text:
Random thoughts on life, faith and current events, direct to you from a twenty-something conservative chick deep in the cornfields of Central Illinois
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
I was attempting a more substantive post on the Republican National Convention, but work and allergies have kept my brain from full functionality so far this week. Instead of a rambling discourse, here are just a few of my impressions on the major speeches so far.
John McCain -- Missed his speech last night, but I have heard excellent things about it. The text of his speech is both eloquent and powerful. I have my disagreements with the man. I think he is a bit egotistical, and I blame him for this campaign-finance mess and the limitations on free speech that we are now facing. However, I have to admire him for his moral clarity, for his clear support of the president at this time just four years after a blistering primary season. He is a leader, and he is making a strong case for himself as such in 2008.
Rudy Giuliani -- Caught most of his speech last night. I found it intriguing, as the first part of the speech took me back a few years. When Giuliani talks about being in New York those first few days after September 11th, it's like you are there with him. You remember watching it unfold on TV, Rudy on TV shortly after he evacuated a WTC building, watching him duck for cover when a tower fell (as in the HBO documentary Telling Nicholas). Something I read this morning captured it best: Next to Douglas MacArthur, Giuliani is the most visible war hero of the 21st century. For that reason alone, I can handle the bombastic portions of his speech. He lived through it, he led through it. Although he has an abrasive side, he could be a formidable candidate someday. Monday night, I wondered if we may have seen the 2008 GOP ticket speak -- the question remains which one would be the presidential candidate and which one the VP?
Arnold Schwarzenegger -- Arnold's appearance seemed pretty close to flawless. I think he may be a better politician than he is an actor. Rudy/John/Jeb/Whomever must be praying that the proposed 27th amendment to allow foreign-born UC citizens to serve as president will not be passed anytime soon. Or maybe that's just what we Republicans should be hoping for, as there is something very Reganesque about the Governator. I could have lived without the jokes about girlie-men in a formal address, but Schwarzengegger provided one of the best descriptions of what it means to be a Republican that I have heard in a very long time. Perhaps it's his immigrant background, but he also did a wonderful job pointing out all that is good about America...and that's something we rarely hear from our politicians today.
Bush twins -- Okay girls, I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt as I did tons of stupid things early in my college years. I was somewhat excited to hear what you had to say tonight...then sadly disappointed. Perhaps they aren't women of substance after all, as I heard they helped draft this bit. But didn't anyone watch them practice this intro? Couldn't someone have talked them out of the stand-up comedy routine? They were poised enough, but the giggling and the pop-culture-cute material was terrible. I thought the jokes about Condi, Karen and the hamster were cute...but otherwise I was a bit embarassed for them. I felt there were other things they could have said that would have been far more impressive. Unfortunately, my father's not president.
Laura Bush -- Elegance, eloquence, and grace under pressure. Her critics can say what they like, but I would take her sincerity over Theresa Kerry's bombast any day. I saw a woman trying to tell the nation why she believes in her husband's campaign and his choices, and I was impressed as usual. Warm, caring, and kind to boot. I agree with the early line that this speech probably did connect with the more sensitive female population quite well, while still acknowledging and alluding to the harsh realities of the war on terror.
I've missed a bunch that I hope to touch on later. I must say though that I am somewhat surprised. I didn't expect that much out of this convention, and it's turning into one of the more inspiring, optimistic events that I have witnessed out of the GOP in quite a while. Looking forward to Dick Cheney tomorrow night, as I adore the old guy.
Friday, August 27, 2004
No time for a real post tonight, so just let me put in a plug for one of the best movies I have seen in a while...Garden State. As regular blog readers know, I am a big fan of Scrubs. My favorite parts of the show? Well Donald Faison and I go way back to his Clueless/Felicity days, but Scrubs would not be the entertaining sitcom that it is without Zach Braff. I struggle to think of another actor who could so pull off JD quite so well.
After seeing Garden State this weekend I think Zach Braff may have a serious shot at becoming one of the most highly-esteemed actors/directors of our generation. I'm not sure what I loved about this movie, but it resonated with me. Long story short: drug-deadened twenty-eight year old actor returns home for his mother's funeral leaving the Valium behind and starts to experience life. After this movie, I heart Zach Braff even more. I think he has a real talent. This movie showed that he may have a unique, touching way of commenting on choices and problems faced by our generation. I enjoyed this movie while I was watching it, and yet I was still trying to figure its significance days later. Great soundtrack as well.
(And as for the unspoken question, my hubby knows full well about my fixation on young Mr. Braff. Just as I know full well about his unqualified adoration for Miss Natalie Portman...which explains why we went to see this movie the first chance we had.)
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Life's busy at the moment, so tonight I share one of my stronger posts in the past few weeks. Except it's not a post at all, it's my response to the suggestion that by noting the Swiftboat Vets' advertisements I am a misinformed smear merchant and our president is a "sorry excuse for a Christian". (Anonymous commenter's words, not mine). Excuse its stream-of-consciousness nature, but it's where my thoughts took me. I tried to tone down the emotional contingent of my response, hopefully I succeeded for the most part.
First of all, my father served in the National Guard for years. I daresay he spent more time in the military than John Kerry, so let's not even go there.
Secondly, I take offense to the word smear from an anonymous, non-addressable individual. I stand for the open and honest exchange of information and debate of ideas both by the Swiftboat Veterans, Kerry, other bloggers, and myself. This blog is my viewpoint on the world, not the absolute truth. It's a place for my friends and acquaintances can read what I think. If you don't like it, write something polite that challenges my ideas and I will respond.
I am against censorship of advertisement, particularly if we are going to let one side make libelous comparisons to Hilter and try to sue advertisements off the air when the other side expresses a dissenting opinion about the media's candidate of choice. I agree that it is unfortunate that the tone of advertising has gotten so negative. However I'd blame that on the other 87% of 527s out there that have been slamming Bush for months.
The Swiftboat Vets are 250+ decorated military veterans that disagree with the military actions and/or statements of our potential Commander-in-Chief. Expressing these concerns, raising questions about inaccuracies in reports, and replaying Kerry's own words before Congress is their right as Americans. In my opinion, much more of a "smear" campaign has been conducted against these veterans than John F. Kerry.
He has been given a pass when he makes blatantly untrue statements or changes his story. The misinformation is at least partially from his camp -- Christmas in Cambodia or hearing about MLK's assassination while in Vietnam...when in reality he did not arrive until 6 months later? I believe that there may be more truth in the other matters these veterans are bringing to light. That's why I have been discussing the matter here on my blog – to bring to light what may be misinformation.
I'm not begrudging the fact that Kerry may have served honorably, perhaps even heroically. 99% of those who went over there did, in my humble opinion, not to mention the men who served at home. I am questioning the fact that Kerry did not do so with self-serving interests in mind, given that he took a video camera over there to re-enact battles after the fact and bolted as soon as he obtained a third Purple Heart. More importantly, I don't think either one of those behaviors is something I consider a leadership quality, something I want to see in the President of the United States. From what I've heard of Kerry's behaviors off the battlefield, this type of manipulation and gaming the system is par for the course.
Finally, just because a person disagrees with the most liberal interpretation of theology, does not make him less of a Christian. Ever hear the idea that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones? Ultimately, we all must make an educated assessment of what we personally believe scripture says, live our lives accordingly, and answer to the big guy for our decisions in the end. Including you.
Edited 8/27: Removed me repeating myself
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
No time to come up with another post of substance this evening, but I'm a guilty little blogger for letting real life get in the way of my posting these last few weeks. So just a few notes...
What I'd really like to write about tonight is the miraculous transformation of Dick Cheney. In less than 24 hours, Chicago talk radio has gone from portraying him as an ogre-like old man that is dragging down the Bush ticket to a remarkably, courageous maverick for publicly discussing his daughter's sexuality and wishing the same-sex marriage issue could be left to the states. That's not to say that I entirely disagree with his comments (as I would like to elaborate in the post I do not have time to write this evening), but I just find it interesting how the mainstream media can turn on a dime when it suits their purposes.
Kinda makes a young female Illinois Republican feel downright inferior. Before heading off to Harvard Law, Urbana native and Miss America 2003 Erika Harold will be a delegate to the GOP convention. I believe I also read in USA Today that she may get to speak on the floor. The FoxNews article notes her political aspirations -- if only she were a few years older and could have run for Senate this year. That would have made for an interesting race!
