January 2005 | Main | March 2005
February 28, 2005
Now I really hate Microsoft!
Have any of you ever tried to add a word to the Spellcheck for Word and get the message - word not added - custom dictionary is full - ????
WTF???
Posted by Beth at 9:28 AM | Comments (9)
Really cool dog trick
If you have a few minutes, go look at Tyson - the skateboarding Old English Bulldog - what a hoot! This puppy actually skateboards - you have to see it.
Update: I have changed the link (per Teresa - and she is sooo right!) to take you to the page so you can pick your download preferences.
Posted by Beth at 6:23 AM | Comments (3)
February 27, 2005
This is kinda neat
And this, News is Free, is very nifty. An easy way to see the breaking news.
Posted by Beth at 11:10 AM | Comments (2)
Chipmunk in the downspout
You all know how badly Houdini, the short dog, behaves. Well, now Whiskey, the middle dog (named whiskey because he's a licker), is also becoming a dog that makes us crazy.
Spring is slowly making its way into Leavenworth. The chipmunks have awakened from their winter semi-hibernation and are busy running around the front yard. Some of them climb up the Japanese Maple in the front of the house and go over the roof and down a tree in the backyard to find goodies there.
Apparently, when I let the boys out yesterday, Houdini and Whiskey cornered a chipmunk and he jumped into the downspout on the corner of the house. The two dogs went nuts. They somehow managed to pinch the downspout closed, so the poor chippie (that's what we call them) was stuck. I could not get the dogs to leave it alone, so I called for backup from John - alpha human.
John only had to say "Whiskey, Houdini", in a rather gruff voice - well, more like a furious, "you better get in the house right now!" voice, and he got them away, pried open the downspout and the chipmunk took off for better territory, at least I hope so!
This morning, I put the dogs out, and Whiskey races to the downspout and starts pulling it off of the house - now it is broken about halfway up and we will have to replace it. Whiskey seems convinced there is a critter in there, but I could not see or hear one - I think it is just wishful thinking on Whiskey's part. He seems to think that the downspout is a chipmunk dispenser! Let's hope he doesn't start pulling on the other downspouts, hoping for chipmunk munchies.
I don't know for sure, but I suspect that Houdini (being partly rat terrier) is the one responsible for Whiskey thinking that he can find chipmunks in the downspout. He is a bad influence on the bigger dogs.
Posted by Beth at 7:39 AM | Comments (3)
An Idea ..
Okay, we've got the Carnival of the Recipes off and running - and a whole bunch of people who want to host. So, I was thinking, maybe we could do another recipe thing that is related to the Carnival - some kind of recipe request thing?
I thought of this due to my own selfishness - I had Key Lime Crumb Cake at Starbucks in the Orlando Airport Friday morning. Oh. My. God. Yum!
I can't find a recipe for it anywhere - does anyone have that recipe, or a similar one?
Maybe I can do a weekly bunch of requests from people and have the carnival link to the requests - and then when those recipes are submitted, link the requests to the recipes - or something - ideas and suggestions are welcome, folks!
Posted by Beth at 7:28 AM | Comments (9)
February 25, 2005
Carnival of the Recipes #28
The Carnival of the Recipes #28 is absolutely out of this world!
Ted at Rocket Jones has a delightfully spacy theme. Go. Cook. Eat. Enjoy!
Posted by Beth at 6:50 AM
Good morning, handsome!
Can't wait to get home to see you, handsome - I have missed you so much this week. I'm getting packed up and ready to go. I am going to stop by the client's datacenter for about 5 minutes, if I can get by with that. I've been gone 12 out of the last 14 days, and I am tired!
I'll see you this afternoon at the airport.
love you and lust you!
Beth
Posted by Beth at 6:37 AM | Comments (7)
February 24, 2005
Cameras
I hope that James Lileks ends up loving his Canon Rebel SLR Digital as much as we love ours! I can't wait to see new pictures of Gnat.
From The Bleat:
I got a new camera at a proper camera as the English would say (that's my favorite Briticism: proper. It has so many emanations, and suggests that there's a connection between authenticity, value, and behavior.) (Sorry: behaviour) and now I have to learn about focus and f/stop and all the rest of the details I've managed to avoid by sticking with point-and-shoot models. It's a Canon Rebel. Nice, so far.
I so appreciate James Lileks - every work day, he manages to give us all a thoughtful, often funny post on live and everything.
Posted by Beth at 10:02 PM | Comments (1)
Dinner with Tammi
I have to travel for work - quite a lot, as my regular readers know. It gets very lonely at times, but when I have a chance to meet another blogger for dinner, I grab it!
Tammi, our Road Warrior Survivor, met me for dinner tonight at Macaroni Grill. I had a great time. Tammi is just wonderful - you Bad Example people better appreciate her!!! This is the second time we met, and we just talked and talked, and talked - an absolutely wonderful evening.
Tammi had to drive for about 90 minutes to get to the part of Florida where I am staying - what a doll! We did gossip about the Bad Example family meet and I got the scoop on Frank and Sarah (sweet and beautiful young woman she is!).
Someday I will meet Boudicca and Harvey and his wife and Teresa and __Jon and Eric, Johnny-Oh and Joanie and BeeBee and Kate - so far, every blogger John and I have met - Rammer and Punctilious, Dean and Rosemary, Beth and Nerdstar, have all been great people. Can't wait to make more friends!
