Some charming news items...

Ah, I love my fellow man - um, mostly not so much. Anyhoo, reading the Post Metro section (my mistake) and came across these gems:

Asshead MS-13 members (I mean "suspected" members) caught robbing a brothel (run out of an apartment - evidently it's a trend) and having raped one of the workers. Undercover cop lady on an unrelated assignment, gets dragged into the apartment by said "suspected" gang members in their kind-hearted attempt to spread the love. She called her back-up and those alleged gang dudes were so busted. Read all about it here.

Woman kicks and punches to death her adopted two-year-old Russian daughter. She did this because the girl "...was not behaving and not listening and just crying." Because, you know that a good kicking and punching really makes 2-year-olds stop crying and behave. Of course, all you parents out there know this. Wow, there are no words sufficient...to describe what should be done to this heinous individual; prosecuter recommends 40 years in the slammer. Heh. Good. Full story here.

Cop fatally shoots drug dealer after drug dealer stabs another cop. Shooting cop is placed on administrative leave pending investigation. Huh? Well, DH Jeff says this is standard operating procedure. Hopefully, this is a formality and the officer will be allowed to return to duty within the day. Personally, who's really going to miss some scumbag pusher? Read all about it here.

Streams of Unconsciousness

So, you thought I'd given up on my blogging life, eh? Nah.

Got a 94% on that Chemistry test - no one more surprised (and pleased) than me!

Teacher got me royally pissed (as opposed to just commonly pissed) the other morning by starting the class early with no prior notification thereof. I walked in on time to find her whisking thru her transparencies.

Now we're gearing up for another exam. Oh joy.

I've come to a realization after having bored to death a guest with a rambling diatribe about abortion, fueled by way too much wine. Yeh, I should watch the amount I drink, but more importantly, I should drop that subject permanently. There is absolutely no point in bringing it up. I have my values, they have theirs - and never the twain shall meet. But, if it were truly a personal and private choice (to kill your kid), then no red cent of mine should ever go to supporting (any) abortion (e.g., healthcare/insurance that covers abortion, etc). Your mistake, your bill. Fat chance!

War on drugs? Same thing. Just a way for our govt to spend a huge amount of (our) money and man-power for no appreciable benefit. The constant is that Americans love their drugs & will find other means of acquiring them or, they'll just make them at home. Then demand that there be all sorts of "free" rehabilitation to salvage their useless lives. Your mistake, your bill. Nope, we pay for that too.

Wars run and international policies hatched, having the effect akin to creating antibiotic resistant strains of tuberculosis by sharing your meds. We pay on myriad levels for that, believe me.

I think I'm going to try to ignore all these things, adopt a positive if self-absorbed mental state, and attempt to make enough money to go to school and continue dining out when I want. Blah. My fury at these issues and how they're dealt with serves only to give me stomachaches (I've had a lot of those lately, but I suspect partly due to the gallons of coffee I drink daily, and the consequent erosion of my stomach lining). Anyhoo, there it is. Rambling diatribe sans alcohol.

Blah, blah, blah!

Still limping thru Chemistry class. Took first exam of semester on Thurs. Studied alot; pulled out hair; swore a blue streak. How'd I do? Anyone's guess. We'll see this week.

Liberal at the Post (heh) weighing in about the "hoopla" over putting in writing and law limits to damned illegals' acquisition of higher education in VA. About what you'd expect. Can't find story right now...will try tomorrow...

Tech guy at work acquired U.S. citizenship. Nice to see someone actually caring enough to become a citizen instead of just sneaking in the back door and grabbing what he can.

We socialized during the weekend and it was nice! Going to restart book club thank goodness.

Lots to say, no time to say it. Gotta go start Chem homework...

Life is getting cheaper by the minute

Post story: 38-yr-old grandmother shakes 5-DAY-OLD baby to death. Now, who of you thinks it's acceptable (and effective) to shake a newborn roughly in an attempt to quiet her? Clearly, these folks do. Except, a baby that small tends to inconveniently (or conveniently) die on you, suffering "...bleeding retinas and bruising on the brain." But hey, all part of the culture, eh? The mother is 19-yrs-old and was evidently present at the time of the shaking. Jeeze, that says it all, doesn't it? You know, a more cynical person (heh) might say, natural selection in practice...except the two perpetrators are still alive. And only one charged with anything.

Don't worry, though, I'm sure she'll get off and don't forget, at 38, she can create more children she won't raise with an ounce of sense. And her wonderful daughter, who clearly didn't raise a finger to stop the slaughter, still can squeeze out plenty of pups to kill. Why get all upset? The victims can't fight back.

The Las Vegas Story

Finally. Ok, here's the deal. Neither Jeff nor I are gamblers. We do, however, enjoy good food, accommodations, service, shows and hiking.

My lovely Jeff arranged everything. And boy, did he choose an excellent hotel! The Wynn is a beautiful, new, very tall hotel that he saw and liked the last time he was in LV. We had a room on the 57th floor, which had floor to ceiling windows with a view of the strip and environs - and a gorgeous view of the surrounding hills. The room was bright, cheery & spacious with fun floral-themed artwork, 2 flat-screen TVs (one of which was in the large bathroom across from the tub), and a bed with down everything. The display-phone shows your name, so does the main TV when you wish to check your bill details. Really spiffy! Did I mention the amazing gym the hotel has? It looked nicer and better equipped than many regular gyms I've seen!

We ordered room service multiple times, twice ordered a bottle of wine and snacks...which we consumed while in bubble baths for two (the tub was large)...and watching Chinese and Japanese game shows without subtitles. It's a game to see if we can actually tell what the object of the show is. Ha! Culture! Oh yeh, and the TVs get Fox News, so you just know we were watching the opening remarks in the Alito confirmation hearings.

Did I mention how much I love room service? The service was so pleasant! They ask you if you want them to open the bottle and pour you a glass, or pour you some coffee, and they set up the little table nicely and chat amicably. The cleaning staff is very good too, doesn't skimp on or forget amenities. In fact, the first night, while we were out at dinner, they came in and turned down the bed AND gave us more amenities.

We also ate at several very good restaurants. Maggiano's, which is a traditional, New York-style Italian restaurant, which Jeff said we just had to go to, and for good reason. Fabulous food, cozy atmosphere, good service. We also went to really good Korean and sushi restaurants, at Jeff's brother's recommendation. I just love Asian foods. Then, one afternoon, we lazily had lunch with wine at one of the casino restaurants. Cool.

We also went to a Cirque du Soleil spin-off production called Zumanity. This was a risqué review of acrobatics, contortionists, little comedy skits, and basically boobies (all apparently real and mostly small, if you'd believe it!). Fun! My favorite parts were the various overhead acrobatics (like - don't fall!), esp. one with a girl twirling multiple reflective hula-hoops while being hoisted up into the vaulted ceiling. One of Jeff's favorite pieces was the pink-haired girl in the revealing Catholic school girl outfit very effectively cracking a long bull-whip - go figure. Anyhoo, fun!

