON SMALL STREAMS....IN URBAN DRAINAGES...AND ON HIGHWAYS. MOTORISTS MAY ALSO ENCOUNTER SUDDEN POOR VISIBILITY CAUSED BY THE HEAVY RAIN AND SPRAY. TRAVEL DELAYS ARE LIKELY AND PEOPLE SHOULD ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH THEIR DESTINATIONS.

It hasn't rained much more than a light sprinkle in over a month, and that was just once, about a week ago. We have not had two consecutive days of rain since sometime in May, but today is our third day of beautiful, drenching rain. Honest to God, I got into my car the other morning and had to think for a minute to remember how to use my windshield wipers. Last night I saw lightning for the first time since the beach in July and its brilliance startled me.

I am going to spend the afternoon sitting on the screen porch, reading my book, drinking my tea, listening to the rain. Life is good.

God's in his heaven, Al's right with the world

2007-10-12T19:54:00.000-04:00

You know he's gotta be lovin' this. While the petulant child pouts in the Oval Office, Al picks up more bling for the mantle piece.

I've always been amused by the right wing reaction to Al's efforts on global warming. It's generally some variation of "he's a fraud because he lives in a big house and flies all over the world giving these speeches." It suits their purposes so well to pretend that the only way you can save the planet is live in a hut and ride a bicycle. It relieves them of the responsibility of doing anything.

The other claim I've heard ad nauseum is that his books are ghostwritten. I had to read "Earth in the Balance" back in 1992 for a class on Ecological Health. If Al paid someone to write that book for him, he sure didn't get his money's worth. Jeebus, what a grind.

So, what was a pretty lousy week for me ends on a positive note. Or two positive notes, actually. Edy's Grand Limited Edition Pumpkin Ice Cream is back in your grocer's freezer. But just for a while, so don't be wasting your time watching the World Series when you could be shopping.

It's not like any team that matters is playing this year, anyway.

I'm so bad.

2007-09-23T14:23:00.000-04:00

When I read this morning that Marcel Marceau died , I had three thoughts:

-- Would it be appropriate to observe a moment of noise in his memory?

-- Will he lie in state palms up, ala The Man In The Box?

-- Will he be in full Bip makeup, so people can say "He looks so lifelike!"?

Beautiful Rain

2007-09-14T17:24:00.000-04:00

It started around 7:00 AM, just a light sprinkle. This went on till noon. And then the squall lines came, one after another, each one heavier than the last. You could almost hear the leaves sighing in relief. I was certainly sighing in relief. We could do without the tornadoes that seem to be popping up all around me, but thorns with the roses, ya know.

A few more days like this and I may be able to get some bulbs in the ground this fall without resorting to a jackhammer.

Here I am, an old man in a dry month*

2007-09-13T15:38:00.000-04:00

Right now, at this very moment, weather.com says the chance of rain tomorrow is 100%. One hundred freakin' percent. Combine this with my Busia's observation that it always rains during the High Holy Days, and I may just dare to hope. And to seal the deal, I will NOT take an umbrella to work tomorrow.

Oh God it's never going to rain again, is it?

* T.S. Eliot, Gerontion

Vadum non sitis

2007-09-11T08:16:00.000-04:00

One of the great ethical questions has always been "Is a lie ever justified?" Anyone who has ever been asked "Do I look fat in this?" can answer that question easily. It seems most people believe that if a lie can prevent greater harm being done, than it is the wiser course.

At least that's what the folks at weather.com must be thinking. Three days ago they predicted isolated thunderstorms yesterday, with a 30% chance of rain through the week. Yesterday, that got changed to isolated thunderstorms today. This morning, the forecast is isolated thunderstorms tonight, and the chance of rain has pretty much been taken out of the rest of the week. (Aside to DB -- yes, I know all about the unreliability of long-term weather forecasting, but I'm making a point here so cut me some slack) They have lied to us all along, just to keep us from slitting our wrists. It's like saying we need six more months in Iraq -- just keep moving the line back in an effort to fool us into patience.

Well I have had enough, in both cases. I'm not sure what I can do about Iraq, but tonight I am taking the hose to the lilac bush. "Voluntary" water restrictions be damned, I've waited long enough for relief from the skies. I just have to take things into my own hands, which involves using them to place the hose directly into the middle of the lilac bush and turning on the water.

And in doing so, I will probably guarantee that it will rain for the next ten days. You can thank me later.

I read about doin' tears in those Shakespeares last summer...

2007-09-05T14:01:00.000-04:00

There's a new biography of George Bush coming out soon, and here's a quote from the story featured on Yahoo

WASHINGTON - Under that famously self-confident exterior is a president who weeps — a lot.
President Bush told the author of a new book on his presidency that "I try not to wear my worries on my sleeve" or show anything less than steadfastness in public, especially in a time of war.
"I fully understand that the enemy watches me, the Iraqis are watching me, the troops watch me, and the people watch me," he said. Yet, he said, "I do tears."

No offense to the cats, but my immediately thought was:

Lunacy in the AM

2007-08-28T06:31:00.000-04:00

I just got in from watching the lunar eclipse. No pictures this time, because I'm housesitting and I didn't have my tripod with me. But I did have a telescope, which I set up in the middle of the street ( it's a cul-de-sac and it's not like I was going to get run over by the milktruck) which allowed me to share the experience with a woman walking her dog at 5:15 AM. I'm glad I have a cat.

The streetlights in the cul-de-sac didn't allow for the greatest viewing, but because the development backs up to a stretch of woods, I did get to have a special eclipse experience. At the moment of totality, I heard it.

He was up rather early, too.

Odds and Ends

2007-08-09T20:13:00.000-04:00

-- I'm sure you've all been wondering about the state of my back. I'm happy to say things have improved significantly, probably because I've started playing in the pool almost every day. I spend at least half an hour water walking and working with the foam dumb bells and yes, Hedera, doing crunches to work on my "core."

I love it.

I like to think of it as "playing" rather than exercise. I have so much fun in the water (even though my skin and hair are paying the price). I watch the people on the treadmills and stairmasters and nobody looks like they're enjoying themselves very much. Fools.

--It has not escaped my notice that ever since this the Tigers have been tanking. The bullpen has fallen apart, the big hitters are flailing and the defense is phoning it in.

And in his news conference today:

“There is a lot of work left to be done, don’t get me wrong,” Mr. Bush said. “If one were to look hard, they could find indications that — more than indications, facts that show the government is learning how to function.”

I give this parliament three months, tops.

--And finally, it's damned hot.

Who needs Provence?

