Credit cards for illegals - come get your goodies!

Bank of America cares about illegals - mostly that they're potential customers. So...persons without SSNs or credit history can now get BoA credit cards. Story here. Yeah!

Some folks aren't actually thrilled with this development and some are actually doing something about it:
-Dennis Miller closes his account with BoA.
-A San Diego Radio Show Host holds a BoA credit card shredding party for those who want to demonstrate their dismay.

Unfortunately, BoA isn't the only bank catering to illegals; Wells Fargo & even the Federal Reserve Bank are cashing in on the complete lack of border control. Sellouts. Well, I don't have time tonight to get the links to these stories, but hopefully will soon...

Hat tips: The Stein Report & Michelle Malkin.

Technorati topic: immigration

Five things I'm really tired of

I may just do a "5 things" blurb from time to time...This is "5 Things I'm really tired of":

1. Jihad, jihad, jihad. I'm sick of reading accounts of suicide bombers, honor killings, of torched cars, of offended Muslims, of Muslims in this country crying discrimination and - uh - racism! Etc.

2. Racism, racism, racism. It's the fall-back charge whenever the "slighted party" wants to avoid any real discussion of the issue. Like illegal immigration. Like criminal activity by certain other parties. Like Muslims detained for suspicious behavior on airplanes.

3. Marching. Any demonstration - don't care what your topic is - don't you have something better to do with your time?

4. Metro incompetence. You've heard it before: can't handle any little snow or rain, escalators and elevators always out of order.

5. The cold. Hasn't been that long a spell, but I'm ready for spring and temps that reach freezing.

Technorati topic: minutiae

Book Review: Not Enough Indians

Not Enough Indians, by Harry Shearer (of Simpsons & Christopher Guest movies fame), has an interesting premise: a bankrupt town decides to save itself by requesting federal recognition as an Indian –ahem- Native American – tribe and subsequently setting up a casino there. Now, I was first attracted to this book because Harry Shearer is a hoot in his various incarnations, especially movies like Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind – so I thought he would render a pretty funny/clever novel (even if it was his first). Well…while the book had some funny (not roll-on-the-floor-funny, but chuckle-funny) moments, it was rather insipid overall. The characters were two-dimensional, even stereotypical. Before I read it, I had put it on the potential selections list for our book club, but after reading it, I realized it was so content-lite that it wouldn’t provoke much discussion at all. So, I retracted that particular suggestion.

Although not a horrible first effort, I was not really jazzed by Shearer’s first novel. I’d rate this book a B- or C+.

Technorati topics: book reviews

A bit of grousing

So, maybe I shouldn’t be complaining or feeling frustrated so soon after starting up this book club thing again…maybe I should just give it some time, but…

Besides those folks who were SO interested in joining a book club, yet aren’t going to show again…or haven’t communicated at all after the initial burst of enthusiasm…besides those folks who cancel at the last minute and give lame excuses…I have a new favorite “member”: the ones who won’t be attending this Sunday because of Super Bowl. Over half of the members have not even confirmed whether or not they’ll be attending – and I bet when I pull teeth yet again, they’ll tell me they have to go to a Super Bowl party and can’t make it.

You know, it’s not like coordinating this damned Book Club takes any time, effort or money…it’s not like I have anything better to do (work, school, etc.)…it’s not like we’ve consciously tried to make membership as completely easy as possible…as cheap as possible…as democratic as possible. What exactly are we doing wrong? Do we have to canvass the group to make sure there aren’t any exciting sporting events (mind you, watching – not playing), stubbed toes, sock-drawer-organizing emergencies that might derail meeting-attendance?

Hit a nerve? Good. I’m feeling very frustrated with the lack of buy-in of these “members.” If you just want to read books and not meet – then do so. But don’t act like you really want to be in a book club – which suggests, get this, that you actually SHOW UP for discussions. It’s once a month, for gosh sakes!

Whatever, tomorrow I’ll send out another email to those who haven’t responded (pulling teeth) and see what happens.

Technorati topics: manners, book club

A heartwarming story

Here’s a heartwarming story (for a change) from WaPo: various groups and individuals making quilts for injured soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center. Check it out.

BTW, I had no idea there were SO many dedicated quilters out there!

Technorati topics: war

Some good news for us Virginians

Evidently there are not only a few others in Virginia who are anti-illegal, pro-border control, but we actually have some representation in state government. Here's a WaPo article about the various bills up for vote that will start to make Virginia an undesirable place for illegals. About time!

Technorati topic: immigration

Episodic TV: a review of Grey's Anatomy

Because it was cheap and some folks had recommended it, I went and bought the first season of Grey's Anatomy. This series concerns a cohort of surgical interns and their wacky experiences and their torrid little lives. I can tell you, I was not impressed (can you tell already?).

It was like, maybe, a step down from ER, having a Peton Place-esque story line (everyone is having sex with everyone else, and in this version unprotectedly! Spreading pregnancy and diseases. Now that part rings true, believe it or not) that was 1) stupidly salacious and 2) vacuous. The characters are pretty much 2-dimensional with the typical liberal underpinnings. Yech. I'd give it a D+ - credit only for somewhat interesting surgical cases.

If I were to choose between "new" medical shows, I'd choose House. At least you have Hugh Laurie. And for your money, skip these medical shows altogether and stick with Law and Order (any of them) - they actually present various perspectives on the issues, without dumbing them down so incredibly. Also, they have good characters that effectively play off each other instead of just issuing lines.

Well, there you go.

Technorati topics: entertainment, tv

Episodic TV: a review of House, season 1

Ok, on a whim, I ordered the first season of the series House, mostly because I heard 1) it involved medical mysteries and 2) because the main character was a real, well, character.

Hugh Laurie, the actor who plays Dr. House, is the main reason to see the program: the character is a pill-popping misanthrope who says exactly what he's thinking, no matter what. This often gets him into trouble,...but for his medical mystery-solving skills. The support cast, I would say, is good and the mysteries are fun, but make no mistake, Laurie is the main draw. He says everything you'd want to say, and lots you wouldn't - very entertaining!

I'd give this series a B+ - and when I get another freebee situation from Amazon, I may just order season 2.

Technorati topics: entertainment, tv

Some random items

The good: our gym just got in some new cardio machines that mimic skating movement, with several levels of challenge. Today I did level 3 and my legs were killing me! This machine was very easy on the knees (smooth motion), but murder on the actual muscles. I'm going to do this exercise some more to see if I see progress.

The stinky: yesterday while having coffee & bagels with DH Jeff at Cosi, I noticed the distinct odor of urine wafting in from the open windows (warm out yesterday). We moved tables a few times to get away from it. I suspect it was vagrant urine, since the advent of the cover over the metro entrance, there have been more vagrants around. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Because this nice neighborhood needs lazy, dirty folks hanging around, pissing around, making it a sty. Thanks so much.

Technorati topic: minutiae

Too much information

An interesting article in WaPo on the amount of personal information available on each of us. Good food for thought - how do we protect ourselves from unauthorized and unlawful use of that information?

Technorati topic: technology

Heathcare on the quick

There's an article in WaPo today about a new trend(?) by some drugstores and such to provide "quick-stop healthcare," that is, physician assistants and nurse practitioners on site (like at CVSs and such) that provide such healthcare services as diagnosis and treatment of common maladies (such as strep throat) and administration vaccinations. The up side to this is that these stations are very accessible, available more convenient and longer hours, and charge reasonable prices for their services.

On the one hand, one can see the attraction to patients over regular medical centers and doctors' offices: no waiting, accessibility, availability of vaccines such as flu shots, reasonable charges, no hassle. I know for a fact that it can be very inconvenient to make a regular appointment at my medical center - one must schedule a month ahead to be sure and you have to go through the healthcare insurance system. Then you have to hope that the office staff are competent in submitting accurate and appropriate charges to the PPO/HMO/insurance company (I had an incident recently where that was not the case, and I had been dealing with the same office for years). Sometimes that's simply not acceptable or feasible.

On the other hand, regular healthcare facilities are concerned that there's no continuity of care, and that this may end up jeopardizing the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable patients - children. One can also see that these "quick-stop" stations take a chunk out of doctors'/healthcare facilities' profit. I perused my latest statement from my PPO and for what was a straight-forward shot, administered by a nurse, the PPO was charged for "follow-up care" and for the physician of record's time (when I didn't actually see or speak to the physician at all - just the nurse). And not cheap either.

I think this is a really interesting situation to consider. We have these "help stations" serving a need and solving existing (and continuing) healthcare issues - great for the consumer. Look, I have a CVS across the street from where I live. Would I be happy to mosey on over, let's say, on a Sunday to get a flu shot? You bet. Would I mind that they're not MDs but PAs and NPs? No, because I've had PAs/NPs treat me frequently in a regular healthcare facility over the years with no ill effects & they tend to be easier to deal with than some doctors. Plus, no middleman with staff & insurance. Just pay the fee. On the other hand, if patient histories aren't taken/taken carefully, and if the treatment information isn't conveyed to the primary doctor/facility, there could be serious problems. Evidently, these stations do take care of the above items. And they're not performing brain surgery - just minor - but necessary - procedures. Well, perhaps (and this thought is discussed in the article too) regular facilities need to be more patient-friendly and take a lesson from these retail-based stations.

