Love Lists

A random assortment of (non-people) things and resources I love, in no particular order:

• The US Postal Service's online zip code finder
• A Chocolate Madness at The Saturn Cafe (chocolate ice cream, chocolate mousse, brownie, hot fudge, whipped cream, and chocolate chips; all natural ingredients that individually are more semi sweet than sickly sweet, though when put together: dessert coma)
• Avoiding landfill or unknown donation uses through person-to-person Freecycling (I am particularly fascinated by the sort of stuff people offer and then willingly take)
• The wonderfully creative world of Sims houses, neighborhoods, stuff, and people
• Autumn foliage and spring blossoms
• The public radio program Marketplace
• A wedge of mild cheese paired with orange juice
  

Obviously there are tons more, but those were on my mind and I wanted to share. What random things do you love?

Life and death

I'm glad of any happy news these days. Reports about global recession, Madoff's ponzi scheme, boneheaded US auto execs, robberies, child disappearances, and so on have joined forces recently with late pregnancy slowness and a chest cold to put a serious damper on my usually cheery spirit.

But these minor troubles were put into proper perspective yesterday with the early morning phone call informing me of the passing of the last of my surviving grandparents. Just 36 hours after my brother, mom, and David and I visited her, my grandma Ginny succumbed to an aggressive cancer. She died at home in her bed at the age of 87.

Grandma was mostly prepared for death. She'd had her knee replaced earlier this year but recovery was slower than last time. She was mostly deaf in the end but her hearing aids befuddled her, leaving her in a bit of a cocoon. And she didn't seem to like that old friends were leaving her behind. With the passing of each friend or family member came the announcement that she could die any day too, no matter the evidence of her relative healthiness. Even just a few months ago few if any of us would have expected she'd be gone at year's end. However, such is the nature of life, that it comes and goes as it will, often without regard to logic and expectations.

I am glad to have spent so many years knowing her, and having had the chance for her to see me grow up, settled with a wonderful partner (whom she always described as a very good man), and well on my way to passing on family stories and genes to another generation. As her health rapidly declined she often expressed the wish to live long enough to see our baby born. I will always be sad that she did not make it to that day. But I know that with time this sadness will be overshadowed by the memories of having been loved and cared for. She will never have met the baby, but I have no doubt that he will feel her love, as well as that of our other grandmothers and grandfather who died before her, through the love that we ourselves have been given and continue to cherish. So rest in peace, grandma, and know that your "little girl" loves you.

Entertain me

The baby does a decent job of amusing me, but at the moment his limited endurance and hideaway status make him insufficient to meet all my entertainment needs. (NOT that I am having a child in order to have someone to entertain me. Wait, then why am I having a child? And come to think of it, I could nearly substitute "David" for "the baby" in that opening sentence. Hmmm.) Anyway, thank goodness I've found a few other amusements in the past week, as I have been occasionally cranky and wanting a bit of escape.

READING
After several wrong turns at the library over the last month I hit upon a lovely book, one that has lingered on my "Read this?" list for years: The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank. What I thought would be a typical chick lit novel turns out to be a nuanced (fictional) life story told through a series of funny/sad/reflective vignettes. The plot, such as it is, seems to center on the progression of relationships in one woman's life. The perpetually staccato first person narrative style might grate on some readers, but I'm really enjoying it. In particular there are wonderful little one liners throughout, ones that make you laugh and think at the same time. Just my kind of contemporary light fiction.

MOVIE
For more vulgar and masculine amusement this week I turned to the Ben Stiller faux-action comedy Tropic Thunder. I'd wanted to see this in theaters and missed it, so was anxiously awaiting its release on DVD; I was so excited that we watched it the day it arrived (ask David how rarely this happens). Maybe in a different mood, such as in a non-tired-and-pregnant state, Tropic Thunder wouldn't have tickled me so, but for now I really liked it.

This tale of a group of self absorbed actors who come to realize their abandonment in a contrived jungle warfare location is actually the real deal had me laughing nearly beginning to end. I particularly appreciated that it included the strengths of Stiller's comedic style (some very crass humor alongside clever pointed commentary on pop culture) with less of the goofy/painful humor so many of his films thrive on. Also, Stiller didn't hog the camera as much as he often does, thus his awkward character (does he play any other kind?) did not drag down the pace. There was some controversy before film was released about Robert Downey Jr's playing an actor in black face, but I thought this part of the story was one of the funniest (and not offensive). Cast was well used, plot made enough sense so you could laugh without setting reality completely aside (no easy feat for such a ridiculous storyline), and only the ending was a bit disappointing (abrupt, I thought). Recommended for fans of grown up potty humor.

COMPUTERS
Have you heard of Diner Dash or any of its variants? It's a simple but addictive computer game that can completely suck you in if you're not careful. In each of these games you become service worker Flo, whether as a waitress, cook, seamstress, animal caretaker, or whatever other industry game you're playing (there are at least 3 Diner Dash sequels, as well as Wedding Dash, Doggie Dash, Fashion Dash, and others). Settings change, but formula for play remains the same: an odd assortment of customers (firemen, snooty society folk, old ladies with cats, cranky cigar smoking men dressed as chickens, you get the idea) come in during a timed shift and you must meet their requests and satisfy their moods in a timely and accurate manner in order to progress. Your reward at the end of a successful shift is money to upgrade facilities so you can serve still more, crankier customers with an ever greater, more complicated variety of services in the next shift (until you reach the last--there is a definite end, though you can play "endless" variation for a fix after you're done). Up until you've exhausted all levels, you choose which upgrades to take on as you go for ever bigger rewards. Of course more upgrades means more complex task expectations. And the game throws in scheduled curves as well; after so many rounds in one arrangement, the game moves Flo's supplies, machinery, and service counter to new spots on screen, thus ruining any routines you've established to get in the groove and succeed.

Do I sound like someone who has spent too much time playing (and thinking about) these games? Maybe, although I haven't actually played them very much at all. See, I'm too cheap to buy the (IMO overpriced) full game, and the free trials are limited to one hour of savable play then some unknown number of 5-minute stints (which when time expires boot you out quite abruptly). So I might have played a grand total of maybe 4 hours' worth of the original Diner Dash and its sequels over nearly two years. But when I play I always enjoy it, get back into the swing very quickly, and look forward to each new installment in the franchise. Which is why I recommend this game to anyone seeking bursts of free, mindless, computer gaming amusement.

Name game

The baby name has continued to be a popular topic of inquiry. We welcome people's friendly interest in little Baby Eugeni Geilhufe, so I sent out a list of names David and I are considering for him. We asked for feedback and got a variety of amusing and thoughtful replies. (I was called crazy to ask by a few--who went on to rate the names nonetheless--and some people did not respond, later divulging a fear about expressing opinions on such a personal matter. Fair enough.) We know that whatever name we end up choosing (and the choice will be made by us alone, only after BEG shows himself in the flesh), our baby will be accepted and loved no matter how odd or trendy his name. :) Anyway, I promised to share the results of my unscientific name-ratings poll, and I will; but first, a bit of context.

According to the Social Security Administration, the most popular names for boys born in the United States in 2007 were...
1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Christopher
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Matthew
10. Andrew

These names account for 9.2% of all boys born last year. And they comprised the top 10 for 2006 as well, with only slight reordering. In 2005 only one name was different: William was edged out by Joseph. We might expect these names to continue in their popularity. Jacob has been in the top 10 since 1993. Joshua's been top 10 since 1979 and Christopher has remained there year after year since 1967. Andrew is top 20 going back to 1980 while Daniel's been a solid top 20 pick going back to 1958 at least. Last but not least, Michael has always been either #1 or #2 for the last 40 years (and probably much longer, but I only checked last 40 years).

There are a few regional differences. When broken down by state, the 2007 list for California reads...
1. Daniel
2. Anthony
3. Angel
4. Jacob
5. David

And in Texas last year, the most popular boy names were...
1. Jose
2. Jacob
3. Daniel
4. Christopher
5. Angel

Angel and Jose were 1-2 in Arizona. Alaskans last year named more of their sons Aiden than any other name, and North Dakotans went for Logan above all else. Apparently the Hawaiians go to the Bible for inspiration, with Noah, Ethan, Joshua, Isaiah, and Elijah making up their top 5. Interesting stuff, eh?

(Just as an amusing aside, check out the most popular names for twins.)

