Progress of demolition

The downtown corner demolition proceeded very efficiently and amazingly neatly. I just had to mark their progress. Evidently, they imploded the building from the outside-in, in stages, so at one point there was this bizarre tower with all sorts of metal and wire hanging out. It looked like some sort of prop from a dystopic future. Anyhoo, here are some pictures...

Eating away at the corner.


Spooky tower.


Extreme close-up spooky tower.


After Armageddon.


And...it's a pile of rubble.


I'm sure you feel edified seeing the very neat demise of a building. Thank you for your cooperation.

State of the union...um, I mean, job

I have extreme ennui. Call it "wage-earner" blues. Yesterday I played hookie from work and hung out with DH Jeff. It was good. But now I'm at work and I'm very whiny. Help.

Rwandan progress

Yesterday in WaPo, I read a story whose outlook was unexpected - good news from Africa. Because of the genocide, many Rwandan women were left without husbands, fathers & brothers, and had to fend for themselves and their children. Coffee plantations which had been owned by their male relatives passed to them. The article tells of how a new female entrepreneurship has grown out of the need to survive: women started running these plantations and improving the quality of the coffee they grew. Now, some of these businesses are so successful, that they export their coffee around the world. The article also goes into how microcredit factors into this commercial evolution (which reinforces my belief that microcredit is the doorway out of poverty). Interestingly, these female business owners are more likely to cycle their profits back into the business for development, but also improve their family's wellbeing (housing, sustenance, education, etc.). What's more, their new economic power is strengthening their political power as well. Read the whole story here.

Movie Review: Eastern Promises

Eastern Promises is a story about a midwife, Anna (played by Naomi Watts), whose teenage patient dies in childbirth, leaving no identification except for a diary. In an effort to track down relatives who could take custody of her orphaned baby girl, Anna must find someone to translate the diary, which is entirely in Russian. These efforts lead her into the cut-throat world of the Russian Mafia. One of the characters she encounters along the way is a mobster's chauffeur (played by Viggo Mortenson), a quiet man with a lot he's not saying.

This is not a movie for the faint of heart. It's very violent but at the same time, none of it is gratuitous. The whole cast is great, kudos especially to Mortenson whose character, at one point, has to fight two would-be assassins in a sauna while buck naked. Watts is a very sympathetic Anna, trying against odds to achieve a happy ending for the baby. I would highly recommend this intense film - it'll keep your attention to the very end.

Economic innovation

You know that I love the concept of microcredit as a direct way to combat poverty in a very tangible way (versus just throwing money at programs), empowering individuals. Well, in the WaPo today an article about a young South African company, Wizzit, that another way to address poverty: banking services to the poor, accessible by cell phone. The idea is that since cell phones are actually much more numerous in South Africa than bank accounts, there's opportunity in providing bank accounts that customers can access through their cell phones without actually having to go to a branch. One can set up an account over the phone, have pay deposited directly into the account instead of in cash, then can pay bills, send money, buy groceries - all through a cell phone. Read the whole, very interesting article here.

If only the Feds had been doing their jobs...

...in the first place, we wouldn't need detention camps for immigrants awaiting deportation. WaPo is doing a series about the EVIL U.S. Government and how it's mistreating the detainees. Today's piece was about how some of those detainees are committing suicide because of inadequate or neglectful mental health care at the centers. Disclaimer: I understand that (as DH Jeff has reminded me) if we're going to have detention centers, adequate conditions should be provided. Adequate. Not lux. My heartless self, though, really doesn't care if a few commit suicide, drop dead, etc. I didn't ask them to come here and at this point, am unconcerned with their wellbeing. Since time is short and I must scurry to work so I can pay for their care, I will opine no further. Besides, my blood pressure rises every time I think about this and life is just too short.

Grousing about grout...

...otherwise known as "the many uses of school glue." Case in point: some of the grout between our bathroom floor tiles has, in recent weeks, started to crumble. I reported this twice as a service request. Each time, the request was "completed" within 24 hours. That's the good part. The bad part is that not only were areas completely missed the first time, but the treated areas immediately started to crumble…both issues necessitating a second request. In the second go-round, all areas were patched but just yesterday I noticed that those areas were crumbling.

My two responses: 1) this burns my butt because we pay a premium to live here and should have handy men/women who actually know what they’re doing…and actually do it, and 2) I retrieved my CVS school glue and patched the crumbling areas. Not an optimal choice of grout material, but hey, I wasn’t going to submit yet another service request. The glue dried clear and secured the crumbling grout. Jeez.

Thoughts on…

…recycling. DH Jeff & my apartment building provides bins for newspaper, cardboard and mixed recyclables (plastic, glass, aluminum) and we are conscientious about depositing our recyclables therein. Recently, though, I’ve been thinking that there are so many things we “use” once and throw into the bins. It does in fact take energy to transport and recycle all these things. It seems a waste not to use some of them more than once, when practical. Case in point: we frequently buy those yummy mini croissants for breakfast and toss the plastic containers in which they are sold. But if one washes them, they’re great for saving leftovers, half-used vegetables, etc and for packing lunch.

So, small effort to reuse these containers, but in the aggregate, I’ll bet it really pays off. For instance, using these instead of ziplock bags. We’re terrible at cleaning and reusing those…so not only do we save money on frequent ziplock bag purchases (not doing away with them totally, though), but we’re also saving the energy that would be used in recycling the containers. Also, I’m not even sure that Arlington recycles the particular type of plastic of which they’re made, so if not, we’re keeping plastic from ending up in the waste stream. Yeah! I wonder why I didn’t think of this sooner!

I’m so sick of…

…this presidential campaign. Obama and Reverend Wright. McCain and Reverend Hagy (sp?). Blah, blah, blah. Can we just vote already and end this?

Book Review: Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, is a tragic tale of a man, Gregor, who wakes up one morning transformed into human-sized cockroach. Before this, he is the capable breadwinner of his aging parents and younger sister, setting them (and him) up in a nice roomy apartment. After the transformation, there is a brief period of sympathy from his family which rapidly turns to disgust, which prompts them to isolate him in his room. Because the family no longer has their sponsor, they are compelled to take in some unpleasant boarders. The situation declines accordingly in light of the fact that Gregor is unable to reverse the unfortunate species shift.

This is my first reading of Kafka. It was a mercifully short read at 55 pages. How long can one read about the disintegration of a once-productive life? The benefactor becomes a prisoner both in body and soul, losing his liberty on multiple levels, and an outcaste, losing his place in the hearts of his family members. He has no clue as to why this has happened to him and even worse, is incapable of doing anything to change the situation. Gregor was both a sympathetic and doomed figure, and even though his family couldn’t actually do anything to change him back, they became very unlikeable by the end of the story.

Movie Review: Duel in the Sun

In the interests of expanding my cinematic horizons, DH Jeff had me watch Duel in the Sun, a 1946 western/melodrama starring Gregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, Joseph Cotten and Jennifer Jones. Jennifer Jones plays seventeen-year-old Pearl who has been orphaned and is taken in by a wealthy Texas family. She is immediately both repulsed and wildly attracted to the brash son Lewt (Peck) and dismisses the decent other son Jesse (Cotten). The story follows the tempestuous relationship of Lewt and Pearl. No good comes of it for them or anyone around them.

The good: beautiful cinematography. Yeh, in my mind that was about it. I guess you could say it was interesting to see Peck play a complete scumbag instead of “man of honor.”

The bad: Lewt can only be described as thoroughly loathsome, and in the parlance of our time, an emotionally abusive asshole. Did I also mention “rapist”? Jennifer Jones looks thirty not seventeen and she over-acts her little heart out. Her Pearl is a trampy big trouble. There are a few sympathetic characters, but neither Lewt nor Pearl fit that category. There are, however, more unsympathetic characters.
Well, there it is.

I'm free! Sort of...

Well, my dears, I've completed my coursework for the certificate in forensic science. I've submitted my paperwork. I wait for the piece of paper. The point is: "yippee!" I'm so glad to have it done! Now I'll have some more time to blog & write! And exercise. Oh, the exercise.

I've also submitted my first my entry in a writing contest, the Washington Post Valentine's fiction contest. This is a yearly contest that requires a short story about love in some respect, inspired by the photo they publish that year in the Post Magazine. DH Jeff has made an entry too. Wish us luck!

Book Review: Predator

Predator, by Patricia Cornwell, will not disappoint Scarpetta fans: it is chock-full of her regular characters with all their attendant idiosyncrasies (neuroses) and conflicts. And, of course, there are the deranged scumbags that keep the good guys on their toes until the last word.

In this story, there’s a convicted serial killer who’s participating in a neurological study, run by Benton Wesley, who reveals some details of an unsolved case. Is he telling the truth or fabricating details of a crime to toy with the forensic psychologist? Then there’s the mysterious woman whom Lucy encounters in a bar. What’s her story? The unexplained disappearance of two women and their young charges rounds out this compelling forensic mystery.

