Where the Magic Happens

This weekend it was time to get the hair color refreshed and trimmed. The place that I go to, Skullz, had recently moved to a new & larger location as well as had much new painting and work done. I decided to get off politics today and show you a bit of where all the magic happens!

I took these pictures with my camera phone so the quality is not of the highest caliber, but they give you a good idea. My hairstylist is Jeremy and he is in such high demand that he was working today, Sunday, for several hours to fit in 5 clients! As well as doing great hair & color he is also a professional make-up artist and has done the make-up for several "big hair glam band" videos in Calif. Not to mention a who's who of drag queens!!

The best thing about going there to get my hair done is that my girlfriends and I will often meet there, when one of us getting something dyed, cut or waxed and bring a bottle or two of our favorite wine and everyone has a glass and a good time!! You won't see that happening at Best Cuts or Great Clips.

By the way, that is my mom & I in the opening shot with my recent color and cut! Obviously my mom does not go to the same salon as I!!

Another Hypocrite

Not surprising, it seems that her majesty, Oprah, is declining to have Sarah Palin as a guest on her show. At first she outright said no, but as the backlash began she then recanted and said that AFTER the election she would have her on. We all know what a HUGE(no pun) supporter she is of Obama, I think she would marry him if given the opportunity, and it would cause conflict for her. As someone who has never been a fan this does not surprise me.

Although she sure has had her fair share of other "controversial" guests. Tom Cruise mad a total ass out of himself on her show and she continues to gush and fawn and have him on, even after all his crazy Scientology gaffs about post-partum depression and the like. She had writer James Fry back, to chastise him, after he was shown to have lied when he created his best selling book about his drug life and all that other crap was that proven to be false.

So, all these years that she has been an alleged pusher of women's issues and her magazine is all about "make yourself better girls" she is deciding not to showcase a professional working woman/mother who is her biggest demographic? Like I say, I am not, nor have I ever been a fan, and this just seals the deal for me. I hope, as I have heard, that many working and professional women are and will be boycotting both her show and magazine.

Threat or No Threat?

There is certainly not any short supply of article's to read about McCains choice for VP. I read an informative one in the NY Times yesterday and this good one at Alternet today. The writer, Heather Gehlert, is no lover of the Republicans, but she makes some very good points and has some excellent contrasts; especially when it comes to issues that actually cause people to vote and how people usually think when they look at candidates. Sadly, it seems, the majority do not read nor care about actual issues, but rather at superficial things like appearances and who & what clubs and venues people belong to. Check out a few of the tidbits from the article, but it is very good, as well as informative, so you may want to read it all.

"That's because the very issues that Democrats say make her a political risk -- her newness to the political world stage, her anti-choice stance, her opposition to gay marriage, her support of capital punishment, her disregard for the environment -- matter very little in determining the outcome of elections. Voters -- some of whom dissect policy issues daily, but most of whom don't -- ultimately cast their ballots based on emotion. Not logic. Not knowledge of "the issues.""

When I read this I think of people, like my mom, who don't read much about issues, but who watch the nightly news and the "talking heads" on Fox etc. and take what they say as the gospel about candidates. She "just knows" that she doesn't like certain candidates, but cannot really tell you why. She doesn't like Obama's wife, but can not give specific details about what makes her feel this way.

"In 2004, John Kerry was the champion debater. He was sharp, focused, intelligent. He could call B.S. on George W. Bush and poke holes in nearly any of his arguments. But he was also stiff. He seemed cool and disconnected, not just because of his body language but also because of his words. His policy prescriptions, detailed as they were, didn't connect with his audience. Four years after hearing him speak, I can only recall that, on an intellectual level, I agreed with his points. But I don't remember what he said. His words didn't resonate with me. They didn't stick with me in my gut.

Bush, on the other hand, was the dunce. He wore a goofy smile and dodged questions in each debate. But he was the man people could imagine having a beer with. He drew crowds in with his drawl, spoke in a simple, unintimidating way, and so could get away with covering up four years of abysmal domestic and foreign policy. I probably disagreed with 99 percent of what Bush said, but I can at least remember some of his talking points. He said he worked hard and promised to work hard for American families. He said he understood American families. He said he would protect American families.

