3485 This little piggy

This is definitely not on my weight loss plan. And I'm not sure where I would wear that nose.

HT Geoff.

3484 Environmental Groups

I'm all for taking care of the planet. I wish more people would treat the planet with the respect my mother had. She used to say, and then lived her beliefs, "I can't save the world, but I can clean up four acres." I get so irritated at people who throw trash from their cars along the highway and build homes along the coasts, expecting the rest of us to clean up their mess or bail them out when a hurricane blows through. The January 27, 2007 issue of National Journal reports that groups like National Audubon Society and Sierra Club are all putting their tithes, offerings, and investments into the Greenhouse Gas Church of Global Warming. The article lists the priorities of the environmental groups now that they believe they can get in bed with the Democrats. And they're playing footsie with some outside their usual group. My comments in brackets.

1) Regulate carbon dioxide. [More jobs will say good-bye. And it won't even help global warming, if it exists.]
2) Broaden alliances with other groups, some are not known to be friendly, but politics as usual.
3) Make cozy cooing noises with religious groups. [See what I mean?]
4) Work with the Democrats. [No surprises here.]
5) Promote clean energy technology. [There will be a lot of opportunity for businesses and investment here unless Pelosi kills it with higher taxes.]
6) Expand farm bill's conservation. [Farmers are already on the receiving end of government aid and bail outs. Do they need more?]
7) Protect more federal lands. [Probably just from ordinary folks like us--celebrities will still be able to have their multi-million dollar vacation lodges.]
8) Shift priorities in EPA, Interior and Forest Service. [Whatever Bush has been doing, do it differently and charge the taxpayer more.]
9) Cheer for Pelosi no matter what. [See #4]
10) Cut subsidies for "big oil." [So do they plan to increase exploration and refineries or just punish American interests by making us more dependent on foreign owned oil?]
11) Force electric utilities to use wind power. [Ever driven through a central Illinois wind farm and watched what looks like robotic giant chickens? Not a pretty picture, but celebrities won't be building there.]
12) Require automakers to produce more efficient vehicles. [We did that in the 70s--now we have more cars than ever on the road. My van gets 26 mpg--would a celebrity drive a mini-van?]
13) Revamp farm subsidies. [I'm all for this--how about a free market and no welfare for farmers? What about putting back the fence rows and not planting right up to the highways? Frences are homes for birds that eat bugs and wildlife and cuts down on erosion.]
14) Open ranch and farm land for hunting and fishing. [Whoa! They're going to talk to the NRA?]
15) Revitalize the Endangered Species Act. [Yes, good idea. Let's remove the species that aren't endangered and start worrying about endangered people.]
16) Tax incentives for property owners who provide habitats for wildlife. [Does Oprah really need this for her California coast ranch? We've got gobs of these tax credits now, and the small holder can't use them.]
17) Review the Army Corps of Engineers projects. [Yes, and while we're at it, let's look at all the environmental protection lawsuits that kept those levees from getting built in NOLA because of impact statements.]
18] Wilderness legislation to protect federal land. [Do you suppose the Forestry folks and home owners in western states could be allowed to cut down and remove diseased and dying trees? Might help with those expensive forest fires and bring back tourism.]
19) Legislation to protect coastal areas. [Here's a thought. Let's stop bailing out millionaires and factory farms who build close to the coast. That should do more than any new legislation which will only protect contributors to the green causes and the lawyers.]
20) Reinstate Superfund Tax on oil and chemical industries to pay for cleanup. [You mean actually fund legislation? Will you stop telling gas station owners to close up and then give them no money to get the oil out of the underground tanks? Will that be on all laws and regulations, or will you be selective? You do know when you tax oil companies that we pay more at the pump, don't you?]
21) Rewrite the 1872 Mining Act. [Anything that old, fat and lazy should definitely be looked at for its usefulness--I've got a few eastern Senators in mind.]
22) Fight the coal and oil industries at all levels of government, including state and local. [Fine. My investments in energy are in Canada shale. The machines to extract the oil were probably built in Japan because you've made them too expensive to build on our soil. You'll be sending more American dollars and jobs abroad with this tactic.]

3483 What I know about women and money

It's a bit tedious relabeling old blogs, but I really like this feature in the new Blogger template. Now I'll be able to sort and print only the ones I really like. It is really useful for the memory and family photo blogs. This morning I'm reviewing (all cozy and warm during our latest Ohio snow storm) what I've written about women. I liked this one enough to give it a rerun in case you missed it. These points are all common sense, so you might not see them anywhere but here.

I haven't read the [census] 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.

3482 Can you believe Scripture and be a scientist?

Sure. But it makes the academics awfully mad if Christians are more liberal (in the true sense of the word) than they are, that Christians will study and discuss and write about ideas and theories that are in conflict with their own, but academics can't.

This young man's research is impeccable. But some find these concepts "imponderable." He is able to describe events that happened 10 million years ago, but personally believes the earth is 10,000 years old. So do you have to believe in warlocks and witches to read Harry Potter?

"May a secular university deny otherwise qualified students a degree because of their religion? Can a student produce intellectually honest work that contradicts deeply held beliefs? Should it be obligatory (or forbidden) for universities to consider how students will use the degrees they earn?"

And they claim it isn't discrimination. Can you believe they're debating whether to even admit committed Christians who don't follow the party line to advanced degree programs? "Graduate admissions committees were entitled to consider the difficulties that would arise from admitting a doctoral candidate with views "so at variance with what we consider standard science." She [Eugenie C. Scott] said such students "would require so much remedial instruction it would not be worth my time." Remedial instruction? What makes her think she has to brainwash graduate students? Will religious questions be part of the college interview now? She's right up there with the "some of my best friends are black" folk who want Christians in the back of the academic bus.

The rhetoric of activism

Whether you've marched in an anti-war protest or bombed a research lab, the rhetoric undergirding the action is pretty much the same. This template came from an animal rights magazine in the 90s, but you can add your politics of choice: bilingualism, environmentalism, ageism, racism, genderism, feminism, etc. You will recognize many of the points from reading this list, even if you've never heard of animal rights. This was originally about chickens and their rights--but could just as easily be about white tailed deer who have a right to eat your garden or illegal aliens who have a right to cross the border and use your benefits. My asides are in brackets. Upon reading it, you'll see the futility of arguing with these people. Move on.

1) Don't use apologetic or non-offensive statements, it deprecates your views.
2) Don't accept defeatist views; it shows self doubt.
3) Human victims often collaborate unconsciously with their oppressor; don't affirm anything the destroyer is doing. You have the moral imperative; this is not a matter of simple choice.
4) Animals [or insert the cause of your choice] are not underlings but "other nations." They should not be compared to humans with diminished capacities such as babies or the mentally defective. This is arrogant [Note: "arrogant" is a common word in activist lingo.]
5) Why even suggest that conventional views have merit? It plants doubt in people's minds about your efforts.
6) As a spokesperson, you must establish your identity. Do not ever let the other side define you or what you are about [i.e., in a GQ article or a TV ad that suggests a viable alternative to your viewpoint].
7) The combination of western science, capitalism and homocentricity can be thrown up to you in expressions like "science reports" or "it is known that," or "studies show" this is sheer epistemological deficiency, cynicism and intimidation. Do not stand for it! [Note: This is an essential point: most activist groups HATE Western Culture, especially capitalism even if they using computer technology at state supported institutions, including our system of caring for children, our textbooks, our churches, etc. Christians and Jews are particularly targeted for abuse if they cite a higher morality. Their actions are much more about capitalism and western culture than saving an animal habitat or stopping a war.]
8) Only oppressors deny the importance of suffering to the individuals who suffer (keeping a bird in a cage, or a dog as a pet, or riding a horse). [Note: Militant pro life activists would point out that a fetus feels pain and suffers; militant CUBs would stress the suffering of birthmothers. Both groups might condone stalking or picketing, but only for their group, because of the righteousness of their cause.]
9) You can't do everything. If others accuse you of not caring about people, stop explaining and take a proactive stance. You must focus your attention on this one issue.
10) The abuse of animals ["abuse" includes owning pets--it's a very broad definition] is as serious as any other abuse. Apologize TO the animals, not FOR them.