2007-08-03T07:54:00.000-04:00

I housesit a lot. Apparently people feel I'm responsible enough to entrust their homes, cats, dogs or horses to me. It's like taking a little vacation, especially when the house looks out on this:

That's sunset over Pilot Mountain (or Mount Pilot, as it's known to the denizens of Mayberry,which is just up the road.)

In the foreground you can see part of the vineyard. North Carolina has quite the thriving wine industry and while these folks don't produce their own wines yet, they have 35 acres of vineyard and sell their grapes to the local wineries.

It's beautiful country up here, quiet and green. I've seen hawks, deer, beavers and the neighbor's cows. Oh, and there's the pool, too.

C'est belle!

The Furry Reaper

2007-07-29T13:34:00.000-04:00

Like many of you, I've been intrigued by the story of Oscar, the Hospice Cat:

Oscar has become rather famous for his uncanny ability to predict which patients are going to die soon, and he lies next to them in their last few hours, purring and snuggling. I can't think of a better way to pass away than having a cat in bed next to me in my final hours.

Of course, Olive pretty much does that every night

but she may just be playing the odds.

Kiss of Death

2007-07-18T13:52:00.000-04:00

Good thing I have my own office so no one could hear me howl in protest when I read this today:

MINNEAPOLIS -- In an interview with ESPN, President George W. Bush complimented Tigers owner Mike Ilitch and predicted the Tigers will return to the World Series.

"I think Detroit will be in the World Series," Bush said. "I think they'll nose out Boston. I know that may be counterintuitive, but their young pitching is great, and they've got the flamethrower Zumala back."

ESPN's Karl Ravech, who was interviewing Bush, told him the flamethrower's name is Zumaya.

"Zumaya ... Zumala, Zumaya," Bush said. "I think they'll be pretty tough."

You can start hanging the bunting in Fenway now.

The Island Cure

2007-07-15T14:47:00.000-04:00

I would have checked in earlier, but I spent all of last week here:

And, amazingly enough, my back pain is all gone!!! Even after another rough bout last weekend and a kind of tricky drive down, just one day at the beach and I felt like a new woman. Now I'm trying to figure out how to write this off on my taxes as a medical expense. Or at least get the insurance company to cover it. If the pain returns and I end up going through a course of physical therapy, it may just end up being cheaper to send me to the beach for another week. Or two.

I should have gotten the service contract...

2007-07-01T18:46:00.000-04:00

A little over a week ago my laptop decided to fall apart. I'd been having a problem with the AC adapter port -- I had to jiggle the cord to get it to charge and even resorted to taping it in place, which would work for awhile, until I moved. So I had decided to "chat" that evening with a Dell technical support person online. About half an hour before that, however, half my LCD screen suddenly went blank. Well, not exactly blank, just three solid vertical blocks of various shades of green. I still managed to "chat" with Roderick by minimizing the Firefox window to half the monitor, and he decided I needed a new LCD screen and a new motherboard. Dell will send someone out to fix a machine, so we made arrangements for a technician to come to my office, either the next day (Friday) or no later than Monday. I wasn't that worried about internet withdrawal, since I was housesitting for someone with cable (which I don't have) and there was lots of baseball on last weekend.

Well that was the plan. However, Friday evening I was lying on the couch, and when I sat up I felt a twinge in my back which got my attention. Over time the twinge turned into spasms, and the pain became excruciating. I tried to tough it out Friday night and all day Saturday with massive doses of ibuprofen, but at 2:00 in the morning on Sunday, it was apparent I was in real trouble. I called a friend of mine (who happens to be a doctor) and between sobs on the phone I was able to explain my situation. She decided I needed to get to the ER. so she showed up 15 minutes later and off we went.

The last time I went to the ER was three years ago with what ended up being appendicitis, and in that this was 2 AM on a weekend I was prepared for a three hour wait just like I endured back then. But I was pleasantly surprised that it was a slow night and I was seen immediately. It helps to bring your own doctor with you to the ER so she could tell the resident exactly what I needed and what her diagnosis was. After ruling out a compression fracture with x-rays and going through a series of range-of-motion exercises, we all agreed that yes, this was a serious muscle spasm and Valium would do the trick. I also made him give my Serious Pain Pills because I was in Serious Pain. After a trip to the all night pharmacy, I got home and took my Vitamin V's (Valium and Vicodin) and managed to get a nice seven hours of sleep. After Sunday I stopped the Vicodin because it was just making me sleepy while the Valium really did relax the muscles and was giving me real relief.

Soooooo....needless to say I was not at work on Monday for the Dell technician. I wasn't there on Tuesday, either, but finally felt healed enough to go in on Wednesday. And Mr. Technician came in and had everything repaired and good as new in half an hour.

I wish I could say the same for my back. Things are better, but I still feel a little twinge every now and then. Sitting in my chair at work seems to aggravate it, but heading for the hot tub at the Y after work is blessed relief. And if I can survive this next week at work then it's off to Topsail Island next Sunday and the famous Sea-Sun-Mojito cure.

These two episodes have me thinking, though. I've had warranty work done on the computer, but I know once the warranty is up it'll start nickel-and-diming me with one problem after another, and it will be time to get a replacement. With all the minor glitches my body has been experiencing in the last few months, I'm just afraid that warranty is already up.

This Justin!

2007-06-12T21:26:00.000-04:00

From The Detroit Free Press:

Justin Verlander pitched the first no-hitter in Comerica Park history, mixing 99 mph heat with crazy curveballs to lead the Detroit Tigers over the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 on Tuesday night.

The last Tiger to pitch a no-hitter was Jack Morris in 1984. Y'all remember what happened in 1984, don't you?

Bless you, boys.

From the "That Explains a Lot" Dept.

2007-05-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

The Washington Post, May 28, 2007:

In another experiment published in March, University of Southern California neuroscientist Antonio R. Damasio and his colleagues showed that patients with damage to an area of the brain known as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex lack the ability to feel their way to moral answers.

When confronted with moral dilemmas, the brain-damaged patients coldly came up with "end-justifies-the-means" answers. Damasio said the point was not that they reached immoral conclusions, but that when confronted by a difficult issue -- such as whether to shoot down a passenger plane hijacked by terrorists before it hits a major city -- these patients appear to reach decisions without the anguish that afflicts those with normally functioning brains.

