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- It's pretty awesome having a hugging cat. Regularly scheduled cat-hug breaks from working!
- Fans of Jonathan Coulton might like The Funny Music Project (new songs x2 weekly): www.thefump.com/
- --Paranoid that the contractor boarded squirrels up inside our walls. Worried about them.
- Current effects of climate change (American Public Media): ping.fm/fHlTV
- There was/may still be a squirrel trapped under my floorboards. Phil can't fix this. Hating the world.
- Where the heck do I go to find a listing of the candidates on my ballot? (Answer: League of Women Voters)
- I have to figure out how my husband and I will be voting tomorrow. (Yes, my vote counts x2. Tremble!)
- The hospital-gowned girl flinched away from the carriage lantern, her hand before her eyes. IV tubes dangled from needle-pierced flesh. #nwm
- I'm still confused how rank choice voting works when there's multiple seats, since they say to only fill one oval under 1st choice.
- Part of political candidate's resume: "political sciense and history major, gradute student creative writing." Truefacts.
- Dear political candidates: Everyone experiences life. Thus, listing "Life" with your educational qualifications means nothing. Unoriginal.
Nano WriMo Etc.
Sep. 24th, 2009 11:01 pm- Whoa. Woot.com is making Rammstein jokes. ::head explodes::
- Funniest protest signs of 2008: bit.ly/7Mji3 RT @nemoren
- Free Venom energy drink at Nicollet and 8th St. "Killer Taipan" (mango) is pretty tasty!
- I'll be doing Nano WriMo (not NaNoWriMo) with daily steampunk twitterfics! ping.fm/rpyao
- For readability's sake, people, fix your LoudTwitter posts so they don't have @ comments! 1/2 of a conversation is boring as hell.
- Huh. For a "meatier" texture, freeze tofu and then thaw before cooking. Via Cookstr.
+/- The Approaching Future
Sep. 15th, 2009 11:01 pm- Uneaten egg on toast from breakfast + ketchup, ham, bread = lunch sandwich! Also, fear of lunch sandwich.
- Things learnt from ScienceTalk: MN has the highest percentage of (health) insured people.
- I wonder if the future will have "privacy sectors," where freedom from surveillance/tracking will be a paid-for privilege.
- How shocking will the expectation of privacy be?
- Listening to MPR re Google Book Settlement. V. interesting, will link to podcast (if avail.) on LJ later.
Points of Interest: Kittens Save The Day
Jun. 22nd, 2009 11:11 pm- 12:11 Best news headline today: "As Blogs Are Censored, It's Kittens To The Rescue." (NYT.com) ping.fm/ow7Tt
Points of Interest: Graphics
May. 5th, 2009 11:14 pm- 14:22 My cats are cute, but not that cute: ping.fm/UzO5W
- 14:26 ping.fm/cgbUs
- 14:34 Beautiful, surreal (and a couple borderline NSFW) paintings on wood (via BoingBoing): ping.fm/B2vki
- 23:08 + Had lovely eve at the Chatterbox, drinking root beer and playing hand & foot.
Details of the Day: April Fools
Apr. 1st, 2009 11:09 pm- 07:50 Keep children's books in libraries (no joke): ping.fm/zicyc
- 09:43 LJ's April Fools is pretending they're turning into Twitter: ping.fm/w6kVq
- 10:05 Gmail's April Fools is Autopilot. "Two Gmail accounts can happily converse with each other" ping.fm/aBZfx
- 10:09 Sipping tea, doing taxes, watching the April Fools Day blizzard outside my study window.
- 12:04 The art of the jelly monger (NYT.com): ping.fm/JYzqh
- 15:38 Ah, the writers-who-snack market! ping.fm/l3F7O
Inauguration Day
Jan. 21st, 2009 08:38 amYesterday, Inauguration Day, I shifted to the couch downstairs and worked on my laptop (yay in-home wireless!) so that I could watch all the inauguration events. I worked on critiques and responding to critiques instead of new writing. I got less done than I usually would, but it's surprising I was able to get anything else done at all.
I missed the swearing-in, though I've read about it since, but I watched almost all of the speech. I watched the poet (okay-not-great poem--that's the problem with writing something specifically for an occasion). I watched the news and the analysis and the beginning of the dinner and the parade and everything, all day long until I had to go to martial arts class.
