Minutemen in Herndon - Yeah!

In the Washington Post today is an article of how the Herndon branch of the Minutemen are monitoring an informal day-laborer site (before the nice new formal one opens - at tax-payer expense!), taking pictures of the contractors vehicles and license plates who come around, in order to submit this information to the IRS. Now this is not something I thought of: that these employers don't pay any of the payroll taxes associated with regular employees. For shame!

Of course, the Post has to interview the poor illegals, to get the liberal-heart strings aquiver, about how because of the Minutemen scaring off potential employers, these guys won't eat today. Wahhhh! Who cares? These guys break the law coming here to work, also illegally, so in my mind, they take their chances. Eating isn't guaranteed.

The Minutemen are doing a job that federal & local governments and law enforcement agencies (that my tax dollars are supporting) refuse to do, and on their own dime. I say, keep up the good work, guys!

Butterstick Rules!

Go! Go see National Panda Baby, AKA Tai Shan, AKA Butterstick at Washington Post. You know you want to! You'll feel better! Click here!

Yet Another Book Review

Read Remains Silent by Michael Baden and Linda Kenney. Fun read for those of us who enjoy reading about forensics, especially forensic pathology. And for those of you who do, you probably recognize Michael Baden's name: he's the forensic pathologist (for real) who's often asked to talk about, well, forensics on cases, on various news shows. This book is a novel about a bunch of old deaths that need to be investigated and an old prof. who asks his former student to help with the investigation. It also involves a fashionable litigator, descriptions of whom at times are a bit far-fetched. But all in all, a good, quick read.

Two Quick Book Reviews

Just finished The Hillary Trap, by Laura Ingraham. Although it uses Hillary Clinton as an influential example, Laura is really taking liberals in general to task for inhibiting and "victimizing" women instead of liberating them, with their (liberals')insistence on dependence on big government as solution to every problem. She makes some very good points that I've realized myself. In general, the book is balm to those of us right-leaning women.

The other book I just finished is The Deep End, by Joy Fielding. Good suspense novel with a protagonist whom you want to slap at times and peripheral characters who aren't totally sympathetic either. A few years ago this was made into a film; I'd like to check it out to compare characterizations. Regardless of the format of the story, I do actually enjoy characters that get under one's skin.

You ask, when do I have time to read for pleasure? Well, I do have a lot of time on the Metro, waiting for Metro, on school shuttles, waiting for school shuttles, and of course, before bed-time to relax with a book I choose! :)

Anyhoo, speaking of time, I must get back to doing a lovely research paper for a criminology class and studying for yet another Chemistry test. The semester is thankfully almost over! Yippee!

Another Book Review....

This one's of A Million Little Pieces, by James Frey. Recommended to me by my former boss at the book store. Yeh, I know, it's an Oprah Book Club selection, but it's actually pretty good. And it didn't take me several months to read it either. Normally I would NOT be drawn to a book about a drug addict, but this guy said it was a good read, so...yeh it was.

Part of the readability is that 1) the story of addiction is SO extreme you wonder if anyone could actually do that much damage to him/herself (so, it's part train-wreck effect), 2) reading it makes you feel SOOOO normal and well-adjusted (yeh, even if you're an obsessive-compulsive like me who worries about everything). Part of it is the (true-to-life) story-teller becomes a sympathetic character, believe it or not. You actually want him to succeed. You may even become teary-eyed at parts - beware!

Ok, enough said, it's a quick read and not in any way academic. Yes, I would recommend this book.

I voted, did you?

I mean, if you had elections going on, of course. I went over at 6:30am, expecting at least a short wait as there has been a hubbub about the gubernatorial race in Virginia. I was 2nd in line. Ok, I hope that means that the rest of eligible voters in my area are voting later today. Cast your vote, darlings! You know I voted Republican (Kilgore, et al) unless there wasn't a choice, then I voted for whomever was listed. The main ones were Republican, though.