I knew Kwame was destined for bigger and better projects. Take that Bill!
My sister's going to be at an Oprah taping at 7 am tomorrow. I don't know if she's done any shows since the jury trial, but if there's any juicy inside scoop from that show I'll be sure to pass it aloong.
Josh Claybourn has up a beautiful, touching piece about his final hours with his mother. I can't say much more about it than that, except that it's powerful reading. My prayers are still with you Josh.
That's all for tonight folks -- see you Thursday or Friday.
My dad's birthday is coming up this weekend. I adore my father, and when his birthday comes...whatever he wants, I try to get it for him. It's usually not too unreasonable. An Animal House DVD, Eddie Bauer slippers sheepswool slippers, pretty much any small gadget from Brookstone or Sharper Image, whatever.
Except this year, the first request from his birthday list is darn near impossible to find. He went to the bookstore in my hometown last week and asked for the Swiftboat Vets' book. He was constantly stared down by piles upon piles of Bill Clinton's mug, but he was pretty upset that he couldn't find a copy of the book that's #1 on Amazon and #3 on the NY Times list in any of the local stores.
I live near a larger city that's graced with two large corporate bookstores, so I ventured out shopping Saturday night. No dice after prowling around the front of the bookstore for 5 minutes. I proceeded back to the information counter and asked the clerk about Unfit for Command. Her response? Basically she confirmed Barnes and Noble's official press release today by saying that it's "immensely popular" and "they cannot keep it on the shelves". The 10,000 copies listed in B&N's warehouse Friday morning were gone by Saturday afternoon. She advised me to call every day to see if shipments had arrived. Checked Amazon when I got home -- as of Saturday evening it said it would ship within 5 to 7 weeks. Today it's down to 7 days, but it's enough to make you wonder who owns the publishing house.
I won't dissect the whole Swiftboat issue again, because it would take too long and I'm exhausted, but I believe that trying to sue a 527 add off the air is ridiculous. The opinions expressed by the veterans are just as valid (in my opinion much moreso) as the libelous dreck in the moveon.org ads recently. If Kerry wants the Swiftboat ads pulled, then I'm with the president -- ask all the other 527s to stop their advertising as well. John Kerry made his 4 months of military service a key issue in this campaign, and I think that's why you are seeing the amazing demand for the book and overall interest develop in whether these charges are credible. I'm just amazed that it hasn't hurt him more at this point.
I'm a bit too busy to hunt the book down this week, so Sunday evening I purchased my dad's runner-up birthday request, American Soldier by Tommy Franks. But the whole shopping experience left me a bit hopeful that a few people must be considering the Swiftboat Vets opinions, reading their message and assessing it for themselves.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Tuesday's bleat dissects the Marshall Field's Fall Sale advertisement. I daresay I agree with him. There's not much in the stores to tempt me at the moment...and clothes shopping is my major Achilles heel when it comes to fighting the good fight against materialism.
"This film unmasks the Great Satan America," a spokesman said. "It tells Muslim people why they are right in hating America. It is the duty of every believer to see [this film] and learn the truth."
One guess what film he's talking about. First accolades from Fidel Castro, now hateful Iranian mullahs. Way to go filmmaker-who-shall-not-be-given-more-free-PR-here. (Credit to a fine article by Amir Taheri that explores Arab Bush-hating in much greater depth)
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
If you need to read something that will brighten your day, read about the successful separation and recovery of conjoined twins Clarence and Carl Aguirre. It's a seemingly miraculous success, and the picture that accompanies it is precious.
Joshua Claybourn lost his mom this weekend at age 49. My heart sank when I read the front page of his blog today. The blogosphere's kind of funny that way. I've never met Josh in any personal capacity, but he's been a blogging buddy for about two years now. It feels like a good friend of mine has experienced a tremendous loss.
It's been one of those months here in Central Illinois. Reminders of our mortality are everywhere. First the little ragamuffins ran us into the ground with VBS last week -- 10 year-olds that were merely 6 years of age when I moved here. At church Friday night, our pastor came upon my husband and I stuffing our faces with ice cream and looking exhausted. His first words? "Don't let this week keep you from having children sometime in the near future." I don't think that's on the horizon in the near future, but this week was an extreme reminder of just how quickly time passes.
Saturday we headed back to my hometown for a wedding of one of my friends from high school, an extreme practical joker, THE expert at goofing around in high school. He got married this weekend in a beautiful outdoor service at the local forest preserve. I hadn't seen him in almost three years before we ran into him recently. At least in my mind, he's gone from this big goofy kid to husband and step-dad overnight. I guess we're all growing up...there are just some times it hits you harder than others.
My husband and I are going through some growing pains ourselves. I'm busy at work and getting ready to start some evening MBA classes. He's this close to finished with his masters, and he's joined the job-seeking masses. Not just any job, one in his new field of expertise and that pays decently. Few to nil leads yet here in Central Illinois. We're trying to stay optimistic, but if you aren't vigilant, it really does color how you look at things.
Where is this rambling going? To make a long story short, my husband and I are thinking about leaving Central Illinois. It's our Plan B, but it feels like it's getting closer to reality. I've started researching other B-Schools and he's researching other tech hotbeds. Primarily Chicago, Dallas, and Austin have been kicked around so far. Very preliminary, but it's enough to make me a bit nervous.
It's tough fos us to contemplate making such a major move when we are spoiled by having our families nearby. Both our parents are in their mid-fifties and live less than 70 miles away. If we are lucky, we see them twice a month or so. Our relationships with them aren't perfect, but they are good solid ones. We love them and wish we had more opportunities to spend quality time with them. It's hard to imagine these relationships reduced to a few phone calls a month, especially when assorted problems with our parents' health remind us that we never know how much time we have left together.
Knowing how much thought I've pondered these topics lately and how confronting my parents' mortality makes me feel, I can only imagine how Josh is feeling tonight. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
"Keep alert, stand firm in your faith" -- 1 Corinthians 16:13
That's the prevailing theme from HeroQuest, the curriculum that is keeping us busy this week, as my household is spending a good two hours each night convincing pre-teens that they aren't too old / too cool for Vacation Bible School. It really is a lot of fun though. While a bit squirrelly, they are great kids and it's fun to watch them take in the stories and figure out ways to apply them to their everyday lives.
So last week it was pre-wedding festivities for a close friend from college. This week it's 8 hours or work, 1 hour to travel, 3 hours for VBS each day. Time is precious at the moment. I'll be posting when I can though -- thanks for stopping by!
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
For the US Senate race in Illinois, as Alan Keyes has stepped in to assure that we will not be without an alternative on the ballot in November. Do I think he has a shot? No, not really. Am I upset about it? In my mind, I had chalked this seat up as a GOP loss in mid-May. While I'm unhappy that my views will no longer have any sort of representation in the Senate, it's something I have come to terms with and accepted.
Greg Blankenship has posted an excellent run-down of the Keyes/Obama battle if you're interested in more details. He makes an excellent point that Keyes might be able to tighten up the race by focusing on Obama's extreme left record on the issues.
"Obama is the proverbial "Music Man," he looks good and communicates well but he is running a con game on us with the willing aid of the state press corps. Obama is part of the wild eyed wing of the Democratic party. He merely has congenial facade. For example, when Blair Hull was the flavor of the day, Obama was the "Howard Dean" candidate. Now Obama is a centrist??? Please.
Basically though, this race is a throwaway. In some respects, I think that inviting Alan Keyes onto the Illinois ballot is just a hair off Spoons' suggestion of letting Obama run unopposed.
Keyes has suggested that he will draw upon his national support to fund his run in Illinois. Illinois GOP constituents will not have to put on a happy face and pour money into this campaign just to make it look like we didn't give up. The fact that these are now two nationally-known public figures will draw attention to the race and debates may potentially highlight Obama's extreme-left positions on the issues. I still think Obama will win this time, but the seeds of doubt about the far left views of the senator(s) from Illinois will have been planted for the future. Perhaps this gives the party a launching point for future races...although I still don't understand why they didn't offer the slot to those who actually ran for this nomination (Andy McKenna or even Jim Oberweis despite his seemingly deficient grasp on the immigration/jobs issues).
