WMD's found... in Korea!

Look, they finally found some WMD's!!! I know, I know - we already knew they've got nukes. But we didn't think they had any that could actually reach us. As a resident of the West Coast, this, I'm worried about. 4 yr old intelligence about financial centers on the East Coast being targeted? Not so much.

Update: Wonder of wonders, guess where the North Korean's got the sub-based missile launching technology to begin with? Yep, our old pal Rev. Sun Myung Moon, self-proclaimed Messiah, unifier/organizer of the religious right and major financier of the GOP. Via Atrios. (Also: Excellent 1992 Frontline special)

Our humungous hibiscus!!! These are about 8 inches in diameter! 

here I thought it was the raccoons sneaking in my car window at night. Nope, just Jack! 

One pissed off Cleo cat after being treated for ear mites.  

What a speech, huh? Johnny boy was channeling me last night, I *swear*! In fact, until yesterday’s comeuppance with the fish & the chips, I was planning to blog about how much it pisses me off when the right wing labels us pessimists for pointing out that reality isn’t all the sweetness and light they want it to be; and that they are the true cynics who believe that nothing will ever get any better – that this is as good as it gets (and as good as it should be). That it’s OK and acceptable that 3 million *more* Americans have slipped into poverty since Bush was in office. That it’s OK and acceptable for 3.8 million Americans to have lost their health insurance under Bush. That it’s OK and acceptable that the crime rates have climbed steadily, with murder rates alone up 3.1%. That it’s just fine and dandy to have nearly 1000 American soldiers and close to what, 15,000 innocent Iraqi civilians lose their lives in a military campaign that is only making us *more* vulnerable to terrorists, not safer.

Then Kerry encapsulated my thoughts with one line: There is nothing more pessimistic than saying America can't do better.

So as long as the psychic connection is in place, I’ve got a great idea I’m trying to channel in his direction. One of those incredible, mind-blowing ideas that come as you’re drifting off to sleep at night. It’s about how we’re going to recruit those 40,000 additional troops we need. Are you ready? Really? OK here goes: Extend veteran’s benefits, and (here’s the revolutionary part) make them transferable to next of kin. What good does a GI Bill or VA home loan do for a dead soldier? That’s right. Nothin’. So. If a soldier does die while in service to her country, his/her veteran’s benefits can be used by a sibling, spouse or child. Oh – and I don’t know if they already have these or not, but we should have small business loans for veterans, too. Just in case they don’t *want* to go to college. And tax breaks! I know, it’s impossible to compensate a family financially for their tragic loss, but is it really fair to ask someone who has done so to pay the same amount in taxes as someone who hasn’t made that sacrifice? I’m thinking a $2500 tax credit each year for 5 years following the loss. All we offer those families now is a flag and “pride in knowing they died serving their country”. Yeah well. Pride won’t put food on the table, will it? And you know how Republicans are suckers for any and all available tax loopholes. This may finally convince more of them to sign up!

This way, when one of those “service” families who have multi-generations of kids in the military makes the ultimate sacrifice and loses one, that sacrifice can serve to help someone else in the family escape the same fate. By enabling a spouse, sibling or child of the deceased to use their benefits to go to college, or start their own business, or buy their own house – it will give them options their relative never had, and hopefully keep them *out* of harm’s way.

What do you think? Am I totally nuts?

Note to Self:

The fetalfry does not care for fish fry.  Or french fries.  Maybe it's a cannibalistic taboo, maybe it's a commentary on the high levels of mercury in Halibut these days.  But either way, that expensive $11 lunch you had at the Fish House just went down the toilet.  Literally.    Anybody got a mint?

I'm feeling a bit better, now (from MyDD):  Kerry Looking Very Strong in Oregon
 

Doctors Without Borders Abandons Afghanistan

So, so sad.  Snip: KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The international relief group Médecins Sans Frontières has announced it is pulling out of Afghanistan after 24 years because of security concerns and frustrations with the U.S. military.
MSF -- or Doctors Without Borders -- blamed the Afghan government for failing to catch and prosecute attackers who killed five MSF workers earlier this year.
It also blamed the Taliban, who have specifically threatened its aid workers, and the U.S.-backed coalition, which MSF said had "blurred" the image of aid workers as the coalition attempted to "win hearts and minds."
"The killing of our own colleagues, together with the government's failure to arrest the culprits, along with false allegations of the Taliban, have led us to come to the regrettable conclusion that it is no longer possible for us to work here," said Marine Buissonniere, MSF's international secretary.

I'm more than a little surprised by this allegation they're making, though: "We feel the U.S.-backed coalition has contributed to the blurring of identities," Buissonniere said, noting the coalition had constantly attempted to use humanitarian assistance to build support for its political ambitions.

Gluck and Buissonniere announce the group's withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"MSF denounces this attempt to co-opt humanitarian aid; to use humanitarian aid to win hearts and minds."  Buissonniere said providing humanitarian aid is no longer viewed as a neutral and impartial act in Afghanistan.  She cited a coalition leaflet which pictured an Afghan girl carrying a bag of wheat which said that for assistance to continue, Afghans need to report information on the Taliban and al Qaeda and others.

I've always believed that if anything, the U.S. coalition wasn't doing *enough* to provide humanitarian relief.  But that was before I found out we were using it to blackmail the people into helping us.  Unfuckingbelievable!  No wonder we're hated - every "charitable" thing we do comes with very dangerous strings attached. So what - if you don't know anything about the Taliban or Al Queda you don't get any U.S. aid?  Then why WOULDN'T you turn in your innocent neighbor who you've had that ongoing beef with for years?   So we've turned from torture to extortion as our primary method of gathering intelligence in Afghanistan and Iran.  Lovely.  Quite a step in the right direction, don't you think? 

Convention Wisdom

Like most folks in Blogdom I've been anxiously awaiting the preliminary dispatches of my more priveleged cohorts who were given press passes to the DNC this year.  I was running around like a headless chicken chasing down link after link trying to find them all when I finally came across this handy-dandy website that consolidates everyone's posts.  Woohoo!!  Of course, I watched the Clintons' speeches last night.  I was not disappointed.  I need to bookmark the text of Bill's to use for future reference - he did a fantastic job of describing in clear terms what the differences are between the two parties.  The best part was how he detailed what Bush's tax cuts have 'cost' America:

"They protected my tax cuts while:
·         Withholding promised funding for the Leave No Child Behind Act, leaving over
2 million children behind
·         Cutting 140,000 unemployed workers out of job training
·         100,000 working families out of child care assistance
·         300,000 poor children out of after school programs
·         Raising out of pocket healthcare costs to veterans
·         Weakening or reversing important environmental advances for clean air and the preservation of our forests."

And how they want to continue to hamstring the country in it's fight on terror:

 "In this year’s budget, the White House wants to cut off federal funding for 88,000 uniformed police, including more than 700 on the New York City police force who put their lives on the line on 9/11. As gang violence is rising and we look for terrorists in our midst, Congress and the President are also about to allow the ten-year-old ban on assault weapons to expire. Our crime policy was to put more police on the streets and take assault weapons off the streets. It brought eight years of declining crime and violence. Their policy is the reverse, they’re taking police off the streets and putting assault weapons back on the streets."  

"On Homeland Security, Democrats tried to double the number of containers at ports and airports checked for Weapons of Mass Destruction.  The one billion dollar cost would have been paid for by reducing the tax cut of 200,000 millionaires by five thousand dollars each. Almost all 200,000 of us would have been glad to pay 5,000 dollars to make the nearly 300 million Americans safer—but the measure failed because the White House and the Republican leadership in the House decided my tax cut was more important."

Good, good stuff!

Freaking Hysterical, and hysterically freaking?

Parodies both candidates, but still funny!  I needed a laugh after getting into another frustrating as hell argument over Iraq/ Afghanistan with my co-worker D. today.  Which prompted co-worker J. to remark afterwards that maybe I should watch my blood pressure, given "my condition".  On the one hand -  I know it's not doing me, or the fetalfry any good to bang my head against a wall.  Though I felt I was actually showing remarkable restraint.  On the other hand - BITE ME!!!  Am I supposed to turn into an apolitical slackwit just because I'm pregnant?  Maybe I should count my blessings.  At least they're not chalking up my intensity to "womanly hysterics".

Emotional Rollercoasters

Sorry  I haven’t been posting much, I had a little scare this week and was a bit preoccupied.  Some bleeding, to be precise which had me totally convinced I was miscarrying, up all night terrified to go to the bathroom to see if there was MORE blood on the way, and bewailing the loss of a child I hadn’t even met yet.  But even more scary – amongst all the despair and fear was some relief, too.  That I wouldn’t have to go through with this, after all.  That the nausea and exhaustion would quickly dissipate and leave me the same old person I always was, free of worries about breastfeeding and genetic screenings and projectile baby diarrhea. 
 