3480 What is Love?

It's the count down to Valentine's Day. Cha-Ching. I've heard some pretty sappy things on the radio today--like buy her a naked bear. Schools that have had to stop delivery of flowers and balloons because it has gotten out of hand and they can't deliver to classrooms. "Live, Love, Laugh" is a mom and grandma who works with juvenile offenders. She has a great post on love.

3479 Butterscotch

At coffee this morning my friend AZ asked if I was planning anything different this week while my husband is in Haiti on a mission trip. Couldn't really think of anything, but did decide on one thing. Butterscotch pudding. My husband gags at the thought of butterscotch, caramel or toffee (which all taste very similar) flavored anything. Anyway, I made some butterscotch pudding and it was quite yummy--hadn't had any in years. Here's what I did--it's loaded with not so good stuff, but it's quick and easy.

Mix small pkg. of butterscotch sugar-free, fat free pudding mix with 1 cup cold milk.
Quickly (because it sets up fast) mix that with 8 oz. of low fat or fat free cream cheese that has been at room temperature for a bit.
Stir into that mixture, 1/2 cartoon (4 oz.) sugar-free Cool-Whip.
Put into individual serving cups (makes 6) and top with the rest of the Cool-Whip.
I haven't a clue how many calories or grams of fat.

This would probably work for a butterscotch pie if you were using a graham cracker crust.

What I don't understand about Republicans

Why are they considered the "social conservatives," when the only three guys who are getting any notice for 2008 from the party faithful all were unfaithful to their wives? Maybe more than one? I'd put McCain as #1 crumb-bum for leaving the wife who stood by him all the time he was in prison working for his release. By the time he got home she was disabled and no longer a babe, so he dumped her for one who had money and could fund his political ambitions. And Newt? Aren't he and Rudy both with wife #3, or did Rudy just not bother to get married this time? Then if you bring up Romney, who is squeeky clean, they back off because he's a Mormon (about the only group left in the country who take family responsibilities seriously).

You can beat your chest all you want about women and gays, and how our morals are collapsing, yada, yada, but fellas, the only people getting advice in the Bible about sex is heterosexual men. And there's bunches of it. Go look.

Are government officials blocking your mail?

Pat in NC says sending an e-mail from outside the congressperson's district is a hopeless task. She can't even get Nancy Pelosi to take her message.

"As I watch CSPAN, see news clips on TV news or read article quoting legislators, they speak of "the majority of citizens " feeling a certain way about an issue. How do they know this when they ignore or actually block opinions of the majority."

It's our tax money paying for their offices, staff, franking privileges, special jet planes with expensive staff, trips to foreign countries, etc., etc. The least they can do is accept an e-mail from out of district.

Annika said it better than I could

You wouldn't know it to look at me, but I'm part of the Bear Flag League on the Internet, meaning I have at some time in my life lived in California (actually twice). So on that list, I'm called an Ex-pat. So I drop by and read my fellow-listers' blogs. Here's what Annika said about the surge, and I thought if I had said anything, it would be what she said:

"There's a reason why I haven't written whether I think the Surge Strategy will work or whether it's a good idea. I'm not an expert in any of the disciplines necessary for my opinion to have any value. In fact, most of my knowledge regarding the Iraq War comes from secondary sources, written by other people who are similarly ignorant, i.e. the press.

The vast majority of reporters and columnists who write about Iraq and pretend to know what they're talking about are completely incompetent to do so. Not only is their journalism degree inadequate for the task (it's a glorified general ed degree) but their undisguised bias robs their output of any credibility. Yet, from my desk chair, I'm forced to rely on these people almost exclusively for my information. So, as a result, my opinions are just about as worthless." Annika's Journal

But I have been listening to reports on the radio about the CIA and the Pentagon trading accusations about who gave the administration the incorrect information about al-Qaeda and Saddam playing footsy. And you know what? I don't care. The President AND the Congress (including Hillary et al) voted for it. Now it's an obligation. It's not like getting married when you're young and drunk and think she's gorgeous, and then later falling in love with someone else named Darfur because the sweety got fat, or some such nonsense. You need to meet your obligations and not leave people to die--the way you did 35 years ago in Vietnam. You need to stop giving the enemy hope to hang on just a bit longer, the way Obama and HRC are doing.

HR Clinton on the war

While carrying dirty laundry downstairs, I heard HR Clinton promising she'd end the war in 2009 when she is president. While looking through my old blogs to add labels, I noticed this item below, and wondered since all these unsafe, crime ridden cities in the U.S.A. are Democratic strongholds, if she wouldn't practice here first by getting on the case of her colleagues.

"New Orleans' violent death rate before Katrina was 53.1 per 100,000, and in Iraq it is 25.71. It is more dangerous to be a male between 18-24 in Detroit, Chicago or Baltimore just because of the effects of testosterone on stupid behavior, than it is to be a well-trained soldier with body armor in Iraq."

Hill, it's just a thought.

3474 Environmentalism--new incarnation for the old left

So says Václav Klaus, the second president of the Czech Republic, (and these folks have a bit of experience in this area). His interview about the UN IPCC panel is translated by physicist, Luboš Motl, at his blog, The Reference Frame.

HT Amy

Is there one for cats?

This site for dogs to have their on blog is pretty cute. I saw it at Em's blog, who is having a meltdown from diet Coke withdrawal (she read the ingredients).

I'm too cheap to buy this journal (also isn't spiral), but isn't it cute? Smithsonian catalog, I think.

In the years before blogs, and in the brief life of our many colored, beautiful lynx-point Siamese, our cat was featured on a cat web site. I think it was located in Japan. Long gone now.

What Women Want

When I started blogging in 2003, I had a small problem finding interesting blogs written by women. Now they've taken over blogdom. The crafters are stunning with gorgeous photos of wip and wonderful group projects; the cooking blogs can put on weight just reading the ingredients; the mommy blogs are so well written you can almost smell the diapers and spit-up and they write vivid descriptions of labor and delivery, something I've tried hard to forget; the photobloggers seem to have a way with cats and nature; the book reviewers with their TBR lists put me to shame; the career blogs are sometimes a bit specialized and require some anonymity if they want to keep their jobs; and of course, the librarian blogs are very high tech but with a light, feminine touch.

Almost every blog I read gets 20-30 times more comments than I do (I get a lot of readers; not many leave comments). There are reasons for this, and you won't be surprised when I tell you why.

1. My age. Yes, folks, I'm old enough to be the mother or even grandmother of some of the ladies whose blogs I link to. This is a huge disadvantage in drawing comments--it's a cultural divide of unbelievable proportions. When Crazy Aunt Purl, who is 30-something, cute, divorced and struggling, not to mention funny and a fabulous cat photographer who knits, writes about getting out of debt with a strict budget, she might get 145 comments! If write about budgeting to stay out of debt, I'd be lucky to get a yawn. It's much better to hear from a peer than someone your mom's age who's never even had a balance on her credit card! Even if I sprinkled my budget advice with adorable photos of my cat, I wouldn't get comments. Aunt Purl and the very political Neo-Neocon's sites act as discussion boards where people return and comment on the remarks of the other readers.

2. Mine is not a happy-clappy blog, cheering on the ladies like some of the boomer bloggers I've read who have come out of life's struggles with a smile and a hug for everyone, and never a critical word. Wow. I love to read them, too--and you should see the comments. Lazy Daisy is just the person to visit if you need a lift--except for that really gross-out story about her son's apartment.

3. I am a conservative, evangelical Christian and am also politically conservative. I could measure the drop off of readership if I even mention abortion or creation. They are lead balloon topics for blogs, unless you're targeting those groups (dominated by male bloggers who think women should keep quiet in their presence). But I can't resist pointing out fallacies and murky thinking when it comes to protecting the weakest.