Do I really think they put this much thought into the Keyes nomination? Not necessarily. They may just not have wanted to expend the money and the effort on an already-lost battle. Every cloud has a silver lining though, and I am just looking for it here. Silver lining #2? I'm thinking the debates will be pretty darn entertaining.
Rumored Jay Leno riffs about John Kerry -- received them at work work today and thought they were too cute not to pass along:
"The Secret Service has announced it is doubling its protection for John Kerry. You can understand why - with two positions on every issue, he has twice as many people mad at him."
"We make jokes about it but the truth is this presidential election really offers us a choice of two well-informed opposing positions on every issue. OK, they both belong to John Kerry, but they're still there"
"President Bush listed his income as $822,000. You know what John Kerry calls someone who earns $822,000? Not even worth dating."
"Well the good news for Democrats, now over half the country can identify a picture of John Kerry. The bad news, the majority still thinks he's the dad from The Munsters."
"John Kerry accused President Bush of catering to the rich. You know, as opposed to John Kerry who just marries them."
"They say John Kerry is the first Democratic presidential candidate in history to raise $50 million in a three-month period. Actually, that's nothing. He once raised $500 million with two words: 'I do.'"
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Tonight Spoons brings my attention to the new advertisement being run by Swiftboat Veterans for Truth. Basically this ad takes the men . Of the 19 men in that photo with Kerry, 2 are deceased, 4 did not participate, 1 supports Kerry's candidacy, and 12 believe that he is "unfit for command". On June 1st, a letter was sent to the Kerry campaign asking them to cease and desist with using this image in advertising as it seemed to imply that these 12 swiftboat veterans supported his candidacy. We continued to hear about Kerry's Vietnam swiftboat mates during last week's convention brouhaha...but how many in that photo really support him now?
The ad is powerful. The images and stories behind it on the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth website are even moreso. Here's a small sampling:
"His biography, 'Tour of Duty,' by Douglas Brinkley, is replete with gross exaggerations, distortions of fact, contradictions and slanderous lies. His contempt for the military and authority is evident by even a most casual review of this biography. He arrived in-country with a strong anti-Vietnam War bias and a self-serving determination to build a foundation for his political future. He was aggressive, but vain and prone to impulsive judgment, often with disregard for specific tactical assignments. He was a 'loose cannon.' In an abbreviated tour of four months and 12 days, and with his specious medals secure, Lt.(jg) Kerry bugged out and began his infamous betrayal of all United States forces in the Vietnam War." -- Rear Admiral Roy Hoffman USN (retired)
"While in Cam Rahn Bay, he trained on several 24-hour indoctrination missions, and one special skimmer operation with my most senior and trusted Lieutenant. The briefing from some members of that crew the morning after revealed that they had not received any enemy fire, and yet Lt.(jg) Kerry informed me of a wound -- he showed me a scratch on his arm and a piece of shrapnel in his hand that appeared to be from one of our own M-79s. It was later reported to me that Lt.(jg) Kerry had fired an M-79, and it had exploded off the adjacent shoreline. I do not recall being advised of any medical treatment, and probably said something like 'Forget it.' He later received a Purple Heart for that scratch, and I have no information as to how or whom." -- Commander Grant Hibberd USN (retired)
"During Lt.(jg) Kerry's tour, he was under my command for two or three specific operations, before his rapid exit. Trust, loyalty and judgment are the key, operative words. His turncoat performance in 1971 in his grubby shirt and his medal-tossing escapade, coupled with his slanderous lines in the recent book portraying us that served, including all POWs and MIAs, as murderous war criminals, I believe, will have a lasting effect on all military veterans and their families.
Kerry would be described as devious, self-absorbing, manipulative, disdain for authority, disruptive, but the most common phrase that you'd hear is 'requires constant supervision.'" -- Captain Charles Plumly, USN (retired)
For those who believe that character matters, this is pretty damning stuff...especially since Kerry's four months of military service were presented as one of the primary reasons to vote for him at the DNC convention last week. It will be interesting to see how this ad plays out in the weeks up until the convention and if John O'Neill's book Unfit for Command gets the kind of coverage that Bill Clinton, Bob Woodward, and Richard Clarke's tomes did this spring. If not, you can help keep this ad on the air by donating at swiftvets.com. It's something to consider.
Meredith has already linked to the Onion and my big chuckle of the day. Fun for liberals and conservatives alike! Although I must admit that former probably sees this article as closer to truth than fiction, while the latter just enjoys the play on a good stereotype.
Is an Onion article about John Kerry working at the Waffle House far behind? Although I imagine they'd stop at Waffle House for the photo op then have 19 boxes of croissants from Au Bon Pain waiting on the bus. :)
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Banshee-Blog backdate blogs the DNC Convention from last week: Monday (Gore/Carter/Clintons), Tuesday (Kennedy/12 year old who does not read Kerry's f#$*ing interviews in Rolling Stone/Tereza), Wednesday (Doctah Jackson/Rangle/Sharpton/Edwards) and Thursday (Kerry's "Did you know I was in Vietnam?" spectacle) respectively. Love her quote about Kerry's allusion to Reagan at the end -- it bears repeating everytime Reagan's name is invoked throughout this election:
Kerry cited hard-core atheist Ron Jr.'s eulogy of the late President Reagan and said that like Reagan, Kerry does not "wear his faith on his sleeve." It is certainly true that Reagan was not as outspoken in public about his Christian faith as President George W. Bush, but I would like to ask Mr. Kerry who he believes Mr. Reagan would have voted for in the upcoming election. I'll give you a hint. It would not have been someone who believes in appeasing evil, bowing to France and the UN or murdering the unborn.
Speaking of which, I drove through Eureka this weekend. I haven't made it to visit Eureka College's Ronald Reagan Museum/Peace Garden since the Great Communicator's passing. Just driving through that sleepy little town though, I always feel that there's something special about it and the role it played in his character development, in the life of our nation. It's definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the neighborhood -- just off I-74 and about an hour south of I-80 in Central Illinois.
I almost posted this weekend about how excited my husband is about this Nomar trade, hoping it really helps the Cubs' chances for the Wild Card and the playoffs. Seen on a sign in Denver tonight -- "Nomar Curse". Here's to hoping.
I was going to blog this last week but if you are interested in American intelligence-gathering organizations and their role in the war on terror, The Grid miniseries is really engrossing, realistic television. It explores both the positive/negative effects of the conflict with Islamic fundamentalism and does a nice job of humanizing both the "good" and "bad" characters. I doubt that the Academy will ever recognize it since overall it disagrees with their world view and there are Reagan-bashing miniseries to reward, but make sure to tune in to TNT on Mondays at 8 pm for the next few weeks.
St. Louis papers have tracked down "Samir", the gentleman seen holding Sadaam Hussein on the ground during his capture last year. Pretty interesting story about how he came to work as an interpeter with the US military, his anger at being forced to leave his family 13 years ago, his conversation with Hussein in the foxhole, and his insistence on thanking President Bush for freeing the Iraqi's from Hussein and presenting him with his parents' "blessing beads" at a rally in St. Charles last month. (Hat tip to Liam at Hey Listen).
Not sure what I think about Alan Keyes potentially running for the Illinois Senate seat. Actually let me restate that...I think he will lose. However, I feel that running Alan Keyes would be the next best thing to letting Obama run unopposed. It would be making a point, it would bring attention to the Illinois Senate race, it might actually involve honest debate of very-conservative versus hyper-liberal ideas. If Keyes could do this without seeming too self righteous (Michael at the Chicago Report thinks Keyes's over-confidence would benefit Obama), it would at least be an interesting race to watch.
Speaking of Barack Obama, I will again repeat that he seems like a nice person who truly believes in what he's doing. I am still exceptionally happy to learn about the Obama Truth Squad, a new blog highlighting Obama's exceptionally liberal record in the Illinois Senate. This will not make a difference as Chicago is trending more socialist every day, but it's nice that someone's trying to make his true record an issue in this race.
Um yeah. I'm still alive. Still very much in recovery from my weekend. Let's just suffice it to say that staying out until 4 am does not agree with me anymore. On the other hand, the nightlife in Peoria was basically jumping this weekend. Concert on the riverfront (Jamm Sammich), block party downtown, lots of college boys telling us the old married woman of the group that she only looked 23 or 24 :) I can handle a few more years of bachelorette parties if that keeps happening.
