2915 Global Warming

There's a slight hope that Americans are recognizing the scam and hoopla of global warming. Grich has a nice overview of Monday's speech by Senator James Inhofe, who is the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and his concern that the media is accepting lies and half truths and alarming the public.

"Since 1895, the media has alternated between global cooling and warming scares during four separate and sometimes overlapping time periods. From 1895 until the 1930’s the media peddled a coming ice age.

From the late 1920’s until the 1960’s they warned of global warming. From the 1950’s until the 1970’s they warned us again of a coming ice age. This makes modern global warming the fourth estate’s fourth attempt to promote opposing climate change fears during the last 100 years."

Climate Change
global warming

2914 The NIE leaker

The Democrats and their fellow travelers have lessened the chances of a timely withdrawal from Iraq, in my opinion. We saw it happen in Vietnam, with the young John Kerry-types in the forefront of the protests, giving hope and comfort and energy to the enemy, and it's happening again. Although as long as Bush is President, we probably won't run out on the people we've put at risk by liberating them from a tyrant.

But I'm really wondering about the latest government leaker. He seems to be in cahoots with the guy lowering gasoline prices. The NYT obviously took the terrorism quote out of context, but it can't be refuted without divulging critical information by releasing the whole thing, so we have accusations of "cherry-picking" from both sides. What the President has chosen to release is much more damning to the Democrats than what the leaker released to the NYT. We know the leak is related to the coming election, because the report is so old. So that doesn't look real great for the Dems either. It seems to be the old timey story of the media in bed with the Democrats, except. . . This global terrorism increased threat when you really look at it, is Muslims killing Muslims--all over the world. Many more than U.S. forces have killed. And before George Bush, they were going after us, here and abroad, and succeeding, too. Whether Clinton was busy with other adventures or he just had bad advice, he didn't push back.

Given human nature, and the history of past wars, is there some reason why their violence would NOT escalate when someone started to push back. Afterall, they aren't Democrats who run when someone says "boo."

Andrew C. McCarthy says, well duh, Osama said it in 1998!
Daniel McKivergan quotes Richard Clarke, one of Clinton's favorite sources in defending himself on Fox News.
Bull Moose notes that the Iraq war did not create Jihadism.

2913 Log-in requirements

If there's anything that leaves me cold at a good blog, it is the log-in or registration requirements. Yes, I know, you could say blogger.com requires it, but at least most people using blogspot allow anonymous comments. The most recent aggrevation was Article VI Blog. They had some good ideas on the Mitt Romney candidacy (theme of the blog is politics, religion and the constitution). However, you can't comment if you're not registered; in fact, you can't even send a general thought to the site owner if you don't have a log-in. I would have e-mailed the guy that he had a nice site. I can't remember a zillion passwords (already have 10 or 12 + 3 e-mail addresses). I checked the site's forum and I think they had 29 people registered. Need to open a few windows before they get stale. It's a good site, but way too restrictive and I probably won't return. On the Thursday Thirteen meme days, I'm down to visiting blogspot folks unless I know ahead that I won't have to jump through hoops to comment. And using Mr. Linky just means registering twice, so I avoid that too.

2912 Property reappraisal

We had dinner last night with fellow Lakesiders--i.e., we all own property in a vacation community on Lake Erie, where the land is owned by an association. We lease our land and the house only has 730 sq. ft. So we get virtually no services from the county, or the township who sets all our codes and rules, and almost no children live in the town because most home owners live elsewhere. We are not counted among the 40,000 residents of the county (over one billion in taxable property), but about 60% of the families who do live there have no children.

We were all stunned by the new increases. Are they gold plating the gymnasium of Danbury Township High School? Of course, we don't vote in that district so we have no say in how they divvy up their golden egg (i.e. Lakeside), but I think they are close to killing the goose, and if not that, the character of our little community. Increasingly, only the wealthy can afford to buy there, and in recent years builders have been building spec houses, and even some three or four "locals" are buying up multiple properties.

First, the actual year around residents who live and work in Ottawa County or nearby sold out and moved to less expensive towns; now many retirees are selling off because the taxes are quite high (for nothing in return). When the wealthy move in, we've noticed their "wants" and "gotta-haves" start changing the very reasons they bought property there. Their homes are professionally landscaped and decorated; their donations to the various fund raisers carry much more weight than the folks who have more modest means; they populate the various boards and committees. In checking the county stats, I see that Ottawa County has half the Ohio poverty rate--about 5%--probably because all the poor had to move!

Second homes accounted for the last real estate boom. So if you've bought one, you've probably experienced the same thing.

Technorati has 26 posts tagged Lakeside, Ohio and most of them seem to be mine. So here's one more.

Lakeside, Ohio
Ottawa County Ohio
property taxes
vacation homes

2911 Natural tobacco

Have you seen the ads for "natural tobacco?" The one I saw the other day reported that it doesn't use any of the 464 chemicals found in other cigarette brands (I don't know if they are all in the same cigarette, or if they are adding several brands together).

Oh goody. A real natural death, instead of an unsafe, chemical death. And the various lung associations and health organizations say this is just a marketing ploy (as are most products marketed as "natural") because even without the synthetics, they may contain higher levels of nicotine and tars. Bidis or beadies, the poor man's cigarette, which are flavored, are particularly bad.

Most chronic, addicted smokers started as teen-agers. By the time their brains have matured and they can make sound choices, the nicotine pull on the brain function is very strong, overriding their common sense.

2910 A healthy heart

If you're reading this, you're probably younger than me, just because of the average age of bloggers. Maybe feeling smug about that? I'm your mother's age--or gasp, your grandmother's? Touch of ageism? That's OK. I was that way too when I was in my 20s and 30s. Thought the good life was all about being young. Why, I'm not sure, since most of the really happy and secure people I knew back then were all older! They'd all successfully met challenges and were enjoying life. Go figure. I didn't know then I would live to be over 65 or be married almost 50 years--just assumed it. Most people in my family did.

It's a fact. Everyone ages; but we don't all do it the same. And it's always been that way. The maximum life span really hasn't changed much. We're saving a lot more babies, and licked many childhood diseases, so the average lifespan has changed, but we've always had the old-old. If I can trust my genealogy research, many of my great-great-greats lived well into their 80s and some into their 90s. In fact, you can't choose your parents, and for all the hoop-la about environmental hazards and mad-cow and E. coli, there's only one thing you can do that's a sure fire way to get older by extending your own lifespan.

I was born with a heart problem--an extra circuit that acted up more and more as I got older. I didn't know I had an electrical misfire, and neither did my doctors, because unless you're having tachycardia or arrhythmia while you're at the hospital or clinic for something else, no one finds it. And if you've lived with it all your life, you just think light-headedness is normal. This flaw in my circuitry was discovered 10 years ago and I was medicated to control it. I had an ablation in 2002 to destroy the circuit, was medicated again until the rhythm was right, and then since about 2004 have had the heart God intended.