Jeff's brother kindly took us out to do some hiking in a place call Valley of Fire, with stunning rock formations - you would not believe the colors! It was a very nice introduction to a place I wish to revisit sometime soon!

Ok my maiden voyage to Vegas-Land was a total success! I do want to go back, but I'm not completely convinced that we should move there...we'll see!

Quick updates

I'll tell you all about Vegas tomorrow - I'm just too tired to write much.

Good news - my old employer asked me to do some consulting for them. Couldn't have come at a better time! This means I have a little more time to find a permanent job and some money coming in in the mean time. The only down side I can see is that the IRS will extort a huge portion of my earnings. Bastards!

Read a Post article about that book, A Million Little Pieces, that talks about a blog which is saying that James Frey, the author, falsified some of the details in the book. Bad, bad, bad.

I'm really tired, so I'm going to go take a bath. Until tomorrow...

And for tomorrow's entertainment...

"My First Trip to Vegas" & "updates on the Renee Saga." Heh - don't miss them!

Book Review: Jarhead (didn't see the movie yet)

Once upon a time I read a review of the book Jarhead, by Anthony Swofford, which peaked my interest. Jeff was thoughtful enough to pick me up a copy recently. I'm glad he's not a marine, or at least anyone like Mr. Swofford. Honestly, I kept thinking, "what a horse's ass this guy (Swofford) is." And, did I need any reminders that so many of our young marines will screw anything around - and I do mean anything? Especially while they're bemoaning their unfaithful women at home? But these items paled in comparison to the narrative close to the beginning of the book of what evidently was the desert version of a code red, only involving the rape of a fellow marine (because he "...[had] recently been a jerk or abused rank or acted antisocial, ignoring the unspoken contracts of brotherhood and camaraderie and esprit de corps and the combat family" - I kid you not) instead of just beating the crap out of him. I sincerely hope I misunderstood this charming narrative and will berate myself for my immediate gut reaction of "these guys are indeed expendable and it's a good thing we have so many stupid, violent, drunk, sexually diseased ones to throw at the enemy," if that is the case. Then the aforementioned hole-chasing philosophe whines at the end that he didn't get to kill anyone. At least it was a quick read.

Many thanks...

to all of you who are kind and generous in so many ways!

Today, for instance, I went to lunch with my former boss to catch up on the goings-on and the gossip. She surprised me by treating me to lunch! Such a thoughtful thing.

Some folks at my old employ - including some unexpectedly - were happy to see me and gave me hugs. I know, sappy, but there you go.

Anyhoo, these were just the most recent examples of kindness and generosity. Thanks to all of you who have shown me and mine that goodness!

Happy Wednesday!

Illegal-boosters back at it

Maryland lawmakers are introducing legislation that would make driving without a license punishable by jail time. The pro-illegal crowd objects strenuously, saying it would harm them. Jeeze, these folks are shameless! Read all about it here.

Hmmm…more information, please!

This article in the Washington Post on Saturday presents a “human interest” story about a woman, Michelle Armstead, who was fighting eviction from her Burtonsville, MD, apartment for repeated late rent payments. Some of her neighbors were facing the same issue for the same reason. Now, the apartment complex was using the fact that they were renovating the units along with the late payments as reason to evict (in lieu of relocating the tenants). Ms. Armstead rallied her fellow tenants to protest this. The Post characterizes her actions as “a lesson in individual initiative and why local politics matters.” (Washington Post, 12/31/05).

After reading the article, I’m not certain that I am willing to feel sympathy or as the writer intends, applaud Ms. Armstead for her chutzpah, strength or whatever. The piece glosses over many issues and I get the impression that Ms. Armstead believes that the apartment complex owes her lodging regardless of her payment record or others’ ability to pay their rent.

Now, the article states that she’s a single woman (without mention of any children) and takes home a little more than $2,000 per month from her job as a physician scheduler, which gives her a gross salary of more than $24,000 per year. In this area that’s on the low side, but it should be enough to cover her rent, which is stated as $800 per month. The article doesn’t say that the apartment complex is public housing and with a salary in the mid-twenties, I doubt she would qualify. Yet, she’s been late on her rent not once or twice, but admittedly many times. And if she’s having so much trouble paying rent, why not get a roommate? The article also states that she has a car payment of $486 per month. Is that all car payment or insurance too? If that’s just car payment, she may have a vehicle that is beyond her means. Does she think that the dealership or bank owes her transportation regardless of her ability to pay for it?

Ms. Armstead indicates that she was on disability for three months and as anyone knows and can understand, an unexpected medical problem can put one in the hole, but I don’t get the impression that all her problems have revolved around this episode. And generally, I believe, disability only kicks in after one has used up available sick leave. More questions, little information. The piece sums up by saying that her “initiative” yielded “bittersweet” results: she’s being offered a lease after paying rent on time for three months and at an increased rent of $1,008 per month. Now, who among you thinks these are outrageous terms (I dare you)?

As far as the information provided, it looks like the landlords want to have good tenants, ie, ones that pay their rent on time, and I see nothing wrong with that. Further, as much as we (renters) don’t like it, landlords are legally able to raise the rent every year unless prohibited by rent-control or –stabilization rules (which doesn’t appear to be the case here). Now, if the company was in violation of the lease agreements, that’s a different story, but that doesn’t appear to be the case here. I mean squatters’ rights? No.

My sympathies go out to those who have done everything right and responsible – and are being treated in an unethical or even illegal manner, but this article has raised too many questions about Ms. Armstead, by its omissions to make me feel that she has been wronged or that she is laudable for her stand against the apartment.

Updates & New Year's Resolutions

Well, I haven't visited in a while, but here I am again. Lots of stuff going on. Jeff & I had a conversation right before finals about my ability to continue as a full-time student in the Spring 06 semester, as in, having no ability to do that. Now, the good news is that I did very well in my 4 subjects, including the dread Chemistry, but alas, I'm all out of money to pay rent and expenses. If I would continue that would involve taking out the regular school loans, an additional loan for tuition that the fed loans didn't cover, credit card debt for textbooks and a loan to cover living expenses. And I would have a few more semesters of this. So, upon graduation, I would be so in debt that I could have gone to law school for the price, with only an additional undergraduate degree to show for it. So...because I DO actually want to finish this degree, I'm going to study part-time for a year, working at one or two jobs to pay bills and save cash for Spring 07 semester, wherein I would become a full-time student again. This semester I'll take the 2nd part of Chemistry to knock that out of the way.

Now, let me tell you how much this sucks. I'm very unhappy about this and the "poor-me syndrome" does apply here. Big set-back. I question every day whether all this hassle and stress is worth it. And, I'm paying $2,500 (by credit card by the way) for a class that I'll essentially have to teach myself. The truth is, though, that I should have started saving money 4 years ago and dispensed with the scholarship applications. While I'm sure there's lots of money out there theoretically, the only money that matters is that which I have in my hand. So...my first resolution is:

1. get a job or jobs that cover(s) expenses (ie, that pays considerably more than $7.00 an hour) and allows me to take time off for class (a whopping 6 hours per week for lecture and lab).