I’m a long-time Cornwell fan and although I always enjoy her stories, this was an especially good one. The tensions between Dr. Scarpetta and her cohorts are wonderfully aggravating as they all try – with plenty of distraction - to get to the bottom of the mystery. On a personal note, the segments that discuss firearms examination and ballistics were especially interesting because I had just had instruction on these areas in class. Regardless, I think anyone who enjoys the Scarpetta storylines will thoroughly enjoy Predator.

The wonders of demolition

There's something so compelling about a wreck site. What is it? It may be the awe at the folks who can actually blow up one building at busy intersection downtown without touching the buildings right smack beside it. Or maybe it's the image of controlled chaos of the floors with all their wires and such slouching down onto each other.

Well, here are some photos that I took with my Treo 680 (gotta love technology) at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue & K Street NW, downtown. Same building from two different views. Kind of incredible. On the street level was a pile of metal scraps that are going to be salvaged, I guess. Maybe I'll go take a picture of that too.

Cry. Me. A. River...Buh-bye! [long post]

In today's WaPo, front page, is a typical bleeding heart article about the hispanic exodus from Prince William County because of the county's new anti-illegals laws, the housing lending issue and other reasons. Waaahhhhhh!!! The wetbacks are leaving! No more cheap labor! No more Spanish-only enclaves! The CCCCHHHHIILLLDDDRRREEN!!! Waaahhhhhh!!!

Read this tearful narrative of (feel the sarcasm) the cruelty of it all:

The man, whose name is Mauricio and who is Salvadoran, zipped his jacket against the wind whipping across the dark, vacant parking lot as he walked out of the store toward a borrowed car.

That morning, his electricity had been cut off. The next day, he and 11-year-old Erica would be moving into the basement of a neighbor's house. On this night, they would make do with candles.

It was the latest blow in a year of calamities: In April, the interest rate on Mauricio's ill-advised mortgage suddenly spiked, more than doubling his monthly payments. In May, he lost his job as a house painter. In June, he had to sell his van. In July, his third child was born, and with no insurance, he started skipping mortgage payments to cover the hospital bills. In October, the bank began foreclosure proceedings. In November, he sent his wife and two U.S.-born children to El Salvador.

December brought the worst setback yet: Mauricio bounced a $460 check he had sent the Department of Homeland Security to renew his temporary legal status, transforming him from legal to illegal immigrant.

In January, he received notice to vacate his house. Two weeks ago, the water was cut off. A week ago, his Virginia driver's license expired, and without legal status, he can no longer renew it.

Mauricio and Erica turned onto a side street pocked with darkened, empty houses and pulled up to a brick house with mustard shutters. A plastic barrel stood under the gutter spout. Mauricio had been using it to collect rainwater to heat so Erica could take baths.(WaPo, March 27, 2008)

Maybe Mauricio should have taken his residency legality a little more seriously. Maybe instead of impregnating his wife (a macho imperative!) with another child he couldn't support, he should have been saving his money to pay for his legal residency in this country. Maybe instead of buying a house he couldn't afford, he & his family should have sucked it up and lived in an apartment that he could. Yet, nowhere in the article does it place the responsibility for Mauricio's "calamities" squarely where they belong: on his and his wife's head. The article only refers to an "ill-advised" mortgage - you know, like he just got some bum advice - not his fault!

I read this article with a sense of disgust (the bleeding heart stories) and glee (the laws are working). What we call this is "attrition" and "self-deportation." Yeah! And as other localities are flooded with the resulting "refugees" and find (various facets of) their areas overwhelmed, maybe they'll rethink the prudence of their sanctuary policies. One can only hope.

Because I must...

...but it makes me feel better anyway. I'm currently going through my files and shredding old account statements in an effort to decrease clutter (one of my new years resolutions). And because I actually DON'T need ALL documentation on accounts going back twenty years. I just don't. I've accepted that fact. I've now shredded several reams of paper. Hah!

More on microcredit

DH Jeff found this article in WaPo this morning about the nascent Grameen America. Curious how I was just mentioning Grameen and now this pops up. Historically microcredit initiatives have been carried out in the third world but why should they be exclusively third world endeavors? Grameen clearly thinks there's potential in the first world. Cool.

Scotch Watch 2008: the story continues

So, we just tried Glenfiddich 12-year ($51/bottle). We really like it. It's smooth and warm with a touch of sweetness. Mmmmmgood.

Oh, here's a site I found that gives tasting notes on various whiskies and details about the distilleries: The Whisky Guide. I checked out the tasting notes on Laphroaig, which if you've been following along, I found to be undrinkable. Here's why: smoke & peat. Evidently, neither of these jazzes my palate.

Oh, DH Jeff & I are thinking of hosting a scotch tasting for our interested/scotch-curious friends. Hoot.

Update: I think I like Glenfiddich more than Macallan. Just saying.

Some [known] bad news, some good news

I'm not going to talk at length about this article in today's WaPo, because I've already talked about how fighting mad it makes me that the DHS can't seem to pull its head out of its butt...and how happy it is to charge that incompetence spectacularly to you and me. Read and weep.

Onto more positive news: Goldman Sachs is bankrolling business education programs for female entreneurs in Africa and the Middle East with an eye to improving local economies in these regions. I think this rocks - focus on the women. We've seen the positive effects on the ground with microcredit/microfinance programs & banks (which tends to lend primarily to women) in the the third world (Grameen Bank, for instance), now Goldman Sachs is taking this thinking to the next logical level: giving female entrepreneurs the educational tools to make their businesses a success. Read the whole article here. And yes, libtards, Goldman Sachs is what you're always howling about - BIG BUSINESS - big raspberry to you!

Everything's money

For as long as I can remember, I've been overly concerned about money. Worried. That one day I'd be without it and on the streets. For a vast variety of reasons, that's HIGHLY unlikely, but this anxiety isn't rational. What is, though, is the solution to the anxiety: savings. I have started a small "crash fund" (emergency fund), but I think I'm going to go a step further: to amass a year's worth of expenses, stick the cash in CDs, and let it percolate interest. Now, this isn't all going to happen this year, but it will happen - I'm on a mission!

5 foods I could eat all day

Hummus - is it the garlic, the consistency, the dip-ability?

Kettle Chips Salt & Pepper potato chips - it's the crunch and the mixture of salt & pepper. These chips are like crack. Really. And really not so bad for you (no hydrogenated oils) unless you eat a whole bag at one sitting...which is a definite possibility.

Microwave popcorn - it's the crunch, the salt, the heavenly aroma, the fake butter!

Edamame - it's the gently salty nuttiness.

Wasabe peas - it's the nasal spiciness & crunch.

So, what foods drive you to distraction?

Interesting pairing

Fat Bastard shiraz with Five Guys cheeseburger (with jalapenos, tomatoes, mustard and hot sauce) & fries. Trust me, it works.

Scotch Watch 2008

In the case of my ever-evolving palate, I’ve decided to find out about the best single malt scotches (to me, that is, of course), experientially. To that effect, I’ve been trying a few and here are my latest (but by no means last) observations:

Laphroaig: I recently tasted this at a local pub-sterant ($10 a drink). Let me just say that the smell of it turned me off right away. Chemical, nasty. Taste was the same. No go on this one.

Macallan 12-year ($45/bottle): Good. Edges, but not harsh. Drinkable.

Glenmorangie Santa Rosa ($80/bottle): Beautifully light and smooth, with just a hint of sweetness. Aromatic. Very drinkable. DH Jeff & my only negative observation: …but is it worth $80/bottle?

Tamdhu 10-year ($20/bottle): I was persuaded to try this by a Sikh liquor store employee who doesn’t even drink. Note to self: don’t trust the advice of someone who doesn’t actually drink the stuff. The edges on this puppy were so hard they could cut. I found this scotch to be undrinkable. Using it for cooking.

More on this story as it develops. There is a dizzying array of scotch choices, even from the same distiller. My question: would we actually be able to tell the difference between a 12- and an 18-year scotch? We will see…

Book Review: The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, is just a wonderful book. Jeff’s Aunt Joan had recommended it to me awhile ago and since then, numerous others have recommended it to me as well. I finally had a chance to read it and was blown away. I said it before when I reviewed A Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini’s second novel: he’s a very effective and engaging story-teller. What’s more, Hosseini is really good at characterization: his characters are layered, faceted, flawed, compelling, nasty, selfish, brutal, redeeming, sympathetic and sometimes lovable. Furthermore, he gives us glimpses into elements of Afghani culture that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

To wit, The Kite Runner revolves around a certain defining kite flying competition and the events that occur therein. It deals with the relationships between both master and servant, and two best friends at the same time. It’s a story about the lack of courage and loyalty, and yet the possibility of redemption for nearly unforgivable wrongs. Hosseini draws you in and the 400 pages just fly by. If you haven’t already done so, go read it!