Technorati topic: healthcare

Movie Review: The Pursuit of Happyness

Just saw The Pursuit of Happyness, with Will Smith and his real-life son. I must say, it was a really good movie. Will Smith did a fine job of portraying this bright, nice Chris Gardner on the out-and-outs, trying to make something of himself and raise his son alone at the same time. Yeh, those cynics out there will say - heck, women have been raising children by themselves for ages - what's so special about this guy? Don't be a cynic - Smith's Gardner is so earnest, sweet and determined to do the right thing, to keep it together against odds and his own perpetual Murphy's Law, that you really do root for him. And some of the character's situations are positively painful. Oh, yeh, and his kid is cute. Anyhoo, worth a go-see!

Here are a few more reviews for your reading pleasure.

Technorati topics: entertainment, movies

Book Review: Because They Hate

In Because They Hate, Brigitte Gabriel describes her idyllic childhood as a Christian in Lebanon and her teen years spent with her aged parents in a bomb shelter there during hostilities between Lebanon & Israel in the 1970s. She describes her perception of the destruction of her birth country by Moslems.

She makes the case that Islam is an extremely acquisitive ideology with world domination in mind – not peaceful coexistence. Gabriel goes on to advise us about threats to western civilization and culture, and specifically to our (U.S., she’s an American citizen now) country – and what our response should be to fend off that threat.

I first heard about her on Michelle Malkin’s blog and a link to a U-Tube video of her giving a speech at Heritage Foundation or American Enterprise Institute (I'm not sure which & I can't seem to find the link - bad girl!). Wow. She’s a really powerful speaker and dynamo. It’s also gratifying to hear a naturalized citizen so fully embrace our country and furthermore, become an activist in its preservation and protection: Gabriel started an organization, the American Congress for Truth to do just that. This book is an extension of those efforts and a warning to all who value our freedom and security. Compelling read!

Technorati topics: book reviews, islam

New Year's Resolutions

I shouldn't, but I did - make New Year's resolutions. Let's call them "goals" or "action plans." Regardless, here they are:

1. Get back down to a size 4. I know, shallow, but it’s a goal. When was a size 4 I felt more confident because 1) I looked better and 2) I wasn’t compelled to disguise so many figure flaws. There is merit in throwing something on without a lot of fuss and having it look good.

2. Develop blog. In the last year, I’ve blogged a lot, but not consistently. This year I want to not only post regularly, but make the blog more visually interesting – pictures, etc. This will entail learning a little HTML. So be it. Thanks to one of Jeff’s coworkers, J, I have a good resource book to mine. Also, I will be adding ads of different kinds with the hope of earning some cash. I know, sell-out, but there it is.

3. Start on a real career. I hereby renounce my forty-year career as a dilettante. Yes, I’ve always made ends meet, but never have I really felt job satisfaction that comes from a nexus of subject interest, salary, quality and efficacy control that comes from having both credentials and experience.

Forensic science will always be a keen interest of mine, but what I’m running into is that I would need a lot more education plus low-paid or no-paid (read: internship) experience to get even a toe-hold in the business. If I were twenty years younger, I would probably be willing to suck up the debt, time and hassle of accomplishing that, but from my current vantage point, I’m unwilling to do those three things, plus sacrifice my standard of living and scrounge to pay bills.

So, I’m going to finish the Forensics Certificate (instead of the degree program) so that I have some take-away from these current studies, and I’m going to see about starting some sort of accounting program at a convenient, less expensive school, with the aim to pass the CPA exam. Not as sexy as forensic science, but one can practice accounting anywhere in the country and get paid well. Yes, I’m mercenary – I like my wine and chic-chic food – but I also think I’d be really good at it. And, there’s still the thought of “fighting the good fight.”

4. Become more of a political activist. Now mind you, this doesn’t mean marching around – not my cup of tea. I mean besides ranting on my blog, actually engaging my elected officials in what they should be doing for this pro-border control, pro-national security run by adults, fiscal conservative, capitalistic, small-government constituent. Doesn’t mean my efforts will amount to much, but at least they’ll have my opinion.

5. Do more for the troops. I’m already a member of Laura Ingraham’s coffee club for the troops. For every order of four coffees, two coffees are donated/sent to some military installation (Hat tip: Mom). You get your tasty coffee fix each month and so do deployed service men and women. Click here for details. I’d like to do more. Details to follow…still thinking about what I’m going to do.

None of these resolutions are out of my reach – and you, gentle readers, will hear about my progress in each!

Technorati topics: resolutions

Catch & release; repeat ad nauseum

This article confirms what I already suspected was the case: that those illegals actually arrested for other crimes (besides entering the country illegally, of course), are arrested repeatedly (about three-fourths of the sample):

The findings by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine are based on a sampling of 100 illegal immigrants arrested by local and state authorities in 2004, the latest complete data available. They show that 73 of the 100 immigrants were arrested, collectively, 429 times -- on counts including traffic violations and weapons and drug charges. (WaPo, January 9, 2007)

Um, do y'all understand my cynicism and despair at this issue? You can be one of those who sniffs glue and convinces yourself that all these illegals are benign, hard-working value-added units, but if you're sober you realize this is not the case. And the administration (plus every Democrat & every other Republican) wants amnesty with no border control, thus ensuring more illegals, thus more crime, more gangs, more drugs (because America just can't do without their drugs - wahoo!).

And we’re supposed to have faith in our leaders to uphold the law and protect us (that means, primarily American citizens) from criminals and invaders – and we certainly pay for that thru our taxes – and yet, this is the garbage we’re given. We cannot even be assured that those who have ignored our immigration laws, who have broken other of our laws (sometimes violently), who have been incarcerated for those transgressions – will be permanently removed from our country. Huh.

Technorati topics: immigration

Vaccinations, anyone?

In the WaPo today is an article about the whole vaccination issue and why so many school children didn’t have the required vaccinations by the time school started. Here’s a gem:

This time, Mazyck said, the reason for spotty compliance has a much more prosaic cause: Parents have said they had too little time and too much else to do. (WaPo, January 9, 2007).

You know, I don’t recall my parents ever making that excuse, because, wait a minute, my parents 1) had more than two brain cells to rub together and thus 2) understood their parental responsibilities vis-à-vis protecting their offspring from dangerous diseases. Clearly neither aspect is present in the referenced “parents.”

I have several thoughts, but I'll concentrate on one for your consumption: if you can't be bothered to immunize your children (you know, those little humans you claim to love so much?), perhaps you shouldn't have hatched them in the first place.

Technorati topics: diseases, parenting

We'll have to eat out in DC more often in 2007

The smoking ban in restaurants, etc, has now gone into effect in DC and I for one am happy (read "overjoyed") about it. How nice not to have to ask for the non-smoking area. How nice not to be seated in the non-smoking section and still have smoke wafting over.

I take the stance that your rights stop at the end of your nose, ie, before they affect others. Some folks still don't get that. They fight for the privilege (yes - not "right") to poison your air as well as theirs. Or you (as the non-smoker) can just find another place to go.

Nice. This attitude includes, unfortunately, some right-leaning bloggers. A few years ago, I stopped reading a certain blog because of the belligerent attitude of the author regarding his "right" to smoke wherever. Smoking is an unsupportable habit - there's nothing positive about it - a fact about which I'll be writing in upcoming posts. And shame on those of you (including a right-leaning female blogger) who have kids and think it's fine - apparently - to smoke around them.

Well, WaPo has an article regarding the ban and includes snippets about "rebel" smokers, bravely smoking their last in DC establishments on December 31st. Grow up folks. Better yet, quit. Why not start the year doing something smart?

Now, if only we could get Arlington to follow suit on this ban...you know, the county that is going "green"?

Technorati topics: manners

Even more good news about immigration...

...but sadly, not for us. Go read this article in the New York Times about all the happy little parasitic breeders who flocked to New Orleans to "reconstruct." Hat tip: The Stein Report.

Very telling quotes:

Because many immigrant mothers cannot afford to pay for prenatal care or delivery services, New Orleans’s newest citizens are adding an unexpected load to the decimated health infrastructure in a city abandoned by many of its doctors. Much of the state-financed Charity Hospital system, which before Hurricane Katrina provided the bulk of care to New Orleans’s uninsured and indigent population, remains closed.(NYT, December 11, 2006)

and

The two health units providing prenatal care run by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals saw more than 1,200 pregnant women from January to mid-November. Virtually all were Latino immigrants.

“Before the storm, only 2 percent were Hispanic; now about 96 percent are Hispanic,” said Beth Perriloux, the head nurse in the department’s health unit in Metairie. (NYT, December 11, 2006)

In the words of the Borg Queen, "Watch your futures end."

Technorati topics: immigration

Don't you love when public servants serve themselves?