Miracle of modern medicine--pharmaceutical research and surgical skill. You bet I am. But the only thing I can do personally to slow down the actual aging of my heart is caloric restriction. It is not the same as lowering my body weight. Reducing body size through exercise doesn't have the same effect. "Decreasing caloric intake by 30% or 60% significantly prolongs maximal lifespan in laboratory animals when instituted at young or middle age." [Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 47, no. 2, 2006]

This is bad news for those of us raised on a typical Western diet. We want to blame the transfatty acids, or McDonald's or dirty air, or something in the water, or the Bush Administration for not funding more programs in schools, but the fact is we're in charge of prolonging our lives by reducing our caloric intake. Caloric restriction delays or prevents other problems too, not just heart problems, and I'll leave it to you to look it up. PubMed (Medline, National Library of Medicine) is free and you can get the articles at your local library.

I guess that's why the really old people we see are so skinny. With a BMI of 19.7 (the mean in human studies), people would probably think I was 90.

2909 Speaking of photos

When I take photographs, I'm always reminding people to take off their sunglasses. Big black blobs on the face don't make for good pics unless you're a bumblebee. But in this Wordless Wednesday at Ribbiticus' site, you can see the eyes and nothing else. Makes you wonder why they even bothered or how they would know if a stranger stepped in.

2908 Rescuing old photos and diaries

When the family was cleaning out the apartment of Neno, my husband's grandmother, after her death in the 1970s there was a large box of photos that no one wanted. I glanced through it, didn't know most of the people, but grabbed it like it was gold. It is such a treasure! I just can't imagine anyone tossing old family memorabilia. And that's how Travels with Jean became a retrospective blog. It tells the travels of Jean Ritchie, a British maiden lady, a mid-wife, who traveled with her mother and sister, keeping detailed diaries illustrated with photos, postcards and trip memorabilia. After her death in the 1960s, most of her diaries were destroyed--deemed worthless by the people who settled her estate. But her sister had 3 of them, and her sister was the godmother of the person who is posting Jean's diaries on the internet so they won't be lost like the others were. Isn't that great? Stop by and take a look.

2907 Friday Family Photo

This old photo is new to me. We just got it last week while visiting my husband's family in California.



It was taken July 4, 1953 at Lake Webster, Indiana, where my husband's grandfather and aunts owned a summer cottage together. Although he rarely saw his father, the aunties made sure my husband and his sister were included in everything and they have many happy memories of summer vacations at the lake with aunts and uncles and cousins. This photo includes my husband's sister Jean (in the swim cap), his cousin Darlene, his cousin Janie Kay (daughter of cousin Alberta) sitting on his knee, and a friend Katherine Ring.

Last summer we ran into some residents of Lake Webster while we were at Lakeside. I believe they told me that it is no longer a vacation destination, but primarily an area of permanent homes.

Lake Webster, Indiana
old photographs
families
1950s

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Food Triggers
Last week I wrote on my TT: "I watch my weight. I watch it go up. And then I'm really careful and I watch it go down. This is called yo-yoing, and all the ladies know this is not good, but we all do it."

We all have them. Certain flavors, snacks or habits that throw all our good intentions to the wind. I don't have a problem with candy or desserts or ice cream. Here are my triggers--obviously a few more than 13 which is why I grouped them. If I can avoid these, I don't even get hungry.

1. potato chips or corn chips
2. saltines or Ritz
3. Anything wrapped, inserted, folded or inside pastry--could be apple pie, chicken pot pie, or taco salad
4. cheddar cheese or American cheese or cream cheese especially on #2
5. pizza any type, but especially pepperoni with double cheese
6. peanut butter anything, especially with chocolate
7. French fries
8. sour cream or gravy
9. biscuits, rolls, bread
10. butter or margarine especially on #2 or #9
11. Lots of choices, buffet, snack trays
12. Reading food blogs, recipe magazines, watching Food channel
13. Snack food aisle in grocery store

Do you know your triggers?

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2905 Solitary

is the title of a piece of fiction written by a policeman who blogs. Go over here to Texas Music and read it. It's one of the best I've read on the net, or maybe anywhere in a long time. And I know a bunch of writer wannabees. Then stop at Joel's blog and read his comments on it.

2904 Sometimes you get what you pay for, and then keep on paying

I often wonder what the unintended consequences will be for some of the modern "green" designs. A school board in Illinois is suing the architect of their new $1.5 million multipurpose room at the school that is unusable. The concrete construction was supposed to be cheaper and more energy efficient, but instead, the sound is deafening.

"The Pontiac-William Holliday school board voted Tuesday to sue the architectural firm that designed its new multipurpose concrete dome building.

At issue is a deafening echo and reverberation in the $1.5 million circular building that houses a gymnasium and band room at William Holliday Elementary."


Full story Archi-Tech Magazine. The dome shape was one of the reasons the bond issue passed. Story here. Still listed on the architectural firm's resume.

Isn't there a way to test this stuff ahead of time? When Frank Lloyd Wright began using concrete block and ran into structure and water problems, you could say new material and methods were to blame. But in 2004?

2903 Coming soon at this blog

Tomorrow for Thursday Thirteen I'm going to list my 13 food triggers. These are the tasty morsels, memories or events that make you want to eat more. I've sent the list to my sister so that when we visit in October, she will have nothing delicious or yummy in the house.

As far as I'm concerned, all the diet advice is wrong or at least misleading. What actually works is so boring no one would read it so it is rarely published. Except here. As I've said many times, here and to your face, losing weight isn't rocket science (unless you have a malfunctioning endocrine system, then it's a bigger challenge). Think ELMM. Say it. Sing it. "Eat less, move more."

Last year about this time I noted that winter is on the way, the season we Midwesterners plump up from lack of light and becoming couch potatoes. We put on fat layers like we were bears ready for hibernation. I was doing pretty good in 2005--lost 5 of the 20 lbs and then I visited my sister in October. It's not that we ate so much--oh, we went out a few times--but it is cozy, comfortable and chatty to be with her. That's the death knell for for changing bad habits into good. It requires peanut butter on toast, or something sprinkled with cheese. That brings on the "Oh, well" attitude. But I don't want to get ahead of tomorrow's Thursday Thirteen. Stay tuned.

2902 I watched 3 TV shows!

I overslept this morning until 6:15. My inner clock is confused with the trip to California, where I was waking up at 4 a.m. which was 7 a.m. in Ohio. However, I watched three TV shows last night--"Dancing with the Stars," the premiere of the new Ted Danson show, "Help me help you," and "Boston Legal," which I'd never seen. Thoroughly enjoyed them all. We love to dance and enjoyed ourselves at Debbie and John's wedding reception Saturday night where the disc jockey played a minimum of the boomer tuners and almost nothing of Gen-X era stuff.