So on one hand it was a good time. On another hand, I still have to work 40 hours this week and my body does not tolerate late nights as well at 26 as it used to back at 21 or so. As a result, I may refrain from posting my detailed John Kerry speech play-by-play.
At this point, others have summed it up the "no bounce" capstone address far better than I can at present. I will offer one additional comment though. All those surmising that Kerry suffered because he didn't bash Bush enough in his address -- I think you are wrong. Well-informed voters could still note plenty of Bush bashing in Kerry's address last Thursday. It was perfectly crafted to appeal to the radical Dem delegate base and yet the slamming was subtle enough that those who are less informed about current events and politics would not notice.
I'd like to surmise that most independent undecided voters that bother to watch convention speeches are pretty well informed. I find it quite plausible that they noted Kerry's subtle salutes to Michael Moore's fearmongering conspiracy theories and that they were turned off by his antics. In the end, this may not end up mattering. However, it will be interesting to see if Kerry keeps up the sly, subtle cheap shots as the campaign progresses.


text:
If you are ready to get a bathroom remodel, then it really is time to call National Home Bathroom & Improvement Contractors. Your bathroom is in need of some improving, and we possess the knowledge, experience, and resources to get the job finished for you! National Home Bathroom & Improvement Contractors has worked on a variety of different renovation jobs – starting from simple touch-ups to significant refurbishments – within Missouri City, TX, and has yet to fail in delivering customer satisfaction. Our experienced staff members are ready to go to work to make your bathroom remodeling project take off without a hitch, and at a an affordable cost, too. Our bathroom remodeling company thrives on word-of-mouth promotion and repeat business within Missouri City, TX, which is why we'll be sure to provide superb results that'll make an impression on (and trigger the curiosity of) any man or women who walks into your restroom.
We're confident in both the competence of our bath remodeling specialists and the quality of our construction supplies. We make it a routine to work closely with each client in order to ensure that every completed job goes over and beyond their wildest anticipations. The bathroom remodel in your
immediate future gets our highest focus to detail, ensuring that the project gets done correctly the first time.
A simplebathroom remodel in Missouri City can have a huge influence on your home's value, turning a boring bathroom into something you can be proud of. National Home Bathroom & Improvement Contractors will never compromise its standard of services in order to broaden our profit margins for our own personal gain – a rigorous practice of ours which separates us from other companies within Missouri City, Texas. Our never-ending quest for excellence has helped launch us to the top of the bathroom remodeling industry. We realize that every time we take a project, our reputation is at stake, so feel comfortable knowing that you'll be receiving our absolute best work, from friendly, qualified experts, and in a timely manner. Additionally, our very competitive pricing will unquestionably add to your satisfaction.
There isn't any remodeling project that's as complex as a bathroom remodeling project. A restroom shouldn't just look fantastic, but its electrical and plumbing functionality should be maintained (or restored) as well. With a wonderful selection of styles and materials to pick from, there really is no reason to go anywhere else for your bathroom remodeling needs.
With every bath remodeling job we handle, National Home Bathroom & Improvement Contractors attempts to not only reach the standard, but exceed it. We're genuine professionals at thoroughly analyzing each client's bathroom to create the perfect and most cost-efficient method for employing the modifications necessary for creating a masterpiece. Your bathroom remodel project begins with you telling us what you want, and ends with you stating, "I love it!" It's as simple as that. National Home Bathroom & Improvement Contractors attempts to preserve its values and methods to keep its clients truly satisfied with the final outcome. There isn't any other company that takes greater pride in doing bath remodeling correctly than we do. In summary, you will get the bathroom you've been dreaming without having to burn a hole in your pocket. If your bathroom is ready for remodeling in Missouri City, TX call us right now.
Although renovating a bathroom is a process that a few individuals within Missouri City, Texas are capable of doing on their own, there are numerous reasons why it is better to hire a professional bathroom remodeling company. To begin with, renovating the bathroom in your Missouri City, TX house will require having some high-priced power tools. You will also need to have enough expertise to conduct a needs assessment to establish which areas of the bathroom to renovate. As if having access to the right tools and the understanding of what needs to be renovated were not tall enough tasks, you should also realize how long a bathroom remodel takes the average person who works a full-time job throughout Missouri City. Unless you want to spend your free time hunting down the proper equipment, you should get in touch with our bath remodeling crew from National Home Bathroom & Improvement Contractors by calling 888-479-3431 today.
Our bathroom remodeling company rewards clients by stocking an extensive selection of bathroom remodeling products throughout Missouri City, TX. This means that you will never feel like you have to settle on a material you are not completely thrilled about.
Our Missouri City, TX company also places a major emphasis on ensuring our customers receive the highest level of service even long after their bathroom has been renovated. If you are uncertain of what facets of your bathroom could use the most work, our free consultation will solve this. When suggesting what things should be renovated, we will make certain that we are staying well within your price range. Our bathroom remodeling company will also finish the task as efficiently as possible as we know you are thrilled to see the finished results. We feel this should be the norm for customer care and we also appreciate the repeat and referral business this generates.
Even though our customer care and assortment of bathroom remodeling supplies is enough to generate a lot of business within Missouri City, TX, we also realize that you have a budget to stay within. There is no doubt that spending a little extra for a premier customer experience is well worth the money. However, if you are like our company , you want to make certain that you are getting the best bang for your buck.
The fact that renovating the bathroom inside your Missouri City, TX house will require sacrificing plenty of free time is likely something you are not thrilled about. You will need to hassle with rounding up your power tools or borrowing them from someone else. Luckily, you no longer have to worry about wasting your evenings and two off-days hassling with power equipment while hoping that your new bathroom will look remotely close to what you planned thanks to National Home Bathroom & Improvement Contractors. For a cost-free bathroom remodel consultation or to find out more about our substantial selection of materials, give us a call at 888-479-3431 as soon as possible.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
TMI Tuesday #137
1. How old were you when you first kissed a boy?
2. Who would play you in the movie of your life story?
3. What is the number one thing your love/hate about gay people?
4. If you could legally get married to "the fella" - or any fella - would you?
5. Have you ever worn short short shorts in public?
Bonus (as in optional): Who is your favorite blogger?
Happy TMI!!
p.s. Thanks to Jim for most of this week's questions.
p.p.s. You, too, can be a star. I would be more than happy to post your ideas/questions! EMAIL me at prince[dot]hapnik[at]gmail[dot]com! I'll try to use them in a timely fashion.


text:
About Tidy Numbers
At Tidy Numbers we know that trust is something that is hard to win but very easily lost. That is why we treat our clients' businesses as if they were ours and never take our clients faith in us for granted. Our aim is to enable our clients to develop and thrive through the use of effective financial systems and support.
Our vision for the business is to grow the business and be recognised as the best provider of accounting services in the county.
Our core values are to maintain integrity and honesty and be worthy of the trust of all those who work with us.
The Tidy Numbers Team
Our team has significant hands-on experience of working in the commercial sector across a range of businesses. It is this which, when combined with our ability to provide any type of accounting service, gives us a unique perspective of a business.
Simon Neath, Owner of Tidy Numbers and Accountant
Simon has over 28 years' experience as an Accountant and as a Financial Controller, across many sectors, both nationally and internationally.
Simon started his career as a trainee accountant for Gola Sports in Northampton in 1977. During this time he had the pleasure of carrying out stock checks, which included counting 72,000 football studs!
After 2 years, Simon joined Carlson Marketing Group, a subsidiary of Carlson Companies inc. based in Minneapolis. Initially, he was appointed as Assistant to the Financial Controller, and then promoted to Financial Controller. Once he was promoted, he had responsibility for staff across 3 sites in the UK and 5 sites across Europe and the Middle East. His duties included Budget Forecasting, Management reporting, HR, IT, Credit Control and Customer Relations.
In 2011, Simon decided that the time was right to fulfil a personal ambition to run his own business, and he established Tidy Numbers. Simon's clients range from a company that trades industrial machinery, worldwide to a local beauty salon.
In addition to being the proud owner of Tidy Numbers, Simon enjoys spending time with his wife, Caroline and his two teenagers and he has an avid interest in Model Engineering and Formula One.