4. Although I read a lot, I'm really a dabbler, and prefer magazines and newspapers. I have no background in literature (in college I never had a class in British or American literature and rarely read fiction of any type). I like to read the review and literary blogs, but can't really make a contribution.

5. Many of my "regular" readers and commenters that used to stop by closed up shop after a year or so. Some have totally removed the blog site, others have just stopped posting anything. Even two guys I used to visit have disappeared with no explanation.

6. I don't participate in more than one ring, or event at a time. Women just love these things--they are so social! I liked Friday Feast, but moved on to Thursday Thirteen, then left that and took up Poetry Thursday. Many of the women I visit have an event going on every day of the week, sometimes two. Tasks for Tuesday or Wordless Wednesday or Super Bowl Menu and so forth--I think it's like running into each other at the market and stopping for a chat.

7. And lastly, even my friends and family don't leave comments. Some don't even read--they say they are too busy, or can't find them, or have to clean a closet. I read a lot of blogs where the comment windows are like family reunions. If it weren't for good old Murray whom I knew in high school and sends me the obituaries from our home town, you would think I just growed.

3471 A Spat of Apostles in the Epistles

This morning I was supposed to go to a women's Bible study (Beth Moore), but at the coffee shop I got started on writing a poem, was interrupted by the guy who is learning Russian and talks non-stop, so after rushing home to eat some breakfast, I just stayed and finished the poem and the blog that goes with it.

When Paul told Peter to live by faith, not the law (Galatians 2)

Concerning the Jews in Jerusalem
Peter and Paul had a big spat
"You’re putting them under the law, old friend."
Paul told Peter, "Don't preach like that."

Not for a minute did Saint Paul give in,
Even when they were face to face.
At Antioch Paul then told Saint Peter
"Your gospel is such a disgrace."

"We know by law we are not justified
Although by birth we are both Jews,
Our faith is in Christ Jesus, Risen Lord
From whom we have heard the Good News."

For you non-Christians, the back story to this poem is that in following Jesus command to "Go, tell," Paul was to preach to Gentiles and Peter to Jews. Paul was very unhappy that Peter was living in freedom, but requiring his converts to be circumcised and to obey dietary law. Sigh. It is still going on. There's just something about the Gospel that seems too easy, so people, even pastors, try to add a little here, a little there. In 2,000 years we still haven't learned.

3470 Speaking of dress codes

I grew up in the Anabaptist tradition where some women, mostly older, wore modest dresses and prayer coverings. It was called, "dressing in order." I have relatives in the German Baptist Brethren sect who still do this. I've seen clothing sites on the internet for Mennonite, and old order groups, but here's an interesting take on the products. Check out the page called Vogue Italia.

3469 Dear Mmes Pelosi and Clinton

Please don't raise taxes on the rich. Don't punish the entire country just cause you're angry that the Bush tax cuts helped all of us and you haven't done a thing. The top 5% of Americans are paying over 57% of the tax burden now and the folks at the bottom are paying no federal taxes at all.*

I'm just a pensioner, but I've benefitted from a lot of wealth transfer over the years--like all my public education from kindergarten through master's degree, all the highways and interstates I drive, the bridges (some to nowhere), the tax incentives so Wal-Mart and Target can build near my home and employ our locals who will then pay taxes, the state and national parks I enjoy, the set asides for the railroads, the subsidies to the farmers so I can have cheap milk and staples, the public libraries, and the airline bailouts so I can enjoy my vacations, not to mention the clean up of Lake Erie where I have a second home. The rich people don't need this stuff, and the poor don't use them as much as the middle-class, so lay off the rich guys, will ya? Don't mess with your cash cow.

Our investments have done so well in the past five years, that it's like having a third person in the household who gives us his take home pay but never opens the frig or forgets to fill the gas tank or asks me to do the laundry.

I know you're mad that the Bush policies have proven wrong every bad thing you projected in the economy, and you want to hide from the fact that you too read the intelligence of the former administration about the threat of Iraq, but don't punish the rest of us who've been living a pretty nice life having the rich pay taxes and invest in America.

*Especially the Mexican nationals sending money home, making their USA dollars the second highest source of income for Mexico, with tourism third and oil first.

3468 Dress for Success

Remember that old saw? Wonder what happened? When I retired in October 2000, I vowed not to appear in public in the retiree's uniform--sweat pants and athletic shoes. Unless I'm going out to pick up trash along the road side, I've pretty much kept that resolution. However, today I outdid myself. I went to the coffee shop decked out in a suit. Yesterday I bought a black pinstripe pantsuit, cuffed leg, short jacket, 100% wool and fully lined, Jones New York brand, size 8. If the Jones* page displays correctly, my suit (or something like it) appears in the "collection" category. I actually wouldn't have worn this when I worked, because libraries are too dirty; my staff were assigned dusting or table washing if we were slow. Also, I never wore slacks to work.

I don't know what these suits cost new (ca. $120 I think), but I got it for $18 at the Cancer Society Shop which sells only donated clothing (passing along $200,000 a year for cancer research), a lot of it by someone who has my short legs and small waist.

If you first started wearing slacks to work 20 years ago, dress-down or casual Fridays put you in jeans. Today at the coffee shop I saw a young woman in flannel pajama bottoms--and I see this almost every Friday. In 2000, I just didn't know how bad it was going to get.

-----

*The Company's nationally recognized brands include Jones New York, Evan-Picone, Norton McNaughton, Gloria Vanderbilt, Erika, l.e.i., Energie, Nine West, Easy Spirit, Enzo Angiolini, Bandolino, Joan & David, Mootsies Tootsies, Sam & Libby, Napier, Judith Jack, Kasper, Anne Klein, Albert Nipon, Le Suit and Barneys New York. The Company also markets costume jewelry under the Givenchy brand licensed from Givenchy Corporation and footwear under the Dockers Women brand licensed from Levi Strauss & Co. Jones Apparel Group

Friday Family Photo

My parents wedding photo.



This is when the Scots-Irish side and the German-Swiss-English side of my family got together after about eight or nine generations of pretty much sticking with their own kind. For many years I had thought myself an 8th generation American, but when more information on genealogy became so accessible via the internet, and I joined the Church of the Brethren listserv finding distant relatives, I added a few more generations. Many of them started out in Pennsylvania--I suppose if the roads had been better or if they had spoken the same languages, they might have bumped into each other. However, in the early 1700s, these ethnic groups had little or no social interaction and rarely married outside their own fellowships or neighborhoods. Moving west and south in the 1800s changed that somewhat, and by the 20th century many couldn't have even told you who their grandparents were.

My parents met on a "blind date" the summer before they started college in 1930 because a guy my dad knew was dating a girl in Franklin Grove (a girl friend of my mother) and didn't have a car. So dad drove, and both young men found a wife.

3466 Billy Graham's New Orleans Crusade

I must be the last person on the planet to open an e-mail to receive a forwarded, forwarded, forwarded, forwarded x100 story about Billy Graham leading a crusade in NOLA to Bourbon Street and having sinners rejoicing and singing along with the thousands who attended. I don't know why someone would make this up, and often the press is hostile to Christians, but folks, this didn't happen. When you see something--maybe it's medical, or political, or artistic, or spiritual--that sounds just a tad fishy ("the press will never cover this" is a good clue), do a little checking. I always use the Snopes site when I'm suspicious, but common sense wouldn't hurt either. Here's what a NOLA Baptist pastor said about the story.

One clue should be Graham's organization. It is a huge marketing machine--the Graham organization was a pioneer in using the media to spread the Gospel. His camera crews would have been right on top of this--if it happened. I'm on their mailing list, and if you've ever been in the cross hairs of a Christian group raising money, whether Mennonite or Samaritan's Purse, you know this opportunity, if true, would have arrived via snail-mail, not e-mail, with a return envelop.

Also, this is not a story the press would be afraid of. The press loves Billy; my public library which has little of value or interest for Christians, probably has every title the man ever published.

Now, go tell someone the Good News of Jesus Christ.