The Boston Legal show was the premiere of season three and the introduction of some new characters (I think). Here's the scoop from a fan site: "New attorney Jeffrey Coho and Denise Bauer defend a judicial clerk suspected in the death of the married judge he was sleeping with. Alan enlists successful domestic law attorney Claire Simms to help an adoptive mother who was fired for requesting maternity leave, made all the more challenging when she meets her client, a large African-American transvestite. Denny is accused of being a dwarf bigot and Shirley demands the complaint against him gets resolved before it tarnishes the firm." I thought it was hilarious and touching, especially the big black guy Clarence who thought he was more funny as Clarissa. The Denise Bauer character was great. The dwarf episode shows up everyone's inner bigot.

I also enjoyed the Ted Danson premiere even though some critics panned it. I recall one contract job I had for a library network in which we shared the building with a psychiatrist and his clients. We often heard screams and yells from his office, and sometimes I think it was he and his wife, so I'm not surprised that counselors have significant personal problems.

The Dancing show always suffers from a weak female host, this year Samantha Somebody. I find it hard to believe that with all the female celebrity wannabees they can't find someone who at least looks happy to be on camera. Maybe they do that to keep Tom Bergeron looking quick and funny?

My husband kept saying, "Who are these people?" But I think I recognized more than I did in season 1 (when the soap star I'd never seen before showed us way too much), which was a summer replacement that caught on, wasn't it? Here's this season's bios, but the website is way overdone with annoying advertising. Bruno has a blog. Jerry Springer, a fellow Ohioan, wants to hang on only long enough to learn the waltz for his daughter's wedding. He was the worst male dancer, so that was probably a ploy for votes.

Boston Legal
Dancing with the Stars
Help me help you
season premieres
Our California Trip

Hypochondria

You Are 0% Hypochondriac

While your physical health isn't always perfect, you don't freak out about it. You know there's only so much you can do, and worrying doesn't change anything.

Are You a Hypochondriac?

2900 Snot funny

I was just browsing one of my favorite lady bloggers. Talented, professional gal. Not yet 40 and has had several strokes. So what's she doing? Getting drunk. Not often, in fact rarely. But I think she needs all the brain cells she's got left. We all do. Maybe the stroke took her critical decision making skills.

2899 Journalist pot calls blogger kettle black

Robert J. Samuelson writes for two well known publications, Newsweek and the Washington Post which syndicates him in other mega-cities. Millions of readers see his photo. He runs around the country speaking to big poo-bah conventions and picking up awards. I read his tirade against bloggers column in the Orange County Register.

I find it a bit disingenuous for a man who earns his living telling others what to think with the printed word with his face attached to the column to say that bloggers "scream for attention." Or that they "aim to make money." Or that they don't fear a violation of their right to privacy (he's a liberal, but I'm guessing he has little privacy). Or that they are extroverts in crass self-promotion. Or that some who claimed to be amateurs were really aspiring film makers (like no "real" journalist has ever scammed the public?). Or that only 11% of bloggers write about politics and government (how many newspaper columnists do as compared to entertainment and fashion another form of crass self-promotion?). Or that bloggers have "undiluted passion for self-publicity" (he has never signed a contract with an agent or griped to an editor about column inches?).

What a cry baby.

2898 The most powerful women

The Sept. 15 issue [I think that was the date] of Forbes features a story on the 100 most powerful women. I was somewhat dismayed to see that Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, and Meredith Viera were listed. Shouldn't they be on the celebrities list? I mean, gosh, they read the news from teleprompters! The U.S. only got 53 slots and 3 go to celebrity news readers? They don't create anything, not even money like Oprah does (she's justifiably on the list). And Melinda Gates? She married well. Laura Bush at least helped George be a success with some tough love; I think Bill Gates made it with little help from Melinda, no matter what she thinks about malaria (and I personally think she's wrong).

So I checked Google to see who was on the list of the 100 most powerful men, or even most powerful people, but there wasn't such a list. I wanted to see if Charlie Gibson or Matt Laurer made it, or any spouses besides Kerry and McCain whose political careers would be toast if they hadn't married money.

There are 4 Israeli, 2 Indian, and 7 black women (from various countries); no Canadians. 30 are in government and 48 run corporations. I question that Hugh Hefner's daughter should be on the list--surely there are more important women in publishing.

Incidentally, all things being equal, women earn as much or more than men. Single woman without children earn more than single men without children; and any woman working 80 hour weeks, willing to travel and relocate and have absolutely no life other than work, with a supportive spouse, gets the same compensation or better. See this Forbes article It seems that women have different career goals than men. Huddathunkit.

Forbes
women
gender
economy
celebrities

2897 Who is President Tom?

While walking in the park with my radio yesterday morning I was listening to Glenn Beck talk about "President Tom." Who is that, I wondered, figuring it was a nickname and he'd clarify. I don't watch his TV show (in my opinion his radio presentation has weakened a bit since he has to devote so much time to TV). His callers seemed to know President Tom. He said he was afraid of him. So I looked it up. Google, which has been annoyingly anticipating all my questions lately, didn't throw it up on the screen. So I found the Glennpedia, which reported:

"President Tom is Glenn's name for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran." Some liberals progressives don't like it that Glenn has compared President Tom's speeches to those of Howard Dean and Michael Moore. I'm just saying. . .

No comment

You Should Weigh 141

If you weigh less than this, you either have a fast metabolism or are about to gain weight. If you weigh more than this, you may be losing a few pounds soon!

How Much Do You Weigh?

Monday Memories

This photo is from my sewing blog, but I'll repost it here because I can't get blogger to upload the photo I wanted to use.


So I'll just list the items here that are "memories." The quilt was made by my grandmother's sister Martha who died in childbirth at age 34 in 1889 leaving a husband and two little boys; the two cloth dolls are mine, one made for me by a neighbor, Ruth Crowell, and one by my mother; next to them is a handmade by my great-grandfather, stackable spool thread holder and pin cushion, with 19th century thread; the 2 glass jars have decorative glass lids and were used for jelly and jam made by my grandmother from her grape arbor; the decorative plate belonged to my husband's grandmother, Neno; the odd shaped metal thing lying on its side was used by my great-grandmother Susan to punch down bread dough back when that activity consumed a lot of a woman's time; the blue glass insulator is from an electric pole probably replaced in the 1940s; the dark cup is actually a sterling silver engraved baby cup given to my daughter by her paternal grandparents (needed some polish); in the cup are engraved baby spoons given to our oldest son; the long flat object is a rug hooker in its original box used by my great-grandmother and I think it was used for repair, not for making rugs.