I know you didn't come here looking for insight into naming trends overall. It's our kid's name that interests you, right? So what emerged as BEG's top 5, when taking family and friends' ratings into account along with our own? I shall hold you in suspense no longer. Out of a list of 20 or so suggested names, people preferred:

1. Andrew (read more about this name's origin)
2. Adam (ranked #65 in 06 and 07, origin)
3. Davis (ranked #395 in 07, origin)
4. Stephen (ranked #172 in 07 while Steven ranked #97, origin)
5. Andreas (ranked #971 in 07, not to be confused with Andres at #151, origin)

Anyone want to take bets on our choosing one of the above?

Safe havens

In Texas we got used to seeing "safe haven" dropoff site signs at public facilities. I don't think David ever quite got the hang of why such signage was necessary. It seemed odd to him, I suppose, that people might need to be shown where they could abandon their baby. I took the posting of such signs and passage of laws (like New Jersey's) creating the safe haven system as a reaction to those icky news stories about babies being born in a bathroom then left in a dumpster. I don't think it's a new problem, but media coverage certainly encourages legislatures to take action, and thus they did.

I suspect rather than know that newborn abandonment is not a widespread occurrence, but the passage of "baby Moses" laws around the country at least provides a clear course of action for the statistically small number of babies whose mothers know they cannot--or will not--care for them. The baby enters social services system and receives immediate medical care, parent forfeits guardianship, baby is placed in foster care, etc. A flawed approach probably, twisted social welfare, no doubt, and not associated with the healthiest life stories, but not the most horrible fate (see dumpster comment above). At least the abandoned baby Moses is just an infant, with a lifetime of adjustment options available to them, right?

Here's a headline for you:

Neb. parents rush to leave kids before law changes

What the heck is behind this slow steady stream of child abandonment in Nebraska? People are even coming in from out of state to drop off their children. Not infants, mind you, which is what I'm pretty sure safe haven laws and locations were meant to handle, but school age--in some cases high school age--children. Did all the other states with safe haven laws specify an age limit for legal abandonment, and Nebraska somehow tapped into an unknown market--those who wish to dump off their kids? With the national media spotlight on them, the Nebraska legislature is scurrying to put a tight lid on the can of worms they opened. What a sad, sad story all the way around.

Now, I've worked with a fair number of adolescents in my time, and I see where they can be a handful. Parents have their own problems, and the angst and drama that comes with one's children awkwardly and insistently asserting independence can wear on the most placid of adult caretakers. But to abandon one's child because all of a sudden parenting is just too much? Wow. Isn't this part of the experience, part of, oh, I dunno, life? I'm thinking the issue is not with the kid so much as with the parent (actually, I'm beyond thinking to knowing). If this is indeed the reason behind parents abandoning children (which is an assumption on my part, as I've not followed this news story closely), then it is yet another sign that we as a society would benefit from intensive therapy.

I take that back, I don't think therapy would benefit us all, I know it. Start facing and dealing with your problems, people, before you procreate. Pretty please.

Is there a safe haven out there for know it alls? :)

Funny Baby

I might be taking the "having a child can be such fun" notion in a new direction here, but I've started clipping cartoons that sort of bust on parenting. Thus far I've found two amusing parenting-related comics to hang on the baby room door. One's a New Yorker cartoon by Drew Dernavich. It shows two parents cribside as they tell some visiting friends:

We've decided that it will be better for his later development if we speak to him only in legalese.

:) An amusing take on the absurd directions some people take while educating their children for the world, IMHO.

The other one I've taped on the door thus far makes me giggle everytime I read it. I just love the play on words in this Pardon My Planet comic by Vic Lee.


Fun stuff, eh? If you come across something funny that you think would make a good addition to the above, do send me a copy or an electronic link.

UPDATE 11/10
Speaking of baby showers, I've added a sampling of shower pics to my picture pages. Oddly enough, each shower at some point featured me wearing a towel on my head and me poised over a large, sweet, delicious cake. Just a coincidence? I'll let you be the judge.

Put Up or Shut Up

Apart from not liking the harsh tone of the saying, I'd love it if at the end of my life my tombstone could read (among other things): She put up rather than shutting up.

Not that you asked, but...
I prefer to vote in person. All this talk about record turnout, crowded polling places, and people standing in line to vote actually makes me happy. I love to see people exercising their freedom to vote, gathering together to perform a civic duty, rearranging their schedule and routine to involve themselves in deciding who governs us all and how it's done. Of course I tend to be happier about the experience when I feel committed to whomever and whatever it is I'm voting for (and even happier if I think my selections will ultimately be victorious). And admittedly I prefer that voters thoughtfully learn about and discuss issues before voting, rather than just basing vote on hearsay or a mindless party line. But no matter the turnout or how anyone casts their ballot, I feel endlessly proud and responsible and money-where-my-mouth-is when I vote. Hopefully you feel the same.

Testing a cool feature...
HarperCollins has made a few books available for online "browsing". In truth you could read the entire book online, if you are able to tolerate such an activity. Check out Ron Suskind's latest book, about the United States' changing moral position in The Way of the World.

Rest easy

Some days are more tired than others. Not tiring, mind you, but just plain from-the-get-go tired. It's making me a bit crazy. I can't predict from one day to the next when I'll wake up refreshed and when I'll toss and turn all night or awaken at 5am and be sleepy again by 9. Makes scheduling activities kind of tough. One thing I have discovered is that on days when I feel really energetic, if I take full advantage of it, I pay for the next day (or two) with sleepless nights and restless days. I suppose this is just my body's cosmic way of preparing me for life with a newborn.

Speaking of my little parasite--I mean growing adorable baby--it--I mean he--continues to entertain me with tummy-bending activity. If I'd had a kid younger in life I might have gone into whatever field of research would allow me maximum access to understanding what it is babies do and sense as they perform their jerky gymnastic feats in utero. Instead I am left with conjecture and the pithy little baby book descriptions of life in the womb. Not enough info to soothe me. I am so much more into facts than speculation.

Speculation is the name of the game with baby-related conversations these days. Baby names have moved up to become topic #1. I've compiled lists of names that I like and think go well enough with surname (and initials, per David's request). David's and my opinions change regularly, and at this point heaven knows what will show up on the birth certificate. Giving a child its name is such a tremendous responsibility. One's birth name is forever. Even if you change your name, that original one is always still in you, having defined you in some uncontrollable way. Yikes!

I've had many people advise me away from the most popular names ("Look at last year's top-ten lists and don't pick any of them"). I totally understand the anti-trendy name arguments, but at the same time I don't feel the fear and loathing others do. I had the #2 girl name for my birth year, and inevitably had several others with whom I shared my name in each year of schooling. I do not recall it ever once bothering me. Au contraire, I still enjoy when I meet another Michelle. In a world of multiples, I never lost sight of who I was. I haven't asked David about sharing his name with others, but his was #3 in our birth year, and he doesn't seem to have been damaged. It's possible David and I are relatively damage proof people, and this could bode well for our child (cross your fingers). On the other hand, we could do all the "right" things and still end up with a child who when grown feels for whatever reason he must identify under some other name. C'est la vie; I will love him unconditionally anyway. Wiggle Worm/BEG will be himself, a lovely blank slate of possibility, no matter his birthname.

Phew, I'm feeling much more at ease now. Is it too early for a nap?

RIP Mervyn's

I'm taking a moment now to lament the impending further decline in my shopping happiness. Among the unusual emotional responses I might be able to blame on hormones these days, my sadness over news of the demise of Mervyn's is not one of them. I haven't exactly been their star customer, shopping erratically and minimally over the years, but I will miss their omnipresence in my world.

I loathe shopping for clothes, mostly because I have a tough time finding things that look and feel good on. Mervyn's is one of only a few stores that offered me the rare opportunity to pick and choose among several options that fit (up until pregnancy, as they do not have a maternity wear section. Hmph).

But I've not been in a crowded Mervyn's in many years, and the perpetual storewide sale there and elsewhere has long hinted that times are tough for mid-size retailers. Megastores and online shopping and decline in brand loyalty undoubtedly contributed to Mervyn's filing for bankruptcy protection earlier this year. And now with the economy further in the toilet they've decided to call it quits, liquidating inventory by the end of the year. So RIP Mervyn's. It was nice knowing you.

Come 2009, if you see me dressed in a variety of ill-fitting outfits, feel free to blame it on the economy and not the babyfat. :)

Burning obsessions

Not that you asked, but...

I'm nearing burnout on election coverage. I know, amazing, huh?

