So I am once again preparing ahead. I've been searching for Chanukah/Christmas gifts for the bitties and also Lara. In this search, I came across a book called 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know by Russ Kick. To be frank, it looks like something that Michael Moore might have written and for the sole purpose of pissing off the Christian Conservatives, something that I enjoy, but only if you get your facts absolutely right with no hyperbole because if you get hyperbolic, those whose heads you're hoping to implode instead get ammunition to use against you... Nonetheless, he points out an interesting thing about the Bible. He says that the Ten Commandments aren't really the Ten Commandments we think they are (but he left out one commandment, probably because he didn't understand what it meant, meaning that there actually should be *11* Commandments... this doesn't surprise me much because I doubt he's Jewish, and he's certainly not a Biblical scholar, *and* he was using the King James version for his translation, which any scholar will tell you is not worth the paper it's printed on for clarity or accuracy of translation).
Read Exodus 20-34 if you don't believe me. I'm not kidding here...
These were the rules written on the 2nd set of tablets by Moses in the Exodus story (paraphrased & with my commentary in the parenthesis):
1. You must not worship any other gods. (The Israelites at this time did not deny the existence of other gods, only that they should worship them... not that it stopped most people...)
2. You shall not make molten idols to worship for yourselves. (Personally, I would take this to mean that one *could* make idols for non-Israelites to worship...)
3. You shall observe Passover. (pretty clear...)
4. The first (male) offspring of every mother belongs to the Lord, whether human or animal. Animals will be sacrificed, human sons will be redeemed from sacrifice by donating money to the priesthood (or by joining it if they are a Levite). (To this day, if the firstborn child of a practicing Jewish mother is a boy, the child's parents will give an inconsequential amount of money - like a dollar or less - to any Jewish man who is believed to be a Levite in order to fulfill this commandment. If the first child is a girl, now, as in Biblical times, nothing need be done.)
5. No one should come to worship without a sacrifice. (pretty much what it says...)
6. Keep the Sabbath day. (no working at all, period, end of story... Building fires is included in this specifically, which is the reason some Orthodox Jewish families and probably all Orthodox synagogues employ a non-Jew - sometimes called a "Shabbos Goy" in Yiddish - in order to turn lights on and off for them during Shabbat. Others probably simply turn on any light they will need before Shabbat begins and keep it on until after it ends. All food is prepared the day before and must be ready to eat as is - no cooking.)
7. Observe Shavuot (also known as Pentecost) and Sukkot (also known as Tabernacles).
8. All the men must go to worship three times a year, at Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot (the Pilgrimage Festivals).
9. The sacrifice cannot be combined with anything leavened, and the Passover sacrifice cannot be left to eat the next morning. (Lack of leavening might recall to mind the Passover matzo - I'm guessing - and the Passover sacrifice could not be saved for eating later, it had to be consumed all in one meal or evening.)
10. The best of the first fruit harvest had to be sacrificed. (Just what it says... From what I understand and remember from class, at one time, the best of the fruit harvest had to be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem. They found that they had problems with shipping though, just as I'm sure farmers have problems today. The fruit from out-lying areas would spoil before they could get it to Jerusalem. The priests allowed these farmers to sell their fruit that they would have been bringing to Jerusalem and then travel to Jerusalem with the money and buy new fruit once they arrived... It was the thought that counted...)
11. You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk. (This obscure commandment is what has led to the separation of dairy and meat products in modern Kosher dietary laws... Funny thing is that was not what this is referencing. A delicacy of non-Israelites in the area some near 3000 years ago was boiling a baby goat in its mother's milk... This not only grossed out some Israelites, it was also seen as something that made the non-Israelites different from the Israelites, and as a way to separate themselves further, they forbid the consumption of that dish.)
Now, about all these commandments... They are all concerning religious cult matters, not day-to-day living. To me (again, guessing here, I could be wrong 'cause I haven't looked it up - note to self: I really need Who Wrote the Bible by Friedman), they are most clearly from the Priestly tradition (the tradition that comes from the Levite priesthood). Without looking any of this up, just going by what I can remember from my lessons on how to properly criticize Biblical text, these second set of rules are for a sedentary people, not the nomadic Hebrews at the beginning of their wandering. The traditionally known 10 commandments may very well be the *Ten Commandments*, and I would guess they are the older of the two traditions that have been combined in the Book of Exodus et al, but still if you follow what the text says today, they aren't the ones that were to have survived in tablet form way back when... Do ya follow? I would think that the second set of commandments cited by Russ Kick couldn't have come into the oral tradition until the time of the Judges at the *earliest*, possibly not until as late as the reign of Solomon, maybe later... (Didn't research, can't give time periods for sure, these are all educated guesses.)
What Russ Kick should have said was something else from the Bible that's misunderstood or not known by the vast majority of people... like Jesus probably didn't walk *on* water because the preposition used there could be translated as "on" *or* "next to"... and was probably meant as "next to"... but some over-zealous believers misunderstood it and went nutz with that interpretation to the exclusion of all others and it got spread around and pretty soon everyone was interpreting it "on" water. Or he could have used the info about commonly misinterpreted sections of the Prophets' books or Revelations, or even the fact that the story about the adulteress who was about to be stoned and Jesus is quoted to have said, "Let he who is without sin..." yada-yada, didn't appear in the text until more than 500 years after it would have occurred and is in none of the oldest copies, and so is most certainly not original and was made up and added by some scribe or particular Church group... Any of that, and a lot of other things, he could have expounded on for his "the Bible isn't the Bible you think it is" part of his book, but Russ Kick didn't do that. His book looks kinda crackpot to me.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Pokeberries
Interesting facts about pokeberries:
The United States' Constitution was written with pokeberry ink.
The ink was also used by Civil War soldiers to write letters home because it was available in the wild during the summer months... Walt Whitman is said to have used it to write dictated letters of wounded men when he was working at a field hospital.
The United States' Constitution was written with pokeberry ink.
The ink was also used by Civil War soldiers to write letters home because it was available in the wild during the summer months... Walt Whitman is said to have used it to write dictated letters of wounded men when he was working at a field hospital.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Why I hate hot...
So, this evening, I was going to make myself an egg sandwich for dinner... And to put on this egg sandwich, I was sautéing some diced sweet onions and what I thought were mild chili peppers. Big mistake... 'Cause the peppers were supposed to be like slightly zesty bell peppers. I've cooked with them before. No precautions necessary, totally innocuous. The capsicum is almost undetectable and has never left a significant residue on my hands before. Well, these, apparently, were mutants. I mistakenly rubbed my left eye and instantly was blinded by the pain. It took over 30 minutes of alternately flushing my eye out with cold water and sugar water to get the sting to subside enough to open it and yet another 20 minutes before the burn went away completely. My fingers are still stinging, despite being washed what must be a hundred times and soaked in sugar water for about 15 minutes. My mom tasted a small piece and said they were hotter than jalapenos... Joy...
So I decided not to use peppers in my eggs. Had to dump that batch and start a new one. Onions, dill and tarragon with Swiss cheese on a French baguette. Much better.
So I decided not to use peppers in my eggs. Had to dump that batch and start a new one. Onions, dill and tarragon with Swiss cheese on a French baguette. Much better.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Miami Vice... a review
Just got home from seeing "Miami Vice." It was good... I liked it... I think... However, a warning to the faint of heart: I have never in my life seen such a hard movie, with the arguable exception of "Once Upon A Time In Mexico." It is that kind of film. Hard as the most adamant diamonds. Unlike "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" where the violence is like a sarcastic ballet, refined and calculated with savage and ironic grace, the violence in "Miami Vice" is crude, rough and harsh as a wipe out on a gravel road. If you go in for that sort of thing, I think you'll like it. The tension is also very high from the very first frame almost to the very last. If I was apt to, I would have ground my teeth. Where "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" had me saying "Hell, yeah!" as the credits began to roll, at the end, "Miami Vice" had me sitting in wide-eyed silence and shock at what I had just seen. There are many people who will probably hate it... or at least, be left sour. "Miami Vice" the movie is *not* like the television show of the 1980s, not in the slightest. It is the dark, grim, ugly, nasty seedy underbelly of Miami and the Caribbean shown in harsh relief. Be warned and use discretion when viewing.
That said, I must add - though it seems obvious - Colin Farrell is *hot*... like surface-of-the-Sun hot. He seems rather melancholy at the end of the movie (I'll not say why). Maria leaned over and said, "I'd go comfort him." I laughed, "We should all be so lucky!" I've never seen, nor can I imagine, anyone making that mustache and mullet-cut look that good and right. It's kinda disconcerting how good he makes it look in fact. Judging from my reactions to his films and interviews, I have a feeling that I would totally go for the decidedly dangerous, bad-ass, yet vulnerable, Irish type if I let myself go that way. Luckily - no doubt for all concerned - I have enough good sense and self-control to say, "Oh, that way madness lies; let me shun that."
Well, I've quoted Shakespeare, so I think this brief review is done.
Short addendum: I saw "Monster House" a few weeks ago with Lauren... Both of us found it shocking that such a film would be marketed to children. We pretty much hated it. And that almost never happens. Lauren figures that they probably wanted to make a film like that live action, but knew they'd never be able to get enough adults to see it and wouldn't be able to market it to kids that way, so they did it animated instead. I got the same impression. Both of us were sure we'd have nightmares that night. I did my best to block it from my mind for the rest of the evening and was able to escape nightmare-free. It was disturbing, both visually and also because of the twisted psychology behind it. I do not recommend it... Would much prefer the real-world violence of "Miami Vice" to the horrific, psychologically-scaring, possessed house of "Monster House."
That said, I must add - though it seems obvious - Colin Farrell is *hot*... like surface-of-the-Sun hot. He seems rather melancholy at the end of the movie (I'll not say why). Maria leaned over and said, "I'd go comfort him." I laughed, "We should all be so lucky!" I've never seen, nor can I imagine, anyone making that mustache and mullet-cut look that good and right. It's kinda disconcerting how good he makes it look in fact. Judging from my reactions to his films and interviews, I have a feeling that I would totally go for the decidedly dangerous, bad-ass, yet vulnerable, Irish type if I let myself go that way. Luckily - no doubt for all concerned - I have enough good sense and self-control to say, "Oh, that way madness lies; let me shun that."
Well, I've quoted Shakespeare, so I think this brief review is done.
Short addendum: I saw "Monster House" a few weeks ago with Lauren... Both of us found it shocking that such a film would be marketed to children. We pretty much hated it. And that almost never happens. Lauren figures that they probably wanted to make a film like that live action, but knew they'd never be able to get enough adults to see it and wouldn't be able to market it to kids that way, so they did it animated instead. I got the same impression. Both of us were sure we'd have nightmares that night. I did my best to block it from my mind for the rest of the evening and was able to escape nightmare-free. It was disturbing, both visually and also because of the twisted psychology behind it. I do not recommend it... Would much prefer the real-world violence of "Miami Vice" to the horrific, psychologically-scaring, possessed house of "Monster House."
Check this out!
If you knit or spin, this lady and her husband have tools to help. They seem like really nice people so I'm passing on the link to her blog. http://www.islandgirla.blogspot.com/ They lost their home in Hurricane Katrina but still live in the area (I think) as her husband works to clear debris in New Orleans as part of the Coast Guard. He apparently brings home usable wood he finds in the debris and they make lovely hand-turned nostepindes and darning eggs and the like. They really are quite pretty and if I needed any I'd so be getting it from them. I'd actually like a nostepinde at some point, but I don't really *need* it yet... and my spendable money is a bit tight right now.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Ahem...
::pulling out my soap-box yet again::
I've refrained from commenting on the Israeli-Lebanese "crisis" so far because I realize that emotions run high with some people on this very volatile situation. But because of the shootings in Seattle today, I've got to make some comment and not just let it pass by itself. I wish that the Israeli military was more precise with their bombings, more careful in who they hit. I will not say all the things that I wish that Hezbollah would do... like die quickly... I wish that Syria would stay the hell out of it. They all use the Palestinians as pawns in this game. If the Middle Eastern world really wanted to calm the situation and treat the Palestinian people like equals in the faith, instead of sitting back, bidding their time and just watching where the chips fall, they would give Palestinians a chunk of land somewhere over there for themselves. I realize that this wouldn't appease the extremists, but then, nothing will, short of the wholesale destruction of the State of Israel, so I won't hold my breath for that.
I would like to point out that "Palestine" is the Anglicization of the Latinization of "Land of the Philistines" and the Romans gave the province that name after the Second Jewish War to punish and shame the Jewish people in their defeat... by giving the region the name of one of their most powerful historic enemies... So if the Latinized "Palestinians" hold to that name and so would indeed be "Philistines," their ancestral land would not be all of the present State of Israel, but rather would only be Gaza. The same present-day borders of Gaza were the borders of the Philistines' land in ancient times before they began their conquest into the rest of Canaan in the times of the Judges and it's what they had after the Davidic Monarchy finally defeated them... I kid you not... Personally, I'm all for letting them have their original ancestral lands back - Gaza - if they'd stop all this... But as I said before there are those who would not be appeased.
But the answer is clearly not to just go into a JCC and start shooting random people like this 31-year-old, Muslim son of a bitch did in Seattle. Six women shot, one dead, 5 critical and one had been pregnant. All they'd been doing was hanging out and being their normal groovy selves at a JCC... It's things like this that make me wish that we'd institute a Wergeld in this country. Because not only would they eventually fry that asshole - and he will fry for it and rightly so - but he would be liable to pay monetary damages to the state and to the families of these women, and if he couldn't pay it, then his family would be liable for it - not just his immediate family either, but his uncles, cousins, etc. as well up to the third degree relations, I think it was... And they'd *have* to pay it. They'd be forced to... They'd have to sell their house, cars, anything of value to raise the cash, and if they couldn't, then their wages would be garnered until the debt was paid off. The alternative in Viking times would have been for the family members to disown the guilty party and then the families of the victims would have been allowed to hunt the bastard down and kill him in whatever creative way they saw fit. But since we live in an ostensibly civilized society, that probably wouldn't be allowed in our hypothetical Wergeld laws. The Vikings also would allow the selling of family members or the guilty party into slavery to raise the funds, but obviously, that's wrong for our society and unconstitutional. Personally, I think that if we brought back some of this "familial honor" thing that we've lost due to our emphasis on individuality, where one's bad actions not only reflect poorly on them and have consequences for them, but also for their entire families, I think we'd have a lot less random crime. Sure, there's an element of insanity on the part of the perpetrator in cases like this, and as my mom said when I suggested this to her, people who commit random crimes usually don't have all that much money, but... they'd still have to pay for it. And I think that the strong familial ties that such a system engenders would probably cut the crime rate all by itself, which can be nothing but a good thing.
::putting soap-box away now::
I've refrained from commenting on the Israeli-Lebanese "crisis" so far because I realize that emotions run high with some people on this very volatile situation. But because of the shootings in Seattle today, I've got to make some comment and not just let it pass by itself. I wish that the Israeli military was more precise with their bombings, more careful in who they hit. I will not say all the things that I wish that Hezbollah would do... like die quickly... I wish that Syria would stay the hell out of it. They all use the Palestinians as pawns in this game. If the Middle Eastern world really wanted to calm the situation and treat the Palestinian people like equals in the faith, instead of sitting back, bidding their time and just watching where the chips fall, they would give Palestinians a chunk of land somewhere over there for themselves. I realize that this wouldn't appease the extremists, but then, nothing will, short of the wholesale destruction of the State of Israel, so I won't hold my breath for that.
I would like to point out that "Palestine" is the Anglicization of the Latinization of "Land of the Philistines" and the Romans gave the province that name after the Second Jewish War to punish and shame the Jewish people in their defeat... by giving the region the name of one of their most powerful historic enemies... So if the Latinized "Palestinians" hold to that name and so would indeed be "Philistines," their ancestral land would not be all of the present State of Israel, but rather would only be Gaza. The same present-day borders of Gaza were the borders of the Philistines' land in ancient times before they began their conquest into the rest of Canaan in the times of the Judges and it's what they had after the Davidic Monarchy finally defeated them... I kid you not... Personally, I'm all for letting them have their original ancestral lands back - Gaza - if they'd stop all this... But as I said before there are those who would not be appeased.