An immigration-related scum-bag and governmental incompetence story. You'll be glad to know that it involves someone you & I support thru tax dollars and it involves Asian immigrants, not hispanic ones. Feel the value. And crime pays big & sleazy.

Technorati topics: immigration

Because letting them in is just not enough

Read this article and literally feel your blood pressure increase. Yesterday I read the first notice of a Marine's (and his girl friend's) death (after suriving a tour in Iraq) at the hands of a drunk driver with a hispanic surname. At the time, I sarcastically stated to DH Jeff that the killer was probably an illegal. And I was right (but, heck, we love all our hard-working, law-abiding, brown peasant-serfs, and besides they're a protected class nowadays).

But there's even more fun in this story! Turns out that this menace had been charged with drunken driving earlier this year, but the Howard County cops evidently couldn't find their way out of a jar. Read on:

Morales-Soriano then refused to take a breath test, which should have led to the suspension of his license for 120 days. But the police accidentally gave Morales-Soriano all the copies of the form that was supposed to have been sent to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration to begin the suspension, McCrone said. (WaPo, 11/30/06)

Uh-huh. So, the perp who should not have been in this country AT ALL to begin with, is issued a valid driver's license, drives drunk, gets off scott-free because of the cops lack of evidence and gets behind the wheel drunk, AGAIN, to murder some law-abiding Americans (not to mention, a serviceman). Why not? I doubt it would deter this guy if he didn't have a valid driver's license. But it gets better:

Police said Morales-Soriano's blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit when he slammed into the back of the car carrying the couple. (WaPo, 11/30/06)

What's the legal alcohol limit? Since I don't have a car, the distinctions are sort of academic, but for the sake of our little consideration here, let's say the limit is .08 and then times that by four, which is .32!!! Even I know that's falling down drunk.

I wonder if this damn illegal will even serve any time before they [maybe] deport him or more likely, just release him into our public again. Expect more of this sort of thing, since there don't seem to be any negative consequences to be suffered. And, we can count on the total incompetence of the folks whose job it is to serve and protect US.

PS: I thoughtlessly forgot to give a hat tip to the place I found this article, The Stein Report, which has daily links to immigration-related articles. Dan Stein is from FAIR, Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group working actively for better (by which I mean tighter, more effective, border-controlling) immigration policies. Check out The Stein Report - very good!

Technorati topics: immigration

Our tax dollars hard at work???

Evidently, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) "lost track of" 111,000 citizenship applicant background files...but continued to make citizenship decisions (some affirmative) on applications, that is, without having reviewed the pertinent background information. Read the whole frightening, dismaying story here.

So, we're paying taxes to support this agency's work, which is supposed to be about carefully regulating the quality of those they grant citizenship, yet clearly flying blind to the tune of 100,000 applications. That the GAO has found out about. Plus these folks are so incompetent, that historically, officers haven't even noted in applications if this background file has been reviewed. Evidently, it's just been assumed.

FYI, the GAO (Government Accountability Office - I know, I know, think of the jokes) initiated this investigation/review of the USCIS after an applicant with known and noted ties to Hezbollah was granted citizenship. Wow. I really feel so safe and glad that I'm flushing my tax dollars down the toilet.

As a side note, I went to the USCIS web site and found this warning (emphasis mine):

USCIS Warns of Potential For Immigration Fraud
Although Congress has been debating immigration legislation, all customers should be advised that currently no temporary worker program exists for aliens unlawfully present in the United States. Congress has not passed any legislation that would create a temporary worker program. Therefore, there are no benefits currently available because this program does not exist. Customers should not pay any fees or fines to any person or organization claiming they can help apply for or receive benefits for a temporary worker program. Be wary of persons or organizations that claim they can assist in applying for benefits that do not exist.

I was actually wondering if the warning was intended for applicants or employees.

A little rant from my mom...

...on a subject that pops up (oops!) from time to time.

TO ALL GOOD MOMS ALL OVER THE USA!

I am SICK and TIRED of listening/looking at all these damn programs about the latest complaint~~

BREAST-FEEDING

What in the world is all the fuss about???? For that matter, what is wrong with the USA??!!??

I mean, REALLY!! To be complaining about mothers breast-feeding on airplanes~~or anywhere else, for that matter. BIG DEAL!

Let me tell you a few facts from first-hand experience:

1. When a mom is ready to breast-feed, it is because of nature/baby's schedule. Mom knows it's time, because her breast are full and ready to "explode", AND are hurting terribly.

2. Baby also know his/her's schedule and is looking for food~~they aren't going to wait for the "right" place or circumstance. IT'S TIME!! DAH!!!!

3. Mom's pain relief comes when she is able to nurse, regardless of where she is. But still..., at the beginning, it is no fun and games for mom. Let me reassure you, It is painful and uncomfortable. Most moms do it because they feel that it is most beneficial to their child.

BUT..., In all these TV programs I've seen so far, they have failed to inform the public of the above~~three very important factors. This is all very natural and a wonderful thing, I might add, to both mom and baby. The bonding and the nutrition is NO comparison to "the bottle."

I've breast-fed you Renee [this author], on air-liners~~Japan to USA~~that was in 1966-67. Nobody complained, and no one even noticed! On top of all this, the air attendants were most helpful! Furthermore, I also breast-fed your brothers, thereafter, AND I'm one proud mom!! I might add, it was done in good taste and complete discretion.

BTW: Where are the protesters/complainers who think this is soooo terrible, but who most probably/likely frequent the "go-go" night clubs, where women are either dancing with all their breast hanging, and/or serving drinks plus??!!??

Last week, flying from LA to SA, I noted some mom's breast-feeding at the airports~~a "sit-in." At the time, I didn't know what was going on, OR I would have said, "what are you doing there, sitting on the floor!! Please get up and take my seat."

Down the toilet...

...our country goes. I really hate to say it, but I TOLD YOU SO. Heather Mac Donald at City Journal has a very disturbing (albeit not surprising) piece on the little Hispanic breeders and what this means for us. Do check out the whole thing while I go cry.

Hat tip to, well, Heather Mac Donald at the Immigration Blog.

Oh, for your reading despair, here are a couple of choice quotes from the article:

Hispanics now dominate the federal Women, Infants, and Children free food program; Hispanic enrollment grew over 25 percent from 1996 to 2002, while black enrollment dropped 12 percent and white enrollment dropped 6.5 percent. Illegal immigrants can get WIC and other welfare programs for their American-born children. If Congress follows President Bush’s urging and grants amnesty to most of the 11 million illegal aliens in the country today, expect the welfare rolls to skyrocket as the parents themselves become eligible.

and:

But it’s the fertility surge among unwed Hispanics that should worry policymakers. Hispanic women have the highest unmarried birthrate in the country—over three times that of whites and Asians, and nearly one and a half times that of black women, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Every 1,000 unmarried Hispanic women bore 92 children in 2003 (the latest year for which data exist), compared with 28 children for every 1,000 unmarried white women, 22 for every 1,000 unmarried Asian women, and 66 for every 1,000 unmarried black women. Forty-five percent of all Hispanic births occur outside of marriage, compared with 24 percent of white births and 15 percent of Asian births. Only the percentage of black out-of-wedlock births—68 percent—exceeds the Hispanic rate. But the black population is not going to triple over the next few decades.

and:

A case manager at a program for pregnant homeless women in the city of Orange observes the same acculturation to the social-services sector, with its grievance mongering and sense of victimhood. “I’ll have women in my office on their fifth child, when the others have already been placed in foster care,” says Anita Berry of Casa Teresa. “There’s nothing shameful about having multiple children that you can’t care for, and to be pregnant again, because then you can blame the system.”

Technorati topics: immigration

CSI - compelling, but not really all that balanced

Last night I was watching some episodes of the sixth season of CSI (the original, Las Vegas show - the others are crap), provided to me by DH Jeff. This one episode involved an organization that matched unused frozen embryos (from fertility clinics and such) to women willing to have the embryos implanted and carry them to term - i.e., adopt them. Kathryn Willows, upon meeting the head of this organization, proceeds to brow beat her with what the [Catholic] church has in the far past considered "life," i.e., way past fertilization. I thought, geeze, they're usually a bit more balanced in these shows than that...then I remembered that Law and Order (Fox) usually provides a more balanced view of various issues - not CSI (CBS). Aha.

First, if she were a real investigator, Willows would have been way out of line - her job is to get information regarding her investigation - not antagonize those with whom she disagrees (especially if she expects them to cooperate with her). Second, she then justifies her actions (huffily) to Grissom, stating how pro-choice she is (i.e., as a progressive, liberated woman, she had no choice but to brow beat the head of this backward-thinking and dangerous organization). Um, huh?

Here's what it comes down to: anyone who considers an embryo (or for that matter, any fetus who hasn't fully gestated) worthy of protection, or any consideration at all besides medical experimentation, is dangerous because this may abridge women's "right" to abort at any time for any reason. Now, this reminds me of the NOW (I think) chapter who objected to the legislation that considered a fetus murdered as a result of fatal violence done to his/her mother (re: Connor Peterson), i.e., a double homicide.

