2529 Dan Brown's Truthiness

Rodney Clapp in the May 16 Christian Century writes about the errors in Da Code. It's not a journal I regularly read (too liberal most of the time), but I thought he had some good points. Be careful--this may hurt some conservatives' feelings.

1. The book is written like a movie script.
2. The characters have no inner dimension.
3. It's designed for tourists.
4. It is the striptease of truthiness--the seductive solving of obscure and opaque puzzles.
5. Resembles the "Left Behind" series which decodes the Bible through dispensational theology.
6. Plays to a culture that stays close to the surface--a sand castle on the beach that will erode and melt from view.
7. People most drawn to Da Code tend to be ex-Catholics.
8. The anxiety and urgency of the post 9/11 world made it easier to tap into fears of dungeons and theocracy.
9. As a novel, it is a cop out--the hero never locates proof.
10. Brown's claim to doing research--39 books--is nothing in the academic world. [I used that many for just a journal article in library science.]

DaVinci Code
Dan Brown

2528 Let's have pizza tonight!

At the library today I was reading a history of the pizza industry/craze in the United States, so I think we'll have take out tonight. No other foreign food has ever immigrated so successfully. It first really took off about 60 years ago in the midwest--and I was there, reluctantly. The first time I ate pizza was in 1955 or 1956 on a date with a tall, dark and handsome Italian-American whom I met because we both played trombone. I think he wanted to really impress me so we went to an Italian restaurant in Rockford (40 miles from my home, so counting the distance from Oregon to Mt. Morris, then Rockford then back, then to Oregon, he must have driven close to 100 miles round trip for that pizza). I was aware of two condiments--salt and sugar. I'd never tasted oregano, or garlic, and probably had never had any cheese other than Velveeta. I didn't even know how to eat it and asked for a fork--embarrassing him I'm sure. Leonard, where ever you are, forgive me. I love pizza now. I'm sorry I didn't believe you.

The second time I had pizza I was a freshman in college at Manchester in Indiana in 1957, and a carload of us went to a restaurant in the next town (getting out of North Manchester was excitement in those days), and they all ordered pizza. Being weak willed, I went along. It didn't seem to taste too bad that time. And it wasn't the beer--I still have never tasted beer because it smells like rotten grain.

By the time I had my first big date with my husband in 1959 at the University of Illinois, he took me to a restaurant in Urbana after a dance. I thought pizza tasted pretty darn good that night (maybe it was love?). However, in the intervening 4 years, I think the fat calories had increased considerably because I could see my happy reflection in the grease puddles on the pepperoni slices. And I was hooked.



Before (L) and after (R) pizza

2527 Saying good-bye

Today I said good-bye to my medical student. I'm a volunteer, a "senior partner" for a medical student. Because I'm pretty healthy, he didn't have much to do, but I've enjoyed learning about his studies and activities. He's from Cleveland, is bright, personable and capable, the kind of guy any of us would love to have as a son or a doctor. He says he'll see me again even though my part of the program is over, but hey--I'm not so old that I don't remember that great line of handsome young men.

Another good-bye really is permanent. A friend who'd been in a church study group with us about 10 years ago died suddenly on Saturday. She and her family had just arrived at a restaurant and she went in the rest room, apparently not feeling well, and collapsed and died. When we walked into the funeral home this evening we saw a teen in a dark suit who looked so much like his grandfather it almost took my breath away--and it was confirmed by the old black and white photos posted of her and her sweetheart in his navy uniform. They were married 52 years had 5 children and 12 grandchildren. They will miss her laughter, love and wisdom. But as our pastor has often said, although it was a shock for us, God was not surprised.

2526 The U.S. isn't falling behind in stem cell research

as reported in the latest Wired (14:06, June 2006). "Ever since President Bush hobbled domestic stem cell research nearly five years ago, US scientists have been left with just 22 viable embryonic cell lines to use for federally funded projects." says Greta Lorge in "Where the cells are."

However, in the April 2006 issue of Nature Biotechnology there was a review of all scientific publications involving the use or derivation of human embryonic stem cells, starting with the very first paper in 1998 and ending just over a year ago. Librarians love review articles. The authors' intention was to blame Bush for the U.S. falling behind, but instead says The New Atlantis (Number 12, Spring 2006, pp. 112-115) . . .