Amy, Bookkeeper
Amy became AAT qualified in January 2012 and joined Tidy Numbers shortly afterwards.
Amy has experience of working with Property Management companies, Construction companies and exporters. She is Xero certified and although she prefers the Xero system she does have experience with Sage Accounting systems.
In Amy's spare time, she is a volunteer Treasurer and Fundraiser for a local community centre.
Caroline, Administrator
Caroline has a wealth of experience in both the Commercial and Public sectors.
She has worked in Not for Profit Housing (two Local Authorities & two Housing Associations), as a Management Surveyor for a National firm of Chartered Surveyors, a Central Government regulatory Agency, a Lettings Agency and more recently as an Office Administrator for Tidy Numbers.


text:
Here's a look at some kickass play by myself in the new Lights Out Mode on Survival. This was recorded off the PC build and there's some shader and UI issues because the game is coded for the iphone, so just ignore that stuff. Apologies for the crappy quality. Will upload a better one once I work out the exact compression to stay under the 100mb limit.
There's no music on the PC build either so you get to hear my Pandora playlist in the background. Keep an eye out for some precision rocket launcher action. :)


text:
In the beginning of 2012, while I was incarcerated in the Dade Correctional Institution Transitional Care Unit (TCU), I was told by several Lieutenants, Sergeants and officers that a new camera system had been installed in the TCU, that the new camera system was digital, that it could tell if a dime on the ground was on heads or tails and it had very clear footage. The reason why so many security staff told me the foregoing was because I was the primary Orderly for all the shifts and Lieutenants in the TCU and they wanted to make sure I knew a new camera system was watching security and I when we were working on the floor in the TCU. Security always kept me aware of issues with the mounted camera system solely because a lot of bad things happened in the TCU, and the cameras were always a threat to the staff when the cameras were operating. My diary from 2012, that State, Federal officials and the media have, shows that in 2012 there was multiple staff-related investigations into issues that happened in the TCU. Because I was the primary Orderly for security, I was often placed under investigation with the staff, solely because I was often present when security staff were doing things they shouldn't have been doing. There's several 2012 entries in my diary that talk about the mounted security cameras. The reason I'm bringing this up is I know from personal knowledge how clear the footage was from the mounted digital cameras in the TCU in 2012 and I've been told the camera footage from 2012 in the Darren Rainey murder case that the Dade County Florida State Attorney released to the media and others was unclear / blury. I haven't personally got a chance to view the camera footage but two people who have the video footage on the Rainey murder told me how unclear / blury the footage is that they received from the Dade County State Attorney. Did the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) intentionally provide the Miami-Dade Police Department and Dade County State Attorney with unclear / blury video footage from the night Rainey was murdered and this is why the Dade County State Attorney provided unclear / blury camera footage to the media etc? Did FDC provide clear video footage to the police and the Dade County Florida State Attorney intentionally provided unlcear / blury camera footage to the media etc. to aid in their attempt to cover up Rainey's murder? I don't know the answers to these questions. I just know that my 2012 diary proves I had several dealings with the mounted security cameras and from my personal experiences with them and knowledge of them, the footage from said mounted security cameras were very clear. This is another issue / problem with the Rainey case I wanted to bring to light. Please share this blog with your friends and with anybody you believe would like to join us in our fight for the value of life. Please sign our petition on Change.org entitled THE LIFE OF BLACK, MENTALLY DISABLED, MUSLIM PRISONER DARREN RAINEY DOES MATTER.
Harold Hempstead, 'Caged Crusader'


text:
By Lisa Capobianco
Staff Writer
Turning Earth is an organics recycling company partnering with Covanta Energy to build a new, $20 million state-of-the-art facility in Southington. If approved, the proposed facility on Spring Street would be the first integrated high solids anaerobic digestion and in-vessel composting facility in the Northeast where it will recycle municipal and commercial and organic waste streams from over a dozen communities in central Connecticut.
"We take organic wastes and recycle it to make renewable energy compost," said Amy McCrae Kessler, the head of Environmental & Regulatory Affairs and a founding member of Turning Earth, LLC.
During a recent meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to table Turning Earth's special permit application for the construction of multiple buildings on one lot for an organics recycling facility after some residents expressed concern for the proposal. The proposed facility would be located in an industrial zone on 111 Spring Street. Geoffrey Fitzgerald, a professional engineer of BL Companies who represented Turning Earth, said between 19 and 20 trucks would enter the facility per day, accessing the site through the driveway at BJ's.
"We completely recognize that this is a high traffic area…our impact will be negligible," said Fitzgerald, adding that less than one vehicle would be entering and leaving the facility per hour.
For residents like Cynthia Lombardo, more trucks on Spring Street mean more traffic.
"I'm for it, [but] I'm just really concerned about the traffic," said Lombardo. "I think it's terrific, I love the concept, but I think more has to be looked into what's going to happen with all this traffic."
Marion Michalski, another resident of Spring Street, also agreed that the concept of the facility is exciting, but not when considering the issue of traffic.
"It's a lot of traffic for one street," said Michalski, adding that she also felt concerned for children breathing in the fumes from prospective trucks traveling on the street.
Last year, the state legislature required certain businesses that produce large amounts of organic wastes to recycle such material to create clean energy and sustainability. Examples of these businesses include wholesalers, supermarkets, resorts and conference centers.
"We recognized that this was a good thing to do before the state passed this law, and we were very interested in doing it," said Kessler, adding that Lake Compounce is the first company to sign up as the first customer of the proposed facility.
As an organics recycling company, Turning Earth receives food waste, yard waste, industrial organic waste streams and agriculture wastes that are diverted from landfills. Under a biological process called anaerobic digestion, Turning Earth produces biogas, which can be turned into different energy end products, such as electricity and vehicular fuels, according to the company's presentation during the meeting. After the biogas process, the material turns into compost and is further refined into engineered soil products with industrial, residential and agricultural uses and environmental benefits. The final step involves using heat created during the biogas conversion activities to create ideal conditions for the development of sustainably and locally grown foods.
"We're looking forward to becoming a great partner for the town of Southington," said Kessler, noting how accessible the facility would be considering its location near Interstate-84. "We want to be somewhere that wants us—[Southington] indicated it wanted us."
"We really liked the community's aggressive approach to economic development and focus on sustainability," added Blake Sturcke, the founder and Executive Vice President & Head of Corporate Development of Turning Earth, LLC.
During the public hearing, several members of the community expressed their support of the facility, including Economic Development Coordinator Lou Perillo. Perillo stated advantages of the facility in Southington, such as the location and the green activity that will take place there. He said the location works well, since the facility would be centrally located and is far enough away from residential homes.
"This truly is green—you're turning food wastes into energy, and with a byproduct of compost," said Perillo. "If you look at how we use energy not only in this country but globally…these things are going to go somewhere—we have the opportunity to bring it here."
Don Jacobson, the chairman of Newcomb Spring Corp. on Spring Street, also spoke in favor of Turning Earth's application.
"I own the property directly on the south side of this—I'm closest to the actual facility of anybody," Jacobson said during the public hearing. "I feel very confident that they would make a great neighbor, and I'm looking forward to having them right next door."
If approved, Turning Earth's facility could open in early 2016. The facility will convert 50,000 tons annually of source separated organics and 25,000 tons per year of leaf, woody and yard waste into a variety of resources, such as renewable energy, rich, fertile compost and locally grown food. The facility will also have positive environmental effects, such as the reduction of carbon dioxide and a production of renewable electricity to provide power for nearly 10,000 homes.
For more information about Turning Earth, visit http://turningearthllc.com/.
Zoning tables application for Turning Earth facility on Spring Street
By Lisa Capobianco


text:
I was fairly informed about technology when I lived in Silicon Valley, and used a variety of tools to accomplish my work and hobbies. Only since moving to a small island in the middle of the Pacific have I discovered just how vital it is in maintaining my sanity. I may not be able to see my friends and family in person quite as often or easily, but I can keep my connections strong and thriving with a little assistance from (basically) the internet.