One must wonder what these folks are smoking to object to either situation. But you & I both know the rationale. Sad.

Technorati topics: entertainment, abortion

Movie Review: Harsh Times

This weekend I saw the movie Harsh Times, starring Christian Bale, who looks hot and buff (and not emaciated like in The Machinist). But, ok, how did I feel about this movie…? Bale gave his usual intensity to the part of an Army Ranger returning from Afghanistan a changed man – and not for the better. Good supporting performance by Freddy Rodriguez as his old buddy from the ‘hood. But…I didn’t like the movie. Why? Hmmm. Maybe because I’ve seen Bale in other “man-on-the-edge” roles in other movies that were a lot better. Like American Psycho. In that, Bale actually brought humor to a really extreme role (that I understand didn’t originally call for humor). Maybe because his performance in this movie, although good, seemed a little forced, as noted by a reviewer on this site. Maybe because for a film on the cusp of two hours, it seemed to go on and on without a real point. This is definitely a one-time view.

If you like Christian Bale, I’d recommend some other of his films besides those mentioned above:

Reign of Fire (about the takeover of dragons)
Equilibrium (dystopic future)
Batman Begins (you know what this is about)

Tell me this: how come British and Aussie actors have no problem with the American accent, but we have few who can pull off a British/Aussi accent? What’s up with that?

Technorati topics: entertainment

Oooh, this is good one!

Ahem, do any of you remember when Jeff & I got married & I said, "it's so easy & cheap to get married in Arlington?" Well...top story on the front page of the Post this morning is about a huge wedding scam perp'd by illegal Ghanians marrying U.S. citizens. And where was the hot spot for this scam? Why Arlington Country Courthouse, the same place where we got our marriage license & eventually our marriage certificate. Some alert clerks noticed funny behavior in license applicants - such as not even sitting with their intended or appearing distant to same. Then started noticing those same couples returning shortly for divorces - including paperwork with the same mistakes as others. Hmmm. Provocative. Evidently, not only State but Federal gov't got involved in catching these guys & prosecuting (which is ongoing at this moment). This surprises me to no end as I know (and have stated on this site) that Arlington is soft on immigration law enforcement.

This quote says it all:

"Along the East Coast and all the way to West Africa,...the word had spread: If you are in the United States illegally, go to Arlington. It's easy to get married in Virginia, because marriage laws are relatively lax." (WaPo, 11/13/06, pA1)

Yeh. Well, I guess Ghanians are "bad" illegals and the hordes of hispanics are "good" illegals? No?

Technorati topics: immigration

Shopping with Marilyn Manson...[warning: profanity & despair!]

...is a good way to tolerate the vast number of boneheads and humanoid cockroaches at Whole Foods this Sunday morning...although frankly, if I had waited until say 4pm, the vast number would have increased by a factor of ten. Would you NOT leave your cart smack in the middle of the aisle when you KNOW that you're not the only shopper at this time? Ditto the stroller with your "beloved" offspring? Please pick a direction! And no paying by checks, mkay? Kindly drag your sorry, confused ass into the 21st century - it's called "plastic." It chafes less, you see. Ok, I wasn't REALLY shopping with Marilyn Manson, but he was singing profanities in my ears (yes, I hear voices in stereo! Ok, that's a little nod to the movie Copy Cat, in case you didn't catch it).

I'm SO TIRED of everything:

- school - I'm sick of studying, so very sick & tired and as usual, wondering if any of the time, effort & mostly money is worth it. And it's going at such a glacial pace!

- work - glad to have my job, just not very motivated - and did I mention that it exhausts me? And not in a good way.

- my need for continuous work - i'm pretty much at the point where I'm just going to get a full-time, regular job & continue on at said glacial pace with my education (that is, part-time), or change majors to accounting - at a cheaper school (still at said glacial pace). Gaack. I'm such a rebel. I bet you were thinking - thank God! She's finally turning to a life of crime! Maybe now she'll be interesting!

- My 40-year-old body (Yes! 40! I'm now officially middle-aged!) - so far it's biologically hanging together pretty well despite the alcohol and saturated fats (and hydrogenated foods! can't forget the hydrogenation!) I've imposed upon it. That said, if i'm not going to have any children, my body had better start looking spectacular. No, don't placate me with oh, you look fine. "Fine" just doesn't cut it.

- Meaningless honor societies - I mean, at the last ceremony we were told that much is expected of us - to which I respond [in my head] you mean more than superior grades, a truck-load of money surrendered to this institution and no guarantee of meaningful employment afterward? Did I mention the horrendous two semesters spent in a class wherein the professor (yes! a full PhD!) was completely incompetent? And employment in the field only if I expend a lavish amount of time & energy (lavish because I don't have it) applying and interviewing and showing enthusiam for a job that will involve a significant pay cut just to get my feet wet? Just cut the crap & give me money so I can finish this fucking degree, already. I forked over $35 for the particular honor of listening to that & receiving a crummy certificate in the mail that they couldn't manage to actually package properly - so it was crumpled.

- illegals & their little helpers. in our government(s). - Although I've always had a particular hostility for the open-borders crew on the left, I reserve my truly quality fury for those who call themselves "conservatives" and "Republicans" -and who not only DO NOTHING to resolve the issue, but actively encourage it. Who sign bills that are worse than nothing. Who hamstring any efforts to stop illegal immigration, and demonize those who do do make legitimate efforts in that direction. But, you know, I live a Arlington County, Virginia, which has a motto of "Never an illegal we didn't love and abett," and thus, when I went into Macy's (former Hecht Co.) to do some power shopping (I succeeded at that) - all I heard was Spanish. Except for the token English-speaker, who was mercifully a native-speaker & also strangely well-versed in customer service. I think he was a replicant. So unseemly.

- fat people who think I need to see their stomach rolls. hanging out between their clothes parts. or brazenly displayed with a bare midriff (not joking). or ass cellulite vividly outlined through those off-white stretch pants. who are STANDING right in the middle of the metro escalator, blocking any movement past.

- Chortling Democrats & their chortling (DC) newspaper of record (Washington Post, duh) - just normally - but especially after the Dem win of House & Senate. Keep in mind, folks, that lots of real conservatives were pissed off at those weren't real & decided to teach them a lesson. at all of our expense. thanks. but, more to the point - this cannot be taken as a sign that America has turned liberal, morons, so don't get too excited.

- Islamists & all their widdle supporters. There's always some Moslem who's getting sparked up about something and killing someone (nuns, film-makers, Israelis, etc, etc), blowing up discos, supermarkets, public transportation, flying into buildings, burning cars, performing essential honor killings of their females (not to mention everything else that is imposed on said females), cowing Westerners by their violence, etc, etc. First, I don't care about your religion or your widdle feelings about it. Second, the West should get some gonads asap and put you down like the rabid dogs you are before we're in real trouble. Mkay? So, actually, Islamists, this isn't about you - it's about us & how we will overcome you and anyone who threatens our existence.

Basically, all this is just saying I'm fed up with my life & my total lack of clarity about where I'm going except it can't be more of the same. Also, my DH Jeff is away and I miss him - so there.

I could go on, but I gotta go study some more. Gaack.

Technorati topics: mental breakdown, islam, politics, manners, immigration

Thoughts for the Day

Just because the newly outed pervo (and now “Victim” ) Mark Foley is a Republican doesn’t mean we conservatives are going to magically become Democrats come November. Just a thought.

FYI, there was a Washington Post article yesterday regarding the difference in outcomes between Rs and Ds who have been caught in scandalous activities, i.e., Republicans are ousted, Democrats refuse to be ousted and are often re-elected for additional terms. Well, we know there’s a double standard, but beyond that, I guess Democrats hold their elected officials to a much lower standard of behavior. Good for them (insert sarcasm here)!

Frankly, I find the brazen, low behavior of all these guys (and gals – they can be scum, too!) sickening and unacceptable. No taxpaying citizen should just give them - or any complicit parties - a pass. Demand accountability!

Technorati topics: manners

Quote of The Day

“No wonder the price of gas in the US is so high. It's all being used for Molotov cocktails in Oaxaca.” found here.

From Mark In Mexico, a newly discovered (well new to me) blog, whose author works as a teacher in Mexico and reports on what’s going on there as well as on various other things. His observations about goings-on in Oaxaca (which coincidentally enough, is where my maternal grandfather came from) make even our meanest streets look tame and orderly by comparison. Check him out.

Doldrums

Could the time go any slower? Could I be any less engaged in my work? Could I be any less thrilled to be going to the gym after work? Could it not rain while I'm hiking to the gym or home? Could I be any less inclined to do more school reading after dinner? Could I whine any more while I'm at it?

Ok, one bright thing is that 2 little file cabinets are arriving tonight & thus starts the organization saga of the "study." I can finally throw out the crummy file cabinets we have. Yeah. Another bright thing is that DH Jeff is cooking steak for me tonight. Mmmmm, meat.