Certainly, something that would help alleviate cash-strain would be decreasing expenses, so my/our next resolution is:

2. move to a less expensive apartment.

Now, I'm not really all that jazzed about moving, but with luck we could move within the building, although that would involve losing a bathroom and possibly square footage. To that end, though, Jeff insisted that we clean out our store room and dispose of stuff we didn't need or sentimentally want. That was a good start to my/our next resolution:

3. decrease clutter

On a more positive side, I'm already engaging my next resolution:

4. blog more.

Keeps me writing which is good for school. Now, with the above in mind, you can believe I'll be suffering fools and illegals (and their proponents) even less than before. Few punches will be pulled.

This year, I will also:

5. learn to drive

Sad, isn't it? I have a valid driver's license, but need the actual skill set. Time to finally get with it.

Even given the aforementioned restrictions, my final resolution is a must:

6. have some fun and add interest to our lives (trips, book club revival, theater, etc)

Coasting hasn't made our lives fun or that interesting, so we'll have to put some effort in making them better. Jeff's the prime mover in this effort so far, organizing a long-weekend in Las Vegas for our first year anniversary. Can't wait - I've never been there!

Well, that's the skinny. Wish me luck!

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!

Notice

I first wish to thank new visitors to Ergonomic Zester! It's really exciting to be attracting new readers!

Second, on a more negative note, I've noticed that I've been attracting spammers to my comments sections. Let it be known that I take a dim view of such unsolicited advertising. So, all you bimbo siters, hot stock pushers and the like, be warned - I will delete your comments immediately. Stay away from my blog!

The Dove Misfire

Read a piece about those awful Dove ads – you know the ones – the “models” are “real women.” Evidently, this is code for “doughy” and the celebration of their doughiness. The article takes basically the same attitude I do – no reason we must be assaulted by images of these chunky females that we would never wish to emulate. Of course, that’s not the point; the aim is to make “regular” women feel better about their thick waistlines and big derrières.

Reminds me of a trend a few years ago (could be a decade for all I know) for gyms to hire overweight aerobic instructors to attract “normal” women. You know, not intimidate "regular" women by actual fit instructors. I felt the same way about that whole fad – um, yuck. How motivating is a chubby instructor – all that exercise must not be working too well. Or, maybe it is, but losing the battle against the hordes of evil Little Debbies.

The article mentions athletes (and their bodies) not being considered normal [by "normal" women]. True, those athletes have chosen goals that require a lean, muscled body. Doesn’t necessarily make them freaks.

Point is, I’d rather see and emulate those kinds of bodies than be pacified by ads geared to 1) make me feel better about myself looking just like those gals in the ads, or 2) make me feel good because those chunky monkeys look worse than I do. Either way, these ads aren’t presenting, in my mind, a particularly positive message. Just sayin’.

The Continuing Saga of the Herndon Site

The Herndon Town Council has approved the day laborer site. Loudoun County officials are threatening to block the building of the site.

I guess the former action was inevitable. The latter shows that non-supporters are not going to take this lying down.

Now, you know my position on this: I concur with those who oppose the site because it's tantamount to aiding and abetting illegal workers. And if the contractors want a nice site to pick up their cheap labor, why don't they foot the bill instead of relying on public funding (from supporters and opposition alike)? One word: profit, as in, funding the site would cut into theirs. Now, y'all know I'm for profit - but not at ANY price.

I also find the opinions and rationales of some of the supporters to be moronic and frankly infantile. Here's a time-honored fall-back:

Some supporters of the site countered with accusations of racism. (Washington Post, 8/18/05)

You know that whenever someone has no viable, reasonable or intelligent argument, they can whip out the old racism thang and everyone just magically shuts up.

Now this is a Kumbaya attitude:

Supporters cited the biblical exhortation to love thy neighbor and begged the council not to allow the community to turn its back on its less-fortunate members. (Washington Post, 8/18/05)

Were these folks lobotomized? First, illegals are not "members" of OUR society. They are essentially squatters. And, if these boneheads are SO concerned with the "less fortunate," they can take the next Aeromexico flight down to Fox's lovely country, you know the one, for which we (USA) are the pressure valve. I really don't know what drug they're smoking, but clearly it has nothing to do with the observance of OUR laws, OUR people or with the best interests of OUR country.

And, don't let me forget to mention that I personally know folks who have LEGALLY struggled to obtain green cards/working permits, etc., with all the red-tape that entails, to work here LEGALLY. Of course, they're professionals, thus an anathema to the whole illegal-boosters brigade. Those kind only cry for the undocumented underclass.

This is rich:

They said the problem is not immigration but a neighborhood conflict over noise, littering and safety. (Washington Post, 8/18/05)

Ok I just need to stop this post and go to bed.

Here's a badly needed clue: first, you actually enforce our immigration laws. That means not only on the federal level, but across the board, in every state, county and township. Yes, damn it, it's your problem (and responsibility) too. Then, if there are any legal day laborers left who are willing to work for slave wages, then you can charge the taxpayers for a covered area not dissimilar to a covered bus stop. Feel free to drop the social workers and language specialists along the way.

I'm sure I'll be saying more on this, but it's almost midnight and I have to do some comfort (fiction, mystery) reading. Buenos noches, amigos!

Little Bits

Quick and short bits of interest: news and otherwise. Today's going to be a long, busy day and I won't have time to post more than this.

There's a Sunday Washington Post article that I've been holding onto in order to tell you about it. A day late and a dollar short, as always. In the district a few months ago, construction workers found an intact coffin with what appears to be a 13-year-old who died of pneumonia in the 1850s. Now, the Museum of Natural History is gathering experts, including a clinical pathologist, to examine the body, which is very well-preserved. Wahoo! When I finally get my credentials, this is the sort of thing that I would LOVE to be involved in. I mean, how cool!

In today's Post, there's an article about the iPod revolution. Has two points of personal interest: 1) Jeff just bought me an iPod Mini for a "summer gift" (random, but I'm not complaining!) and I LOVE it (I can see why so many people are hooked); and 2) they mention a gal who works out at our gym in Clarendon. Never met her, but still cool. Anyhoo, I need to finish the article on the metro this morning.

I was recently on the metro, sitting next to this Asian gal. I looked down at her feet for some reason and noted that her toe nails were so long as to be talons. Now, I have see this "style" wherein women will let their toe nails grown long and have them pedicured. Between me & you, I can't stand the trend. I just don't think it's attractive to have toenails so long and pointy that they could be used as weapons. Looks kind of feral.

Well, that was a nice visit, but now I must shower and get my little iPodded self to work. Did I mention how glad I'll be to leave there?

Greenspan Adoration

Here's an entertaining cultural piece among the political rantings here at Ergonomic Zester. A UVA grad decided to do a little painting before heading to grad school. Her subject? Federal Reserve Board Chairman, Alan Greenspan. Evidently, she's causes quite a flurry of excitement with her portraits - they're selling like hotcakes! Actually they're pretty good.