Buh-bye!

A hopeful story in the WaPo this morning: Virginia is submitting names of immigrant sex offenders to the Feds so that they (the Feds) can deport them. About time.

But of course you have those who will object...after all, we NEED to import sex offenders, we just DON'T have enough AmCit sexual predators of our own. Diversity and all. Harrumph! [end sarcasm]

Read all about it here.

How can I get a job like this?

No oversight for twenty years. In a government job. Wherein you could just steal $50 million. And conspicuously, brazenly spend it to boot. Much of it gone for good. And only now you get caught. Nope, you can't blame this on Bush. It's the DC Tax Office scam. Investigators are finding it's a lot worse than they thought & went on for a lot longer than they thought. Read the whole thing here.

What I did on my summer vacation...

...i mean, long weekend.

- DH Jeff & I had a zombie movie marathon on Saturday

- my dear husband alsso graciously shared his cold with me

- but we had no plans to go out

- and had carpet picnics

- as a result of the cold & equal measures of laziness, I didn't work out all weekend

- but I made a whole chicken plus veggies in a crock pot

- I put too much liquid in the pot

- but the chicken turned out great

- & we had ready-made chicken soup for lunch the next day

- and what's better for a cold than chicken soup?

- I didn't get to start my Arabic lessons (Rosetta Stone)

- but we moved around our apartment

- and we both went "SNONK!" every five minutes

- the "den" is now a cozy bedroom

- and the bedroom is now the workroom...in progress

- the other night my lamb chops turned out a little bit overdone

- but tasty and moist nonetheless...

- and much better than my last attempt!

My apologies...

...for being such a sad, sad blogger. I've just been letting silly little things (work, school, sleep) get in the way of quality commentary.

Tsk, tsk. I'll try to do better...soon!

Fight the real enemy...sangria?

Yes, folks, Virginia has hit a new low: still on the books from around prohibition times is a law that prohibits the serving/sale of sangria in restaurants because it's wine mixed with spirits (brandy). Too intoxicating! But not only is it still on the books, but restaurants such as Jaleo in Crystal City have been fined for it. They've now altered their recipe so it doesn't include brandy (Jaleo in the District has not changed its recipe because DC doesn't have such stupid law).

This from the state who refuses to pass a smoking ban in restaurants and bars. Unbelievable asshattedness. Read the whole story here.

Just give me a scotch.

Don't you hate...

...when you wake up at 4am and feel like you've drunk a few shots of espresso in your sleep and now your mind won't shut up?

Revolting.

I read a truly appalling article in WaPo yesterday morning about how even though the rate of abortion is generally decreasing in this country, use of RU-486 is on the rise. What’s really disturbing is that women seem to be keenly well-read about this pill, but utterly clueless or callous (probably a bit of both) about pills that prevent the pregnancy – or anything else that prevents pregnancy for that matter. Why bother, after all – you’re progressive! Just kill the offending thing – it’s easier than ever and private! What’s also offensive are some of the comments of practitioners concerning the “normalizing of abortion” and how RU-486 feels more "natural" to the user. What?!

All I can say is for shame! This isn’t modernity or power or whatever euphemisms abortionistas embrace – it’s backward and sad. Read the whole article here.

Happy New Year!

Ok, so it's been awhile since I've posted, after I said I'd be out of commission for a week or so...so I'm back with a few of my New Year's resolutions - some of which I've gotten a start on:

1. Get my credit report. Done - well at least one of three. You can get one free report a year from each of the three credit agencies - Equifax, Experion & Trans Union - and you don't have to get them all at once. It's easy & here's the link on how you do it. Thanks to DH Jeff for sending me the link. The agencies also inform you about what to do if you think you've had your identity stolen. Fortunately for me there were no surprises.

2. Cook more. Well on my way: I tried a shrimp & pasta recipe for Jeff that my mother made for me while I was visiting over the holidays. I also discovered that snow peas are one of the easiest veggies to cook right (still crunchy). On a different night I baked salmon steaks and sauteed a veggie medley. All turned out well.

3. Straighten out and organize the mess of wires associated with my desktop computer and printer. I know - pedestrian - but it's been bothering me for a while and I'm just getting to it. I'll need more of those nifty velcro ties to finish the job however.

4. Lose about ten pounds (ie, get rid of the goo around my middle). I've been a complete couch potato thru the holidays, but now I must get serious & start working out regularly again. Uggh.

5. Get more sleep. I'm really bad about getting to bed before midnight. After I finish this post, however, it's to bed with me!

Hell Week is nigh...

...so posting will be sparce until a week from Tuesday. I have a presentation to prepare for Psych class for this coming week, the second crime scene write-up (unfortunately, I have to coordinate with others for this - uggh) for next Tuesday & both finals that day. Oh yeah, and then there's work. So, I'm going to put my nose to the grindstone until then, with no time for Rants-on-parade. Wish me luck!

And a big Bravo Zulu* goes out to...

...my DH Jeff! That's right, folks: he finished his 50,000-word novel for the NaNoWriMo contest late last night & ahead of the deadline (November 30)!!! While I don't think you can access the novel from the site, I bet Jeff would share it with you if you asked nicely. :) This is quite an accomplishment - a whole novel in a month!


*Ok, once I worked for a Navy guy.

The Other Picard

Remember the "what if" Next Gen episode in which Captain Picard sees how his life would have turned out had he not taken all the risks - even the rash ones (like the bar brawl with the Nossican*)? And how he ends up toiling in obscurity, unappreciated, instead of the captain of the Federation flagship? Well, I often feel like that other Picard.

It frustrates me, it infuriates me, it mystifies me. I feel like I've wasted a lot of time & energy spinning my wheels. Having jobs, but never a coherent career. Yet always clinging desperately to each job like my very life depended on it. My constant refrain being "I need the money." That attitude is getting really old. Especially when my boredom and frustration (not mutually exclusive, let me tell you) do self-defeating things (more on that later). And all along I'm thinking, what the hell did I do wrong in the place? What could I be doing differently? What if I do something else and get the same results in the end?

I'm now almost finished with a program that cost me a lot in terms of time, money, effort and aggravation, yet I don't know if any of it was worth it. And I absolutely do not want to start all over, at the bottom, making crappy money just so I can "work in my field." What to do, what to do? Yet, I know I'm capable of doing a lot more than I'm doing now. Sigh.

*I don't care if that's not how you spell it, it was a TV show for gosh-sakes.

Not a big surprise - HIV in DC

I think we can very safely call DC "Kinshasa on the Potomac." Now I've opined this before, how DC is a backward city but...well, more depressing news: 80% of all HIV cases identified from 2001-2006 were African-Americans; DC has the HIV highest rate of any US city (almost twice that of NYC). And, until federal funding requirements mandated HIV tracking in 2000, the city just didn't bother.

Hmmm...maybe it's a matter of too few men snapping on the latex and too few females demanding it. The saddest part is that babies, who have no choice in the matter are being born with it. What a legacy.

The part about not tracking HIV incidence until 2000 is just par for the course for DC "government."

Book Review: Princess

Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia, by Jean Sasson is the life story of a Saudi princess as told to an American journalist. It details the dysfunction, hypocrisy and imposed inertia of the royal family in general, and depravity of some members in particular. Most of all, it describes the gilded but treacherous cage in which royal women are forced to live, and the vulnerability of all Saudi & foreign worker women in the Kingdom.

On a personal note, if I thought the Saudis were a bunch of troglodyte degenerates before, this book only reinforced that impression. There are some passages in the book that I’ll never forget although I’d just as soon purge those scenes from my brain. Princess “Sultana” (through Sasson) tells a compelling story and there’s plenty of sympathy to be had there. Some criticize Sultana’s narrative, though, saying that Saudi Arabia isn’t like that anymore and her story doesn’t apply to all Saudi women, blah, blah, blah. I say she was just telling her own story as a royal woman living under those specific rules. She also states that if change is going to happen, it would be provoked by middle class women, thus declaring that there are differences in society dynamics. Definitely worth a read – to get an idea of this particular Saudi’s life – and to better appreciate one’s own.

Post Thanksgiving Slump

Well, we held Thanksgiving at our place for around nine people (including ourselves) and I think we pulled it off pretty well. Yeah, I’ll have to work on the stuffing (turned out kinda soupy if tasty), but on the whole, everything turned out great and folks seemed to have a good time.

Sooo…Friday and Saturday we proceeded to do a slow, measured clean-up. We’re pretty much back to normal except for the roasting pan which I’ve been purposely avoiding. Remember when we just bought the aluminum version which we could just fold up and throw away? Yeah, now we’re all sophisticated and have an actual “non-stick” roasting pan. I suspect it’ll become more non-stick after soaking it in hot, soapy water – for a while.