There have been some stories about immigration issues in the paper of note and ire:

Yesterday: Charlotte, NC, and other localities get serious about immigration law enforcement; our own illegal-boosting Arlington County does not. The sheriff in Charlotte makes some choice comments about how enforcing the law is right. Hmmm.

Today: Herndon, VA starts getting serious about immigration law enforcement which is good (even if my own county could care less), and visa applications for skilled foreign workers are held up. Naturally. Let all the unskilled, poorly educated, anchor-baby breeders into the country, but put your foot down to folks wading in red tape to work here above day-laborer level. Good policy idiots.

UPDATE: It was raining torrents. I bagged the gym. The filing cabinets were advertised as "easy assembly." I opened one box and pulled out about a million parts - but put them together easily. Well-wrought & bored pieces plus extra hardware (screws, dowels, etc) & well-packed. And you can't beat the turn around time (next day). I also got free shipping because the order was over $50. So OfficeDepot.com gets my two thumbs up.

Book Review: God, Guns & Rock 'N' Roll

God, Guns & Rock 'N' Roll, by Ted Nugent is about guns, gun ownership, gun hunting. True. But it's also about discipline, safety, personal responsibility, respect, active and hands-on parenting, the value of family, and getting involved in your community. So, although one might not be as enthused about guns and hunting as Ted Nugent, there's plenty of take-away here. And, it's definitely an entertaining read - Nugent is an over-the-top, colorful storyteller. Check it out.

Technorati topics: book reviews

That 9/11 thing

You might wonder why I haven’t touched upon the anniversary of 9/11. Well, my response to that anniversary is to say: yeh, we’ve caught a few of these barbarians, but they’re just a drop in the bucket: many more desire our downfall, plotting as we speak, and we’re still taking a kid glove attitude like they can be reasoned with and placated. I see this administration doing nothing about the borders, about seriously securing our transport (not only planes, and not only cosmetic inconveniences), about truly reforming those entities that are supposed to protect us (DHS, CIA, FBI, etc.). Until these things are seriously and diligently addressed – for the long term – we’re still extremely vulnerable. What more can I say?

In Appreciation: Oriana Fallaci

Oriana Fallaci, Italian journalist and author, died of cancer this last Friday, September 15th. Her fiery passion and brazen, uncowed style will be missed. You’ll remember, I just reviewed her book The Force of Reason recently here and had read (but not reviewed) her previous book The Rage and the Pride at DH Jeff's insistence when it came out. The Washington Post did a nice write-up on Saturday. She expressed her rage against Islam in The Rage and the Pride, in response to the atrocities of 9/11, and continued her diatribe in The Force against what she saw as the invading hordes of a religion into the West having anything but benign intentions. Ms. Fallaci had a rich career of interviewing (and provoking) political leaders around the world, such as Henry Kissinger, Ayatollah Khomeini, Yassir Arafat and Ariel Sharon. Early in her career, she covered conflicts such as the Viet Nam war and the 1968 massacre of student protesters in Mexico City.

Where in the world...?

Sadly, I have not been posting much & one might wonder what's the problem. Well, here's what's been up in my world:

- Biology class demands. Tomorrow's the first exam and Monday at lab was first lab quiz (one every week). That said, I like the prof (really a together, organized sort) & we got to look at stuff under the microscope in lab, including this tiny water insect that was wonder what happened to his aquatic world.

- Honors! Speaking of school, I've been nominated for an honor society at Marymount. Not my first in general, but my first there. Figures, though, that the only recognition I get is the kind I have to pay for.

- Work. Did I mention I've been working so hard, that I get home completely exhausted every day? Not to mention the dreary, chilly weather we've been having lately.

- Book Club? We've put it on hiatus because of lack of interest. Evidently to most, book club is something you drop by on when you have nothing better to do. Otherwise, no communication. Very frustrating to those of us who make an effort and actually host the thing! A few stalwarts, though, & we plan on recruiting others & hopefully opening up shop again in a few months.

- Exercise. This week isn't a good example, but I've been trying to work out regularly to get rid of this sludge around my middle and thighs. You probably wouldn't notice it, but that's irrelevant. I get to have my obsessions if I want.

- Socializing! Hah! Yes, actually going out with friends and family! And yes, I'd rather be doing that than carving out the time to blog. Sad, my lack of commitment. Ah, but mental healthy-speaking, a vast improvement over (specifically my) anti-social attitudes of the past.

Ok, enough for now. More soon, I promise! Rants galore! Harsh language and sentiments!

Random thoughts

I just started my Biology class. Can't ignore the irony that the first few chapters we cover concern - anyone? anyone? - Chemistry! Aggghhhh! But that disturbing occurrence aside, the prof is organized and proactive - he emails us the syllabus and first lecture slides BEFORE we set foot in the classroom. Now that's impressive. Also, he seems really engaged in the study and how to bring it across to students - i.e., interested in actually making sure we grasp the concepts. This bodes well.

On a completely different topic, I've noticed that the more I focus on a task or more specifically a bunch of tasks, working on them concurrently, the more I get done. At work, I've had an (expected) avalanche of work that provokes that kind of focus. Although I've been exhausted over the last week, I've also been energized by the sheer volume of work & now study that I've been able to accomplish.

I'm planning to transfer some of that residual energy to home. There's this series of paintings by a Mexican artist that my dad gave me which badly need re-matting & framing. I'm finally going to take one of them (to start) to get this done & finally display it. Brother Chris & wife Steph should appreciate this as they've had a couple of the series framed (and displayed) so nicely. Today, in another effort to improve our home environment, I'm going to work on getting rid of some clutter in the apt. Less clutter, more tranquility and function.

At this point, I was going to launch into a catty tirade, but that'll have to wait.

Oh, one last thought: I'm currently in a state of non-indebtedness: I've paid off my school loans, my credit card balance in full (which included my Biology class tuition), our rent and bills are covered. I'm going to savor this moment - because it will not last long. But a keen moment it is!

End communication.

Ten Days in Israel - Some final Q & As

Dear Readers,
Before I ended this series, I wanted to get some personal reactions from Mom on the high points of her trip. Below are her impressions. Enjoy!
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Q: What was your favorite part of the trip?

A: A "loaded" question! Where to begin?!? Finally being there~for sure! I should have gone a long time ago. Actually, there were quite a few favorites, and I guess some of the favorites were also the most "moving." Giving you the "bigger picture," I guess I'll have to say experiencing the Israelis and their way of life.

I've always been very curious and have always wanted to learn more about their religion, their traditions, and so on. This may sound strange, but somehow I feel a kind of kinship toward them that is difficult to comprehend and even harder to explain.

Q: What was the most impactful or impressive part?

A: Considering myself a christian, it was walking in "Christ's footsteps," if you will. So the place would have to be Old Jerusalem.

In most of these biblical places, I could almost feel His presence at times... which would either make the hair from the back of my neck "bristle," have me in "goose bumps," or feel an overwhelming sadness that would bring me close to tears...or ALL of the above.

Q: What was the food like?

A: The food was great! Whenever we could, we would eat authentic~~I don't think I could ever tire of having Mediterranean cuisine. However, most of the meals were at the hotels where we lodged. The buffets were always wonderfully hugh, with so much variety that I could never really experience everything! However, I sure did try, and must have gained 10 pounds or more!

Q: If you could spend more time at one place/site/area, what would it be?

A: As you may already surmise, I prefer to be near water, so I would probably choose some city/town around the Mediterranean Sea (Haifa or Netanya, for example). Another place would be Tiberias, next to the Sea of Galilee (actually a lake). Water is always soothing to me....

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?

A: I would certainly be very happy going to Israel every so often (maybe twice a year), staying for an extended period of time (say a month or so), getting to know the country, etc. After all - who knows - I might just decide to move there!

Technorati Topics: travel, israel

Ten Days in Israel - Part IV

Following is Mom's final travelogue of her trip to Israel. Enjoy!
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SHALOM--Welcome back to Israel...in happier times.

Monday, June 26 ~ Jerusalem Old City ~ continued ~
We started our day with a visit to the Wohl Museum of Archeology in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter and the Herodian Quarter site, known as the Second Temple period. We viewed the Model of the Second Temple--Herod's Temple, built in 514 B.C.E. [Renee’s note: Before Common Era, AKA B.C. or Before Christ – you understand why Israelis don’t use this]. It stood 15 stories high and was completed in 18 mouths! The temple was destroyed by Titus circa 70 C.E. [Renee’s note: Common Era, AKA A.D. or Anno Domini, “in the year of our Lord” – same note as above].

At the Burnt House location, we experienced a moving presentation of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. We toured the Temple Institute where the Book of Leviticus came to life, with replicas of vessels, priests' garb, spices, etc. The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, referred to by Christians as The Old Testament.

Along the way, we attended an exhibition of biblical-time fragrances, and took in a most magnificent rooftop view of the four quarters (Moslem, Christian, Jewish, Armenian).

We explored the Southern Wall Excavation and took a virtual, computerized walk through the Jerusalem Temple at the Davidson Center. We viewed some of the most significant sites in Israel by means of exhibitions. The Center is an extension of the Archaeological Park.