Just FYI: we in the Park Lane district of Arlington have very nice touch screen polling machines - easy to use, easy to revise your choices before you touch that HUGE button that says VOTE. I challenge anyone to screw up their vote on this system. Tax money well spent. Although, the last machines were just fine and dandy too - again - not hard to use. Thank goodness we never (ok - in all my voting time in Arlington this has never been the case) had those stupid chads or anything like it.

My only beef is that the signs outside the polling place were in English and Spanish. I mean, if you are eligible to vote, ie, a citizen, shouldn't you be able to read the sign in English? Of course, I have my doubts that that rule is strictly enforced, knowing what I know about Virginia and its lax enforcement toward illegals and such - who knows??? Hopefully if Kilgore gets to be Gov, he'll be more accountable about such things. One can hope.

Book Review: On With The Story, by John Barth

I can't remember when I've enjoyed a book less than On With The Story, by John Barth. You know it's not a good sign when you start a review that way. For a short book (257pp), it has taken me months to complete. Now to be fair, I'm not a big fan of short stories, but I'm willing to give them a chance.

The premise of this collection of short stories is that a married couple is on vacation or something, and is telling each other (or one is telling the other) a bunch of stories to pass the time during a thunderstorm. I think that's the premise. It seemed as though were written by an academic: pretentious and with many a GRE word, vacuous "stories" strung together with content-free banter segments. If that weren't irritating enough, none of the characters were sympathetic; that is, none of them were drawn (more like "sketched" like a stick figure) interestingly enough for the reader to care about them at all. This is a book of banality - overwhelming banality - with the possible exception of a certain criminal described towards the end of the book.

I'm so glad to have finished this book - for no other reason than to trash it to my readers. Now, the reason I picked it up i nthe first place was that I'd read something of his in a literature class several years ago which I recalled enjoying at that time. Word to the wise, if you enjoy all those aspects of which I've described above as not enjoying; that is, if you are a dyed-in-the-wool academic sort, who happens to be teaching a literature class on short stories, you might indeed get something out of this book.

AU Fiasco Update

Read this article about how Benjamin Ladner made out big-time, to the tune of almost $4 MILLION dollars. Yes, folks, crime and a complete lack of ethics does, in fact, pay and how! And take a wild guess who gets to foot that bill - yep, students. Not surprisingly, the students are up in arms about this.

Misc Update

Now that I'm unemployed, I've designated Saturday as "Super-Happy Fun Day," also known as "badly needed stress relief day, that doesn't involve school work at all." It will be a day to go to the museums, try new (reasonably priced) restaurants, etc. So, why am I hitting here talking to you? Because part of the fun is that I get to blog and vent about things!

Panda Love. This is an ongoing joke between Jeff & me: We look each day in the paper for those adorable photos of the panda baby at National Zoo. He's just so cute, looking like he's dubious about all the measuring and weighing procedures. Just so fluffy and cute! Ok, it's a silly diversion, but what the hey?

A Pleasant Friday

Yesterday I headed home without a stomachache, without nervous tension, but with the warm, fuzzy knowledge that I had aced my latest Criminology exam (remember, it’s not called a “mid-term exam,” just another exam) and with the distinct feeling that I had been really on top of things at Chem Lab and . After having lunch, I took a nap. Happy & sleepy was I.

Bush’s Stupid Immigration Plan

Washington Post gives us an idea of the amnesty program (called a “guest worker” program) proposed by Bush. I’m fuming as I’m typing this. What it comes down to is a completely unenforceable system that just means the status quo will be observed, minus billions in taxpayer dollars to support such a program. No increase in border security, no holding employers accountable for hiring illegals. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado) has it right when he says,

Bringing workers out of the shadows is simply another way of saying we should legalize illegal immigrants…Yes, we should bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows, and then return them to their home country.

And shame on you employers for selling out your country! Shame on you politicians who institute and maintain safe-haven policies – also selling out your country!

Anyway, go read the article for yourself.