For the last two days, we – DH Jeff and I – have been clicking-clacking away at our laptops, him at the NaNoWriMo contest (write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November) and me at my 10-page paper on Postpartum Depression/Psychosis (yeah, the same one I’ve been plodding through for the past month or two). Neither of us had bathed or left the apartment since Thursday. Yesterday, I finished the first draft of my paper, decided I needed to be somewhere besides the apartment and eat something other than leftovers. I convinced DH Jeff to go get sushi with me…which prompted showers. Halleluiah!

Book Review: Edith's Diary

Edith’s Diary by Patricia Highsmith was a kind of hand-me-down of sorts (the best way to acquire books), from a now-deceased uncle who said that “I would like her style.” It was actually later that I discovered (like “duh”) that she was the author of Strangers on a Train upon which the Hitchcock movie was based, as well as the Talented Mr. Ripley series of books. The former ended up as a book club selection & we also watched the movie for comparison. I’m still working through the latter. Highsmith has (“had,” I guess, because she’s dead now) the very interesting talent of making a sociopath, well, sympathetic. Thomas Ripley only murders people because he “had to,” but with everyone else, he’s the perfect gentleman. But I digress.

Edith’s Diary is a stand-alone novel about a couple and their young son who transplant from New York to a small town in Pennsylvania. The situation has a veneer of normalcy but the reader starts to question that veneer pretty quickly. Then the reader finds him/herself in the midst of a slow corrosion. The book moves slowly at parts, but doesn’t allow you to become bored. Well, let’s just say that I realize that Highsmith also crafts characters that very effectively get under your skin.

How can you be irritable...

...when the nice lady from Whole Foods is offering you a truffle? You know the candy in question - the one with dense, wonderful, um, chocolate, with a dusting of decadent cocoa. Don't pretend you don't. The answer is: even I can't be too curmudgeonish when presented with that.

Actually, it's a totally brilliant scheme by Whole Foods to 1) short-circuit the impulse toward mass murder while waiting for one's turkey and 2) a good way to advertise the truffles (as if they really needed it). And in actuality, the crowds today were not that bad today and no more irritating than any other weekday afternoon.

I was also able to pick up a pot roast because DH Jeff insisted that we have one in addition to the 20-lb. turkey we're serving. You know, so that the small army we're feeding is fortified to fight that...battle or something after leaving our apartment...in the next state, under harsh conditions. ;) Just giving him a little guff - it will all be amazing!

You know you've arrived when...

...you start getting flamed. In this case, it wasn't on this blog, but rather, on Goodreads.com about my review of the book Nickel and Dimed. Read the same review here.

Basically this chick thought I was heinous because I opined that unless people (working poor in this case) fully considered all the costs associated with having and raising children and could actually provide for them, they shouldn't have any. Besides the obvious issues of survival, to have children thoughtlessly (or should I say "to get pregnant thoughtlessly"?) effectively limits children's chances at success and conveys the idea that poverty and dependency is the norm and inevitable. She thought I was a bad person for saying so.

Her reaction is so typical of the left, that everyone should have absolute freedom to do as they wish, with no thought to the consequences. Liberals talk in terms of ''rights'' but not responsibilities. Like ''reproductive rights'' - in this case, to have kids when you can barely support yourself, then rely on public (read: tax payer supported) social programs - Medicaid, food stamps, etc., to ensure the basics. Stick someone else with the bill ('cause let's face it, your taking from the pot is likely to be a lot more than what you, the working poor, put into it...just sayin'). Doesn't that sound childish and irresponsible (of both the breeders and the ones advocating the behavior)?

That's one of the differences between liberal and conservative worldviews: we conservatives believe that you and no one else is responsible for what you choose to do - and thus you should bear the consequences, good or bad.

One last shot: reproduction isn't a right, it's a biological urge. We as human beings have the unique capacity to consciously plan our reproduction until our personal conditions are more optimal and we all should understand the obligation to do that. Flamer girl just doesn't get that.

Corruption on the Potomac

There is a disheartening local story about some folks at D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue who embezzled $20 million over four years. The Feds moved fast once they were alerted about it. Kudos to the SunTrust Bank employee who questioned a suspicious (and large dollar amount) transaction, and whose notification opened the investigation...but tell me this: How does one move around large sums of money on a regular basis via bogus tax refunds and no one asks
any questions for four years? What, no controls in place? No regular auditing of records? Heck no, this is D.C., The District of Corruption with zero accountability. This place has fully earned its reputation for being chock-full of incompetents.

The really sad thing is that when it's a white-collar crime, many people don't take it seriously, like there are no victims. Please keep in mind that this is taxpayer funds, and to a huge degree.

Update 11/15/07: In yesterday's WaPo is an article about the above scam and how it looks more like $30 million was stolen over a seven-year period. Yeah, the scumbugs got caught, but they were doing fine for SEVEN YEARS. It makes one wonder why one bothers to do things honestly and diligently. What's the motivation to do right (and all the suckiness that that entails) when you're going to have to pay in some way for all the wrong-doing others do? Because virtue is its own reward? Huh? But it gets even better: an article in today's WaPo states that the DC auditor flagged the Tax Office because of a notable spike in tax refunds...in 2004!!! She recommended closer monitoring of the office back then. Read and weep.

For the record...

...I voted in the local elections yesterday. Not that it mattered. WaPo is chortling about how Virginians chose/endorsed Democrats ("moderates"?). And how immigration really wasn't much of an issue. No, that's not totally correct. How does one choose otherwise when most of the contests had only a Democratic "contender"? That's it, no real choice!

Unfortunately, it's business as usual here in Arlington "never-an-illegal-we-didn't-love" County. Oh, and evidently this county is getting the fall-out from those illegals who are leaving the better enforced counties. Wonderful!

October showers bring...

...cockroaches? Well, one cockroach to be exact. But that was quite enough to freak me out this morning. There it was, just sitting there near the shower. Now this was unusual for two reasons: 1) our place is CLEAN and crumb free (especially the bathroom!) and 2) I don't think I've EVER seen a cockroach in this apartment building, period - and we've been living here since 2001.

I won't take it personally. I think the reason for this is the weather. The insects thought, wow, we have it made, because of the lack of rain lately. Then yesterday, it poured. Mad little scramble indoors.

The offending insect is now dead, thank you.

Restaurant Reviews: 2 neighborhood places

I have a hobby. It involves food. This weekend, while my dear Jeff was camping in Death Valley, I was at home trying to make myself study for an exam, do research for a paper on postpartum psychosis, finish a piece for our writing group, clean the apartment, work out and organize our finances. The apartment is cleaner, I’m worked out, the laundry is clean and folded, my credit card is paid, the short story is posted, and by end of weekend, I have a good start on the whole exam thing with Monday to cement it.

But back to my hobby. I figured I needed some fun. Fun in my terms involves trying new restaurants, trying new foods, getting a feel for the character of the place. I’m fortunate that my neighborhood is chock-full of restaurants, some of which are brand new. And, figured I could do some recon for when Jeff gets back, maybe find our new favorite place. I tried two places; here are the results.
Saturday night, I tried Restaurant Three, which is located where Mama Kwan’s Tiki Bar (lasted a summer, never went there) existed before. 3 is an upscale, medium-priced (for this area) restaurant with soothing, eye-easy lighting and sophisticated seating inside and out. The group of three in front of me were told there was a half-hour wait to be seated, which seemed odd since I could see empty tables. I thought uh-oh, pretension, but I asked anyway and was pleasantly surprised when the gal said I could eat at the “VIP” bar (the smaller one) instead of waiting for a table. And the whole place is non-smoking. Jackpot! – that worked perfectly – and I was seated immediately.*

I ordered the field greens salad and then the grouper filet over risotto, with prawn, scallops and artichokes. The salad was pretty and tasty with a decent vinaigrette and diced veggie accents, but… not wow. You must understand, I’m the queen of salads. And my vinaigrettes tend to be spicy, which seems to be an odd concept in the mainstream [perspective, folks]. The grouper dish was very tasty, fresh and substantial, but why do all these upscale places have to over-salt their food? I had the same experience at Liberty Tavern, with an otherwise delicious gnocchi dish. Also, except for the sautéed grape tomatoes, the dish looked kind of beige – could have used some delicate asparagus spears for color. The bartender/waiter was attentive yet not overbearing and the manager came out to introduce himself and applaud my tolerance of a Polish businessman who had been bending my ear. It was altogether a pleasant evening and I’d certainly be willing to go there again with Jeff and try some new stuff.