One of Erin Crowe's twenty pieces. Source: Washington Post

Kilgore Knowledge Update

Well, I lied earlier when I said I didn't know anything else (beyond his views on illegal immigration) about Republican gubernatorial candidate, Jerry Kilgore. I had read this about his support for more scholarships in Virginia and an increase in a grant, VTAG, that has very personal relevance for yours truly. Here's a snippet:

He said his proposal to increase the state Tuition Assistance Grant would encourage attendance at private colleges, relieving some of the crowding at the state's public colleges and universities. The grants would increase from $2,500 per year to $4,000 per year, he said. (Washington Post, 8/3/05, emphasis mine)

This grant is THE ONLY FUNDING (besides loans) that I've rec'd to date. And if this guy gets elected, then I could potentially get a better sword with which to battle the tuition demon next year. Wahoo!

Smart & Similar Thoughts Out There

Please go check out LaShawn Barber's Corner for some excellent ranty-mcrants on the undocumented situation. She's even weighed in on the Herndon day-labor place issue, as have your (not-so-)humble narrator. Go Team!

Boredom as Toxic - All Too Familiar

In the Post Business Section today, there's an article that hits home, in a "duh!" kind of way. Read the whole thing here.

Why do you think I'm going back to school? I also think that I cannot stay at a place more than two years at a time. Yes, the boredom thing, but also, after two years you know the place well enough to become cynical and develop a supremely crappy attitude.

So...I finish my CJ:FS program in two years, get a GOOD (Get Out Of Debt) job for one or two years, then to grad school for two years (at which point I had damn well better get some funding), then work in my field, then go back to school for something, then...well, you get the idea.

Cheapskate Brigade

So, CVS is having a sale on its already value-priced spices. Good sized jars for 88 cents. My favorites are Garlic Pepper (excellent spice mix with vast and varied culinary applications) and Italian Spice mix (that just says it all, huh?).

Also: notebooks and composition books are 2/99 cents.

Well, at least there's some good news out there.

I'm Verklempt

More in the Post on the whole MS-13 stabbing saga: more arrests (good part). But more findings of illegalness AND felonocity in the arrested. Yep, bin here for years, committin' dem crimes. Still here, committin' more crimes. Ok, there was one slightly humorous part, the part which states that one of the arrested had a lengthy criminal record (no, that's not the funny part), which included conviction on the "...improper disposal of a human body..." (Washington Post, 8/10/05). Ok, so I'm the only one who found that funny.

So, when are we gonna get rid of all these scumbags? Seems to me we have enough of the citizen-type variety to be importing. Just sayin'.

With the present policies and praxy, the situation is only going to get worse. Period.

The Evils of Smoking

Insomnomaniac weighs in on smoking and its ills here.

Rock on, Girl, you say the truth!

Even More on Illegal Immigration...

- Follow-up on my earlier piece on the potential tax-payer funded day-laborer pick-up area in Herndon: Virginia gubernatorial candidate, Jerry Kilgore makes his opinion known about the issue:

Kilgore said the creation of publicly financed gathering areas such as the one proposed in Herndon undermines the rule of law and ‘denigrates’ citizens who immigrated to the country legally.

‘We face a fundamental decision in Virginia,’ Kilgore told reporters in a conference call. ‘Will we reward illegal behavior with hard-earned dollars from law-abiding citizens? I say the answer to this question should be an easy one: No.’ (Washington Post, 8/9/05)

I say, right on, dude. I don’t know much else about this candidate beyond his being Republican and anti-illegal immigration (a good start), but you can believe, gentle readers, that I will be well informed on his platform by November. Now, truthfully, it would be extremely unlikely for me to vote for a Democrat (again), but I’m not discounting the possibility of voting for a Libertarian or Independent candidate, PROVIDED he/she espouses enough of the same views I do on major issues (taxation, immigration policy and praxy, education, national and state security, for instance). That said I’ll probably be voting for Kilgore come November.

- Read more about the specifics of illegal immigration issues in Virginia here.

- In a related story, arrested MS-13 gang members who stabbed a bunch of students in Montgomery County, MD, are being held without bail. Good. Now, I understand that this gang has predominately Hispanic membership, so it surprises me not to read the following in this article:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has filed documents to detain one of the suspects, Jose J. Cornejo, 25, an indication that he may have immigrated to the U.S. illegally. Wennar said Cornejo, who has prior convictions, would be tried in Montgomery before any handover to federal authorities. (Washington Post, 8/9/05, emphasis mine)

It doesn’t surprise me, but boy does it piss me off. Not only is he (come on now, he IS illegal), but also has a criminal record in this country. Yeah, where can we get more of these wonderful folks?! Well, our leaders in Washington, federal and local police, in addition to the pro-illegal lobby (racket), are making sure this country is the garden spot for such undesirables. Come on in, the water’s warm!

It’s Ben Kingsley Appreciation Day

You’ve all seen the compact British actor in various and sympathetic roles in movies such as Gandhi and Schindler’s List and I’d imagine, appreciated those portrayals, as have I. After seeing more of Ben Kingsley’s work, however, I’ve come to appreciate his talent in portraying darker and much less sympathetic characters. In fact, he’s quite genius in evoking a sense of pure evil and unspeakable menace.

A few nights ago, we watched the movie (on DVD), Suspect Zero, with Ben Kingsley, Aaron Eckhart (In the Company of Men, Your Friends and Neighbors, Erin Brockovich) and Carrie Anne Moss (The Matrix, Memento, Red Planet). This is a story involving FBI agents, serial killers and remote viewing. The themes and execution thereof were intriguing and the cinematography eerie, other-worldly and sinister, but the real reason to see the movie is Ben Kingsley and his portrayal of a man in the shadows, which the viewer cannot initially gauge as good or evil. What Kingsley brings to the role is an intensity of tightly bound chaos and the sense of destruction wrought should it be unleashed. Vicious killer or tortured soul, huh?

An even better film is Sexy Beast, wherein Kingsley plays a crime boss recruiting a former crewmember for one last heist. This character cannot be confused with the clever, outrageous and funny felonious operators in Guy Richie films (Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels). Kingsley’s character is a person of such depraved and thoroughly unrelenting evil, that you will find yourself wanting to forcibly extract him from the living – whatever it takes.

Before the character even enters the scene, his threatening presence is shown by the traumatized response of others as they learn of his impending visit. With a less gifted actor, the character’s entrance could be anticlimactic, fall flat or even come across as comical. Not here, buddy. Ben Kingsley brings out the heart of evil and displays it for you. You’re no longer a safe little viewer, removed from the horror – you’re forced to cope with it with the other unfortunates.

That, in a nutshell, is Kingsley’s gift: he can evoke fear, loathing and terror in the viewer by his intense, hypnotic, rattler-like performances. Yes, gentle reader, you don’t want to focus on what roils in the stygian black that is evil, but Ben Kingsley makes it worth your while when he compels you not to turn away.