Earlier this year, I flew to the mainland for a girlfriend's wedding. I was a bridesmaid, and cherished this opportunity to spend time with some incredible women (and their equally awesome dudes). The photographer is an absolute star and she became a new friend I've maintained contact with through FB. One afternoon this summer (okay, evening for the others), I was on FaceBook with the maid of honor (Pacific time zone), the bride (Mountain time), and the photographer (Eastern time), and we were all looking at photos from the wedding in online albums and making hysterical and emotional comments to each other using a group chat on FB Messenger. Four women, in four time zones, sharing the same moment. That filled my heart and soul with so much love.
PC: Blair Bush, FineArt Photographer
My annual car event in California also gets interesting in the planning process, because the other planners and I are also in 4 time zones: me in HST, one in PST, one in MST and the other used to be in Thailand and is now in Spain. We use Skype for those planning meetings and let me tell you, coordinating those times is a challenge! We also email a lot, I keep my notes on Evernote and my volunteer tracking in Google Sheets which I've shared, I get reimbursed by PayPal (wire transfer fees are no joke, this is much better), and there is not only an event website but also a Facebook community page. With all of these tools, it doesn't matter that we are scattered across the world; we are still able to communicate and share information in a timely fashion.
It's a very small (digital) world, indeed.


text:
I've been trying to find Pancakes that had a great taste that I used to get in diners in Brooklyn when I was growing up in the '60s. Can't find them now.
Any recommendations for Great pancakes in Central NJ, South Brunswick, if possible? I never did like the ones at PJ's in Princeton, so if you can suggest others, I'll be grateful.


text:
Research Note: "Cultural And Linguistic Ambiguity: Some Observations On The Role Of English-Based Creole In An Antiguan Villagel" in Dell Hymes (ed)
Pidginization and Creolization of Languages (Cambridge U.P. 1971)
(see longer article in Szwed and Whitten,
Afro-American Anthropology)
Karl Reisman
English-based Creole on the island of Antigua exists and finds its identity not in any system of bi- or multi-dialectalism (or -lingualism), nor even in a system that can be characterized as a simple scale or continuum. Creole plays its role as part of a more general way of handling cultural symbols which maximizes and plays with ambiguities of cultural reference and of expressive and moral meaning.
There is a duality of cultural patterning, both of Creole versus English speech and of 'African' versus English culture. But this underlying basis is denied and covered, and the two cultural strands are woven into a complex garment of cultural and linguistic expression.
This system of 'remodelling' (Taylor 1964) has its roots in certain fundamental values, first systematically noted by Herskovits, which in their West Indian form can be seen as fundamentally African. Herskovits' notions can be summed up in the terms respect, reticence, and indirection. (A section of the paper seeks to explore these notions in their Antiguan expression and to give them a broader
and fuller content.) Associated with respect is the discipline of resignation, accepting things as they are and
adjusting oneself to them. Associated with reticence is discretion, the avoidance of any act or gesture that would arouse the envy or jealousy of others or any expression of
direct antagonism or hostility. Both of these are tied to indirection; looking first to see what the situation and its forms and conventions are, then masking one's actions and expressions in these forms, transvaluing or remodelling them to be closer to one's own forms and meanings. 'When in Rome', say the Antiguans, 'do as the
Romans do.'
One fairly superficial example of remodelling may be helpful in clarifying what I mean. The organist in the Methodist church of John Hughes village, Antigua was
named Wisemore Joseph, locally called 'Teacher Wise'. Several years after I left Antigua I ran into Wisemore at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, where he was working. Enthusiastically I said to him "Wisemore, how are you
, and what are you doing up here?" He answered that he was doing fine, and added: "My name is Seymour now."
In the Antiguan situation one 'accepts' with 'respect' both the status system with its concomitant self-definition as 'low' – and the total superiority of the standards and values of English culture, all other values and forms of expression being described in terms of an absence of the quality under discussion. Yet the gamut of negative terms which result are transvalued into one way of referring to a whole set of informally held alternate values.
By this process Creole becomes 'broken language' or simply the absence of language. To talk Creole is to 'make noise'.
But Creole also symbolizes that which is natural. It is what one 'breaks away' into. It accompanies and marks
expressions of deep and genuine feeling. To 'make noise', in a variety of Antiguan contexts, is to express oneself.
Like other alternate underlying values the norms of Creole cannot be found by asking questions involving translation from English. They must be found indirectly within Creole contexts, or through cases of misunderstanding and
confusion. Creole contexts are, of course, not clearly marked off. The Creole content of speech may 'fade in' – sometimes for purposes of disguise or expression – or it may 'fade out' without any sharp break in the code being used.
Features of Creole phonology aid the ambiguation process by lending themselves to the production of multi-meaning utterances which may be taken by the hearer in the way to which he is predisposed, without his ever becoming aware
of the alternatives.
Other aspects of the speech system share in these processes and serve to dramatize this interplay of cultural meanings in contexts in which alternation between English
and Creole forms plays a symbolic role.
Taylor, Douglas 1964. 'Review of De Saramakaanse Woordenschat, by Donicie and Woorhoeve', International Journal of American Linguistics 30:434-9
Whitten, Noman, and John Szwed (eds.) 1970. Afro-American Anthropology: contemporary perspectives, New York, Free Press


text:
It's funny how a realization about yourself can sort of come up on you and smack you on the ass while you're not doing anything in particular. For a guy who does a lot of soul-searching, I find that I get a lot more answers when I'm doing it passively (i.e. when I'm sitting around listening to music) then when I'm doing it actively (i.e.meditating, searching the Internet for advice, and other mental masturbations).
The particular realization I will share with you today happened after listening to Stone Temple Pilot's "Sour Girl" and during Red Hot Chili Pepper's "Aeroplane". Before I share it with you (patience, kiddies, patience), I want to talk about a realization that occurred to me about a week ago, shortly after my last blog post. Some of it was due to the feedback you guys gave me after my post. Some of it was due to my THOUGHTS about you guys (specific people) after my post.
I realized that, complex as we all think we are, most of our problems can be boiled down to one thing. I can't tell you what that thing is because it is different for everyone. The problem is, we are terrible about finding our own thing, because we try to defend our psyches at all cost. So we make up bullshit to cover it up, and our problems multiply because of it.
Think about how often our arguments with our parents, our friends and our significant others repeat themselves. I bet you there is an argument you have had over and over with your spouse or significant other that you could recite by heart. You could probably have the argument by yourself at this point, and completely cut out the other person....rote arguments, if you will. Here's the kicker...if you continually have the same argument, and never seem to get your point across, then you are likely dealing with a person's thing. If you are having an argument, and are trying to deflect it or end it, then you are likely dealing with your own thing.
This thing is also why we so often continuously find ourselves in the same predicament. Whether you keep finding yourself with the wrong person or at the wrong job, or you keep finding yourself drawn to books and television shows with a certain theme, or you keep getting screwed in the same way, the chances are your being led by your thing to those situations.
What is your thing?
Do you like being a martyr?
Do you think you deserve to be treated like dirt?
Do you hate to commit?
Do you have an inappropriate attachment to a destructive habit?
What is it about your personality that keeps leading you over and over to conflict, problems, and angst?
Like I said, this little realization has something to with certain people in my life, and how there always seemed to be one thing that continuously created problems in their lives.
Now, before you start thinking that I'm some sort of guru with special insight, let me disabuse you of that notion (and no, I don't actually believe any of you actually think that). This idea has obviously gone back to...gee, I don't know...Shakespeare, if not before then. Yes, kiddies...we all have a tragic flaw. We are all heroes just waiting to be impaled by the sword of Damocles hanging just over our heads. No, this isn't exactly an original idea. Moreover, I did some Internet research on this concept, and came across this magnificent post by blogger/career advice columnist Penelope Trunk (incidentally, after I came across her blog, I spent hours perusing it..I'm surprised I've never heard of her, seeing as how she had great advice and resources for people like me).
So this got me to thinking about what my thing is. After all, I've got some problems I'm trying to deal with; if I've got a pretty good handle on other people's things, I don't seem to have a good handle on mine. So I did some brainstorming, and came across some good ideas. Could my thing be:
1)I hate responsibility and will try to stay away from it.
2)I need people to know how smart I am.
3)I have to have people's respect.
4)I can't live without positive feedback.
5)I hate conflict, and will do anything to avoid it.
6) Fear of failure.