The Washington Post, June 18, 2004

At 10:39 on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Vice President Cheney, in a bunker beneath the White House, told Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld in a videoconference that he had been informed earlier that morning that hijacked planes were approaching Washington.
...
Within minutes, Cheney would use his authority. Told -- erroneously, as it turned out -- that a presumably hijacked aircraft was 80 miles from Washington, Cheney decided "in about the time it takes a batter to swing" to authorize fighter jets scrambled from Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., to engage it, the commission reported

Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circum spice

2007-05-21T20:13:00.001-04:00

I went up to Michigan last weekend for a cousin's wedding. What a great time with all the aunts and uncles and cousins. None of us has changed a bit, of course.

And while the wedding was the main reason I went up there, while I was there I was able to take some time for some other pretty special events, like my first visit here:

And a fine and glorious park it is, too. Especially when there are 40,815 of us there to witness the beloved Tigers demolishing the so-called "World Champion" St. Louis Cardinals 14-4. Even more exciting was watching 21 year old Andrew Miller make his first major league start:

He pitched six scoreless innings before Leyland sat him down. Good speed, adequate control. Remember his name.

One thing I had forgotten about the third weekend in May in Michigan -- the lilacs are in bloom. You don't see too many lilac bushes in North Carolina, though I have one in my yard that bloomed in April, as it does every year. But they are EVERYWHERE in Michigan. I would get so excited driving down the road and seeing these huge bushes that were probably 30 years old, just covered with purple blooms. Just about everyone has one in the yard, including my niece. So just enjoy and imagine that breathtaking scent

Junque

2007-05-08T19:39:00.000-04:00

The Cecilia concerts are complete and they all went well, especially the Sunday morning one at the UU Fellowship. It was as close to a perfect performance as I have ever experienced. The brass was flawless, the singers were all in tune, hitting the cutoffs and honoring the dynamics. And the conducting was superb. It was one of those times when you know you're in the middle of a once in a lifetime experience. Just transcendant, it was.

If only there were rest for the weary. But I have one more chore to get through before I can relax. The semi-annual Fellowship Yard Sale is this Saturday, and, as has been my wont for the last eight years or so, I'm in charge. I enjoy doing it (though I'd enjoy it more with a few more volunteers to help) because it's always fun to see what people donate. Every sale there are always a half dozen items that we play "Guess what this is" with. This year, I found a set of three badly tarnished silver pieces that defied identification. So I took them home and polished them up and looked for marks. They are Sheffield, silver plated, made in Italy and they look like this:

I was clueless. I even took them into work and asked around. Finally, after much research on the internets, I was able to ascertain that they are flatware caddies for your formal buffet. Which shows you how often I entertain formally. You put your forks in the two skinny ones and your knives rest in the larger one. They're pretty damned heavy and even though they are just silverplated, I think $30 for the set is fair. I've seen another set similar to them advertised for $35 on an antiques site.

So if you're looking for a silverplated flatware buffet caddy set at a good price, the doors open at 8 AM. Cash only, no early sales.

Heavenly harmony

2007-04-22T16:26:00.000-04:00

I've been a busy gal these last four months. A good deal of my time has been spent in rehearsals for what I think is going to be a rather fine series of performances over the next two weeks. Two of the choirs I'm a part of are joining with a third to perform Norman Dello Joio's To Saint Cecilia. I'm kind of a muddy alto, and this has been the most intricate and challenging piece I've ever attempted singing. But it is glorious, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this massed choir. You can read more about it here.

St Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians, and Dello Joio set John Dryden's poem to music. The words are powerful, the music is enchanting and if you ever get a chance to hear it performed, do so. It's a moving tribute to the power of music.

FROM harmony, from heavenly harmony,
This universal frame began:
When nature underneath a heap
Of jarring atoms lay,
And could not heave her head,
The tuneful voice was heard from high,
'Arise, ye more than dead!'
Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry,
In order to their stations leap,
And Music's power obey.
From harmony, from heavenly harmony,
This universal frame began:
From harmony to harmony
Through all the compass of the notes it ran,
The diapason closing full in Man.

What passion cannot Music raise and quell?
When Jubal struck the chorded shell,
His listening brethren stood around,
And, wondering, on their faces fell
To worship that celestial sound:
Less than a God they thought there could not dwell
Within the hollow of that shell,
That spoke so sweetly, and so well.
What passion cannot Music raise and quell?

The trumpet's loud clangour
Excites us to arms,
With shrill notes of anger,
And mortal alarms.
The double double double beat
Of the thundering drum
Cries Hark! the foes come;
Charge, charge, 'tis too late to retreat!

The soft complaining flute,
In dying notes, discovers
The woes of hopeless lovers,
Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling lute.

Sharp violins proclaim
Their jealous pangs and desperation,
Fury, frantic indignation,
Depth of pains, and height of passion,
For the fair, disdainful dame.

But O, what art can teach,
What human voice can reach,
The sacred organ's praise?
Notes inspiring holy love,
Notes that wing their heavenly ways
To mend the choirs above.

Orpheus could lead the savage race;
And trees unrooted left their place,
Sequacious of the lyre;
But bright Cecilia rais'd the wonder higher:
When to her organ vocal breath was given,
An angel heard, and straight appear'd
Mistaking Earth for Heaven.

GRAND CHORUS.

As from the power of sacred lays
The spheres began to move,
And sung the great Creator's praise
To all the Blest above;
So when the last and dreadful hour
This crumbling pageant shall devour,
The trumpet shall be heard on high,
The dead shall live, the living die,
And Music shall untune the sky!

John Dryden

42

2007-04-13T19:37:00.000-04:00

Sixty years ago this Sunday, Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field as a Brooklyn Dodger. He was a man of extraordinary talent and extraordinary courage. In a week when we've been exposed to a glaring example of a man with neither, this Sunday's commemoration will be especially meaningful.

Last Christmas I gave my great-nephew a copy of this book:

If you want to teach your children about standing up for what is right and how a simple gesture can still have meaning sixty years later, I recommend it.

It worked so well last year...

2007-04-02T10:09:00.000-04:00

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in His heaven—
All's right with the world!

Robert Browning
from "Pippa Passes"

Harbingers

2007-03-20T12:29:00.000-04:00

At 7:07PM(EDT) Spring arrives. And just as on this date every year I am grateful for surviving another winter without frozen pipes or ice-damaged trees and with a heating bill I can manage.

Every culture has its own way of marking the vernal equinox. At Chichén Itzá in the Yucatan, it's the time of year when the serpent can be seen sliding down the north face of the pyramid:

In the northern US, they celebrate the arrival of this herald of Spring:

But for some of us, there is only one true sign of this splendid season:

Opening Day is April 2, 1:05 PM vs. Toronto.