So a few days have passed, everyone I talk to from online support buddies to OB nurses to dear Mom tells me that some bleeding during the 1st trimester is very common (especially after sex) and that I have nothing to worry about, especially if I’m still experiencing pregnancy symptoms.  So yes, the nausea is still there, my left boob felt like it was on fire last night and I’m still exhausted, so that leads me to believe them.  The nurse I spoke to on Monday, and the one I met with yesterday at the OB clinic aren’t concerned at all.  They didn’t offer an ultrasound or examine me or anything.  By this time I’m reasonably sure it was a false alarm but Curt was still tripping out – afraid to work the late evenings he’s supposed to be doing to finish this job for his new boss and leave me alone.   I had a couple of piss-on-a-stick tests left from the 3 pack I’d bought so I took another one just to be sure.  Yep, still very much prego.  He was much reassured by this.  All hail the psychological power of the piss-on-a-stick!!! 
 
OTOH Mom is of the opinion that they’re a mixed blessing.  Back in her day you didn’t really know if you were pregnant.  After 2 missed periods you could be fairly sure, but you could easily have a miscarriage or some other benign bleeding after the first one and just think you had a light or weird cycle.   But this also made it difficult to determine how far along you were though, too.  Ignorance could well have been bliss, but on the other hand, they also thought it was OK to drink and smoke during pregnancy so it didn’t much matter if you were knocked up or not.  You could still carry on just like you did beforehand.
 
So now after resigning myself to possibly losing the baby I’m again coming to terms with the idea of “Oh shit, I’m pregnant!” and all that entails (projectile baby diarrhea & all).   Just a note to all you professional and amateur pregnancy  advice-givers out there:  When you TELL somebody that it’s perfectly OK to have sex during pregnancy, you might want to *also* mention that if you do have sex, don’t be alarmed if there’s some bleeding afterwards.  It’s very common.  OK???

And one time....at Kah-nee-Ta...!

Curt & I began dating one year after American Pie came out.  I’m sure we rented it on one of our date nights, which inevitably led us down the merry path of recalling our own youthful forays into sex and the loss of our virginity.  He had a huge crush on Alyson Hannigan  from her Willow days on Buffy (which he quit watching when she went gay).  Like her character on American Pie, I too played the flute in high school band.  Sadly though, I never made it to Band Camp so missed out on the apparently traditional sexual hijinks that occurs at all such camps.  Curt says it was especially popular at the church youth group camps he attended.  Heh.  
 
But anyway.  My equivalent “band camp” stories came after high school…. When my brother got me a job working at the same little resort in the middle of an Indian reservation he & some friends were working at.  The seasonal summer staff was basically college age kids and slightly older drifter-type losers who all lived in company housing on site.   Even though it was technically a “dry” reservation (besides the resort) it was legal to consume alcohol in your own home.  Which we did.  Boy did we ever!  Even those of us technically underage.  There just wasn’t much else to do besides work, and party.   Take American Pie, mix it with Dirty Dancing and that about sums up my 2 summers working at Kah-Nee-Ta.  I know it sounds sappy as hell but I truly came of age up there in the desert.
 
So Lorn’s recent tales about lifeguards, alcohol and sleeping naked over at Buddha Stew is bringing back some of those memories.  The ones Curt calls my “And one time…. At Kah-Nee-Ta….” (in perfect Alyson Hannigan speak) memories.  Now I was not a lifeguard.  Nor did I sleep with any.  And contrary to what you think I was not a total drunk, either.  In fact, I’m proud to say that while I imbibed quite often I never got so drunk that I blacked out, or did anything I regretted in the morning.  But I did learn my limits when it came to booze.  I learned to drink responsibly, and learned to say “no” and mean it, even under the influence, and how to stick to my guns despite intense pressure by ardent suitors to say “yes”.  I learned to have sex on my terms (responsibly) or not at all.  
 
One day maybe I’ll write a book about it.  But I’ll just stick to one story today, speaking of lifeguards.  There was one guy, I’ll call him Mike - who was pretty cute in a buff, Mid-Western wholesome Polish kind of way.  In his other life he was a Serious Swimmer.  And like many Serious Swimmers he shaved his legs (and arms, I guess) which made him the butt of many of the other hairy manly men on staff.  Well, that and the fact that he was Opie-like naïve and a total goody two-shoes.  He did not drink. Or smoke.  And he was, in fact a virgin.  But the funny thing was, he would typically capture the interest of some young hotties down at the pool during the day while on shift and invite them up to the staff housing to party at night.  At which time my brother and his friends would proceed to woo them away from Mike, who by the end of the night would be left lost and alone, once again.   They weren't as stupid as the other guys who gave Mike flak for his hairless condition.  Oh no, they knew on whose side their bootilicious bread was buttered.  Mike was the Man, man!  But still, poor Mike.  I wonder if he joined the priesthood or something.  
 
Speaking of boozing it up, have I mentioned yet that I have NEVER, EVER wanted a drink more in my life than I did the other night?  I usually don't drink more than one glass of wine a week (unless we go out or are socializing, which is a rare event).  But something about knowing that I COULD NOT have a drink for the next 9 months brought up hitherto unknown lush tendencies.  The thought of hot cocoa topped with Amaretto made me drool... and the site of a case of Henry Weinahrd's beer on sale at the grocery store about brought me to tears.  I'd heard pregnant friends complain about this phenomenon but I thought I'd be immune.  ***sigh***
 
*************************************************************************
In other news, I told my boss & 2 coworkers who were here of my good news this morning.   I think it went well.  My boss asked what "my plans are" and I told him it was too early to tell.   To which he said, "yeah, I wouldn't believe you anyway".  'Cuz you know, about a third of every other woman he's ever worked with said they'd come back to work and then changed their mind (including his wife).  So much will depend on Curt's working situation & how much we can get ahead financially before then.   So we'll see.

Remember Civics??

Al's got Dan Savage on his show today and is discussing the whole gay marriage issue. One of the reasons I like Al is because he gets regular folk from BBQ restaurants in traditionally conservative Christian communities to get on the show and discuss with his guests the issue du jour in a constructive, respectful manner. Today a typical Alabama homemaker got on and basically gave the party line for opponents of gay marriage.  "It's wrong because I believe it's wrong, and my beliefs should be codified in U.S. law because I believe the idea of the "separation of Church and State" is a myth. I believe America was founded on Judeo-Christian ideals (which just so happen to coincide perfectly with mine) and those should continue to guide the highest law of the land".

Aside from the fact that her argument is totally devoid of logic and reason (I know, why does that surprise me?) these people scare the everloving shit out of me. I just assume that every other schoolkid learned the same basics of United States History that I did. But apparently, they choose to ignore the facts (right along with the scientific proof of evolution). This is the classic conservative Christian argument on same sex marriage (and prayer in school; and reproductive issues; ad nauseum.)

So here's what I learned in school: We rebelled from England on the belief that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed".

In other words, that all humans are born with basic rights, the most important being a right to live, in whatever way they feel will make them happy, with no government trying to stop them. Implicit in that statement is the fact that your rights to Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness should not come at the expense of someone else's. In other words, you can't kill someone because it makes you happy. Furthermore, it is the Government's PURPOSE to secure your right to do what makes you happy; and that they get that authority not from God, not from an organized Church, and not from a foreign king, but from the very people who it rules.

So then we fought a war, and won it to take the power to create this new kind of government for ourselves. We drew up a blueprint, called a "Constitution" that then outlined how this novel new government would work. Nowhere in this blueprint was sex addressed, nowhere was marriage addressed. Interestingly enough, nowhere was God addressed, and nowhere was religion addressed, either. Presumably, this is because the framers felt these were personal and religious issues that the Federal government had NO SAY IN.

Then, shortly after the original blueprint was ratified, they realized there was a very good chance the *majority* would use their new power to try to deprive minorities, and individuals who they did not agree with; of their basic rights (that we went to war to protect in the first place). So they drafted 10 short amendments to make it absolutely, perfectly clear what the ruling majority could NOT, under any circumstances do to deprive individuals of their rights. And first among these, was that the government should make NO LAW with regard to religion; or deprive individuals from freely expressing their religious beliefs.

Had they *intended* the laws of the new country to be based on Christian and/ Biblical belief they would have said so. They'd have said "We the Christian people of the United States, in order to form a more Christian union....". But they did not.

In fact, the constitutional legitimacy of same sex marriage (and homosexuality in general) seems like such a slam dunk to me I'm totally amazed there has not been a defining case that's gone to the Supreme Court on the topic, so the Supremes can, once and for all tell the states that individuals have THE INALIENABLE RIGHT to have sex with people of the same sex, if that makes them happy (or if they just *think* it will); and that states CANNOT deny (parental & marriage) rights they give one group of people to another group of people based on sexual orientation.

Homosexuality is a religious issue, pure & simple. Even if you don't subscribe to an actual religion and accept their particular take on it, it's a personal belief as to whether or not it's "natural"; and morally good or morally bad as a result. No matter what you believe, WHO THE FUCK DOES IT HURT????? Just because *you* don't think *you* would be happy in a same sex relationship, why do you feel the need to legally BAN another person from doing it?