But the answer is clearly not to just go into a JCC and start shooting random people like this 31-year-old, Muslim son of a bitch did in Seattle. Six women shot, one dead, 5 critical and one had been pregnant. All they'd been doing was hanging out and being their normal groovy selves at a JCC... It's things like this that make me wish that we'd institute a Wergeld in this country. Because not only would they eventually fry that asshole - and he will fry for it and rightly so - but he would be liable to pay monetary damages to the state and to the families of these women, and if he couldn't pay it, then his family would be liable for it - not just his immediate family either, but his uncles, cousins, etc. as well up to the third degree relations, I think it was... And they'd *have* to pay it. They'd be forced to... They'd have to sell their house, cars, anything of value to raise the cash, and if they couldn't, then their wages would be garnered until the debt was paid off. The alternative in Viking times would have been for the family members to disown the guilty party and then the families of the victims would have been allowed to hunt the bastard down and kill him in whatever creative way they saw fit. But since we live in an ostensibly civilized society, that probably wouldn't be allowed in our hypothetical Wergeld laws. The Vikings also would allow the selling of family members or the guilty party into slavery to raise the funds, but obviously, that's wrong for our society and unconstitutional. Personally, I think that if we brought back some of this "familial honor" thing that we've lost due to our emphasis on individuality, where one's bad actions not only reflect poorly on them and have consequences for them, but also for their entire families, I think we'd have a lot less random crime. Sure, there's an element of insanity on the part of the perpetrator in cases like this, and as my mom said when I suggested this to her, people who commit random crimes usually don't have all that much money, but... they'd still have to pay for it. And I think that the strong familial ties that such a system engenders would probably cut the crime rate all by itself, which can be nothing but a good thing.
::putting soap-box away now::
Friday, July 28, 2006
Wow! What a week!
I've been busy. I've been on a "normal" sleeping schedule for the last two weeks, getting up between 7am and 8am and going to bed between 10pm and 11pm... That in and of itself is *amazing*!
I've gotten almost three pounds of wool entirely processed into 2-ply dk weight yarn, all of the gray and two lbs of the white, and today I started on the brown. I've been working on my needlepoint projects and the knitting projects that are currently on my needles. And I've made about a half dozen dishcloths. There is a sale at Michaels this week. Sugar & Cream for $1.00 per ball. So with mom's insistence that she wants cheap presents to give to her co-workers this Christmas, I've stocked up. I also joined a Monthly Dishcloth pattern Yahoo Group. There's some really nice patterns there.
Also, I've decided to start watching what I eat... yet again... Because I've put on some obvious weight. Only about 10 lbs as far as I can tell, but better to check it before it becomes 20 lbs than to just let it go. So I've been making sure that I don't snack between meals when I'm just bored and not really hungry... and I've been eating Special K Berries & Yogurt for breakfast, the 6" Tuscan Chicken sandwich on wheat from Subway (I usually don't like chicken sandwiches, but it's *really* good! Everyone should try it.) and a bag of Baked Lays potato crisps for lunch and whatever my mom makes for dinner... Been doing this since Tuesday. I also have been exercising. On Tuesday and today, I rode my bike up to Subway for lunch and then to Michaels for a bike basket full of yarn and back. That's about 4 miles round trip. On Wednesday, I did housework all day... Cleaned up the living room a bit, miscellaneous other things, and did 5 loads of laundry (I still have three more until all my clothes are clean... yet, I have way too many clothes apparently...) And yesterday, I went with Maria to her barn and rode her horse, Sky, for about 10 minutes before a storm blew up out of nowhere (seriously, it went from sunny and bright to black and threatening in about five minutes - we never saw it coming and it seemed to be centered right over the barn) and there was a lot of lightening too close to us so we had to go in. Got more of a workout getting Sky all tacked up and un-tacked and Maria did most of the work. But it was something...
Zinzi came over on Tuesday evening to visit, and then again on Wednesday to watch "Dangerous Beauty" because someone at work had said that Zinzi is like a Venetian Courtesan and she didn't know what that was exactly, but she knew Hollywood had made a movie about one so she asked me if we could rent it and watch it. She decided that it was indeed a compliment after seeing the film.
So yay... Been a pretty busy week... for me anyway.
I've gotten almost three pounds of wool entirely processed into 2-ply dk weight yarn, all of the gray and two lbs of the white, and today I started on the brown. I've been working on my needlepoint projects and the knitting projects that are currently on my needles. And I've made about a half dozen dishcloths. There is a sale at Michaels this week. Sugar & Cream for $1.00 per ball. So with mom's insistence that she wants cheap presents to give to her co-workers this Christmas, I've stocked up. I also joined a Monthly Dishcloth pattern Yahoo Group. There's some really nice patterns there.
Also, I've decided to start watching what I eat... yet again... Because I've put on some obvious weight. Only about 10 lbs as far as I can tell, but better to check it before it becomes 20 lbs than to just let it go. So I've been making sure that I don't snack between meals when I'm just bored and not really hungry... and I've been eating Special K Berries & Yogurt for breakfast, the 6" Tuscan Chicken sandwich on wheat from Subway (I usually don't like chicken sandwiches, but it's *really* good! Everyone should try it.) and a bag of Baked Lays potato crisps for lunch and whatever my mom makes for dinner... Been doing this since Tuesday. I also have been exercising. On Tuesday and today, I rode my bike up to Subway for lunch and then to Michaels for a bike basket full of yarn and back. That's about 4 miles round trip. On Wednesday, I did housework all day... Cleaned up the living room a bit, miscellaneous other things, and did 5 loads of laundry (I still have three more until all my clothes are clean... yet, I have way too many clothes apparently...) And yesterday, I went with Maria to her barn and rode her horse, Sky, for about 10 minutes before a storm blew up out of nowhere (seriously, it went from sunny and bright to black and threatening in about five minutes - we never saw it coming and it seemed to be centered right over the barn) and there was a lot of lightening too close to us so we had to go in. Got more of a workout getting Sky all tacked up and un-tacked and Maria did most of the work. But it was something...
Zinzi came over on Tuesday evening to visit, and then again on Wednesday to watch "Dangerous Beauty" because someone at work had said that Zinzi is like a Venetian Courtesan and she didn't know what that was exactly, but she knew Hollywood had made a movie about one so she asked me if we could rent it and watch it. She decided that it was indeed a compliment after seeing the film.
So yay... Been a pretty busy week... for me anyway.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Charity opportunity
Hey all you knitters and crocheters out there! Warm Up America and Save the Children are collecting caps for newborn babies in third world countries between now and January 2, 2007. They are trying to increase awareness of infant mortality rates in third world countries and empower people to make a difference, as well as get the government to do their part (don't ask me exactly what that is, but there you go...). Go to http://www.savethechildren.org/capstothecapital/ for the patterns and instructions for where to send them. Every cap that is donated will be given to a needy newborn baby in one of the more than 100 countries in which Save the Children works, including the United States. They only need one from each person and baby caps are very easy to make and require little yarn and ridiculously little time. Get some scraps out of your stash and knit one up today!
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Quest for a pretty kitchen & POTC2
So on July 4th, Home Depot was having an uber-sale on refrigerators. When my parents told me of their plan to go buy one, I said, "Don't we need a new dishwasher worse than we need a new 'fridge? Since the 'fridge is still working and the dishwasher is older?" They didn't think so... So, my parents went down and bought this *huge* 6-foot tall, side-by-side stainless steel thing with ice and water in the door made by GE. It's really great! We put the old 'fridge in the garage next to my car. It now has all the stuff my brother bought to drink the last time he was home that the rest of us don't drink in it (mostly beer), as well as the proverbial jar of jam and thing of mustard, and all of our (read: my mom's ;D ) extra ice cream is in the freezer.
Well, Joe came over to help my dad hook up the water filter and icemaker the day after it was delivered. That was a week ago, last Saturday, while I was out seeing "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" (more on that later). That night, I got up to get a drink of water and noticed that there was something weird about how the floor felt underneath my feet. It was... bumpy... and making squeaky noises when I walked on it. I turned the light on and took a good look. The whole area in between the island and the sink, dishwasher and refrigerator is warped and buckled. Water was coming up from spaces between the boards. I dried up as much as I could, left a note that I didn't do it and went back to bed.
The next day when I got up my dad told me that they had found the source of the problem. The dishwasher had decided to start leaking... (Since at that point Dad had had several hours to come to terms with it and really upset anymore, I did take a moment to say, "Didn't I say you should have gotten a new dishwasher last week?" because I am just petty enough to want to point out that I was inadvertently right about something.) But oddly, not on top of the current floor, but rather between the Pergo and the subfloor beneath it. The Pergo in that area is unsalvagable. We'll have to have it pulled up and replaced pretty soon, and only about 2 years after having it put down. But, more importantly at the time, the dishwasher had to be unhooked and we couldn't use it for a week until a new one could be delivered. My parents went back down to Home Depot, where they gave them a great deal on a new stainless steel dishwasher to match the 'fridge... and almost match the beautiful Frigidaire oven we have. I wanted them to go to Famous Tate, since they usually have the best deals, and that's where we got the Frigidaire oven, and I'm amused that their showroom still looks like an old 1950s appliances shop, but they said Home Depot was a better buy... whatever. I wasn't paying for it so I can't really say...
A few days after the dishwasher was delivered and hooked up and working perfectly, my parents decided that they might as well finish the kitchen, since they had just about everything stainless steel now, and they went out and bought a stainless steel microwave at Best Buy. So now the whole kitchen is stainless steel... If only the floor wasn't buckled and warped, and the cabinets all functioned like the design lady at Home Depot had said they would, and the lighting was better, it would be a perfect kitchen. We just got to get those few little things fixed and then it will be perfect.
But as to the state of the floor, let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks that laminant Pergo floors are easier to take care of than real plank wood... they aren't! At least with real plank, they won't buckle if a little bit of water gets on them. Pergo will begin to buckle in a matter of minutes with as little as 1/4 cup of liquid spilled on it and left. And it will never go back to how it was before. Also, if you have something like a desk chair with wheels on it, like the chair I'm sitting on in front of my computer screen, it will in about 6 months begin to rub off the picture of the wood that is printed on the surface of the Pergo. Pergo says that this will not happen, but it does... I know from experience. You can't sand away and refinish problems on Pergo like you can with real plank... And I don't mean that thin, practically veneer stuff that they're selling in home centers and calling "real wood." It is, but it's not... Now, Pergo *is* *much* cheaper than real wood, and looks better longer than most carpet does (barring things like water spilling)... but really, it's the linoleum version of wood. Just like tile looks *way* better and is more durable than linoleum, real wood looks way better and is more durable than Pergo. Same goes for Formica vs. granite for counter-tops. I just don't like laminants...
On to "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"! I loved it! I thought it was not as good a story as the first one, in that the first one was a much tighter story, and this one seemed a wee bit sloppy to me. But I still loved it! Johnny was amazing, Orli was amusing... I hated what they did to Norrington's character, and I thought Captain Jack was a bit more toned down than he was in the first one... but those are really minor issues. Though I know some people had real problems with those changes. I can't wait for the third film to be out. And I made a killing on the Hollywood Stock Exchange! Cleared over H$2,000,000 on the moviestocks alone, plus several hundred thousand on the weekend call and seasonal warrant. If only it were real and not hypothetical money...
I also saw "Superman Returns." I adore Brandon Routh. He's *lovely*... And Kevin Spacey did an admirable job. Though the psycho-without-reason Lex Luthor of the comics and movies cannot hold a candle to the tortured soul of Smallville/Michael Rosenbaum's Lex and never will... ::sighs::
Well, Joe came over to help my dad hook up the water filter and icemaker the day after it was delivered. That was a week ago, last Saturday, while I was out seeing "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" (more on that later). That night, I got up to get a drink of water and noticed that there was something weird about how the floor felt underneath my feet. It was... bumpy... and making squeaky noises when I walked on it. I turned the light on and took a good look. The whole area in between the island and the sink, dishwasher and refrigerator is warped and buckled. Water was coming up from spaces between the boards. I dried up as much as I could, left a note that I didn't do it and went back to bed.
The next day when I got up my dad told me that they had found the source of the problem. The dishwasher had decided to start leaking... (Since at that point Dad had had several hours to come to terms with it and really upset anymore, I did take a moment to say, "Didn't I say you should have gotten a new dishwasher last week?" because I am just petty enough to want to point out that I was inadvertently right about something.) But oddly, not on top of the current floor, but rather between the Pergo and the subfloor beneath it. The Pergo in that area is unsalvagable. We'll have to have it pulled up and replaced pretty soon, and only about 2 years after having it put down. But, more importantly at the time, the dishwasher had to be unhooked and we couldn't use it for a week until a new one could be delivered. My parents went back down to Home Depot, where they gave them a great deal on a new stainless steel dishwasher to match the 'fridge... and almost match the beautiful Frigidaire oven we have. I wanted them to go to Famous Tate, since they usually have the best deals, and that's where we got the Frigidaire oven, and I'm amused that their showroom still looks like an old 1950s appliances shop, but they said Home Depot was a better buy... whatever. I wasn't paying for it so I can't really say...
A few days after the dishwasher was delivered and hooked up and working perfectly, my parents decided that they might as well finish the kitchen, since they had just about everything stainless steel now, and they went out and bought a stainless steel microwave at Best Buy. So now the whole kitchen is stainless steel... If only the floor wasn't buckled and warped, and the cabinets all functioned like the design lady at Home Depot had said they would, and the lighting was better, it would be a perfect kitchen. We just got to get those few little things fixed and then it will be perfect.
But as to the state of the floor, let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks that laminant Pergo floors are easier to take care of than real plank wood... they aren't! At least with real plank, they won't buckle if a little bit of water gets on them. Pergo will begin to buckle in a matter of minutes with as little as 1/4 cup of liquid spilled on it and left. And it will never go back to how it was before. Also, if you have something like a desk chair with wheels on it, like the chair I'm sitting on in front of my computer screen, it will in about 6 months begin to rub off the picture of the wood that is printed on the surface of the Pergo. Pergo says that this will not happen, but it does... I know from experience. You can't sand away and refinish problems on Pergo like you can with real plank... And I don't mean that thin, practically veneer stuff that they're selling in home centers and calling "real wood." It is, but it's not... Now, Pergo *is* *much* cheaper than real wood, and looks better longer than most carpet does (barring things like water spilling)... but really, it's the linoleum version of wood. Just like tile looks *way* better and is more durable than linoleum, real wood looks way better and is more durable than Pergo. Same goes for Formica vs. granite for counter-tops. I just don't like laminants...
On to "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"! I loved it! I thought it was not as good a story as the first one, in that the first one was a much tighter story, and this one seemed a wee bit sloppy to me. But I still loved it! Johnny was amazing, Orli was amusing... I hated what they did to Norrington's character, and I thought Captain Jack was a bit more toned down than he was in the first one... but those are really minor issues. Though I know some people had real problems with those changes. I can't wait for the third film to be out. And I made a killing on the Hollywood Stock Exchange! Cleared over H$2,000,000 on the moviestocks alone, plus several hundred thousand on the weekend call and seasonal warrant. If only it were real and not hypothetical money...
I also saw "Superman Returns." I adore Brandon Routh. He's *lovely*... And Kevin Spacey did an admirable job. Though the psycho-without-reason Lex Luthor of the comics and movies cannot hold a candle to the tortured soul of Smallville/Michael Rosenbaum's Lex and never will... ::sighs::
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Creeping frustration
I have been really busy most of the summer... most of the year... most of the last several years, if I'm to be honest. I seem to have very little time for artistic things. Now, knitting *does* get out some of my creative energies, but it's not quite the same.
I've been looking back at my old sketchbooks. I don't use my sketchbooks the same way that a lot of other people I know use theirs. I use mine to sketch out ideas for bigger projects, to record them until I have enough time to focus on them and actually do them. I'm no good at drawing... at least, it doesn't come easily to me. It's really hard to paint or draw realistically. It used to be easier, my freshman year of high school, but the drawing teachers at Blake kinda squashed all the desire to even attempt it right out of me with their restrictions and harsh, unyielding criticism. So I generally don't draw. I'm too methodical for it. So yeah... looking at my sketchbooks. I found several projects that I sketched out years ago. One is for a a water vessel called a "Miriam's Cup." The concept is a fairly new one in Judaism, to honor the part Miriam played in the Exodus. I want to throw it, or at least part of it with the rest being done with coils, in porcelain because porcelain has the proper plasticity. It won't fall apart the way stoneware, raku or terracotta would. Believe me, I've tried already with all these other types cause that's what Blake stocked. Unfortunately, it took until the last day of my Junior year to figure out what it was I needed to try it with and during my one semester Senior year, I had no time for the ceramics room. At home, I have no wheel, no money for a wheel and no way of getting my hands on porcelain. I have yet to find a supplier that will ship it in small enough quantities and none of the art supply stores carry it anymore. I checked during the later half of my senior year, having planned to buy a block of it and go over to Blake during after-school hours and work in the art rooms then... but couldn't do that... So I still want to make Miriam's Cup... But now, in addition to Miriam's Cup, I want to do some other biblical art.
I'm fascinated by the concept of the well and its connection to modest, yet surprisingly independent women. Rebecca, Rachel, Tzipporah, Miriam... all are mentioned in connection with drawing water from their wells. It wouldn't be a far leap to say that Sarah, Leah and Yocheved had connections to the same common domestic task, so necessary in the arid lands of their birth, but I can't recall the text being explicate in their cases. I want to explore that further, but as I write this, I really don't have time 'cause I really need to get back to my spinning. But I want to explore it artistically and soon.