Was that a load of bull? Of course. But it sure was delivered in pretty packaging. And, most importantly, it made a large number of voters feel good."

You can see some this in the large numbers that turn out for the Obama concerts that end up actually crying at his mere appearance, they want to feel good and they are so overcome with emotion that this becomes their voting mantra. Drew Weston, from Emory University, is a clinical, personality & political psychologist who has studied this phenomenon and written a book about it; "The Political Brain:The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation."

"(T)he vision of mind that has captured the imagination of philosophers, cognitive scientists, economists, and political scientists since the eighteenth century -- a dispassionate mind that makes decisions by weighing the evidence and reasoning to the most valid conclusions -- bears no relation to how the mind and brain actually work," Westen writes. "When campaign strategists start from this vision of mind, their candidates typically lose."

I think that Timothy Egan, of the NY Times, summed it up best when he said," Palin brings a bit of the "Legally Blonde" aspect to the race -- you underestimate her at your peril."

DNC or Wing Night?

Hmmmmm, watch the DNC or 25 cent wing night out with the girls? Wing night, PRICELESS!! I decided to go this little neighborhood place, in a nearby city, that has the best wings I have ever come across. I would even gladly pay more! Not only are they the biggest I have ever seen, at this price, but crispy and not dripping in sauce. The big chain places do not even hold a candle to them! Those places think that if they have a thousand flavors and their wings are swimming in it that they rule. I could care less about the hype & sauce. For me it is all about the size and meat on the wing. This place, The Boulevard, has got it down 100%!!

It is one of those small, out-of-the-way, neighborhood places. You have to get there early to get a table or you will have to sit at the bar. You can not take any leftovers with you, but if you do not order enough, they get SO busy that you might wait a long time for another plate. I got 18 this time and barely ate 10. That is how big they are. They even have a decent wine list and a nice glass of red ( Shiraz) only cost me $4.00.

Quality time spent with the girls.......priceless!! Oh, the DNC.....I'll get the high and lowlights later. I can pick and choose what I want to see. As far as I am concerned it has been over for a long time and I'll just wait until it's the end of October and see where I stand.

Elections happen every four years while good times with friends need to be more frequent.

Additions, Welcome and Changes

I finally did a little bit of clean-up here at the 'ol blog! I have added the Drudge Report to my list of links. With all the links and news that they share I think that it can add to our knowledge base about many issues that face us today. So check it out, if you do not already read them, they also include links to many good writers like Dave Barry.

I also would like to issue a hearty welcome back to Esteban over at his blog! He was out of the blogging world for awhile, but has returned victoriously and with a new computer!! If you like to mix it up with the other side and go back and forth with some saucy rhetoric from the other side then you should check him out! Now with Mixter gone, but not forgotten, we will have to shake Esteban cage now and again to keep things lively!!

Finally, speaking of Mixter...it was with great sadness that I finally deleted her link from these hallowed pages. I hope she will stop by, from time to time, and I will miss all the regulars that made comment on her pages and if we are lucky enough maybe one or two of them will stumble by from time to time. She had the best readers and the most exciting comments! Hope all is going well Mixter!!

From Obama to Downloads

Mother Jones News has a very good article, "The Audacity of Hype", about Obama and one that has some good thoughts. They presented the question, " Is Barack Obama exaggerating when he compares his campaign to the great progressive movements in U.S. history?", and they asked a variety of thinkers and writers what they thought. Here are a few snippets;

Ta-Nehisi Coates
Author, The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood
Well, I think he's exaggerating, in the sense that it's hard to understand a great, substantive moment in history while it's still happening. We knew 9/11 was a historic moment, if only because nothing like that had ever happened. But we didn't know—and maybe still don't completely know—what that actually meant. So in the sense that all people who compare the ongoing, shifting, malleable present with the past, he is indeed exaggerating. Let me just state the obvious—electing a black president will be historic, and I guess quasi-progressive. But the substance of what his presidency will be for America just isn't known yet.