The other night, I tried Me Jana, a new Lebanese place in the spot where the very bland Sala Thai used to be (I didn’t expect that S/T would last as it had direct competition from a number of non-bland Thai places within a block). Anyhoo, was very interested in trying the place & I think I found our new favorite place, just a block away! Me Jana has a wonderful menu of reasonably-priced hot and cold mezzes as well as some higher-priced main courses. For the money though, I think anyone would be very happy ordering a few of the small plates. I had the fettoush and zucchini fritters for dinner. The fettoush was what I would consider a perfect salad with a tangy vinaigrette, tomatoes, Italian parsley, radishes and cucumbers – and not over-salted. The “fritters,” more like little patties, had mint and were served with a delightful, garlicky sauce. Again, not over-salted. I then tried one of the desserts, I think called Halewat, which was some sort of soft cheese with a sort of syrup and pistachios – very nice and different. The dish looked small and delicate, but I definitely could have shared it – very dense and maybe due to my slight lactose intolerance, made me very full. All the flavors were very distinct and bright, as were the presentations. The service was very attentive and I didn’t have to wait for “my” waiter to accommodate, the wait-staff seemed to be tag-teaming. And I gathered that the place was non-smoking! I REALLY want to go back with Jeff and try a bunch of new things. This place was a stand-out and would be a great place for a book club meeting (hint, hint) or for any casual and relaxing evening among friends.

*Very few restaurants are worth a half-hour wait. Anything more than that is ridiculous – there are so many good restaurants that would value your patronage. As a matter of fact, if I hadn’t been seated so quickly, I would have marched down to our favorite sushi place – and I know they would be happy to see me!

A nasty frame of mind

I'm sitting here in the coffee/gourmet shop on the ground floor of my apartment building, trying to finish a piece for my writing group. Two different groups around me are having VERY LOUD and EMOTIVE conversations in spanish.

What comes to mind besides "shut up" and/or "speak English" is "ya'll are invading my country and my government is doing less than nothing about it. In fact, they're aiding and abetting it. Unbelievable!" I'm thinking some other things, but they're not really printable.

Nice to think that my country will become the same cesspool as so many latin american countries if this is allowed to continue. I really need to start finding the time to write letters to those who "represent" me - before it's too late.

Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, tells the story of two Afghan women whose lives intersect forcibly through their marriage to the same abusive man. It reveals, through their lives and experiences, the turbulent, harsh and often chaotic history of Afghanistan.

What is immediately apparent is that Hosseini is a wonderful story-telller. You start reading, then suddenly realize you're half-way through the book. He pulls you in right away and makes you care about his characters; they provoke some sort of response right off the bat. What I appreciated, though, was that Hosseini's characters were rather nuanced, not easy stereotypes. Even the “villains” have their soft spots, which you can at least acknowledge, yet still revile them.

A Thousand Splendid Suns was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I didn’t compare the book to Hosseini’s first story, The Kite Runner, because I haven’t read it yet. Folks who have read both, however, say this is even better than Kite Runner. Hmmm…I’ll have to find that out for myself. In closing I’ll say that unlike some stories I've read which are set in Afghanistan, this leaves the reader with a sense of optimism.

Random Bamboo

This last Saturday, we went hiking at Great Falls with a friend of ours. It was the perfect day for a hike - not too hot, not too cool - and we saw many cool things on the trail - the falls, deer, interesting fungi, other hikers and their dogs, runners and cyclists (all observing “trail etiquette,” I must say). One of the coolest things, though, was this random wall of bamboo at a random place along the trail. It was so neat and unexpected. I wondered why we don’t see more bamboo since it basically grows anywhere, provides very effective shade and cover, and probably is good for preventing soil erosion. All that, and you can make stuff with it.

Book Review: Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden, tells the enchanting and bittersweet tale of a girl sold into a slavery that ultimately gives her a sense of purpose, her own beauty and strength. It’s also about a culture that is all but extinct in its native country; through this poignant fiction the reader gets a sense of that history through the author‘s obviously extensive research. Mostly, though, Memoirs is just such a beautifully written story and Golden does an uncanny job of portraying the sensibilities of the young apprentice as she navigates the treacherous and demanding, yet exquisite life of a geisha.

Book Review: Invasion

In Invasion: How America Still Welcomes Terrorists, Criminals, and Other Foreign Menaces to Our Shores, Michelle Malkin gives us a sobering and quite frankly, anxiety-provoking look at how our government has abdicated one of its most basic and critical charges, that of national security. She backs up her assertions with lots of solid research and concrete examples of failures from whatever source - incompetence, inattention, bureaucratic inertia, political posturing, you name it - and shows that there are many who have and are presently taking advantage of those substantial chinks in the armor. It got my blood boiling, especially in light of the fact that I’m financially supporting - as are all taxpayers in this country - a system that reinforces its own mistakes and poor judgment, and puts all of us in increasing peril. The take-away is this: we as Americans, cannot afford to be lulled by vague promises; rather, we must hold our government accountable for the job we hired it to do.

Treo "premium" hard case

A month and a half ago, I ordered a metallic red hard case cover for my Treo 680 to protect it from the "ravages" of my purse/satchel. Initially, the cover looked sharp, seemed secure and was very reasonably priced ($4.95 plus shipping); however, after using it under normal conditions (not extreme, didn't drop it or throw it around) for a month and a half, the case is crumbling at the connect points, making it useless. Not only that, but the red coating has been chipping off around the edges and at the stylus insertion site for a while. I contacted the vendor, Accessory Export, and they said they have a 30-day return/exchange policy and but that they have no control over normal wear and tear. After this unacceptable response and a shoddy product that lasted 1.5 months, I will not buy anything more from this vendor & will certainly not replace this case with another of the same product. Caveat emptor!

It's for the chiiiildddren!

This SCHIP business burns me up. As a matter of fact, the only part I like is that the proposed expansion would be funded with cigarette taxes. Trust me, there are enough die-hard (heh) smokers still around to fund a program.

But back to the story. Advocates of this program reference all the uninsured CHILDREN who desperately need coverage. Now, this involves all those NOT covered by Medicaid. So, we're talking about children from MIDDLE CLASS families.

First, it's politically expedient (especially on the left) to verbally isolate CHILDREN as if they just popped up on their own, defenseless, and need to be taken care of. This rhetoric disregards and relieves of the responsibility, the duties and obligations of the PARENTS. Now, I believe that anyone who cannot provide ALL the basic requirements for children - healthcare definitely included - should not have the children in the first place. But what still endures from the hippie days is that freedom (e.g., sexual freedom and "reproductive freedom" and in this case) means doing anything you want regardless of the consequences and sloughing off the responsibility of those consequences to someone else.

Second, this program is to cover those children whose parents make too much to be eligible for Medicaid. So, we're increasing the level of the nanny state for those who are middle class. There's a lot of talk about those parents who work hard and yet have no healthcare coverage. Why not? If you had kids, wouldn't you target jobs that offered healthcare coverage as part of the compensation package? I mean, when I was working at GWU Medical Center, everyone who was a full-time, permanent employee - regardless of pay-grade - had access to a selection of HMOs & PPOs, partially subsidized by GWU.

Third, proponents claim that illegals are excluded from this program. And because the federal government has done such a terrific job of keeping them out of the country, I really believe they can keep them from taking advantage of this program too. Sarcasm. You got that?

So, what this expansion of an EXISTING program means bigger nanny state, less personal responsibility expected of the parents and people in general, and you can take advantage of this even if you're middle class and probably even if you're illegal. BAD.

Here's a recent article about President Bush's veto of the current version of this bill, fyi.

Treo 680 learning curve...

...getting shallower! I recently loaded "Documents to Go," cut-down, PDA friendly versions of Word, Excel & Acrobat that came with the Treo, onto my desk-top.

As you know, I have a sucky class schedule, especially on Tuesdays, that involves my shuttling and metro-ing back and forth between apt and school, essentially wasting a lot of time. Well, in my unending quest to make this time somewhat productive, I started using the Word application on my Treo and guess what? I did most of a critical review on my tiny superphone! Wahoo! Then when I got home, all I had to do to transfer the file to my desk-top was synchronize the Treo (which is a good idea to do regularly anyway, to back up your calendar and contact updates).

Oh, did I mention that you can attach photos to your contact list entries? That's a cool feature. But not as cool as using some otherwise deadtime to actually produce do homework...or craft blog entries...or...

Enough already, I must sleep!

Famous sister-in-law

Brother Chris's wife Steph was featured in an article in the Baltimore Sun about a very interesting dig she was on (both she and Chris are archaeologists). Steph's the one holding the tile and if you click on "The Search for Artifacts," you can see her in action. Cool, huh? Congrats, Steph!

Restaurant Review: Ella's Pizza

On Saturday, DH Jeff & I went out with brother Chris and wife Steph to celebrate their birthdays. Chris suggested we try Ella's Pizza which had gotten good reviews for their pizza, sangria, and also had a nice list of small plates that looked interesting. Well, I would highly recommend this bright, cheery and easy-going restaurant. We tried a variety of things including some small plates, salad, some pizzas (a little larger than strictly "personal" size), cocktails, sangria, desserts.

Here are some highlights:

- The small plates: basically tapas - really good, fresh and gourmet (think fresh herbs, shaved parmesan). We had one with asparagus & one with shitake mushrooms. One could just have a meal of several of those and be happy.