(Proposed) More Coddling for Illegals

Here's a follow-up article concerning the proposed establishment of an official (and tax-funded) pick-up site for day-laborers in Herndon, on the Loudoun County Border. According to the article, and not surprisingly,

...some estimates say as many as 85 percent of day laborers in Herndon are illegal.(Washington Post, 8/5/05)

Project Hope and Harmony (that really just says it all, doesn't it?), the non-profit group behind the proposal, plans to have social workers on-site who would provide English language and job skills classes to the laborers waiting their turn for work.

Many residents (including LEGAL immigrants) are up in arms about this. I especially appreciate this guy's opinion:

'This is the United States of America, not the Diverse States of America,' said William Tirrell Sr., a commission member who introduced most of the conditions [to the proposal]. 'We don't segregate ourselves in little pods of people. I'm not a hyphenated American. I'm an American. We need to take these folks and make them part of us. But I will not support tax dollars being used to support an illegal enterprise.'(Washington Post, 8/5/05)

Ay.

Taking Money from Girl Scouts

In today's Washington Post is an article about a vile scumbag female who made off with over $4,000 in proceeds from the sale of Girl Scout cookies. Because of the theft, Troop 1868 won't be able to go on their planned trip to Hershey Park. I don't think it's out of the question to wish her tazed until dead.

First, just on the surface, it's heinous to participate (with her daughter) in the time-honored tradition that is selling cookies, to raise money for a special event, then skip town and rob the girls of that hard earned field trip. It's also theft and should be reported to the police and prosecuted as such; however, the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital are treating it like

...the many tens of thousands of dollars of bad debt that accumulates each year after their annual cookie sale: through a collect agency. (Washington Post)

Yeh, that'll work. The thief is - surprise, surprise - nowhere to be found, so um, how are you gonna get the money back? Essentially the Council is writing off the theft. So, the asshead is going to get away scot-free with her transgression, at the expense of some Girl Scouts. Aren't you boiling mad?

This story hit a nerve here at Ergonomic Zesterverse because in my youth I 1) was a Girl Scout who 2) sold cookies (thanks Mom for buying most of them!) and 3) went on trips to Hershey Park. Fortunately, we didn't have assheads who robbed us, just responsible Troup Leaders and helper Mommies who took us camping and other wonderful Scouting fare.

A pox on your head, foul robber of little girls' earnings! Shame, shame!

Screen on the Green

Just experienced “Screen on the Green” last night and really enjoyed it! For those uninitiated (as I was for years until last night), DC does free classic movies on the Mall for about 6 weeks during the summer, on Monday evenings. We saw Hitchcock’s Suspicion (weak ending, I’m afraid, but understand from DH Jeff that that wasn’t Hitchcock’s original intent; starred Cary Grant, which is bonus) last night. The event is very well attended, but remarkably, the hoards were very well behaved and stunningly quiet during the main event. The advertisement screen cover asks patrons to refrain from smoking in the viewing area and for the most part, patrons observed. All I really smelled was citronella candles, which I appreciated. Also amazing is how well people coordinate with their buddies to meet up there. Did I mention the events are really well attended? We had a little snafu meeting up with our friends, but have since formulated a winning strategy for the next time. If you’re in the area, it’s a happening social event, which won’t break the bank.

It's "Adopt an Undocumented Felon Day"! Wahoo!

Read this and gnash your teeth. I'll comment more after work.

Related: Check out Michelle Malkin's Immigration Blog, which documents the legion (heh) problems with unchecked illegal immigration.
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Ok, I’m back. It’s late, but I must rage. Impotently, but still. You know, I’m a bona fide AmCit (and taxpayer in the state of Virginia), but my rights pale in comparison to the legion illegals that roam the country.

Case in point, that which I linked to earlier today. Illegal El Salvadorian. Rapes & murders 16-year-old in Virginia. Makes sympathetic, bleeding heart friends at neighborhood “working class” bar. A patron notes, “A very nice guy, very nice…Oswaldo had a lot of friends in here after he started meeting all of us.” I guess Oswaldo forgot to gesture that he had raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl. Guess that just doesn’t come up naturally over crappy beer in a dive bar.

Cut to – tons of evidence linking Oswaldo Martinez to the rape and murder of Brittany Binger…but, guess what? Because O. Martinez is deaf and illiterate, he is “legally incompetent to stand trial” until such time as “treatment specialists…’restore competence.’” Ummm…how long do you think that will take, huh? How about “forever”? If he can effectively communicate with his defense lawyer about his actions, he can stand trial for the – did I mention? – rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl – then he will have a substantial and damning case against him. Whereas, in his present state of sub-Helen Keller, he gets 3 hots and a cot, as they say, indefinitely, as well as medical and dental care, education to the point of his ability to communicate (hah!), representation, etc, etc, etc.

So…what it comes down to is that Brittany’s friends and loved ones, as well as the rest of us in Virginia, will support, pamper and educate ol’ [illegal] wolf-boy Oswaldo until he drops dead of old age (which is just about when he’ll “become competent” to stand trial). Since his own [legally working] brothers couldn’t even stand to have him in their homes (they put him in a little shack beside their trailers), being in indefinite custody of the state must be like, um, heaven or something. He should never have been our concern in the first place; but after he’s committed a heinous crime, he’s our little disability poster boy and ward for life.

Questions:

1. How the hell did he get here in the first place if he’s so “linguistically incompetent”?
2. Could we (anyone? anyone?) discretely actualize the concept of “bullet” and “brain” in his case and save us all some cash? And you bleeding hearts may NOT say anything: you’ve condemned millions of completely innocent humans to violent deaths at the altar of Convenience. Non-starter.
3. Why is this horrendous and depressing story in the Style section of the Washington Post? Eh?

Congratulations go out to...

...our cousin (yeh, buddy, now we're related - bwahahaha!) Rick and his bride, Michelle. Much happiness to you and yours!

(And thanks for the hat-tip on the whole civil wedding thing. Sometimes it can be the best thing.)

Miscellaneous News Horrors

-Read this about a woman who abandons her 4-year-old son on the side of the beltway and as a parting shot bumps him with the car while speeding off, all because "[h]e wasn't sitting down [in the car] like he was supposed to..."(Washington Post). Evidently, car-related discipline of minors is on the rise in the DC area. Yeah! Because you know, if the kid misbehaves, it's a good idea and probably a cultural norm to put him in the trunk or leave him on the highway.

-Yesterday, both Washington Post and Washington Times carried coverage of the funeral of a 6-year-old boy whose mother had bludgeoned, asphyxiated, bound and left him in a bathtub full of water (just to be sure!). Evidently,

[f]amily members have said that Barber, who had been treated years ago for psychiatric problems, was acting strangely in the days before Donmiguel's death. They said she complained about voices and talking to the devil.(Washington Post)

This story is horrendous enough, but at a funeral which was attended by hoards of family and friends,

clergy at the service attempted to turn the focus away from individual fault and onto the goodness of the Lord and faults of a 'sick' society that ignores the safety of children.(Washington Times, emphasis mine)

Yep, that's right, it's "society's" fault! so, if 1) the mother was complaining of having conversations with the devil, and 2) the kid was beloved of so many people, why didn't someone intervene? Because it's society's fault! Buck-pass much?