Debra Dickerson
Author, The End of Blackness
Kudos to Obama for reaching transcendence, but no way is the undeniable excitement he's generated anything remotely resembling America's past great progressive movements. To point out the obvious, the very examples he's invoking had specific purposes—winning World War II, ending slavery then Jim Crow, enfranchising women. Beyond dethroning Bush II, worthy though it is, what's his goal? Even were he to peg his entire candidacy on ending the Iraq War, that wouldn't transform America the way past convulsive movements did. At best, electing Obama might be seen as the final death throes of a racism that still dares to speak its name, but it might just be best if he stopped playing to his fellow citizens' lazy vanity—look, Ma! I'm changing America without sacrificing anything in the least!—and kept what he represents in perspective. His nearness to the presidency is an amazing, wondrous thing, but America won't be much different afterward, blasphemous as that sounds.

There are many others of varying thought that you might find interesting indeed.

I have been very busy, getting Max ready for his senior year and ready to graduate in Jan. and then off to the Navy. It is more labor intensive than I had imagined it would be. Then, we are getting back in to the busy time at the coffee mega giant. The college kids are back and business is crazy. I am working long and busy hours. When I get home I am too tired to blog and even too tired to watch any news etc. Although I did notice that last Sunday's N.Y. Times had a huge article about The Daily Show and how more Americans are now admitting to getting their actual news info from that show. No big surprise....I have been for years. Kudos to the entire team at The Daily Show!!

Somewhere I am finding the time to train for my first 5K race. It is at Kent State and it is the Bowman Cup 5K. On Oct.11th, I believe, a Sat. I downloaded a training plan for a 5K and have been trying to stick with it. I have to make modifications every so often to allow for my schedule and how tired I might be, but for the most part I am doing a pretty good job. I am excited to run my first race! Had I not gotten the mp3 player I do not think I would have been able to keep going. It makes a huge difference in my timing and desire to keep moving.

Speaking of the mp3 player. I find that I am always making lists now, on scraps of paper all over my house, of songs that I want to download. After I am finished here I am adding today; Bowling for Soup, Pat Benatar and some Aerosmith.

What's up in your neck of the woods?

It's Been a Month!!

It has been over a month since I last sat down and blogged. So much has happened, not just in my life, but in the life of friends as well. I am sad to say that Mixter has shut down her blog. It was one of the first political blogs that I found when I first began to read blogs. Long before she invited me to join her I was a fan. It is going to be sad for me to finally remove her link from this site. I hope that she will occasionally stop by to read this little rag and maybe post some scathing commentary that we all came to love and enjoy! Miss ya Mixter! It was a joy to post with you and the other liberal gals at the Mix.

I was on an 11 day vacation this past week. One would think that I would have had the time for much reading and plenty of blogging, but as life would have it I had a huge curve ball thrown my way and I did not once even get on my computer. During this time we had an incident, at home with our teenager, that sent us in a tailspin. One that I am not going to elaborate upon, but enough to say that it is a hard job being a parent and you never know what is going to come your way. They grow up so fast and suddenly they think that they are adults.

I did buy a new book during this vacation. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. He was the professor at Carnegie Mellon that actually did give a last lecture as he was dying from pancreatic cancer. My girlfriend is reading it and told me that she was gleaning much knowledge from it, so John and I headed to Borders one night and I got it for 13.00, not bad considering that it was 21.95 originally. I am just beginning it, so any thoughts will have to come later. It is a very small book, so I expect to finish it in a few days.