And a reminder from Paul: "See to it no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy." Col. 1:8

3465 What you never knew about bad breath

John Corby (WTVN 610 am Columbus, OH) was interviewing Dr. Katz about bad breath today. He even has a product for your cat and dog. Tonsils seem to be the culprit for some, sinus for others. He said don't brush your tongue with toothpaste because it has detergent in it and will cause dry mouth, making bad breath worse. One little item: apparently super models have really gross breath because they don't eat enough to make their digestion work properly.

Speaking of WTVN, you might remember that about 6 weeks ago I was really peeved with them for taking off Glenn Beck and messin' with me. Well, they eventually reinstated him to an FM station in Westerville on a one hour delay. But before I found him again (about 2 weeks) I started listening to WLW's morning guy, Mike McConnell, and I liked his style and the people he interviews. He's really pounding the global warming fear mongers. So now I don't listen to WTVN or Glenn.

Technorati: Glenn Beck,
talk radio, WTVN Columbus, WLW Cincinnati

Poetry Thursday #6

CHANGE is this week's theme in honor of PT's new website. What changes more than women's fashion? Truthfully, my style doesn't change that much, especially with no job to go to. So when I say good-bye to a favorite style or fabric, it is a sad day. Some go to my "vintage closet"--not to wear, but to look at, like a formal my mother made when I was in high school, or my mother-of-the-bride dress from 1993.

This poem is about the last pair of shoulder pads in my closet. Shoulder pads (for women) returned to fashion in the early 1980s after a hiatus of about 30 years. They started small and then became enormous, and gradually disappeared. Now we all have narrow, dainty, child-like shoulders again instead of looking like we suited up for the middle school football team or the soap opera Dynasty.


On removing shoulder pads from a favorite blouse
by Norma Bruce
Feb. 7, 2007

Others told me
(helpful friends)
someday on my own
strength
would I go
to meet the world
tall, strong, confident.

I’d waver; you were silent.

Mirrors told me
(how they lied)
only with your
help
could I climb
the ladder of
greed, success, power.

I’d arrange; you were silent.

Today told me
(glaring lights)
it was now past
time
should I cling
another minute to
padded, shaped, contoured?

Snip and toss; you were silent.


Technorati: Poetry Thursday

3463 Update on illegals

While my power steering fluid was dripping out yesterday (I didn't know it), I was driving along and listening to someone report that the border guard who was sentenced to a minimum security prison but sent to a medium security instead and placed in the general population where he was badly beaten by other prisoners. And now it has come out the government lied at their trial. If Bush doesn't shape up on border protection for us, he's going to lose his support from conservatives for his plan to help Iraqis protect their borders.

"In the high-profile case of two U.S. Border Patrol officers imprisoned after shooting and wounding a Mexican drug smuggler, two Department of Homeland Security documents apparently contradict the version of events put forth by the U.S. attorney who successfully prosecuted the case.

The internal Department of Homeland Security memoranda – which have been denied Congress despite repeated requests by two House members – show that within one month of the shooting incident involving Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, government investigators had identified the smuggler as Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila.

But this seems to contradict U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton's claim that Aldrete-Davila came forward through a Mexican lawyer who offered to identify his client in exchange for immunity."

Update here.

Cross posted and expanded at Illegals Today.

Technorati: Illegal immigration, border security

3462 Ladies, hang on to your ovaries!

Tara Parker-Pope (just love that name*) writes the science/health column for WSJ, and on Feb. 6 she covered the unfounded belief by some doctors and surgeons that women don't need their ovaries after a hysterectomy. Although a prophylactic oophorectomy will eliminate the threat of ovarian cancer (not a huge risk, but awfully hard to detect) and might slightly reduce breast cancer and stroke, it prematurely ages a woman putting her at high risk for heart attack and hip fractures unless she takes hormone supplements. Two different studies were reported (obliquely) by Ms. Parker-Pope. So I have taken my valuable blogging time to find the journals; Lancet Oncology 2006; 7:821-828, Oct. 1, 2006 (Mayo Clinic study, free registration to read the article) and Obstetics and Gynecology, 2005;106:219-226
(a good abstract and summary).

It's awfully irritating to be at the library reference desk when a patron brings in an article torn from the newspaper and the journalist hasn't cited anything except "in today's Journal," or "last week's Lancet." They have to read the research (I hope) to describe it; would it be so hard to cite it correctly?

*

Tara Parker Pope--
such a lovely name;
sing it, play it,
hang it on a rope.

Tara Parker Pope--
she of Wall Street fame;
read her, write her,
She will help you cope.

The naked article

Or author. Do you know how to strip a Word Document of personal data? I don't. Henry says this at Crooked Timber, where I seem to be the only person listed under Library Science, and I'm not even employed.

"Fun story in the Chronicle this week, about the perennial academic pastime of trying to figure out the identity of the anonymous referee who dinged your article. Word documents preserve a lot of metadata, including, very often, the author’s name – so that if you submit your review via a Word email attachment (as many journals ask you to these days), and the journal forwards the review unchanged to the article’s author, he or she can figure out who you are without having to play the usual guessing game. I’ve been aware of this for a couple of years (I carefully strip all data before sending reviews out, just in case) – but I suspect that many academics aren’t (some of them may not even realize that Word collates this data automatically)."

See the comments at the permalink for more. They end up debating different text editors and word processing. I didn't know anyone still used WordPerfect. Guess there's been a switch back.

Losing power

Yesterday on my drive back from Shear Impressions (about 5 miles) I turned off the always busy Rt. 33 onto a neighborhood main street, and noticed at a slight curve that the steering wheel was stiff. I knew immediately that my power steering had failed--it had happened to me once before when my children were both small and in the car. It's a feeling of helplessness not forgotten. I struggled home (fortunately I work out at least 2 minutes a day and am very strong), rousted my husband out of his chair and we took off for the local Pro-Care that had the least dangerous route using both cars. Once there, we discovered that Pro-Care had gone bankrupt and we were facing an unfamiliar company name. (Lobby and phone number are the same, however.) The car, and our arms, could go no further (our son manages a quick serve much further northeast), so we had to go with them or be towed. The diagnosis is a small hole in one of the hoses, and the power steering fluid drained out. It will be close to $300, but that's minor compared to the accident I could have caused.

Power. Even when we think we have it and we are zipping along, we don't.

3459 What are they so afraid of?

Over at Bloomberg.com Susan (Boom Boom) Antilla writes about the new Answers in Genesis Creation Museum in Kentucky. The sarcasm, the smears, the snarls and sneers--what are these guys so afraid of? Don't they know they are winning the battle for men's minds, and everyday in every way we are getting better and better? Gracious, the Departments of Biology at colleges and universities across this country have renamed themselves so the word "Evolution" is prominent--letting anyone who even entertains a thought outside that box will know not to enroll. Yes, we are all evolving to be sooooo open minded and newyorkerd that we aren't even threatened by a new or different thought. But I digress.

"Forget Disney World and Epcot Center," writes Antilla. "You haven't seen anything until you've seen the Creation Museum set to open in Petersburg, Kentucky, this year." I don't think she's actually been there or seen it (opens in June), but relies on second hand information with the fair and balanced title, "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America" by Chris Hedges, a former reporter for the New York Times, obviously an unbiased source.

I don't care if Ms. Antilla and Mr. Hedges want to believe they've evolved from something slimy and not human--if that's what gets them up every day and helps them live a better life, fine. Be my guest. But don't drag me down to your level.

3458 Catching up on education

There was an item in USAToday Feb. 7 reporting that 15% of high school students passed Advanced Placement in 2006 compared to 10% in 2000. It's been going up steadily every year. Hispanics are behind both blacks and whites even though they outnumber blacks. I'm wondering if bi-lingual education (mandatory) isn't slowing them down. Most immigrants in our past knew instinctively that in order to get ahead they needed to speak and write standard English. Many Hispanic parents know that but school boards and gate keepers are denying them this dose of common sense. The article certainly didn't credit NCLB for these figures, nor would I because I'm not sure how that would affect the kids at the top of the class, unless NCLB is floating some boats we weren't expecting when the level rose. Could it be more home schooling? Surely they get to take Advanced Placement.