"The study itself, however, tells a very different story. Owen-Smith and McCormick reviewed the 132 human embryonic stem cell articles published in 55 scientific journals since 1998. Far from showing the United States lagging behind in the field, they found that American scientists had by far the most publications—46 percent of the total, while the other 54 percent were divided among scientists from 17 other countries. They also found that the number of papers in the field published by Americans has increased each year, with a particularly notable growth spurt beginning in 2002. . . 85 percent of all the published embryonic stem cell research in the world has used the lines approved for funding under the Bush policy"

President Bush said, "We should not use public money to support the further destruction of human life," and I agree, but as it turns out both morality and scientific research can go hand in hand.

Thank you, Mr. President. At a time when a lot of us are scratching our heads over some of your other decisions, it is nice to be reminded how standing firm in the face of media criticism and poll numbers pays off.

stem cell research
Wired magazine

2525 Tom Tancredo condemns the Senate bill

The House Immigration Reform Caucus Chair, Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado) said this about last Thursday's fiasco in the Senate:

"The battle is joined," said Tancredo. "Today, the U.S. Senate passed the largest illegal alien amnesty in American history. It is bad for our national security, it is bad for American workers, and it sends a very bad message to those waiting legally for their chance at the American dream. The only good news is that Congressmen are going home next week where they are guaranteed to get hell from their constituents for this amnesty."

"A majority of House Republicans are holding firm as the last line of defense against the Senate’s amnesty plan," continued Tancredo. "The President is well known for arm-twisting, but immigration is in the front of Americans' minds, and I doubt Members will easily flip on this issue. Speaker Hastert has reaffirmed his 'majority of the majority' rule, which makes sure that my party’s leadership doesn’t collude with the Democrats to pass an amnesty bill." Key features from his press release.

Senators DeWine and Voinovich of Ohio, both Republicans, definitely sided with businesses interests rather than the people they represent. If it looks like Republicans are in disarray, indistinguishable from their Democratic colleagues, who are beholden to unions which take illegals into membership, seeing is believing in this case. Follow the money.

In my opinion, to attempt any sort of "comprehensive" bill before securing the border will endanger the lives of millions of Mexican illegals and decimate their villages as they rush north to take advantage of amnesty and all the social benefits their relatives will receive. Amnesty did not stop illegal immigration in 1986 with IRCA, in fact, it increased because our borders are porous. All the same points were made in the 1970s during the Carter years, the 80s during the Reagan years, and the 90s during the Clinton years. Remember? They thought NAFTA would keep more Mexicans working at home.

We didn't secure the borders in Iraq, so we'd better do it at home.

2524 Blogger burping

Blogger seems to be rebelling about uploading my photos for my Thursday Thirteen (in draft). I'm guessing bunches of you are posting your holiday picnic and memorial observance photos. My TT this week will be on automobiles, so I really had to do a hunt through the photo albums. But my, what fun. Hope I can get the photos to work--it will be much more interesting. It also occurred to me that I almost never took photos of cars, and if I did, they didn't get into the family albums.

As I was explaining to my husband what I was doing he began to tell me about our Packard. We never had one. However, my sister Carol and I shared a Packard (about 1950 model I think) for driving back and forth to college--she was at Goshen and I was at Manchester (both in Indiana about 50 miles apart). Talk about a tank! It was even the color of one. We could get 4 other co-eds in it with all their luggage. The trip was 250 miles on 2-lane roads, and I think Dad figured it was cheaper to buy us a car to drive back and forth than to take time off work to drive us to college.

2523 The trophy wife

At dinner last night I was browsing through the latest GSLIS Annual Report (University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science)--the campus wide bioinformatics master's program, the certificate of advanced study in language and speech processing, advanced study certificate in digital libraries, and its LEEP (online education) program. I said to my husband, "If I were 20 years younger, I might just try one of these." Without missing a beat he said, "If you were 20 years younger, I'd have a trophy wife."

Monday Memories Honoring our Veterans

For all who have served, thank you for our freedoms. May we honor you by not abandoning them.
Dad and his brother in 1944

"From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air on land and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to bear the title
Of United States Marines."
The Marine Hymn

"After the Marines participated in the capture and occupation of Mexico City and the Castle of Chapultepec, otherwise known as the "Halls of Montezuma," the words on the Colors were changed to read: "From the Shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma." Following the close of the Mexican War came the first verse of the Marines' Hymn, written, according to tradition, by a Marine on duty in Mexico. For the sake of euphony, the unknown author transposed the phrases in the motto on the Colors so that the first two lines of the Hymn would read: "From the Halls of Montezuma, to the Shores of Tripoli." "

Victory in Tripoli, our first war with Islamic terrorists in the 18th century.

Who would have thought when Dad and Uncle Russell had this candid shot fighting in the Pacific, that members of our Senate 62 years later would be trying to gut our history, honor and country?