I also finally got myself an MP3 player to run with. I can not believe how much easier it makes the task of running! I have even increased my gait which means that soon I will have to add on some more time. Could be a curse as well! :-) So, last night as we sat outside with a fire, John & I had my player plugged in to the car stereo, and an entire evening of debate ensued about the music that we each have on our players. He was genuinely surprised that I did not have more music from my growing up years. I only went back and put on a few of the hits from the 80's that I really loved from the beginning of the "New Wave" & "Punk" movements; Clash, Blondie, Squeeze, Joe Jackson. The bulk of what I put on is today's music; Seether, Hinder, Staind, Fallout Boy, 3 Doors Down and the like. John could not believe that I did not have more of the 70's and old school style rock and disco. He has that and Neil Young, Van Halen and guitar rock that never was my thing. We talked about what would be considered "age appropriate" music and why does someone have to listen to what might be considered "more their style" and not outside their realm. It was kind of like discussing religion or politics. Everyone has their own tastes and beliefs. It was fun and we laughed often.

I got a new camera cell phone, we bought Max a car for his 18th birthday and have started to talk about what our life will be like when we no longer have a child in the home. I am going to begin the paperwork to get my passport so I can begin to travel with John. Maybe as soon as next year!

We have been avoiding all news, except the Daily Show. I have not even been reading any of my news sites. I am tired of anything that has to do with the election, the price of gas and how airlines are raising their prices and charging for everything. I LOVED the ad that Paris Hilton came out with as the retort to John McCains ad. It really made me laugh. I think I might vote for her!

Let the Controversy Begin

Now, I have been trying to avoid getting too in to this election mess, but after reading this article I was moved to being pissed off, yet again! Seems that Obama is talking about the need to continue and ADD more dollars to Bush's faith based initiatives. He wants to expand them and send more money their way. Now, I do agree with the statement that he made,""The challenges we face today ... are simply too big for government to solve alone," BUT .....

I do not like the idea that he may be supporting the ability to hire and fire based on faith. (Note: The Associated Press initially reported Obama supports "their (faith-based organizations') ability to hire and fire based on faith." NBC reports the campaign says Obama's plan would prevent organizations from discriminating based on faith. The Associated Press changed its wording to say, "some ability to hire and fire based on faith." The campaign says this second version is still inaccurate.)

I think that the religious organizations need to be totally out of the picture and another way found. I do not have the answers, but this seems to be heading into a whole different kind of mess. What about people, like me, that profess no specific "faith" or organized religion? Are we not allowed to seek help because we do not follow the same path as those that dish out the help/food/services? What about volunteering/working for them? Same thing, will they turn down my help because I do not follow their paths?

I believe that it is a slippery slope and one that we never should have entered in to and one that should disappear and alternatives found.

How Much Closer are We?

How much closer are we to going in to Iran before "you-know-who" vacates the White House? I am getting the feeling that it is much closer than any of us would like. Mother Jones has put together an interesting group of people to answer questions regarding this issue. An Israeli intel correspondent, an Iranian American activist, an arms expert, a former peace negotiator, and an anti-war intellectual. You can post questions, it is a blogging type situation, and then they will discuss it among themselves and the readers.

Check it out and see what you think.

New Ink

This is not my arm, but it is the same tattoo that I just got on my right arm yesterday. He changed up the flower colors a bit and made them brighter, but basically the same. I loved that it was silly and made me laugh.

Got Junk?

Newsweek magazine has an article about what our junk reveals about us. Our clutter, the crap we have piled on our desks and the type of crap that we save or have just not thrown out. Sam Gosling, a psychology professor, has written a book; "Snoop: What Your Stuff says about You".

He says that the things that people have, and keep, can tell you more about them than face-to-face meetings. This stuff serves as the "non-verbal" cues to who and what we are that is not so apparent to the rest of the world.

He uses his study of the Greek way of defining the personality types and even the Myers-Briggs testing styles to come up with the style that he uses to help you equate people based on their junk. He has five areas that he uses; openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neurotic ism. OCEAN for short. How we organize our spaces decides where we fall into each of these areas. Messy people tend to score high for extroversion, but low in conscientiousness, while people with generic or un-decorated bedrooms and office spaces will tend to fall high in conscientiousness, but low in openness.