For instance, I know without a doubt that I could never be happy being married to a religious fundamentalist. In fact, the very idea of it is totally and absolutely repugnant to me. Furthermore, I think fundamentalists live a morally wrong lifestyle and it breaks my heart to think of them teaching impressionable young children that a fundamentalist lifestyle is "OK". But does that mean I want to deny them the legal right to marry each other? Or have children? Hell no! Because if that lifestyle makes them happy, and they're not hurting anyone in the process then what business is it of mine???

Heck, even if I thought it *was* my business what legal right do I have to try to use law to force strangers to adopt my lifestyle? As the Constitution clearly states, I have NONE. Period. End of Story. Even if an overwhelming majority of citizens agreed with me and passed a law that made it illegal for two Fundamentalist Christians to marry, it would not be constitutionally legal and would never stand up to Supreme Court review. We would have to pass an amendment first that repealed the freaking First Amendment to make it so.

So in an effort to re-educate the American public I propose three new bumper stickers (since they apparently don't read history books):

"It's the First Amendment, Stupid."

"You can't have the right to live life by the Bible
without my having the right not to."

and for the rainbow contingent:

"Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness.
Same Sex Love Makes Me Happy.
End of Discussion."

I'm open to more suggestions...

Fetal Felicitations!

Doc. R. has confirmed...we be gestating!!! Though not as far along as I'd thought... only 6 weeks 2 days. Ultrasound says expected day of arrival March 7!! I think, therefore that conception occurred shortly after our visit to Barney, the shrink. Guess that was money well spent, huh?

So to answer my burning questions.... food must be cooked, so don't worry too much about deli if it's not raw. I shant worry too much about toxoplasmosis, either. It's very rare (and more common to get it from undercooked meat), and I can't get it just handling/ grooming the kitties. Any kittybox cleaning/ gardening needs to be done with good gloves and copious handwashing afterwards. And my BP was a little high: 114/88... just something to keep an eye on. No advice to refrain from stressful sibling debates, though. I should, also forego smoothies in favor of actual fruit (damn!) unless I make them myself (due to added sugars). I have been instructed to not add too many calories to my diet since I'm already overweight. I'm not feeling the urge to gorge myself so no problem there.

So the next step is to check out the birthing facilities at the local community hospital I think I'm going to use, and if it's acceptable then make an appointment with an OB Dr. R referred me to there. Unfortunately, she no longer delivers babies herself. This is rather disappointing since I've been seeing her since I was 18, but I guess I'll get over it. We also have to decide which, if any pre-screening tests we're going to have done at that time.

I could go to one of the two mega-big regional hospitals that are on my healthplan but they're both 30 - 45 min. away depending on traffic. The littler hospital is only 10 min. away and has passed the critical Grandma (an R.N. who has worked in the area for 30 yrs) 5 star reputation award. Appointments and classes will be more convenient, too. They might not have the super-duper high tech neo-natal intensive care unit on site but they do have surgical facilities and we can always transfer to one of the big trauma hospitals if something does go wrong. I know I'd talked about doing the waterbirth thing but my cousin informed me that contrary to their website, they have had a few births go bad, which did require ambulance transfer to the hospital emergency room (just down the road), and there was at least one infant mortality as a result. Besides, I doubt my insurance would've paid for it.

I have my very first prenatal visit to the doctor in 2 hours. Curt, unfortunately could not join me since he's starting a painting job today (on a probationary basis). Other job prospects are looking up - InHell has lifted their hiring freeze so it's possible he may get back on there, but that will take awhile.

So I get to ask all my silly questions like can I eat deli foods? How common/ dangerous *is* that whole toxoplasmosis thing?? Do I really need to quit arguing with my idiot brother about politics to keep my blood pressure down (as Curt is insisting I do?) Actually, on the last point I think I'll move to email instead of over the phone. Much more effective - I can send him links & everything to prove that even if he believes Bush is handling the war on terror well and was justified in going to Iraq his domestic policies are what are so damned scary. If it were anyone else I'd say "fuck it" but my brother remains the only person I can indulge in knock down, drag out 2 hour debates with. That habit of mine has a tendency of scaring the other 'normals' in my life, but it's kind of the only sick and twisted way my bro & I show our love.

The truly sad thing is, he used to be a good Liberal like the rest of us (though certainly not a clone) but since he's been in the Coast Guard, any discussion having to do with national security boils down to this cloak & dagger bullshit where he gets all patronizing: "now Sis, I'm privy to a lot more classified information that you'll never hear, and my #1 concern is to protect YOU and the rest of the country so just trust me on this..." Combine that with the fact that he has always been extremely susceptible to pursuasive individuals (like Dittoheads, which the military and rural communities he's been a part of for 10 years are chock full of) and you get the gist.

But I'm thinking for the sake of the baby, who probably doesn't appreciate my skyrocketing blood pressure or my skipping dinner to argue with his/her uncle; for the sake of the neighbors, who have to listen to me yelling into the cellphone in the backyard; for Curt, who gets pissed that I "allow" my brother to upset me so much... and possibly endanger the baby (a whole 'nother issue... but anyway); and for myself, who loses much-needed sleep laying awake at night forming my rebuttals and next offensives, I definitely need to change my tactics. But I'm not giving up on him yet.

Helloooooo.... Vote By Mail, anyone?

I know I'm sounding like a broken record. But now this article says Tom Ridge is not only warning us about possible election day terrorism, he's looking into ways to postpone the election alltogether as a result.

Election Day Worries

American counterterrorism officials, citing what they call "alarming" intelligence about a possible Qaeda strike inside the United States this fall, are reviewing a proposal that could allow for the postponement of the November presidential election in the event of such an attack, NEWSWEEK has learned....

Freaky Friday Blog

I’m totally exhausted today – physcially, mentally & emotionally; my neck is incredibly stiff & sore (even after a visit to the chiropracter) and I’m just not really into working.

A recent new poll that puts Bush ahead of Kerry has seriously dragged me down. I just canNOT stomach the idea of another 4 years of that evangelical incompetent in office and I’m beginning to worry people are really much stupider than I give them credit for… they just might vote him back in.

“I want Bush in there, because the other guy is like sending a boy to do a man’s job,” said Glenn Foldessy, 45, of Streetsboro, Ohio, outside Cleveland. Foldessy, who usually votes Republican…”

Correct sentiment, but so completely backasswards it’s ridiculous. And this really freaks me the hell out:

“Bush gained ground among suburban women, a key constituency that increased its backing for the president from 41 percent in June to 52 percent.”

Are so many suburban women really that stupid?

You know when you’re watching a really scary movie and the suspenseful music starts to cue up and the idiotoc “victim #2” is wandering *alone* in the dark, spooky house to try to find some ‘noise’ she heard and the camera cuts to the masked psychotic murderer just waiting around the corner, holding up his meat cleaver dripping in blood…..?? That’s where I usually cover my eyes and plug my ears and keep asking Curt, “is it over yet?” or get up and go to the kitchen to put away food and do the dishes. Anyway – I’m getting that same identical sickening feeling in my gut that something awful is about to happen everytime I read the news lately. Well, the prego-queesiness might have something to do with that sick feeling but I swear it’s triggered by any article that indicates, in any way that Bush might actually pull it off come November. And the prospect terrifies me. Not necessarily the thought of Bush himself (though that’s bad enough) but the thought that the MAJORITY of Americans LIKE and support him and his policies is enough to make me seriously consider applying for immigration to some Scandinavian country. My faith in my fellow Americans will be totally shattered. And the suspense is starting to get to me. I want nothing more than to hit Fast Forward to see if I'll ever wake up from this nightmare.

So today I’m desperately in need of some good news… something positive to take my mind off what I fear is the world's impending doom. So far, all I can find is this wonderful news that a retired school custodian, housecleaner and grandmother of 8 won the $294 million MegaMillions jackpot ; and that the spacecraft Cassini successfully entered Saturn’s orbit this week and is starting to send back images and data; after a seven year, 2.2 billion-mile journey where it relied on 4 different planetary gravity boosts and complex target manuevering to make it, since no single rocket could launch it to it’s final destination. How impressive is that?

More Reason to Vote By Mail

Tom Ridge announces "credible evidence" that Al Queda is planning attacks to disrupt the election. Now here in Oregon I feel pretty damned safe - one benefit of having a vote-by-mail election. No polling places in convenient carbomb range. So why isn't the administration encouraging people in other states to sign up for absentee ballots (and avoid the polls all together?) Oh yeah, 'cuz then they wouldn't get to send their vote into the great cybervoid of the newfangled Diebold machines.....

Access to contraception denied by medical professionals

This article linked to by Rubber Nun reveals exactly why the anti-abortion/ pro-choice debate is so important. Most people I think oversimplify what is, at heart an incredibly complex issue. But as this article points out, it’s a very short leap from denying women safe, legal abortions to denying them contraception and basic sex education. As the current administration increasingly makes appointments and sets policy to codify its “no extra-marital sex/ abstinence only” agenda regular folks in positions of power are feeling justified in denying their professional services/products to women who they judge are violating their own, personal religious views on sex.

As the article illustrates, that means doctors are increasingly refusing to prescribe birth control pills and if they do, pharmacists are increasingly refusing to fill those prescriptions. How soon will it be before they refuse to sell condoms, too? Then refuse to provide treatment/ medication for STD’s such as HIV to unmarried patients?