There is a cross-stitch at Scarlet Quince of "Jacob and Rachel" at the Well by William Dyce. I think I have to buy it and stitch it. I think I really *have* to... I'm frustrated by lack of time which seems to creep up on me. I need to get a proper tapestry loom to stitch it on, and I really should finish the three cross-stitch projects I have going before I start on this one.
Eventually, I want to do art projects centering on each of the Matriarchs, as well as all the other major female figures from Deborah to Huldah (I know, she's obscure... somewhere in Second Chronicles, 22-23.27), fictional and historically accepted alike. It's gonna take awhile...
I've been looking back at my old sketchbooks. I don't use my sketchbooks the same way that a lot of other people I know use theirs. I use mine to sketch out ideas for bigger projects, to record them until I have enough time to focus on them and actually do them. I'm no good at drawing... at least, it doesn't come easily to me. It's really hard to paint or draw realistically. It used to be easier, my freshman year of high school, but the drawing teachers at Blake kinda squashed all the desire to even attempt it right out of me with their restrictions and harsh, unyielding criticism. So I generally don't draw. I'm too methodical for it. So yeah... looking at my sketchbooks. I found several projects that I sketched out years ago. One is for a a water vessel called a "Miriam's Cup." The concept is a fairly new one in Judaism, to honor the part Miriam played in the Exodus. I want to throw it, or at least part of it with the rest being done with coils, in porcelain because porcelain has the proper plasticity. It won't fall apart the way stoneware, raku or terracotta would. Believe me, I've tried already with all these other types cause that's what Blake stocked. Unfortunately, it took until the last day of my Junior year to figure out what it was I needed to try it with and during my one semester Senior year, I had no time for the ceramics room. At home, I have no wheel, no money for a wheel and no way of getting my hands on porcelain. I have yet to find a supplier that will ship it in small enough quantities and none of the art supply stores carry it anymore. I checked during the later half of my senior year, having planned to buy a block of it and go over to Blake during after-school hours and work in the art rooms then... but couldn't do that... So I still want to make Miriam's Cup... But now, in addition to Miriam's Cup, I want to do some other biblical art.
I'm fascinated by the concept of the well and its connection to modest, yet surprisingly independent women. Rebecca, Rachel, Tzipporah, Miriam... all are mentioned in connection with drawing water from their wells. It wouldn't be a far leap to say that Sarah, Leah and Yocheved had connections to the same common domestic task, so necessary in the arid lands of their birth, but I can't recall the text being explicate in their cases. I want to explore that further, but as I write this, I really don't have time 'cause I really need to get back to my spinning. But I want to explore it artistically and soon.
There is a cross-stitch at Scarlet Quince of "Jacob and Rachel" at the Well by William Dyce. I think I have to buy it and stitch it. I think I really *have* to... I'm frustrated by lack of time which seems to creep up on me. I need to get a proper tapestry loom to stitch it on, and I really should finish the three cross-stitch projects I have going before I start on this one.
Eventually, I want to do art projects centering on each of the Matriarchs, as well as all the other major female figures from Deborah to Huldah (I know, she's obscure... somewhere in Second Chronicles, 22-23.27), fictional and historically accepted alike. It's gonna take awhile...
Elusive painting
I got caught up in a cross-stitch pattern website that I found a little while ago. http://www.scarletquince.com/ Their patterns are gorgeous! I've never seen patterns so detailed! And they ask for suggestions for patterns if what one is looking for is not on the site already.
Well, there's a painting... I know it's out there somewhere... It's of a woman walking down a short flight of stone steps, starring straight ahead, with a jar balanced on her head, and at the bottom of the steps there is water... like a pool or something. She has dark hair and she's wearing robes. I can't really remember any other details. It's a Pre-Raphaelite painting, I think... and very similar to Leighton or Blair-Leighton or Dicksee or Waterhouse in style... I thought that it was called "Rebecca" or "Rebecca at the Well" or something like that, but I'm pretty sure that something would have come up in my searching if it was. If anyone has any clue what painting I'm talking about, I'd be most grateful for a message from you.
Well, there's a painting... I know it's out there somewhere... It's of a woman walking down a short flight of stone steps, starring straight ahead, with a jar balanced on her head, and at the bottom of the steps there is water... like a pool or something. She has dark hair and she's wearing robes. I can't really remember any other details. It's a Pre-Raphaelite painting, I think... and very similar to Leighton or Blair-Leighton or Dicksee or Waterhouse in style... I thought that it was called "Rebecca" or "Rebecca at the Well" or something like that, but I'm pretty sure that something would have come up in my searching if it was. If anyone has any clue what painting I'm talking about, I'd be most grateful for a message from you.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Environmental, Health & Agricultural News for July...
Brought to us all by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Find out more about them here.
Most important first: Due to lobbying by the big commercial food companies to make their job easier and our food less healthy and regulated, the House of Representatives has passed the National Uniformity for Food Act. This will wipe out state and local food safety laws, including laws concerning the sale of shellfish and milk, bringing everything across the country under lowest common denominator of Federal control, and making it more difficult for small family-owned farms and restaurants. The bill is now in the Senate for consideration. Please write to your Senator as soon as possible asking them to oppose the National Uniformity for Food Act. Click here to learn more about this bill and to write to your Senators.
I'm not necessarily concerned about this per se, but I do find it highly interesting. Apparently, the use of Bovine Growth Hormone to increase milk production in non-organic cows has been linked to human women conceiving twins more often than they normally would. The rate of the births of twins is twice as high in the United States than in Great Britain where the use of BGH in milk production is banned. The rate of births of twins is also *five times* higher in women who eat animal products in their diets rather than women who eat vegan diets exclusively... (Personally, I'm not sure how much I care for that statistic, since I cannot be convinced that vegetarian or especially vegan diets are necessarily healthier than balanced traditional ones. My first instinct would be to believe that women who eat animal products as a part of their diet are more fertile than women who eat vegan diets because of the proteins they get, rather than the BGH to which they *may* be exposed. I'd be more likely to believe this statistic if instead of comparing vegan women to non-vegan women, the study compared women who eat organic dairy, which does not contain BGH, to women who eat non-organic BGH-containing dairy, and the statistic was found to be the same. Because comparing vegans to non-vegans compares not only the consumption of dairy vs. those who don't eat dairy, but also the consumption of eggs, meat, etc. as well as other habits that go along with the vegan lifestyle, *none* of which are taken into account by this study.) BGH has already been linked directly to a higher rate of twin births in cows. It increases an insulin-like growth factor called IGF, a protein produced in the milk of both cows and humans, that promotes ovulation and may help early-stage embryos survive, according to the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. More information can be found here.
There are now 350 organizations who support the passing of the "Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), a bill to ban the use of seven classes of medically important antibiotics as feed additives for livestock and poultry that are not sick," including the Infectious Diseases Society of America. (Learn more about PATMA.) In related news, a bill funding the FDA to study the link between antibiotic use in food-stock animals and antibiotic resistence in humans was passed in the House of Representatives. It is now awaiting consideration in the Senate.
The Union of Concerned Scientists using the Freedom of Information Act has uncovered the failure of the USDA to enforce laws concerning the production of crops for pharmaceutical and industrial use. They found that the USDA did not do the manditory inspections and oversight in North Carolina pharmaceutical rice fields, even after the active hurricane season last year when other crops could have been contaminated. Read more about it here.
Two new reasons to eat your vegetables fresh and locally grown! According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, if people in Iowa ate their five servings of fruits and vegetables a day every day for just three months out of the year, eating produce that is grown in Iowa, it would mean an extra $302 million and 4,000 new jobs for the Iowa economy. Now, apply the same principle to the state you live in... Do you get where I'm going with this? You can read the entire report here. In related news, a health insurance company in Wisconsin called Physicians Plus is currently paying people up to $200 a year to subscribe to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which supplies them with local produce. Read more about Physicians Plus program here. And go here to find out more about CSA programs and locally grown food in your area.
Most important first: Due to lobbying by the big commercial food companies to make their job easier and our food less healthy and regulated, the House of Representatives has passed the National Uniformity for Food Act. This will wipe out state and local food safety laws, including laws concerning the sale of shellfish and milk, bringing everything across the country under lowest common denominator of Federal control, and making it more difficult for small family-owned farms and restaurants. The bill is now in the Senate for consideration. Please write to your Senator as soon as possible asking them to oppose the National Uniformity for Food Act. Click here to learn more about this bill and to write to your Senators.
I'm not necessarily concerned about this per se, but I do find it highly interesting. Apparently, the use of Bovine Growth Hormone to increase milk production in non-organic cows has been linked to human women conceiving twins more often than they normally would. The rate of the births of twins is twice as high in the United States than in Great Britain where the use of BGH in milk production is banned. The rate of births of twins is also *five times* higher in women who eat animal products in their diets rather than women who eat vegan diets exclusively... (Personally, I'm not sure how much I care for that statistic, since I cannot be convinced that vegetarian or especially vegan diets are necessarily healthier than balanced traditional ones. My first instinct would be to believe that women who eat animal products as a part of their diet are more fertile than women who eat vegan diets because of the proteins they get, rather than the BGH to which they *may* be exposed. I'd be more likely to believe this statistic if instead of comparing vegan women to non-vegan women, the study compared women who eat organic dairy, which does not contain BGH, to women who eat non-organic BGH-containing dairy, and the statistic was found to be the same. Because comparing vegans to non-vegans compares not only the consumption of dairy vs. those who don't eat dairy, but also the consumption of eggs, meat, etc. as well as other habits that go along with the vegan lifestyle, *none* of which are taken into account by this study.) BGH has already been linked directly to a higher rate of twin births in cows. It increases an insulin-like growth factor called IGF, a protein produced in the milk of both cows and humans, that promotes ovulation and may help early-stage embryos survive, according to the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. More information can be found here.
There are now 350 organizations who support the passing of the "Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), a bill to ban the use of seven classes of medically important antibiotics as feed additives for livestock and poultry that are not sick," including the Infectious Diseases Society of America. (Learn more about PATMA.) In related news, a bill funding the FDA to study the link between antibiotic use in food-stock animals and antibiotic resistence in humans was passed in the House of Representatives. It is now awaiting consideration in the Senate.
The Union of Concerned Scientists using the Freedom of Information Act has uncovered the failure of the USDA to enforce laws concerning the production of crops for pharmaceutical and industrial use. They found that the USDA did not do the manditory inspections and oversight in North Carolina pharmaceutical rice fields, even after the active hurricane season last year when other crops could have been contaminated. Read more about it here.
Two new reasons to eat your vegetables fresh and locally grown! According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, if people in Iowa ate their five servings of fruits and vegetables a day every day for just three months out of the year, eating produce that is grown in Iowa, it would mean an extra $302 million and 4,000 new jobs for the Iowa economy. Now, apply the same principle to the state you live in... Do you get where I'm going with this? You can read the entire report here. In related news, a health insurance company in Wisconsin called Physicians Plus is currently paying people up to $200 a year to subscribe to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which supplies them with local produce. Read more about Physicians Plus program here. And go here to find out more about CSA programs and locally grown food in your area.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
More Reasons Not to Like China
::clears throat, taps microphone in preparation of PSA::
China is refusing to pay import "dumping" tariffs which it is required to pay for exporting agricultural goods from China into the United States. For every $5.00 that US Customs collects, China owes yet another $15.00 to the United States. The purpose of this tariff is to inflate the price of Chinese grown and produced agricultural goods so that the American farmers and producers can compete with the overall cheaper product that China produces. Customs says it can do nothing about China's refusal to pay until Congress enacts legislation enabling them to do so. Congress says "they're working on it"... Aren't they always? But until they get it worked out, US producers of these goods are loosing money at a staggering rate.
Most especially effected are honey producers, who have seen the price of honey fall from $1.50 per pound to $0.80 per pound in a very short amount of time. China is using Walmart-esque tactics, lowing the price of honey so much that they put their American competition out of business. The US producers are paying their workers $9.00+ an hour and their profits have hurt severely for it. So please, do *not* buy honey that is *not* labeled that it was produced in the United States. If it's not labeled that, more likely than anything it comes from China. China is stealing from America and does *not* need your help! The same problem is happening for American mushroom growers and crawfish farmers, although nothing has dropped as drastically as honey prices.
Chinese imports have also dropped the prices on other agricultural goods in the US though, not just honey, mushrooms and crayfish, so please read your labels on all fresh food, meat and seafood to make sure that your money is going to American workers and only buy good that are produced in the United States.
Thank you... ::stepping off my soap box::
China is refusing to pay import "dumping" tariffs which it is required to pay for exporting agricultural goods from China into the United States. For every $5.00 that US Customs collects, China owes yet another $15.00 to the United States. The purpose of this tariff is to inflate the price of Chinese grown and produced agricultural goods so that the American farmers and producers can compete with the overall cheaper product that China produces. Customs says it can do nothing about China's refusal to pay until Congress enacts legislation enabling them to do so. Congress says "they're working on it"... Aren't they always? But until they get it worked out, US producers of these goods are loosing money at a staggering rate.
Most especially effected are honey producers, who have seen the price of honey fall from $1.50 per pound to $0.80 per pound in a very short amount of time. China is using Walmart-esque tactics, lowing the price of honey so much that they put their American competition out of business. The US producers are paying their workers $9.00+ an hour and their profits have hurt severely for it. So please, do *not* buy honey that is *not* labeled that it was produced in the United States. If it's not labeled that, more likely than anything it comes from China. China is stealing from America and does *not* need your help! The same problem is happening for American mushroom growers and crawfish farmers, although nothing has dropped as drastically as honey prices.
Chinese imports have also dropped the prices on other agricultural goods in the US though, not just honey, mushrooms and crayfish, so please read your labels on all fresh food, meat and seafood to make sure that your money is going to American workers and only buy good that are produced in the United States.
Thank you... ::stepping off my soap box::
new knitty.com
The new issue of knitty was published July 5th. Unlike with the last issue, there are *a lot* of things I like in this one.
The Lacanau "shoes" (although I hate the colors...)
The Fetching, Capathia, and Knucks mitts...
The Perdita bracelets look awesome! Definitely on my list of things to knit soon.
The Muff
Lickety-Split and Dancing Lady socks
Tulip-Toes baby shoes
This Swell hat and this Sock Monkey too...
And these Manresa legwarmers are by far my favorite legwarmers I've seen on the net so far...
Allete angel wings and knitted calla lilies are both pretty nifty patterns...
That's almost every pattern they published in this issue... Don't know which ones I'll end up knitting, there's still so many other things I'm working on.
The Lacanau "shoes" (although I hate the colors...)
The Fetching, Capathia, and Knucks mitts...
The Perdita bracelets look awesome! Definitely on my list of things to knit soon.
The Muff
Lickety-Split and Dancing Lady socks
Tulip-Toes baby shoes
This Swell hat and this Sock Monkey too...
And these Manresa legwarmers are by far my favorite legwarmers I've seen on the net so far...
Allete angel wings and knitted calla lilies are both pretty nifty patterns...
That's almost every pattern they published in this issue... Don't know which ones I'll end up knitting, there's still so many other things I'm working on.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Mabry Mill
So my parents are actually getting into looking for real estate in the mountains now. Mom's looking for 10+ acre pieces and says even up to around 80 acres wouldn't be out of the question if the price was right. We want meadows as well as wooded parts and some water would be nice as well. As per Susan's suggestion, Mom's been checking in to Floyd, Henry and Patrick Counties. She told me she found several good looking options in Floyd, which sounds good to me. So I went to see what I could find on the web about the county in general, just because I was curious. And lo and behold, what do I find, but that the Mabry Mill is located in Floyd County!
Now, this probably is a moment (if they hadn't already) when most people would give a blank stare and ask, "So?" ...
So! When I was a small child, and actually right up til I was about 20, before we started work on the remod and rearranged the furniture in the living room for the first time in... well, almost 20 years... we had a pointillism drawing done by my parents' good friend Beecher of the Mabry Mill. Now, I had no idea that it was the Mabry Mill or even what the Mabry Mill was, but that's my favorite of all his pointillisms that we have, and actually the only one I could really stand. Most of the others are of owls, which creeped me out with their large, blank staring eyes when I was younger. Anyway, it's still around here somewhere, but don't ask me where. I wish I could find some of his work on the web, but we haven't seen him since before he and his wife devorced about 10 years ago, I can't remember his last name and my parents are asleep so I can't ask them... Oh, well... another day...
Was also checking up on the weather in Floyd and it looks like it so beats out Boone where the snow is concerned... We're talking mere inches on average as opposed to the 5 feet Boone gets every year! Definitely a plus!
Now, this probably is a moment (if they hadn't already) when most people would give a blank stare and ask, "So?" ...