If this book is inexpensive I think I might pick it up for fun. I would like to take a walk through my spaces and see where it puts me and how closely it is. Years ago I took the Myers-Briggs assessment, for one of those group building/dynamics courses. Trying to get us all to see how to work more effectively with the other "types" in the mix. I came out as an extrovert-sensor-feeling-preceptor. I don't know if any of you have ever taken that assessment, but it is a somewhat lengthy test and then you do find out some intuitive things about yourself and it was quite accurate to my style, especially in the work and group areas. I did see that they also have an easier/user friendly version on the Internet if any of you want to check it out and see where you fall. I am "classified" as the Joker and it does truly fit my work style and life.

As I have gotten older I find that the people that I am most drawn to also seem to have the same home style and types of junk that I do. It must be that we are drawn to those that are most like ourselves. One of my favorite quotes that I keep posted on my fridge is, "Clutter is a sign of life being lived".

And so I live on.

....but I Prefer Black.

Your Mind is Blue

Of all the mind types, yours is the most mellow. You tend to be in a meditative state most of the time. You don't try to think away your troubles. Your thoughts are realistic, fresh, and honest. You truly see things as how they are. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about your friends, your surroundings, and your life.

What Color Is Your Mind?

Like a Vacation

Seems as if I have been on a vacation. I have been eating all the time; cooking out steak, burgers & dogs. Wine of the white & red varieties. Cheesecake. Lots and lots of corn-on-the-cob dripping in butter. Night fires in the pit and late nights. No, not a vacation, but rather John has been home for three weeks!

He left this morning for another tour in Australia. Another new town and a company that has never had one of these machines before, so we expect a 3 week or more trip.

I told him that I was almost glad that he was leaving because all I have done since he has been home is eat. I think I only ran twice and worked out a handful of times. This has really been like a relaxing vacation! It seemed as if we both hung out around the house and got some much needed tasks accomplished as well as watching a little junk TV. We hung out in the yard often and threw enough tennis balls for the dog to feel like we were pitching in the majors!! When she got tired of that we opted for a Frisbee.

We drank coffee outside in the morning and watched the birds come to the feeder. Drank wine and beer outside, at night, and either had a fire where we would take turns poking it, or on the porch under the dim summer lighting that I put up.

It was the most relaxed that I have been in weeks. I have had no interest in politics at all and could care less about the election right now. I have barely looked at the news aside from a little Internet news. Part of my good state of mind is possibly due to cutting out all the negative crap that is out there on a daily basis. I have thought about blogging, but just did not think of anything important to say.

Then it dawned on me...I don't really have to always be timely and pertinent. I don't always have to be engaged in some big discussion or argument about about world events or things that piss me off. Life is too short to always be either angry or blaming someone. It is about the good things, family, friends, a good dog, a nice fire to poke and a bottle of your favorite red or white.

Sex and the City

I never became a fan until the show was already into re-runs. I could not even have told you any of the character names. Then something happened....... I watched an episode, obviously out of order & not knowing who anyone was, but loved it!! It was a hilarious episode where Samantha, the slightly older of the four ladies, is dating a younger man, as she is prone to do, and she discovers that she has some gray hair "down there". So, she dyes it herself and it turns out the shade of Ronald McDonalds hair! Having some familiarity with this area I nearly fell off my chair laughing. I could relate. I decided to watch some more of this show. Now, I am hooked.

A girl that I work with loaned me the entire series on DVD. Now, I am prepared for the movie. There is going to be about 15 of us total. We, a group of girls from work, have decided to go along with various mothers and sisters and friends. First we are all going out for dinner and a few drinks, then we are walking over to the theatre to all watch it together. My mom has never seen the show, but who cares! It is going to be a night of girl fun and frivolity! The movie will be its own story and those who know the history will get that extra added thrill.

I also happen to be a big Chris Noth fan from Law & Order long before he was "Big". So, along with the ending and closing of many story lines I am also looking forward to the camaraderie with all the girls and women of various ages that are going out Friday night. A few Cosmos, a burger and a bucket of popcorn later...who cares how good the movie actually is, it is all about bonding and spending time with the girls.