AU Debacle

A follow-up article in the Post about outgoing American University president Benjamin Ladner and whether or not the university should pay him up to $4 million dollars in severance or dismiss him for cause with nothing. This is the guy who, with his wife, spent lavishly on American University’s dime during his tenure as president of that university. For those of you unfamiliar with this story, while ago an anonymous letter was sent to the trustees questioning Ladner’s spending habits and thus, an audit was launched. You can only imagine the extent of the spending. As a result of the audit and its findings, the school board dismissed Ladner, but now they’re deciding what to do with him. AU is hemorrhaging trustees over this and frankly I don’t blame them. Students are up in arms because their tuition funded this lifestyle. Can’t say I blame them, especially since I’m currently paying an arm and a leg for tuition and it would incense me to know that the university president was living large while I was struggling to pay tuition. The worst part about this situation is that Ladner has this breathtaking sense of entitlement about past and potential funds and seems clueless about what all the fuss is about. I really think that university presidents should understand that they exist for students, not the other way around, huh?

Updated Lunacy

Well, it's not really a good sign when you leave class and the only development is a tight, hard knot in your stomach and a keen (keening?) sense of panic. Yes, you guessed it - chemistry will be my utter demise. I can't emphasize enough how much I hate it. Did I mention that I loathe and despise it? On the more adult side, I just sent an email to learning center at school seeing how to sign up for a tutor. I'm literally pulling my hair out because of this class - and have another delightful semester of it to deal with - assuming I survive this one. Hopefully the tutoring will help.

I made the decision to quit my job at bookstore. Sadly, I could definitely use the additional 8 hours on a Sunday for school work. I'm just going to tough out the semester and see if I can get a better schedule next semester to get a decent and unobtrusive part-time job. I meet with faculty advisor tomorrow to discuss my proposed school schedule.

It's official: school has taken over my life. Anyhoo, gotta eat something and study for 2pm stats test. Pray, gentle readers for my continued sanity.

School Observations

Curious how many of the girls at my small Catholic college wear the hijab. Just sayin'.

The student union burger place actually makes decent burgers and fries.

My criminology textbooks are riddled with typos...especially the text for my Juvenile Justice class. Makes you wonder if some delinquent offed the proof-reader in a fit as a result of Strain (heh. as in Agnew's GST. ok, it's sociology crap already, geeze).

I'm periodically freaking out still. I'm going to quit my job because, frankly, I'm more desperate for that eight hours time than the paltry sum I'm making for that eight hours. Next semester, I'm going to have a much better schedule without so many large gaps in between...which make getting a better paying part-time job that much easier and workable.

Ok, I must sign off and do lab prep. Did I mention I can't wear my contact lenses to lab - so I have to wear my glasses???!!! Beyond that, the lab is a shrill, shreaking nightmare.

Oh must I go now??? Yes. Reactions with copper await my conclusions.

Cosi Issues

This was totally unbelievable. I went into Cosi at Ballston Metro to get a latte before class. I had a frequent coffee-drinker card filled up (no surprise), so I was going to get my free-bee. Only they wouldn't honor it because in the words of the manager, it looked like a forgery. Yes, you read right - a forged stamped card. He said with an absolutely straight face that "see, all the stamps are facing the same direction, so it looks like a forgery." I was not pleased.

Almost every weekend, Jeff & I go across the street to Cosi for bagels and coffee. He usually finds a seat and I stand in line to pay and get my card stamped. I buy 2 coffees, I get 2 stamps. Makes sense, huh? Next week, same deal. Many of the same baristas are there every week, stamping with the same stamps. Does it really surprise you that the stamps look similar? That they face the same way? Well, the bonehead youngster who was so astute as to catch the nefarious forger saved his store a whopping $3.33...and lost a customer. Thanks, but I'll stick to the Cosi in my neighborhood, wherein the baristas remember us, accept full cards without the suspicion, and make an attempt at customer service.