So! When I was a small child, and actually right up til I was about 20, before we started work on the remod and rearranged the furniture in the living room for the first time in... well, almost 20 years... we had a pointillism drawing done by my parents' good friend Beecher of the Mabry Mill. Now, I had no idea that it was the Mabry Mill or even what the Mabry Mill was, but that's my favorite of all his pointillisms that we have, and actually the only one I could really stand. Most of the others are of owls, which creeped me out with their large, blank staring eyes when I was younger. Anyway, it's still around here somewhere, but don't ask me where. I wish I could find some of his work on the web, but we haven't seen him since before he and his wife devorced about 10 years ago, I can't remember his last name and my parents are asleep so I can't ask them... Oh, well... another day...
Was also checking up on the weather in Floyd and it looks like it so beats out Boone where the snow is concerned... We're talking mere inches on average as opposed to the 5 feet Boone gets every year! Definitely a plus!
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
AP article on Organic Dairy controversy
Organic dairy growth raises concerns
By STEVE KARNOWSKI, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday Jun 27, 12:54 PM ET
JORDAN, Minn. - The cows on Pam and Jeff Riesgraf's farm chomped happily away on lush green grass on a warm, sunny afternoon. Their milk would soon find its way to grocery stores, where organic dairy products are a hot item.
The Riesgraf farm represents one vision for organic dairy — small- and medium-sized family farms where the cows have names and spend the growing season on pasture.
A different kind of organic dairy farm is emerging out west — corporate-owned feedlot operations with thousands of cows that are fed organic grain but, according to critics, get little chance to graze.
Fears that big operations will muscle out family farms have produced a backlash, including a boycott by the Organic Consumers Association against the country's biggest organic milk brand, Horizon Organic.
Organic farmers and consumer groups are hoping the U.S. Department of Agriculture will level the field. The agency is considering whether to mandate that milk bearing the "USDA Organic" seal come from cows that have significant access to pasture, a move smaller producers say would give them the protection they need.
Chris Hoffman drank Horizon milk until she learned about the dispute and switched brands.
The Sherburne, N.Y., woman said she'd thought she was buying milk from "family farms with happy cows." To her, feedlot milk does not follow the spirit of organic farming.
"I just think it's patently dishonest. And it just really ticked me off," she said.
Horizon, part of Fort Worth, Tex.-based Dean Foods Co., sells about half of the organic milk in this country, through retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Its president and CEO, Joe Scalzo, said Horizon is a strong supporter of family farms, helping hundreds make the transition to organic. Horizon is just trying to meet the "exponential" growth in a market where demand outstrips supply by some 20 percent, he said.
However, Mark Kastel, senior farm policy analyst with the research group Cornucopia Institute, countered, "There's been a near consensus in the organic community that these factory farms are repugnant to the consumer and put organic farms at a disadvantage."
Kastel said organic milk consumers are willing to pay more because they believe it's produced to higher ethical standards that benefit the environment, the animals and family farmers.
"They don't think they're supporting rich corporate investors who think organics is a great way to cash in," he said.
The Organic Trade Association says the U.S. organic dairy sector racked up $2.1 billion in sales last year, up 24 percent from 2004. The OTA says organics now make up 3.5 percent of all dairy products sold in the U.S.
While Scalzo said the boycott has had "very, very little" effect, he acknowledged Horizon has had to spend time explaining its position to stores.
While Broomfield, Colo.-based Horizon has taken the most heat, the critics also slam Aurora Organic Dairy, of Boulder, Colo., which provides private-label organic milk to chains including Costco, Safeway, Giant and Wild Oats.
Aurora says it milks about 4,100 and 3,500 cows at its farms near Platteville, Colo., and Dublin, Texas, and will open a 3,200-cow operation near Kearsey, Colo., this fall.
The company says its approach is unique in the organic dairy sector, allowing it to keep prices affordable while producing the highest quality milk. Aurora says its cows get a balanced diet that includes organic grain and hay, as well as grazing on organic pasture.
Aurora spokeswoman Amy Barr said organic standards shouldn't be based on an "image of Old MacDonald's Farm" held by people who may never have been on a farm. Pasture is important, but it's not the only measure of animal welfare, nor is an all-grass diet necessarily the best for a cow's health, she said.
Horizon milks about 4,000 cows at its farm near Paul, Idaho, and about 450 at its farm near Kennedyville, Md. But Scalzo said Horizon gets over 80 percent of its milk from 340 family farms, all but three of them with herds of 500 cows or fewer.
"Farms of all sizes are going to be needed — at least for the foreseeable future, the next two to five years — to meet demand," Scalzo said.
Executives with Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market Inc. recently toured Horizon's Idaho farm and were pleased with improvements made there, said Margaret Wittenberg, vice president of communications and quality standards.
"The cows looked in good health. They were certainly curious, which is always a good sign. They're being taken care of," Wittenberg said.
Whole Foods was not impressed, however, by Aurora's Colorado farm.
"It remains unacceptable for us," she said, declining to elaborate.
The USDA is now drafting a proposed rule that will likely come out this fall, and there will be another comment period, spokeswoman Joan Shaffer said.
Horizon supports the key proposal, which would require that organic cows spend at least 120 days a year on pasture, Scalzo said.
Aurora opposes that standard as unscientific and told the USDA eastern Colorado gets only about 45 to 60 days of significant edible grass per year.
The nation's largest farmer-owned organic dairy co-op, the Organic Valley Family of Farms, based in LaFarge, Wis., says its 572 family-owned dairy farms nationwide already exceed the proposed standards.
Organics have been a lifeline to many family farmers because organic milk fetches a higher price than conventional milk, allowing dairies to stay small. The Riesgrafs, who milk about 55 cows near Jordan southwest of Minneapolis, credit Organic Valley with keeping them in business.
"We have a stable price, and we've slowly been increasing our price," Jeff Riesgraf said.
A few miles away, near New Prague, Dave and Florence Minar have carved out their own niche, producing and bottling organic milk at Cedar Summit Farm, which milks about 160 cows.
Dave Minar and the Riesgrafs said they're confident they can compete as long as the USDA requires meaningful access to pasture. They don't back the boycott, and sympathize with the smaller organic farmers who supply Horizon.
"We're trying to farm our land and our livestock in the way nature intended," Minar said.
*****
On the Net:
Organic Consumers Association: http://www.organicconsumers.org
The Cornucopia Institute: http://www.cornucopia.org
Horizon Organic: http://www.horizonorganic.com
Aurora Organic Dairy: http://www.auroraorganic.com
Organic Valley: http://www.organicvalley.coop
Cedar Summit Farm: http://www.cedarsummit.com
Whole Foods Market http://www.wholefoods.com
USDA National Organic Program: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm USDA National Organic Standards Board: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nosb/index.htm
By STEVE KARNOWSKI, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday Jun 27, 12:54 PM ET
JORDAN, Minn. - The cows on Pam and Jeff Riesgraf's farm chomped happily away on lush green grass on a warm, sunny afternoon. Their milk would soon find its way to grocery stores, where organic dairy products are a hot item.
The Riesgraf farm represents one vision for organic dairy — small- and medium-sized family farms where the cows have names and spend the growing season on pasture.
A different kind of organic dairy farm is emerging out west — corporate-owned feedlot operations with thousands of cows that are fed organic grain but, according to critics, get little chance to graze.
Fears that big operations will muscle out family farms have produced a backlash, including a boycott by the Organic Consumers Association against the country's biggest organic milk brand, Horizon Organic.
Organic farmers and consumer groups are hoping the U.S. Department of Agriculture will level the field. The agency is considering whether to mandate that milk bearing the "USDA Organic" seal come from cows that have significant access to pasture, a move smaller producers say would give them the protection they need.
Chris Hoffman drank Horizon milk until she learned about the dispute and switched brands.
The Sherburne, N.Y., woman said she'd thought she was buying milk from "family farms with happy cows." To her, feedlot milk does not follow the spirit of organic farming.
"I just think it's patently dishonest. And it just really ticked me off," she said.
Horizon, part of Fort Worth, Tex.-based Dean Foods Co., sells about half of the organic milk in this country, through retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Its president and CEO, Joe Scalzo, said Horizon is a strong supporter of family farms, helping hundreds make the transition to organic. Horizon is just trying to meet the "exponential" growth in a market where demand outstrips supply by some 20 percent, he said.
However, Mark Kastel, senior farm policy analyst with the research group Cornucopia Institute, countered, "There's been a near consensus in the organic community that these factory farms are repugnant to the consumer and put organic farms at a disadvantage."
Kastel said organic milk consumers are willing to pay more because they believe it's produced to higher ethical standards that benefit the environment, the animals and family farmers.
"They don't think they're supporting rich corporate investors who think organics is a great way to cash in," he said.
The Organic Trade Association says the U.S. organic dairy sector racked up $2.1 billion in sales last year, up 24 percent from 2004. The OTA says organics now make up 3.5 percent of all dairy products sold in the U.S.
While Scalzo said the boycott has had "very, very little" effect, he acknowledged Horizon has had to spend time explaining its position to stores.
While Broomfield, Colo.-based Horizon has taken the most heat, the critics also slam Aurora Organic Dairy, of Boulder, Colo., which provides private-label organic milk to chains including Costco, Safeway, Giant and Wild Oats.
Aurora says it milks about 4,100 and 3,500 cows at its farms near Platteville, Colo., and Dublin, Texas, and will open a 3,200-cow operation near Kearsey, Colo., this fall.
The company says its approach is unique in the organic dairy sector, allowing it to keep prices affordable while producing the highest quality milk. Aurora says its cows get a balanced diet that includes organic grain and hay, as well as grazing on organic pasture.
Aurora spokeswoman Amy Barr said organic standards shouldn't be based on an "image of Old MacDonald's Farm" held by people who may never have been on a farm. Pasture is important, but it's not the only measure of animal welfare, nor is an all-grass diet necessarily the best for a cow's health, she said.
Horizon milks about 4,000 cows at its farm near Paul, Idaho, and about 450 at its farm near Kennedyville, Md. But Scalzo said Horizon gets over 80 percent of its milk from 340 family farms, all but three of them with herds of 500 cows or fewer.
"Farms of all sizes are going to be needed — at least for the foreseeable future, the next two to five years — to meet demand," Scalzo said.
Executives with Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market Inc. recently toured Horizon's Idaho farm and were pleased with improvements made there, said Margaret Wittenberg, vice president of communications and quality standards.
"The cows looked in good health. They were certainly curious, which is always a good sign. They're being taken care of," Wittenberg said.
Whole Foods was not impressed, however, by Aurora's Colorado farm.
"It remains unacceptable for us," she said, declining to elaborate.
The USDA is now drafting a proposed rule that will likely come out this fall, and there will be another comment period, spokeswoman Joan Shaffer said.
Horizon supports the key proposal, which would require that organic cows spend at least 120 days a year on pasture, Scalzo said.
Aurora opposes that standard as unscientific and told the USDA eastern Colorado gets only about 45 to 60 days of significant edible grass per year.
The nation's largest farmer-owned organic dairy co-op, the Organic Valley Family of Farms, based in LaFarge, Wis., says its 572 family-owned dairy farms nationwide already exceed the proposed standards.
Organics have been a lifeline to many family farmers because organic milk fetches a higher price than conventional milk, allowing dairies to stay small. The Riesgrafs, who milk about 55 cows near Jordan southwest of Minneapolis, credit Organic Valley with keeping them in business.
"We have a stable price, and we've slowly been increasing our price," Jeff Riesgraf said.
A few miles away, near New Prague, Dave and Florence Minar have carved out their own niche, producing and bottling organic milk at Cedar Summit Farm, which milks about 160 cows.
Dave Minar and the Riesgrafs said they're confident they can compete as long as the USDA requires meaningful access to pasture. They don't back the boycott, and sympathize with the smaller organic farmers who supply Horizon.
"We're trying to farm our land and our livestock in the way nature intended," Minar said.
*****
On the Net:
Organic Consumers Association: http://www.organicconsumers.org
The Cornucopia Institute: http://www.cornucopia.org
Horizon Organic: http://www.horizonorganic.com
Aurora Organic Dairy: http://www.auroraorganic.com
Organic Valley: http://www.organicvalley.coop
Cedar Summit Farm: http://www.cedarsummit.com
Whole Foods Market http://www.wholefoods.com
USDA National Organic Program: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm USDA National Organic Standards Board: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nosb/index.htm
Back from vacation!
I returned from vacation with my parents late yesterday afternoon. We had gone to a place called Seven Devils near Boone, NC and rented a three bedroom, three bathroom + sleeping loft cabin for a week...
As I may or may not have mentioned before, Appalachian State University is at the top of my list for grad school and remains there. We toured the school and talked to some of the staff there last Wednesday. It was a good experience. The area is very nice, if more than a little tourist-y... But after living in Florida all my life, I think I can deal with tourist-y... ;D
Susan, Jason and the bitties also came up for a day or so and it was wonderful to have them there. I hope they had as much fun as we did. Jason makes great hamburgers. I'll be posting photos as soon as I get them back from Walgreens.
As I may or may not have mentioned before, Appalachian State University is at the top of my list for grad school and remains there. We toured the school and talked to some of the staff there last Wednesday. It was a good experience. The area is very nice, if more than a little tourist-y... But after living in Florida all my life, I think I can deal with tourist-y... ;D
Susan, Jason and the bitties also came up for a day or so and it was wonderful to have them there. I hope they had as much fun as we did. Jason makes great hamburgers. I'll be posting photos as soon as I get them back from Walgreens.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Ohio is joining South Dakota...
The crazy conservatives are at it again!! This time in Ohio. An abortion ban has been preposed which will ban all abortions for all females at any time, even in cases of emergency to save a woman's life, in the great and sovereign state of Ohio. No questions, no consulations, no considerations for anyone, period. I'm utterly disgusted.
The bill's sponsor, State Rep. Tom Brinkman (need I mention that he's a Republican?), would rather play politics with his constituents' lives than get serious about preventing unintended pregnancy... because of course he's against another proposed Bill in the Ohio State House that would expand the availabilty of contraceptives to the women of Ohio. ::rolls eyes:: He doesn't find this in the slightest bit ironic.
Anyway, extremists in Ohio hope this ban will become a "wedge" issue that will get right-wing voters to the polls in November. National attention is the best antidote to these underhanded tactics can you imagine mainstream Americans supporting a bill that could make it a crime to save a woman's life by performing an abortion? I'm hoping that such issues will actually polarize the right evenmore and get moderate and liberal voters to the poles in record numbers to vote against the crazy conservatives... but this could be wishful thinking on my part. All I know is that any and every time I'm presented with an opportunity to cast a ballot, I'll be casting a ballot! Never let it be said that I take my right to vote, participate in government and shape public policy for granted. No siree!
I recommend checking out the Planned Parenthood Action center page to see what you can do to help out with fighting this ban.
Do not make the mistake of believing that if such a ban passes in Ohio that it will stop there. The rights of women and all persecuted minorities will be chipped away at until there is nothing left unless everyone stands up and objects to such laws when they are first proposed. The South Dakota ban flew under the radar until it was too late. Don't let that happen again!
K... off my soap box...
The bill's sponsor, State Rep. Tom Brinkman (need I mention that he's a Republican?), would rather play politics with his constituents' lives than get serious about preventing unintended pregnancy... because of course he's against another proposed Bill in the Ohio State House that would expand the availabilty of contraceptives to the women of Ohio. ::rolls eyes:: He doesn't find this in the slightest bit ironic.
Anyway, extremists in Ohio hope this ban will become a "wedge" issue that will get right-wing voters to the polls in November. National attention is the best antidote to these underhanded tactics can you imagine mainstream Americans supporting a bill that could make it a crime to save a woman's life by performing an abortion? I'm hoping that such issues will actually polarize the right evenmore and get moderate and liberal voters to the poles in record numbers to vote against the crazy conservatives... but this could be wishful thinking on my part. All I know is that any and every time I'm presented with an opportunity to cast a ballot, I'll be casting a ballot! Never let it be said that I take my right to vote, participate in government and shape public policy for granted. No siree!
I recommend checking out the Planned Parenthood Action center page to see what you can do to help out with fighting this ban.
Do not make the mistake of believing that if such a ban passes in Ohio that it will stop there. The rights of women and all persecuted minorities will be chipped away at until there is nothing left unless everyone stands up and objects to such laws when they are first proposed. The South Dakota ban flew under the radar until it was too late. Don't let that happen again!
K... off my soap box...
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Interesting news
On TBO.com, currently, there is a little thing in the interactive section about a new ringtone that teenagers have begun using to get away with getting phone messages during class. The tone is at a pitch that cannot be heard by many middle-aged to older adults, but can be heard by younger people. It's quite interesting. If you've not heard of this, and it's still up on the site, you may want to check it out. It's in the lower right-hand part of the page with a title of "Can you hear this sound?" They're taking a poll... Might not be there anymore if too much time has passed and not everyone can hear it... It's not much anyway, just a very, very high pitched tone that is somewhat irritating. I could hear it in my left ear quite clearly, but could just barely hear it in my right due to the decreased hearing acuity in that ear.