Springing Forward

2007-03-13T21:41:00.000-04:00

Every year I'm amazed at how I have to "adjust" to Daylight Saving Time. It's just one lousy hour, but it takes me at least a week to get back to a regular sleep/wake schedule. I hate dark mornings, and since we're starting this thing three weeks earlier it will be even longer before it's light enough when I wake up to get me out of bed.

I've always said that missing that hour of sleep at the beginning of Daylight Saving Time makes me cranky till I get it back in October. At least I'm not as bad as the farmers who originally objected to DST because the extra hour of sunlight would burn their crops.

Neti and Me

2007-03-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

So I caught a cold over a month ago, and the residual stuffy nose has been driving me nuts ever since. It seems like forever since I've been able to BREATHE. When I was kvetching about this the other day, a friend said "You need a neti pot."

"A what?"

"A neti pot. You use it to irrigate your sinuses with saline solution. It's like a little pitcher and you stick the spout into one nostril and let the water run through and out the other nostril and it cleans out all the junk that's in there."

Well that sounded like more fun than a body could bear, so I traipsed over to Whole Foods and got one of these:

I also got a jar of the Special Neti Salt (in for a dime, in for a dollar, I say)

I spent yesterday evening looking at this thing and reading and rereading the directions and basically it was just as my friend said -- hang your head over the sink and stick this thing up your nose. Tonight I decided to try it.

Holy Hannah.

I can BREATHE!!!!!

I especially like the fact that it doesn't make me sleepy or hyper or all dried out like all those decongestants do. And since allergy season lasts about 347 days a year down here in NC, this little pot should come in very handy.

I just hope I don't end up with a neti monkey on my back.

Lunacy

2007-03-03T21:20:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Another Monkey, I knew there was a total eclipse of the moon tonight. Unfortunately, it wasn't dark enough at the moment of totality, but I managed to get a few shots as the earth's shadow passed over.

And since I was already on the roof of the parking deck, here's a glimpse of downtown by night:

And yes, we do realize what that building on the right looks like.

Why God Made Grease and Sugar

2007-02-18T13:29:00.000-05:00

For some, Mardi Gras means beads and a King Cake. But for me, Fat Tuesday only means one thing.

Paczki.

To call them "jelly-filled doughnuts" is to call Beethoven's Ninth Symphony a "happy tune." These are no ordinary KrispyKreme/Dunkin' Donuts pieces of fluff. These are doughnuts of substance, dammit.

Years ago my father would make 20 dozen or so to share with the relatives. He would start at 5AM, and in order to make 20 dozens' worth of dough rise he would shut off all the furnace vents in the house except for the one in the kitchen, and then close that door. Given that this was Michigan in February, the house could get a bit...chilly. But it was a sacrifice we were willing to make, because we knew what was coming. When I left for school in the morning there would be a huge balia (or baby bathtub, for those of you not familiar with the mother tongue) filled with dough. By the time I came home, there would be trays of paczki covered with powdered sugar on just about every level surface in the house. I only got glimpses of how the magic happened -- an industrial-sized deep fryer sitting on the stove and this amazing machine that shot the filling into the paczki, one at a time, using a pump-handle action.

Because making paczki takes time, I give you the recipe today so you can shop. Tomorrow you can spend the day assembling these. Tuesday you can enjoy them all, because Lent starts on Wednesday and there'll be none of that sugar and fat again till Easter.

For 4 dozen paczki:

¾ ounce yeast dissolved in ¼ cup warm water
½ quart warm milk
3 cups flour

Mix together and let rise for about ½ hour

Mix together

½ quart scalded milk (let return to room temperature)
¼ lb. melted butter
2 tablespoons shortening
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons whiskey

Mix together above ingredients and add 6 eggs, pinch of salt, 9 cups flour until you get a dough that is easy to work with.

Let the dough rise until double in size, then cut the dough into 2 ounce pieces (about the size of a golf ball) and form balls. Place the dough balls on a well oiled flat pan, let them rise for about ½ hour to about ¾ hour.

Bring oil (traditionally melted Crisco) in large fryer to 350 degree and fry the paczki until well browned on both sides. When removing from the oil, it is traditional to drain them on brown paper bags.

When the paczki are cool enough to handle, they can be filled using a pastry bag. Use a tip that will allow a good teaspoon of filling (fruit jelly or my favorite -- prune aka lekvar) to be inserted in the paczek. Then dust the paczki with powdered sugar.

Or, you can do what I'm doing and order yours from the Sanitary Bakery, an occasion of sin I was introduced to by my friend Another Monkey.. It's probably too late for this year, so you'll just have to wait for 2008. I suppose you could order them even though it's not Fat Tuesday, but they just won't taste the same.

Mmmmm...smaczne!

Is it too early to get play-off tickets yet?

2007-02-15T16:34:00.000-05:00

Funny how short the off-season is when you're still playing in October.

One Starfish at a Time*

2007-02-11T15:07:00.000-05:00

So this morning's sermon was about Darfur. It's not an easy subject to understand -- so many warring factions, so many dead and displaced, no solutions in sight. And we face so many problems in our own country, in our own communities. When faced with the overwhelming complexity and enormity of genocide halfway around the world, it is natural to feel powerless to affect any change.

But, as the minister said this morning, each of us holds a power within us. And if we do not choose to use our power, it disappears when we die. Individually, we cannot change the world. But whenever we act for good, we ensure that our power will have an impact long after we are gone.

So go learn. And sign the petition. And send some money if you can. What better legacy can you leave?

*The title refers to the story of the boy and the beach full of hundreds of starfish that had been washed up on the sand. He slowly made his way down the beach, throwing one starfish at a time back into the ocean. An old man wandered by and said to him "Look at all these starfish. Your arm is going to get tired. What difference is throwing back of few of them going to make?" The boy picked one up, threw it into the ocean and said "It made a difference to that one."

A Vision

If we will have the wisdom to survive,
To stand like slow-growing trees
On a ruined place, renewing, enriching it,
If we will make our seasons welcome here,
Asking not too much of earth or heaven,
Then a long time after we are dead
The lives our lives prepare will live here,
their houses strongly placed
upon the valley sides, fields and gardens
rich in the windows. The river will run
clear, as we will never know it,
and over it, birdsong like a canopy.
On the steeps where greed and ignorance cut down
The old forest, an old forest will stand,
Its rich leaf-fall drifting on its roots.
The veins of forgotten springs will have opened.
Families will be singing in the fields.
In their voices they will hear a music
risen out of the ground. They will take
nothing from the ground they will not return,
whatever the grief at parting. Memory,
native to this valley, will spread over it
like a grove, and memory will grow
into legend, legend into song, song
into sacrament. The abundance of this place,
the songs of its people and its birds,
will be health and wisdom and indwelling
light. This is no paradisal dream.
Its hardship is its possibility.