Hanging on the wall in a ca. 1930s frame is an embroidered saying about mothers, and I think it was made by my husband's mother when she was a teen-ager; the subject of my husband's watercolor on the wall is the barn hay loft on my mother's farm, originally owned by her grandfather, now owned by my brother; the scenes on the quilt over the chair are of buildings in Mt. Morris, IL where my family lived; it is folded on the chair of my husband's grandfather refinished and recaned in the 1970s; and my grandparents' lamp in the foreground was converted from a kerosene lamp to an electric lamp in the early 1900s and is now in my living room.

Along the ceiling is a wallpaper border with book patterns which covered up the cats stenciled there some years before. This room was my office in our house (sold in 2002), and I really liked it because I could look out over the trees and enjoy all the family memories. However, the realtor said we should convert it back to a bedroom in order to sell the house, so we did by packing all this away and borrowing some furniture and toys.

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2894 The high cost of living in 1913

While waiting for my luggage to be delivered (it went to Las Vegas instead of Columbus yesterday) and being put on hold by Road Runner (my internet connection was down after some big storms in the midwest), I decided to clean off my desk. My goodness! What a nest of useless scraps and bits. In addition to old phone numbers and messages from only God knows, I found an article I'd printed about a year ago called, "The waste of private housekeeping" by Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman*," author of The Home: Its Work and Influence. It was published in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 48, 91-95, July 1913. I don't recall why I printed it--perhaps so I could make fun of it in a blog?

Her thesis is that wives and mothers do the domestic work of servants, without regard to fitness or experience, and that this is extremely inefficent. First, only incompetent people would be servants, and second, marriage keeps women in perpetual apprenticeships, because it is inefficient to have 15 out of 16 families using "mother-service." If you were around in the 1970s or 1980s, you'll recognize all this since the feminists pulled it from the archives and dressed it up a bit.

Mrs. Gillman, of course, was one of the 1/16 who paid someone else to do her wife and mother work (probably a woman) while she pointed out the waste in having the other 15/16 doing repetitive work in a single kitchen whereas "one properly constituted kitchen can provide food for 500 people, equal to one hundred families, and with space, fittings and supplies certainly not exceeding those of 10 private kitchens." She was quite specific about the savings in sinks, ranges, tables, refrigerators, pantrys, cupboards, fuel, to say nothing of breakage and repairs, and purchasing in quantity. Ten skilled experts, she estimated, using proper tools and conditions, would be cheaper than 100 clumsy beginners (newly married women in imperfect kitchens).

She concluded: "The professionalization of cooking, cleaning and laundry work should be hailed not only by the economist but by the hygienist, the eugenist, and the social psychologist as a long upward step in world progress."

Ah, Ms. Perkins Gilman, welcome to the progress you envisioned--of gleaming fast food kitchens, long commutes in gas guzzlers to the day care center, millions of mommies wrestling each other at the glass ceiling, coming home to a housecleaning and gardener service that employs people of questionable green cards, and a home health company that sends a Somali to take care of grandma.

[Gilman is a favorite in women's literature classes for "The Yellow Wallpaper," a short story about a woman who goes insane from domesticity.]

I love California, but. . .

it has its share of odd-balls and trouble-makers that try to set trends for the whole country.

"California attorney general Bill Lockyer has been busy sticking his nose into a host of places it doesn't belong. For example, announcing that he has evidence to indict people in connection with the spying "scandal" at HP. Now he's filed a "lawsuit against leading U.S. and Japanese auto manufacturers, alleging their vehicles’ emissions have contributed significantly to global warming, harmed the resources, infrastructure and environmental health of California, and cost the state millions of dollars to address current and future effects." The premise of the suit is that the cars are a public nuisance; i.e., "an unreasonable interference with a public right, or an action that interferes with or causes harm to life, health or property." " Professor Bainbridge

Maybe he should ask Californians to give up their cars first--just for health, of course.

2892 A beautiful wedding

Our purpose for being in California was to attend the wedding of my husband's sister who is 10 years younger. He and his brother walked her down the aisle at the beautiful Jones Victorian Estate in Orange. Friday was a bit cool and cloudy for the rehearsal, but Saturday was a bright, golden California day. It was a happy relaxed crowd with a guest list of long time friends, new friends, co-workers, in-laws and former in-laws. Both the bride and the groom's former spouses and former in-laws attended, so not only did we get a whole new bunch of relatives, but we got to see the ones we "lost in the divorce."

Deb in the ladies dressing room

A tear in my eye, but I leaned over and got this photo of the brothers with their sister bride.

Deb's daughters and grandson and her best friend Sue were her attendants. John's little great grandsons had scampered away before I could click the camera. John had his son, brother and nephew.

A new niece and nephew, Carol and Jeff, the groom's children

The wedding cake had attendants also, served in an open garden arbor with scattered rose petals, in keeping with the red rose theme.

Wedding Planning
traditions and customs
families

2891 The Gamble House

The city of Pasadena, celebrating its centennial this year, has taken good care of the the Gamble House, the winter home of the Cincinnati Gambles of Procter and Gamble. The Greene brothers, Charles and Henry, had attended MIT and were on their way to California to join their parents when they visited the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 and were charmed by the Japanese pavilion. [Note to my family: My grandmother attended this with her parents when she was a teenager and I've always thought her home had elements of design influenced and made popular by Wright and the Greenes]. We toured this lovely home, but photos were not allowed on the inside. It had an extensive restoration, reopening two years ago.

2890 Greene and Greene, the bungalow architects

Charles Sumner Greene, 1868–1957, and Henry Mather Greene, 1870–1954 moved to Pasadena in the 1890s and developed the style known as bungalow, and were influenced by the same Japanese style as Frank Lloyd Wright. Our guide told us that they were extremely successful, especially with the old money crowd, but then the new money folks wanted something flashier and brighter, so they fell out of favor. We saw some wonderful examples of their work, as well as smaller imitations in Pasadena, and we were able to tour the Gamble House which is owned by the city of Pasadena.





These homes are in the Hillcrest/Wentworth Area of Pasadena. One of the best known is the Blacker House, but I don't think we got a photo. Much of the interior was sold off by an unscrupulous owner causing some new preservation codes for the district. It is being restored.

2889 La Miniatura and Storer House

These were drive-bys on our Frank Lloyd Wright tour of homes in LA. The first of his textile block houses was done for Alice and George Millard for whom he'd designed a Prairie Style home in Illinois in 1906. It's in really tough shape but in its day was considered a perfect backdrop for the owners' art collection.



John Storer was another Chicago client who decided to try out Hollywood. This home at 8161 Hollywood Blvd. is lived in and seems to be in good condition, but we couldn't go in. There are 11 block patterns and it is built on a steep hillside.



Original drawing of the Storer House in Library of Congress.

2888 The Jews and the Democratic Party

As several pundits have noted, the [Democratic political] blogs have become a hot bed for anti-Semitic sentiments.