Leave a comment and I'll link back to you.
1. Lazy Daisy 2. Wandi 3. Lifecruiser 4. LadyBugCrossing
5. Amy 6. Craziequeen 7. Doyle 8.Dirty Butter 9. Ocean Lady

Click here for the Monday Memories code
Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!
View More Monday Memories Participants

Memorial Day
Marines
Marine Hymn

2521 The ultimatum

After seeing this fashion trend several times this week at Lakeside, I told my husband that if he starts wearing suspenders with plaid shirts, I'm outta here.

men's fashions

2520 Charlie Gibson's Amazing Escape

Can you imagine how happy Charlie must be to escape all those ladies on Good Morning America? I'm a woman and I'm often embarrassed by the chatter and talking over each other they do on that show attempting to be bright and cheerful. It seemed to me they often passed to him some stories that were definitely less than a guy-thing.

I don't know when he starts his evening duties anchoring the news, but I just watched for what seems the umpteenth time an overview--just in time for Memorial Day--of the latest Iraq scandal. If ever the mainstream media deserved the moniker "lamestream," it has been this story. Our troops perform with honor and courage 99.99% of the time, and this is what gets airplay on one of our most solemn holidays to honor our war dead. It is being investigated, as it should be--our system works. I hope it will turn out to be as phony as the Jesse MacBeth story.

Charlie, I'm going to give you a break here and assume someone else wrote the words and you were told to read them. Good luck in the new assignment.

Charles Gibson
ABC News

2519 Is the Kerry story going to be flipped again?

Let it go. Viet Nam would never have been an issue in the last presidential campaign if Kerry hadn't trotted out his make-over. (His behavior after his service, yes--that would have been an issue.) Now Captain reports that Kerry might be trying to bring the Swift Boat Vets up again. Story here. Captain says he hasn't posted on this topic in 18 months, but has a list of unanswered questions ready.

John Kerry, who by the way, served in Viet Nam.

2518 Who would lie about Spudnuts

My entries on how to fix a broken zipper (can't be done) and memories of Spudnuts in Urbana, IL (University of Illinois) in the 1950s and 60s get a lot of hits. This week I heard from Mark, who left this comment:

"My grandfather, Herman Trapp and my dad, Fred Steffens; owned and ran the Spudnut stores in Urbana, IL until my grandfather’s stroke in the middle ‘60s. I love spudnuts and Krispy Kremes don’t come close. I remember as a kid, crawling on bags of potato flour and helping Grandpa stock the stores on the weekends. Glad to see you have fond memories of the Spudnut and the Spudnut coffee house.

Mark Steffens
CPS - Sales and Technical Service"

Now, I haven't checked out the veracity of this memory, but I want to believe it, so I asked for his permission to post it. Roadfood.com has a forum about Spudnuts, the various shops, and people like me still yearning for them.

Here's a recipe for spudnuts, using mashed potatoes, not potato flour, but this lady says they taste really good.

Spudnuts
potato flour

2517 Saling at the Lake

Yard Saling, that is.

The right image is important--I wore two shades of denim and sensible librarian shoes

Lots of variety in this one--chairs, toys, mattresses, floral wreaths, picture frames, pots and pans

Lakesiders use the honor system--just drop the money in the jar and make your own change. This jar was full and I didn't see anyone around to take it in the house.

Every house on this corner had a sale. I think some people are just trading.

Yard sales
Lakeside, Ohio

2516 Bloggers, too

Columnist Kathleen Parker wrote "People such as [Howard] Stern and [George] Carlin have built careers out of making obscenity funny, that is, if you're emotionally trapped in a 7-year-old boy's psyche." . . .[who] find great hilarity in body functions and are prone to uncontrollable giggles upon hearing vocabulary that refers to human anatomy."

I've noticed that about female bloggers--only they seem to be trapped in a tipsy ditsy babe-at-the-bar persona. Twice this month on Thursday Thirteen I've come across women who tried to use the F-word the maximum number of times in 13 sentences. If there is anything uglier in our language than the Stern and Carlin dog and pony excrement show, it's ladies' night out at the potty mouth party. It's their blog and they can write what they want, but they shouldn't get indignant and hostile when I comment on their juvenile behavior. If they aren't craving attention, turn off the comment feature.