Wendell Berry

A Lesson Before Flying

2007-02-04T13:45:00.000-05:00

It had been a while since I taught Religious Education (which is the Unitarian Universalist version of Sunday School) and today was my first lesson in a long time. It's a simple lesson plan -- story, crafts, everybody head outside and play -- and it's first and second graders and the day I can't keep first and second graders enthralled by a story is the day I hang up my sit-upon cushion and keep to the other end of the building with the adults. So the story is fine.

And when it comes time to crafts all the little girls get their paints and markers and beads and get down to serious Artistic Expression. Little Boys are not so easily engaged. For them, "crafts" is just a way to noisily mark time until we can hit the playground.

Today, however, I got lucky. One of the little boys created a paper airplane with a New and Improved Design. So, of course, all the other little boys had to make one just like it. So all the other little boys and I huddled around him for ten minutes while he very patiently demonstrated its construction. And then we had to decorate our planes, so that took another ten minutes. And by that time it was time to hit the playground where we conducted test flights.

So this morning I discovered my Inner Little Boy. And made the first paper airplane that I had ever made that actually flew.

Fern Hill

Now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs
About the lilting house and happy as the grass was green,
The night above the dingle starry,
Time let me hail and climb
Golden in the heydays of his eyes,
And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns
And once below a time I lordly had the trees and leaves
Trail with daisies and barley
Down the rivers of the windfall light.

And as I was green and carefree, famous among the barns
About the happy yard and singing as the farm was home,
In the sun that is young once only,
Time let me play and be
Golden in the mercy of his means,
And green and golden I was huntsman and herdsman, the calves
Sang to my horn, the foxes on the hills barked clear and cold,
And the sabbath rang slowly
In the pebbles of the holy streams.

All the sun long it was running, it was lovely, the hay
Fields high as the house, the tunes from the chimneys, it was air
And playing, lovely and watery
And fire green as grass.
And nightly under the simple stars
As I rode to sleep the owls were bearing the farm away,
All the moon long I heard, blessed among stables, the nightjars
Flying with the ricks, and the horses
Flashing into the dark.

And then to awake, and the farm, like a wanderer white
With the dew, come back, the cock on his shoulder: it was all
Shining, it was Adam and maiden,
The sky gathered again
And the sun grew round that very day.
So it must have been after the birth of the simple light
In the first, spinning place, the spellbound horses walking warm
Out of the whinnying green stable
On to the fields of praise.

And honoured among foxes and pheasants by the gay house
Under the new made clouds and happy as the heart was long,
In the sun born over and over,
I ran my heedless ways,
My wishes raced through the house high hay
And nothing I cared, at my sky blue trades, that time allows
In all his tuneful turning so few and such morning songs
Before the children green and golden
Follow him out of grace,

Nothing I cared, in the lamb white days, that time would take me
Up to the swallow thronged loft by the shadow of my hand,
In the moon that is always rising,
Nor that riding to sleep
I should hear him fly with the high fields
And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land.
Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means,
Time held me green and dying
Though I sang in my chains like the sea.

Dylan Thomas

Saturday Morning Confusion

2007-01-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

About five years ago I swore I would never do anything again that required a #2 pencil. But there I was, Saturday morning, taking yet another test to get more letters after my name. If I'm ever asked to give a commencement address, I'm going to tell the graduates to invest in #2 pencils. They're going to need them the rest of their lives.

And it was a day I would have enjoyed much more had I been outside. The temperatures continue to reach very un-January levels, which has only added to the floral confusion I spoke of before. Now the cherry trees are starting to show pink, which is a shame. Another hard frost will come, and nothing is sadder than cherry blossoms too soon in drifts on the ground.

Loveliest of Trees

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.

Now, of my threescore years and ten,
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.

And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow

A. E. Housman

Popcorn-Worthy

2007-01-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

I've tried various State of the Union Drinking games in the last few years (although in 2005 I probably would have been better off mainlining heroin). And lately I've avoided listening to any of The Smirking Putz's speeches. But I may have to tune in and stay sober this Tuesday night, if only to enjoy the prospect of his addressing a Congress that isn't in his pocket. It will be a joy to see Speaker Pelosi standing behind him (although if she restrains herself from using that gavel on him she's a better woman than I). And somehow I don't expect the enthusiastic ovations he's been used to in the past.

And, if we're lucky, we'll be spared an encore of this:

Heroin, anyone?

The Joys of Midwinter

2007-01-19T18:56:00.000-05:00

Yes I know it really isn't midwinter, but here in the South we usually get our coldest temperatures around mid-January. I say usually because this year has been unseasonably warm, as it has in most of the country. Despite a rather wussy snow/ice event yesterday, it's still been easy on the heating bills this year. Which has led to some confusion among the flora. This afternoon I saw one of these outside my front door:

What a silly little crocus. So I proceded to check things out around the front and sure enough, the daffodils are poking up, too. Needless to say, the forsythia is already in bloom (nourished by the remains of Maude, The World's Most Affectionate Cat).

All very lovely and unexpected in mid-January. But winter is not over, and another snow/ice "event" is forecast for Sunday evening. And even it shocks the crocuses, it's good for the lilacs. They need at least one good covering of solid precipitation in the winter to bloom profusely in the Spring. On April 15, to be exact.

Three months from now we won't remember winter, but in the mean time:

The Snow Man

One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;

And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter

Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,

Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place

For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.

Wallace Stevens

Melting Green Army Guys with Jeb doesn't count, either.

2006-12-02T15:41:00.000-05:00

Sen.-Elect Jim Webb served in Vietnam, where he received the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals, and two Purple Hearts. His son is currently serving in Iraq. Jim Webb was an early opponent of the war.

Rep. John Murtha, who served in Vietnam and received the Bronze Star with Combat "V", two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry has called for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the new Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, served in Vietnam as a helicopter crew chief and lost the hearing in his right ear from an explosion near his bunker. He voted against authorizing the war in Iraq.

President Bush has already indicated he will ignore any recommendation from the Iraq Study Group to withdraw all American troops by early 2008. In his weekly radio address, he stated:

I recognize that the recent violence in Iraq has been unsettling. Many people in our country are wondering about the way forward. The work ahead will not be easy, yet by helping Prime Minister Maliki strengthen Iraq's democratic institutions and promote national reconciliation, our military leaders and diplomats can help put Iraq on a solid path to liberty and democracy.