It’s not about abortion. It’s about being able to legally impose your personal religious views of sex on the rest of the population. These people think casual sex is “sinful”, that any negative consequence that arises out of that sin – be it an unplanned pregnancy or an STD - divine “punishment”. They believe the highest purpose a woman can serve (some even think the only purpose she *should* serve) is to bear children; and that her life, health, pain and suffering, personal goals and dreams are utterly insignificant compared to her primary purpose of breeding.

They also believe their own, personal ticket to heaven is dependent upon making others abide by these beliefs. Unfortunately, many do not care if that is accomplished willingly or not so they will exercise any shred of personal power they posess to see it done. When the government gives them that personal power, it’s bound to be abused in this manner.

So this is starting to sink in a little bit. I'm still thrilled, but a little scared, too. I could still miscarry, this could be a tubal or something - it's quite early yet. I'll feel more like celebrating when my doc tells me everything's gonna be allright (dammit now I've got reggae goin' through my head!). I can't make an appointment to Tues. so I'll just hang in there. I think what I'm most worried about is the whole circus like affair of being pregnant. The fact that everybody and their dog will feel they have the right to monitor my behavior and pass judgement on what I do/don't do. That perfect strangers on the street will cast derisive looks if I'm spied exiting a Starbucks.

According to an online due date calculator, the baby should make his/her debut somewhere on or around my own birthday (end of Feb). Heh - another Pisces in the house! That oughta be interesting! The parental units & other assorted fandamily were all thrilled, too. I'll bet 10:1 my mom's already started laying out the baby quilt.

In the meantime, I'm just trying to get used to the idea of sharing total metaphysical quarters with another being for awhile - one who is going to be very demanding. I'll make you a deal, little fry.... you don't make me puke on a regular basis, kick my bladder or make me start craving disgusting shit like sour kraut and I'll eat lots of leafy veggies, lay off the booze for awhile and stay out of smokey bars.

Maude, who am I trying to fool? I've got no bargaining power here... I'm just along for the ride. My only job is to stock up enough food stores, stay healthy and do my best to keep the boat headed downstream, bail furiously if we start to swamp and call the rescue swimmers if we get in trouble. Let's pray to the River Gods for a smooth journey, little one!

Happy Independence Day!!! You're losing yours....

*gulp* Guess it's official, then! I supposed it remains to be seen what we're going to call the little bugger while he/she's gestating. Everyone in blogdom, it seems has adorable little nicknames for theirs. Maybe the Little Ragu (since I'm Prego... hah!) Curt's reaction to seeing the stick on the counter was "are we gonna have a BABY???" "We're gonna have a BABY!!!" amidst assorted dancing around. Then, "ironic we found out on Independence Day... that we're going to lose every shred of ours..." 

Perspective

According to this website, I'm the 52,162,565 richest person on earth! There are 5,947,837,435 poorer than me! That puts me in the top 0.869% richest people in the world. So that makes me feel both better about our current financial situation... and sadder at the same time, knowing how shitty so many other people have it around the world.

Thanks to Politics & Technology.

I’m a little bummed. Curt didn’t get the killer (salaried) job he was supposed to be one of the “top 3” candidates for. So it’s back to the job search. *sigh*. I’m drowning my sorrow in Blues music today. That’s right, the coolest part about 4th of July weekend in River City is the annual Blues Festival at Waterfront Park, proceeds of which support the Oregon Food Bank. Folks bring their boats down starting the week before to jockey for position on the river near the stages. Many tattooed people in black abound and what’s not covered in leather gets sunburned. Young kids high on life (or other substances, you never know) line up in front of the stage and start impersonating whirling dervishes. It’s lots of fun! And this year, OregonLive’s got a streaming radio feed of a bunch of the songs from artists that will be performing. So I’m jammin’ at work, trying to decide which day we’ll go. Tomorrow looks like their focusing on Zydeco. I could get into that – get a little cajun pick up after we’re done helping Dad fix the plumbing in our tub. If we weren’t so dead ass broke we might take one of the short 2 hour “Blues Cruise”s on the Spirit of Portland.

In more personal news (TMI alert: consider yourself warned)….

My Scottrade IRA finally received my 401k rollover from the shitty former employer (after the previous administrator had to send my docs back to their HR person *twice* due to their incompetence…) Only 5 months late, but whose counting? I was going to put most of the balance in a smart, safe index-tracking mutual fund but I couldn’t resist buying some shares of some stocks I’ve had my eyes on forever. Namely, Ballard Power (BLDP - fuel cells – long, long term prospect I wanted to buy 5 years ago when it was at an outrageous $100/share; now it’s done to a far more reasonable, and affordable $9/share); Netflix (NFLX - based on the “buy what you like” theory of investment proponed by some sweet little ladies who wrote a book a while back); Alcan (AL - one of the ‘good’ metal companies from a socially responsible standpoint); and my “safe” bet… United Technologies (UTX – high tech building and aerospace products… like Otis elevator! Carrier air conditioning! And Sikorsky helicopters! And UTC Power - another fuel cell company (gotta hedge your bets)).

Speaking of things being late, it’s been 11 days since my favorite communist-colored Aunt Flo was expected to arrive for her monthly visit and there’s still no sign of her. I thought 7 days ago she might have been tiptoeing across the threshold but it was a false alarm. EPT said “No” last weekend so I’m determined not to get my hopes up like the last time, though it would be ironic as hell if our spawning drive was successful the same month we agreed to give it a rest for awhile (for the sake of the relationship). It could, just could be - that the hint I caught of her last week was actually implantation bleeding. No nausea yet, but the gatekeeper (aka “cervix”) has dropped and gotten soft (where she’s supposed to be if I were, in fact preggers. If Aunt Flo were on her way she’d be on full alert, high & tight). Boobs are a bit sore (no help there), but no cramping and I have been a bit tired lately. Time will tell. I’ll check with EPT again if she’s not here by Sunday.

The Kittlin has temporarily given up his snake-hunting regimen and is, according to Curt replacing it with playing “chicken” on the road with passing cars. Fuck….aDuck…!!.In my experience there’s only one cure for the feline’s fascination with the open road. And that’s by losing the game. If they’re lucky, they survive with minor injuries (like both Cleo & Ozzie). If they’re really, really lucky – they just get a good scare (like Jack, I suspect). But if they’re not lucky…. You get the picture. I’m debating what to do. I think I’m going to try training him, though it’s hard because I’m not the one home during the day when he’s doing it. Some folks have reported good success using the “click” method of training with cats . It’s worth a shot.

My other inclination is to park myself down on the sidewalk with the riding lawn mower (or something equally as scary-sounding) and lay in wait, then start it up every time he moves toward the road. But there’s no guarantee if he panics and runs it will be *back* towards the house. So the positive re-enforcement clicker way is probably the best option. I think I’ll sign him up for accidental pet insurance in the meantime, just in case. $9/ month can buy a lot of peace of mind. If it means me bringing a lunch 2 days a month instead of eating out, Iit's worth it.

Good Bloggers Gone Bad... Gone Good!

You think you've found someone who understands your views. You find their blog witty and funny and put them on your blogroll. But then they go and fuck it up by posting something you find incredibly offensive. To whit, a picture of a nearly naked woman passed out amidst the empty beer bottles used to illustrate some totally unrelated point about the threat of terrorists using beer coolers. Especially given recent events in California (mistrial declared in a case of a 16 yr old girl being gangraped while unconscious). I'd leave a comment if there was a comment sections, but alas.... there are none. I don't want to come off like a humorless hairy-legged feminist harpy and demand he take it down (like I would if it were a commercial website). It's a blog. He's entitled to express his views in whatever sexist, degrading, juvenile manner he likes. But I don't have to like it and I can say so. Just like when PETA used naked women to advance their political agenda; and the anti-genetic engineering folks used a naked woman to advance theirs. Prostituting women's bodies in the name of a good cause is still prostitution.

UPDATE: My faith is restored! The HD Skeptic has removed the offending photo from his site. Please reverse any hairy-legged hexes you may have prepared and send gynoblessings his way instead. Thank you, the Mgmt.

Buy a diamond, support terrorism

Hezbollah Profiting From African Diamonds Hezbollah, in turn funds other militant Islamic groups like Al-Queda. Snips:

KOIDU, Sierra Leone - Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrilla movement is siphoning profits from West Africa's diamond trade, in part by threatening Lebanese diamond merchants, U.S. diplomats charge.

The allegations, supported by independent analysts, describe more pervasive, organized and coercive Hezbollah profiteering from West Africa's diamond trade than most U.S. officials have previously acknowledged.

"One thing that's incontrovertible is the financing of Hezbollah. It's not even an open secret; there is no secret," said Larry Andre, deputy chief of mission for the U.S. Embassy in diamond-rich Sierra Leone.

Many in the State Department and officials at U.S. embassies in West Africa have long played down any West Africa conduits to Hezbollah, saying any contributions to Hezbollah appeared to be voluntary donations by individuals.

Alex Yearsley, of London-based Global Witness, alleges that the CIA (news - web sites) and FBI long had tried to publicly minimize links between conflict diamonds and Islamic militant groups, including al-Qaida.