It's All in a Name

What Dharma Means

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way!

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What Kathy Means

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

What Kathleen Means

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Again, Mixter got me hooked in to this little quiz. Kathleen is a name that rarely gets used, but I thought that I would see what it said. I am almost a total combination of my screen persona, Dharma, and Kathy. At one point in my life I was actually going to legally change my name to Dharma since I like it so much, but decided that it would piss my mom off too much!!

Classic Rock

This morning, before school, Max had VH 1 Classic on the television. I was having coffee and reading blogs and then I heard music that stirred something in me. " I know that song", I said. I went in to look at the screen to see that he had VH1 Classics on and they were playing the Psychedelic Furs "Pretty in Pink". Wow, how I used to love that band. I came back in to the computer and then the next song, same thing, I knew the band this time, Thompson Twins and the song was "Doctor, Doctor". "Wow", I said,"This is awesome stuff from the 80's". Then I thought about what I had said and what was happening here.

The 80's music is now considered "classic rock". Wow. Hard to believe. When I think of classic rock I think of Freebird and Stairway to Heaven. The 80's were my hard clubbing, dance and party the night away days, or should I say DAZE!! The best part of the punk rock and New Wave scene where bands like Suzie and the Banshees, The Clash, Dead Kennedys were all the cool club rage. John Hughes was putting great music into all his movies. The Pretty in Pink soundtrack is fantastic 80's fare as is the Lost Boys soundtrack.

I guess to kids Max's age the 1980's would be considered a classic rock era. My god, it is 20+ years ago!! If you look around you will notice that all the plastic jewelry, 80's style, is coming back. Some days, when I am working at the coffee mega giant, I will tie my hair up with a black lacy scarf and wear big bangle earrings. My hairdresser came in and called me Madonna! I told him that I was single-handed trying to bring back the 80's!

If you look around in the stores you can see the jelly-type shoes are back in along with some more modern style flip-flops made out of the same material. It probably won't be too long before we see the leg warmers and Swatch watches back in vogue.

Everything old is new again and the next generation feels as if they just discovered it. Walk into a Claires, at the mall, it looks and feels like you just walked back into the 1980's. Except without Doc Brown and Marty!!

That Smarts!

All-Around Smart You are all-around smart. Essentially, that means that you are a good combination of your own knowledge and experience, along with having learned through instruction - and you are equally as good with theoretical things as you are with real-world, applied things. You have a well-rounded brain. 0% applied intelligence 20% natural intelligence

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Thanks for the fun quiz Mixter!

Democracy in America: The Monsters under the Bed & in the Closets

Bill Moyers has written a book about democracy in America and the excerpt that I have read is quite frightening...... and true. The things that he points out are things that many of us have either noticed or talked about, but are becoming more and more powerless to do anything about. Especially since our systems of electing the people, that we think will make the change, is not really doing anything for any of us.

"Now all bets are off. We have fallen under the spell of money, faction, and fear, and the great American experience in creating a different future together has been subjugated to individual cunning in the pursuit of wealth and power -and to the claims of empire, with its ravenous demands and stuporous distractions. A sense of political impotence pervades the country -- a mass resignation defined by Goodwyn as "believing the dogma of 'democracy' on a superficial public level but not believing it privately." We hold elections, knowing they are unlikely to bring the corporate state under popular control. There is considerable vigor at local levels, but it has not been translated into new vistas of social possibility or the political will to address our most intractable challenges. Hope no longer seems the operative dynamic of America, and without hope we lose the talent and drive to cooperate in the shaping of our destiny."

I have never seen an election year where more people are thinking of just "throwing in the towel". Too many to count are talking about not even voting. They ask,"why bother" or "why should I"? There seems to be such a pervasive feeling of malaise and giving up. The people that have these feelings seem to also be more of the middle class like myself. Others are students and regular working class folks. Most conversation has shifted away from politics, in the coffee shop circles, and gone on to gas and food prices. The feeling and obviousness of the separation of classes is evident.