I chatted with a chemistry teacher in a vo-tech school the other day. She was real excited about their school library--the new librarian has dumped the carrels (that was high tech in the 50s and 60s), and now the students can check out laptops to use in the library. Also the school (which serves 10 high schools in the Columbus area) is planning an expansion, and the librarian is getting 4 times her present space. And they will throw in an assistant. Some librarians know that marketing is an important skill these days.

If you turned up your nose at a teaching career because you heard the pay was bad, you need to get a neck adjustment. Bureau of Labor Statistics clocks teachers at $34.06 and hour, or 11% more than the average professional specialty like architecture. Frankly, I'm not sure you could get me in front of a class for $50/hour, but I sure do admire the committed saints who do it. The article by Marcus Winters and Jay Greene which appeared in the WSJ also pointed out that some of the highest paid teachers in the urban districts have the worst results--Detroit, NYC, DC.

The English speaking peoples account for 7.5% of the world's population, but their economies produce more than a third of the global GDP. . . the English language is an intellectual global currency. "A history of the English speaking people since 1900" (Harper Collins, 2007)

Schools in the Columbus, OH metropolitan area (both city and suburban) have been closed for three days now due to the extreme cold. The wind chill factor is a problem for students waiting outside for busses. At least, I think that was the reason. Back in the days of global cooling, I don't remember that schools closed for cold weather in northern Illinois.

3457 Featured on another site

American Daughter picked up my blog on what's behind the words (global warming vs. climate change; animal rights vs. animal welfare, etc) and posted it at her site. American Daughter features many guest columnists, bloggers and regular contributors in a variety of formats including audio, video, live webcasts and pictorial essays. Stop by and take a look. It's a very dynamic site, so click on the "front page" button to see what's on today. Make her site a regular visit.

Things I wonder about--the tomato

Every morning I drink 6 oz. of tomato juice with a Tbsp. of vinegar. Very tastey. It's much lower in calories than orange juice and has 90% of the daily requirement for Vit. C, plus a bunch of other good stuff you won't even notice. Cold tomato juice gives me a stomach ache so I buy the little unbrand 6 packs and don't refrigerate them. What puzzles me is why a 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce or a 1/2 cup of stewed tomatoes is so much lower in percentage of vitamin C. I've read labels of tomato products that have virtually zero vit. C listed.

Does anything smell worse

or give the eye more pleasure than a Ginko tree?
Here's a wonderful site to browse Ginko Dreams. Both the agricultural library where I worked for 3.5 years and visited many more, and the veterinary medicine library where I worked for 17 years had lovely tall Ginkos right outside the entrances. The smell when they drop their fruit is like vomit, and the students would track the rotting residue into the library (along with "stuff" from the animal stalls). Ah, the memories make me smile.

3453 Leaving race behind

Amitai Etzioni doesn't like it when people ask his race, even when the U.S. government asks. He discovered that if he marked a box labeled "other" that he was simply assigned to a racial category. He writes in "Leaving race behind" American Scholar, Spring 2006:

"Treating people differently according to their race is as un-American as a hereditary aristocracy, and as American as slavery. . . The national ideal says that all Americans should be able to compete as equals, whatever their background. . . Since the onset of the civil rights movement we have ensconced in law many claims based on race: requirements that a given proportion of public subsidies, loans, job training, educational assistance, and admission slots at choice colleges be set aside for people of color. . . There must be a better way to deal with past and current injustice. And the rapid changes in American demographics call for a reexamination of the place of race in America."

Etzioni notes that Hispanics are now the largest minority group in the U.S. and their population growth, both legal and illegal continues at an explosive pace. In 2003-2005, one of every two people added to America's population was Hispanic, but they may be members of many ethnic and racial groups. Race is biology, but ethnicity is geographic and cultural. By the third generation, 30% of Hispanics and 40% of Asians in the U.S. have married outside their racial or ethnic group. Will the government continue to offer their children special benefits?

Who needs help from the government? In my extended family we have on the one hand well-off, well-educated African American and Hispanic relatives who are married and living a stable, comfortable life style, and on the other, dirt poor, living-on-the-edge, poorly educated white relatives, "shacking up" as we used to say even before we knew poverty and marriage were related. Do you give reparations to the black family (whose ancestors were never part of U.S. slavery)? Do the Hispanics (who don't speak a word of Spanish) get a special deal for a job? Do you just give more money in welfare to the poor family, but no special incentive or slot for college because a middle-class black child got it?

One thing Etzioni doesn't touch on is the race careers--politicians, journalists, social workers and academics whose livihood depends on keeping us a divided nation. A black professor is suing because he didn't get tenure and he's claiming racial bias. But he's also doing stem cell research--adult stem cell, and doesn't believe in embryonic stem cell. Could be something else at work that has nothing to do with race. Did you see the article in the NYT about the woes of the highly educated, wealthy black people who can't find good nannies? Like most of the race-based articles, it was terribly anecdotal, but apparently some east European nannies have actually made a choice of whom they want to work for, and so have some black Americans and Caribbean women. I personally think the only color that matters here is green, and to get a good nanny in NYC you probably have to at least pay $40,000 a year with benefits.

Technorati: affirmative action, Racial Issues

First Italian American Woman in Space Disgrace

They may want to take back this award. She's now been charged with attempted murder, after an earlier kidnapping charge in which she pepper sprayed another woman in the space flight program who was involved with the guy that Nowak wanted for herself (she's married; no one told her you don't get two?) Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, an unmarried fellow astronaut. When arrested Nowak had a BB gun, a steel mallet, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags. She had worn diapers so she wouldn't have to stop while racing to get to the airport to confront the other woman. She was wearing a wig--and must have smelled a little funny.

OK. So the jokes about PMS are all over the airwaves. But you can't tell me someone in the chain of command didn't know there was a problem, but because she was a woman, they back peddled. I'll bet Oefelein knew she was dangerous, but thought his career was at stake if he said anything. It may have even been consensual--or could have all been in her head. It happens. But who was going to believe the man?

3451 Why aid for economic development fails

and often hurts the very people it tries to help. In the late 1970s I had a wonderful 3.5 year contract as a bibliographer/reference librarian in agricultural economics. More specifically, I was paid by the U.S. Department of State, Agency for International Development, through a grant won by Ohio State University's College of Agriculture, Department of Economics who wanted a librarian to help develop a collection of research about how local, home-grown small grants for credit, not gifts, to people with little or nothing lifted families and villages out of poverty and hunger. To correct a problem created by an earlier group of well-intentioned social scientists in the 1950s-60s post-colonial era, these grants also went to women and to small collectives in rural areas. Perhaps it was credit to buy several sewing machines, or looms, small tools, or a working well for a village which could then sell the water. Savings and investments are concepts totally foreign to many cultures and I don't know the success rate of these programs over the long run. Really, compared to the amounts you think of as "aid," these grants were very small, but they were not Utopian or from the top-down. The aid went to the entrepreneurial and those with a network of family or friends who would use their services. And don't forget those of us along the way who were paying our mortgages, tuition and Lazarus' bills with these grants--we benefited too. It paved my career path for two more contracts, and then a 17 year faculty position in the Veterinary Medicine Library.

Western interference in the economies, politics and cultures of third world developing countries has not turned out well. The American left loves to point fingers at Christian missionaries who started hospitals, schools, churches and developed a written language for Africans, Asians, and Islanders, but their footprints are tiny compared to the disaster of foreign aid from Europe and the U.S. The missionaries at least were accountable to God and their denomination; the governments and the U.N. agencies who soaked the guilt-swamped for more money funded various interventions in their societies which were accountable to no one, not even us taxpayers, elevating a class of dictators, bureaucrats and home grown thieves.

For all the statistics and scholarly stuff, check The White Man's Burden; why the West's efforts to aid the rest have done so much ill and so little good, by William Easterly (Penguin Press, 2006) and The Trouble with Africa; why foreign aid isn't working, by Robert Calderisi (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006). Both authors were officials with the World Bank (one for 16 years, the other for 30) and have seen this problem from the inside out. And just to balance out your public library's collection, you might recommend either or both titles, after you've done your own research. [UAPL owns 2 copies of the Easterly title.]