Forty-three dead and 91 injured in just one attack today, a week after 215 Iraqis were killed and more than 200 wounded in Sadr city.

Only a man who spent his military career keeping the United States safe from Mexico (when he wasn’t snorting coke and chasing tail in Alabama) would describe that news as “unsettling.” Men like Jim Webb, John Murtha and Silvestre Reyes, who actually experienced battle, might describe it as “horrific.”

January 20, 2009 cannot come fast enough.

Actually my favorite part is the leftovers.

2006-11-23T08:28:00.000-05:00

The turkey is in the oven. I used the "butter marinade" method from epicurious, which consists of slathering stick or two of butter (to which I added some rosemary and orange juice) all over the bird and sticking a healthy tablespoon of it under the skin on the breast. Four hours from now (it's a big turkey) we shall behold the result . One of these days I'm going to use this recipe. In the meantime, it's just inspirational to read.

Things to do this weekend

2006-11-17T08:23:00.002-05:00

1) Buy turkey

2) Rake leaves

3) Laundry

Oh yeah. There's a game.

Better than a yellow ribbon on your SUV

2006-11-14T13:25:00.000-05:00

You'll notice a new link over on the right. It's for www.anysoldier.com, a website that provides all of us with an opportunity to let the men and women of our armed forces know that we're thinking of them. You can browse all the requests from members of the military and send a personal care package. I've got three going out today and I hope they have as much fun opening and using this stuff as I had shopping for it.

The folks in my office have decided we all have enough coffee mugs and candles so we're pooling our money to send more packages. I'm sure there are lots of you out there who could do the same. Go to the website, read their FAQ's and start browsing, but be prepared to get addicted.

Oh -- and choosing who to send stuff to -- that's not going to be easy, either. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Aw, shucks.

2006-11-08T20:46:00.000-05:00

Really -- the House and Senate were just fine. But Rumsfeld? That was just icing on the cake. Merci.

And you don't have to wrap it

2006-11-04T09:19:00.000-05:00

Dear America,

Wednesday is my birthday and there's only one thing I want.

I want my country back.

Thank you.

Decisions, decisions.

2006-11-01T15:52:00.000-05:00

Two articles in today's NYTimes. In the first, a report on the results of a severely restricted caloric intake on monkeys:

...This approach, called calorie restriction, involves eating about 30 percent fewer calories than normal while still getting adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Aside from direct genetic manipulation, calorie restriction is the only strategy known to extend life consistently in a variety of animal species.

How this drastic diet affects the body has been the subject of intense research. Recently, the effort has begun to bear fruit, producing a steady stream of studies indicating that the rate of aging is plastic, not fixed, and that it can be manipulated.

In the last year, calorie-restricted diets have been shown in various animals to affect molecular pathways likely to be involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and cancer. Earlier this year, researchers studying dietary effects on humans went so far as to claim that calorie restriction may be more effective than exercise at preventing age-related diseases.

The second -- well, I think it explains itself:

Researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Aging report that a natural substance found in red wine, known as resveratrol, offsets the bad effects of a high-calorie diet in mice and significantly extends their lifespan.

Their report, published electronically today in Nature, implies that very large daily doses of resveratrol could offset the unhealthy, high-calorie diet thought to underlie the rising toll of obesity in the United States and elsewhere, should people respond to the drug as mice do.

Resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes and in red wine and is conjectured to be a partial explanation for the French paradox, the puzzling fact that people in France to enjoy a high-fat diet yet suffer less heart disease than Americans.

The researchers fed one group of mice a diet in which 60 percent of calories came from fat. The diet started when the mice, all males, were 1 year old, which is middle-aged in mouse terms. As expected, the mice soon developed signs of impending diabetes, with grossly enlarged livers, and started to die much sooner than mice fed a standard diet.

Another group of mice was fed the identical high-fat diet but with a large daily dose of resveratrol. The resveratrol did not stop them from putting on weight and growing as tubby as the other fat-eating mice. But it averted the high levels of glucose and insulin in the bloodstream, which are warning signs of diabetes, and it kept the mice's livers at normal size.

Even more strikingly, the substance sharply extended the mice's lifetimes. Those fed resveratrol along with the high-fat diet died many months later than the mice on high fat alone, and at the same rate as mice on a standard healthy diet. They had all the pleasures of gluttony but paid none of the price.

I don't know if either or both of these approaches will ultimately be found to be effective, but purely in the interest of Science I know which one I'm going to adopt.

Just me, the mice, and a bottle of this:

We may not live longer, but we're going to be a lot happier than those skinny little monkeys.

A little early for All Souls Day...

2006-10-30T09:32:00.000-05:00

I'm stealing this very lovely picture from Another Monkey, but I hope he doesn't mind. It just reminded me of a standing, annual joke my mother used to make. Every year when someone would remark about the last rose of summer, she would start singing the song, but she only knew the first line. Then she would ask "Do you know that song?" and laugh. I guess it's one of those family jokes you had to be there for, but seeing that picture made me all weepy for her this morning. Five years after her death and I can still hear her laughing.

I guess that's a good thing. Most of the time when I think of her, I laugh. That was her one great gift to me -- a sense of humor. The woman was genuinely the funniest person I've ever known. One of the times I visited her in the nursing home, the lady across the hall said to me, "Your mother is always walking these halls and coming up with the funniest things. I said to her one day 'Anna, who writes your material?'"

That was my mama.

Tis the last rose of summer,
Left blooming alone,
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone.
No flow'r of her kindred
No rosebud is nigh
To reflect back her blushes,
Or give sigh for sigh.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one,
To pine on the stem,
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them
Thus kindly I'll scatter
Thy leaves o'er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow
When friendships decay;
And from love's shining circle
The gems drop away
When true hearts lie wither'd
And fond ones are flow'n
Oh! Who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

Damn.

2006-10-27T23:34:00.000-04:00

It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.

A. Bartlett Giamatti

Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 14.

Let the games begin.

2006-10-21T19:14:00.000-04:00

Beer? Check.

Chips? Check.

Salsa? Check.

Program?

Check.

Go get 'em, Tigers!

Hear us roar.

2006-10-07T20:00:00.000-04:00

Believe!!!

2006-10-07T08:53:00.000-04:00

Kenny Rogers, when asked where his resolve came from:

"Well, Maybe from failing so much," he replied. "And, you know, I'm not afraid to fail. Maybe I've proven that by going out there and failing enough. But I'm still here for a reason. That's because I like the challenge. I know I'm 40-something and don't have a whole lot of talent anyways, but I do believe in myself when I get out there, and I believe I can make pitches."