Another interesting thing they talked about on the local news tonight was that there is a sinkhole developing in southern Lakeland this week. It's in the bottom of a private lake, surrounded by million dollar homes. One house is crumbling due to the shifting ground, and a dock, boat ramp and gazebo have also bit the dust. More may follow and the lake itself may disappear altogether as the ground settles. Because the land (or, in this case, lake) where the sinkhole has developed is private property and not public, the reporters said that home owners must pay for any repairs that are necessary all by themselves. Word to the wise, people, don't just buy property cause it looks pretty or the house that the developer is building on it looks prestigious. Check flood patterns, yearly rainfall, the distance above sealevel, and find out of what the soil is composed, as well as the bedrock... There might be other things to check for too, but that's what I'm thinking would be a prudent start off the top of my head. I know that developers sometimes do not disclose pertinent information when they know that the property could be unstable to the people who are buying the property from them... One reason I dislike developers in general. :D
Another interesting thing they talked about on the local news tonight was that there is a sinkhole developing in southern Lakeland this week. It's in the bottom of a private lake, surrounded by million dollar homes. One house is crumbling due to the shifting ground, and a dock, boat ramp and gazebo have also bit the dust. More may follow and the lake itself may disappear altogether as the ground settles. Because the land (or, in this case, lake) where the sinkhole has developed is private property and not public, the reporters said that home owners must pay for any repairs that are necessary all by themselves. Word to the wise, people, don't just buy property cause it looks pretty or the house that the developer is building on it looks prestigious. Check flood patterns, yearly rainfall, the distance above sealevel, and find out of what the soil is composed, as well as the bedrock... There might be other things to check for too, but that's what I'm thinking would be a prudent start off the top of my head. I know that developers sometimes do not disclose pertinent information when they know that the property could be unstable to the people who are buying the property from them... One reason I dislike developers in general. :D
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
1864 shawl totally done!!
:D I finally did the fringe. Since my wrist is protesting spinning, I figured I might as well finish up the first of the 1864 shawls. It is currently being blocked on my bed. Here are pics:
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Tropical Storm Alberto
How's this for ironic?
We got skirted by at least half a dozen Cat 1 to Cat 3 hurricanes in the last two years, never had any damage to the house or property, thank G-d. A few tree limbs, a lot of leaves, some mistletoe got knocked into the yard, but that was about it. We got skirted by the first Tropical Storm of the year, Alberto, and two panels of the pool screen got ripped off the frame and tossed into the pool... which I just fished out with a tomato plant support post... along with a little green frog who apparently got out of the frog pond and into the pool during the storm, silly thing. The frog is now safely back in the frog pond. I also had to get some posts and prop up the tomato trellis, which blew over during the storm. The tomatoes are so thick on it that they are acting like a sail, and with every little breeze, it falls over now. Most frustrating...
On the up side, the lawn has instantly become completely green over night. Don't you love St. Augustine and Ba'hia grass? Two days ago it was all brown and dry as can be and now it's all green and lush... You can't get lower maintenance than that!
We got skirted by at least half a dozen Cat 1 to Cat 3 hurricanes in the last two years, never had any damage to the house or property, thank G-d. A few tree limbs, a lot of leaves, some mistletoe got knocked into the yard, but that was about it. We got skirted by the first Tropical Storm of the year, Alberto, and two panels of the pool screen got ripped off the frame and tossed into the pool... which I just fished out with a tomato plant support post... along with a little green frog who apparently got out of the frog pond and into the pool during the storm, silly thing. The frog is now safely back in the frog pond. I also had to get some posts and prop up the tomato trellis, which blew over during the storm. The tomatoes are so thick on it that they are acting like a sail, and with every little breeze, it falls over now. Most frustrating...
On the up side, the lawn has instantly become completely green over night. Don't you love St. Augustine and Ba'hia grass? Two days ago it was all brown and dry as can be and now it's all green and lush... You can't get lower maintenance than that!
::sighs::
I've spun two solid pounds of my four pound stash of white Corriedale wool in the last two weeks (see the photo of most of it)... That might not sound like very much, but today my left wrist started to kill me, and even now as I type, my right wrist is not feeling quite right. ::sighs:: I've got a wrap-around ice pack on my left one now. I'm hoping that they don't fail entirely until Saturday. We're leaving for vaca on Sunday, so Saturday is mostly last-minute laundry, packing and helping Joe outside with getting all the plants in the yard settled for the next week, and I probably won't have much time for spinning. I want to get as much as possible spun by then. After I've got the white all spun and ready to knit, I'll do the brown and the gray, not necessarily in that order. While I'm spinning those, I hope to also have the dyestuffs collected and able to dye some of the white wool to make pretty colors.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
HPV Vaccine
(Now, I feel the need to note that I'm not a doctor or medical official of any kind. The information that I've written below has been gleaned from various articles at various media sites around the internet, and while I think it's correct, there may be errors of which I'm unaware. Always consult a medical doctor about any health concerns.)
Don't know if you've all heard or not, but Merck (the drug company) has come up with a vaccine against HPV (the leading cause of cervical cancer). They've been working on it for several decades, and another HPV vaccine, by GlaxoSmithKlein, is currently being tested in Europe. The Merck vaccine doesn't protect against all strains, only 4 (two - #6 and #11 - known to cause only genital warts and two - #16 and #18 - known to cause 70% of cervical cancer cases) and will not (apparently) eliminate the need for Pap tests entirely, but it will drastically reduce the chances of contracting a strain of HPV that causes cervical cancer. There are 13 strains of HPV which are not covered by the vaccine and are known to cause the other 30% of cervical cancer cases. The GlaxoSmithKlein vaccine targets only strains 16 and 18.
In any case, the vaccine is currently recommended for all girls ages 9 to 12. The FDA has approved the vaccines' use for females only ages 9 to 26 if they do not have HPV. If a woman has one of these strains of HPV and gets the vaccine, it will only aggravate the virus. Males who are not infected with those strains should (after the FDA approves it) also be able to get the vaccine because, while HPV is not known to cause any cancer in men, they can spread the virus very easily. Apparently, it protects better if people are vaccinated before age 13 because the immune response to it was stronger at the onset of puberty in all test subjects, but will be effective no matter the age in the targeted range of 9 to 26. I'm definitely going to look in to getting vaccinated and suggest everyone else who can look into it for themselves and/or for their daughters (and sons too, once it is FDA approved for males).
The vaccine requires three different shots, each approximately six months apart, in sequence. Each shot will cost approximately $150 for those without insurance, which I realize is a real kick in the ass. But because it is a "FDA recommended vaccine" now, insurance companies *should* cover the full cost.
There are some organizations, such as the "Christian Medical and Dental Association" and other elements of the "religious right," who think that younger girls should not be allowed to get the vaccine because it will reduce their fear of having sex. ::blink, blink:: I wish I made that up... and will not go on to explain all the things wrong with such thinking as I believe they are readily apparent to anyone who would have as much a problem with that kind of thinking as I do.
Don't know if you've all heard or not, but Merck (the drug company) has come up with a vaccine against HPV (the leading cause of cervical cancer). They've been working on it for several decades, and another HPV vaccine, by GlaxoSmithKlein, is currently being tested in Europe. The Merck vaccine doesn't protect against all strains, only 4 (two - #6 and #11 - known to cause only genital warts and two - #16 and #18 - known to cause 70% of cervical cancer cases) and will not (apparently) eliminate the need for Pap tests entirely, but it will drastically reduce the chances of contracting a strain of HPV that causes cervical cancer. There are 13 strains of HPV which are not covered by the vaccine and are known to cause the other 30% of cervical cancer cases. The GlaxoSmithKlein vaccine targets only strains 16 and 18.
In any case, the vaccine is currently recommended for all girls ages 9 to 12. The FDA has approved the vaccines' use for females only ages 9 to 26 if they do not have HPV. If a woman has one of these strains of HPV and gets the vaccine, it will only aggravate the virus. Males who are not infected with those strains should (after the FDA approves it) also be able to get the vaccine because, while HPV is not known to cause any cancer in men, they can spread the virus very easily. Apparently, it protects better if people are vaccinated before age 13 because the immune response to it was stronger at the onset of puberty in all test subjects, but will be effective no matter the age in the targeted range of 9 to 26. I'm definitely going to look in to getting vaccinated and suggest everyone else who can look into it for themselves and/or for their daughters (and sons too, once it is FDA approved for males).
The vaccine requires three different shots, each approximately six months apart, in sequence. Each shot will cost approximately $150 for those without insurance, which I realize is a real kick in the ass. But because it is a "FDA recommended vaccine" now, insurance companies *should* cover the full cost.
There are some organizations, such as the "Christian Medical and Dental Association" and other elements of the "religious right," who think that younger girls should not be allowed to get the vaccine because it will reduce their fear of having sex. ::blink, blink:: I wish I made that up... and will not go on to explain all the things wrong with such thinking as I believe they are readily apparent to anyone who would have as much a problem with that kind of thinking as I do.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Eventful Week
Done a lot this week...
The garden is just about done for the season. I'm waiting for the last of the black-eyed peas and lima beans to dry on the plants so I can pick them, finish drying them out and then put them away to be used in soups, etc. for months to come. Other than that, only the eggplant, tomatoes and pepper plants are still producing. I've been working on clearing everything else out and planting the herb beds and clearing the new flower beds around the addition on the East side of the house. Dad pulled out the dead corn stalks today...
Meanwhile, I went horseback riding with Maria today in Plant City... She has a very old (23 years old) Thoroughbred named Sky... She's a sweetie, but can be quite moody... She spooked while I was on her, and Lord only knows how I didn't fall off... I guess because I didn't panic for some reason... When I got off (very carefully!) after only about half an hour or so, I had to swing my right leg over Sky's head because, for the life of me, I couldn't get my leg to move the other way, over her back... just would work, got a cramp in my hamstring when I tried... Then, when I swung down, I crumpled all the way to the ground because my legs just wouldn't hold me up... They were about as effective as cooked spaghetti. But I didn't get hurt, just laughed, and Maria laughed too because it was just so sad, I guess. LOL! I'm just so out of shape for horseback riding. I also got to learn some about preparing a horse for riding, brushing them, and putting the saddle on, all that... and washing them down afterward, and also about shoveling dung... It was fun (even learning how to use a pitch fork was fun). But hot!! About 94 degrees today. Thank G-d for cross-breeze and dog-trots!! We'll have to do it again soon...
Yesterday morning, Mark, the yard guy, came to mow our lawn... He also mows the next-door neighbors' yard, the yard of the neighbor across the street, and two others further down the road... He does them all at the same time, single-handed and very early in the morning. He's usually all done by 9:30am. Anyway... I was actually awake (miracle of miracles), and as I sat down with my breakfast at the computer to check my e-mail, I looked out the window and what did I see but a family of raccoons racing up one of the 40-foot wild cherry trees. Apparently, Mark had disturbed their rest and the mother thought it prudent to move her four babies out of their hiding place and up a tree until he left. I told Dad (and Mom... she screamed and threatened to poison them... raccoons scare her...), grabbed my camera and telephoto lens and raced out the door. I think I got some good pictures. They'll be posted as soon as I get them back from Walgreens.
Other than that, I've been spinning like a mad woman. Considering that I only have one bobbin until the other 5 arrive next week, I'm a bit impressed by the amount I've been able to spin this week. I've cleared about 22 ounces of wool, 2 ounces at a time. I still have 4.6 lbs left to spin, and then it's on to plying and dying...
I've been putting off adding the fringes to the shawl I finished knitting. I figured we're going to be out of town in two weeks and I should work on the stuff I can't take with me, like the spinning, while I'm still at home. So until the spinning is done, I'm going to be focusing on that as much as possible.
The garden is just about done for the season. I'm waiting for the last of the black-eyed peas and lima beans to dry on the plants so I can pick them, finish drying them out and then put them away to be used in soups, etc. for months to come. Other than that, only the eggplant, tomatoes and pepper plants are still producing. I've been working on clearing everything else out and planting the herb beds and clearing the new flower beds around the addition on the East side of the house. Dad pulled out the dead corn stalks today...
Meanwhile, I went horseback riding with Maria today in Plant City... She has a very old (23 years old) Thoroughbred named Sky... She's a sweetie, but can be quite moody... She spooked while I was on her, and Lord only knows how I didn't fall off... I guess because I didn't panic for some reason... When I got off (very carefully!) after only about half an hour or so, I had to swing my right leg over Sky's head because, for the life of me, I couldn't get my leg to move the other way, over her back... just would work, got a cramp in my hamstring when I tried... Then, when I swung down, I crumpled all the way to the ground because my legs just wouldn't hold me up... They were about as effective as cooked spaghetti. But I didn't get hurt, just laughed, and Maria laughed too because it was just so sad, I guess. LOL! I'm just so out of shape for horseback riding. I also got to learn some about preparing a horse for riding, brushing them, and putting the saddle on, all that... and washing them down afterward, and also about shoveling dung... It was fun (even learning how to use a pitch fork was fun). But hot!! About 94 degrees today. Thank G-d for cross-breeze and dog-trots!! We'll have to do it again soon...
Yesterday morning, Mark, the yard guy, came to mow our lawn... He also mows the next-door neighbors' yard, the yard of the neighbor across the street, and two others further down the road... He does them all at the same time, single-handed and very early in the morning. He's usually all done by 9:30am. Anyway... I was actually awake (miracle of miracles), and as I sat down with my breakfast at the computer to check my e-mail, I looked out the window and what did I see but a family of raccoons racing up one of the 40-foot wild cherry trees. Apparently, Mark had disturbed their rest and the mother thought it prudent to move her four babies out of their hiding place and up a tree until he left. I told Dad (and Mom... she screamed and threatened to poison them... raccoons scare her...), grabbed my camera and telephoto lens and raced out the door. I think I got some good pictures. They'll be posted as soon as I get them back from Walgreens.
Other than that, I've been spinning like a mad woman. Considering that I only have one bobbin until the other 5 arrive next week, I'm a bit impressed by the amount I've been able to spin this week. I've cleared about 22 ounces of wool, 2 ounces at a time. I still have 4.6 lbs left to spin, and then it's on to plying and dying...
I've been putting off adding the fringes to the shawl I finished knitting. I figured we're going to be out of town in two weeks and I should work on the stuff I can't take with me, like the spinning, while I'm still at home. So until the spinning is done, I'm going to be focusing on that as much as possible.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Fed up with Big Oil?
Check out the 12 Steps program for reducing or eliminating oil dependency... http://www.ran.org/12steps
Super Mario Bros. Live!!
This is very amusing for those of us who played the game on the original Nentendo game console... Super Mario Bros. Live From what I can tell, it's the whole entire first level of the game acted out on stage... I am very amused...
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Fight for Historic Glasgow Site
I can't remember if I've posted anything about this before, but I've been following this story since it began. Looks like it's taken a terrible new turn... ::shakes head:: I hate real-estate developers...
COURT PERMITS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER TO INSPECT COMPUTERS OF OPPONENTS TO DEVELOPMENT PLANS IN POSSIBLE TEST OF ANTI-SLAPP LAW
In what may prove to be the first test of Delaware's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law, a judge of the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled on Saturday that a real estate developer may search the hard drives of computers belonging to two opponents of his plans for building a housing and shopping center on Glasgow farmland.
Anti-SLAPP laws are designed to protect people who are actively petitioning the government from intimidation through lawsuits. There are 24 other states with similar anti-SLAPP laws.
In early 2005, Developer Stephen J. Nichols purchased a 236 acre parcel of farmland located in Glasgow, Delaware, called "La Grange." The owner was Anne M. Barczewski, but after Mrs. Barczewski lapsed into dementia, her grown children assumed control of the farm and sold it to Mr. Nichols.
In November, 2005, Mr. Nichols sued Mrs. Barczewski (then terminally ill) and her children, claiming that they were breaching the contract of sale by opposing his development plans at county hearings. Mrs. Barczewski passed away in January, 2006.
When Mrs. Barczewski's granddaughter, Susan L. Arday and her husband David began appearing at land use hearings objecting to the development, Mr. Nichols added them to his lawsuit, claiming that the Ardays were acting as agents of one of the sellers. The Ardays are longstanding members of the Friends of Historic Glasgow.
The Ardays have asked the court to dismiss the case against them, on the ground that they have a right under the First Amendment to attend government meetings and protest against proposed permits. They claim that Nichols' suit against them is an unlawful SLAPP suit, and are asking the court to make Mr. Nichols pay their attorneys' fees.