Egg Beaters are absurdly expensive.

I'm well past burnout on financial coverage. Yes the stock market has tanked recently and our financial markets are having to regroup en masse, but the world is not ending.

Here's what I remind myself when the whiff of panic emanates from a TV news channel nearby: Stocks are best as a long term investment. Investing is a form of gambling; you can bet wisely, but you can't guarantee winning. You do not have the money associated with your stock portfolio unless/until you cash out the investment; until then it is for all intents and purposes Monopoly money.

I've discovered that Tums are as tasty as any after dinner mint. And they are a good source of calcium. Plus, they help with heartburn. Amazing, huh?

I know how it feels to lose Monopoly money in a hurry due to a series of unlucky rolls of the dice (and a brother who buys up property more aggressively than I do then lords over me when I land on that property). It sucks.

I have this parasite growing inside of me and it moves. Plus it makes me move. Involuntarily. It's a very odd sensation.

Thinking David would take the financial crisis in stride, I felt secure in knowing the world was not coming to an end. I was happy to know I didn't need to panic (when others about me were losing their heads). It's nice to have someone in your life to make you feel that way. Then David started to fret. Grrr.

I miss sleeping comfortably, restfully on my back. Very, very much.

I've never eaten so much red meat in my life as in the past 6 months. I'm actually starting to develop preferences among types of steak. Ack!

I am a big fan of odd sensations. In the past they've tended to be random enough (or not for public disclosure) that I didn't get the chance to obsess over them. At the moment I am almost encouraged to obsess over odd sensations. This can't be good.

I love Mad Men as much as ever.

My left ear has been doing this annoying vibrato thing off and on for at least a month. It does not respond to any normal ear clearing efforts. I would like it to stop.

I've been experimenting with using a traditional, multi-pocket, carry in your hand type purse. This vision of myself hasn't disturbed me yet. I know, amazing, huh?

UPDATE (Nov 3): Staying away from news for a while has allowed my natural love of election day to re-emerge; I am ready for a long election night watching returns and listening to absurd speculation. Mad Men season 2 is over and I miss it, such a well written interesting show. I've taken to carrying a few Tums tablets with me, and of course now I find my heartburn is not so bad. The experiment with traditional purse ended; it's in my bag rotation, but the oversize purse thing just isn't for me on a regular basis. Left ear stopped vibrato-ing, thank goodness. Good news: I've been able to back off on the red meat consumption. Not so good news: instead I have to take a heavy dose of iron each day to ward off anemia. But wow I'm breathing much easier now when I exercise. As always, good with bad.

Bailing for dollars

Are you sick of me sharing my love for the Freakonomics blog? Hopefully not, because they have several interesting, easily digested postings about the defeated Congressional bailout plan (read this first, then this, posted by separate contributors today).

And hopefully you know that David is dearer to me even than the Freakonomics blog. As I've mentioned before, he posted his thoughts on the market mess some time ago. Go ahead, read David's thoughts on the financial crisis, if you haven't already.

All this talk about the rejected bailout bills reminds me to put in a good word for Sunlight Foundation, an organization that encourages government processes be subject to "public input and scrutiny" (sunlight is the best disinfectant, you see). They have created a website--PublicMarkup.org--where proposed legislation is posted and the public can read and comment on it. They'd like to make this the norm, that any proposed bill be open for a period of public scrutiny before it's voted on (kind of like, don't just propose then immediately get married; it rarely works out as you expected in that moment of frenzied emotion). For a fully commented-on example, see the PublicMarkup on Senator Dodd's proposal for buying mortgage assets. Then go contribute your feedback (or read that of others) on the 110-page Senate plan, the Senate Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.

Is that your final answer?

Thanks to Anne for suggesting this funny web app, which generates absurd garbled interview responses based on Sarah Palin's actual interview answers.

If you haven't caught either of the Saturday Night Live sketches featuring Tina Fey doing a dead-on parody of Palin, you are truly missing out. The first features Fey and Amy Poehler as Palin and Hillary Clinton. The second piece is Fey and Poehler as Palin and Katie Couric doing a CBS Evening News interview.

And lest you think SNL went too far in this last bit, you should know that much of Fey's dialogue consists of direct quotes from the actual interview.

Suffering Sufragettes

Thanks to Kim for sharing Women Against Sarah Palin, a collection of women's responses to the selection of Sarah Palin as the Republican Vice Presidential nominee. I've not gotten terribly far in reading the hundreds of individual replies, but it didn't take more than a few to generate a big smile on my face. I don't necessarily agree with all the opinions shared, but I love the passion, the freedom exercised, and the variety of viewpoints. Here's one fairly typical response:

By selecting someone as inexperienced, incompetent, and intolerant as Sarah Palin, John McCain shows that he has no true concern for his nation or its citizens. He’s older and not in the best health, yet he doesn’t care if his choice means that America stands a good chance of being governed by such an inappropriate and flatly frightening person. Ladies, gentlemen: We’re not voting for someone like ourselves, who drives to soccer games or likes a beer with the guys. We’re voting for the most intelligent, able person we can find. Those people are not John McCain or Sarah Palin. One more thought: I’m tired of people who are actually anti-choice being called pro-life. No one is truly pro-life who enjoys shooting defenseless timber wolves from an airplane and draping her office couch with a huge bear skin.
-Anne B., 61, Arlington, VA

Now the beginning is a bit over the top, but the closing is fabulous. I too question the legitimacy of those who oppose abortion being given the label "pro life," which would seem to imply that those of us who support a woman's right to an abortion are "anti life". I also whole heartedly agree that someone being like one of us, able to hunt, or an involved parent does not inherently qualify them for the Vice Presidency. It's just not that simple, and to infer such things in campaign speeches is insulting to the voting public (who may occasionally deserve it, but still, I'd rather vote for someone who appeals to my higher tendencies than lower ones).

• Aside # 1: The wacky connotations occasionally attached to the term "pro choice" are why I tend to prefer the bumper stickers that say "Pro Family - Pro Child - Pro Choice" to those simply proclaiming support for choice.
• Aside #1-A: Check out Urban Conservative's alternate view of the above bumper sticker. I like Adam's reply in the comments section. Hear hear.
• Aside #2: In high school a friend and I used to jokingly refer to ourselves as "pro abortion" after a classmate used the term during debate class to describe those who are in favor of choice. "Abort 'em all!" we'd cry, tongues firmly planted in cheeks. Clearly I've mellowed with age.

The responses on Women Against Sarah Palin come from avowed liberals and conservatives, young and old, Republicans, Democrats, and others. There are a number of common themes in the responses. Many hold the same opinion I do, that being relatable does not qualify one for high office, and many more respondents are frustrated that the selection and verbiage used to introduce it suggested in some ways that women are interchangeable (sad that this must be clarified) or even universal in their interests. There are lots more personal, passionate and thought provoking arguments against the selection of Sarah Palin. I appreciate that the majority of letters are attacking the cavalier or cynical selection process rather than the woman herself. (My $0.02 is that Palin should not be blamed for accepting the nomination, or for the party choosing her for political reasons in the first place; she would be silly NOT to take up such a grand opportunity. I don't think she's a dummy.) Anyway, the website makes fascinating reading, and I recommend it.

Jib Jab

Apparently my nephew has gotten hooked on watching JibJab videos online. I like that there's humor out there which appeals to 6 year olds and 37 year olds alike (although we might be taking different things from the experience). Anyway, check out JibJab's latest election animation short, Time for Some Campaignin', for a quick laugh.

Fiscal Incompetence

Today's Fresh Air featured a thoughtful and amusing take on the current financial crises facing banking giants and the economy as a whole. I highly recommend a listen.

Have I mentioned how frustrated I am by the fact that California does not yet have an approved state budget? The tenth largest economy in the world is over 2 months overdue on figuring out how to pay the bills for the next year! Argh.

And the United States deficit continues to grow. And we continue to import heaps of stupid (and some not so stupid) stuff and borrow money from foreign governments and exercise funky public reporting practices to ignore/avoid dealing with this growing problem. All the while infrastructure crumbles, imbalances in wealth increase, and we focus our attentions on how potential Presidents/Vice Presidents promise the moon without thinking about who else is not only useful but required in lassoing it. Double argh.