Did I mention that this sicko has an 11-month-old child (from her newest ex-boyfriend)? Now in protective custody, but will probably end up back in her loving care ('cause she's the birth mother)?

I am, might I say after reading such horrors, apoplectic?

Key West Travelogue (warning: long post)

Dear Lovely Readers,

As promised, here is my journal of our Key West vacation. Enjoy!

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Thurs, 6/30/05
Second full day here at Wyndham Casa Marina. We arrived on Tuesday 6/28/05 around lunchtime. Room not ready, so we’re headed to beachfront restaurant Sun-Sun. Had a great grouper sandwich – very fresh…and a couple of margaritas – hey! I’m on vacation!

After that, we checked to see if our room was ready. Still not. Getting grouchy. Finally room ready at 3:30pm. Bad humor disappears as we discover we’ve been upgraded to a suite with a fridge! Yeah! Couple of beers & fruit await us as well (Wyndham by Request program bonus). All is well.

To celebrate our first night on vay-cay, we order room service: very good fish dishes, arrugula salads, a bottle of pinot grigio, a sumptuous chocolate torte. Very yummy, albeit expensive - $155.

Yesterday, we went down to the workout room and did some machines. Not a bad set-up – various resistance machines, two treadmills, two stairmasters, two stationary bikes. Place looks better than the last time we stayed at Casa Marina – a little newer equipment and carpeting. They need to vacuum more frequently though – lots a little stuff on the floor.

Then, we headed to Camille’s, a place we’ve visited frequently on our stays here, for lunch. Camille’s is on Simonton Street and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Moderately priced, varied menu and festive atmosphere. I had a Caesar salad with jerk chicken and requested tomatoes. It was perfect – spicy and tender chicken, Caesar dressing flavor – but not excessive. I’d say Camille’s is a good idea when you come down here – you know, after you’ve hit the touristy places – it’s where you get a consistently good meal.

We then toddled off to Key West Island Books, a used bookstore. I didn’t think I would get anything, but ended up getting several, including another book by Ha Jin, called Crazed. I say another, because the last time we were down here, I bought Jin’s book, Waiting and really enjoyed it. It's about the love relationships of a couple of folks in Cultural Revolution-era China. Most effectively conveys a claustrophobic environment. Characters provoke a response in the reader. So, go check it out. Also, as with Waiting, they had a nice hardbound version. Jeff’s a bad influence. But, this is our honeymoon, for all intents and purposes. Then to the drug store on Truman. Used to be Erkart Rx, but now CVS. Down to Shore’s Spirits on Simonton to pick up gin ‘n’ tonic fixin’s.

OK, so we had gin & tonics. Then headed out trying to find this advertised sushi bar…didn’t find it (our regular place, Origami, was under construction), went to Duffy’s on Simonton instead. Friendly service and fresh ingredients, but the food was bland and way-overpriced. Not a repeater.

Mini-anxiety attack last night/early this morning. Going to take a while to relax.

Today, workout, sun by pool, reading. On page 335 of 1084 of Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand) for an essay contest – that is, if I can manage to finish reading it on time. Interesting book so far, just really long with small type. John Barth, book of short stories called On With The Story. I recall reading something of his in a literature class ages ago, so thought I'd pick this up and give it a go. Expanding my literary horizons and such.

Noted lots of tattoos on females around here. Lots of cellulite. I don’t feel self-conscious at all in this company. Yeh, yeh, meow. But just telling it like I see it. Lots of guys with huge beer bellies. Fewer Europeans than when we were here two years ago.

Went to Abbondanza Italian restaurant for dinner. I ordered veal marsala. Pretty good – came with a stuffed tomato and pile of broccoli. Tasty olive oil with focaccia.

Fri. 7/1/05
Were woken up at 5:30am by fire alarm. Had to pull on clothes and head outside. Found out that some dumbass pulled the alarm as a prank. The alarm was very effective – screeching and loud.

Treat ourselves to breakfast - room service. Yummy French Toast and hash browns. Very good. Now feel like a nap despite several cups of coffee.

Page 360 of Atlas. Overcast sky. Did some swimming. Went to Camille’s for dinner. I had a very interesting plate: seared tuna steak (large) with pesto, pickled ginger, rice and sautéed veggies. Two martinis. Jeff had three. Jeff had a baby spinach salad with marinated slices of duck, tomatoes, hearts of palm. I think I’ll order that the next time we go there for dinner. We brought home some key lime pie dessert.

Sat. 7/2/05
Woke up at 10:30. Jeff says I should say something about the news. Sandra Day O’Connor announces retirement. Ok. Brace yourselves for another battle of the Dems against whomever Bush nominates. Girl kidnapped in Aruba. Formerly missing/kidnapped (Idaho) girl identified at a Denny’s, by alert waitress. Authorities called. Man with little girl arrested. I think this is the real story: there are still folks there 1) paying attention and 2) willing to stick their neck out to do the right thing. Waitress stalled the man until authorities arrived, asked girl questions to get more of story. Girl’s brother is still at large, but now at least, more to go on.

Went snorkeling. Coolish water with bath-water currents fields of waving seaweed. Little diarama “trees.” Sun, sun, and more sun, blue skies, breeze.

Oh, I forgot to mention that a waiter at Camille’s recognized us from last year. This, in addition to the other things I’ve mentioned about the restaurant secure our repeated patronage. That, and they gave us free starter salads while we were waiting for the entrees.

Weird dream last night. I was at the starting line of a foot race. Instead of a clear-cut path for the race, there was a weird fork in the road. I figured I would just follow the rest of the runners. Well, before the gun sounded, a runner dashed out and disappeared down the right path of the fork. The gun sounded and I headed with the others down the right of the fork…following a bunch down a path…which ended in a sort of warehouse barstaurant. I wondered what happened to the other runners – or for that matter, to the race. But then, I spotted a friend from (real) work, and joined her, ostensibly for a drink. End of dream.

Ok. Now I get to give my opinion of the hotel – or should I say, my continuing assessment:

Housekeeping. While they are basically competent in cleaning up, etc, and sometimes pleasantly surprising (turn-down service with artistically placed plethora of pillows, choco-mints on the turned-down sheets), sometimes they forget to replace the coffee, or leave two bottles of shower gel but no shampoo. This is what I call basic service problems/issues. I mean, we are paying a premium to stay here instead of the many more modestly-priced establishments. So – basic housekeeping service should not even be a question -certain things should be a given.