Vice Chancellor Leo E. Strine, Jr. said that before he would rule on the Ardays' motion, Mr. Nichols was entitled to gather evidence. Mr. Nichols has taken depositions of the Ardays and they have had to produce hundreds of pages of e-mails relating to the dispute. Mr. Nichols has now demanded that the Ardays turn over their computers for further inspection.
"This is very traumatic and a gross invasion of privacy," says Susan L. Arday. "I feel personally violated. The lawsuit is based on a false premise, that I acted as the agent of my mother. In fact, my mother has nothing to do with my actions, and Mr. Nichols knows it. I have protested his proposed development because the land is an important historical site, and to honor the wishes of my late grandmother, who always said that she wanted the land to be preserved, not developed."
The Ardays' lawyer, David L. Finger, said the ruling permitting access to the Ardays' computers was unusual. "There has been no showing that there are likely to be any additional relevant 'hidden' e-mails on those computers. Mr. Nichols is merely fishing."
Said David Arday: "This whole thing makes a mockery of Delaware's anti-SLAPP law. The law is supposed to resolve these types of cases quickly at minimal expense. All this is doing is costing us time and money, in an attempt to bully us to stop opposing Mr. Nichols' plans. But we will not stop exercising our rights."
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT THE ARDAYS¹ LAWYER: David L. Finger Finger & Slanina, LLC One Commerce Center 1201 Orange Street, Suite 725 Wilmington, DE 19801-1155 (302) 884-6766 dfinger@delawgroup.com www.delawgroup.com
COURT PERMITS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER TO INSPECT COMPUTERS OF OPPONENTS TO DEVELOPMENT PLANS IN POSSIBLE TEST OF ANTI-SLAPP LAW
In what may prove to be the first test of Delaware's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law, a judge of the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled on Saturday that a real estate developer may search the hard drives of computers belonging to two opponents of his plans for building a housing and shopping center on Glasgow farmland.
Anti-SLAPP laws are designed to protect people who are actively petitioning the government from intimidation through lawsuits. There are 24 other states with similar anti-SLAPP laws.
In early 2005, Developer Stephen J. Nichols purchased a 236 acre parcel of farmland located in Glasgow, Delaware, called "La Grange." The owner was Anne M. Barczewski, but after Mrs. Barczewski lapsed into dementia, her grown children assumed control of the farm and sold it to Mr. Nichols.
In November, 2005, Mr. Nichols sued Mrs. Barczewski (then terminally ill) and her children, claiming that they were breaching the contract of sale by opposing his development plans at county hearings. Mrs. Barczewski passed away in January, 2006.
When Mrs. Barczewski's granddaughter, Susan L. Arday and her husband David began appearing at land use hearings objecting to the development, Mr. Nichols added them to his lawsuit, claiming that the Ardays were acting as agents of one of the sellers. The Ardays are longstanding members of the Friends of Historic Glasgow.
The Ardays have asked the court to dismiss the case against them, on the ground that they have a right under the First Amendment to attend government meetings and protest against proposed permits. They claim that Nichols' suit against them is an unlawful SLAPP suit, and are asking the court to make Mr. Nichols pay their attorneys' fees.
Vice Chancellor Leo E. Strine, Jr. said that before he would rule on the Ardays' motion, Mr. Nichols was entitled to gather evidence. Mr. Nichols has taken depositions of the Ardays and they have had to produce hundreds of pages of e-mails relating to the dispute. Mr. Nichols has now demanded that the Ardays turn over their computers for further inspection.
"This is very traumatic and a gross invasion of privacy," says Susan L. Arday. "I feel personally violated. The lawsuit is based on a false premise, that I acted as the agent of my mother. In fact, my mother has nothing to do with my actions, and Mr. Nichols knows it. I have protested his proposed development because the land is an important historical site, and to honor the wishes of my late grandmother, who always said that she wanted the land to be preserved, not developed."
The Ardays' lawyer, David L. Finger, said the ruling permitting access to the Ardays' computers was unusual. "There has been no showing that there are likely to be any additional relevant 'hidden' e-mails on those computers. Mr. Nichols is merely fishing."
Said David Arday: "This whole thing makes a mockery of Delaware's anti-SLAPP law. The law is supposed to resolve these types of cases quickly at minimal expense. All this is doing is costing us time and money, in an attempt to bully us to stop opposing Mr. Nichols' plans. But we will not stop exercising our rights."
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT THE ARDAYS¹ LAWYER: David L. Finger Finger & Slanina, LLC One Commerce Center 1201 Orange Street, Suite 725 Wilmington, DE 19801-1155 (302) 884-6766 dfinger@delawgroup.com www.delawgroup.com
Friday, May 26, 2006
Knitting update and "X-Men: the Last Stand"
I finished knitting the first of the Winter Shawls today. I still have some ends to weave in and I have to attach the fringe before it will be done, but the knitting of it is finished, and it looks mighty fine if I do say so myself. I'm busy spinning up the roving I've gotten so I can knit some more.
Busy spinning or not, I had to make time to see "X-Men: The Last Stand" (abbreviated by me X-3) tonight though... I... didn't really like it so much... I liked "X-2" way better... I would say why but it would spoil it for those who have not seen it, so I will at least put spoiler space first... So read this post no further if you wish to avoid spoilers. Also, warning, going to get very fan-girlish.
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My 12 issues with and very few likes of X-3:
# 1. Scott is NOT dead!... Cyclops cannot *die*! Are you kidding me?!?! Lack of Alpha Level healing power notwithstanding, he's not allowed. ('Cause I say so, damn it!) Am totally miffed that this was implied, but very glad that it was never conclusively confirmed. I never saw it happen and I saw no body. Jean only seemed to assume that she killed him... We didn't actually *see* it happen in her memory, so Scott is not dead. I have watched enough soap operas in my life to know that if you don't see a body (and even sometimes when you do), they're not dead, no matter who says they are. So Scott's still alive, wandering blind in the Canadian wilderness, pissed as all get out, and waiting to be found if he can't find his own way back to civilization. End of story... I will hear no more on this matter...
#2. Mystique can't loose her powers! She's almost as old as Logan and she's Mystique! And Nightcrawler never found out that she's his mom! And neither can Rogue loose her powers... That was not supposed to happen... She's supposed to eventually figure out a way to control them. Erik (Magneto) obviously did not really loose his power, given the small display at the end, despite having *four* doses of "the cure" pumped into his system. ::rolls eyes::
#3. Was it really necessary to kill Jean *again*? And to make Logan do it? Do we even know how many women he's loved and had to watch die? ::shakes head:: It's just mean at this point what these canon writers keep doing to him. Not nice at all, I say. Give the poor 100+ year old man a break, will ya? Although, she did die temporarily at the end of the Phoenix thing in the comics... but she came back again in that! So WTF?
#4. Knew Charles wasn't dead... hehe... Although I started crying during the scene where Logan was trying to reach him so that he could save him (or try to) but couldn't, and then when he finally got there, realized he was too late and he sat down and cried with Storm... Yeah, I was totally crying too...
#5. There wasn't enough Archangel in this movie... Not nearly enough... (Was totally crying during the scene they showed of Angel as a little boy when he was trying to cut off his wings. That was horrible!) And where on Earth was Remy (Gambit)? And where did Nightcrawler go? Seems like they not only could have used their help in this, but they really should have been there. And Jubilee is in the credits, and so are Siryn and Psylocke, but I don't remember seeing any of them... And Jubilee at the very least should have had a larger role.
#6. They sure did flatten out Pyro in this movie into a one-dimensional, angry teenage villain, didn't they? Very disappointing, as the rivalry between Pyro and Iceman should have been rounded out better. The build up from the first two movies kinda fizzled out in this one like a Zippo that ran out of lighter fluid. Come on, people! Fire versus Ice? That could have been an awesome fight... but no... It turned out rather boring and too predictable.
#7. Liked Kitty Pryde though. She was pretty cool and played a surprisingly larger role than I expected. And Piotr Rasputin (Colossus)... Oy! Or as Lauren said upon seeing him, "He can be my husband." But where was his little sister? Wasn't he supposed to have a little sister hanging around that school?
#8. Juggernaut was defeated *way* too easily and was *way* under-used. And what ever happened to the guy who could make duplicates of himself? He just fell out of the story... The movie reminded me "Elektra" in this way...
#9. So there's a mutant who makes other mutants temporarily loose their power when they come within 5 feet of him... Yeah... That's convenient... ::rolls eyes::
#10. Dark Phoenix and Wolverine going at it... Yeah... could have skipped seeing that... Though I applaud Logan for knowing it was *very* wrong and stopping it...
#11. I hate, hate, hate what the film-makers do to Xavier's character in this film. I don't mean how they "kill" him (although I hated that too)... I mean, making it seem like he's doing basically the same thing that Magneto is trying to do with Jean, but with the excuse, which the film-makers make seem flimsy at best, that he is "doing it for her own good," with his indignant statement of "I don't have to explain myself to you," directed at both Logan and the audience. It's sickening... to do that to a character who is supposed to be there as a guide and help to his students. He doesn't make decisions *for* them or without their permission! And that's exactly what they have him do in this movie with Jean... totally twisting his character, and Jean's and most of the rest of the X-Men characters into parodies of what they're supposed to be given the previous movies (not even counting the comics... not familiar enough with the comics to make that sort of judgment). The whole situation... hell, the whole movie could have been handled much differently, and I for one am very sorry for how it was handled.
#12. The wrap up was too quick... the exposition comparatively way too long... and there wasn't enough detail in either... (Again, very like "Elektra" in this respect.) The story wasn't told very well. It felt rushed and sloppy. This could be because I spent almost the entire movie waiting for Scott to come back on screen... but I doubt it...
In conclusion, in my oh-so-humble opinion, the movie makers did very little right in the third installment of the X-Men movie saga. As far as I am concerned, if they do not fix the most crucial of it (Scott is *not* dead!) in the next movie, "Wolverine," then X-3 does not exist in *my* canon. It stops after X-2 and I will live in the very happy Denial-Land of Fictional Catastrophes. ::huffs:: And that's all there is to it... (After all, Richie Ryan's not dead either, and a 6th season of "Highlander: The Series"? What sixth season of "Highlander: The Series"? And "Endgame" ::pfft:: Pul-leeeze! As if!).
Busy spinning or not, I had to make time to see "X-Men: The Last Stand" (abbreviated by me X-3) tonight though... I... didn't really like it so much... I liked "X-2" way better... I would say why but it would spoil it for those who have not seen it, so I will at least put spoiler space first... So read this post no further if you wish to avoid spoilers. Also, warning, going to get very fan-girlish.
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My 12 issues with and very few likes of X-3:
# 1. Scott is NOT dead!... Cyclops cannot *die*! Are you kidding me?!?! Lack of Alpha Level healing power notwithstanding, he's not allowed. ('Cause I say so, damn it!) Am totally miffed that this was implied, but very glad that it was never conclusively confirmed. I never saw it happen and I saw no body. Jean only seemed to assume that she killed him... We didn't actually *see* it happen in her memory, so Scott is not dead. I have watched enough soap operas in my life to know that if you don't see a body (and even sometimes when you do), they're not dead, no matter who says they are. So Scott's still alive, wandering blind in the Canadian wilderness, pissed as all get out, and waiting to be found if he can't find his own way back to civilization. End of story... I will hear no more on this matter...
#2. Mystique can't loose her powers! She's almost as old as Logan and she's Mystique! And Nightcrawler never found out that she's his mom! And neither can Rogue loose her powers... That was not supposed to happen... She's supposed to eventually figure out a way to control them. Erik (Magneto) obviously did not really loose his power, given the small display at the end, despite having *four* doses of "the cure" pumped into his system. ::rolls eyes::
#3. Was it really necessary to kill Jean *again*? And to make Logan do it? Do we even know how many women he's loved and had to watch die? ::shakes head:: It's just mean at this point what these canon writers keep doing to him. Not nice at all, I say. Give the poor 100+ year old man a break, will ya? Although, she did die temporarily at the end of the Phoenix thing in the comics... but she came back again in that! So WTF?
#4. Knew Charles wasn't dead... hehe... Although I started crying during the scene where Logan was trying to reach him so that he could save him (or try to) but couldn't, and then when he finally got there, realized he was too late and he sat down and cried with Storm... Yeah, I was totally crying too...
#5. There wasn't enough Archangel in this movie... Not nearly enough... (Was totally crying during the scene they showed of Angel as a little boy when he was trying to cut off his wings. That was horrible!) And where on Earth was Remy (Gambit)? And where did Nightcrawler go? Seems like they not only could have used their help in this, but they really should have been there. And Jubilee is in the credits, and so are Siryn and Psylocke, but I don't remember seeing any of them... And Jubilee at the very least should have had a larger role.
#6. They sure did flatten out Pyro in this movie into a one-dimensional, angry teenage villain, didn't they? Very disappointing, as the rivalry between Pyro and Iceman should have been rounded out better. The build up from the first two movies kinda fizzled out in this one like a Zippo that ran out of lighter fluid. Come on, people! Fire versus Ice? That could have been an awesome fight... but no... It turned out rather boring and too predictable.
#7. Liked Kitty Pryde though. She was pretty cool and played a surprisingly larger role than I expected. And Piotr Rasputin (Colossus)... Oy! Or as Lauren said upon seeing him, "He can be my husband." But where was his little sister? Wasn't he supposed to have a little sister hanging around that school?
#8. Juggernaut was defeated *way* too easily and was *way* under-used. And what ever happened to the guy who could make duplicates of himself? He just fell out of the story... The movie reminded me "Elektra" in this way...
#9. So there's a mutant who makes other mutants temporarily loose their power when they come within 5 feet of him... Yeah... That's convenient... ::rolls eyes::
#10. Dark Phoenix and Wolverine going at it... Yeah... could have skipped seeing that... Though I applaud Logan for knowing it was *very* wrong and stopping it...
#11. I hate, hate, hate what the film-makers do to Xavier's character in this film. I don't mean how they "kill" him (although I hated that too)... I mean, making it seem like he's doing basically the same thing that Magneto is trying to do with Jean, but with the excuse, which the film-makers make seem flimsy at best, that he is "doing it for her own good," with his indignant statement of "I don't have to explain myself to you," directed at both Logan and the audience. It's sickening... to do that to a character who is supposed to be there as a guide and help to his students. He doesn't make decisions *for* them or without their permission! And that's exactly what they have him do in this movie with Jean... totally twisting his character, and Jean's and most of the rest of the X-Men characters into parodies of what they're supposed to be given the previous movies (not even counting the comics... not familiar enough with the comics to make that sort of judgment). The whole situation... hell, the whole movie could have been handled much differently, and I for one am very sorry for how it was handled.
#12. The wrap up was too quick... the exposition comparatively way too long... and there wasn't enough detail in either... (Again, very like "Elektra" in this respect.) The story wasn't told very well. It felt rushed and sloppy. This could be because I spent almost the entire movie waiting for Scott to come back on screen... but I doubt it...
In conclusion, in my oh-so-humble opinion, the movie makers did very little right in the third installment of the X-Men movie saga. As far as I am concerned, if they do not fix the most crucial of it (Scott is *not* dead!) in the next movie, "Wolverine," then X-3 does not exist in *my* canon. It stops after X-2 and I will live in the very happy Denial-Land of Fictional Catastrophes. ::huffs:: And that's all there is to it... (After all, Richie Ryan's not dead either, and a 6th season of "Highlander: The Series"? What sixth season of "Highlander: The Series"? And "Endgame" ::pfft:: Pul-leeeze! As if!).
Monday, May 22, 2006
Federal Marriage Amendment
It should be no secret that I am against the so-called "Federal Marriage Amendment" proposed by George W. Bush and the Right Wing extremists who support him. I have been asked why I oppose it on several occasions, since I myself am not a lesbian and I have no relatives who are of the GLBT community. I oppose it first on the principle that it is unAmerican and a shame on our souls to purposely write discrimination into the United States Constitution, our most sacred and guiding living document we have the honor to possess as American citizens. By not openly opposing such an amendment, we condone it and it would be as if we had written it ourselves. Second, I oppose it because I know that were I a lesbian, I would want the right to marry whomever I chose. Third, if I had a child who was gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, I would want them to enjoy every right that I and their father enjoyed under the Constitution and government of this most excellent idea of a country. And fourth, I believe as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and as my religious convictions teach me, that if you deny a right to anyone then the right is guaranteed to no one... No one is safe. It's as simple as that.
http://www.hrc.org/voteno/voteno/video.htm
I urge you to go watch the Anti-FMA video linked above or just go straight to http://www.hrc.org and see what you can do to take action against the Federal Marriage Amendment. It will only take a few minutes to send the e-mails and sign the petitions and it could go a long way to proving to the general public that the FMA is not only an anti-gay amendment but also an anti-American amendment, and not only should it not be supported, it should be openly opposed. Thanks!
http://www.hrc.org/voteno/voteno/video.htm
I urge you to go watch the Anti-FMA video linked above or just go straight to http://www.hrc.org and see what you can do to take action against the Federal Marriage Amendment. It will only take a few minutes to send the e-mails and sign the petitions and it could go a long way to proving to the general public that the FMA is not only an anti-gay amendment but also an anti-American amendment, and not only should it not be supported, it should be openly opposed. Thanks!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
More Green News...