UPDATE
Lots of people blame California budget delays on the fact that the state (namely, its voters) requires a two-thirds majority in the legislature to pass each year's budget. Others get frustrated with career politicians who can't seem to think outside the box (or their district). I agree that these are part of the difficulty. But a much bigger portion of blame goes to the voters of the Golden State who continue to pass boneheaded (or well intentioned but ill conceived) ballot initiatives that tie the legislature's hands when it comes to how the budget is divvied up. See Comment section for more grievance-airing on this subject.

I've mentioned previously my love of letters to the editor. Today's San Jose Mercury News had a bunch of good examples to keep my love affair going. And one just happens to make a perfect addition to this blog posting. The following is San Jose reader Chris Bencher's (tongue-in-cheek) take on how California can get out of its financial messes just like big financial firms do:

Maybe feds can bail out California
How about this? Let California take extra withholdings from our paychecks, which will be settled up when we do our income taxes next year. It's effectively an "interest-free loan" to the government. Then, if California does not pay us back by April 15, 2009, we impose a 12 percent interest rate. Then we'll call this a "sub-prime" loan from the people to the state.

Then, the people can have the option to sell those sub-prime loans to companies like Freddie Mac and Lehman Brothers. The federal government will bail them out when Californai defaults, and voila! We just passed the California budget problem to a federal budget problem. A perfect solution.

By the way, the paycheck withholding part of the above deal is attached to the actual proposed budget for California. The legislature proposes the state withhold $1.6 billion this year from state worker paychecks, thereby giving the state coffers a $1.6 billion influx of cash. Then California would refund the full amount next year in state tax returns. All I'll say in response is, please go listen to Michael Greenberger's observations about shady financing (yesterday's Fresh Air).

UPDATE #2
Check out David's take on the government bailouts of financial firms. You go, David.

UPDATE #3
The credit crunch and California's slow movement to a budget have converged. Now the state is asking the US government for a $7 billion loan because its usual source of short term loans has dried up with the credit crisis (read the NY Times story). As if our existing bond-debt and fiscal short sightedness weren't sufficiently burdensome. ACKK!!!

Justifying crankiness

Not that you asked, but I've been feeling a bit cranky this past week. Instead of going through all the reasons I ought to get over it, I thought I'd take this opportunity to go through possible root causes of my crankiness.

1. 24-hour heat. Last week here in NorCal it didn't cool down until the wee hours of the morning each night. I am not well equipped to be warm most hours of the day. I'm born and bred a Californian, acclimated to warmth during the day and coolness at night. When I first moved to Texas I did not sleep restfully for several weeks. After my general crankiness and malaise caught David's eye, he decided to crank up the A/C (normally it was set to 78 degrees, and he lowered it to, like, 70 or something--wow, huh?). A few evenings of anti-environmental indulgence and I was back to my usually cheery form (sad, but true). I do not have that option now at my place in California. Thus I have been a bit overheated and cranky as a result.

2. 24-hour election coverage. We're two months from election day and the media are already making daily predictions about the Presidential race (monthly and weekly were frustratingly pointless; daily just puts my TV in jeopardy). I saw the CNN guy doing his electoral college math this morning, placing one state in a red column and another in blue (but wait, if we switch this and this then we get yet another hypothetical result). Fox News predictably reported on the big bump in polls the Republican ticket received after Palin selection (never mind margins of error, sample size, or other statistical relevance). Enough already! Can't we just let people watch debates, read substantive issue statements, and think for themselves before voting. I know, I live in political fantasyland (which is very citizen friendly and well managed, operating under a balanced, compassionate budget, by the way). And lest you tell me to just turn the TV off, I will point out I watched none of these items directly but instead overheard them as my housemate watched.

3. 24-hour hurricane coverage. Okay, natural disasters are terrible things, wreaking havoc in mere hours or minutes. It's sad that people die or have their livelihoods destroyed by the whims of nature. And looking at real devastation after the fact has a way of reaffirming life, which does have its value. Nature is awe inspiring, and we do well not to forget that. But we do not need to spend hours and days imagining all the terrible things that could be coming, even those events that threaten us sooner rather than later. If you want to play the odds, then it's usually a safe gamble to not worry about natural disaster, as relatively few will befall any of us directly in our lifetimes. And when something bad does occur, having worried over it will not have helped get us through it. Being practical and organized and action-oriented will help a lot, on the other hand. I am tired of hearing about how horrible things could be along the Gulf Coast with each impending tropical system. Having lived there (and through a few of them), I know that residents of the area are well aware of the risks. I am okay with allowing regional authorities to work through their preparations (and hopefully learn from experience) as they see fit. I am also okay with outsiders contributing to such preparations. I am not okay with doom-and-gloom reporting about events that may or may not occur and over which I have absolutely no control. (This last item ties to one of my easiest crankiness-triggers: complaint without action. You shouldn't complain if you aren't doing something about the underlying problem.)

4. Nothing to root for? My long-admired presidential candidate has been pandering more than I'd like recently, and the election has gotten to that superficial, do-what-it-takes-to-get-our-party-in-power stage. The Republican convention speakers seemed to rely on negativity, sarcasm, and put downs, which so do not inspire me. I know all of this is what typically happens and sort of expected it, but still I feel let down. The fall television season has presented no appealing new programming (apart from that Hole in the Wall gameshow which is fun for 10 minutes then I feel a bit dirty having laughed so hard at it, so I know the appeal won't last). I've got hours of programs that have languished, unviewed and unenticing, for months on my Tivo (apart from Mad Men and Project Runway, which are a few bright spots in my tv/film viewing these days). Sports usually entertain me, but there I've experienced disappointment too. My baseball team is winding down a rather abysmal season, and my fantasy team never got out of the middle of the pack. My football team, after an encouraging preseason, started the regular season with a disappointing loss yesterday. And my dreams and ideals about our home have turned to reality and a whole lot of work. We still face future remodeling of kitchen and bathroom, with many of the requisite details to be chosen. And even then i'ts not like we're creating our dream home. *sigh*

I long for something or someone to be cheery about, something meaningful and lasting to look forward to. Maybe some private aspiration that even once it's accomplished is sort of interestingly self perpetuating. Hey, I've got the perfect solution: I'll have a baby! ;)

Wendell Berry

As I watch the presidential conventions muddle along, I find myself yearning for thoughtful, significant observations on the needs of our modern society and ideas for how best to take care of our country and people. The following final remarks in Wendell Berry's 2001 essay "Thoughts in the Presence of Fear" soothed me. I love how his prescribed worldview combines sustainability, interconnectedness, and simplicity.

XXI. What leads to peace is not violence but peaceableness, which is not passivity, but an alert, informed, practiced, and active state of being. We should recognize that while we have extravagantly subsidized the means of war, we have almost totally neglected the ways of peaceableness. We have, for example, several national military academies, but not one peace academy. We have ignored the teachings and the examples of Christ, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and other peaceable leaders. And here we have an inescapable duty to notice also that war is profitable, whereas the means of peaceableness, being cheap or free, make no money.

XXII. The key to peaceableness is continuous practice. It is wrong to suppose that we can exploit and impoverish the poorer countries, while arming them and instructing them in the newest means of war, and then reasonably expect them to be peaceable.

XXIII. We must not again allow public emotion or the public media to caricature our enemies. If our enemies are now to be some nations of Islam, then we should undertake to know those enemies. Our schools should begin to teach the histories, cultures, arts, and language of the Islamic nations. And our leaders should have the humility and the wisdom to ask the reasons some of those people have for hating us.

XXIV. Starting with the economies of food and farming, we should promote at home, and encourage abroad, the ideal of local self-sufficiency. We should recognize that this is the surest, the safest, and the cheapest way for the world to live. We should not countenance the loss or destruction of any local capacity to produce necessary goods

XXV. We should reconsider and renew and extend our efforts to protect the natural foundations of the human economy: soil, water, and air. We should protect every intact ecosystem and watershed that we have left, and begin restoration of those that have been damaged.

XXVI. The complexity of our present trouble suggests as never before that we need to change our present concept of education. Education is not properly an industry, and its proper use is not to serve industries, either by job-training or by industry-subsidized research. It's proper use is to enable citizens to live lives that are economically, politically, socially, and culturally responsible. This cannot be done by gathering or "accessing" what we now call "information" - which is to say facts without context and therefore without priority. A proper education enables young people to put their lives in order, which means knowing what things are more important than other things; it means putting first things first.

XXVII. The first thing we must begin to teach our children (and learn ourselves) is that we cannot spend and consume endlessly. We have got to learn to save and conserve. We do need a "new economy", but one that is founded on thrift and care, on saving and conserving, not on excess and waste. An economy based on waste is inherently and hopelessly violent, and war is its inevitable by-product. We need a peaceable economy.