This is the first time that the person I voted for for president has won. I know that's true for a lot of people in my age group, but it just sunk home. My guy won. I have confidence in his ability and his good intentions. I trust that he shares my most important values. It is a damn heady feeling. I have done my civic duty with grim determination ever since I was old enough to vote. I've voted in every election, presidential or not. I have never felt happy like this before.
I begin to see the magic of Camelot reborn. I'm interested on a personal level in what President Obama will do next. I want to know about the puppy his daughters pick. For goodness' sake, I'm interested in what Michelle chooses to wear--and no, I'm not usually at all interested in fashions. A little fairydust adheres to anything they do.
I don't even like watching the news, usually. I prefer to read my news. But yesterday, I spent all day sitting in front of the television following the events of the day.
I missed the swearing-in, though I've read about it since, but I watched almost all of the speech. I watched the poet (okay-not-great poem--that's the problem with writing something specifically for an occasion). I watched the news and the analysis and the beginning of the dinner and the parade and everything, all day long until I had to go to martial arts class.
This is the first time that the person I voted for for president has won. I know that's true for a lot of people in my age group, but it just sunk home. My guy won. I have confidence in his ability and his good intentions. I trust that he shares my most important values. It is a damn heady feeling. I have done my civic duty with grim determination ever since I was old enough to vote. I've voted in every election, presidential or not. I have never felt happy like this before.
I begin to see the magic of Camelot reborn. I'm interested on a personal level in what President Obama will do next. I want to know about the puppy his daughters pick. For goodness' sake, I'm interested in what Michelle chooses to wear--and no, I'm not usually at all interested in fashions. A little fairydust adheres to anything they do.
I don't even like watching the news, usually. I prefer to read my news. But yesterday, I spent all day sitting in front of the television following the events of the day.
Birth Control != Abortion
Sep. 19th, 2008 10:44 pmVia ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
xcorvis.
Access to birth control is good, yes? It prevents a significant percentage of what would be unwanted children, abortions, and environmentally caused birth defects. Good. We agree.
Some people hold that birth control is the same thing as abortion. By allowing a health care provider to define abortion, it is a very small extrapolation to health care providers refusing to provide or even discuss birth control options.
This is bad. The possibility that it could happen makes me furious. Women's rights are supposed to be more secure than this.
So do something, even if it's only sending an email. (Trying to get through to leave a comment on their phone line is not very feasible right now.)
Hi,
President Bush has issued a regulatory change that lets health care providers define abortion, which could threaten access to birth control and broader reproductive health care, and allow federal funding for so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" that refuse to inform patients of or provide patients with a full range of reproductive health care options.
There's a 30-day comment period before the new regulation takes effect, during which Planned Parenthood and other groups are raising a massive outcry in defense of women's health care.
The official comment period ends September 25. Can you add your comment today?
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/frcp08_adv1?source=frcp08ppd2_tafa
When more and more families are uninsured and having difficulty accessing health care at all, and when at least one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease -- implementing a rule that will limit access to health services is utterly perplexing, unconscionable, and just plain wrong. It will only hurt the women who most need help at times when they are most vulnerable.
I believe it's our job to help stop it. Please join me in telling President Bush "no." Here's the link with all the info you need:
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/frcp08_adv1?source=frcp08ppd2_tafa
P.S. Planned Parenthood desperately needs our financial support as well to fight this rule change. Consider making an emergency contribution...
Spread it around.
xcorvis.Access to birth control is good, yes? It prevents a significant percentage of what would be unwanted children, abortions, and environmentally caused birth defects. Good. We agree.
Some people hold that birth control is the same thing as abortion. By allowing a health care provider to define abortion, it is a very small extrapolation to health care providers refusing to provide or even discuss birth control options.
This is bad. The possibility that it could happen makes me furious. Women's rights are supposed to be more secure than this.
So do something, even if it's only sending an email. (Trying to get through to leave a comment on their phone line is not very feasible right now.)
Hi,
President Bush has issued a regulatory change that lets health care providers define abortion, which could threaten access to birth control and broader reproductive health care, and allow federal funding for so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" that refuse to inform patients of or provide patients with a full range of reproductive health care options.