Misc Stuff Update

Ok, now I spaz with this ridiculous-but-intense "fear of failure" vibe vis-a-vis school. My chemistry class tends to reinforce this feeling. I will have to work very hard at TWO WHOLE SEMESTERS of this crap. Gack. Oh well, 1) I will always find something to worry about and 2) I will memorize whatever I have to in order to pass these requirements with a decent grade. End of story. Doesn't mean I won't still be spazzing all the way.

Jeff bought us the series The Office (British version) and we've watched the whole thing. It's a brilliant hoot and sometimes painful to watch because the situations fall a little too close to home. Many a cringe-worthy scene.


Here's a very sad article about a nice guy who was shot and killed in DC while walking his dog. Depressing and horrible. But if any readers in the area have any info, the police contact info is at the end of the article.

This article is about yet another ridiculous appointment by the Administration of a person with no experience in the actual subject matter (remember the last FEMA director?) being charged with heavy-duty responsibility, this time at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (part of DHS). This really shows Bush's view of how important immigration is - put someone in charge without any qualifications. This is merely another depressing bit of evidence that Bush will do nothing responsible about immigration during his administration. Gack.

Give me some good news!!!

Quick Update/Notes on the Run

Hi there, happy campers! Just ended my 2nd week as student and I must admit, I'm a little overwhelmed. Much more demanding than I thought, but I've been taking steps to deal - better organization, less hours at work, scheduling stuff better, communicating with profs, to cover all bases. That said, there are a few thoughts I'd like to share on other topics:

- a very happy birthday goes out to my brother Chris today! Hopefully, he's not at work somewhere and can enjoy some sort of festivities!

- Jeff & I saw March of the Penguins last night and really enjoyed it. It was a beautiful film about the life cycle of the Emperor Penguin. Really amazing how the species survives given their hostile environment and the elaborate reproduction process they go thru (which involves alternately, each parent traveling long distances for food and the other parent going without food for months at a time). The cinematography was awesome, the "story" engaging (at least to us adults; a little girl who watched the film with her family was rather unimpressed), and we actually learned something. Oh, yes - the penguin chicks have a very high cute factor. My only criticism was that I would have liked to see a map of the territory discussed in the movie, to give perspective, but understand the film makers wanted to isolate the perspective for story-telling purposes (I assume). Anyhoo, anyone who enjoys National Geo will get something out of the film.

- had a science moment on the metro on the way home last night. A praying mantis on the metro. Cool, but you have to wonder how the guy on the metro car. Anyhoo, cool also because I hadn't seen one all year.

- Just finished a mystery novel, Crescent City Kill, by Julie Smith (1997). Perhaps I'm too much a fan of Patricia Cornwell (and protagonist Kay Scarpetta) and Sue Graphton (and protagonist Kinsey Millhone), but I wasn't able to fully engage with the book's heroine, Skip Langdon, a New Orleans cop. That said, I found the book a good read, with twists and turns and loathesome criminals, as well as some very interesting characters caught in the middle. I'd give the book a B or B-. Not bad, and perhaps I should read more of the novels in the Skip Langdon series to get a better feeling for the protagonist, but at this juncture, good but not great.

- On the down side, can I just say that this whole Hurricane Katrina operation (initial response, action taken, time span, leadership - or specifically, lack thereof, etc), from city level to Federal and Administration level, has been one enormous, embarrassing Charlie Foxtrot. Let's see, we have knowledge before the event that it's going to be a disasterous natural event somewhere on the gulf coast; we have knowledge that a certain city WILL-not-may-be traumatized by such an event (and have had this knowledge for YEARS); we have mechanisms and whole agencies devoted to addressing these kind of emergencies - by the way, not free - taxpayer supported - in addition to military capabilities that could assist effectively in aspects of the situation; an administration that could have taken control of the efforts when it was ABSURDLY CLEAR that State and Local gov'ts were incompetent (let's not even get into the FEMA mess); in short, there is PLENTY of capability all around to minimize the effects of the disaster - and what do we do? Totally screw it up. Big time. Irrevocably.