If you'd like to read more by Berry then I heartily recommend his collection of essays Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community. There you'll find he is strongly in favor of family, marriage, and community. He never hides his feelings about the need to emphasize local business and agrarian economies over any sort of global trade or industrialization. He's rather strongly against computers and other currently popular technologies (he is very concerned about easy access to information out of context). And he's a content Christian pacifist from Kentucky who embraces rather than runs from learning about other places and philosophies. A pretty cool guy, I think.

The lost art of subtlety

Hmm, do you think the Washington Post's honored editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant, whose current message piece is shown below, supports John McCain for President?

Guns

I usually enjoy Morgan Spurlock's "walk a mile in another person's shoes" television show 30 Days. Sometimes the episodes are really thought provoking, such as when a professional athlete lived life as a paraplegic in a wheelchair for the month, or when a laid off employee traveled to India to see who would be taking his job ("Outsourcing").

The best episodes are probably those in which Spurlock himself is immersed in some new activity/place for 30 days. The last episode to air had him living on the Navajo Reservation for the month. At the beginning of this season he was shown working in the coal mines of his native West Virginia. Last season he spent a month in jail, and in the series premiere he and his girlfriend lived on minimum wage for 30 days.

Sometimes the show misses, as when a mother took up binge drinking to better understand (and control) her daughter's college/party lifestyle ("Binge Drinking Mom"), or when a Mormon woman went to live with a family headed by two gay men ("Same Sex Parenting").

Still, 30 Days is almost always more interesting than whatever else is on in its time slot, even when the episode is unsuccessful at revealing any breakthroughs. But one episode recently got me so riled up in the first five minutes that I couldn't even watch it. It sent a gun control advocate to live with a father-son pair of gun enthusiasts ("Gun Nation"). I'm pondering what this says about me, and whether to be concerned about it or not. In the meantime, here's a lovely gun related headline to share:

Small Texas school district lets teachers, staff pack pistols

Come on, you know you want to read the whole story at Star-Telegram.com. Then come back here and share your thoughts.

Summer

Sorry I've been away for so long. I've been keeping myself occupied pondering politics and the California state budget (or lack thereof). I've also been busy backing up computer files (not one but both computers are acting odd). And of course I've spent a bit of time grumbling over NBC's choices for how to use primetime coverage of the Olympics. Then again, I've stayed up too late on several occasions watching said coverage, flipping channels as I awaited the two 5-minute segments I cared about in the 4-hour broadcast. And I've spent much more time than that sorting through seemingly regenerative piles of junk in our house, continuing our quest to have space to park at least 1 car in the garage and know where all desirable articles of clothing are without embarking on an archaeological dig (my standards aren't too high, are they?). Then there's cooking and cleaning and laundry and bill paying and filing and grocery shopping and family tending. Yes, I believe regular chores have been the biggest time sucker lately. And, ahem, working on dissertation stuff too, naturally.

But don't despair, for I've also had some fun lately. I went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk briefly yesterday and plan to do so again tomorrow. The weather's been gorgeous lately. I've been swimming regularly and am feeling comfortably back into my water exercise routine. I planted pretty (albeit some would say illicit) little flowers by my front door and have been tending several surprise tomato plants out back (or at least managing to do as well for them as the very poor starting soil will allow). I saw The Mummy 3 and was able to just enjoy the silliness rather than spend two hours critiquing and rolling my eyes (a major feat, there). I enjoyed the Niners victory Saturday night at Candlestick. And I've spent time with many friends and family in the past few weeks, whether floating around a swimming pool, in the hospital or at a birthday party in the park, over a losing game of Bingo, or just together for a casual meal.

So as summer approaches its unofficial close, I am happy to report it's been a good one. I hope yours has been good too.

Profit from this

In his bestselling business management book Good to Great, Jim Collins implies that there are companies which can perform well almost indefinitely. The boom-to-bust cycle can be curtailed, it would seem, if a company focuses in on what it's intended for and has the right people on board. These are nice, reasonable ideas and make good business sense overall, but can adherence to them truly predict greatness? According to Freakonomics co-author Steven Levitt, the answer in this case is no. Most of the "great" eleven companies profiled in the book are as much affected by up and down performance cycles as any company.

My question is, can anything predict an organization's ability to get to or remain at the top of the game? How often does any of us experience true "greatness" in our lives? Is it reasonable to assume it can be predicted, as if controllable? What do we gain and lose with attempts to make it happen? Something to ponder as you read From Good to Great...to Below Average. Then I encourage you to check out the Business Pundit's very reasonable (imho) review of books like Good to Great.

No malfunction here

Finally, some sanity to report. A federal appeals court threw out the FCC's $550,000 fine levied against CBS three years ago for Janet Jackson's alleged "wardrobe malfunction."

Is it elitist to say this whole thing is ridiculous?

The cover of The New Yorker this week--the July 14 issue depicting the Obamas surrounded by evidence of various false rumors--was, I thought, kind of funny. Not hilarious, mind you, but certainly not completely un-funny. Unfortunately I did not get to arrive at this conclusion before I had been told 12 ways how offensive it was. Apparently no one in the media who commented on the cover is an actual reader of the magazine (hello, context). Fortunately I can think for myself and can take political art with a grain of salt and a sense of humor.

I understand where artist Barry Blitt took a risk. Clearly not everyone has been following the easily disproven rumors that have been circulated concerning Barack Obama. David's grandfather thought the cover was terrible; I feel I should add that he is not a New Yorker reader and only heard about the cartoon from the story's heavy rotation on TV. When we discussed it over lunch I realized that where I saw a picture poking fun at all the absurd allegations and conjectures about our democratic Presidential nominee, he saw an artist promoting such allegations and conjectures.

As a political cartoonist I'd say it's Blitt's job to push the envelope, and sometimes it works better than others. While this one probably helped the New Yorker sell more newsstand copies, it probably won't go down as one of Blitt's best loved works. Consideration for that honor ought to go to Blitt's October 2007 New Yorker cover depicting Iranian President Ahmadinejad in a foot-tapping bathroom stall. Now that was some clever political-fun poking.

To finish things off I encourage you to check out a few other elitist funnies right after you read a bit more about charges of elitism in general.

• MUST READ: Jon Stewart on The Daily Show had a hilarious take on the latest New Yorker cover, including a fabulous response suggestion for the Obama camp.
• Daily Kos posting, The New Yorker Cover: An Anti-Elitist Opportunity
• And two more elitist New Yorker cartoons: one and two. (It's okay to label them as such; they use the word themselves.)

Drilling down

Take a look at this informative little financial opinion piece from The New Yorker on why oil prices are so high. After outlining a number of reasonable points, the author asserts that:

none of the problems that have driven up the price of oil lend themselves to a quick fix, and most, like the boom in global demand and the inaccessibility of certain oil fields, aren’t under our control at all.

Now go read what the Freakonomics guys have to say about why rising gas prices are so disturbing to us. Notice any similarities in the source of panic?

And on to a related topic...
Expanding offshore oil drilling alone will never solve our energy problems. Even if it were to be expanded (and politically, environmentally, and financially this is a huge longshot), the impact would be relatively small and not immediate (estimates vary, but the amount of oil and gas the industry itself predicts could be harnessed might get us only two years' worth of supply--then what do we do for a fix?). We might feel better in the short term by expanding drilling offshore, just because we took some action over which we seem to have control (it's a domestic bandage of sorts), but a year or two from now we will have moved on to whatever our latest insecurity is and not necessarily fixed the underlying need for the bandage. I don't think the environmental risk of drilling and piping-in is worth taking just so I can feel better for a few months, especially as it won't have effected a substantive solution whatsoever.

So expanded offshore drilling is not going to supply enough oil and natural gas to make an appreciable difference in energy prices for long enough to be significant, and once it’s used it’s gone (aka it is completely non-renewable). What are we supposed to do then? Oil is a one-trick pony (or Clydesdale horse, as the case may be); aren’t there other options we can expand upon? That’s what I want to hear people talk about—realistic, get started now, varied solution plans. What I’m sick of hearing about is how tough we all have it (I got it, can we move on now?), predictions of just how high gas/crude oil can/will go (predicting earthquakes holds about as much appeal for me—why do I want to constantly hear about something that might happen instead of living my life, which really is happening?), and arguments about whether offshore drilling is good or bad (there are other options, people, so get your heads out of your bottoms!).