Tuesday, June 27 ~ Dead Sea ~
Excavations anyone?

Early, we departed for the Masada National Park, located near the shores of the Dead Sea, between Ein Gedi and Sodom. We ascended by cable car for a tour/discussion of the dilemma faced by its Jewish Zealots. A most glorious sight!

We enjoyed a walk through the beautiful Ein Gedi Nature Reserve and studied the biblical stories of Kings David and Saul that took place. It was here that David composed several Psalms.

We proceeded to the Qumran – the site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the ancient Essene (Garden of Peace) community.

We then stopped for a brief dip in the Dead Sea, a "must" but quite messy experience, to say the least! The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth AND one of the saltiest! It is the deepest hyper-saline lake in the world!!

During "the dip," you must be very aware NOT to let the water get in your eyes--sooooooo submerging is most definitely a no-no! Floating is NOT a problem, feeling as though your whole body just wants to keep "popping up"! A "sensational" experience! After "the dip," we showered twice to get the slimy mud off! This mud is supposedly healing and good for the skin however. Of course, ANOTHER "must" is to buy their skin "sea beauty" products (what better way to help Israel but to buy your next gifts AND indulge yourself, check out www.ifcj.org (International Fellowship of Christians and Jews) catalog!

We drove through the Jordan Valley and visited Yardenit--the Jordan River and viewed the site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ by John (The Baptist), Jesus's cousin. The Yardenit Baptismal site has become a focal point for hundreds of thousands of modern pilgrims. They come, clad in flowing white robes, paying tribute by submerging themselves in the waters...

Wednesday, June 28 ~ Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee ~ The Christian Tour ~
We started the day with a tour of The Yigal Alon Center, home to The Ancient Galilee Boat. In 1986, two brothers from Ginosar – a lakeside location –discovered the boat, during a drought resulting in the lowering of the waters. The boat dates back to first centuries B.C. Analyses suggest this was the type of boat used during Jesus' Time, and so is known as "the Jesus Boat."

We drove to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, visited St. Peter's Primacy (Matthew 16), and traveled to the 2000-year-old remains of Capernaum (Luke 4)--a settlement on the shores of the Lake. We stood in what is left of the synagogue in which Jesus ministered. It was here that Jesus did most of his Galilean ministry, and where he performed many miracles. We viewed Kursi, where Jesus cast the demons into pigs that ran into the sea (Matthew 8).

At Ein Gev, we took a beautiful sunset boat ride across the Sea. We ended our day by enjoying a wonderful traditional fish dinner at a nearby sea-side restaurant.

Thursday, June 29 ~ Upper Galilee ~
And yet more excavations!

We drove to Corazim National Park, toured the Hula Valley, and the ruins of the ancient city Banias/ Caesarea Philippi, then continued to the tranquil Dan Nature Reserve. On to Tel Hai (Hill of Life), a national monument, and ascended Mount Meron to pay tribute to Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, a famous scholar during the Roman Period. We toured synagogues, courtyards, shops, graves and mikveh ("ritual bath" used for purification) of the Ari z"l in the mystical city of Tzefat.

Our day ended with a great dinner and an overnight at the Kibbutz Kfar Giladi.

Friday, June 30 ~ Lower Galilee and Coast Line ~
Early departure for the city of Nazareth. We toured the ancient, excavated city of Tzippoi, and viewed beautiful mosaics and other finds from the time of the Mishna (200 C.E., the time when the entire body of Jewish religious law was passed down and developed).

We viewed the excavation of the ancient city of Megiddo, associated with Armageddon, the final battleground between good and evil. We ascended the summit of Mount Carmel for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Haifa Bay and Western Galilee. We visited the impressive site of the ancient city of Caesarea, and continued to Jerusalem...ending "The Excavation Period"!

Once in Jerusalem, we prepared for the Shabbat, and a wonderful farewell Shabbat Dinner for all!

Saturday, July 1 ~ Jerusalem ~
Whew!! Finally, a free day devoted to shopping and just roaming around the old quarters. For lunch, we discovered a very nice roof-top restaurant, and enjoyed pizza and cold beer!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I won't say "the end" BUT rather a beginning to many more adventures to this beautiful and very interesting country!

I hope you've enjoyed touring Israel through Renee's mom's eyes. I know it was a terrific thrill for me! THANKS to Renee for giving me the opportunity.

SHALOM, SHALOM to all!! (Hebrew word for peace)

Adela

Technorati Topics: travel, israel

Sliding into Home at Cosi

I went over to Cosi for lunch, had my salad & yummy bread in hand when I found myself on the floor - a victim of a tiny drop of water. No injury except to my ego, but the funny (curious) thing is that everyone lunged to my rescue, asking me if I was ok. The employees I understand (no, I'm not going to sue), but all the men around were very concerned. It was sweet. If embarrassing.

Star Trek turns 40

In the Travel Section of the Post is a piece about the festivities across the land celebrating Star Trek's 40th anniversary. According to the article, the first episode of the Classic Series aired September 8, 1966 (year of my birth, by the way, heh). Amazing that a series that lasted only three seasons spawned several more series, a bevy of movies and legions of fans throughout the world. Curious.

Book Reviews: "Force" and "Risk"

Oriana Fallaci is very angry and that comes across loud and clear in her second book of a three book series, The Force of Reason. So loud and clear that I had to literally put down the book several times before finishing it because that anger was so infectious. For those uninitiated, Oriana Fallaci is an Italian journalist who wrote The Rage and the Pride as a response to 9/11. She’s noteworthy because she’s equally unapologetically pro-American and unequivocally blunt (read: un-PC) about her feelings toward Moslems in general and what she sees as their deleterious effects on Western civilization in particular.

To tell you the truth, while I found The Rage and the Pride to be a breath of fresh air with a European’s staunch support for America and its ideals, her unvarnished feelings toward those who perpetrated the 9/11 atrocities and her sense of the dangers ahead with this demographic (young male Islamists), I found The Force of Reason just ragingly angry and as DH Jeff says “a book-length blog rant.” Now, keep in mind that while many of her assertions and warnings parallel my own, I am uneasy with what her prose evokes in me.

And yet – I had just finished the book when the news broke of the foiled plane blow-up plot in Great Britain. And the arrest of two young Moslem men (oops! add three to that) stateside who had engaged in mega-purchases of tracphones (disposable phones). And the missing Egyptian eleven. Those events certainly reinforce my belief that Islam is not our friend and that we (the West in general and the US specifically) MUST stop being “sensitive” (read: permissive, weak, ambivalent) about those in our midst and throughout the world who may indeed be planning our harm – at least – and our total annihilation at worst. All in all, I’d give this work a B or B- for the reasons above and the fact that Fallaci provides no citations for her historical assertions or quotes.

The book I read immediately after Force was Patricia Cornwell’s At Risk. Cornwell is one of my favorite authors and in this instance, provided a balm after the impotent fury of Fallaci. This book told of much more garden-variety criminals with no in-the-name-of-God motivations and the authorities’ pursuit of them through sleuthing. Now, purist Cornwell fans (those who only like the Kay Scarpetta story lines) will not be impressed by this effort: the author introduces a third story line with new characters. However, I found it to be an enjoyable read with engaging subplots which will undoubtedly be explored in future books. The forensic tech talk about improvements in evidence analysis held my interest as well. I would give this book a solid B+: engaging writing and plot, but with new, unknown characters (ok, there’s a bit of the purist in me).

Ten Days in Israel - Part III

Following is part 3 in Mom's Ten Days in Israel. In light of the current events enfolding there, Mom offers the following organization for those interested in helping Israel: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

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[Note: The places toured on June 24th are sometimes not in the order we toured them, but more in the sequence of historical events, so as to make it "flowing" for the readers.]

Shalom and onward!

Saturday, June 24 ~ Christian sites tour ~
~ A truly somber and reflective day ~

Our day started with a visit to the Pool of Bethesda, in Jerusalem. Bethesda means, "house of mercy," and reported as the site Jesus healed an invalid man (John 5)...

...drove to the top of the Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem, where Jesus often brought his disciples to teach and pray (Acts 1)...

...walked up through the ancient walls of Jerusalem, ending in the Upper Room. The Upper Room commemorates Jesus' Last Supper with his apostles before his death (Luke 22).

...walked the historic Palm Sunday road. Palm Sunday is the day we remember Jesus' "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem, exactly one week before his resurrection (Matthew 21). Palm branches were laid on the road, as Jesus rode a donkey into the city...

...walked down to the Garden of Gethsemane (John 18), an extremely moving experience. The Garden was Jesus' favorite resting place. It was here where He waited and prayed...,it was here where He suffered for the sins of the world...,it was here where He was betrayed by the disciple Judas; and it was here where He awaited his arrest the night before He was crucified...

...visited The Sisters of Zion Church, where Jesus was whipped before mockers....

After, we visited the Church of All Nations which is located right next to the Garden.

We drove to St. Peter in Gallicantu, site of Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest's house where Jesus was taken after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We went to the traditional site of Calvary, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This site commemorates Jesus' crucifixion.