Each of these things seemed like fundamental problems to me, and all of them seem to capture at least part of my personal flaw. But none of them seemed quite right to me. None of them seemed....complete.
Which brings me to today, when it hit me like a ton of bricks.
In a startling moment, I looked into myself and found that I loathe knowing the future and revel in uncertainty. I love being lost more than anything in the world, even if I find it terrifying and it leads me to losing things that I want, that I need. Don't get me wrong...in no way am I saying that I'm adventurous, brave, risk-loving person. In a perfect world, where I didn't have all the hang ups I have, I may have been that sort of person. But there is too much fear in me to be that way.
However, the hatred I have of a stable future is perversely true. It's a lot of little things that leads me to believe it, though I haven't seen the common thread until now. If I have any arguments with my fiancee (although we don't fight all that often), it's about making plans and staying on track "for the future". Furthermore, as much as I blame my old boss for being abusive (she was a horrible, horrible hag, and I wish her secondary...no tertiary stage syphilis), it's knowing that I had to go back over and over to the same job that really terrified me about the job. And that happens with EVERYTHING I do. Even the job I held with a professor I loved, doing work that was stimulating, sort of depressed me. How screwed up is it that I was elated when he told me he no longer had funding for me?
Want to know something even more screwed up? Maybe it's because I've been watching too much news about Joplin, but the other night I had a dream that I lost everything I owned in a tornado. The apartment, all my stuff, and my car. And in my dream, and for five minutes after I woke up.....I was happy. I was happy that I lost everything, because it meant that I didn't know what was waiting for me the next day.
When I go for walks (which I do almost every day), I like to walk down strange alleys and streets, and I live for the moments where I don't know where I'm going, and what I'll see. The same goes for when I drive my car. When I finally manage to orient myself, I feel a little disappointed.
Even this...even all of this career angst that I'm having...I get off on it in some respects. If I didn't have some of the PTSD bullshit that I'm dealing with, I'd probably be having a hell of a good time right now. A future with uncertainty is an exciting future, ripe with possibility, if you allow the cliche. Before I had the accident, before I had my hell job, I had a dream that I would go to a new place, and have new experiences. It was great, and I was happy. And then I came to this new city, and realized it was the same thing, the same shit as before. And I grew despondent....
Like I said, I'm not super adventurous, nor am I a risk taker (although a big part of me wishes I was). As well, my drive for uncertainty doesn't seem to apply to my relationships. Although I enjoy meeting new people, I have an attachment to people that I don't seem to have for material things or places. I can't even fathom not being with my fiancee, or losing any one of my family members or friends. But losing a job, changing my career, moving to another city, losing all my stuff..well, it excites me and makes me happy in a way it doesn't seem to do to other people. I allow for the possibility that I am wrong about my thing. Maybe I'm describing something that everyone feels. Maybe it is my psychological problems talking. But somehow... I don't think so. It's way too scary and difficult for me to accept not to be the truth.
Who knows though...maybe this is all just bullshit covering up my real thing. You may know better than I.
Anyways, thanks for listening to this particular mental masturbation.


text:
Girl, Forced to Marry 3 Boko Haram Militants at Age 15, Recalls Her Harrowing Captivity and Daring Escape
After five years of brutal captivity by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group, 20-year-old Amina finally found her chance to escape.
She took the chance, and she succeeded. But instead of celebrating her restored freedom, she's stricken with overwhelming grief, according to the Mirror.
The reason? Her 28-day-old baby, the youngest of her three children, died in her arms as they were fleeing through the vast forest in north east Nigeria in a desperate bid to escape from the clutches of the Boko Haram, acknowledged as the world's most lethal terrorist group—even deadlier that the Islamic State (ISIS).
Amina (not her real name) is one of thousands of girls across northeast Nigeria who have been held captive by Boko Haram, but her story is probably the most harrowing ever told by an escapee.
"I was forced into marriage three times, and had a child with each husband," she told the Mirror at a refugee camp in Nigeria.
Amina recalled the day she was captured by Boko Haram fighters. She said she was visiting her elder sister in her home town of Baga when a car stopped and 10 Boko Haram men jumped out to take her.
When she resisted, they beat her unconscious.
When she opened her eyes she was in the Sambisa forest in the company of about 200 other kidnapped girl.
Amina said she was immediately forced into marriage with a 40-year-old brute who dislocated her arm and raped her repeatedly. Within a couple of months she was pregnant.
After the man was killed in a firefight, she was forced to marry again, and again she bore her second husband a child. Like her first husband, this man was likewise killed in a village attack.
She was forced to marry for a third time with yet another brutal fighter, and almost immediately she was pregnant again.
When her third husband got into a fight with another terrorist, she saw her chance to escape. She grabbed her three kids and ran through the forest, drinking from puddles to survive for five days.
She said her youngest baby must have died of starvation since she had no breast milk to give.
Finally, she reached a roadside and begged strangers for help, and they did, leading to her rescue.
Amina said although their fathers were evil, she loved her children.
"They are all I have. It does not matter," she said, smiling.


text:
Not very long ago, the only people who knew about Megan McKenna were those who heard her lecture in college courses or who were present at conferences, conventions and retreats where she was a featured speaker. Reports filtered back from these occasions that she was an accomplished storyteller who could hold her own with the best of them. Her parables from Christian, Zen, Sufi, Jewish, Native American and other sources were not original, but McKenna gave them surprise spins that freed them to do what parables do best. They engaged people who were certain the stories were about someone else until McKenna, like rabbis of old, held up a mirror so audiences could see that the parables were, in fact, about themselves. She shocked. She cajoled. She provoked. Publishers took notice with offers for McKenna to write things down to reach a larger public, but the verbal medium seemed to be her preferred venue.
And then, about 10 years ago, a dam burst and the books started rolling forth like, well, a flood. For more than the dozen volumes McKenna produced in the last decade, she is sole author. A few have been co-authored: one with Philip Sheldrake, another with Tony Cowan. With the iconographer William Hart McNichols, she wrote text for the exquisite volume Christ All Merciful, and she provided a stunning introduction to The Bride: Images of the Church, by the Jesuit peace activist Daniel Berrigan.
It's been hard to keep up.
It has also probably been harder for those who wanted to get their feet wet in the tidal wave of McKenna's words. Where to begin? Fortunately, we now have Send My Roots Rain: A Spirituality of Justice and Mercy, an anthology of McKenna's writings from 14 of her books, to satisfy both veteran and novice readers.
There is a particular advantage to the author's sampler approach. It affords small doses, and that is a good way to absorb her. In bite-size portions one can relish the insights and the good writing, because there are plenty of both. Her foreword to Berrigan's book, reprinted in Rain, for example, is classic McKenna:
The icon declares: Halt! And what brings us to a halt makes us cease emotion. All emotions are portrayed, yet all somehow are brought to a full stop: terror, grief, utter isolation, violence, joy, rage, tenderness, even prayer itself. When emotion is held still, then prayer itself stops and is sustained or held before the mind and body. In this stasis it is sometimes called contemplation.
McKenna evidently knows the power of words. She quotes appreciatively Vaclav Havel, the former president of the Czech Republic, and his denunciation of insidious germs of arrogance in words that are seemingly humble. And she holds herself and us accountable for the words we use, the stories we pass on, the tales that make us more human or less so, that repair breaches or tear apart relationships.
She uses words abstemiously in imaging God, knowing that no words will be adequate but that the idiosyncratic will be more likely than the conventional to catch us off guard. So God is an elephant who is trying to make us remember something. And God is a thief, intent on stealing our sins, our evil, and vengeance, our violence, and all that clutters and stands in the way of hope, of salvation, and of unity among us all. Advent, for McKenna, is the time when God breaks into our house, our world, and steals us blind, shifting all history and saving the lost.
McKenna recommends shunning and exiling words that glorify violence, nationalism, insensitivity to the sufferings of others and recommends honoring those that come from below, from underneath, from those too weak, too old, too young to speak or without access to the dominant forms of communication. Her words are most persuasive when they are placed at the service of those whose voices are dismissed, ignored and gagged.