- The pizzas were noteworthy as well. We chose, three of the "standard" (off the menu) pizzas that looked interesting: one with mushrooms & goat cheese, one with pepperoni and one with onions and gorgonzola. All tasty and habit-forming (they went very quickly), but my favorite was the mushroom and goat cheese - plenty of wonderful shitake with slightly tart, soft goat cheese. If you wish to guide your own toppings, you can do that, too.

- For dessert, we tried the trio of fresh ice creams (choco-choco chip, caramel and vanilla), the tiramisu and the chocolate pudding. Although I'm not such a dessert person, everything was really good and not cloyingly sweet. Since they have changing fresh ice cream selections, I would be inclined to try others they may offer.

- Ella's has a full bar and offers some specialty drinks. I tried the Ellatini, which reminds me of my version of a Cosmo: pink, sweet-tart. I'd definitely have it again. The sangria is also good, though I'm not sure if I prefer it to, let's say, Jaleo's version.

Ella's has something for everyone, including plenty of vegetarian selections (salads, small plates, pizza), and is very reasonably priced. The place is casual, friendly, and they didn't mind seating DH Jeff & I before Chris and Steph arrived. Definitely a keeper!

Book Review: Devil in the White City

Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson, tells the incredible story of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago: the fight to hold it in Chicago; the drive to out-do the previous French-held World’s Fair; the desire to garner world admiration and respect not only for the U.S., but specifically for Chicago; the personalities involved in the planning, design and execution of this monumental feat. It also told of Herman Webster Mudgett, an especially prolific serial killer who preyed on the scores of women (and others) who came to Chicago during this time for work, excitement and independence. I take it this is the “devil” in the title, but that “devil” could also refer to the Fair itself and its genesis, i.e., the devil is in the details.

I really enjoyed this book because it enlightened me about an event and an era about which I knew very little. The story of the Fair, this amazing idea-made-reality, was, especially when time was short and things didn’t look too promising for a successful opening, an act of sheer will and of sterling minds over matter to make it happen. The book was also about this horrendous sociopath who took advantage of the environment of the times and of the Fair, to satisfy his diabolical urges. I found this aspect of the story compelling as well…but thought they were two distinct stories which would have been better told as separate, i.e., in different books. Minor matter – it’s very much worth the read. And I now know the origin of the Ferris Wheel.

One of my least favorite things

One of my abiding attitudes is my aversion to depending on others. I really would prefer to just to do everything myself - that way, if things fall through, the only person to blame is myself and I don't have to deal with the "vagaries" of someone else's mentality, schedule, "foibles." Plus, I'm really reliable.

Yesterday, I was pondering this thought as I waited six minutes for the metro; then getting on the escalator at Ballston on the left side, waiting for the two self-absorbed morons in front of me to move along (stand to the right, walk to the left - how difficult a concept is that?) so I could catch my Marymount shuttle, only to get to the pick-up point and see the shuttle drive off, therein leaving me the specter of having to wait for another shuttle, twenty minutes off & making me late for my class. I took a cab instead. I was disgruntled. Not only did I waste precious time, but had the aggravation of seeing my school fees wasted on a system I couldn't count on. Uggh. And $10 for the cab.

Moral of the story: Be self-reliant and avoid depending on others. Sometimes folks come thru, but don't count on it. I'm going to find other ways of getting to/from school that don't involve a lot of waiting around. And invest in a laptop. More on this story as it develops...

Thought for the day

If I'm really bored, is this a result of the situation or my lack of creativity in entertaining my mind?

Treo 680: friend or foe, revisited

Ok, there's one really irritating thing about the Treo 680, but as I understand, it's not only the Treo but all PDA-type superphones: their batteries run down super-quick, so one must essentially re-charge every day. And it takes a while to re-charge. Blah - that's a hassle!

Who knew?

This article in Sunday's WaPo alerted me to the unlikely fact that 1) there are actually Republicans in Arlington County Government and 2) they actually give a damn about illegal immigration in Arlington. Who knew?

I think I'll make some time to shoot them some emails...

Restaurant Review: The Liberty Tavern

Saturday evening I convinced DH Jeff that we needed to check out this new place in Clarendon called The Liberty Tavern. I had walked by there and had seen an area with lounge-y couches and thought, hmmm...looks like my kind of place. Then lo and behold, WaPo featured it in the Weekend Section's Fare Minded, giving it good scores for food, noting the area and even restaurant produced fare (think cheeses, butter, bread).

Ah, so it's not just a barstaurant or another one of the area's ubiquitous Irish bars! Hurrah! Here's the set-up: the ground floor is occupied by the bar, tall bar-type tables and chairs, and the lounge-y area with coffee-type tables at which you can eat and drink in a relaxed fashion. Upstairs, where we ate, is a soothing, wooden-floored dining room with cool red-shaded lighting.

We shared a very nice, light fritto misto (calamari, shrimp, zucchini spears) and a very fresh chopped salad. I had the "intermezzo" portion (a smaller portion of their entrees) of their gnocci dish and Jeff had the fish and chips. I tried the blackberry cocktail & a glass of shiraz. Food run-down: fritto misto was very good and not greasy; the chopped salad had enough field greens and blue cheese to keep me happy; the gnocci was a tad too salty but consisted of perfect little tasty pillows mixed with beans instead of the standard big, doughy lumps & the smaller portion size suited me after the well-sized appetizers; the fish and chips are HUGE and very crispy (note that before ordering heavy appetizers); and the bread basket offered a nice variety, freshly baked with wonderful whipped local butter. The drinks: Jeff didn't have anything that night, but I tried two: the blackberry cocktail was good, not cloyingly sweet, a little tart - nice, but not wowing. The shiraz was not one I was familiar with but was very enjoyable - I'd order it again. Service: our waiter was attentive, informative (food origins-wise) friendly and seemed sad to see us go without dessert. We never had to ask for water-glass refills - water-bearers were alert and proactive. The atmosphere was very comfortable and relaxing; however, the upstairs dining room does get noisy, especially when a large family came in.

I definitely want to go back and sit downstairs. The menu also has pizzas - I'd imagine the smaller, personal pizzas, which could be nice with a little salad. Oh, and did I mention - the entire place is NON-SMOKING! How enlightened.

Fred is official

Fred Thompson finally declared his candidacy for president. Let's see if he actually has any ideas or positions that distinguish himself from his eight (unimpressive) competitors.

Treo 680: friend or foe?

Well, except for the price tag and the "New AT&T," mostly friend. For instance, in the calendar function you can color code your appointments and have different views of your calendar (daily, weekly, monthly), which means I can code my workouts and see at a glance how I'm doing that week. Yeh, it's OCD, but it's meaningful to me.

Also, it has cool built-in ring tones that you can assign variously to your contact list (or even unknown callers). DH Jeff has his own special one, and there's an inoffensive flute-like one I use for general callers. And it always asks you if you want to include the "unknown" phone number in your contact list.

And, of course, being able to read my email wherever is cool. Although answering via the tiny keyboard takes a bit of practice.

Ok, that's the update.

More on immigration

Robert Samuelson opines that uncontrolled immigration effects "importing poverty" in this piece in yesterday's WaPo. This to me is common sense, but as he states, often overlooked in discussing poverty rates in this country. If you have a large, low paid, low-skilled, undereducated (remember, education in countries like Mexico is much more tenuous than our system) populace and has a very high fertility rate (ie, no "family planning"), then it follows that if this population is included in your census, the national poverty rate is going to be exaggerated. (Side note: evidently the Census Bureau has in the past asked agencies to halt anti-illegal proceedings/procedures so they could get an accurate count - so you know illegals are included in the census. If I had more time, I'd actually look up a link for you, but I don't, so I won't).

More localities enact their own solutions in this WaPo article and others encounter road blocks to enforcement.

Roadblocks are typically pro-illegal activist groups ("Mexicans without Borders," anyone?) that say these attempts at the re-establishing rule of law are "anti-immigrant" and "racist," and who file all sorts of law suits to stop or impede these initiatives. Sounds like the rhetoric used by another demographic to stop meaningful discussion of an issue. Then they embolden illegals to march around and protest these legal and reasonable measures (doubly reasonable and understandable considering the Feds' near-total abdication of their sworn duties).

Have any of you actually lived in Mexico (or places like it)? I have, and let me tell you, rule of law is notional. Things folks here take for granted - such as the fact that you call 911 and someone actually comes to help you - such as the fact that mostly, you can trust cops to carry out the law instead of aiding and abetting it for profit or extorting bribes out of you. These are two small examples and no, I'm not kidding. And I didn't see the worst of it. Read Daughters of Juarez for an idea of goverance (or the complete lack thereof) extant in Mexico. Do you really want to import that? It's no wonder most of these illegals don't think they've done anything wrong. But neither they nor their home country "governments" should be lecturing us on how to run OUR country.