We visited The Garden Tomb. The Garden Tomb has two chambers cut out of solid rock. This site coincides with the Gospel accounts of where Christ was said to be buried. We paused for a brief prayer in remembrance of Jesus Christ's saving death (Luke 23)...

...and this is where we ended this very moving day....

[Note: The places toured on June 25th and the 26th are pretty much in the order taken.]

Sunday, June 25 ~ Jerusalem New City ~
We attended a very comprehensive and interesting lecture by Knesset member Prof. Arieh Eldad. After, we took a VIP tour of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. A lecture followed regarding Israel's evolving democracy, and later met with representatives from various sides of their politics.

We drove by the architectural wonder of the Supreme Court on the way to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum--a memorial to the six million Jews murdered during WWII.

We visited the Shaare Zedek Hospital, a 500-bed facility located in the center of Jerusalem. Our visit started with a moving presentation on how the hospital copes with terror. We saw how they respond medically to mass disasters, and how they save the lives of heart attack victims through pioneering techniques.

We also had a glimpse of some of the happier aspects of their work, such as, bringing close to 11,000 babies a year into the world!

Their Weinstock Family Department of Emergency Medicine is a major addition to Jerusalem's emergency preparedness infrastructure, due to its superior design, and centrally accessible location. This state-of-the- art facility provides the most modern and effective trauma and emergency treatments.

The support the Medical Center receives from their worldwide network of friends is most important, since they receive no government funding. Shaare Zedek celebrated the hospital's 100th anniversary in 2002.

A brief visit to the Jerusalem College of Technology followed. This college was founded in 1969 and has grown into one of Israel's major academic institutions of higher education, specializing in high-tech engineering and industrial management. They grant academic degrees in:

~ Physics and Medical Engineering
~ Physics and Electro-Optics Engineering
~ Electronic Engineering
~ Industrial Engineering and Management
~ Software Engineering
~ Computer Science
~ Managerial Accounting and information Systems
~ Technology Management and Marketing

We visited the Synagogue of the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Ein Karem, located in a beautiful setting near Jerusalem. There we viewed the Chagall stained-glass windows, installed in 1962. The windows represent the twelve sons of the Patriarch Jacob, from whom came the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and depicts Jewish history, its tragedies and its victories.

Monday, June 26 ~ Jerusalem Old City ~
We started with a visit to the Shrine of the Book, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other rare ancient manuscripts. This Dome-like building covers a structure which is two-third below the ground and is reflected in a pool of water that surrounds it.

Then on to the Western Wall (known as the Wailing Wall to most), and saw the massive foundation stones in the Kotel tunnels. I was even able to write a message/wish/prayer and insert it into one of the many, many crevices throughout the stones. This is a ritual for most locals, and a "must" for tourists as well. People from near and far go and pray next to the wall, while laying their hands upon it. Yet, another very moving experience!

The Western Wall site is also a popular place for the celebration of the "coming-of-age" events for young adults. These are usually celebrated at the age of thirteen, and are known as Bar Mitzvahs (male) and Bat Mitzvahs (females). Bat/Bar Mitzvah in Hebrew means "son/daughter of the commandment". This means a boy/girl has reached adulthood and is fully responsible for his/her morals and religious duties--becoming a full-fledged member of the Jewish community. On this particular day, there were many such celebrations. The celebrant is hoisted on the shoulders of their father. The families enjoy the tourists joining them on their respective processions and can even participate--a really joyous occasion! Singing takes place and we even get to throw little individual-wrapped candies for all--a fun thing to do, and ending this day of much sight-seeing on a very happy note!

To be continued...don't miss my "final episode" coming up soon....

Sorry about the silence

To those loved ones out there who have sent me emails and such, sorry I've been silent. Not on purpose - this last week has been a doozy. For starters I had an ear infection I had to deal with. We're talking swelling that made me look like a lopsided Ferengi. Kidding, but I couldn't hear out of that ear. Then I had my final exam. Then another doctor's appointment (regular maintenance type). Then my job has exploded with work. Fortunately, I got antibiotics for the ear and it's recovering; I aced the exam & the class (yeah!) & the abundance of work means I'll be employed for at least the next few months.

So all's well that ends well - and I'm going to start returning emails. Last night Jeff & I got together with a gym friend and her new beau for dinner. We've been trying to be social with her for a while & I'm so glad we finally got things together. Also, tried a recent addition to the Clarendon restaurant scene - Sette Bello - and the consensus of four is that it was way overpriced for the food quality and service. They ran out of olives & glasses (no kidding) for our martinis.* I mean, come on. We're not going to give the restaurant a second chance. But - good to try new things anyway.

Coming up: Mom's part 3 of Ten Days in Israel. Right now, though, I must go work out.

Update: Oh, forgot to mention, I decided to pay off my current school loans in one fell-swoop. It's a large commitment of cash, but with my job ending possibly before the end of the year, better to be completely solvent than having that hanging over my head. Of course this is a temporary condition as I'm planning (tentatively) to start back at school full-time Fall '07. I feel good about getting rid of any debt, but I dread having to be back in the market for a job. Might go the consulting route since that's more flexible & "clients" don't generally want a long term commitment, so I don't have to lie. Never easy, is it?

* Clarification: it's not out of the question to expect a restaurant that charges $20 an entree to stock more than two glasses of a certain variety. Our favorite tiny & modestly priced Thai restaurant has no problem with this concept.

Book Review: Nickel & Dimed

I originally was going to (attempt to) do a well-crafted review of Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich, but if I take the time to that, I’ll never complete it and I’m bad enough at regular blogging anyway.

First the positive:
- Interesting premise: writer decides to try to live on the wages that unskilled workers (waitresses, home/hotel cleaners, department store [Walmart, for instance] clerks) earn to see if she can do it and see if she learns anything in the process.
- She exposes some very unethical (even illegal) employer practices such as withholding a worker’s first paycheck until the second pay period.
- She notes some of the problems experienced by low-wage workers that aren’t (or may not be) experienced at higher levels of employment (e.g., lack of healthcare benefits, being unable to live in an apartment because of cost-prohibitive security deposits, almost universal drug testing as prerequisite to employment, etc.)
- Funny anecdotes about her experiences on “the other side.”
- She appears to have done some outside research besides her own experiences and observations.

Then the negative:
- The reader recognizes immediately that this writer is a liberal, specifically a bleeding-heart socialist. To those of us on the right, this is a red flag: we know what in the end she’ll advocate. Besides, the dreck that comes from that ideology is just annoying.
- She makes comments about the nurturing aspects of smoking that I find vomit-worthy. Part of the whole getting-out-of-poverty thing is making some good choices – continuing an expensive nicotine habit isn’t one of them. Ms. Ehrenreich breezes past this obvious expense and instead philosophizes about it. Gaack.
- Ditto for children. I never buy the whole thing that poor people can’t (read: don’t have the brain-power or self-control to) limit their reproduction. Children are expensive and in having them (in a marriage or not) without thought to all the costs associated with merely keeping them alive, not to mention THEIR future, people are essentially dooming them to the same life and poverty that they currently experience. I mean, if you as a parent don’t have reliable healthcare it’s one thing, but your kids will definitely need it – so why are you jeopardizing their health? Oh, yeah – Medicaid.
- She has a permissive attitude toward drug use – and even admits to “an indiscretion” of that sort during her experiment. She buys and uses products that mask or flush evidence of the drug use. That whole business is not going to lend credibility to your whole argument – whatever the argument is. And drugs are an expense.
- She always has a car (“rent-a-wreck” in her words) during her experiment. Expense. Now, some of the locations she works do demand personal transportation, but she purposely steers clear of big cities with public transportation. Hmm.
- She never tries to coordinate/share living arrangements and pool resources. After all, she DOES have her limits in this experiment!
- The biggest problem with her experiment is that it is just an experiment – she can return to her comfy upper middle class life, while demanding that the government do something about the minimum wage and poverty.

Yeah, I could go on, but you get the general picture. I would give this read a C+ - readable, but there are some reservations.

Technorati topics: book reviews

Let's make a germ, shall we?

Back in my naïve days (not so long ago), I would bring up the topic of bioterrorism at the work lunchroom (ok, it’s more compelling than the latest bottom-feeding “reality” show), and be greeted with the kind of silence and stares reserved for bona fide Martians and the like. I learned to keep my ponderings to myself while at work. No one seemed to think that such things really existed or at least were of any concern to Americans.

Well, the Post today ran this article about artificial virus production. I mean, yoiks. Read it and tell me if you think we all should feel safe and protected in the present world and that I’ve just grown antennae.

Oh, yeah, evidently I left Las Vegas

Yep, I've returned uncorrupted by Vegas. Good thing I don't gamble. Anyhoo, the Wynn Hotel was fabulous, the 120-degree heat was um, HOT but amazingly tolerable without any humidity, The Family (no! not the Cosa Nostra - my inlaws, silly!) was fabulous as was our mini-tour of eatin's around town.