Some reviewers found Easterly's writing style "cynical and breezy" choosing to criticize how he said it--even his chapter headings--rather than what he said. This is a tried and true method to keep people from reading or buying a book. One review of the Calderisi book starts out by comparing the number of people who died in the WTC with the number of Africans who die of AIDS, and how much the EU spends helping its own farmers. This is also a diversionary tactic to not deal with the book in hand. Build a straw book and burn it. Easterly and Calderisi clearly show that aid has not produced the desired results; Africans are now being victimized by their own rather than Europeans. The naysayers will want to kill the messenger and want to do business as usual either from guilt or because they are in the money pipeline.

Monday Memories--Did I ever tell you about Alice?

When my children were pre-schoolers, I met Alice through an open housing human relations group. We were the same age and each had two children about the same ages. We began doing a few things together, like taking the children to lunch, the library, or the park. Our kids even shared chicken pox because I noticed spots on her daughter's face when we were all on a picnic. We browsed craft shops and garage sales, the kids in tow. We both read a lot and kept up a steady stream of conversation. I sketched and painted and she enjoyed crafts. She kept busy and involved, but decided she would pursue an advanced degree. This was in the early years of the women's movement and there was a lot of buzz about the value of being a mother vs making a contribution in the work place. Even I attended some "consciousness raising" groups at the university and felt the pull. It was heady stuff for young mothers whose highlight of the day might be a consult with the pre-school teacher or the dentist. We then began a rather complicated schedule of shared babysitting. She needed my help much more than I needed hers, because I didn't need as much time away from children. There was no time to just do the fun things in our little group of six. I was looking forward to summer when her classes would be over. One day in June she drove up with the children and announced she was leaving her husband. The three of them drove away, the three of us stood in the drive-way and waved good bye. I never saw or heard from her again. It was Father's Day.

------
There aren't too many left in the Monday Memories group who post regularly, but it's a convenient way to recall some things of the past, even the less than pleasant ones like this.

There's an age gap in house cleaning!

The over 60 ladies are definitely keeping cleaner homes! But we're even on who has a cleaning service. See the Good Housekeeping Survey. I never leave the house with the bed unmade, although sometimes my husband is still in it when I leave. We learned years ago that it was much for efficient for the last one up to make the bed.

HT The Laundress

3448 I'm putting myself first

There's a phrase that makes me gag. I was watching Oprah today while fixing supper (potatoes, onions and carrots with a little olive oil in the oven, and then I'll grill some salmon). She's doing a show on women who don't look their age. It's really amazing what getting them out of jeans and sweats and putting on a little hair color and mascara can do. But one woman came out and they had the photo of her 10 years ago and today on the screen. "What did you do?" asked Oprah. "I decided to put myself first," she said oozing confidence. "How did you do that?" Oprah repeated. "I'm putting myself first," she repeated. I guess if you eat junk food and never exercise, that's putting others first? When I did that I just called it getting careless and eating anything that wasn't nailed down.

3447 My very own 12-step program

My girlfriend AZ and I get together on Monday mornings for coffee and she is cleaning out her storage area, returning letters and things, pitching other stuff. We became friends in the late 70s, so she found some of my writings which she returned to me today.

It seems I wrote a 12-step program for myself [I have no memory of this] when I was in the midst of the terrible-teen years. I can't be sure this wasn't copied from someone else. Even in those days I was pretty good about adding a citation to the original. So here it is--with some reordering of priorities and eliminating some wordiness for this viewing.

If you're not familiar with the twelve steps concept it revolves around not trying to change other people or blame them for your situation and releasing it to God (or a higher power if you and God are not on speaking terms). I've always said that raising teens is what led me slowly out of the Democratic Party, and although it was probably 15 years down the road from writing this, I see the roots.

1) The only person I can be responsible for is me. I will think, feel, and act in ways that make me and the people around me feel good.

2) I will give up my image of the perfect parent who always knows the right thing to do, who always fixes up or cleans up after everyone.

3) I can't keep my children out of trouble or from being hurt. I release them to God's care.

4) My children have many needs and emotions. I will respect these needs and emotions.

5) I also have my own needs and emotions, and I expect my children to respect them, too.

6) I will do my part to be a responsible parent.

7) I also expect my children to do their part as members of this household and family.

8) I will not be negative or punishing, knowing that everyone likes praise, approval and acceptance, and I will praise any effort they make to be caring, responsible adults.

9) I will be reasonable in my expectations of my children, but I also accept my right and responsibility to set limits on behavior in my home and in my presence.

10) I will not expect perfection of myself or my children and I will be honest about my imperfections and seek only to change myself.

11) I will resist rescuing my children when they get into trouble of their own making. Because I realize that taking responsibility for another person's problems does not help but weakens the person, I will allow my children to experience the natural consequences of their own judgement or behavior.

12) I will resist allowing my children to be dependent on me. When I allow this I encourage resentment from them and self pity and bitterness from myself because we can't meet each other's expectations.

Looking back I'd say it's not particularly useful to even write down expectations for the way others will treat you. That's obviously an area over which you have no control. Nor would I today say I'm going to act a certain way so others will feel good. That's also something over which I had no control. I can't even imagine my mother writing something like this (my dad, maybe). This list has a very strong "yes, but" flavor, don't you think? It's pretty clear when I wrote this I was grabbing back anything I handed over to God. And notice how I listed what behavior would receive praise? I was really into responsibility, wasn't I? The teen years aren't easy--I wasn't very loveable and neither were they, but I'm happy to report that along about age 25 your kids will return to being the fabulous people you envisioned when they were little. May you live through it and thrive for another day!

War time pen pals

Our troops always need mail. I recall reading a letter saved by an elderly relative written by my great uncle, 16 years old, who had lied about his age and enlisted during the Civil War. He was so homesick and desperate for mail. He died of dysentery a few days before the war was over. Now people send e-mail, and I've sent a few myself just to let them know I appreciate them--although I'm not exactly in their age group. I think you'll enjoy this memory of pen pals during WWII by a former soldier. He probably wrote great letters--good practice for his future career as a journalist and a blogger.

You know the Bible 100%!

 

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

Not 100%, but some of the questions are pretty easy.

HT Annoyed Librarian.

3444 Laconic t-shirts

Lots of choices, but I sort of liked this one, suitable for writers. I love a good pencil to blame.


Although I liked this one, too "Democrats: the party of premature withdrawal."

Laconic blog

3443 Virginity pledges vs. condom use in adolescents

Why do you suppose some groups, the media especially, are so opposed to teens being instructed that abstinence is a viable alternative in sex education? Never mind, just tuck that thought away for another day and move one to things we do know. Studies do show that parents are in favor of abstinence education. What got the most media attention hype was a report [Peter Bearman and Hanna Bruckner in the Journal of Adolescent Health, April 2005] that apparently showed virginity pledges made no statistically significant difference in STDs in young adulthood. Upon rechecking their methods that was found not to be the case because their methods also showed that condom use failed even more in making a difference in STDs among this sample, and they were not looking at the teen years, but 7 years after the fact. A study done in June 2005 showed the Bearman and Bruckner study had many design flaws, plus the media had ignored many of the statistically significant differences, like male pledgers had 30% lower rate of infection than non-pledgers. I only bring it up now because recently I heard this misinformation mentioned on a talk show.

Lower STD rates [25%] is just one among a broad array of positive outcomes associated with virginity pledging. Previous research has shown that, when compared to non-pledgers of similar backgrounds, individuals who have taken a virginity pledge are:

Less likely to have children out-of-wedlock;
Less likely to experience teen pregnancy;
Less likely to give birth as teens or young adults;
Less likely to have sex before age 18; and,
Less likely to engage in non-marital sex as young adults.
In addition, pledgers have far fewer life-time sexual partners than non-pledgers. There are no apparent negatives associated with virginity pledging: while pledgers are less likely to use contraception at initial intercourse, differences in contraceptive use quickly disappear. By young adult years, sexually active pledgers are as likely to use contraception as non-pledgers.