"Developments in the Democratic Party bode ill for the Jewish people and for the state of Israel – home of up to 40% of the world’s remaining Jewish population. The rank and file of the Party has become increasingly anti-Semitic and support for Israel has noticeably fallen. Democratic Congressmen have reflected this trend in very visible ways: their votes and actions in Congress reveal that support for Israel has eroded in alarming ways. Furthermore, more than a few Democratic Congressman have openly made statements that are either clearly anti-Semitic or can be fairly construed to be at least, “anti-Semitic in effect, if not intent”.

These disconcerting trends can be observed by a bottom-up approach: looking at the grassroots base of the Democratic Party, how these views are expressed in Congress, and how the Democratic leadership has responded to these developments. Since the House of Representatives appears to be headed toward a Democratic majority and certain key Chairmanships will fall into the hands of Democrats with anti-Israel histories, these trends will have very serious implications for Jews and for the state of Israel." The American Thinker

Look out. Can the Blacks and Hispanics be far behind?

2887 Ennis House by Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright designed a home in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains for Charles and Mabel Ennis. Our photo taken from the Hollyhock House gives an idea of its size and the view. Our Ohio tour group was able to visit and tour this house a few years ago, but it has now been closed to the public and is really unsafe. The last owner made a few attempts to preserve it, but caused more deterioration. Our tour guide had been a docent here and said that the inside was in good condition. She told us it was used in a number of movies.

View from Barnsdall Park, Hollyhock House

The front side of Ennis House actually looks better than the back. The lighter colored blocks resulted from an attempt to preserve them with a glaze which actually worsened the water damage and is almost impossible to remove. It was damaged in the 1994 earthquake and the bad flooding of 2004-05 in the area.

View of reconstruction and reenforcement of Ennis House. To stabilize it will cost about $5 million; but about $15 million to restore the whole site to its former grandeur. They are looking for some deep pockets, in case you're interested!
This is a "textile block" house and for more information on this and others, go here.

NPR interview about the Ennis House, listen here.

Ennis House
Frank Lloyd Wright
California architecture

2886 Where are the demands for apologies

from the Muslims for kidnapping innocent civilians, attaching bombs to them, and then letting them get blown up when they are released. Read that AP story today, and just wondered where the outrage is for proving the Pope right? I don't know where the story was buried in your paper, but in the Orange County Register it was on page 11. The Pope stating the Obvious, the Historical and the Truth, of course, gets front page demands for an apology.

"Insurgents are now using unwitting kidnap victims as suicide bombers _ seizing them, booby-trapping their cars without their knowledge, then releasing them only to blow up the vehicles by remote control, the Defense Ministry warned Thursday."

2885 Hooray for Hollywood!

Famous Hollywood sign seen from the Hollyhock House we were visiting
Although Hollywood doesn't look exactly like I thought (our guide called it a state of mind), we had a wonderful architectural tour which included the Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes and buildings, Hollyhock House, Ennis-Brown House, La Miniatura, and Storer House, some drive-bys only because they are privately owned or under reconstruction.

Wright's career was struggling from his disastrous personal failings when he was hired by Aline Barnsdall, an oil heiress, to develop her 36 acre property, called Olive Hill, as an arts community. Much of the supervision was passed along to his son because he was busy in Japan. His fascination with Asian art and elements, which most likely began at the Chicago's World Fair in 1893, is really apparent in these homes. Also, some poor choices in construction materials and building locations.

We were able to tour Hollyhock House which is in the early stages of restoration. Some furniture has been recreated by local artisans and there are pieces of Stickley furniture of the period in the house. Our docent was able to point out the various changes to the original from over the years, and it was interesting to see the models of buildings that were never built.




For awhile in the 1940s and 1950s the Barnsdall house was a memorial to Dorothy Clune Murray's son killed in WWII, and was used by the USO. Various arts organizations have also used it, changing some features to suit their needs.

Theater and pond; Wright loved elements with water, but always had a problem with leaks and materials

Note: I can't get blogger to upload the rest of my photos, so will try later.


Stylized representations of Hollyhocks are throughout the house.

The models of development that never happened.


Library with Aline Barnsdall's portrait

Frank Lloyd Wright
California architecture
Hollyhock House

Friday Family photo

This isn't the best quality because it is a scan of a photocopy, but I was so thrilled to get it last week. The handsome young man on the right is my Uncle, and I think I know why my Mom used to say my brother (and now his son) resembled him. This is the graduating class of the country, one room school, Pine View, in Lee county, Illinois. Often in these rural schools, the teacher wasn't much older than the students (which in fact is still true in some high schools where a new teacher/graduate might be 22, and some of the students 18 or 19). However, I think it is interesting that the teacher and her 3 female students are all wearing identical dresses. I'm wondering if it was a home economics project, or if the photographer had clothing on hand for the photo shoot. Is anyone an expert on studio photography, or have you seen this before? I know many photographers in those days had suit coats and ties on hand for the men, and much later when my father had his formal portrait taken in the Marines in his dress blues, he didn't really own the uniform.

1916, when this photo was taken, was a good time for farm families, and my grandparents were doing well. My uncle went on to high school, I think he had a year or two of college, and then travelled in Europe (WWI was over). However, the disaster in this country known as the Great Depression was actually affecting farmers by the early and mid-1920s because many, including my grandparents, had over extended themselves during the war because of the demand for food. When the war was over, the market for their crops stopped, but they still owed on the loans.

2883 Thursday Thirteen about health fads, habits and myths.

Like many Americans, I'm concerned about my health. After all, if I don't care, who will? So I do things now that I probably should have done many years ago, and used to do some things better than I do these days.

1. I watch my weight. I watch it go up. And then I'm really careful and I watch it go down. This is called yo-yoing, and all the ladies know this is not good, but we all do it. My reunion is next July, so it is time to start watching it go down again. I need to plan now and decide if I want to be a size 6 again, or fill out my facial wrinkles and be a 10.

2. I exercise semi-regularly, in fits and starts, with lots of good intentions. If good intentions and resolve were good for me, I'd live to be a very toned 120. I was never a good athlete and hate to get sweaty, so I don't look back with regret. Negative thoughts are bad for you, so I have none about formerly being buff. Never played tennis, golf, climbed mountains, swam competitively or tap danced like some of you other bloggers.

3. I've never smoked. This is a biggie for good health. It's #1 in our culture. Kills thousands every year and cripples many more. If I want to throw out my arm patting myself on the back, this would be the time.

4. I've never had a beer--this helps my brain cells with 8 blogs and the weight thing in #1, since beer is pretty high in calories, and most of the people I've observed don't drink just one.

5. After 2002 I began having a glass of red wine occasionally. This is supposed to help my heart and protect me from all sorts of bad things, but mainly it just makes me dizzy and fuzzy. I just can't imagine why people are fond of putting things in their bodies that cause them to feel yucky and addled. That comes with time so why speed it up? I've had conversations with people whose brains were damaged by alcohol and those who have Alzheimer's, and trust me, there's very little difference.