The U.S. security agents feared exposure of their own longtime links with Charles Taylor, the ousted Liberian leader who played a main role in West Africa's insurgencies and blood diamond trade, Yearsley said. Taylor received CIA payments until January 2001, Yearsley claimed in a telephone interview.

Here's a thought. In other wars, folks on the homefront have traditionally made personal sacrifices to support the war. Many people disappointed with how Bush is fighting the War on Terror (i.e. shanghai-ing our troops and resources to conquer Iraq) feel helpless, and victimized and would like very much to get personally involved in some way. So why not start with a boycott of diamonds? Hit 'em in the pocketbook, right where it counts! Now granted, many diamonds that hit our market are supposedly certified as "conflict free" and bloodless, but the truth is, overall consumer demand for diamonds (regardless of origin) bolsters the market value of conflict diamonds right along with the "safe" ones. So do your part! Quit buying diamonds!!!

So this is "Victory" in Afghanistan?

They're supposed to have their first democratic elections this fall. Here's what's happening to folks who are trying to register to vote:

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Taliban fighters killed up to 16 men after learning they had registered for Afghanistan U.S.-backed national elections, the deadliest attack yet in a campaign aimed at sabotaging the nation's first free vote, officials said Sunday.

This is a day after the Taliban (who Bush claims we've "defeated") bombed a bus full of female election workers and children outside Jalalabad trying to register women to vote. Two were killed.

Per Michael Moore in Fahrenheit 9/11, we've only got 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, compared to 140,000 in Iraq. That's less than the entire police force of New York City and they're supposed to be making an entire country just slightly smaller than the state of Texas, and which is still full of Taliban, Al Queda (and Bin Laden oh by the way... who is supposed to be Enemy #1) and other fundamentalist militia, safe for democracy.

Fuck you, Mr. Schwarzenegger.....

Schwarzenegger backs speedier killing of strays
Friday, June 25, 2004 Posted: 11:34 AM EDT (1534 GMT)

SACRAMENTO, California (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to repeal a state law that requires animal shelters to hold stray dogs and cats for up to six days before killing them.

Instead, there would be a three-day requirement for strays. Other animals, including birds, hamsters, potbellied pigs, rabbits, snakes and turtles, could be killed immediately.

One more reason I'm glad I'm not a Californian.

The living room tableau was back last night so this morning I grabbed the camera on the way to work. "Emergency Broadcast System" was scrawled on the TV screen in grease pencil. The book on the sidetable is Jonathan Livingston Seagull. 

The screen is covered in deep thoughts like this. I think the whole piece is called "The Unexamined Life".  

The power of Pets

Friendly Dog Prevents Killing Spree. Snip: TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian man, driving a car packed with weapons and ammunition, was intent on killing as many people as possible in a Toronto neighbourhood but gave up the plan at the last minute when he encountered a friendly dog, police say...He had set himself up in an east-end park to load his weapons and then planned to drive around shooting. He later told police that a dog then approached and started playing with him.

The encounter melted the man's heart, and he then went in search of police to give himself up, police said. "He happens to be a pet lover, and decided that since there was such a nice dog in the area, that people were too nice and he wasn't going to carry out his plan," Detective Nick Ashley told reporters.

**sniff** Take that you heartless animal haters!

Got Milk?

Curt & I were discussing possible reality with baby the other day and got on the subject of breastfeeding. I mentioned that I plan to breastfeed but for some reason it still seems kind of odd to me, even though in my mind I know it's the most natural thing in the world. I guess the thought of life actually sustaining itself via "the girls" is kind of weird. Maybe because I wasn't breastfed as a child? Curt wasn't either. I then recalled my friend E. telling me how her 6 mo. old son took to it right away, and still will only accept a bottle if he's totally starving, whereas her daughter K. (now almost 3) basically weaned herself by 6 mos and didn't take to it well at all right away. I speculated that perhaps boys just have a boob fetish from day one and never get over it?? Anyway, as we were discussing the various specific health benefits of breastmilk Curt wondered if anybody had ever studied what would happen if an adult partook of it on a regular basis.

At first I thought "What a nightmare! That's all we need.. one more way for women to sell their bodies. I can see it now, breastmilk bars replacing oxygen bars as the new kooky trend. At best you'd have women making anonymous donations by breastpump... but at worst? I don't even want to think about *that*! The whole time I'm thinking, no worries - there are no self-respecting scientist who would even venture down that path.

But it appears I'm wrong. Swedish doctors have developed "A cream made from human breast milk and nicknamed Hamlet that can dramatically reduce, and often eliminate, stubborn common warts." So now I have visions of that controversial anti-genetic engineering billboard from last year becoming reality. Ugh. You know, say I'm a cynic but I can see where this is going. Before the resurgence of breastfeeding in the middle and upper classes in the last 25 years or so, and before baby Formula was widespread... wetnursing was a time honored profession. Poor, rural, and especially ethnic mothers would farm their mammaries out to desperate mothers, childrens' hospitals and orphanages. Your garment industry has their sweatshops.... how soon do you think it will be before pharmaceutical companies set up milkshops in the 3rd world?

Random Thoughts

I’ve been kicking myself lately for going the cheapo route when we got new cellphones and not forking out a little extra dough to get the one that came with the digital camera function. If I’d had one, here are some of the picts I would have taken the last two days for your blogviewing pleasure:

1) A strange little livingroom tableau some intrepid artist/prankster set up on a scrap piece of plywood in some greenspace next to Hwy 99E in Milwaukie overlooking the river this weekend. There was the requisite nasty 70’s era recliner (orange flowers and all); cheesy clunky lamp with oversized cylindrical shade; old TV of the rabbit-eared, knob-turning variety on a cheap faux-wood TV stand and assorted other clutter I didn’t get a clear look at as I drove past on my way to work. By this morning, it was gone.

2) Timeless raindrops literally captured by small spider webs in the ivy along the river trail at lunch today that made the green hillside look like Martha Stewart faeries had come along and nestled crystal bowls in the greenery. I wouldn’t have been surprised at all to see floating candles, too.

3) Goslings on the patio at the swanky office down the river trail where I ate my lunch today. There’ve been two Canadian Geese couples in the river below my office raising their youngins this spring – they’ve got about 18 babes between them. They’ve reached the awkward adolescent phase where they’re molting and their adult coloration & markings are beginning to show through the cute fuzzy yellow and black down. They’re about ¾ the size of Mom & Dad, on average with the exception of one adorable little runt who is still about half the size of his siblings. I sat out on the wrought iron table overlooking the green willows and sweep of the river, eating my sandwich. They were all busy stripping the grass and other landscaping of assorted grubs and slugs. It was kind of amazing.

Geese can be so damned aggressive & protective with their young. I was surprised the parents brought them right here in the midst of humans. But when a man walked over eating a bag of chips and the goslings all rushed him at the sound of the crinkling, I realized they were on a mission to mooch, and Mom & Dad were showing them how. I tried for quite awhile to resist the urge to feed but then another woman started and yes, I’m a little ashamed to admit… I gave in to the corruptive influence and started targeting my little runt with gently tossed handouts of crust and lettuce. It was quite a challenge, too – his brothers & sisters were determined to cut him out but my little buddy was quick! Then Mom & Dad (very BIG and kind of scary) decided to horn in on the action, and after seeing how one overeager gosling had pecked my fellow philanthropist when she didn’t produce fast enough, I made a break for it.

Gmail swap for RAWA drive continues!

I was graciously granted 6 more Gmail invites from the GoogleGods and have successfully swapped 2 of them so far for more donations to RAWA. This makes a grandtotal of $155 to date! Woohoo!! If anyone else is interested let me know.

Lollygagging can be hazardous to your health...

I relaxed so much this weekend I think I pulled a muscle! Laugh if you want but lollygagging requires a great deal of effort. In my case it required careful camoflouging of myself in the hammock under the pear tree, enjoying the balmy weather and light breeze, laying perfectly motionless in the hopes of enticing a chickadee to not notice me and partake of the elegant feast I'd laid out in the bird feeder, 3 feet away. It worked. Twice!! Then I think I pulled a muscle in my lower back tring to twist myself around in order to position my hands in prime belly-rubbing position for my calico kitty, who was busy napping in the grass beneath me.

Testing

I've been fighting viruses/ adware crap all day and apparently some of my innoculative efforts have also crashed my blogger uplink ability.... so this is a test

Head Scratcher of the Day

First Russian president Putin gave hope to the Bush administration today by revealing that even if the U.S. can't find credible evidence of Saddam's terrorist proclivities, they certainly had it (and passed it along). But they still don't think whatever information they gave us warranted the invasion. But now the State Dept. is saying, "you did? Funny we don't remember that..." So....if such information sharing occurred, it apparently went through non-state department channels. Curiouser and Curiouser. I mean, if this were a Tom Clancy novel the Russkies would have tipped off Jack Ryan directly but I'm at a loss as to how that situation translates into the current administration and intelligence beaurocracy. Did Bush, or Rummy or Condie get a personal phone call from the Kremlin??? If so, then why don't they just freaking *say* so??? Did they directly/indirectly "leak" information to a known CIA operative? OK then - they can blame Tenet once again. Better throw in some popcorn 'cuz I'm dying to see how this one ends....