But - now back to reality. Job's in turmoil, sort-of. Don't know about that. Next week is my final exam with the latest class. Whirl-wind class, but interesting & informative, and such a pleasant change from the drudgery and frustration of Chemistry. Never again! So...late August I start a biology class. You just know I'm going to have to buy the latest edition of Campbell's Biology (I have an older edition from an earlier Biology class - weighs a ton, costs a fortune). Really feeling like I need to get serious & save money in a hurry. Uggh.

Well, gotta get some sleep - my new resolution.

Ten Days in Israel - Part II

Hard to believe my mom just returned from Israel a few weeks ago - and then all hell breaks loose there. Well, on some brighter notes than the current events, here's part II of Mom's Ten Days in Israel. Enjoy!
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Shalom everyone!

Thursday, June 22 ~ Tel Aviv/Jaffa

Early this morning, we were briefed/lectured while departing for old Jaffa on the places of interest that we were about to visit. More lectures on places of interest in Tel Aviv. We stopped at Rabin Square, the Mann Auditorium, and drove by the Tel Aviv Art Museum, arriving at Rothchild Blvd.

During the afternoon, we visited Independence Hall and relived Ben Gurion's very moving declaration of the State. We also examined the early leader's vision for the Israeli society. Later, we attended an impressive and informative overview of the amazing achievements of the Palmach (an elite Jewish underground striking force, founded in 1941), at the new exposition at the Palmach Museum. Afterwards, we visited the Diaspora Museum. Along the way, the beautiful Mediterranean Sea was breathtaking, to say the least!


Friday, June 23 ~ On the road to Jerusalem...

Firstly this morning, we departed for the Neot Kedumim (Biblical Landscape). We learned about the ecological and ancient agriculture of Biblical Israel, as well as experience workshops. In addition, we also spent the early afternoon in briefings by officials at the JNF (Jewish National Fund) to learn about Israel's reforestation and ecology programs. We even took time out to plant a pine tree in honor or in memory of a loved one and received a certificate for our efforts!

For over a hundred years, the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael/Jewish National Fund (KKL~JNF), has been involved in land reclamation, conservation and development of the Holy Land of Israel.

Their main activities are:

-Afforestation - more than 230 million trees have been planted

-Sustainable and environmental development

-Land preparation for agriculture

-Development of new water resources; 175 reservoires

-Rehabilitation of polluted rivers

-Building bypass roads

-Preparing recreation areas in the forests

-Savannization programs

-Ongoing research & development programs

-Wide range educational activities in Israel and abroad

These activities are made possible by sponsorship from their KKL~JNF friends worldwide for the improvement of the quality of life and the environment for the benefit of the population of Israel.

Now, onward to the Latrun IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Armored Corps center to view/examine the many tanks (Tank Museum at Latrun), and to learn how Israel works to remain on the military cutting edge. Here, the women in the corps do not participate in the actual maneuvers, BUT, must know all parts and information regarding the mechanisms. They do, however, perform such tasks as instruction for new recruits and also serve as tour guides. The regular military does permit women to fully participate in their endeavors.

We continued on to Mini Israel, a small-scaled, very intriguing, life-like replica of the country. We experienced a unique birds-eye view of more than 300 models of different buildings and sites in Israel. To our delight and surprise, we got to meet the architect and engineers of this pain-taking project, and even took photos! We then started back to our hotel, ascending, via Shar Hagai...on the road to Jerusalem.

Last, but definitely not least, we get back to the hotel to prepare for and attend a Shabbat (Sabbath) Dinner. This means "getting on your finest" for a very special occasion!

Shabbat is a religious festive day of rest, and entails ceasing from labor. It starts on Friday afternoon, lasting until Saturday afternoon. At that time at the hotels, all elevators are designated to stop at every floor. However, for the tourists' convenience, a couple of elevators were exempt from this ritual. The kosher meal begins on Friday, after sundown. Before the meal, the ceremony includes blessings, sharing/saying something special aloud with family and friends, breaking bread (challah bread: a sweet, eggy bread, shaped into a braid and covered with a cloth), drinking wine, and toasting each other. A very fine way to end a long day.

To be continued...

Viva Las Vegas

Ok, don't be too sad, but I'm taking off for Vegas in a couple of hours for a week's vaycay. See ya!

Ten Days in Israel (part 1)

Some months ago, my mom announced that she was going on a tour through Israel. My first thought was, “couldn’t you choose a somewhat less volatile and dangerous place to vacation?” Actually, I said something like that, but she was undeterred. Good for her. She’s back safe and sound with stories to tell of her very interesting journey. The good blogger in me jumped at the chance to publish some of her tales. And she graciously obliged. Here’s what hope will be the first of several segments on her Ten Days in Israel.
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Renee's mom’s Christian bird's eye overview of "The Holy Land experience."

"In the beginning... "

Yes, right from the start, my trip was no ordinary one! In spite of my many flight delays (going and coming [Renee: Mom flew from San Antonio, TX thru NYC to Israel]), luggage "misplacement," having to wear the same clothes for four days (some of the lovely women on the tour came to my rescue, however), I truly had a most enjoyable and memorable ten-day tour experience. This trip was definitely the highlight of my 2006 summer! I don't think anything could possibly top it!

Hopefully, I will share with you and your readers, a day-by-day account, and as much as I can recall of the many fun/wacky/silly-, and some not so silly occurrences.

Ours was an interfaith group, although our very gracious host, Michael Medved, is of the Jewish faith. The Medved tour took us to many wonderful and important Jewish sites, as well as optional Christian tours.

Although, Michael Medved lives and broadcasts his radio talk show from Seattle, Washingon, his father, as well as his brother and family live in Israel. They are all very actively involved in civics and public affairs, as well as enterprising business organizations, etc.

The tour took us to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem New City, Jerusalem Old City, the Dead Sea, Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee, Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee and the Coast Line, Nazareth, and even stayed overnight at a Kibbutz (a communal-type hotel). A very fully-packed trip to say the least!

We visited many historical and holy sites, museums, important buildings, churches and synagogues, excavations, Nasada National Park, The Shaare Zedek Medical Center, a hospital, Jerusalem College of Technology, the Israel Air Force Center Foundation, and we even planted a tree! We also experienced sabbath (Shabbat) dinners, which included their prayers, songs and thanksgivings. All this I will go into more depth about later on in the "series."

I was totally impressed by the bravery of the Israeli people, and their ability to carry on their daily lives. How much they enjoy life, are happy, outgoing, hard-working people, very devotedly religious and God-fearing, often "breaking into song." They're always beautifying and improving their country and I found them to be very friendly, welcoming, and wanting to share their traditions, customs, and way of life with all who will listen. All this, in spite of having to be forever vigilant of their many enemies surrounding them who are trying to obliterate them from the face of the earth.

Another impressive aspect of their society is that because their country is small, most citizens not only have one profession, but two, three or more, taking these responsibilities very seriously and non-complaining, not to mention serving in the military, and doing so with pride! They are for the most part, very well educated and are forever striving for greater achievements.

One of their very absolute resolutions which clearly stands out is: They will always BE! In other words, they will NEVER cease to exist. They are making sure of that! They are working diligently on that every day. Their average birthrate per family is six, and the hospitals that we visited make sure that the moms-to-be are very well cared for and pampered (their words).

To be continued…

Technorati Topics: travel, middle east

On another positive note...

...is a story a few days ago in the Post about diesel car owners who use used vegetable oil from local restaurants and bars in their cars for fuel. Yeah, they have to buy a converter & yeah that can cost a bundle (depending), but the oil burns cleaner and the best part is - it's free. Businesses have to pay to have it hauled away, so they're happy to supply individuals with it free to take it away. I just love situations like this that 1) are eco-sound, 2) creative alternatives to the usual business (esp. the fuel business), 3) community-centered, 4) show that individuals can do the right thing and 5) strengthen my philosophy of/argument for "mutuality" AKA "symbiosis" (not just for lower animals any more!).

Is self-regulating commerce a dream?

No, actually, it's not. I've had the very best experience ordering from Amazon.com used books. In fact, I just rec'd a large hard-bound book I ordered 3 days ago, and in perfect condition. Not only was the shipping time and condition great, but the book was a steal at just over $4 (that's including shipping). The "magic" of it, if you will, is the buyer feedback. I was lazy about that the first time, but now, I leave feedback every time. Why? Because I depend on the cumulative ratings from others to decide from which bookseller to buy (one usually has a variety to choose from) and buy only from those both with a high rating and who give a description of the product. I'm amazed at how well this system works. I shouldn't be, though, because those folks who really want to sell their books make sure that they make good on the deal. And that's what really counts. Some sellers even email you directly to let you know when they're shipping the item - now that's service!

For those of you who haven't used this service, look for the term "used & new" below the Amazon price (in this ad for the book I bought, it's above the Amazon price and called "best price"). You can browse thru the offerings & decide which one suits you. You can pay by credit card and/or Amazon gift certificates - not just with money orders. Now, I've only bought used books thru this service, but I'd imagine DVDs & CDs operate the same way. I've always appreciated Amazon.com for their excellent service and prices, & this is yet another reason to patronize their site.