Read it here, "Adolescent Virginity Pledges, Condom Use, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Young Adults" by Robert Rector and Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D., June, 2005.

Although the groups compared did have similar backgrounds, it appeared to me that more non-pledgers were from divorced homes with higher incomes and less religious involvement than the virginity pledge youth. However, whether the differences were statistically signficant enough to satisfy social scientists, I don't know.

And as we all know from life, making a promise doesn't mean keeping a promise.

Here's a good discussion opener for you and your daughter.

technorati: virginity pledges, contraception, condoms, STDs

Poetry Thursday has moved!

Here's the new site; I'll have to change my template link. So here's this week's challenge: "Given all the changes here at Poetry Thursday, we thought change would be a good topic for this week’s (completely and totally optional) idea." That's something to think about. This might be the time to post my shoulder pads poem.

All I did was attend a different church service today (we have eleven) and was amazed at the changes I saw. Not sure there's anything in that to write about, but change is always with us, isn't it? I've mentioned it before, but "change" is one of the reasons I retired at 60 instead of 65. I was so tired of the constant changes--the reporting line, the staff, the consortia, the committees, the technology. I thought there must be more to life than learning a new software gimmicks that would be gone in 6 months, or the names of student staff who would only stay a quarter. When you're young--like 18-25 or so--the changes dribble like a soft rain and you hardly notice them. Also, you tend to gloss over them thinking it (the changes) are temporary and eventually things will settle down. Doesn't happen. As you age your mind accumulates and stores all these changes and their warranties and instruction manuals are still on your shelves; they become burdensome.

3440 A proud grandma

A girlfriend (yes, we still say "girl" at our age) showed me the photos of her new grand daughter at about one hour old. She arrived 10 days early, very shortly after her mom's shower. Gorgeous, pink, and chubby with straight black hair and eyes, she is bi-racial, her father a Nigerian and her mother an Irish American. Her skin will darken some as she gets older, but right now she's a match with mom, not dad and because of the way we view people in this country by custom, culture and government edict, she will always be counted as African-American for the census, medical studies, scholarships, school diversity programs and employment opportunities. We have such an established bureaucracy dependent on keeping our citizens divided into groups, she may never in my life time be able to just be who she is.

African Americans are now the second largest minority group in the US--Hispanics are first. Many of the U.S. black population, like my friend's son-in-law, are recent arrivals--in fact 8 percent. According to the New York Times (reported at City Journal), more African immigrants have arrived voluntarily since 1990 than the number who once came as slaves. These immigrants, too, have far higher employment and education levels than native-born blacks. Barack Obama's name is out there for President. His father, although never a citizen, was born in Africa, and married an American and Barack was raised in Hawaii. Both his parents had advanced degrees. You can't say anything about his father only seeing him twice or being a Muslim or you are declared a racist, so just go read his autobiography or read a liberal blog which will tell you the same thing, but won't be called racist. Unlike some who have called him "privileged" because of private schooling, I'd say growing up without dad to help you sort through life's problems and hurts removes you from that definition.

Meanwhile, Diddy Daddy dawdles and hasn't married his "long time girlfriend," the mother of his new twin girls (and his older son) and Diddy didn't marry the mother of his oldest son. I feel a poem coming on. . . Poor Diddy's kiddies/Diddy or did he/you be one sad dad/You be P. Diddy. The failure of some highly visible and successful celebrities to become real fathers contributes to the poverty of the women and children left with Uncle Sam by young men who imitate the bling and strut of the diddy daddies of this world.

Technorati: Sean John Combs, P. Diddy, fatherhood, African Americans

3439 Move over Well-Dressed Librarian

Look what's in Greg's closet.

3438 Using Blogger's New Features

I'm starting to get into it now. The photo load is looking different and gives me a tiny view to show it's there (code is much longer, however); I'm loving the new template save feature because it's so fast; the new labeling feature is cool, although it only labels my stuff, so if I want subject headings for my own, I'll have to go back; Cathy tells me the RSS feed for my blog now works; and it's nice to be able to see, from the index, which entries have comments. I'll probably still do technorati tags--not trying any of the others. Who knew so many people wanted to be cataloguers--

"A December 2006 survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project has found that 28% of internet users have tagged or categorized content online such as photos, news stories or blog posts. On a typical day online, 7% of internet users say they tag or categorize online content." From DigitalKoans

My first job as a librarian was cataloging Russian books from the PL480 plan. Ah, the machine tractor station romance novels--I wonder if anyone ever read them. I still put things on the conveyor belt at the supermarket by category. Taxables. Dairy. Meat. Fresh produce.

3437 Just the write notebooks

Most of my blog entries are drafted on paper--unless you have written something on your blog that leads me to some research, or I read something in an on-line publication. (Ms. Loyal American Living in Europe [see comments] thinks I live in Iowa and don't read anything--woo, woo, is he wrong not only about me but about how well informed Iowans are!) So I have to have just the right note book and a #2 BIC pencil. I like spiral bound, hard cover, about 5 x 7, wide line. The one I'm using right now has blue paper, and I can't wait to use it up. Hard to read what I wrote. I thought I'd swoon when I saw these nice horse covers at CVS. There were only two, and a Google search indicated the company had been purchased since they were made, and I didn't see them on the web site. So I went to another CVS and found a bunch of them, plus some with a light house for only $2. I didn't really need 4 new notebooks, but with 10 blogs, you never know. One notebook lasts about 8 weeks. So I'm all set till Fall.

The Bruce Angel

I wonder if this guy stole our family angel from the Elwood Cemetery in Indiana.

HT Everton's Genealogy Blog

Technorati: cemetery statues, family history

3435 Does Charity really begin at home?

Two recent issues of Kiplinger's used this phrase to mean teaching children to be charitable, so that's what I'll address, although I always thought it meant giving close to home.

In my experience, demonstrating or teaching charity doesn't necessarily mean the lesson is understood or acted upon. I think it depends on whether the person (the grown up child of charitable parents) is active in a community of faith--a church, synagogue or mosque. Based on what I've observed in our family, a real mixed bag of church membership and attendance, and recent research, generosity and charity are tied closely to faith, not what you learned as a child.

Between us, my husband and I have six siblings, two adult children, and fourteen nieces and nephews. We had six parents (his were divorced and remarried), and I knew four of my grandparents and two great grandparents, and he knew three of his grandparents (his grandfather was widowed quite young). So that's my tiny sample which ranges from 7th to 10th generation American.

I knew my paternal great-grandparents (d. 1949 and 1963), but know little about their finances except that they lived modestly and were generous with their grandchildren. Great-grandma Leanor not only slipped candy to us, but gave my father a downpayment to buy his first house in the late-1930s. My great-grandfather (mother's side) was a very generous donor--he gave money to build the Wichita Church of the Brethren in the early 20th century, but lived in Illinois, and contibuted real estate in Chicago to the church to build a hospital. My husband's maternal grandparents and my maternal grandparents were very strong, active church members, his were Presbyterians and mine Church of the Brethren. They were also generous donors to the church and to various causes, and helped out family members, too.

My husband's parents (both couples) were wonderful people, but neither continued with the Presbyterian tradition, or any church involvement after childhood. If they ever donated to anything, it would have been something like Cancer Society, Lung Association or a buck for someone walking the neighborhood for March of Dimes. They didn't take their children to church, but my husband's grandparents took over. My parents remained active in the Church of the Brethren, and baptized and raised their children in that denomination. I don't know what went on later in their life, but when I was a young adult, I know they were giving about 15% of their income. My father scared us in his mid-80s when he decided to gather up donations and take them in his van (driving alone) to an Indian reservation in the Dakotas. My parents cancelled each others' votes at the polls, but were both very generous with church, community organizations and family members.