Dueling Lie Detectors At Dawn

Here's an interesting conundrum. Joe Scarborough of the Scarborough Report picks up an accusation by Fred Barnes, Weekly Standard editor that's currently under heavy circulation in right wing media that Michael Moore totally fabricated an alleged 1988 interview he then went on to publish in his 2002 book "Stupid White Men". Right wing pundits across the board are using this to discredit Moore's upcoming Fahrenheit 9/11 movie. Michael, of course isn't backing down and posted his rebuttal where he wonders why Barnes is only *now* crying fowl when the ultra-conservative Washington Times (of Rev. Moon fame) also published his interview back in 1988. Even if Barnes himself didn't happen to pick up the Times that day, you'd think someone in the right wing journalistic circle would have seen it and informed him of it (if not someone from the Times, itself). I mean, Barnes' own Weekly Standard lists the Washington Times in their weblinks which implies that Barnes finds them a credible news organization.

I can see where less politically-minded folks would get very frustrated with all this "Liar! Liar! back and forth fingerpointing by the right and the left. I'm starting to get more than a little sick of it myself. But here's the difference I've seen lately in the wild accusation department. The left wing, like Moore (and Franken who I've been listening to a great deal) will actually back up their accusations of Liar! by going straight back to the source. They'll let the audio tape or publication speak for itself, and proves how the right wing takes that same information and takes it totally out of context (or pulled it out of thin air). The right wing, on the other hand will quote "so and so said they heard/read it on so and so... and that person surely wouldn't have run with it if they didn't think it was true". You can see exactly how this happens in Alexandra Polier's own account of how the right wing "journalists" (and yes, I use that term very, very lightly) took totally unsubstantiated rumors about her and spun it into a "known" affair with Kerry.

In this case, it doesn't look like there are any first hand sources to corroborate either of their positions. Unfortunately Moore, apparently didn't tape the interview or he'd have made the tapes available, I'm sure. Barnes, however can't be as certain the interview did *not* take place as he's leading his readers to believe or he'd have slapped Moore with a libel suit in a heartbeat. Isn't that's what you or I would do if somebody had totally made up something that we'd never said and made *us* look bad, then tried to make money off of that lie?? If you're wanting to discredit someone there's no better way than to sue their ass, right?

So that leaves us with one option as I see it. Dueling lie detector tests at dawn. You could have Rush and Franken as seconds. My bet's on Mike, though.... any takers?

I love you, you love me..we're a happy family

So we went to our first couple’s counseling session yesterday. Instead of a couch, he had two really cushy recliners. I liked Barny, our counselor though he seemed more intimidated by us at first than we him. Maybe because when I went to put my feet up in the recliner my left shoe flew off and landed in his lap. No, he wasn’t purple though after he regained his professional composure he did say “I can tell there’s a truly deep love between you two which was a "joy" for him to see. He seemed to have forgiven my militant Cinderella episode.

We gave him more than enough material to get an idea of our communication style. In fact, he had a hard time getting either of us to shut the fuck up, or as he put it in shrinkspeak: "I can tell you're both very hungry to be heard". We were a little disappointed he didn't start handing down the "you're right... he/she's wrong" directives on our miscellaneous issues right away. Apparently we'll get a chance to delve into the nitty gritty issues after we've learned some different communication techniques so we can do so in a constructive manner.

And while he did ask us about substance abuse, it was perfectly in context and not annoying in the slightest. After Curt's next job gets solidified we'll schedule another session.

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Asministrative Note: I finally figured out how to re-instate Haloscan comments with the new template and have disabled Blogger's comments accordingly. Some people were rather annoyed at having to "sign up" for an account to use it.

We're sorry.....

Now here's an interesting tidbit: Pope John Paul apologizes for Inquisition, witch hunts, Crusades and other assorted atrocities committed in the name of the church. Though apparently I'm woefully behind the times - it looks like he originally did this back in 2000 as part of Millenium celebrations but it's taken scholars until now to fully research the depths of the Church's transgressions (for which the apology was made) and they've written a book detailing their findings. Apparently, the Inquisition "wasn't quite as bad as has been believed" when it comes to final death toll. Wherever Galileo is currently residing in space and time, I'm sure he will be so "comforted" to know that! (in the finest Shrubian sense of the word).

Atlantis Revisited

How have I missed this? A scientist says he may have found remains of the lost city of Atlantis in southern Spain. Now there's a theory I hadn't heard.

Some Good News

It's not all gloom and doom on the horizon of global women's rights. Women's ENews reports this week that Saudi Arabia convened its third National Dialogue on Reform yesterday, focusing specifically on the future role and rights of women in the kingdom. They claim this is one sign of many showing the rather remarkable progress women have made in the 6 Gulf states in the last few years.

Back here on the home front, I was happy to see the AMA step up and support over the counter sales of the Morning After Pill. A rational person would think something that *prevents* abortions would be considered a good thing by the anti-choice zealots, but they'd be wrong - because it has nothing to do with rationality and everything to do with religious belief. I'd go into a rant but I'm trying very hard to focus on the positive for a few days at least.

Bear in Tennis Shoes

We had a lovely weekend. I finally put my feet in front of my mouth and did some canvassing for MoveOn on Saturday. I've never done anything like that before. For an introvert such as myself it was more than a little scary. Which was one reason I did it. Gotta face those fears & all...

There was one annoying young guy on the orientation team who reminded me, in a nutshell of everything I hated about summer camp (wherein lie the root of my irrational disdain for being any kind of a 'joiner', I swear). The sickeningly sweet & insincere attempts to build "excitement" by the fresh faced counselors in neon T-shirts; ridiculous role playing skits and lack of chairs in the meeting hall all took me back to my days at Silver Creek Falls where I had no friends and they made me sit around the campfire right next to an anthill and sing stupid songs.

But aside from that, it wasn't as annoying as I'd thought it might be. The canvassing was actually run by the League of Conservation Voters. MoveOn just provided more feet to pound the pavement. We were deployed to key swing precincts that have gone either way in the past to a) identify how voters in those precincts are leaning right now; b) find out what their top 2 issues are; and c) recruit more volunteers for Kerry. Then in the coming months, they'll go back and target undecided voters in these precincts with more direct mailings, phone calls and personal visits.

My 'buddy' was a 50+ yr old housewife from one of the more upscale bedroom communities. The last time she'd ever done anything like this was 25 some years ago in Texas when she'd manned the phone banks for Bush Sr. in his campaign against Reagan. "I was so uninformed back then...." she said. But like so many of the other regular folks I met that day (on both sides of the doorbell); she was just so pissed that she had to do something. I got 3 potential volunteers signed up and made good inroads on a couple of undecideds, I think.

By the end of the day my feet were killing me and I had mild sunstroke, I think but it was worth it. I was so wiped at the end I just dropped off my teammates and results at the meeting hall and didn't stick around for the chorus of "Cumbaya" (or whatever the post-event wrap up entailed). One thing I learned, though. There's a definite correlation between level of political enthusiasm and comfort of toes. As the latter declined throughout the day I saw a definite drop in the former. Next time around I think I might be much more effective on the phones.

But if I do agree to hit the pavement again I'll be taking my cue from that old bear in the campfire singalong who wore tennis shoes. Smart bear.

Sunday we let Grumblema take us to Chinese food for lunch. She could just fit us in before the big NBA game. We took her a jar of the yummy cherry jam Curt made while I was out agitating. If she keeps up with her "go-go-joy-joy" pill regimen (as she calls her Zoloft) we might have to come up with a new nickname for her. It is amazing what a difference it's made. The negativity factor drops by about 70%.

Dammit.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that California atheist Michael Newdow lacked the right to bring a constitutional challenge to the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance on behalf of his daughter, since her mother has legal custody during the week when she's in school and the pledge is recited (and her Mom, a born-again Christian supports her saying the pledge).

So a new guinea pig is needed. One who has a more ironclad case.

Ah, the sanctity of marriage...

Rush Limbaugh announces end of 3rd Marriage. Does this finally earn him a masters degree in Hypocrisy?

It’s a modern Ethiopian love story

Boy & friends hack down front door with machete, abduct the 13 year old object of his obsession, named Woineshet - rape & beat her for two days. Police show up, girl escapes covered in blood, badly bruised. Attacker is arrested. Girl must wait 2 days for bus to clinic. Nurse wonders why the wounds are “old” and notes "She is no longer a virgin. Not sure of date of penetration, could be recently. Many bruises and scratches around vagina."

Woineshet's family comes from the Oromo tribe, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group “In the green hills of southern Ethiopia, the tribe's men hold a firm upper hand in society and women are often treated as servants. Marriage by abduction, a common practice, occurs when a man and his friends kidnap a woman or girl he has been watching, rapes her and then pressures her to sign a marriage contract…Ethiopian law absolves abductors of their crime if they marry their victims.”