"The earth we share as our common gift, to be passed on in good condition to our children's children, is being despoiled. Private wealth is growing as public needs increase apace. Our Constitution is perilously close to being consigned to the valley of the shadow of death, betrayed by a powerful cabal of secrecy-obsessed authoritarians. Terms like "liberty" and "individual freedom" invoked by generations of Americans who battled to widen the 1787 promise to "promote the general welfare" have been perverted to create a government primarily dedicated to the welfare of the state and the political class that runs it. Yes, Virginia, there is a class war and ordinary people are losing it."

One of the better things that Mr. Moyers points out is that the media , as if we did not already know this, is terribly screwed up! Yes, he points out, there are a few who actually take the risk and try to tell/write the truth, but they are few and far between. They are actually the pawns of those corporate giants that own them.

"I wish I could say that journalists in general are showing the same interest in uncovering the dangerous linkages thwarting this democracy. It is not for lack of honest and courageous individuals who would risk their careers to speak truth to power -- a modest risk compared to those of some journalists in authoritarian countries who have been jailed or murdered for the identical "crime." But our journalists are not in control of the instruments they play. As conglomerates swallow up newspapers, magazines, publishing houses, and networks, and profit rather than product becomes the focus of corporate effort, news organizations -- particularly in television -- are folded into entertainment divisions. The "news hole" in the print media shrinks to make room for advertisements, and stories needed by informed citizens working together are pulled in favor of the latest celebrity scandals because the media moguls have decided that uncovering the inner workings of public and private power is boring and will drive viewers and readers away to greener pastures of pabulum. Good reporters and editors confront walls of resistance in trying to place serious and informative reports over which they have long labored. Media owners who should be sounding the trumpets of alarm on the battlements of democracy instead blow popular ditties through tin horns, undercutting the basis for their existence and their First Amendment rights."

This book is definitely one that is going on my short list of new books that I will try and read this summer. I highly recommend that you check out the article, over at AlterNet, and see for yourself.

Shout Out to Dooce!

One of the blogs that I read is Dooce. The creator and writer on this web site is Heather B. Armstrong who was just on the Today show and has been an acclaimed blogger and winner of many awards associated with her blogging. She can now also boast a new book! "Things I Learned About my Dad in Therapy".

"Compiled by Heather B. Armstrong, award-winning publisher and über-mistress of the phenomenally popular dooce.com®, this hilarious and heartwarming celebration of "everything dad" features original stories from some of the country's most celebrated bloggers, including Alice Bradley (Finslippy) Doug French (Laid Off Dad), Maggie Mason (Mighty Girl), Matthew Baldwin (Defective Yeti), Sarah Brown (Que Sera Sera), and more.

From a new father's comparison of pregnancy to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, to a mother's story of bravely surviving a husband-son infatuation with Star Wars, to the mini triumphs and tragedies of toddlerhood, this book provides a unique, no-holds-barred glimpse into the quirks and candid moments of modern dads.

Whether we relish or fear growing up to be like our fathers…whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. Things I Learned about my Dad in Therapy touches upon the many joys and discoveries of fatherhood, one essay at a time."

I have always enjoyed Heathers blogging and often the stories are irreverent and hilarious; like the time she tells about how her dog had his head up the chimney for days only to find out they had a huge raccoon living in there! Some of the stories about their little girl, I could skip because I am just not fond of stories about small children any more, but for the most part she is an excellent and funny writer and you should stop by her blog and check it out. Her stories about going to New York to appear on the Today Show are funny and often she includes photos that add to the enjoyment of the story.

Heather B. Armstrong is the award winning publisher of dooce® (dooce.com). She gained notoriety in 2002 as one of the first people to be fired because of a blog, and in 2005 dooce.com was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 50 Coolest Websites. Armstrong has been on Good Morning America, CNN, NPR, and ABC's World News Tonight as a featured commenter on both blogging and postpartum depression, as well as profiled in the New York Times Sunday Style section and the Washington Post Weekend Magazine. She was published in Real Simple's Family edition in August, 2007.