6. I stay out of the sun as much as possible. I'm very fair, but why would I want to be brown if it will just promote wrinkles and skin cancer? I have discovered sun screen in the last 5 years, but most of the time I forget to use it and I think it makes me smell like a swimmer. See #2.

7. I have a pet. I've read a lot of articles about this and I think the research is pretty squishy, but I'm going with the guys who say a pet helps your blood pressure and heart rate, and as long as my daughter is willing to take our kitty in while we're out of town, I'll go with it.

8. I love fruits and vegetables. My favorite breakfast is an apple, because if I eat a "healthy breakfast" I'm hungry all day. See #1. I particulary love Honey Crisp, and it is just about time for them to come on the market. (Fall)

9. I'm not o.c. about cleanliness. Keeps the resistance up and saves wear and tear on the body.

10. I get an annual check-up. My doctor usually reminds me about #1, but other than that he tells me I'm a good girl and then we talk about church, family and community matters.

11. I obey the speed limits and traffic rules, and I don't drive a lot, nor do I drive much at night when all the crazies are out there. See #4. I wear my seat belt always. I mean, if I'm in the car.

12. I chose healthy parents and grandparents, and most have lived to near 90. Now that doesn't always work if you smoke or drink, but it helps.

13. I read a lot of medical books and articles and used to work in a medical library so I know how to find all the scary stuff on paper or on-line. Even so, I like to read the current medical journals and not rely on the rehashed health scares. But basically, it boils down to: eat all the colors, in moderation, get 8 hours of sleep, don't smoke, drink lots of water and marry a nice person and stay that way. That pretty much sums it up.

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2882 Wedding preparations

We have come to California for my sister-in-law's wedding. My husband and his brother will walk her down the aisle to "give her away." We spent the day with the bride and groom, visiting their new home and the site of the wedding. It is a joyful time and we look forward to welcoming a new family member.

2881 The new poet laureate of the United States

Somewhere I read that today is the birthday of Donald Hall, the newly appointed but not yet seated poet laureate. He begins his "duties" on September 30 according to this notice from the Library of Congress.

"Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has announced the appointment of Donald Hall to be the Library’s 14th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry.

Hall will take up his duties in the fall, opening the Library’s annual literary series in October with a reading of his work. He will also be a featured speaker at the Library of Congress National Book Festival poetry pavilion on Saturday, Sept. 30, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Hall succeeds Ted Kooser as Poet Laureate and joins a long line of distinguished poets who have served in the position, including most recently Louise Glűck, Billy Collins, Stanley Kunitz, Robert Pinsky, Robert Hass and Rita Dove." News from the Library of Congress

Since I had previously blogged about Ted Kooser, I thought it only fitting to say Happy Birthday to Mr. Hall.

2880 The Getty Center Museum

What a special birthday treat. We visited the Getty Museum yesterday In Los Angeles (there is also one in Malibu), and although I had read many articles about it when it first began appearing in my husband's magazines, I was not prepared to fall in love with it. We both thought the design was wonderful and very human, unlike so much of modern architecture that seems to fit the whim of the designer with CAD. We started with the architectural tour with a docent, and if you care about architecture as well as paintings, drawings, sculpture, etc., I would recommend beginning there. This is a place to go back to often--as long as your brother-in-law is driving and a native Californian.

Rubens and Brueghel, a working friendship. Until seeing this exhibit I was unaware that the great masters worked together on some paintings. I'm looking a bit Rubenesque myself here, don't you think?


I wish I'd gone inside, but there was so much to see. This is the library/research institute. Oh, I just must go back!

The separation of the buildings and exhibits allows for many visitors without feeling closed in and cramped.

Getty Museum
Getty Center
Peter Paul Rubens
Los Angeles

2879 Katrina Refugees Update

These two lovely Rhodesian Ridgebacks escaped Katrina with their people in their owners' car with a few emergency supplies, but all else was left behind--home, friends, careers, and belongings. Most was lost, but some things are portable and irreplaceable, like the love of family, a good education, and a professional network. So pups and people resettled here in Huntington Beach where their people are starting over, living with his mother and her husband, our hosts. They are big--and although you don't want to be in the way when they hear the doorbell--they are loveable and friendly, and a great comfort to their owners who have lost so much. These dogs know quite a few words, so if you want to mention the beach, you have to spell it, b-e-a-c-h.

Diesel and Nola at the pool

Rhodesian ridgebacks

2878 Enjoying Huntington Beach

Yesterday we viewed a few local sights and sites. Had dinner with the happy couple at Zubie's--I think that was the name. Huge quantities of food--we split a dinner. My husband's father used to have a restaurant in the same shopping center many years ago. John, the groom, grew up in Huntington Beach and remembers the old days when much of it was farm land and oil fields.

I haven't been in the pool yet, but did enjoy some quiet time in the shade. Maybe today.
Me with my coffee by the pool



My sister-in-law and hostess with 2 of her other "guests"

Rhodesian ridgebacks

Monday Memories: The neighborhood story I missed

When I'm at Lakeside, I only read USAToday occasionally, so I missed the story September 1 about Krema Nut Co. and the Chef-O-Nette Restaurant, two local favorites of mine that were featured in a story about "down home dining."

When we moved here in 1967 we rented an apartment that was one block from the Chef-O-Nette--in fact, I think we took a short cut through a neighbor's drive-way into an alley to get to it. We bought a house in the same neighborhood and later when my daughter was in pre-school, I started stopping by with my son to get a cup of coffee for me and a treat for him just to pass the time. I became one of the regulars, dropping in when the kids were in school across the street. I can't remember how many years I spent discussing the news of the day and gossiping at the second bay--maybe 10 or 15. "Our bay" even entered a float in the 4th of July parade and had picnics and birthday parties together. Eventually, the opening time (7:30 a.m.) wasn't early enough when I worked downtown and the university and I switched to Paul's Pantry in Grandview or one of the local McDonald's. We still love the Chef's tapioca pudding.

"Tremont Chef-O-Nette, 2090 Tremont Center, Upper Arlington; 614-488-8444. There's an abundance of charm at this bright, cheery and expansive diner, not only on the menu but also on the walls, which are adorned with numerous plaques and mayoral proclamations thanking the owners for participating in various parades and charity drives. The Chef-O-Nette opened in a shopping center in 1955 in this now-upscale suburb of Columbus (Jack Nicklaus is its most famous native), and from day one, it has amply fed the locals with bedrock fare such as pancakes and waffles, burgers, ham steak with pineapple rings, red-sauced pastas and fried seafood. Most entrees are under $9. The regional touches are modest but reliable: specials such as spareribs with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, tapioca pudding, cherry cobbler and a salad of lettuce topped with cubes of American, Swiss and provolone cheeses."

Krema Peanut Butter is a staple in my cupboard. I've used their products for about 30 years. However, I've never tried the take-out.