Maybe when it comes to this latest oil/fuel price crisis we're both over-reacting and under-reacting. One on hand, the price of gas is in many ways out of our control, and what's the point worrying over things out of our control? On the other hand there's something we can very much influence: public policy. Last I checked, we live in a representative democracy, electing our public officials and voting not only in private at a ballot box a few times a year (assuming you take advantage of this nice privilege), but also in how we spend our money, how and how often we publicly state our opinions, and what news we choose to read. Imagine what would happen if we all started educating ourselves about government policies and practices?

Sorry, I’m just getting a bit tired of negative news and hype, people selfishly complaining but not taking care of themselves or contributing to meaningful solutions. *sigh*

If you choose not to decide,
You still have made a choice.
--from "Freewill" by Rush

I recommend these interesting reads, for your edification on the gas/oil/energy issues that are undeniable, if occasionally overhyped:

• Take a look at the article from The New Yorker entitled The Island in the Wind for an example of how a community of apathetic skeptics turned the idea of renewably energy into a successful, proud local enterprise
• Check out the Energy Information Administration, out of the Dept of Energy, for facts on the United States’ sources of crude oil and refined petroleum products.
• Follow this discussion about the gasoline market (warning, it's a bunch of economists)
  
• Read this progressive policy take on Gas Prices: Why Our “Free-Market” Economy is Anything but Free

Escape

I don't have a comfy air conditioned office to escape to these days, so when the heat wave struck this week I instead escaped to the movie theater. Apart from the negative cash flow aspect of such a plan, it's quite a nice way to spend one's weekday afternoon, dontcha think?

Wall-E
I could watch the character of WALL-E all day. He's just a trash compacting robot continuing to clear Earth of the mountains of trash that choked the planet and ultimately drove its remaining human inhabitants into space. But he's so darn cute. WALL-E is, alas, lonely, sharing his days and nights with an indestructible cockroach and a well organized collection of intriguing or useful objects. At the end of each workday he stows the day's findings in his trailer and dreams (with help from repeated viewings of Hello Dolly) of finding someone to love.

It's not surprising to us the viewers that just such a love interest arrives one day. EVE has come to scan Earth for signs of life, and her shiny, round sleekness entices WALL-E immediately. The majority of the film focuses on the classic romantic pursuit of WALL-E attempting to gain EVE's attention, affection, and hand. They travel far in space (apparently in a very short time, but I won't quibble) to dock with the cruise ship Axiom which houses Earth's human-evacuee descendants. Some hijinks ensue over control of the specimen EVE has brought back with her. There's also a rather unsubtle storyline about getting off one's bum and appreciating/working for what we have.

The ending could have turned bittersweet but instead is predictably hopeful. (As an aside, I'd love to see a darker ending released, as I think the final message could be more powerful, if less kiddie-friendly, but I know that ain't never gonna happen.) You can read and analyze all the detail you like about the storyline, but ultimately the charm of this film is firmly planted in liking and rooting for the character of WALL-E who--have I mentioned it?--is adorable. This latest Pixar offering is lovely from the get-go, and charming for all ages. Highly recommended.

The Visitor
There's nothing particularly remarkable or surprising about this quiet independent film, though I enjoyed it. The Visitor tells the story of college professor Walter Vale's gradual awakening from the fog of his adult life. Widowed and teaching courses by rote, Walter's bland existence is interrupted when he is forced into attending a conference in New York and finds two illegal immigrants in his long-unused apartment. He generously allows the harmless looking couple to stay until they can find a new place. The man, Tarek, is friendly to Walter, teaching him the joys of drumming, while Tarek's girlfriend Zainab is wary. When Tarek is detained by immigration and threatened with deportation, Walter becomes involved and along the way uncovers the passion he needs to move on with his life.

The Visitor is a nice movie, well acted and well paced. What is maybe nicest about it is that it gives veteran actor Richard Jenkins the chance to lead. The frustrations of impersonal immigration and detention policies probably won't surprise you, and the likelihood of finding innocent people living illegally in one's apartment are unreal, but these issues don't cloud the relating of Walter's overall journey. Recommended to fans of simple, independent movies.

Extra Feet

Scanning world headlines, this one caught my eye:

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Yet another human foot has washed up along the British Columbia coast.

Police in southwestern British Columbia say a left foot was found partially submerged in water on Westham Island, south of Vancouver, Monday morning.

It's the fifth foot in less than a year that has washed up on shorelines along islands in British Columbia

The four previous feet were all right feet wearing socks and shoes, and two of them were size 12.

The last one was found on May 22 on Kirkland Island in the Fraser River.

Police are trying to see if they are linked.

Gee, do you think there could be a connection?

South Bay living

Did you follow our spring house hunt, in which we looked for a house to settle into on the Peninsula? If so you might have been surprised to read we are in fact moving to a townhouse on the outskirts of Los Gatos. The short explanation is that this simplifies things. We already owned the place in LG, and decided a sure thing in the SouthBay was worth more than potential on the Peninsula (though we did look at some lovely homes). The decision making process was a bit of a roller coaster, and I'm ever so grateful to our patient and understanding families.

So this weekend we finalize our move from comfortable temporary lodgings at my dad's condo in Santa Clara, to the light-filled two-story townhome we purchased from David's grandfather Verl five years ago. And next week Verl will be joining us, moving back to the area from Santa Rosa, where he retired after David moved to Texas. In preparation we've been fortifying the insulation, making some changes for Verl, planting a few summer veggies in the patio area (thanks Pauline!), arranging (or finding new homes for) our furniture and stuff, and planning for several major updates (among the 1973-era appliances are the dishwasher and air conditioner, items which were undoubtedly quite luxurious back in the day).

We look forward to living there. We also look forward to having guests and parties and Sunday night dinners and movie nights and anything else that keeps us in touch with our friends. I hope you'll join us.

P.S. I would be remiss if I did not mention my joy over Obama's speech last night. Left me positively verklempt.

Birthday Countdown

For those of you not in the know, we are moving to Los Gatos next week. Also, my birthday is coming. Consider yourself informed.

We returned yesterday from our road trip to Oregon. (Check out selected pics.) A few highlights:

• We drove up I-5 and down 101 and stayed in three Oregon towns: Medford, Seaside, and Newport. We learned a lot about local history, bought virtually nothing but food, and decided the Prius is not the car for us.
  
• Oregon's beaches are absolutely gorgeous--sandy, long, easily accessed, and numerous. (They also happen to be lapped by some of the coldest water you'll ever not stick your toe into.)
• Oregon is very hilly.
• I loved the Japanese Gardens in Portland, where the free tour was particularly helpful in showcasing the careful planning of this delightful park. But don't talk on your cell phone while inside.
• I imagine the smell of thousands of roses in full bloom at the famed International Rose Test Garden must be overwhelming on a sunny day. I wouldn't know, as there was neither blooming nor sunshine going on the day we passed through.
• There's a thriving beachtown industry on the Oregon coast, offering all levels of comfort, from hike-in camping and trails to large hotels and vacation home rentals.
• Gasoline is strictly full-serve in Oregon, and prices are still at least $0.25 cheaper per gallon than in California.
• If you like clam chowder, fish and chips, and oysters then you will be well fed on the Oregon coast.
• If you like coffee, then the many non-Starbucks drive through coffee businesses will keep you well caffeinated while in the state.
  
• S'mores can be made quite satisfactorily in a microwave.

Titled

Not that you asked, but...

We have been engaged in a battle of wills with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for over a decade now, trying to get the title to our Subaru. Well, had been. Today, finally, the Subaru is truly ours.

This would be the car we've driven for almost 13 years. The one that has been registered to us in four states (counting CA twice). The car that has taken us across the country three times, accumulating more than 175,000 miles along the way. The car we paid off a decade ago. The car which I thought of as the first car I'd ever owned, but that was never legally mine because of inexplicable, bureaucratic confusion (mostly on DMV's end).

Right before we left for Oregon, we received the long-anticipated title from Virginia. I had thoughts of photographing it as a keepsake before turning it in to CA DMV, but when the moment came I was too excited and forgot to get the pic. Instead I rushed over to trade in my massive pile of stapled forms for one receipt and two license plates (which were being held hostage until said title arrived). The woman who helped me laughed at my enhusiasm (she probably doesn't see many people truly excited to be at DMV). But I don't care, because now the "Bubaru" is a recognized member of our family (yes, along with Pavel and Chester and Triple G and all the other non-sentient beings who inhabit our world).