And RIP, Buck O'Neil.

Be Careful What You Wish For Department

2006-10-06T08:57:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, October 7, at 4:30 PM EDT, the planets will align in a formation never before seen in the history of the cosmos. The Tigers host the Yankees at Comerica Park, and Michigan State comes to the Big House to play Michigan. Thank Lobster for the remote control.

And though the prospect of these games excites me, I still shake my head at the starting time for both of them. There are day games and there are night games, but this late-afternoon-just-to-fit-it-into-a-television-schedule stuff is a crock.

Yet another reason to root for a Tigers - Cardinals series. No coasts!!!!

Bittersweet

2006-10-01T18:23:00.000-04:00

Way back in April, nobody NOBODY expected the Tigers to finish any higher than 4th in the division. So I'm ashamed of myself for being disappointed in the wild card spot. But jeebus --losing three to Kansas City? This does not bode well for the playoffs.

Be that as it may, it's been a remarkable summer for the folks around Detroit. Generations of children in southeast Michigan had never experienced a pennant race. And damn, this was fun.

Yeah, they sucked since the middle of August. But hopeless romantic that I am, I'm hoping for a Detroit - St. Louis series, not only to stick it to Fox Sports, but more importantly to resurrect this little ditty from 1968. Everybody sing!

Tigers, Tigers, rah, rah, rah.
Cardinals, Cardinals, boo, boo, boo
Tigers, Tigers, rah, rah, rah
Cardinals, Cardinals, boo
Tigers, Tigers, rah, rah, rah,
Cardinals, Cardinals, boo
Tigers, Tigers, rah, rah, rah
Cardinals, Cardinals, boo.

The Rites of Spring

2006-04-03T09:05:00.000-04:00

I believe in the Church of Baseball. I've tried all the major religions, and most of the minor ones. I've worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I heard that, I gave Jesus a chance. But it just didn't work out between us. The Lord laid too much guilt on me. I prefer metaphysics to theology. You see, there's no guilt in baseball, and it's never boring... which makes it like sex. There's never been a ballplayer slept with me who didn't have the best year of his career. Making love is like hitting a baseball: you just gotta relax and concentrate. Besides, I'd never sleep with a player hitting under .250... not unless he had a lot of RBIs and was a great glove man up the middle. You see, there's a certain amount of life wisdom I give these boys. I can expand their minds. Sometimes when I've got a ballplayer alone, I'll just read Emily Dickinson or Walt Whitman to him, and the guys are so sweet, they always stay and listen. 'Course, a guy'll listen to anything if he thinks it's foreplay. I make them feel confident, and they make me feel safe, and pretty. 'Course, what I give them lasts a lifetime; what they give me lasts 142 games. Sometimes it seems like a bad trade. But bad trades are part of baseball - now who can forget Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas, for God's sake? It's a long season and you gotta trust. I've tried 'em all, I really have, and the only church that truly feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the Church of Baseball.

Annie Savoy

Now THAT'S some Ivy League Speechifyin'

2006-03-24T10:17:00.000-05:00

President Bush answers a question in West Virginia:

"First, I hope that your generation will lead -- no doubt, your generation will lead. Generations, when called, somehow find the courage to lead. That's step one. Two, I think you'll be dealing in a world in which you will be confronted with making values choices; for example, family -- understanding that the family is an important aspect of society. Secondly, the choice of life. You know, for example, you'll be confronted with a very difficult debate between science, on the one hand, and the hopes of science, and life. That debate is just beginning. In other words, 'Do you destroy life to save life?' for example, is one of the very difficult debates that your generation will be confronted with ..."

"Anyway, you'll be confronted with some stuff. Hopefully, our job is to make sure you're confronted with less issues, like being hooked on oil. One of the issues that we're confronting with now that I hope you'll not have to confront with is jobs going elsewhere because we don't have the math and science skills and engineering skills and physics skills that are taught to our children here."

Ahhhhhh...

2006-03-20T10:58:00.000-05:00

in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little lame baloonman

whistles far and wee

and eddyandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old baloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's
spring
and
the
goat-footed

baloonMan whistles
far
and
wee

e e cummings

I go Pogo

2006-02-07T08:24:00.000-05:00

There have been violent reactions throughout the Muslim world to the cartoons printed in a Danish newspaper, and a war of words over them in the media and on the internet. I haven’t seen the cartoons (like that ever stopped Michelle Malkin), but I did hear an interesting story this morning on NPR. An Arab newspaper is sponsoring a contest for cartoons about the Holocaust, testing whether Western ideas of free speech would extend that far.

Now there’s an idea. Answer a cartoon with a cartoon. Of course, it will only be a matter of time before the escalation starts. From cartoons to 5 x 7 pen and ink sketches…to watercolors…to acrylics…to full, sofa-sized oils, the madness will spill over until one side or the other brings out the WMD -- frescos!

War is hell.

Save to Folder:Research

2006-01-24T23:16:00.000-05:00

We’re all a little more than concerned about the government monitoring our Google searches. Since three quarters of my hits come from people who have looked for something like this I’m hard pressed to figure out just what those results will be good for, except to add a few choice sites to Alberto Gonzalez’ Bookmarks.

Bravo.

2006-01-16T13:39:00.000-05:00

Whenever power is unchecked and unaccountable it almost inevitably leads to mistakes and abuses. In the absence of rigorous accountability, incompetence flourishes. Dishonesty is encouraged and rewarded.
Al Gore, January 16,2006.

Oh heck, just go read the whole thing.

April, 1967

2006-01-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

The truth of these words is beyond doubt, but the mission to which they call us is a most difficult one. Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing their government's policy, especially in time of war. Nor does the human spirit move without great difficulty against all the apathy of conformist thought within one's own bosom and in the surrounding world. Moreover, when the issues at hand seem as perplexing as they often do in the case of this dreadful conflict, we are always on the verge of being mesmerized by uncertainty. But we must move on.

Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak. And we must rejoice as well, for surely this is the first time in our nation's history that a significant number of its religious leaders have chosen to move beyond the prophesying of smooth patriotism to the high grounds of a firm dissent based upon the mandates of conscience and the reading of history. Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movement, and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance. For we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us.