"About 18 months ago at its flagship retail store, a small take-out operation was added, offering about two dozen variations on the peanut butter-and-jelly theme. Sandwiches ($3 to $4) are made with white bread or whole wheat and come layered with almond, cashew or peanut butters in creamy, crunchy or hot/spicy and various fruit toppings. Typical is the PB Apple Cheesecake, made with peanut butter on one side and cheesecake cream cheese and chunky apple fruit spread on the other.

Desserts ($2.25 to $3.25) include sundaes, milkshakes and splits made with peanut-butter ice cream and fruit sauces. The PB&J Classic Old Timer Sundae is the most sinfully delightful with peanut-butter and strawberry ice creams, peanut-butter topping, whipped cream and sliced strawberries."

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We're off to California

We've got a full week planned for California, topped off on the weekend with my sister-in-law's wedding, then we'll fly back to Columbus next Sunday. I'm hoping to also see my childhood friend Tina, but if not, we'll meet at next summer's class reunion. The good Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

I'll post Monday Memories early and catch up when I can.

2874 Limosines, laundry and lofts

From time to time at this or that blog, I've written about college laundry, college dorm rooms, and the 1950 Packard my sister and I drove to Indiana when we were in college. But we couldn't imagine college life like this--actually I can't believe it now!

DePaul University in Chicago: "Known as Loft-Right, the mod-looking structure has all the amenities: expansive city views, granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, modern designer furniture and satellite TV hookups. The lobby lounge - like something out of a hip hotel - has a pool table and fireplace, and soon will have a Starbucks and tanning and hair salons next door.

Living at a place like this isn't cheap.

Students at Loft-Right each pay more than $1,000 a month for a private bedroom in a two- or four-bedroom unit, with bathrooms shared by no more than two people."

Whole story at "College dorms go upscale" By Martha Irvine

HT Kept up librarian

2873 My new dress

I found a lovely dress yesterday in soft fall colors--moss green, brown and sort of a deep rose. A paisley type print, button front, body skimming with short sleeves. I had my husband take a photo so I could send it to my sister. We sort of look alike and have similar body types, but she's taller and prettier. . . but I'm younger. After looking at the photo, I decided I needed to go back to the store and buy a new. . . undergarment.

Someone out there is creating identical foam inserts for every woman smaller than Pamela Anderson. It is really odd to see acres and acres in every imaginable color, some with lace, some with bows, skinny straps and fat straps, bridal, strapless, sports, seamless, but identical foam shapes. After a great deal of searching, I found one in my size with no foam padding and no underwire and no gel (security checks, you know). While I was waiting in line at the cash register (are they still called that), I noticed that the tall skinny Japanese woman (about a size 0) had the exact same shape as the clerk, a short middle eastern woman who was about a size 16. Then a woman quite overweight and slightly disabled with a cane came up, and she too had the same shape. A Bahamian woman with two young children playing hide 'n seek among the nighties also had the same shape.

2872 If it hadn't been in the paper

I wouldn't mention it. A lot more people read the Columbus Dispatch than my blog! The former pastor of our church committed adultery. That's bad. Really bad. Particularly since he was quite a finger wagger from the pulpit, and helped the church establish a position paper on sexuality. He formerly was with Missouri Synod, and I always had the feeling he didn't think our synod (ELCA) was quite "Lutheran" enough. And he was a charismatic. You know, the joyful ones who get a special word from the Lord on how to be a dynamic Christian the rest of us aren't privy to. The affair happened during the early years of his "reign" and he was with us quite a while. In 2001 we probably had kids going off to college whom he baptized as infants. Unlike Jimmy Swaggart, the televangelist who got caught, he didn't go public and tearfully confess so we could have booted him--after we forgave him, of course.

Anyway, my computer spell-check tries to change his name to weasel. And I'm not going to correct it.

2871 The difference between men and women

There are actually several, but two come to mind. I found this photograph at a clergywomen's retreat site. 1) In a Protestant denomination that ordains both men and women, the men wouldn't be allowed to have a retreat limited to only men. 2) But if they could find enough guys to pull it off (women are outnumbering men in many seminaries), chocolate wouldn't be a featured part of the programming.

2870 Go Bucks! Bucks go to the Library

The Ohio State University Department of Athletics is donating $5 million to the renovation of the main library building which is closing Sunday for four years (Columbus Dispatch, September 16, 2006). Employees, computers and materials are being moved to a number of different sites. This is the second largest donation for this renovation. About $70 million is coming from state funding, but over $30 million needed to be raised. Soliciting for libraries is tough, because they don't have a constituency (alumni) they can tap into. Changes here.

In January I wrote about the money that athletics bring in to the university here.

"Ohio State University is number one in revenue from sports teams. OSU got $89.7 million from ticket sales, royalties, advertising, broadcast agreements and other cources in 2004-05 (Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 4, 2006, version from USAToday). OSU also has the most athletes and teams in Division I NCAA--900 in 36 sports. The program receives NO money from the government or university and it paid $12 million to the university to cover athletes tuition and other expenses."

2869 Blogging at work

Some of my favorite bloggers either write from work, or write about work, or write about co-workers and supervisors, or write about clients. Not a good idea. If even one person knows your URL, or true identity, you're toast. Maybe not today or tomorrow. Eventually. I'm retired, and I know where a lot of bodies are buried, but I know I can't tell.

Sometimes it's a learning experience, teaches patience and forgiveness.

2868 How to lie with statistics, charts and quintiles

David R. Henderson at TCS Daily has an interesting thought. Read the Census Report on income, poverty and health 2006 before deciding that the gap between rich and poor is widening. It's important to note, he says, that income is not wealth (ask any retired baby-boomer). To me this is always the most glaring failing when liberals try to cram horror stories about the economy down our throats at election time. The oldest boomers are now 60; many have retired. Hello! What happens to income when you retire? It either stops, or is reduced drastically. Does that make you poor? Not if you have a home, pension and investments.

I'm guilty. I haven't read the report. But here's what I know for a fact going in.

• Married people are wealthier than unmarried;
• children of divorce are poorer than children of in tact families;
• divorced and unmarried fathers are less likely to provide a college education for their children than fathers married to the children's mother;
• people who work have more money than people who don't work;
• government programs often encourage people not to work, or at least reward them for working less, so they have the unintended consequence of creating a poor class;
• people in the bottom quintile usually don't stay there because their age, education or marital status changes;
• inexpensive leisure activities and entertainment lull people into not doing their best but create great wealth for a small number;
• millions of destitute people sneak into our country every year and are added to the poverty rolls;
• marijuana and alcohol keep a lot of people poor and dysfunctional while making a small number rich;
• for 30+ years schools have encouraged students to seek non-monetary satisfactions and rewards in life and liberals shouldn't complain if it is working.