News and Amusements

Today's topics:

• Counting down the news
  
• Stuck on the toilet (aka News of the Weird)
• A tornado and a Superfund site in Picher, OK
• Documentaries in the comfort of your living room
• Learning from the radio
• Learning from a funny book

Lots of intriguing news events to discuss lately, just in time to drown out the never ending presidential election. Of course, some of the news stories are sad or discouraging (cyclones, earthquakes, tornadoes, repressive government refusal of outside aid, rising domestic prices, etc). But other news is just plain weird. I like to take it all in.

I've grown fond of Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Granted when I watch I tend to do so in fast forward, skipping most of the longer segments (I'm not generally a fan of ratings-focused network news; for more balanced, in-depth current events reporting and analysis I strongly recommend you check out The NewsHour and The World). But Olbermann is always free with his opinions in an amusing way, he genuinely seems to care about important issues, and he does raise some good points. And his Worse, Worser, Worst Person of the Day bit at the end of the news countdown is hilarious (albeit often anti-Bush Administration). It's not must-see TV, but it's certainly entertaining. Recommended to liberals and news junkies.

[Warning: I have maybe a higher than average tolerance for graphic--but nonviolent--stories, and others might not like the visual imagery involved in this next paragraph. There, you've been warned....]
Do I live in a weird-news bubble? No one I've asked seems to recall the last time a woman was found on a toilet and had to be removed from the home with outside assistance. Apparently the boyfriend of this 35-year old woman left her sitting for two years because she wanted to be left there. Apparently the boyfriend has no sense of his own. She was there so long that her skin had overgrown the seat (which I can easily imagine, having had a similar skin growth experience with earrings when I was a kid, but that story is for another time). Think that's bad? The latest toilet story involved a 90-year old woman who died on the toilet and was left there for 2 months! Yuck. And it's not like she lived alone; since the woman was on the only toilet in the house, the household had to use a bucket (you can guess for what). They left her there because they thought she wasn't completely dead and they could pray her back to life. What?!

I was struck by this odd double-play of toilet victims, but apparently no one else I know was. Of course, I thought absolutely everyone within hearing distance of a TV or radio would have learned about the Austrian man who fathered 6 kids with his allegedly missing daughter (if you don't know the story I won't share it here). And yet my own brother hadn't heard. And David hadn't heard of it until I told him. (As I was relating the story to my brother, his jaw stuck open in shock, he looked to David who just said, "Oh it gets worse.")

Apparently I am drawn to news of the weird in a way that is not shared by those closest to me. I will thus keep further wacky news to myself and dedicate the remainder of today's posting to more erudite offerings, like public radio, documentaries, and explorations of religious life, in the hopes that I am somewhat redeemed in your eyes. :)

If you've read about the tornado in Picher, Oklahoma, then you probably also read that the town is a Superfund site. There was an interesting documentary about Picher called The Creek Runs Red, which aired on the public television series Independent Lens last fall. It tells the story of the birth and death of Picher's now-we-know-it's-toxic lead mining industry, and the government's recent efforts to empty the area of inhabitants. Many people chose to stay, either for financial or personal history reasons, and the filmmakers do a good job of highlighting the complexity of toxic cleanups in established communities, especially poorer ones. Ah, environmental justice.

The Creek Runs Red is just one of many fascinating documentaries aired on Independent Lens, and I would recommend many others for your viewing pleasure. David and I enjoyed the endearingly simple King Corn recently, even though most of its lessons about modern agricultural production can be learned just as well elsewhere. I was really touched by Hard Road Home, which shows the work of a New York City organization started by an enterprising ex convict dedicated to helping other ex-cons get on with productive lives; alas, as you might expect, it's not all happily ever after. Or check out Knocking to learn more about Jehovah's Witnesses (some of your assumptions about them just might be wrong). I coud go on and on; the series has showcased years' worth of award winning documentaries on every subject under the sun. I highly recommend it.

Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been particularly good lately. It's a daily radio program that airs on NPR stations around the country. Terry (or her guest host) invites writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, journalists and other observers and creators of interesting stuff to talk about their work for 20-40 minutes. Last Thursday on Fresh Air the guest was Adam Liptak, who contributes articles to the New York Times series American Exception, comparing the American justice system with practices around the world. While the topic could easily turn divisive (we're worse, they're better, and vice versa), Liptak is actually quite guarded in drawing conclusions about which are better approaches. Our way of policing crimes is different from other places, he points out; what I got from him was that it's more interesting (and useful) to contemplate "Why?" and "To what end?" than to assess anyone as better or worse. Back in March, after the whole Obama-Wright brouhaha erupted, Terry spoke with several insiders in the field of Black Liberation Theology, the brand of sermonizing Wright was associated with before becoming something of his own brand. Far from offering an excuse for Wright's words, Dwight Hopkins (talking to Terry on March 31) did contextualize some of them, and provided intriguing insight into the religious and cultural roots of traditional black church sermons. I recommend both of these programs, and Fresh Air in general (subscribe to the Fresh Air podcast, or just listen to the pieces on history of Black Liberation Theology and comparative justice).

I make a point of decompressing my mind (figuratively, not literally) before going to sleep, and amusing bedtime reading is essential in that process. Lately I'd been plowing through a lot of cheesy fiction before hitting a cheesy-fiction wall; then the heavens opened and my inbox notified me that one of my several new book requests at the library had been fulfilled, after months of waiting. The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible is so amusing it's become not only bedtime reading but also start-the-morning-with-a-smile reading as well. In this non-fiction, diary-style book, A.J. Jacobs describes his one-year mission to live the rules of the Old and New Testaments as faithfully as is reasonable in modern times. Some rules were easy to adhere to (and contemplating them offers a nice cultural history lesson, plus a healthy dollop of appreciation for modern living); other rules however were virtually impossible to avoid breaking (and the author's descriptions of trying are some of the funniest moments of the book). The Year of Living Biblically does start a bit unevenly, but I think that once you get the gist of what he's doing and why, it's really quite a nice combo of enlightening and entertaining. Recommended to anyone interested in religion and modern life.

Moving On

I've been struggling with moving on lately, letting go of things that occupy me (like the inefficiencies of the Stanford emergency room, but that's part of a story for another time). Sometimes not being able to let go is a bad thing (and in my case very annoying to David). But sometimes not wanting to let go is a natural thing, and quite reasonable.

David and I are finalizing our plans to move down to Los Gatos. Unpacking and settling into our newest home will be good, but the locale puts me a bit beyond easy driving range to get to my brother and his family. Soon I will have to say goodbye to my thrice-weekly Tae Kwon Do appointments with my nephew. I hope he looks back on our increased time together these past few months fondly. I know I will.

Common Sense for VP

Editorial cartoons might not change anything, but they can make the frustration a bit less painful. And it's always nice to know I am not alone.


So, what's a fiscal conservative, social liberal to do these days? Any good ideas out there for making government more efficient (or at least less wasteful)? Where is Dave when I need him?

Hope lives

I've heard various people remark that whichever Democratic candidate gets the nomination will get their vote. This tends to come from likely Democratic voters anyway, so it's not really a surprise. It's a nice time to be a Democrat, and most loyal party voters are content with either candidate. Usually I like having two good options, but in this case I'm just not so happy to have the choice.

I am one of those who rather irrationally dislikes the presidential-hopeful version of Hillary Rodham Clinton, and I don't like feeling this way. I respect her background in various public welfare type organizations. Her experience in Washington during Bill's presidency, although peripheral, is useful. She's probably a fine Senator (arguable, but it's a relative matter anyway). I adore the idea of breaking this political glass ceiling and electing a female President. And I think Bill would be a better first spouse than Michelle (though I do not feel as others do that having him back at the White House will make any meaningful difference whatsoever).

There, I've ventured into the realm of irrelevant, so I might as well go further. I can't put my finger on it, and maybe I'm just in a cranky mood every time I hear her speak, but Hillary's speeches and quips and debate replies tend to bug the crap out of me. I should capitalize that last bit, I feel it so strongly. I cannot listen to her speak without getting really irritated at some point. Don't misunderstand me--I don't hate her or object to her just out of hand. I agree with her stand on many issues, and give her credit for some really great answers. Too often, though, she seems phoney, opportunistic, lacking political integrity (yes, there is such a thing), a tad whiney, and I would trust her sticking to what she says only as far as I could throw her (which ain't that far).