Story continues: Girl goes home, judge who thinks "I don't think she was abducted or raped. The health report did not specify that she was a fresh virgin. No one wants to rape anyone who is not a virgin. Maybe they were just in love. This case has no evidence” despite many witnesses, lets her attacker go on bail. Even her state-appointed lawyer says "I think Woineshet was like, 'Please rape me.' Maybe he couldn't afford the dowry and they wanted to be together without a formal marriage," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Culturally, no one rapes a non-virgin.”
Days later, Boy abducts girl again. This time raping and beating her for 15 days at brother’s house. She escaped again running bruised and bloody through the village and farms. Family of her attacker track her down and beat her until she signs a marriage contract. This time, kindly police officer takes her in to protect her. So she ends up in a jail cell at her own request. Case goes to trial. Attacker is somehow found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in jail, despite the bias of the judge (same as above) , who asked Woineshet, “He wants to marry you. Why are you refusing?” and remarked to the courtroom that “After 13 years, after 15 years, the lady she can be happy. She can be okay.” One month later, same judge just lets attacker out of jail, saying there were not enough witnesses and that Woineshet was most likely in love with Negussie and ready for marriage. "This family is only out for revenge," Ukie said in an interview. "Maybe they don't want her to marry him. So they accuse him of rape." Later, when he was asked about a health report showing severe abuse during the second abduction, Ukie said: "Look, a marriage contract had been signed, and I think we should find it. If she wanted to marry him, then if there was a rape that makes it legally okay."

How does this logic make any sense? If she had *wanted* to marry him, if she'd loved him, he wouldn't have had to abduct, beat and RAPE her.

Moral of the story: Kidnapping, Rape and Assault of women are all hunky dory so long as the woman is enslaved by a marriage contract after the fact. Oh, and non-virgins cannot be raped.

I used to be somewhat of a cultural relativist. I respected the culture & traditions of other cultures, and felt it would be arrogant beyond measure to impose my imperialist morals on other people. But when a culture internalizes violence against women and rejects respect for basic human rights to this extent I'm sorry, but I just can't respect it and let it go. It's not marriage, it's trafficking in sex slaves, pure & simple and really needs to be recognized by the international community on that basis. They'll boycott South Africa for denying huge segments of their population basic human rights based on race, but we do NOTHING to pressure countries that deny HALF their population basic human rights based on GENDER.

In fact, Shrub would deny these women any aid at all on the pathetic grounds that the people providing that aid might, just might talk about or god-forbid actually PROVIDE birth control or abortion. These girls are being raped with the tacit approval of their own communities and forced into abusive marriages, forced to LIVE WITH THEIR ATTACKER, be his servant, bear his children for the rest of their lives. But they call this brutal custom 'marriage' so Bush feels it's his God-given responsibility to PROTECT this institution.

Unfuckingbelievable.

And to most Americans, unbelievable. This kind of institutionalized violence, like the Rwandan genocide and Nick Berg murder is so totally alien to us that when we hear these stories, we think it MUST be an aberration. They look like normal people on TV - how could they not only allow, but tacitly encourage this kind of brutality?? So we shut it out - ignore it and go about our vanilla, safe little suburban lives where in the rare event a child is abducted by a raping stalker, there's an Amber Alert issued and the entire community moves heaven and earth to find them before it's "too late". Failing that, we move heaven and earth to track down the son of Satan that did it and make 'em fry for it. It's simply beyond mainstream America's comprehension that in other parts of the world, the opposite is true.

Fly, Monkeys....Fly

Rivka has a great overview of the implications of the pro-torture Justice Dept. memo, but there’s one aspect I haven’t seen anybody really address yet. It appears there’s a totally different set of rules for the executive under Republican and Democratic presidents. Or maybe the difference is with executives serving during peace time and war time, I don’t know - but every time I compare the reaction Clinton got to what Bush is getting it blows me away. During Clinton’s tenure, the Supreme’s felt so strongly that the President is not above the law that they voted unanimously to allow Paula Jones’ trial to go forward while he was in office. And that was a civil suit. That ended up in his impeachment. (No, I’m not blaming the Supreme’s for Clinton’s idiotic lying under oath – I’m fully aware he did it to himself). So now Rummie & company in the Attorney General’s office are trying to say the President is *above* the law??? Were they in a drug-induced coma during the Clinton Presidency or something? Maybe that was Clinton’s mistake. Maybe if he’d declared war on Osama after the first World Trade Center attacks the Repubs wouldn’ve given him more leeway in the “executive privelege” department. Yeah right. And monkey's are currently initiating their pre-flight sequence in my colon !!

Looky-Loo Neighbors

Dear Neighbors:

I know this evening you saw Curt emerge from the HoneyPot at the construction site next door that you're building your house on, roll of personal TP in hand. No, he doesn't have some freaky portaletophilia. We are a one bathroom household and I was in the midst of a much-needed, highly anticipated bubblebath. We're pretty comfortable with one another's bodily functions but a girl's gotta draw the line somewhere. 'Nuf said.

Got your Tin Foil Hat??

Last week Pres. Bush pays a state visit to Italy ( & visits the Pope!). Today, Coalition special forces free the 3 Italian civilians held hostage in Iraq since April 12. Just in time for Bush to report "mission accomplished" when the Italian PM arrives at the G-8 summit where Bush has a chance to repair his abysmal foreign relations record before the elections.

I'm thrilled they were saved, but the timing of the operation - it is quite suspicious. But then, it seems like the Republicans have always had a knack for cashing in on hostage situations for political gain.

Trickle Down, Mr. Reagan - Trickle on Down

My sincere condolences to the Reagan family. Not just for the death, but for the what, 10 years of decline and agony of his not being able to recognize them? I wonder - did his daughter ever reconcile with her parents?

I see the obits on every station on TV and some of them are calling him one of the greatest presidents of all time - right up there with Washington and Lincoln. That's a huge stretch. But I'm trying to look at his tenure objectively, in a charitable fashion and I've been pouring over article after article summarizing his time in office in an attempt to try to see why he was so well-loved and popular. Here's what I've found.

He did help end the Cold War. I'll say Gorbachev had a hell of a lot more to do with that than Reagan did but to Reagan's credit, he wasn't so blinded by ideology that he couldn't ratchet down the "evil empire" rhetoric and give Gorby a chance to forge a genuine partnership to end the arms race. He didn't, for instance take advantage of the fall of the USSR to invade Cuba which a more gung-ho cowboy type of president might have. As offensive as his campaign rhetoric promising a conservative revolution was to the Left - in reality, he ended up not living up to that rhetoric. According to "Reagan's Liberal Legacy" (thanks to PinkDreamPoppies on Alas, A Blog) When push came to shove - he did prop up social security, expand the earned income tax credit, and appoint the first female supreme court justice. Despite all promises to the contrary, he ended up raising taxes after realizing his initial attempts to cut them were proving disastrous.

I've been doing quite a bit of soul searching and have realized that in the light of the current president, Reagan looks pretty damned good - and that's what's so scary. I came of age under Reagan. Loved to despise Reagan for his callous disregard for the plight of the working class/in poverty and those dying of AIDS; for his irrational confidence in the miraculous properties of the free market; for his high handed hamstringing of organized labor. As and rancher or farmer in the West will tell you - "trickle down" models only work so long as the folks upstream are prohibited by law from damming the water up completely or diverting it from its natural course. But mostly, I've hated Reagan for being the charismatic leader who started out a Democrat, then became the lightning rod that revitalized the Conservative movement. Without him, we wouldn't have had Bush Sr., wouldn't have had Newt & a Republican-controlled congress, which means we wouldn't have had Ken Starr, and wouldn't have the Shrub.

But you know what? I'd take him back in a heartbeat if it meant getting rid of Bush Jr. I'll take a President consulting astrologers over one who thinks he's the mouthpiece of God any day. I never questioned that Reagan understood that our constitutional right to freedom OF religion also means freedom FROM religion. I'll take a Republican President who turns mortal enemies into fast allies and not the other way around. One who admits their mistakes, learns from them, and is big enough to change their mind when the facts don't end up supporting their preconceptions.

But probably most importantly - I'd take one who, even though *I* didn't vote for him, was overwhelmingly voted for *twice* by a majority of Americans over one who, was NOT elected by the majority and with every subsequent word and deed screams "IMPOSTER!!!" to me. I didn't like Reagan, but I did respect the man. And I respected the fact that he WAS the President, was MY President by democratic process. I'll never have that confidence in the Shrub.

Reptilian Refugee Camp, Now Open for Business.

Echidne, I hate to say this but you need to keep a closer eye out for some of your children. We got up this morning to find shed snake skin where the cats had deposited it in the night. This is good, I thought. Much better than their other recent deposits of a couple of actual, live garter snakes they'd made in the last couple of weeks. The skin is a sign from the gods of renewal and rebirth. Good luck!!!