The great state of Pennsylvania is on the verge of going on my happy list. After this, all they need to do is oust Santorum from office in November...
The Philadelphia Eagles have implemented a number of strategies to reduce or eliminate the amount of carbon the team produces. They have switched to organics for the maintenance of their playing and practice fields and started recycling programs throughout their organization. They have also begun purchasing renewable energy to power their facilities, and they are in the process of making bio-diesel fuel recycled from the cooking oil from the team's kitchens. They also have led tree-planting programs in their community. Major kudos to the Eagles!
The Governor of Pennsylvania, Edward Rendell, has joined the Virtual March and so have several other top state officials. And it wasn't a hollow political action! Pennsylvania is investing millions of dollars in renewable energy, including $193,000 for 15 small-scale community wind projects to demonstrate modern wind technology in highly visible locations throughout the state. Governor Rendell rolled out the welcome mat for the Gamesa Corporation, the second largest wind energy company in the world, which recently sited its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia and opened two manufacturing facilities in the state, representing an $84 million investment in Pennsylvania's economy and creating hundreds of jobs.
Governor Rendell says, "The solution to global warming is all about efficiency and productivity and innovation… We are building a clean, secure energy future in Pennsylvania and it is high time we get serious about global warming and build that better future at the national level as well. Global warming is a problem---but it is a huge opportunity as well."
I really like that attitude! More politicians need to adopt it and implement it in positive action! And I hope other states follow Pennsylvania's lead.
If you want to do something to help, write to your mayor or county officials and ask them to sign the Climate Protection Agreement, if they haven't already done so.
For more information of carbon-neutral efforts being made around the country, check out this site... from which most of this information was taken.
The Philadelphia Eagles have implemented a number of strategies to reduce or eliminate the amount of carbon the team produces. They have switched to organics for the maintenance of their playing and practice fields and started recycling programs throughout their organization. They have also begun purchasing renewable energy to power their facilities, and they are in the process of making bio-diesel fuel recycled from the cooking oil from the team's kitchens. They also have led tree-planting programs in their community. Major kudos to the Eagles!
The Governor of Pennsylvania, Edward Rendell, has joined the Virtual March and so have several other top state officials. And it wasn't a hollow political action! Pennsylvania is investing millions of dollars in renewable energy, including $193,000 for 15 small-scale community wind projects to demonstrate modern wind technology in highly visible locations throughout the state. Governor Rendell rolled out the welcome mat for the Gamesa Corporation, the second largest wind energy company in the world, which recently sited its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia and opened two manufacturing facilities in the state, representing an $84 million investment in Pennsylvania's economy and creating hundreds of jobs.
Governor Rendell says, "The solution to global warming is all about efficiency and productivity and innovation… We are building a clean, secure energy future in Pennsylvania and it is high time we get serious about global warming and build that better future at the national level as well. Global warming is a problem---but it is a huge opportunity as well."
I really like that attitude! More politicians need to adopt it and implement it in positive action! And I hope other states follow Pennsylvania's lead.
If you want to do something to help, write to your mayor or county officials and ask them to sign the Climate Protection Agreement, if they haven't already done so.
For more information of carbon-neutral efforts being made around the country, check out this site... from which most of this information was taken.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Environmental, Health & Agricultural News
It's mostly good news this month, so I'll start with the bad...
Factory farms - which I oppose on principle - are trying to get Congress to allow them to be exempt from compliance with The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA, also known as Superfund) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). If exempted, factory farms would no longer have to ensure that they did not pollute the public water supply with chemical or animal waste or post warnings to the public that there is toxic air over their facilities. At present, over 140 Representatives are supporting H.R. 4341 which would give factory farms this deal. It may soon be attached to a spending bill which has been labeled "must-pass" to get it through Congress with little to no opposition. This would be a very, very bad thing! H.R. 4341 would endanger the public health and give factory farms a break where they do not need to be given one. See FEED's May issue to find out more about this potential problem for everyone, and be sure to call or write to your Congressional representative and let them know how you feel.
On to the good news...
The USDA is considering a tougher standard for labeling meat products "grass-fed." Instead of the animals being fed on grass for only 80% of their total lifetime diet, the new standard would require them to be fed almost entirely on forage and grass. To read about the new standard, go here. The USDA is accepting public feedback through August 10, 2006 and instructions for how to submit comments are provided at the above link.
In a similar move, the National Organic Program (NOP), under the Department of Agriculture, is proposing a new standard of what "access to pasture" means. Current regulations state that animals used in the production of organic products should receive access to "pasture" but the term is left vague, allowing many organic dairies (such as "Horizon" from what I understand - they are not on my happy list anymore because of this...) to use "dry lots" - small, fenced-in areas with very little to no grasses. Current laws also exempt animals in particular stages of production, such as lactating cows, from the pasture access requirement, which is ridiculous if you ask me... The NOP is looking for "data on the definition, feasibility, and market impact of pasture systems to help formulate its new rules." They are taking public comments through June 12. To read the abstract and make comments, go here.
In other organic news, over 2000 hospitals nationwide are now committing to buying organic or sustainably grown foods. Recently, a deal was made between MedAssets, a purchasing organization for the health care industry, and United Natural Food Incorporated, an organic food distributor. In addition dozens of U.S. hospitals, including the entire Catholic Healthcare West system, have pledged to buy food that is sustainably raised, according to Health Care Without Harm. Read the press release here.
Proof that Tyson's got it wrong... A new study has been published which states that Australia has fewer strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria because the feeding of a certain type of antibiotics, fluoroquinolones, to poultry has been banned there for many years. Last September, after a drawn out battle with Bayer (as in, the manufacturer of Bayer Aspirin), who manufactures these types of antibiotics, the FDA banned the use of these same antibiotics in U.S. poultry for the good of the public health. Yay!!!
At the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in March, the international ban on "terminator technology" was upheld. What is "terminator technology" you may ask? Does this mean a ban on Arnold Schwarzenegger films? Unfortunately, no... But this ban is still something very good. "Terminator technology" is the genetic engineering of plants to be sterile. It forces farmers to buy seed every year, since there is no seed to save from their harvests. It has been internationally banned every year for the past 6 years, but Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have recently proposed changing the ban to a case-by-case risk assessment (Bad countries, no biscuit!). Small-scale farmers campaigned against terminator technology around the world for months before the meeting and held daily protests outside the building where the meeting was being held. "Hooray" for them! And a thumbs up for the UN in doing something right... They might not be good at the CNN-attention-getting things, like getting countries to voluntarily disarm themselves, but in this kind of thing, apparently, they are rather effective.
Factory farms - which I oppose on principle - are trying to get Congress to allow them to be exempt from compliance with The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA, also known as Superfund) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). If exempted, factory farms would no longer have to ensure that they did not pollute the public water supply with chemical or animal waste or post warnings to the public that there is toxic air over their facilities. At present, over 140 Representatives are supporting H.R. 4341 which would give factory farms this deal. It may soon be attached to a spending bill which has been labeled "must-pass" to get it through Congress with little to no opposition. This would be a very, very bad thing! H.R. 4341 would endanger the public health and give factory farms a break where they do not need to be given one. See FEED's May issue to find out more about this potential problem for everyone, and be sure to call or write to your Congressional representative and let them know how you feel.
On to the good news...
The USDA is considering a tougher standard for labeling meat products "grass-fed." Instead of the animals being fed on grass for only 80% of their total lifetime diet, the new standard would require them to be fed almost entirely on forage and grass. To read about the new standard, go here. The USDA is accepting public feedback through August 10, 2006 and instructions for how to submit comments are provided at the above link.
In a similar move, the National Organic Program (NOP), under the Department of Agriculture, is proposing a new standard of what "access to pasture" means. Current regulations state that animals used in the production of organic products should receive access to "pasture" but the term is left vague, allowing many organic dairies (such as "Horizon" from what I understand - they are not on my happy list anymore because of this...) to use "dry lots" - small, fenced-in areas with very little to no grasses. Current laws also exempt animals in particular stages of production, such as lactating cows, from the pasture access requirement, which is ridiculous if you ask me... The NOP is looking for "data on the definition, feasibility, and market impact of pasture systems to help formulate its new rules." They are taking public comments through June 12. To read the abstract and make comments, go here.
In other organic news, over 2000 hospitals nationwide are now committing to buying organic or sustainably grown foods. Recently, a deal was made between MedAssets, a purchasing organization for the health care industry, and United Natural Food Incorporated, an organic food distributor. In addition dozens of U.S. hospitals, including the entire Catholic Healthcare West system, have pledged to buy food that is sustainably raised, according to Health Care Without Harm. Read the press release here.
Proof that Tyson's got it wrong... A new study has been published which states that Australia has fewer strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria because the feeding of a certain type of antibiotics, fluoroquinolones, to poultry has been banned there for many years. Last September, after a drawn out battle with Bayer (as in, the manufacturer of Bayer Aspirin), who manufactures these types of antibiotics, the FDA banned the use of these same antibiotics in U.S. poultry for the good of the public health. Yay!!!
At the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in March, the international ban on "terminator technology" was upheld. What is "terminator technology" you may ask? Does this mean a ban on Arnold Schwarzenegger films? Unfortunately, no... But this ban is still something very good. "Terminator technology" is the genetic engineering of plants to be sterile. It forces farmers to buy seed every year, since there is no seed to save from their harvests. It has been internationally banned every year for the past 6 years, but Australia, Canada, and New Zealand have recently proposed changing the ban to a case-by-case risk assessment (Bad countries, no biscuit!). Small-scale farmers campaigned against terminator technology around the world for months before the meeting and held daily protests outside the building where the meeting was being held. "Hooray" for them! And a thumbs up for the UN in doing something right... They might not be good at the CNN-attention-getting things, like getting countries to voluntarily disarm themselves, but in this kind of thing, apparently, they are rather effective.
Monday, May 15, 2006
I want a Hope Chest
I want a Hope Chest. I have wanted one since the first time I heard of such a concept... Also like the idea of a trip to Paris to shop for a trousseau, but I think a Hope Chest is more do-able at the moment.
I need to remember to get the book The Hope Chest: A Legacy of Love by Rebekah Wilson at some point.
The reason why I thought about this just now is that I've been trying to catch up on my machine sewing this weekend...
I'm working on my summer shrug and find that the pattern wasn't very clear on a few points so I have to rip some seams and make a few alterations here and there. However, I'm fairly certain that it will still work... I just have to mess with it. Lucky for me, I have several large fabric scraps I can use.
Then, I was trying to make this nifty beach cover-up of my own design and it doesn't seem to be working... ::sighs:: Back to the drawing board there.
As for the sarong, I just need to get thread in the appropriate color and hem the edges. How simple is that? (And stores charge upwards of $30 for sarongs?! People, people, go to a fabric store, find a fun summer print you like, buy a couple of yards and hem it yourself! At most, you're out $15.) But since I don't have the thread right now at 3 am, I can't get it done this evening.
The fourth project was one that came to me when my friend Maria brought over an odd yard of yellow and white plaid fabric she had gotten on clearance to ask if I thought it was good for a project she wanted to do. I thought it was too light for the project she was thinking of, but that the fabric would be perfect for cloth napkins, so she said I could have it for that. WooHoo! So I washed it and dried it, and it's been sitting here for about a month and a half. Tonight, I finally cut it up into napkin sized squares and began hemming. I have enough for nine. Since my mom doesn't use fabric napkins, being of the Baby Boom generation who by and large prefers store bought and/or disposable things, I thought as I was sewing, what on earth am I going to do with these things while still living here?
My Hope Chest... They will be my very first official addition to it, all these years later... I already have been promised a good deal of my grandmother's china and silver, as well as her shabbat and havdalah sets and her baby naming dress, which I also wore when I was six months old, but I do not have any of these items in my possession. (My aunt has the vast majority of the collection, and I do not expect to get any of it until I am married to a nice, family-approved Jewish boy. Considering past actions toward other family members, she isn't likely to give them up if I am not.)
Handmade donations to my Hope Chest, as well as ideas for stuff I could make will be most welcome and appreciated. If I may make a superstitious request to those of you who are likely to make things as a surprise or gift, at the moment, I'd prefer items intended for general household use (towels, bedding, kitchen items, etc.), rather than those intended for specific occasions (such as baby or wedding items). Superstitious to the core, I am.
::sighs:: Now, I just have to find something in which to store everything.
I need to remember to get the book The Hope Chest: A Legacy of Love by Rebekah Wilson at some point.
The reason why I thought about this just now is that I've been trying to catch up on my machine sewing this weekend...
I'm working on my summer shrug and find that the pattern wasn't very clear on a few points so I have to rip some seams and make a few alterations here and there. However, I'm fairly certain that it will still work... I just have to mess with it. Lucky for me, I have several large fabric scraps I can use.
Then, I was trying to make this nifty beach cover-up of my own design and it doesn't seem to be working... ::sighs:: Back to the drawing board there.
As for the sarong, I just need to get thread in the appropriate color and hem the edges. How simple is that? (And stores charge upwards of $30 for sarongs?! People, people, go to a fabric store, find a fun summer print you like, buy a couple of yards and hem it yourself! At most, you're out $15.) But since I don't have the thread right now at 3 am, I can't get it done this evening.
The fourth project was one that came to me when my friend Maria brought over an odd yard of yellow and white plaid fabric she had gotten on clearance to ask if I thought it was good for a project she wanted to do. I thought it was too light for the project she was thinking of, but that the fabric would be perfect for cloth napkins, so she said I could have it for that. WooHoo! So I washed it and dried it, and it's been sitting here for about a month and a half. Tonight, I finally cut it up into napkin sized squares and began hemming. I have enough for nine. Since my mom doesn't use fabric napkins, being of the Baby Boom generation who by and large prefers store bought and/or disposable things, I thought as I was sewing, what on earth am I going to do with these things while still living here?
My Hope Chest... They will be my very first official addition to it, all these years later... I already have been promised a good deal of my grandmother's china and silver, as well as her shabbat and havdalah sets and her baby naming dress, which I also wore when I was six months old, but I do not have any of these items in my possession. (My aunt has the vast majority of the collection, and I do not expect to get any of it until I am married to a nice, family-approved Jewish boy. Considering past actions toward other family members, she isn't likely to give them up if I am not.)
Handmade donations to my Hope Chest, as well as ideas for stuff I could make will be most welcome and appreciated. If I may make a superstitious request to those of you who are likely to make things as a surprise or gift, at the moment, I'd prefer items intended for general household use (towels, bedding, kitchen items, etc.), rather than those intended for specific occasions (such as baby or wedding items). Superstitious to the core, I am.
::sighs:: Now, I just have to find something in which to store everything.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
White beeswax
From what I understand, yellow beeswax can be difficult to remove from thread and garments after they are handsewn. Well, I found some 100% white beeswax and made little hearts, about 1" x 1", and attached a loop of string through them so that they can be carried on a chatelaine if one chose to do so. I think everyone should have one. :D 
Friday, May 12, 2006
Lor-dy!
Do You Speak Yankee or Dixie?
I took the test and am proud to say I got 84% Dixie. :D Mighty high score for someone who many would think lives south of the South.
Also, this is tres amusant...
I took the test and am proud to say I got 84% Dixie. :D Mighty high score for someone who many would think lives south of the South.
Also, this is tres amusant...
Monday, May 08, 2006
Current projects
I'm sorry to say that the Sontag is on hiatus at the moment and will likely remain so until November... Possibly until after the New Year. I am working on shawls for Jeb Stuart right now. All knitting and spinning that I do between now and the end of September will be solely for that end.
On the sewing front, I have several projects.
I want to make accessories for the summer... In case I go to the beach at some point. A sarong and a cover-up shirt. 1.) I got a Caribbean blue cotton shirt fabric for the sarong. It has little tie-dyed flowers in a diamond pattern all across it. I think it will be very cute. I just have to cut it to size and hem it on my sewing machine really quick. 2.) I got a cotton gauzy kind of fabric with teal, Caribbean blue, light green and lavender stripes of random and alternating thickness. They kind of bleed together so the they seem to fade from one color to the next. I'm going to cut it on the diagonal so that the stripes will go diagonally across my body and there will be a handkerchief type hem with a point in the front and in the back. The sleeves will bell out at the wrists and also come to a point at the sides. I think it will be cute. I might do some other things with it too. I'll have to wait and see...
3.) I'm working on the modern "obi" for the 18th century robe I got from Susan. I'm going shopping for the fabric tomorrow.