Women (of certain types and political thought) have been leading the charge that keep families poor for over 30 years. Wake up and smell the coffee, ladies.

poverty
U.S. Census
economy

Friday Family Photo

This group of young college students, ca. 1895, were enjoying the social contacts made through their "boarding club," at Mt. Morris College in Mt. Morris, IL. I know they don't look thrilled to be there, but I think that's because photography still required the subjects to be quiet still. The older woman in the middle of the group is the "house mother," probably a local widow who opened her home and supplied the meals for a small income. Many of the student would have also roomed at homes in the community.



My maternal grandparents probably met this way, she is in the upper left, next to her future brother-in-law, and he is in the lower right. Grandma was from Ashton, about 20 miles away and probably used a train to travel back and forth, but Grandpa was from near Dayton, Ohio, (Jamton, which no longer exists) and I am told that he and his brother bicycled from the Dayton area to get to Mt. Morris. Bicycles were still fairly new then and long distance travel was not unusual, especially with clubs. Their materials and innovations and the rider's sense of freedom and independence really paved the way for the automobile, and many early bicycle makers became auto makers.

One of the things I find interesting in this photo is the clothing. It looks rather plain to us in the 21st century, but these young people were most likely members of the German Baptist Brethren (later called Church of the Brethren), but none are dressed "in order," the word "order" meaning discipline and separation. For men this might be suits without ties or lapels, and for women dresses with no adornment and prayer coverings over the hair. I would need to check with an historian of this group, but it is possible that they did not dress "in order" until they were baptised which may have been in adulthood.

After one year of college, Grandma went home to Ashton to manage her father's farm home because her mother died, but she did continue with her painting and took private lessons. Grandpa and his brother after two years of college headed west, taught school along the way in the Dakotas, worked as lumberjacks in the northwest, and tried to get into Alaska for the gold rush. Eventually the young adventurers returned to the midwest. My grandparents got together to renew a college friendship (he was probably out of money), and married in 1901.

Update: Modern view on anabaptist dress.

Church of the Brethren
Mt. Morris College
Mt. Morris, Illinois

Thursday Thirteen

13 things I just don't get (in no particular order). I do like to have certain things make sense. Call it age, but there are common every day sights and experiences that just baffle me. I come up with a blank for an explanation on these thirteen.

1) Declarative sentences that end with a question mark. (The voice rises at the end and the eyebrows go up even though there is no question.) Women do this much more than men. I would almost rather hear the word "like" 15 times in a sentence, than hear it go up at the end.

2) Why I would put on 20 lbs three years after I retired, but not the first two years. It's not the how (too many calories), but the timing.

3) Ugly art. Why bother to create it or buy it? We have friends who spent about $70,000 on their son's fine art education, and I use the term loosely. I would demand my money back.

4) The moral level and premise of popular TV shows like Sopranos (New Jersey psychopaths and their relationships), Desperate Housewives (botoxed and enhanced women as non-productive mooches sleeping with the help), Weeds (Tupperware type woman who makes ends meet by starting her own door-to-door pot dealing business), etc. If those are your favorite shows, what would you be turning off? Football and golf on TV look better to me all the time.

5) Rancorous political pundits in blogs. Left or right--are they just letting off steam or harming the nation? The left far outnumber the right and are even more outrageous and conspiratorial, I just don't link to them. I've already told you I don't read potty mouth bloggers in another "13." Nothing worse than a woman stumbling up to her blog template with a dirty mouth.

6) Fashion trends that glorify sway backs, bellies and muffin tops. I hope the natural waist returns soon to slacks and skirts, someplace other than the L.L.Bean catalog.

7) Poker and gambling glorified on cable TV. We don't have enough addictions in our society? Just invest in stocks. Held long enough, you'll get about 10% over time.

8) Loud, thudding worship music. Do you think God is deaf? Or does your music director own stock in Peavey?

9) Crotch grabbing musicians and poets. Ode to crabs? And inseams that start below the knees. Oh please. Those guys look like men in skirts.

10) Why sex offenders on the Internet or next door is a left-right issue. Why public librarians are such wimps about it.

11) Why we blame restaurants, advertisers and food vendors for Americans being overweight (and Europeans are just a decade behind us). No one is dragging us into the store and force feeding us.

12) Why we can't build roads that will keep up with the traffic, instead of creating life time employment for state workers.

13) Men with earrings. Sissies. The whole bunch. With a pony tail and tattoo they really look dumb and driving a pick-up truck won't change it. Leave the tresses to ladies wearing dresses. Next they'll want their own scrunchies.

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2865 If your kids are fat, blame Bush

The latest report about obesity in children has some clues about who is to blame. It isn't genes; it isn't choice; it isn't TV advertising. It isn't even fast food. It's the government. And that, as we all know, means Bush.

This was in my mailbox from Rueters:

"There was a national campaign called VERB done by CDC and the federal government to increase children's awareness of being physically active," he added. "That was shown to be effective in doing those things but then it ceased to be funded."

The program ends this month."

And this from the same article:

"Many parents have complained that testing requirements, budget crunches and other factors have caused schools to drop recess and physical education -- two important opportunities for children to get exercise.

"From my perspective as a physician and public health professional ... I'd have to say we should not remove physical activity from the school day," Koplan said.

"You put a group of 8-year-olds together sitting in a chair all day and ...they, like us, will lose concentration," he said."


"Federal funding for Verb was $125 million in 2001, $68 million in 2002, $51 million in 2003, $36 million in 2004 and $59 million in 2005. At press time, the House had proposed $11.2 million for Verb in the fiscal year 2006 budget, while the U.S. Senate had proposed no funding at all. According to the 2006 budget justification released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the “budget request reflects the elimination” of Verb, noting that the program was originally authorized for five years in 2001. However, Congress can reauthorize Verb funding if it desires or simply continue appropriating funds for the program." Nation's Health.

2864 Wedding Photos

In August we attended a lovely wedding (although we left before the dancing started so we could get back to Lakeside). Eric has now posted photographs of the wedding party and festivities. Eric is one of my blogging students from last summer, although with his background, it was pretty easy. We've known Eric and Sharon about 30 years and watched their two boys grow up.

2863 Fall tasks

My husband and son are painting the trim on his house today.


I'm doing laundry and getting ready for our trip to California. We will be there for a week, so blogging might be light. Every time I say that, however, I find a way. . .

2862 Blogmares

Mark Leggott says he has blogmares. That's the blogger's version of the dream that you've got an exam and can't find the classroom.

1) you create a new "cutting edge" post only to realize you made essentially the same post 12 months ago
2) you create a new post about something you just read, only to realize that you did the same thing last month and said something completely different
3) you get a message from a blogger you've never heard of asking why you copied his stuff without credit
4) you delete the best comment ever (one of the few you've ever had) when cleaning up your #@*^% blogspam
5) then of course there would have to be the you-forget-you-have-a-blog-until-the-conference-talk-on-blogs one...

See the whole post at Loomware.