But then when I get home tonight, I find the Kittlin terrorizing another one of your kids in the backyard. I rescued your progeny and confined the Kittlin to quarters for 30 minutes to give you kidlet time to escape. But then, THEN I head to the front yard and Ozzie is loudly announcing his capture of a pint sized sister to the snakelet I'd just rescued. I facilitated her escape to the half wild flower/weed bed in the middle of the yard which I really don't mind turning into a reptilian refugee camp. I know they've all been rudely displaced from the lovely lot next door which used to be a wondrous paradise until those nasty construction people showed up with their back hoe and destroyed all the knee high grass and snug underground warrens, where your kidlets could easily elude the ferocious felines of the neighborhood. They're welcome to all the slugs they can eat. The robins might take offense at their slithering in and helping themselves to the worms, but they're greedy gluttons anyway and I'm sure there are plenty for everyone. I doubt they'll find many frogs or salamanders, though. For those they may want to head *down* the hillside towards the river instead where I hear the amphibious population is booming. If it gets too crowded in there just let me know and I'll organize a relocation to another empty lot in the neighborhood a couple of blocks away that has a nice creek running alongside it.

But please, whatever they do tell them to stay out of sight when my mother comes to visit. It's very unfortunate but she's quite specist and doesn't take kindly to reptiles, even those as adorable as your children. She has this tendency to climb on the back of whomever is closest whenever she spies one, shrieking like a car alarm. She's not that heavy, but I'd like to save her that indignity if I can.

So please, I offer as many fruit, nuts & berries or small rodents as you'd like to please intercede on my behalf. Your children need you!

Friday Night Trivia

Ever notice how the whole breakroom/dish dynamic in offices is always so weird and awkward? Case in point: There's always a cupboard of coffee mugs in the employee kitchen, but no discernible way to determine ownership of said coffee mugs. Are you just supposed to use yours? Or is it understood that there's a general office mug 'pool' that everyone is welcome to draw from. If the former, then why is it I haven't seen my personal mug back in the cupboard since the day after I started? It's very cute - one of those Starbucksy Tuscan-style ceramic latte mugs. Kind of a sage green with light leave & flower buds entwined all over it, and a red and yellow checkerboard rim. I see my co-worker using it all the time and don't know if I should say anything about it or not? Demand it's return?
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In other news Curt & I are having one of our periodic not-quite-fight "disagreements" that is resulting in the dreaded "state of the relationship" address. We've gotten much better at this, I must say. We no longer rush to take the absolute worst possible interpretation of what the other is saying (resulting in all night sobfests) but we're still not giving one another the benefit of the doubt when it comes to selfless motive. We're pretty good at identifying problems in our relationship but fall miserably short in a) agreeing on what those problems are; and b) finding ways to fix them.

I think we need a couple's coach/referee but Curt's skeptical of counselors. My only experience with the mental health industry isn't that great either. A couple of years after my parent's divorce I went to my company sponsored employee counseling service to try to work through some issues I was having that negatively affected my relationships with them. As Richard Gere said "I was very ANGRY at my father". The entire first session was devoted to answering a huge list of required questions regarding my non-existent substance abuse habit. How many times do I have to say "I am a social drinker and a second hand smoker. I do not currently, and have never taken any kind of illegal drug"??? The second session was devoted to required follow up questions about the emotional triggers and people in my life who contributed to my non-existent substance abuse habit since the previous session. I got to talk about my Dad for about 5 minutes in the context of "I've never done drugs, but I did recently discover my father occasionally smoked joints in the basement. I always thought it just smelled moldy down there. Oh, and he says one of the reasons he left my mom was because he couldn't stand making love to a woman who smelled like an ashtray". Needless to say, I didn't go back for my final, 3rd free session.

But I think an experienced couples counselor could be helpful at this point. So long as they're not "faith based" or any of that bullshit. Though it might be amusing to see what someone like Dr. Laura would do with our relationship where just about every gender-based stereotype she assumes is totally flipped in our case. Curt's the stay-at-home spouse and the one who wants to "talk about us" all the time and I'm the one who blithely sails along bringing home the bacon thinking as long as we're having sex, everything *must* be OK. I'd like to see her confronted with all the happy, successful couples whose relationships don't conform to her rigidly narrow view of "ideal" gender roles.

Note to self: Validation through Tree Killing

Don't feed the trolls, don't feed the trolls... Damn. Sometimes it's hard to tell the trolls from the people worth wasting a breath on, though. So now I've wasted all fucking day responding to people who imagine "knife wielding feminists" around every corner bent on castration (really - the only huevos they're after are those in a Spanish omelet, folks - go visit and see.) Forget dead people. "I see feminists!" is the new horror phrase in blogdome.

I barely had time to finish my letter to Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer giving him props for his appearance on CSPAN yesterday during the House International Relations Committee meeting on the status of US policy in Afghanistan; and then launching into my favorite "why doesn't the administration support RAWA?" diatribe. But then, according to Matt Yglesias all of this activity doesn't "count" as any kind of interest in politics. Because you know - I don't waste my hard earned cash subscribing to worthless political periodicals. In hard copy, no less (true political junkies gotta kill those trees, you know).

One down, how many to go?

Tenet Resigns as Head of CIA

Miss Modesty?

What's wrong with this piece? I'll give you three guesses. Give up? It's the statements by the editor at Seventeen:

"We like to call this new girl Miss Modesty," said Gigi Solif Schanen, fashion editor at Seventeen magazine. "It's such a different feeling but still very pretty and feminine and sexy. It's just a little more covered up....It's kind of like a sexy take on a librarian," she said. "I think people are tired of seeing so much skin and want to leave a little more to the imagination."

Maybe, just maybe she might be missing the point, oh... completely? Notice, if you will that the thought that perhaps a great many teen girls don't LIKE being turned into sex objects doesn't even cross her mind. Oh, no. The *obvious* conclusion is that these girls are just going for that "sexy librarian look". Yep - that's it alright!!. Their primary purpose is *still* to be the living embodiment of every hot blooded heterosexual male's sexual fantasy (phew!)- they're just changing *which* fantasy that is. Whore is out. "Hot for teacher" is in. See it here first, folks - fashion forecast for next year - plaid schoolgirl uniforms will be out, nurse and maid uniforms will be all the rage in the Junior Miss departments across America.

Why the fuck can't they just let little girls BE little girls???? Modest clothes and all?? Teen girls are naturally self-conscious about their bodies. Sure some are curious, too to see what kind of power they can wield with their newfound sexuality. But many aren't comfortable with the weird new reactions they get. Many don't like that new look in the eye they start getting from boys and men. That's what puberty is FOR - getting used to your new body. Why won't the media give them that time, and the clothes that make them comfortable in their new skins??? (Yes, that is a rhetorical question).

Memorial Day Undercurrents

I’ve started about 3 different entries for today but as soon as I get about a paragraph in I lose all interest. I’m feeling particularly apathetic. I think it has something to do with all the war movies my step dad insisted on watching on Memorial Day. It’s just – when you’re actually in the MIDDLE of a war and people are *actually* bleeding and dying for some ridiculous reason (or no reason at all); it makes it really hard to stomach the Holloywoodified dramatizations of the same thing. In times of peace it’s just so easy to shrug all the violence off as so much make-believe; with all the realism of a video game.

(***may trigger***)

Looking back, maybe it started when the conversational subject somehow landed on the Nick Berg video. My stepdad hadn’t seen it but Curt had watched it, in full technicolor and stereo sound. This I did not know. My dear husband was smart enough not to tell me about it. I’d seen the stills and brief snips of the video (but no sound) but thought I knew, from reading other’s accounts what it entailed. A couple of local DJ’s had, in fact recently been fired because they played the audio of the tape on air, “gurgles & all”. For some reason I was under the impression that it had been a relatively quick, clean execution (not that that matters & all but for some reason it helped to think he didn’t suffer). Maybe it was the recent viewing of “Kill Bill vol. 1”. If petite women like Uma Thurman can decapitate an adversary with a single sword stroke then it should be an easy feat for a strong, burly terrorist. But as my stepdad grilled Curt for details my naivete was quickly shattered. No, it wasn’t a curved scimitar of razor-edged Syrian steel that was used (as I’d thought). But a dull knife, possibly serrated about a foot long. It wasn’t a quick stroke. They basically sawed his head off – ALIVE while he screamed with every stroke. That’s about as far as Curt got before he finally took my “that’s enough!!!) pleas seriously and cut short his narrative.

You may think I was trying to bury my head in the sand to spare myself the “unpleasantness” , but you’d be wrong. Sure, I’m one of those people who covers their eyes during the scary parts of horror movies. I have an overactive imagination as it is - I already imagine the worst so I don’t need it spelled out for me in kodachrome. But that wasn’t it. I caught a hint - just a hint of eagerness in my stepdad’s voice as he asked where he could find the video to watch himself and that did it. In that instant it suddenly clicked for me why the video was one of the top most googled items on the internet in the week following the murder. It wasn’t because so many folks are outraged - it’s a snuff film, pure and simple and people are getting a perverted voyeuristic thrill out of watching this horrendous atrocity. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure that wasn’t his intent at all – I think he was honestly wanting to see what all the fuss was about – to witness the “awful truth” himself, free of the censorship of the cable news networks. But in that moment it just felt so very, very wrong for us to sit there, safe & sound in the living room describing this man’s death in grisly detail.