Now, I have the greatest respect and support for those on the ground at every level who were DOING THEIR JOBS, addressing the situation, and under VERY trying circumstances (due to natural and man-made obstacles). I am also very proud of my fellow Americans who came thru via donations (of all kinds) and opening their cities and in some cases their homes to Katrina's refugees. Time and time again in crises, Americans have come thru generously, and yes, heroically, to those in dire need. I do not diminish these contributions and am grateful for those fine individuals.

The fact remains, however, that the effects of this natural disaster could have been greatly minimized by effective leadership at all levels, by using the enormous collective resources at our disposal. Instead, there was gross incompetence, a total lack of leadership, finger-pointing, stupid bureaucracy, communications miasma, etc, etc. And I fear that there will be no real assessment and action to improve the situation - anywhere. Jeff at Kinshasa on the Potomac has story links and more in-depth commentary on the subject. Yeh, I know I'm lame, but I still got homework to do before I go to work this evening.

- Oh, yeh, anniversary of 9/11 attacks. Have we improved our security? No. I think we've done some cosmetic activities, but no real effective improvement in actual security. We're so concerned about not offending anyone, about continuing to have cheap labor, about keeping our friends in high offices, about keeping our "beloved" bureaucracies intact, etc, etc, that we as a country are WIDE OPEN to terrorist attacks. The response to Katrina shows our biggest vulnerability: the incompetence and the widespread promotion thereof. Oh, I weep for my country and fear that only a massive and horrific attack will open our eyes - and perhaps it will simply be too late.

The Morning After

Well, after my first day of school and new job. School went well - lots of homework, but fine. I christened my first day as full-time student by having a cheeseburger combo deal at the school "cafeteria." Very, very yummy, but we'll definitely have to keep that indulgence to a minimum. Mmmm, beef.

Work went well - I was stationed at the info desk. Talk about intimidating. But by the end of the evening, I was actually helping folks find things. I think it was a good first start.

Today in the Post there was a piece on the Weekly Standard's 10th anniversary. Snarky. Read it if you must. What does one expect from a left-leaning publication? Read a good piece in WS about the Minutemen by Matt Labash (good and humorous regular writer for WS), giving some balance to the whole secure borders group (instead of MSM's coverage of the illegal immigrants booster-types).

Anyhoo, gotta go work out and get to school...

Until then, the evening had gone so well...

Last night I attended orientation for my new part-time job. Very positive and I'm pretty jazzed about the whole thing.

So, I was heading home on foot at around 9:45pm, after having just agreed with a coworker that ours is such a safe neighborhood, when...I heard someone saying hello. So, being the trusting dork that I am, I respond "hi" and look where the greeting is coming from. Yeh, some guy from yonder bushes, exposing himself. Now, I just trucked on by and he didn't follow me. I was just a little shook up.

And pissed off. This is MY neighborhood and has been for the better part of twenty years. I like it, it's home and it's generally safe. And this pervert has to show off his sorry, hairy package so that he can get a sick thrill from my surprise. Hmm, if I was a quicker thinker, and had a taser to boot, I could demonstrate
just what I thought of his entertainment. I told Jeff that the next time I go to my job (night shifts), I'm taking a camera and catch the bastard on film - to share with my friendly neighborhood cops. Yeh, dude, I'd drop a dime on you so fast it would make your head spin. Heh.

Jeff, on the other hand, states that he WILL be walking me home from work. Good man.

Update: "Heard" - alright already. I'm thinking, yeh, catch the perve on film and maybe publish his photo on my blog. Bwahahahaha!!! Oh, that's just too funny. Sicko, take that! But also, Jeff's comment about stun-gunning is also worthy of a giggle.

To Friends & Loved Ones...

I know I've been terrible about returning calls and emails. Please forgive! These last few weeks of work have been busy and stressful. But - this is my last week of work at my present position and I'll catch up with y'all this weekend! Wahoo!

Oh, and I just got a part-time job at a neighborhood bookstore; I go in for orientation tomorrow evening. A little progress!