The prophetic tradition is alive and well in this collection, although the overall effect is gentler than one might expect. Missing are desperate pleas for readers to take up the cause of justiceor else. Without a doubt, McKenna informs us adequately about a catalogue of inequities. But challenges and questions are posed politely (If we were on a scale of one to ten, Where would others who witness our lives place us on the scale?), jabs at our conscience come indirectly, and dire warnings if we do not heed her prophetic messages come not at all.
McKenna has wisely and shrewdly protected our freedom. There is neither pressure nor force exerted in these pages, but rather an invitation to live just a little more humanly, more joyfully, more fully than before. When all is said and done, it's an invitation we almost can't refuse.
Editor's note: Thanks. Correction has been made in Web edition
Editor's note: Thanks. Correction has been made in Web edition


text:
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's plans for pulling the city out of its fiscal crisis include borrowing $1.4 billion against expected payments from tobacco companies, and New York State lawmakers are considering similar moves to close the state's own vast deficit.
Gov. George E. Pataki and his administration have given no public hint of how he will address the state's budget gap, but influential legislators in both houses say they think a multibillion-dollar sale of tobacco-backed bonds is very likely over the next year or two, and aides to the governor would not rule it out.
''We're aware that there are members of the Legislature interested in this, and as we go forward, we will consider any and all ideas, but we are very early in the process,'' said Michael McKeon, the governor's communications director.
The financial plan that Mr. Bloomberg released last week called for selling bonds backed by payments from the 1998 national lawsuit settlement with the tobacco industry, $700 million in this fiscal year and another $700 million in the next.
Since Mr. Pataki and other state officials have ruled out the mayor's idea of taxing commuters to the city, city officials say the sale of new tobacco-backed bonds is a near certainty.Continue reading the main story
Bloomberg administration officials say they intend to use that money for capital projects, not day-to-day operations, but it would also have the effect of easing some of the burden on the city's operating budget in the short term.
State and city officials, in fact, speak of the tobacco settlement money as a magic bullet, the only readily available source of billions of dollars that would not involve cutting services or raising taxes to close the budget gaps.
Critics, however, say borrowing against that money would mean trading short-term gain for long-term pain, worsening Albany's and City Hall's fiscal problems in future years as the debt must be repaid, and possibly threatening state health care programs that are supported by the tobacco money.
Outside monitors worry that for the state, the new bonds could mean a return to one of the practices that culminated in the fiscal crisis of the 1970's -- using borrowed money to pay for day-to-day operations, and not just for big capital projects.
The city already made that move earlier this year, winning the right to borrow $1.5 billion for daily expenses, under the argument that there were special circumstances created by the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center.
City and state officials make a similar case for borrowing against the tobacco money, saying extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. And officials say that the sale of tobacco bonds, as long as they pay for capital projects, is not markedly different from what governments do every day.
''Bonding for capital is a routine practice,'' said Raymond J. Orlando, director of investor relations at the city Office of Management and Budget.
Borrowing against the tobacco money would not require state approval. But the sale of tobacco bonds also will not, by itself, solve the city's fiscal problems, and a host of unpalatable steps will still be needed to balance budgets for the next year or two, like budget cuts, work force reductions and tax increases.
That seems true for the state, as well, though the governor has not released any information about his plans to balance the budget, nor even the size of the deficit the state faces.
The tobacco companies are paying an estimated $246 billion over 25 years to the states, which had sued to recover their costs from treating people with tobacco-related illnesses. Of that, $25 billion is going to New York, divided between the state and local governments.
So far, 16 states, including New Jersey, and many local governments have taken at least some of that money up front by borrowing against it, rather than collecting the payments over 25 years. New York City was among the first, cashing in for $700 million in 1999, and a similar total this year.
The next rounds of bond sales would consume all of the city's remaining income for the 25-year life of the tobacco settlement.
The mayor's budget-balancing plan includes many other measures, besides raising taxes and cutting services, to close a $1.1 billion shortfall in the current fiscal year, and a projected $6.4 billion deficit in the fiscal year that begins next July 1.
The Bloomberg administration wants to end the city's $500 million-a-year subsidies for subway and bus service, and is asking the state to pick up the city's share of Medicaid costs, or some part of it. Both proposals, like the commuter tax, face formidable obstacles. In January, Mr. Pataki will propose a state budget for the fiscal year that begins April 1. But so far, the governor and members of his administration have remained mum about any plans.
Legislators in both parties and their aides have said the state deficit will be $5 billion to $10 billion, but they, too, are reluctant to discuss specific ways to address it, except to borrow against the tobacco settlement.
Several legislators in both parties, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said they expected the Assembly and Senate to propose the idea, even if the governor does not. One said, ''I would say it's very, very likely we will go that route, and I know it's under consideration in the governor's office.''
The amount the state could raise would vary enormously depending on how the deal is structured, but a bond sale similar to the city's could raise $5 billion to $6 billion. In theory, however, much of that money is already spoken for, to pay for health care programs for the uninsured and antismoking programs, under a law called the Health Care Reform Act of 2000.
''We would be very much opposed to bonding if this meant money was taken away from the tobacco control programs and health care programs,'' said Russell C. Sciandra, director of the Center for a Tobacco Free New York.
Fiscal experts also object to the borrowing, in part because New York State and New York City are already far deeper in debt than any of their counterparts around the country. ''It's using a long-term asset for short-term use,'' said Robert A. Kurtter, vice president for state ratings at Moody's Investors Service.
The most distressing prospect, analysts say, is that money might be borrowed to pay for day-to-day expenses, which is widely seen as a dangerous practice -- one that the city has already engaged in this year.
''There is the expectation that the money from future borrowing will be for capital purposes,'' said Mr. Orlando, of the city's budget office. But when asked to rule out use of the tobacco bonds for operating expenses, he said, ''We're not making a definitive statement about that.''
State lawmakers say they expect any tobacco-backed bonds sold by the state to be used, at least in part, for operating expenses.
Tobacco bonds must pay higher interest rates than ordinary government bonds, because they are viewed as being riskier. The payments from tobacco companies depend on their sales; if cigarette consumption goes down, the payments go down, too.
Analysts warn that the payments could drop far enough that they would no longer cover payments on the bonds, forcing state and local governments to dip into other revenues to repay the debt.Continue reading the main story


text:
Foodservice Equipment Vendor
Feel confident that the foodservice equipment portion of your project will be handled properly.
Boston Showcase Company works with numerous general contractors, architects, and consultants on all types of foodservice equipment projects. As a general contractor, you have countless aspects of a project to focus on and our team of engineers, project managers and installers will help make it as smooth as possible. We ensure timely delivery of all equipment and stay on site until the last punch list item is complete.
What We Provide:
- Complete bid on foodservice equipment scope (11 40 00) including exhaust hoods & ventilation, refrigeration lines and fire systems.
- Once awarded a project, full layout and MEP drawings.
- Project Manager assigned to each project
- Installation of all items by our team of installers or a union installation team. Installation includes delivery, assembly and setting in place of equipment with connections by others.
- Coordination with foodservice consultants, general contractors and subcontractors
Some of the companies that we work with:
General Contractors
Foodservice Consultants & Designers
Some of our recently completed projects:
AC Marriott - Aventura, FL
D Street Hotels - Aloft & Element - Boston, MA
Marriott - Quincy, MA
Residence Inn - Watertown, MA
Revere Hotel - Boston, MA
Ritz-Carlton - Boston, MA
Hilton Hotel - Dedham, MA
Beauport Hotel - Gloucester, MA
Business & Institutions
Biogen Bioverativ - Waltham, MA
British Airways Lounge at Logan Airport - Boston, MA
Facebook - Cambridge, MA
Fidelity - Smithfield, RI
Hubspot - Cambridge, MA
Hynes Convention Center - Boston, MA
Idexx Labs - Westbrook, ME
Ken's Foods - Marlborough, MA
Millenium Tower - Boston, MA
Shire Pharmaceuticals - Lexington, MA
Shark Ninja - Needham, MA
Westfield Community Center - Westfield, MA
Angier School - Newton, MA
Emerson College Dining - Boston, MA
Harvard University, Baker Hall - Cambridge, MA
MIT Maseeh Hall - Cambridge, MA
Old Chicopee HS - Chicopee, MA
Parlin School - Everett, MA
Boston Medical Center - Boston, MA
Bridges - Pembroke, MA
Bright Horizons - Cambridge, MA