My husband and I have tithed our gross income for over 30 years, but we gave very little to anything when we weren't members. I think three of our six siblings are also active in churches and generously contribute--we're all there for worship weekly and participate in various ministries. Then we have two siblings who might be in a church for a baptism, funeral or wedding, but don't attend or give. They are more than generous with immediate family, however. One sib is missing in action, and we haven't seen him in years; it's my thought if he can't make it to a family dinner or answer his phone, he's probably not going to church either.

Moving on down the family tree, our own two children don't attend church and don't contribute to a church, and probably donate very little to any community organization. Of our 14 nieces and nephews I think 4 are active members in a church, and although I've never asked, I'm guessing they all are more generous than the ones who don't have a church home. Two of them (children of the MIA sib) have spiraled downward into low income jobs, out of wedlock babies and government assistance. Their own parents (divorced) had no involvement in church as children or as adults, and when this niece and nephew did attend church, it was with their aunts and uncles, because their grandparents also didn't attend.

Randy Alcorn says ". . . fifteen percent of everything Jesus said related to money and possessions. He spoke about money and possessions more than heaven and hell combined. The only subject Jesus spoke of more often is the Kingdom of God. Why? Because the Scriptures make clear there is a fundamental connection between a person's spiritual life and his attitudes and actions concerning money and possessions."

You can take a child to church, but you can't give him your faith. And charitable behavior stems from the faith. If it has worked out differently in your family, God bless 'em. It won't get anyone into heaven, but it will help some organization's bottom line.

3434 Global warming vs. climate change

One is a political, social and economic juggernaut designed to bring down global investments, high employment and capitalism, requiring hysteria and lemming like behavior; the other is a scientific, measurable fact, something that has been going on since Ohio was covered with glaciers, Lake Erie was flooding Cleveland, and Greenland was green, requiring some humility, hard science and common sense.

Animal rights vs. animal welfare

One is a political movement designed to bring down or stop medical research and pharmaceutical companies, various industries and capitalism in general; the other is a compassionate, moral and scientifically sound way to treat animals for the best interests of people.

Feminism vs. women's rights

One is a far reaching political movement designed to stomp out certain patriarchal cultures and behaviors by replacing them with matriarchal forms just as repressive and capitalism in general; the other suggests that although not a better or more moral species, women have a lot to offer society especially in government and business.

Pro-choice vs. pro-life

One is a political movement in which struggling people fearing loss of convenience and power, destroy the weakest and most frail, often with cruel and painful methods, choosing death today; the other is a spiritual movement in which struggling people decide to do what is difficult today, believing that life is sacred, choosing death 90 years from now.

Undocumented workers vs. illegal aliens

One is a political and social term used by most politicians, business CEOs and union officials, all looking for more votes, higher profits, or more members; the other is the term the rest of us use for the people flooding across our borders, swamping our social services, taking our jobs and sending money back to their villages to prop up a corrupt and failing government, primarily run by people of Spanish European ancestry whose ancestors used to control most of North and South America and now want it back.

Technorati: climate change, global warming, animal rights, abortion change, illegal aliens

3433 Good advice

We're in the second month of 2007 and I'm still up with my New Year's Resolution, which was to read through the Bible. I'm using the NIV The One Year Bible (1986, Tyndale). Sometimes it is necessary to have "the talk," and just look what Proverbs 6:30-26 (today's selection) provides us parents! Thousands of years old and it is right on the mark.

My son,
keep your father's commands and
do not forsake your mother's teaching.
Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.
When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
keeping you from the immoral woman,
from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes,
for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread,
and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

Wow, God. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Poetry Thursday #5

Today's assignment--a poem with math terms. Plane geometry in my sophomore year in high school was the only math class I ever liked. So here's the poem.

In geometry class
by Norma Bruce
Feb. 1, 2007

You're the only one I ever loved.
Degenerate and full of sin--
your height, your legs
and references to horizontal.
I so me try.

It wasn't meant to be.
I was too square and plane--
just a double cone
melting under Golden spiral rays.
I some try.

You were one dimensional,
between radical and mean,
with just the line
to touch my obtuse midpoint--
Is o me try.

Before I go on a tangent--
Upon reflection
I no longer flip over your
face or cute little axis.
You are zero to me now.

Poetry Thursday
Poetry
American poetry
geometry

3431 More on early retirement

Seems I was the only one who thought Sheryl McCarthy in the Forum section of USA Today was expecting too much protectionism for her older worker status yesterday. The comments following her Opinion forum tell some mighty sad stories of well-qualified, highly educated and superior employees put out to pasture much too early.

So was I just being an old meany, or did I have a little personal experience? Let me offer three examples, as the spouse of an unemployed worker, the superviser doing the hiring, and the government employment trainer.

My husband lost his job in 1976 while he was still in his 30s. It's terribly traumatic when you've got two little kids to feed and clothe and a mortgage, car payment, etc. but no job. We were not a two income family, we had a tiny savings for emergencies, and the paycheck stretched to about the 29th of the month. You've heard of the Great Depression? 1977-79 was the era of The Great Inflation (Carter was president and I think we had a Democratic congress). In the building trades, we were dead in the water a few years before the worst recession since the 1930s (1981-82, until Reagan got his tax cuts in place and turned things around). Big firms were gobbling up jobs they would have sneered at even two years earlier, leaving nothing for the smaller firms. My husband was only out of work three weeks, but emotionally it took years for him to recover. He was griped by fear and lost a lot of weight dropping below 130 lbs. Although he was hired by a good firm and eventually became a partner and owner, the personal dynamics were awful (and he's a very easy guy to get along with), but the earlier scare kept him there until 1994 when he left to start his own firm as sole practitioner.

In 1978 I took a wonderful contract, part-time position in the OSU agriculture library working in the agricultural credit field and there was enough money in the grant (Dept. of State) for me to hire a clerical assistant to do the typing, binding of documents, and filing. One of the candidates I interviewed was 10 years older than me and taking post graduate work to get a PhD in economics (my background was languages, not business). She was desperate for a job--any job. She was so incredibly over qualified it wasn't funny, and she hoped she'd left clerical work in her past. I hired a work-study undergrad. I simply didn't feel comfortable supervising a woman better educated and older than me--but I also believe it was not a job for a PhD candidate. The 19 year old loved it, did a terrific job because she had had many similar jobs (and I was a great boss), graduated and moved on.

In 1983, just as the economy was starting to pick up, I took a JTPA (formerly CETA) funded contract, part-time position with the Ohio Department of Aging helping agencies and organizations who would retrain older people to find new jobs. Many businesses hadn't made it through those bad years of the late 70s early 80s and older workers had trouble even preparing resumes. I learned two critical things about older workers: First, we can learn new skills and methods, but after age 25 it's like teaching a child with learning disabilities--it takes longer and needs to be approached from a variety of angles; Second, if you're unemployed and going to look for work, you need to put in 40 hours a week looking--your new job is to get a job. The way you submit resumes is different today, but you still need to get down to business immediately and not let up on the search.

Because I had so many part-time and temporary jobs, I've also learned over the years that when you're gone, it's over. Don't expect office or professional friendships to last unless there is something besides work holding it together, like church or hobbies. They'll all be trying to hang on to their jobs too, needing current professional contacts that can assist them. You'll have fewer hurt feelings and remorse if you just let it go.

3430 Goal!

It's been four months, but today I got to the 20 lb weight loss. I call it my "broadband" gain--I put on 20 lbs not when I retired, but when we got RoadRunner and I started blogging in October 2003 (now have 10 blogs). Way too much sitting--much more than when I worked. I hadn't lost an ounce since early December, then in the last 8 or 9 days, lost 3 lbs. In 1983 I lost 20 pounds after I joined an aerobic dance class--nothing happened for about 6 months. It was great fun, and I loved the class, but eventually there were scheduling problems, instructors changed, I went back to work, etc., and the pounds started to return. In 1993 I had to shave a few pounds for my daughter's wedding. Both of those times I was thinner than today, but I was also younger. Fat is a natural filler for wrinkles, and a cushion for blog bottoms. So, I don't think I'll go any lower.