Thursday Thirteen

2515 When Maria was Bridget

If your ancestors were Irish and immigrated to the USA, Canada or Australia in the 19th century, you may think that because millions of immigrants were absorbed before (about 15% of the US population was foreign born in the early 20th century), why should it be any different now with illegal workers from Mexico who will get amnesty (displacing those who have been waiting on the legal quotas) and bring into legal residency their entire families, including parents and adult children? The rest of the story

illegal immigration

2514 Spam blocks

Many blogs now support spam blockers, and some require registering name, e-mail and URL in order to comment. Many comments are not visible at that site until the blogger approves them. Some comments can go through automatically because they were checked earlier and accepted.

These are the borders of the blog world, put up to keep other writers out who are interested in selling a product, advocating a life style, or just being nasty. If there were no money in it, there would be very little spam. The blog citizen wants to have borders and decide who is allowed in. So why do we care? Wouldn't 1000 messages in our comments window, all the same, be good for stats? What if the spammer wants to sell hot lesbian sex or cheap Viagra or a new cookbook. Why shouldn't he use my bandwidth? Why should I be allowed to deny them access to my blog or make it more difficult? What if the spammer isn't leaving a thousand messages for me to delete--just 150? Wouldn't that be OK? I mean after all, arent't these just guys trying to make a living, and once they scam a few thousand folks, they'll turn to honest work?

That is the attitude and point of view that some of my readers have about the illegal immigrants and the USA border--and my comments were way down this week mainly because people just moved on not wanting to "get involved." But here's a few--imagine you're reading about spammers intruding on your space and bandwidth instead of people sneaking into your country, your town, your workplace, and your identity.

People deserve to live. It is easy for those of us who have much to look down our noses at those who have little.

I can't say I agree with your take on the issue, but I admire you greatly for researching and voicing your concerns.

For instance, with a virtually open border, 100,000,000 Mexican didn't come over the last 20 years. Only 12 million did.

Hot topic that I'll not debate but I don't think anyone can deny the fact that those numbers are mind-boggling.

I'm in Canada so I'm not going to voice my thoughts on these issues.

Claudia, a Hispanic-American leaves a plea

at About.com's Immigration Issues.

2512 Our neighbor to the South and the Narcos

LinknZona looks at the information in the CIA Handbook (something all libraries have for many countries) and comments on how the facts are either laundered to not look so bad, or just can't be determined--like Mexico's population.

"Mexico has 48 consulates in the US while we have only 9 in Mexico. This is a gross imbalance and as has been shown elsewhere (e.g. michellemalkin.com) the Mexican consulates are deeply involved in influencing, or even running, American illegal immigration policy."

Kennedy and McCain had help with the S.2611 "reform" bill from the pro-immigration forces. But it would seem there are strong interests here at home in not closing the border, and it isn't for humanitarian reasons.

"These major drug syndicates, also called drug cartels, are run by people called Narcos, although Narcos can also refer to lower level gangsters and smugglers. If you travel professionally in Mexico and have professional friends from Mexico (as I have and do), you will hear that virtually all the politicians in Mexico are controlled by the Narcos. This includes the current and several former presidents of Mexico. Presidente Fox has much more than a phony concern for the poor people in Mexico behind his demands for an open border. By telling the poor and oppressed of Mexico to migrate north, Mexico relieves its social pressure for reform, gains as much as $50 billion sent back from illegal immigrants in America, and serves its Narco masters. Presidential elections in Mexico have been fixed (see here for example) and it looks as if Fox is headed down this path. Reform would cost hundreds of billions of dollars to the Mexican economy, the crooked politicians, and to their Narco allies."

2511 They are missing a prefix

I e-mailed DeWine and Voinovich today telling them what a disaster they are for the party and the nation, and would you believe the e-mail forms won't work without a prefix--like Mr. Miss or Mrs. Well, fellas, when are you going to add Senora and Senorita because that's where you've taking us.

Business interests, Democrats and Unions

They got what they wanted out of the Senate--S.2611 passed. The Democrats and Republicans who actually need to be responsive to the voters, weren't for it. They'll need to be reelected. It is a really ugly, ugly coalition. In 1986 it was the agricultural interests--now it's the Chamber of Commerce and other business interests. Republicans who are not up for reelection must have their sticky fingers in investments that will benefit. They don't need to worry about their Social Security, which theft of will be forgiven under this plan, because they are exempt and get to have a private plan. The Democrats need a permanent underclass in this country or they can't get elected. They need new ways and new folks to make tax transfers to. The unions have been losing numbers and strength for years and need a transfusion. And the Republicans have sold their soul for a mess of pottage.

There's even some in this mix, and I hope they are few, who don't want to interrupt the flow of drugs into this country, but I don't know what to call them--old fashioned criminals?