Over the past two years, as I have moved to break the betrayal of my own silences and to speak from the burnings of my own heart, as I have called for radical departures from the destruction of Vietnam, many persons have questioned me about the wisdom of my path. At the heart of their concerns, this query has often loomed large and loud: "Why are you speaking about the war, Dr. King? Why are you joining the voices of dissent?" "Peace and civil rights don't mix," they say. "Aren't you hurting the cause of your people? "they ask. And when I hear them, though I often understand the source of their concern, I am nevertheless greatly saddened, for such questions mean that the inquirers have not really known me, my commitment, or my calling. Indeed, their questions suggest that they do not know the world in which they live. In the light of such tragic misunderstanding, I deem it of signal importance to try to state clearly, and I trust concisely, why I believe that the path from Dexter Avenue Baptist Church-the church in Montgomery, Alabama, where I began my pastorate-leads clearly to this sanctuary tonight.
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Beyond Vietnam," Address delivered to the Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam, at Riverside Church , April 4. 1967

In recent speeches and statements the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has linked his personal opposition to the war in Vietnam with the cause of Negro equality in the United States. The war, he argues, should be stopped not only because it is a futile war waged for the wrong ends but also because it is a barriers to social progress in this country and therefore prevents Negroes from achieving their place in American life.

This is a fusing of two public problems that are distinct and separate. By drawing them together, Dr. King has done a disservice to both. The moral issues in Vietnam are less clear-cut than he suggests; the political strategy of uniting the peace movement and the civil rights movement could very well be disastrous for both causes.
"Dr. King’s Error" NY Times Editorial, April 7, 1967

Gen. William C. Westmoreland roused Congress today to enthusiastic cheers today with a pledge that the American forces he commands would “prevail in Vietnam over the Communist aggressor.”

Trim, starched and four-starred, the general told a joint session that the only strategy that could defeat the enemy was “one of unrelenting but discriminating military, poltical and psychological pressure on his whole structure and at all levels.”
...
The enthusiasm with which Congress applauded the general indicated the difficulty that any Presidential candidate might face is he ran on a platform opposing a war in which American troops were engaged.
Tom Wicker, “Westmoreland Tells Congress U.S. Will Prevail” NY Times, April 28, 1967.

Dr. King’s words still ring true. The NY Times – not so much.

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

2006-01-08T12:49:00.000-05:00

Anything happen while I was away?

Oh sure, there’s Iraq and Abramhoff and the NSA, but those are soooooo 2005. Besides, everyone and his blogger has weighed in on the big stories, so it’s up to us folks lower down in the food chain to pursue what seems to have drifted off the radar screens. So, ladies and gentlemen, let us recall Neil Bush.

First Brother, unlucky in business, but lucky in love.

Neil has been busy lately:

Over the past six months, Neil Bush, the son of former President George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Bush, and the younger brother of President George W. Bush, has been shepherded around several former Soviet republics by a man wanted for fraud by Russian authorities, and has showed up in the Philippines and Taiwan at the side of a self-styled messiah.

…

In September, Bush visited Latvia with Boris Berezovsky, described by the Washington Post as "a fugitive Russian tycoon who made millions in the violent scramble for control of Russian government assets after the fall of communism."

Berezovsky is a shareholder in Ignite!Learning, an educational software program founded by Neil. Berezovsky is apparently the key to Ignite!Learning gaining a foothold in the hot Latvian market. I’m sure he made the Latvian educators an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Neil has other Friends, too:

More recently, Bush showed up in the Philippines and Taiwan at the side of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, the head of the controversial Unification Church. In the Philippines, Bush attended the inaugural convocation of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in Manila, the Manila Bulletin reported.

And Neil’s Friends have Ideas:

Moon's tour has come up with a new way of promoting world peace, which he is calling the "World Peace King Bridge-Tunnel":
"For thousands of years, Satan used the Bering Strait to separate East and West, North and South, as well as North America and Russia geographically. I propose that a bridge be constructed over the Bering Strait, or a tunnel be dug under it, so that it will be able to connect the world super highway starting from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa to Santiago in Chile, and from London to New York, making the world a single community."

And Neil’s Friends With Ideas have Connections:

Reverend Moon has been a longtime friend to the Bush family. After supporting George W. Bush's election in 2000 through his flagship publication, the Washington Times, the newspaper's foundation sponsored a prayer luncheon attended by some 1,700 religious, civic, and political leaders the day before Bush's inauguration.
In 1995, former President George H. W. Bush received $10,000 to speak at a Moon-sponsored Buenos Aires banquet that launched the Reverend's Latin American publication, "Tiempos del Mundo" (Times of the World). "A lot of my friends in South America don't know about the Washington Times but it is an independent voice," the former president said. "The editors of the Washington Times tell me that never once has the man with the vision interfered with the running of the paper, a paper that in my view brings sanity to Washington DC."

After the last few years I shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. In fact, I shouldn’t be surprised that the whole plant is corrupt.

Makes me long for these days:

Those Sugarplums better be wearing pants!

2005-11-20T23:01:00.000-05:00

Those of you hoping to avoid the mad Christmas shopping rush might be interested in perusing the fine offerings of The Vision Forum, headed by one Doug Phillips Doug has some really spiffy stuff for boys and girls.

For little Timmy (or, in Doug’s case, Doug, Joshua, Providence and Honor) we have the All-American Boy’s Adventure Catalog, wherein “Every toy, tool, and book has been carefully selected and designed to inspire and motivate boys to dream big dreams for the glory of God. Boys can demonstrate faith in the face of battle with Sergeant York or build a treehouse with dad.”

Or maybe protect the homestead from Godless heathens with the 15 piece Classic Knights Collection:

“Fearless knights rescuing maidens in distress, dashing young warriors defending their land from the evil enemy — such was the golden age of chivalry. “To always do ladies, gentlewomen, and widows succor” was the knight’s oath, and in defense of the weak he was called to take up arms. Now your little crusader can defend home and family with these magnificently hand-painted figurines.”

And don’t think the little ladies among us are neglected.

“The Beautiful Girlhood Collection aspires, by the grace of God, to encourage the rebuilding of a culture of virtuous womanhood. In a world that frowns on femininity, that minimizes motherhood, and that belittles the beauty of being a true woman of God, we dare to believe that the biblical vision for girlhood is a glorious vision. It is, in fact — a beautiful vision. It is a vision for purity and contentment, for faith and fortitude, for enthusiasm and industry, for heritage and home, and for joy and friendship.”

And what more glorious vision could there be than watching your father drown?

As the Titanic sank, Pastor John Harper of Scotland cried out for lost souls, led dying men to Christ, and ultimately sacrificed his life for others. On board with him was his daughter Nan. This is a love story about a father and a daughter, and how one girl grew up to pass on her father's legacy of heroism and Christianity to future generations. Thrilling and Christ glorifying!

Ah, Christmas -- it really is a magical time for the children, isn't it?