4.) I found a wonderful shirt at Lane Bryant yesterday and just had to buy it! It's like a silk handkerchief babydoll shirt with a thin strip of silk that is attached to the middle of the front and ties at the back of the neck. The problem is that it's sleeveless... I don't do sleeveless... So I though, well hey, I can make a shrug or something. Went to JoAnn's tonight and couldn't find a thing. I was going to give up and just get the other two fabrics that I had picked out cut and leave. As I was waiting in line, lo and behold, I found a remnant of brick colored 100% linen fabric in the bargain bin and got it for 7 bucks. WooHoo! So I'm going to be sewing that up as soon as it comes out of the washing machine and is dry. I got the "pattern" for the shrug here.
On the sewing front, I have several projects.
I want to make accessories for the summer... In case I go to the beach at some point. A sarong and a cover-up shirt. 1.) I got a Caribbean blue cotton shirt fabric for the sarong. It has little tie-dyed flowers in a diamond pattern all across it. I think it will be very cute. I just have to cut it to size and hem it on my sewing machine really quick. 2.) I got a cotton gauzy kind of fabric with teal, Caribbean blue, light green and lavender stripes of random and alternating thickness. They kind of bleed together so the they seem to fade from one color to the next. I'm going to cut it on the diagonal so that the stripes will go diagonally across my body and there will be a handkerchief type hem with a point in the front and in the back. The sleeves will bell out at the wrists and also come to a point at the sides. I think it will be cute. I might do some other things with it too. I'll have to wait and see...
3.) I'm working on the modern "obi" for the 18th century robe I got from Susan. I'm going shopping for the fabric tomorrow.
4.) I found a wonderful shirt at Lane Bryant yesterday and just had to buy it! It's like a silk handkerchief babydoll shirt with a thin strip of silk that is attached to the middle of the front and ties at the back of the neck. The problem is that it's sleeveless... I don't do sleeveless... So I though, well hey, I can make a shrug or something. Went to JoAnn's tonight and couldn't find a thing. I was going to give up and just get the other two fabrics that I had picked out cut and leave. As I was waiting in line, lo and behold, I found a remnant of brick colored 100% linen fabric in the bargain bin and got it for 7 bucks. WooHoo! So I'm going to be sewing that up as soon as it comes out of the washing machine and is dry. I got the "pattern" for the shrug here.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Colbert at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
Everyone needs to see these video clips. I pray you've got access to a computer somewhere with a decent bandwidth. Stephen Colbert (of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central) truly lampooned the President right in front of him... and Laura Bush... and the entire press core... and several military officials... And there was hardly a laugh to be heard in the whole place... I think that's quite telling just how good and right on the mark his routine was in this case. Laura had the sourest expression I think I've ever seen on her face... like she'd just smelled something nasty and was trying not to smell it again but didn't want anyone else to know that. Laura and George W. left the banquet right after Stephan retook his seat. Don't know if that was the plan, but "wow!" if it wasn't! Very brave of you Stephen! Kudos!
Stephen is acting like he's at a Friar's Club Roast of President Bush rather than a White House dinner...
His "audition tape" for getting to be the next White House Press Secretary...
Stephen is acting like he's at a Friar's Club Roast of President Bush rather than a White House dinner...
His "audition tape" for getting to be the next White House Press Secretary...
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Katherine Harris
Heads up all Floridians: Do *not* vote for Katherine Harris for Senate! I got two reasons without doing the research that I am too tired to do right now... I'll do it later and amend this, but for now, two reasons. 1.) She's one of Bush's cronies. She was the Secretary of State who kept messing with the recounts back in 2000, and she did it with the most godawful, supercilious smirk on her face. She was also involved in Bush's Presidential campaign... Conflict of interests much? I'd say so... 2.) Bill Nelson, the man she's running against, seems like a really good guy and I have yet to suspect him of being in anyone's pocket. He seems to have integrity. Anyone who knows me knows just how rarely I say that about a politician. The letters I get from him in response to the letters I send him do not have the patronizing, belittling tone that other politicians' form response letters tend to have. I also have yet to disagree with the way he's voted on any issue of which I am aware, and he seems to really want to do what is best for his constituents in a fair and balanced kind of way... and really, what more can one ask for in a Senator?
If you need more reasons to not vote for Katherine Harris and to vote for Bill Nelson, just google their names. See what you come up with... I think you'll be hard pressed to find many nice things about Katherine on any page that she or her supporters didn't pay for, even in newspapers, etc. Bill, on the other hand, comes off, as I said, as a really nice guy.
Here's some links, just to be fair...
Katherine Harris's campaign site.
A better Katherine Harris site.
Bill Nelson's campaign site.
Bill Nelson's official Senate site.
If you need more reasons to not vote for Katherine Harris and to vote for Bill Nelson, just google their names. See what you come up with... I think you'll be hard pressed to find many nice things about Katherine on any page that she or her supporters didn't pay for, even in newspapers, etc. Bill, on the other hand, comes off, as I said, as a really nice guy.
Here's some links, just to be fair...
Katherine Harris's campaign site.
A better Katherine Harris site.
Bill Nelson's campaign site.
Bill Nelson's official Senate site.
The drought
It's official. We're experiencing a drought. The County Commission has issued a request that people stop watering their lawns voluntarily... period, just not water their grass, no matter how bad your lawn looks. They will be meeting May 17th to discuss the possibility of passing mandatory water restrictions to conserve water further if the voluntary measures don't relieve the water shortage problems.
I need to remember to tell dad to stop trying to plant grass plugs in the bare spots out front. Now is totally the wrong time of year to attempt that... I had already told him that, now I have proof to back it up. Maybe this time he'll listen and not plant anymore this weekend. The backyard is almost totally brown and crispy everywhere the sprinklers and soaker hoses don't reach.
Joe mentioned a few weeks back that we should water our grass. I said, "Why? It's not like not watering it will kill it. As soon as it starts raining regularly, it'll all come back. As much as we have to water the garden and flowers, it would be a total waste to try to keep the lawn green too." Joe said he likes grass... He'd just rather not see it all brown and crispy... I understand, but brown grass doesn't bother me a bit. Can you imagine the amount of water we'd need to keep 3/4 of an acre of grass green and lush? I don't even want to think about it. I say, let it fry! It'll be back...
I need to remember to tell dad to stop trying to plant grass plugs in the bare spots out front. Now is totally the wrong time of year to attempt that... I had already told him that, now I have proof to back it up. Maybe this time he'll listen and not plant anymore this weekend. The backyard is almost totally brown and crispy everywhere the sprinklers and soaker hoses don't reach.
Joe mentioned a few weeks back that we should water our grass. I said, "Why? It's not like not watering it will kill it. As soon as it starts raining regularly, it'll all come back. As much as we have to water the garden and flowers, it would be a total waste to try to keep the lawn green too." Joe said he likes grass... He'd just rather not see it all brown and crispy... I understand, but brown grass doesn't bother me a bit. Can you imagine the amount of water we'd need to keep 3/4 of an acre of grass green and lush? I don't even want to think about it. I say, let it fry! It'll be back...
Ghost Hunters!
I love the TV show "Ghost Hunters." It's a show on the Sci-Fi Channel that chronicles the professional lives of the TAPS team. "TAPS" stands for The Atlantic Paranormal Society. They investigate cases of supposed hauntings, most often in the New England area, and they are based in Connecticut. They're led by co-founders Grant and Jason, who work for Roto-Rooter as plumbers during the day. There's also a soldier (currently serving in Iraq), a former Air Force MP, an environmental engineer, a former priest and a police officer on their team, as well as other professionals. Smart, well-educated people who like to look for signs of ghosts in more than just their spare time.
Now, I hate typical horror movies, like "Scream" or "Nightmare on Elm Street," and psychological thrillers. Won't watch 'em, not even if you paid me. "Ghost Hunters" though... Man, I could scare myself with this stuff all day! Why? Because Jason and Grant and the rest of the TAPS team can usually explain away all the potentially scary stuff by the end of the hour. And what they can't explain away, they're generally so excited that it couldn't possibly be that scary to me. And the worst thing that can happen is that I know never to go to certain locations where they've actually found stuff that they can't explain away... such as the Saint Augustine Lighthouse, Eastern State Penitentiary, and the USS North Carolina. I *heart* TAPS.
You can check out their website here: http://the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/
And if you want to know more about "Ghost Hunters", go here: http://www.scifi.com/ghosthunters/
Now, I hate typical horror movies, like "Scream" or "Nightmare on Elm Street," and psychological thrillers. Won't watch 'em, not even if you paid me. "Ghost Hunters" though... Man, I could scare myself with this stuff all day! Why? Because Jason and Grant and the rest of the TAPS team can usually explain away all the potentially scary stuff by the end of the hour. And what they can't explain away, they're generally so excited that it couldn't possibly be that scary to me. And the worst thing that can happen is that I know never to go to certain locations where they've actually found stuff that they can't explain away... such as the Saint Augustine Lighthouse, Eastern State Penitentiary, and the USS North Carolina. I *heart* TAPS.
You can check out their website here: http://the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/
And if you want to know more about "Ghost Hunters", go here: http://www.scifi.com/ghosthunters/
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Tampa History at Oaklawn Cemetery
I was telling Susan not long ago about Oaklawn Cemetery in downtown Tampa, across the street from the Morgan Street Jail. It's one of the oldest cemeteries in the area, founded in 1850, and a lot of the people who built Tampa are buried there or in the adjoining Catholic cemetery, "St. Louis." About half a dozen friends and I went on Halloween for a tour several years ago. A reenacting woman, Maureen Patrick, dressed in 1880s mourning clothes, gave tours all day, telling anecdotes about notable people who were buried there. She herself was pretending to be a woman who was buried there, I think, in the 1880s. Here is her website, which I just found: http://historicguides.com/
Her favorite grave and mine is that of William and Nancy Ashley. To help me establish just why their story is such a big deal and how it came to be, a few facts about Ashley... William Ashley was a Justice of the Peace, Tampa's first City Clerk and was considered a very important person in mid-19th century Tampa society. I found one thing online about him making a toast at the Independence Day celebration at Fort Brooke (where Channelside is now located) in 1847. That day, toasts were also made by all the other major players in town. There are only a few streets in downtown Tampa named for powerful men of that era. One is named for William Ashley - Ashley Drive - and another street is named for his best friend, Tampa's 9th mayor, John Jackson (Jackson is actually the person who named both of those streets when he laid out the city grid in 1847).
In the days before the Civil War, William had a slave named Nancy. They fell madly in love with each other. After the War, they lived together as husband and wife, although they were forbidden by law to officially marry. When William lay dying in 1973, he asked John Jackson to ensure that Nancy could be buried with him when her time came. John promised he would see to it. Several months after William's death, Nancy died as well, many said that it was of a broken heart. This is their epitaph, carved into the stone under a weeping willow, written by John Jackson:
One newspaper reporter in 2003 said that this made Oaklawn Cemetery the first intergrated institution in Tampa... Probably, the county too... and, possibly, even the state.
John Jackson and his wife, Ellen, were also buried there, in the Catholic section of the cemetery. Their graves were moved to Myrtle Hill Cemetery sometime after 1917 for reasons unknown to me. John died in 1887. He had immigrated to the US from Ireland in 1841. When he wasn't doing the city planning or being mayor, he and his wife ran a general store at the corner of Tampa and Washington Streets downtown.
Just had to share...
Her favorite grave and mine is that of William and Nancy Ashley. To help me establish just why their story is such a big deal and how it came to be, a few facts about Ashley... William Ashley was a Justice of the Peace, Tampa's first City Clerk and was considered a very important person in mid-19th century Tampa society. I found one thing online about him making a toast at the Independence Day celebration at Fort Brooke (where Channelside is now located) in 1847. That day, toasts were also made by all the other major players in town. There are only a few streets in downtown Tampa named for powerful men of that era. One is named for William Ashley - Ashley Drive - and another street is named for his best friend, Tampa's 9th mayor, John Jackson (Jackson is actually the person who named both of those streets when he laid out the city grid in 1847).
In the days before the Civil War, William had a slave named Nancy. They fell madly in love with each other. After the War, they lived together as husband and wife, although they were forbidden by law to officially marry. When William lay dying in 1973, he asked John Jackson to ensure that Nancy could be buried with him when her time came. John promised he would see to it. Several months after William's death, Nancy died as well, many said that it was of a broken heart. This is their epitaph, carved into the stone under a weeping willow, written by John Jackson:
"Here lies William Ashley and Nancy Ashley.
Master and Servant.
Faithful to each other in that relation in life, in death they are not separated.
Stranger, consider and be wiser. In the Grave, all human distinction of race or caste mingle together in one common dust.
To commemorate their fidelity to each other, this stone was erected by their Executor, John Jackson, 1873."
One newspaper reporter in 2003 said that this made Oaklawn Cemetery the first intergrated institution in Tampa... Probably, the county too... and, possibly, even the state.
John Jackson and his wife, Ellen, were also buried there, in the Catholic section of the cemetery. Their graves were moved to Myrtle Hill Cemetery sometime after 1917 for reasons unknown to me. John died in 1887. He had immigrated to the US from Ireland in 1841. When he wasn't doing the city planning or being mayor, he and his wife ran a general store at the corner of Tampa and Washington Streets downtown.
Just had to share...
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Beautyberries
Awhile ago while looking for info on natural dyestuffs, I came across a page on Beautyberries. They're edible, but taste really bad... (I've seen descriptions that range from bitter to sour to both at the same time.) On this page, which I can't find now, it said that Beautyberry is also called "French mulberry." It said that the name began sometime in the early 19th century(?) or the mid-18th century(?) because of the bad taste of the berries... That is the name is a dig at the French. For the life of me, I can't find where I read this so I can confirm it. I know I didn't dream it... If anyone comes across the page, I'd appreciate a link.
Three things
1.) I'm done for the semester! Yay! Cheer! Had my exam last night. I think it went well. My grade will be posted online by the end of the week. I hope to find a way to arrange to get the test back from Mr. Hughey, but he's not sure when he'll be on campus again... Perhaps he'll leave it with the History Department secretary... I've gotten other exams back from other profs that way before.
2.) "Hellboy" is actually a pretty amusing movie... I never liked "Beauty & the Beast very much and I haven't seen nearly enough of Ron Perlman's other work. But "Hellboy"'s amusing in a snarky, sarcastic kind of way. I liked it. Oh, and I just found out that "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" is in pre-production.
3.) More movie news... of the "Brokeback" type. Got this in an e-mail from an interested friend. She's very excited. Excerpted from PlanetOut.com's entertainment section, column "The Loop" by Jenny Stewert:
"In a recent interview with AfterElton.com, author Patricia Nell Warren indicated that her acclaimed and truly amazing 1975 novel, The Front Runner, may finally be made into a film. 'We're very excited, and we're cautiously optimistic that we are finally going to get the kind of film deal that we had hoped that we'd get,' Warren said.
"With talk of a film version of the novel floating around Hollywood for more than 30 years now (get this -- at one point, even Paul Newman was attached to the project), Warren's 'cautious optimism' is valid. The recent success of Brokeback could definitely help get the film made, and like Brokeback, The Front Runner is quite simply a strong love story that seems primed for the big screen.
"And for a film that would center around a tough, 39-year-old ex-Marine track coach who falls in love with the young male athlete he's training for the Olympics, imagine what an interesting casting call that would be. Brad Pitt and Michael Pitt? George Clooney and Josh Hartnett? Hmmm -- this is too good to pass up. Stay tuned to PlanetOut next week for our Front Runner casting call!"
2.) "Hellboy" is actually a pretty amusing movie... I never liked "Beauty & the Beast very much and I haven't seen nearly enough of Ron Perlman's other work. But "Hellboy"'s amusing in a snarky, sarcastic kind of way. I liked it. Oh, and I just found out that "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" is in pre-production.
3.) More movie news... of the "Brokeback" type. Got this in an e-mail from an interested friend. She's very excited. Excerpted from PlanetOut.com's entertainment section, column "The Loop" by Jenny Stewert:
"In a recent interview with AfterElton.com, author Patricia Nell Warren indicated that her acclaimed and truly amazing 1975 novel, The Front Runner, may finally be made into a film. 'We're very excited, and we're cautiously optimistic that we are finally going to get the kind of film deal that we had hoped that we'd get,' Warren said.
"With talk of a film version of the novel floating around Hollywood for more than 30 years now (get this -- at one point, even Paul Newman was attached to the project), Warren's 'cautious optimism' is valid. The recent success of Brokeback could definitely help get the film made, and like Brokeback, The Front Runner is quite simply a strong love story that seems primed for the big screen.
"And for a film that would center around a tough, 39-year-old ex-Marine track coach who falls in love with the young male athlete he's training for the Olympics, imagine what an interesting casting call that would be. Brad Pitt and Michael Pitt? George Clooney and Josh Hartnett? Hmmm -- this is too good to pass up. Stay tuned to PlanetOut next week for our Front Runner casting call!"
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