There's a 30-day comment period before the new regulation takes effect, during which Planned Parenthood and other groups are raising a massive outcry in defense of women's health care.
The official comment period ends September 25. Can you add your comment today?
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/frcp08_adv1?source=frcp08ppd2_tafa
When more and more families are uninsured and having difficulty accessing health care at all, and when at least one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease -- implementing a rule that will limit access to health services is utterly perplexing, unconscionable, and just plain wrong. It will only hurt the women who most need help at times when they are most vulnerable.
I believe it's our job to help stop it. Please join me in telling President Bush "no." Here's the link with all the info you need:
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/frcp08_adv1?source=frcp08ppd2_tafa
P.S. Planned Parenthood desperately needs our financial support as well to fight this rule change. Consider making an emergency contribution...
Spread it around.
Christian and Pro-Choice
Apr. 4th, 2008 10:46 amI have a relative who is in the habit of sending out fwd emails and chain letters that support his political views, which are, I should mention, a bit more right-wing than most of the rest of the family. I don't usually respond, because usually they don't pertain to my choices. But then he sent one out with a subject line of "Planned Parenthood: A $1 Billion Evil Empire."
I am the sort of person who has to stand up and speak out when she disagrees strongly with what another person is presenting as fact or as acceptable/unacceptable behavior. And yes, this has caused strife in some of my relationships (including with some of you!). But to say nothing, just to keep the waters smooth and my life easier, would be unforgivably weak.
This email exchange followed. I'm italicizing his emails.
( Read more... )
Note: If the question comes up, you're welcome to link to this post and/or to quote from *my* responses. I didn't address the "notify the police" comment because I'm not current on all the issues and didn't want to open that can of worms. But I believe that most states that have a "notify for underage" rule require that the *parents* are the ones who are notified. That clearly wouldn't have helped.
I am the sort of person who has to stand up and speak out when she disagrees strongly with what another person is presenting as fact or as acceptable/unacceptable behavior. And yes, this has caused strife in some of my relationships (including with some of you!). But to say nothing, just to keep the waters smooth and my life easier, would be unforgivably weak.
This email exchange followed. I'm italicizing his emails.
( Read more... )
Note: If the question comes up, you're welcome to link to this post and/or to quote from *my* responses. I didn't address the "notify the police" comment because I'm not current on all the issues and didn't want to open that can of worms. But I believe that most states that have a "notify for underage" rule require that the *parents* are the ones who are notified. That clearly wouldn't have helped.
Twittered Today
Apr. 3rd, 2008 11:07 pm- 07:02 The Ruins--that's one movie I won't be watching. ::shudder:: Internal parasites. I hates them, hates them all! #
- 07:02 Frog Applause funny! images.ucomics.com/comics/frog/2008/frog080403.gif #
- 08:22 Did *not* wake up at 3AM this morning. That was a relief. #
- 09:37 Singing along with "Shout". #
- 09:54 Hoo-boy. Relative sent back "you would be more educated
about Planned Parenthood and their racist practices and anti christian
values." # - 09:54 OTOH, had about five other relatives respond with support. #
- 10:06 Is porcelain addictive? tinyurl.com/2rrysa #
- 11:47 Listening to Fear of the Dark as I work. Loving it. tinyurl.com/32qasq #
- 12:17 Got spaghetti sauce on favorite t-shirt. Now have large wet spot on left breast. Luckily, also have long-sleeved shirt that buttons up! #
- 16:40 It is so gorgeous out. I've opened all the windows and the cats are loving it. And grilling for dinner tonight! Yay, spring! #
- 17:43 Sitting in the sunshine, drinking wine and eating shortbread, feeling v. decadent. #
- 18:59 Grilling was A Success. Now for the knee exercises while watching Talladega Nights. Oh lord. #
Twittered Today
Apr. 2nd, 2008 11:07 pm- 06:51 Dear body, waking me up for no damn reason at 3am for the *second time in a row* isn't funny! #
- 10:04 I was weaned off coffee, but I find myself going back to the foul stuff just because I need to stay awake. #
- 13:00 I like it when the weather forecast uses words like 'glorious'! #
- 14:12 I get to be a wedding taster? Yum. Also, no poison is involved. Hopefully. #
- 14:15 Dear knee, Stop with the random flashes of pain when I haven't *done* anything! #
- 14:16 FREE! I'll mail anyone a couple of packets of chrysanthemum beverage if they'd like to try it. #
- 17:42 Quashed husband with SciAm's definitive analysis of why it's better to turn off fluorescent lights! #
- 21:16 Relative forwarded anti-"Planned Parenthood: A $1 Billion Evil Empire" email. I sent a "reply all" thanking him for reminding me to donate. #
- 21:24 I am exhausted, sickly, cranky and unstable feeling. This is what happens when I work too much and can't write or do martial arts. #
- 22:00 Updating medical & writing expenses spreadsheets for the last 2 months. #
Support Library Funding
Oct. 22nd, 2006 10:46 pmWhy it's a problem:
"...we - residents of what is sometimes celebrated as the most literate city in the country - settled for a library system with arguably the worst hours of any major city. You don't have to look far to see just how bad it is. Minneapolis currently has just one library open six days a week. Across the river, eight different libraries are open seven days a week.