Waitstaff at beachside restaurant (Sun-Sun). While sometimes they are very attentive and attend you immediately after you sit down, sometimes it seems you don’t exist. Like today we sat down on the deck for a late (3pm) lunch. We waited while other tables received service for about ten minutes until our waitress finally approached the table. And then, she wasn’t especially friendly. We asked for water with the meal and had to re-ask for it later because she forgot. Then she comes back every few minutes to see if everything’s ok. Compare this with the waiter who instantly recognizes us after a year and welcomes us back – and was diligent every time.

Room Service. Much more attentive, fast and friendly. One waiter even asked if he could set up the table for us. Me likey room service. The only drawback is that the food is pricey and a 20% gratuity and $2.50 delivery fee is added. I generally object to pre-added gratuities because a tip should be 1) voluntary on my part and 2) a reward for good service rendered, not another "tax." In this case, no matter how good the server is, they get the pre-added amount, nothing more.

Page 400 of Atlas. We decided to order some appetizers, salads and cheesecake from room service. We both got a little burned today, even after slathering on the SPF. We’ll have to be careful about that – the sun is really intense here.

We ordered a couple of Caesar salads from room service, with tomatoes. Very good – even put anchovies on top. Now, I don’t like anchovies, but it was a nice touch anyway. DH gets the anchovies, no problem. We also ordered some appetizers – crab cakes and marinated prawns. The crab cakes were amazing. The menu says they had a “caper chervil remoulade.” Very, very yummy. Prawns were disappointing. Supposed to be “crisp fried with a sweet orange miso dip.” Not crisp, prawns kinda chewy. The miso dip was mediocre, rather bland. Could have used a little Cajin spices or something to give it a punch. Definitely not worth $12.00. Then we shared a piece of cheesecake with berries and a warm berry purée. I wanted to wait a bit before having dessert, but the aroma of the berry sauce was absolutely intoxicating. The cheesecake itself was heavenly: fluffy, creamy and light, not too sweet, just right.

Mon. 7/4/05
Last night we went to Shula’s on the Beach (at the Wyndham Reach Resort) for a special dinner. We started with Oysters Rockefeller which were very good. Then both of us order the Steak MaryAnne which consisted of two medallions of super-tender steak in a pepper-cognac sauce accompanied by sautéed mushrooms and a bell pepper-onion medley. One can order other sides, but each order is large enough for a few people. We declined extra sides because we knew we wanted the chocolate soufflé for dessert and one order of that is definitely to be shared (by 2-4 people).

The steak was like butter – so tender and even a little rarer than the ordered medium-rare. Fine by me. Over-cooking steak is a sin in my book. The sauce was tasty and rich, but not heavy. At one server’s (we had two) suggestion, we ordered a bottle of red wine called Joseph Phellp’s Pastiche, a California wine. I had never heard of “pastiche,” but this was a really good bottle of wine and it complemented the steak perfectly. It was dry but very smooth – no rough edges and not heavy. Maybe with a little peppery taste. Anyway, we’ll try to find it upon our return to DC.

The chocolate soufflé didn’t disappoint. We had had it last year when Jeff’s parents joined us down here. Just amazing – fluffy with some sort of vanilla sauce, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. We had good coffee, which I understand is roasted locally.

The service is attentive, friendly and obviously helpful, but not overbearing. I like that we had two waiters – we were never left waiting around for service.

Incidentally, there’s a Shula’s in DC at the Wyndham Hotel, downtown. I’d love to visit and see if the food and service was as excellent as the one at the Reach.

On another topic, I believe Casa Marina will have its own fireworks display so we’ll hang around for that.

Thurs. 7/7/05
Page 538 of Atlas. Good fireworks display on the 4th. Beachfront vantage point.

We’re waiting to see if Hurricane Dennis will hit the Keys on Friday. Hope not.

This morning we heard about the explosions (bombs) in London. Al-Qaeda takes responsibility. We need to crack down on these assholes and stop fooling around. They deserve to be eradicated…and their families too. We need to show will.

Later. Page 568 of Atlas. There’s a hurricane headed our way and tourists/visitors are being told to leave. We’ve changed our flights to tomorrow morning. It’s a bummer, but better safe than sorry. We’ll go ahead and take off Monday and Tuesday anyway and go out and enjoy ourselves. But – for the rest of the afternoon/evening, we’ll enjoy the beautiful weather and warm seawater and sand.

Fri. 7/8/05
Page 624 of Atlas. As it turns out, our change of flight plans was nonexistent: we needed to have changed them thru Travelocity instead of American Airlines directly…so we get to the airport – thankfully early – only to find out that the changes weren’t made and all flights – any carrier – are sold out. Jeff starts swearing and saying we’re screwed; I was trembling myself. Fortunately, there was a Greyhound bus available. We’re now half-way to Miami: Islamorada. Just relieved to be headed away from the Keys and to a large airport. Hopefully, it won’t be a problem getting back to DC from Miami. Hopefully the worst is over – fingers crossed.

Page 645 in Atlas. Miami Airport. Spent 35 minutes on cell phone with Travelocity to change reservations. Most of it on hold while the agent contacted American Airlines. Very irritated except that we got a flight back to DC this evening without extra charge, 6:06pm.

Pushed back to 6:45pm. Can’t wait to be home.

Coincidentally, this hurricane bears the same name as another a few years ago that rained on our vacation in the Outer Banks, NC: Dennis. Bad news.

Later – 10:45pm – finally arrived at our apartment – safe and sound. The flight took off and around 7:30 and was two hours long. I ordered some wine and the flight attendants ended up not changing me for it – saying, “since the flight took off so late…just don’t worry about it.” Now wasn’t that nice? The flight was uneventful, thank goodness.

Wrap-up. There are some notable folks along our way who facilitated things, kept their cool, etc, and deserve to be, well, noted.

Kudos and Thanks to:
The Greyhound Clerk: She was the sole clerk issuing tickets to herds of people, most like us, having problems with flights, desperate to get off the island. She was pleasant, efficient, unflappable – and got us on the bus – the 8:45am bus that was about to leave. Thank you! We (Jeff & I) were very impressed and grateful!

The Greyhound Busdriver. Told us how long it would actually take us to get to Miami considering the circumstances, and set down the bus rules. He drove across one-lane bridges with sometimes zero visibility, the ocean on either side, safely and got us to Miami when he said he would. Thank you!

Flight 428 Flight Attendants. No nonsense gals, who dealt effectively with what could have been a major medical emergency with an elderly gentleman, managed our demanding Colombian row mate who felt entitled to special treatment and consideration in respect to flight rules, shepherded unruly passengers to sit down during the final 30 minutes approach to DC (a rule since 9/11). And – they didn’t charge me for wine. Thanks!

Some others deserve to be hit over the head with a Cluebat:

Thump-on-the-Head to:
American Airlines. First the AA agent on the phone declares that we have reservations on Friday’s 11:45 flight. Then at the airport, the clerk says no, the reservations weren’t changed and you had to change them thru Travelocity anyway. So…what did the original girl do and why didn’t she know to tell us that we couldn’t reschedule directly? Travelocity and similar online travel sites have been around for awhile - she should have known. The airport clerk was completely unhelpful: just sorry, too bad, all other flights are booked solid. At least the Delta/Continental clerk suggested we try Greyhound. AA didn’t even care that much.