I applaud locales (as you well know if you've read my blog for awhile) that take the initiative to deal with their very local and impactful illegal f/n (foreign national) issues. It's a pity they have so much blow-back from fellow Americans that have no clue what they're really supporting.

Update 9/6/07: Coincidentally, there's an editorial in the WaPo about the 2010 census and how ICE claims they won't halt raids for illegals during the census. Yeh, 'cause now they're getting serious about enforcement! The writer, typical of WaPo's (pro-illegal) stance, actually wants a period of non-enforcement so that the Census Bureau can get an accurate count of who's here. Uh-huh. So they can get appropriate representation or some such. Well, a halt is unlikely to reveal how many illegals are here because they're unlikely to admit as much. I say it's high time we started enforcing laws already on the books, regardless of what it could mean for the damned Census.

Alcohol-induced insomnia...

...has the most surprising results. Last night, we went out for a good-bye dinner for a friend and we imbibed. As is the case sometimes when I imbibe a bit much, I woke up very early and couldn't get back to sleep. Well, this occurred at 4:30am this morning, and I decided - no benefit to just lying here, so I pulled on some clothes and went running. It wasn't even light yet. Yet, I was perfectly clear-headed and energetic. For those of you who know Arlington, you'll know the distance I mean when I say I ran to the Ballston Gold's Gym and back. It was something I was wondering about - how long it would take me to run to that gym, as my classes are in the Ballston area.

I report: 1) the run didn't take that long, 2) it was absolutely PERFECT temperature and humidity level, 3) besides a handful of stragglers from Friday night, I saw another female runner doing her morning constitutional, as well as a cop car speeding up and down Wilson/Clarendon Blvds. Funny thing: DH Jeff didn't even realize I had left I told him when he finally woke up.

Parting shot: why is it that it usually takes a crowbar to get me out of bed at 7am, but sometimes alcohol provokes a cheery and energetic pre-dawn awakening?

Book Review: The Road

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, is a post-apocalyptic story of a man and his son, trudging through America towards a coast. The reader isn’t informed about what the apocalyptic event was; we’re just to understand that all life EXCEPT humans was annihilated in some event ten years prior. Many humans turn to cannibalism to survive. Father and son try to maintain their humanity (sans cannibalism), while trying to survive along their journey.

While the relationship between the two was kind of sweet, it wasn’t enough to sustain a story that 1) made no sense, 2) went on and on and 3) ended far too neatly in what was supposed to be uplifting but wasn’t, necessarily. An example of the nonsensical nature of the story was that if an event caused all other life to be extinguished, how did humanity make it out alive in the first place? And after ten years, how could humans survive without the necessary bacteria and other interdependent species? And if bacteria, insects and fungi weren’t around to break things down, why weren’t there huge piles of undecayed, dead matter? You get the picture.

The story, if one reads it as just narrative, has so many holes in logic and begs so much suspension of disbelief to make it ridiculous. Even if one takes it as an allegory of the devolution of human behavior when there is no hope for the future, then a MUCH better story is P.D. James’ The Children of Men (see review below). James introduces a single, inexplicable event that starts the devolution, but the rest of the story is consistent and well, sadly plausible. Do yourself a favor: skip this one.

The gift that keeps on giving

Otherwise known as “the smartphone saga continued.” Last Friday I finally received the prepaid return label from “The New AT&T” to return the defective smartphone for credit. Ironically, that morning I had mailed the phone back after getting account credit for mailing it myself. I looked at the postmark. It said August 15th – which was a full week AFTER my first call to customer service about the return. So they waited for a full week to mail the thing. Why? My guess is that they could have more time with my money – see I was charged for BOTH phones until I returned the defective one for credit. Now, there could be other explanations why the label wasn’t mailed immediately. Incompetence comes to mind. What do you think? Did they think I would just forget about this if enough time elapsed? Just keep the defective phone?

I mailed the phone UPS two-day so I could track it. Now the thing MUST have been received by now (I’ll have to track) and yet my bill still reflects the replacement phone charge. How do I know this? There’s a feature on my new phone in which I can get the up-to-the minute balance on my account. The irony just kills me. {Sigh} I guess I’ll have follow-up with ANOTHER phone call to customer service to 1) confirm that they’ve received the blasted thing and 2) inquire about exactly when I’ll be credited for the returned phone…hopefully before my bill is due!

Gentle readers, there could actually be more to this story yet! Stay tuned.

Update 8/25/07: I called The New AT&T today, after confirming with UPS that the returns center had in fact received the defective phone, in order to find out when my account would be credited. I suspected I wouldn't like the answer and I was right: the credit will show up on my NEXT bill. This means that I'll have to pay $483 on this bill and have to wait ANOTHER MONTH-PLUS for the actual credit. The customer service person had the nerve to say "we appreciate your business." Of course you do, dear, you're making out like a bandit on me!

"Pregnant and homeless" revisited

Day before yesterday, after work, I was again accosted by a female demanding money because she was "pregnant and homeless." I found out that there's a homeless shelter around the corner, so the female residents must get together on this one and develop tactics - unfortunately for them, they all use the same message. Also unfortunately for them, the mere thought of irresponsible pregnancy makes me disgusted, ie, not motivation to give them money. And lying about being pregnant makes me even more disgusted. And anyone demanding money from me for their sorry life when I'm leaving from a long day of GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT is sadly mistaken to think I'm going to give them anything except a lecture.

You'll be happy to know that I didn't read her the riot act OR punch her like I wanted to. I just kept moving along home. I'm so civil it's not funny.

Cow + Yak = new commodity?

Here's a recent WaPo article about two guys who are hybridizing cows and yaks in hopes of developing a new meat-commodity. The skinny is that they want to combine yak's much lower fat content with beef's consistency (yak meat is stringy). Let's see if this "yattle" thing takes off. I'm "game"!

The smartphone saga

Well, my current cell phone was crashing and I thought, I'll upgrade. Thinking that it would be nice to have more functionality on my phone (email, PDA, with a complete keyboard, etc), I decided to buy a Treo 680 - expensive at over 400 clams, but then there was a rebate included for $200. Still expensive, but I thought, I'm making an investment that's going to make my life easier. Or so I thought.

Well, the first phone arrived and I tried to activate, per instructions, on the web. Mind you, I went thru my existing AT&T/Cingular account online to order the upgrade in the first place, so theoretically I'd just follow instructions and my phone would be activated. But no. So I called the customer service activation line and the helpful person stated that no, in fact, the new upgraded phone wasn't even associated with my account and they would have to associate it and activate it. Fine, do that.

Oh, but that wouldn't be the end of it. I couldn't access any of the menus on the phone, at all, or make calls, so I called them again. The woman tried to assess the problem and concluded that the unit I had was defective, and that I should return it. Ok. But that meant I had to also get a replacement. So the next day I called their Online Sales Dept to discuss return and replacement. The guy was exceeding nice and helpful, ordered the replacement and requested that a prepaid return label be sent to me. Now, mind you, the new phone is charged to me until the old phone is returned and credited. They use two-day delivery for the phone, but regular snail-mail for the return address label. I rec'd the phone yesterday. The label hasn't yet arrived.

So, I go online to activate the new phone. I get an error message that says that all phones associated with my account are activated and if I think this is in error, I should call a number. By that time it's late & I figure I'll just call today. I called a few minutes ago only to get the message that the customer service function is not open, that I should call back during regular business hours. At this point I'm in the possession of two hideously expensive paperweights.

But the story gets better: you know that $200 rebate I mentioned? Well, I read the fine print and in addition to buying the the phone at full price, I also must sign up for what amounts to service (voice & data) plans costing $80 per month! I pay $30 and change for my existing phone plan and I knew I would be spending a bit more per month, but $80? Oh, and that's not including taxes.

At this point, I'm ready to return both phones and order the cheapest upgrade phone I can get. All thanks to the "New AT&T"! Thanks guys!

More on this as the story develops...

UPDATE 8/13/07: I called AT&T this morning and a very nice customer service person walked me thru activation (both of the phone & SIM card). The phone still said No Service. She advised me to go to a specific store and have the SIM card replaced because it must be that the SIM card was defective. I thanked her (while starting a whole new frustration) and hung up. I conveyed this to DH Jeff & he said let me look at it, whereby he popped out the battery & put it back in. And guess what? I now have a useable phone. Yippee! Now all I have to do is choose an appropriate plan, sync the bluetooth and set up Palm OS and all will be well. I'll still have to suck up the full cost of the thing, probably, because I don't want to pay $80 a month.