The Star Tribune recently celebrated the boom in library usage.... Virtually all of that growth has occurred outside of Minneapolis for one simple reason: If you can't get into your library, it's pretty hard to check anything out. In Minneapolis, circulation per open hour has grown steadily, but total circulation growth is far behind our neighbors.
...As the Trustees prepare the 2007 budget, we are faced once again with a choice between bad and worse. To live within the Library's budget, we could either further reduce hours so that nine of our 15 libraries are open just three days a week or we could close 10 libraries, enabling the remaining five to be open seven days a week. A compromise would close three libraries, leaving 12 open five days a week."
- http://www.friendsofmpl.org/Friends_advocacy2005.html
And it's only going to get worse from there.
Star Tribune Article about impending budget cuts in the library system: http://www.startribune.com/462/story/754098.html
What you can do:
Show your support for better library funding at the Library’s annual budget presentation to the City Council Ways & Means Committee meeting on Wednesday, October 25 at 11 am (Council chambers, 3rd floor, City Hall).
Let the mayor and your council member know why open libraries are a top priority for you and your family:
* Email the mayor at rt@minneapolis.org.
* Email your council member.
If writing a whole letter seems like too much work, just send an email saying, "I'm writing to encourage you to increase the funding options available for the Minneapolis Public Library System so that all currently existing libraries can stay open with service hours that allow and encourage people to use the Minneapolis Public Library System."
Join The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library System.
The letter I sent out:
( The letter )
"...we - residents of what is sometimes celebrated as the most literate city in the country - settled for a library system with arguably the worst hours of any major city. You don't have to look far to see just how bad it is. Minneapolis currently has just one library open six days a week. Across the river, eight different libraries are open seven days a week.
The Star Tribune recently celebrated the boom in library usage.... Virtually all of that growth has occurred outside of Minneapolis for one simple reason: If you can't get into your library, it's pretty hard to check anything out. In Minneapolis, circulation per open hour has grown steadily, but total circulation growth is far behind our neighbors.
...As the Trustees prepare the 2007 budget, we are faced once again with a choice between bad and worse. To live within the Library's budget, we could either further reduce hours so that nine of our 15 libraries are open just three days a week or we could close 10 libraries, enabling the remaining five to be open seven days a week. A compromise would close three libraries, leaving 12 open five days a week."
- http://www.friendsofmpl.org/Friends_advocacy2005.html
And it's only going to get worse from there.
Star Tribune Article about impending budget cuts in the library system: http://www.startribune.com/462/story/754098.html
What you can do:
Show your support for better library funding at the Library’s annual budget presentation to the City Council Ways & Means Committee meeting on Wednesday, October 25 at 11 am (Council chambers, 3rd floor, City Hall).
Let the mayor and your council member know why open libraries are a top priority for you and your family:
* Email the mayor at rt@minneapolis.org.
* Email your council member.
If writing a whole letter seems like too much work, just send an email saying, "I'm writing to encourage you to increase the funding options available for the Minneapolis Public Library System so that all currently existing libraries can stay open with service hours that allow and encourage people to use the Minneapolis Public Library System."
Join The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library System.
The letter I sent out:
( The letter )