Armstrong lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, daughter, and dog.

She also has a very cool dog, Chuck, that will allow them to pose him with some of the craziest things I have ever seen on a dogs head as well as clothing! He sits and poses so patiently, more than any dog I have ever seen. That dog has expressive eyes and a wonderful looking face.

Heather also coined the phrase "recovering Mormon" that I am often fond of using as she was raised in a Mormon home and therefore I can relate to her stories of dinnertime prayer etc.

Congrats Heather & Dooce on being a fun and award winning blog and on your newest literary efforts!!

U.S. Death Toll, Tough Love , Womens Rights , Oprah Overload & Beautiful Finland

This morning, as I sit here sipping my extra bold Italian roast coffee, I find that many news articles are catching my attention. Not to mention the beautiful photos that John has sent from his weekend get-away in Finland. I plan to just touch upon the basics of these stories and let you go to the links for further details. They are all stories that piss the hell out of me, so I would be here writing for hours if I went on about all of them. I have too much to do today to let that happen, so have at it!

I have never been a big Oprah fan. Just never got into the show and I do not buy any of her "brand". I used to reach with a woman that had to watch her show every day and would come to school each day recapping the show from the day before, as if I cared. When James Fry crashed and burned from his book debacle I loved it. Anyway, this writer is beginning to discuss how many folks may be tiring of Oprah as she continues to blanket the nation, and maybe the world, with her product.

Seems that Oklahoma continues to legislate the choices for a woman. They are now telling women that wish to get abortions that they MUST have an ultrasound before they can do as they wish.

"This new law inserts the government directly into the doctor-patient interaction and promotes the legislators’ personal values rather than the best interest of the patient. This sets a dangerous precedent that could be extended into other aspects of patient care, especially other controversial areas of medicine."

They are already required to get information, prior to the procedure, that informs them as to what they are doing etc. In my mind that is already pushing the envelop. Now they must undergo this procedure? The choice continues to be taken from women and put into the hands of legislators. This is getting scary.

The U.S. death toll, in Iraq, has hit a 7 month high. Some may compare these numbers to other wars etc., but why compare...aren't they all unnecessary, sad and useless losses? The shape of this "war" seems to be changing greatly to the fighting of insurgents rather than liberating people and helping them to establish democracy etc. All the reasons that it was stated that we went there in the first place.

As someone that has worked with troubled and "at risk" teens I have to say that the whole "boot camp" idea of punishment leaves me quite cold. We are talking about kids that have come from mostly violent homes. Where there is never ending yelling and screaming along with physical violence. Then you want to put them in boot camp style punishment settings where they are forced to endure more of the same yelling, screaming and the like. Granted the leaders may not be druggies or drunks, but I have seen first hand how these kids respond to more of the same tones etc. and it is not good. I am not saying that they do not need some type of program, but I do not think that these militarily styled settings may not be in the best interest of the child.

When you look at some of these "camps" or "wilderness camps" you have to look at the caliber of those they hire. Due to the death of some kids at the hands of the guards/instructors that are hired to watch over them. Also those instructed to teach them. There are always stories of those that slip through the cracks and end up working with these kids that do not even have the proper training or demeanor to be doing so.

Finally, we come to the Finland experience. Looks like John will be there till June, but he has had a wonderful weekend adventure and I have included a few photos for your viewing enjoyment. The owner of the company has this lovely little cabin in the woods on this lake. They went for a weekend. All the food was catered in and there was a smaller sauna building as well. They had much Finnish vodka and after several hours in the sauna did three trips to the lake for frozen dips. They walked out that dock and into the lake. I asked if it was refreshing and John said, "Not once! It was fricking freezing every time!" Said that his feet were blue by the time they were finished. The man does not have much body fat! Said that he slept great and the air was wonderful. It looks like a beautiful setting and it is a place that I could spend a great deal of time.

Coffee is cold, so I guess that is the signal that it is time to either refill the cup, or do something constructive. It is my day off. We'll see.