Aftermath/Hotwash. It really doesn’t surprise me that the airlines are in such trouble. The flight attendants were competent and helpful, but the various clerks/agents we dealt with 1) didn’t know what they were doing and/or 2) didn’t care. There weren’t any more planes/flights established to evacuate Key West visitors and the clerks didn’t seem to give a damn. And why should they? After all, they were getting an evac flight for employees, so who cares about some dumb tourists?

Greyhound now has my full respect. That ticket clerk in particular should get a bonus for her outstanding performance in getting us and fellow stragglers off the island. She was under incredible stress/pressure – all alone and handling stressed out folks – yet kept her cool throughout and got the job done.

The driver as well – no-nonsense, I’ll get you there, attitude. He got us there safely when he said he would. Period.

The other one or two clerks at Greyhound also did triage with the various travelers: those going to Florida points in between Key West and Miami and those heading to Miami and the airport, bringing in an additional bus for at least the 8:45am departure. Jeeze, at least they had a passing acquaintance with customer service, something the airlines don't find too important!

Even though buses are the long way to get somewhere, they are effective and reasonably priced. I would be inclined to make use of Greyhound services again.

Movie Review: The Machinist

Last night, we saw the movie The Machinist on DVD. This is a very disturbing movie about a machine shop worker, Trevor Reznik, who hasn't slept in a year and is literally wasting away. He finds himself in the middle of a horrific incident which is due to what might or might not be a hallucination. What's going on? That's for the viewer and our skeletal protagonist to untangle.

The title role is played by Christian Bale, of the American Psycho, Reign of Fire and most recently, Batman Begins (which I haven't seen, but am really interested in checking out) fame, who actually loses an obscene amount of weight to lend a very effective sense of veritas to the role. Now, the name "Christian Bale" still might not ring a bell because he's not (yet and hopefully never will be) a "star." He's a fantastic actor who gives a dark and haunting performance as the distraught walking collection of bones who is trying to make sense of things in a reality that keeps shifting. In some respects, Trevor's persona reminds me of Guy Pearce's amnesiac in Memento: both looking for a truth that lies just beyond the periphery of their perception and both are trying to cope with a reality that seems to be conspiring against them.

The atmosphere of the movie, too, draws the viewer into the worker's nightmare - gritty, harsh, distorted, run-down, yet at times reminiscent of a sweeter, more benign (albeit fictional) past. The entire movie is fraught with violence and menace, yet what you actually see isn't that graphic. Very effective.

If you're in the mood for something weightier than a romantic comedy and want to think a little bit, give this one a go.

Government Waste - Yoiks!

I read this disburbing bit from today's Parade magazine, in the Intelligence Report section (by Lyric Wallwork Winik). I'll print the whole thing since Parade doesn't seem to post their online version until two weeks later.

Profligate Pentagon
Are you a wasteful shopper? You can't be much worse than the military. A recent Government Accountability Office report said the Pentagon threw out $2.2 billion worth of items 'in new, unused and excellent condition' in fiscal years 2002 and 2003. For example, a U.S. Army battalion in Japan turned in 172 new pairs of exteme-weather boots, which were then sold for 40 cents each (actual cost: $23,000). Later, eight other military units bough 214 pairs of the same boots. Tom Schatz, head of the nonpartisan Citizens Against Government Waste,* says the Pentagon has know it has inventory-management problems for decades. 'It buys new property while a similar item is literally left in the rain to rot.' (emphasis mine)

It just burns my butt when I read things like this. I'm struggling to do my education thing, saving dilligently and trying to cut corners to make it happen, and my precious tax dollars are literally rotting. Now, I'm very pro-military because we need a strong defense against all those who cut us down, but this is bleeping ridiculous!!!

* A little coincidence, CAGW's office is a half block away from where I current work.

Book Review: Corpse...

Corpse – Nature, Forensics and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death, by Jessica Snyder Sachs, explains the various methods – some of which are brand new and still developing – by which one can ascertain time of death. The methods involve a variety of fields – from entomology to botany and Ms. Sachs gives us a fascinating look not only at the processes by which each field contributes this knowledge, but also those individuals who first developed – and in some cases, continue to refine - those processes.

This is not a dry (no pun intended) read at all, nor is it inaccessible for non-scientists. I really enjoyed reading about those scientists (some of whom are real characters) who had these ideas and their own specialty, and used both to define aspects of the postmortem scene to elucidate the interval after death. Why am I interested in this you ask (if you’re just tuning in to Ergonomic Zester)? Because in little over a month, I start my studies in forensics and find it illustrative to read about the personalities attracted to such work. Furthermore, it was helpful to learn about how different fields contributed a better understanding of what happens after death and how that translates into a time interval…and how that knowledge may help you catch and prosecute the bad guy (or gal). This book definitely has a high Ick Factor, so if you’re squeamish, don’t bother. But, if you’re at all curious and can put your “Ew!” on hold, it’s worth a read.

Scotty is dead!

Just read that James Doohan, aka Scotty, just died at age 85. Oh the grief and gnashing of teeth! The Trek-verse won't be the same - Scotty was your friend.

Those dreadful pigeons

We have a rather odious pigeon problem at our apartment. They come and roost on our balcony railing and crap all over the place. It's really disgusting and one must chip the stuff off - it doesn't come off in the rain.

My question, dear readers, is - how does one scare off the dirty birds, keep them away? All and any suggestions are appreciated!

Hello again!

Sorry for the LONG absence. I know you've missed me and my streams of consciousness. Well, there are some good reasons: 1) DH Jeff & I were on vacation for 2 weeks, mostly in Key West - until they evacuated us (more on that) and 2) for the last week, we've been suffering from a head cold that we doubtless picked up in our "stay" at Miami Airport. While that doesn't stop Jeff from updating his sites, it's enough to give me an excuse not to blog on mine. Anyhoo, we've survived and I'm back.

Something new on the site - the tip jar (found at right in sidebar). Yeh, it's kinda like panhandling, except 1) I actually give you some diversion too & 2) unlike street-corner bums, I'm actually going to do something productive with my life and your money. So, if something I write especially jazzes you, feel free to tip. Of course, this is totally voluntary.

Coming up...I kept a journal of our trip to the keys and will post as soon as I transcribe it from my chicken scratch. Also, I just finished a good book which I will be reviewing. I've just signed up for Amazon Associates program, so I'll be including that cool link to Amazon with my review too (again, another potential revenue source). Am I obsessed with money? No, I'm obsessed with the absence thereof. Anyhoo, painless for you to link, helps me out.

Finally, if you want to be disturbed by human activity (yet again), read the latest about this old woman who had a cat (living and dead!) collection that tops out at 488 at last count. It really defies all kinds of reason.