UPDATE 8/15/07: I checked the data plans available and got one that suits for $15/month for messaging and internet, to be added to my existing voice plan for which I pay $30/month (and don't even use all the minutes), for a reasonable total of $45/month. Now, with their "great deal," I would have paid $220 MORE for the first year WITH the $200 rebate, as compared to the plan arrangement I chose WITHOUT the phone rebate. What a rip-off. And did I mention that I haven’t received the pre-paid return address label to return the defective phone? If I haven’t received it by the time I get home this evening, I’m going to have to call AGAIN to see what’s up. I mean snail-mail doesn’t take a week for a damned label!

Talking to a coworker recently, I discovered that she had had a very similar experience with AT&T/Cingular. Word to the wise out there – read everything and ask questions before buying and signing up for anything, especially with the “New AT&T”; evidently, it’s all about getting you to pay the highest possible price before you realize what you’re getting into!

UPDATE 8/16/07: Last evening I had NOT received the dang return label for the defective phone. So, I called this morning and now I have an address where I can send the phone & a credit on my account for the postage. A little victory.

Yet another book review: The Daughters of Juarez

The Daughters of Juarez, by Teresa Rodriguez (with Diana Montané and Lisa Pulitzer), chronicles a series of horrific murders of young women (and teens) in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, over the last fourteen years, the law enforcement/governmental response to them, and the myriad theories as to the perpetrator(s). Over this period, a good part of 400 poor women were raped, tortured and strangled (and some mutilated), then dumped in desert areas and vacant lots around the city, many of them having been abducted on their way to or from work or school. The book details a rich tapestry of police and governmental brutality, corruption, blatant sexual discrimination, disregard for public safety, and just plain incompetence (which supports my long-held belief that rule of law in Mexico is merely notional).

Although many suspects have been charged and held (and tortured), it is doubtful that any of the murders can ever be considered legitimately solved because of this pervasive and persistent institutional dysfunction. In fact, one can say that this is a glaring example of how not to run a criminal justice system. It’s heartbreaking to consider that the families of these slain women will never see justice done. Additionally, it must have been so frustrating for those [few, evidently] in law enforcement and government who made efforts to run effective investigations, only to be stymied at every turn by the very system they should have been able to trust, forced out of their jobs because they wouldn’t falsify results or analyses, or even physically threatened.

Daughters is definitely a compelling, true tale and Rodriguez does a service to those affected by these horrors by airing them for everyone to examine. The book, however, suffers from Rodriguez’s lack of organization: she bounces around dates, people and events so much so that it’s hard to keep them all straight. Also, she makes a point of maudlin over-description of the women and their families so as to make them more sympathetic. This in my mind is unnecessary; most people will find the thought of someone (not to mention hundreds) being subjected to the extreme violence that these women experienced and the grief (on multiple levels) that their loved ones were forced to endure to be inconceivably horrible – no matter who the reader is. I also think Rodriguez could have used some citations to support what must have been years of research and investigation. In the end, I would recommend this book as a real eye-opener, but with these reservations.

Another locality stands up for itself

Today in WaPo Metro section is an article about another locality, in this case Culpeper County, VA, that has had it with illegal immigration. A resolution that was approved unanimously by county lawmakers affirms English as official language, e.g., printing public documents only in English. I think this right on: anyone who lives and works in Culpeper County (or anywhere in the US, to my mind) should be able to read, write and speak English. No brainer. Now, this might not seem like a lot, especially compared to what other localities are doing, but it does send a message. Lawmakers opine that the Hispanic immigrant population is just not assimilating vis-à-vis English language proficiency; therefore, if the county refuses to accommodate their language deficiency, they might move elsewhere. A small step, to be applauded.

Writing about nothing

Well, you'll all be happy to know that I've labeled every single post I've ever written, so you can pull them up by topic (side bar). I know, too much excitement for one day.

In other news, my face is breaking out like a teenager's, for some ungodly reason. For some other reason, my eyes were all puffy. Not just baggy. Gaack.

Dog days of summer are definitely here - temps in high 90s and nasty humidity. It was rather uncomfortable last evening at Screen on the Green. More on that experience a little later.

Another Book Review: World War Z

World War Z, by Max Brooks, describes what might happen if a virus got loose and caused a world-wide pandemic of re-animated people, i.e., zombies. It is cleverly told through a series of interviews with various survivors around the world about their experience with or rather against the zombie hoards and how they managed to emerge from the plague uninfected. A nice touch is how Brooks adds in “footnotes” which explain details of the subject’s narrative – what a certain acronym means, what a piece of equipment did, etc. Furthermore, Brooks effectively gives distinct voices to each of his “interviewees,” not an easy thing to do, especially given the number of subjects in the book. World War Z manages, for its outlandish premise, to convey an impression of veritas through very readable, creative, yet plausible story-telling. Towards the end, I must confess, I was looking forward to finishing Z but that was probably more a function of my impatience to start another book, than any defect in the narrative.

Restaurant Review: Sorriso

On Saturday, DH Jeff & I tried out an Italian restaurant that I've been wanting to try for a while, called Sorriso Ristorante, 3518 Connecticut Avenue NW, WDC 20008, (202) 537-4800.

We decided, upon Jeff's suggestion, to share a bunch of appetizers rather than appetizers and a heavier entree. This turned out well. Here was our menu:

Caprese salad
beef carpaccio on bed of arugula with shaved parmesan
steamed mussels in white wine and garlic
antipasto with grilled vegetables, salami, goat cheese
bottle of red wine
espressos
lemoncellos

Sound good? It was! Very fresh ingredients & very tasty. Our favorite was probably the carpaccio. The weakest item - although still very good and fresh - was the mussels - a little more garlic needed. The staff was very pleasant, and provided as much yummy bread as we wanted. The environment was the sunny and comfortable; even the bathrooms were nice. My only thought was that it would have been nice if they offered lower-priced wines (or cut down the mark-up) - the least expensive bottle was around $30. Although, they did have a good selection of wines by the glass, but who wants to keep re-ordering glasses, hence the bottle. Anyhoo, minor detail! I definitely would recommend the place, which is conveniently located right off Cleveland Park Metro. There's a pasta dish with truffle oil that I MUST try!

Book Review: The Roaches Have No King

The Roaches Have No King, by Daniel Evan Weiss, is a clever tale of cockroach “societal” dynamics, told from the perspective of the cockroach. Mind you, this is not a book for everyone – the “Ew Factor” is very high, especially in passages concerning the interaction between human and cockroach; some may find it downright unreadable for this reason. Even the non-squeamish will want to immediately scrub down their entire home with bleach. That said, I found it a funny, creative and involving story of roach sensibilities and their take on the world around them. The grossness isn’t gratuitous – we are talking about cockroaches, aren’t we?

Hat-tip to AJ for recommending this book!

Book Review: Soldiers of God

I read Soldiers of God, by Robert Kaplan, at the same time that I read The Bookseller of Kabul (for book club) and found Soldiers to be an enlightening companion read because while Bookseller focused on one family in Kabul, its interpersonal dynamics, and how religion and culture affected its members, Soldiers gave a broader view of various groups and their political and personal dynamics in Afghanistan. Also, both books were written by Western journalists, which gave the books a somewhat similar (though by no means identical) perspective on Afghanistan, although differing in scope.

Specific to Soldiers, I enjoyed Robert Kaplan’s story telling (part travelogue, part reportage), his ability to gain access to some very insular groups, and his obvious desire to present them and their goals as accurately as possible. It was compelling reading for me as I knew little about the country, its myriad elements and history.

Blog changes

For my regular readers (all five!), you will notice that I've been changing format and adding various new things to the blog. Hopefully, these additions will make the site more user-friendly, navigable (is that a word?), interesting and maybe even useful. Let me know what you think!

40 ain't what it used to be

There was a rather triumphant (and encouraging) article in WaPo yesterday concerning the comeback of multi-Olympic medal winning swimmer Dara Torres - at age 40. Evidently, she's like a woman possessed and blowing away the much-younger competition. Nice to hear - you go girl! Read the whole thing here.

More bad news about national security

In WaPo today is an article about how the computer system that contains all sorts of border-control-related personal information on passports, visas, SSNs, etc. has poor security and is vulnerable to cyber-attacks, data theft, data manipulation. And it's costing us $1.7 BILLION!!!

First it's just disturbing that we, the taxpayers, are supporting a very expensive computer system in the name of border control (hah!) that is essentially a huge liability. Second, it's disturbing that WaPo is publishing this story for the world to read, basically advertising a significant weakness. It's like a warm little invitation for all sorts of criminals and terrorists to jump in and hack. Gee, thanks!

What's wrong with this country and its leadership (one of the things) is that there are gaping [expensive, taxpayer funded] holes in our security, starting with the systems and agencies put in place to protect us with zero accountability. Now, some may just blame everything on Bush, but this sort of nonsense has been going on for a long time, ie, before Bush. What's the rationale for allowing this to continue? How do you sell your incompetence and spend-thriftiness to the people who are paying for it? Evidently, easily. It seems that wherever one looks today, there are government approved, aided and abetted ways to ensure our demise.