But would I vote for her come November? Given the option of her versus McCain I'd probably have to go with her (he has a few pluses, but not in enough areas to outweigh the minuses). Anyway, I am hoping to not have to make that choice. I have lived with hope for a very long time. A few more weeks and months won't hurt me.

Deal with it

Too often research findings are intriguing but muddling. How often have you heard about a new study that makes you realize what you previously thought is in fact wrong? How are we supposed to deal with being told we're wrong, or worse, possibly wrong? I say go with door number 3.

Go play this online simulation game and test out your success with decision making using 2 goats as undesirables and 1 car as desired outcome. It's called a Monty Hall problem in honor of the Let's Make a Deal host (and his use of 3 doors, behind one of which is the best prize of all).

Now read this news story which explains how in a 3-choice situation where you've already made your decision, if you are shown one of the other 2 outcomes (and it's undesirable), then you will have better odds of getting what you wanted by switching to the last available option. The more you play, the closer you get to a statistical fact: You have a 66% chance of choosing the desired outcome by switching after being shown location of one undesired outcome.

[W]hen you stick with Door 1, you’ll win only if your original choice was correct, which happens only 1 in 3 times on average. If you switch, you’ll win whenever your original choice was wrong, which happens 2 out of 3 times.

Fascinating, right? The trouble is, the above three-door situation presents something of a false choice. In reality our choices are not all equal. Maybe we chose door number 1 because 1 is our lucky number; when shown that door 2 yields a bad outcome, changing away from 1 to 3 in order to get better odds is dependent upon the depth of my feelings toward both 1 and 3. Our real-life choices tend to be based on a long (and often undefined) list of desires and assumptions. Plus, the items behind the so-called door aren't necessarily static, but evolving and dependent upon their own complex set of decisions. So maybe the Monty Hall problem is just an entertaining mindgame to challenge our assumptions. At the same time, such research still illustrates the fact that committing to one choice isn't always the best way, even after being shown that an alternate path didn't work out (just because the other guy failed does not mean you have a 50-50 chance).

Have you ever worked with someone who would not back down from their decision? Chances are you've done it yourself, too, even when you feel in your gut that it might not be the best option? Why after making decisions do we often tell ourselves, "I made the right choice. It just didn't work out this time," even when there is evidence to the contrary available? The answer: Because we want to feel good about ourselves in order to keep going each day. Plus, we aren't in the habit of looking for evidence to the contrary of our beliefs. We all just want to feel that we are OK, so we seek out or create justifications and affirmations of our decision. (Read more about the concepts of irrational escalation and cognitive dissonance.)

No big deal, right? This is fine when you're talking about the decision to buy a shirt that turned out to be really tacky (and you don't realize it till months later, after you've worn it in public countless times). But this is not fine when you're talking about bankrupting your family because you buy multiple tacky shirts and instead of adjusting your shopping habits and tastes based on inklings of a problem backed by outsiders' negative feedback, you just go out and buy more or different. There's a matter of scale.

Last year I attended a talk given by retired UCSC professor Elliott Aronson on the subject of his new book, Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts. Aronson, a social psychologist, always has amusingly thought provoking stories to share. In this case he and Carol Tavris were exploring the idea of sticking to decisions, even when faced with evidence that the decision was a bad one, and the very slippery slope of justifying behavior. While such behavior does have its tragic downside (and several chapters of this fascinating book detail the very scary consequences of ignoring counter-evidence), some amount of self-justification is a necessary and useful part of human nature.

The mind wants to protect itself from the pain of dissonance with the balm of self-justification; but the soul wants to confess. To reduce dissonance, most of us put an enormous amount of mental and physical energy into protecting ourselves and propping up our self-esteem when it sags under the realization that we have been foolish, gullible, mistaken, corrupted, or otherwise human. And yet, much of the time, all this investment of energy is surprisingly unnecessary. (pp 216-217)

I'll let you read the book yourself to find out why they argue this to be the case. In the meantime, here's the joke which opened the chapter:

A man travels many miles to consult the wisest guru in the land. When he arrives, he asks the wise man: "Oh, wise guru, what is the secret of a happy life?"
"Good judgment," says the guru.
"But oh, wise guru," says the man, "how do I achieve good judgment?"
"Bad judgment," says the guru.

The authors present some pointed political commentary and are clearly no fans of President Bush's executive management in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the fundamental lessons of Mistakes Were Made are not political at all and ought not be dismissed due to subject matter chosen for examples. (This review does a great job of pointing out the pros and cons of the book.) After all, no one is perfect. :)

Life Lesson 1

Errors are inherent in baseball, as they are in medicine, business, science, law, love, and life. In the final analysis, the test of a nation's character, and of an individual's integrity, does not depend on being error free. It depends on what we do after making the error. (p 235)

Amen to that.

Alrighty then, escalation of commitment to bad choices is obviously not a good thing, but how are we to know we're doing it? Hint: Self awareness is a good thing. Another hint: Ignoring criticism and surrounding yourself with "Yes"-people is not a good thing. Maybe I didn't need this book to teach me that, but it's a provocative read and a good tool for self examination and improvement, which I think is another good thing.

Life Lesson 2
There is no way to always get the car; you're going to end up with a few goats. Deal with it, learn from it, move on. And don't forget to tell yourself, "I am OK," because, unless you are currently under attack by that goat behind door 2, it's true.

Snuffed Out

Today I went to San Francisco to watch the Olympic Torch Relay. Here's a list of things I encountered there:

• A lot of people waving gigantic Chinese national flags.
  
• Train cars and vans full of pro-China attendees, most carrying Chinese flags.
  
• Several arguments between small groups of Chinese nationals and frustrated middle aged American men.
• Chants of "Li-ar! Li-ar! Li-ar!" as anti-China/pro-Tibet protestors passed by.
• Counterchants, intended to be said just ahead of the above, of "Chi-na! Chi-na! Chi-na!" (To clarify, this last was said by the anti-Chinese government protesters, meaning presumably the pro-China ones were claiming honesty for their own government.)
• A fair number of ridiculous and superficial barbs hurled from both sides.
• More Tibetans (or Tibetan-looking people, I didn't stop to ask or question their ethnicity) than I will likely ever see in one place again, unless I someday travel to Tibet.
• Various pro-Turkmenistan and pro-Burma demonstrators, as well as many combinations of other anti-China message promoters ("China out of..." followed by a list, for example).
• A lot of "stop the genocide" sort of generic protest signs (to which I wanted to ask just which genocide they were referring exactly, because really, this is a rather big request to be just bandying about inefficiently).
• Countless "Another [fill in the blank] for a free Tibet" and "China: Listen to the Dalai Lama" signs, some alongside anti-Dalai Lama signs.
• A rather well organized and thoroughly peaceful multi-generational group of green-clad Save Darfur demonstrators, standing along the road behind professionally made banners and large clusters of green balloons.
• A megaphoned message from an unseen individual several hours later and a mile up the road, announcing, "Attention Darfur people, we need everyone to go to Justin Herman Plaza. Do NOT let the torch reach the closing ceremony!"
• One of the cheesiest cover band performances ever, on stage at the planned site of closing ceremony.
  
• Pot smoking, incense burning, whistle blowing, and meditation bell chiming.
• Three naked men standing in the middle of the Embarcardero engaged in some sort of peaceful political commentary which I missed because I was trying to get a picture of them all lined up and kept getting blocked by others trying to do the same.
• A family of balloon artists cranking out red and yellow hats decorated on front with Olympic rings.
• More reporters than I have ever seen at any event in my life, and I've attended some pretty large or at least significant events.
• A lot of people apparently there on this beautiful day to just peacefully and happily watch the torch and surrounding events, not cause any sort of a ruckus. (How much of a ruckus can you cause in a suit on your lunch hour or while carrying a toddler?)
• A lot of people waiting all along the planned route--but also room for even more people (it was never difficult to find an open space along the barricades to easily view torch passing, that is, if the torch had ever passed it would have been easy enough to get a front row view).
• A lot of confusion about where the torch was and when it would be appearing.
• A gorgeous, lively day spent along the waterfront of San Francisco.

What I did NOT see at today's torch relay:

• A litter problem
• Violence
• Out of control crowds
• Concessions of any kind (and I'm not referring to the food variety)
  
• Exertion in attempting to dissuade crowds from gathering along or entering the proposed route
• The torch (sigh)