Posted by Beth at 9:38 PM | Comments (7)
Terri and Michael, her 'husband'
Terri Schiavo's husband, Michael, has done everything to keep her in the state she is in or worse. He has forbidden any physical or speech therapy, even though Terri's parents offered to pay for it. He once ordered that her teeth not be brushed - and she went five years without any dental care.
Terri is confined to a small room, with little or no stimulation. This is not the way anyone should be treated - at best, it is neglect.
I am in Florida this week, and Terri's right to live is all over talk radio. This morning, I even heard two bloggers interviewed, hyscience and Richard of Blogs for Terri, and they were just wonderful with Pat Campbell, a local Orlando talk show host.
The thing is this - Terri has not been allowed to have the therapy most brain-damaged people get. Michael wants her dead. There are rumours that he may have been to blame for Terri's collapse - I don't know - but a scan has shown broken bones that could have been caused by abuse.
What I understand least of all is why this man, Michael Schiavo, who lives with another woman and has children by her won't do the right thing and divorce Terri and marry the other woman and allow Terri's parents to care for their daughter.
Yes, she is mentally disabled - but does that mean she doesn't have the right to live? Many news outlets are calling this a Right to Die case - when it is really a Right to Live case.
Don't get me wrong - I have no problem with a living will - that is signed and witnessed properly. I would not want to be 'kept alive' by a respirator for a year or more (for a few months, hecky darn yes! Give me all the chances you can!). But taking food and water from someone is akin to murder. And having a judge decide that an innocent human being must die by starvation is cruel and unusual punishment - without a trial.
God gave us life. Jesus fed the crowds with loaves and fishes. I can't imagine that it would be the wish of the Lord to starve anyone to death when we have the technology to feed them and give them therapy that might make them better.
These fine bloggers are also praying and blogging for Terri's life:
Posted by Beth at 5:54 PM | Comments (1)
February 23, 2005
I'm so tired
I worked yesterday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm and I am worn out. What a week. This client keeps stretching the scope of what I'm supposed to do here, and it is easier to just do it then argue with them. Sigh.
Can't wait to have dinner with Tammi tomorrow night!
Posted by Beth at 5:38 AM | Comments (6)
February 22, 2005
Good Morning, Sweetheart!
Hope you slept well! Were the cats nice this morning, or did they start whining at 4:30 AM again? Barnacle sure is a noisey kitty!
Was Houdini a good boy? I know that Shadow and Whiskey were good!
This is going to be a long day. I need to do work for other clients after I get done today. I guess I should get going. Talk to you later!
love you!
Beth
Posted by Beth at 6:18 AM | Comments (1)
This scares me
In England, a very obese man has been carted off by police because he is very obese. They brought him to a mental hospital against his will. He has a rare disease where his stomach never feels full. He had started exercising and dieting when the police took him - the British nanny state can't bear to let someone try to make things better for himself.
Remember how the Soviet Union would force political enemies into mental hospitals? Can the United Kingdom be far behind?
Posted by Beth at 5:15 AM | Comments (6)
February 21, 2005
Good Morning, Handsome!
Rather than risk embarrassing myself again by sending my morning note to John, I'm just going to do it here. Hi, Sweetie, I missed you last night. I had a hard time sleeping, even though the room is nice.
I have to get moving so I can drive up to Lake Mary and get something to eat before I go to the client's data center.
Tell all the critters hello. Hope your day is lots of fun.
love and lust you!
Beth
Posted by Beth at 5:39 AM | Comments (3)
February 20, 2005
work work travel travel
I am in Orlando now. I stay in this hotel only one night. Tomorrow morning, I drive up to Lake Mary for the rest of the week.
Hertz gave me a Toyota Celica to drive this week. It makes me feel like I am 16 again, driving my dad's car and wrecking it, over and over and over again.
Fortunately my driving skills have improved through the years. I notice, though, that sporty cars are hard to get in and out of with achey knees. I do like the sunroof, though!
When I was here last May, there was all kinds of road construction going on. It is still going on - same road, different side of the road.
I sat next to a man who spoke no English on the plane trip. It was pretty peaceful.
I need to go and finish my expense report from last week.
Posted by Beth at 8:31 PM | Comments (2)
I'm running out of time again
I'm trying desperately to read all my favorite bloggers, do the bills, laundry and pack for my trip to Orlando - it's already 10:25, and my plane leaves at 3:30 and I have done next to nothing!
Arggghhh!!!!
Posted by Beth at 10:26 AM | Comments (2)
February 19, 2005
Yesterday I saw the TSA Steal
Yesterday, as I was in the security line at the Manchester, NH airport, I watched a TSA woman steal twenty dollars.
She had started checking my ID against my boarding pass when something fell out of the pocket of the previous passenger who was walking towards the metal detector. She told me - hold on - made a dive for the something that fell out of his pocket, and rather than chasing him down to return the lost item, she walked back to where I was waiting, showed a twenty dollar bill to another TSA person and said - "This is my lucky day".
Because I wanted to get home, I did not say anything to her - the TSA can pretty much do what it wants, and if someone doesn't like you, you just might find yourself missing your plane.
But ... think about it - if this woman so readily took money that she knew belonged to a particular passenger, how much stuff is she stealing from passenger's bags that she checks, and how susceptible would she be to bribes from a terrorist who just wants to get thru security?
Makes ya think, doesn't it?
Posted by Beth at 12:52 PM | Comments (3)
Carnival of the Recipes
Sorry this link is so late getting up, I was traveling all day yesterday.
Allan hosts this week's Carnival of the Recipes #27, and it is an award winning Carnival!
Next week's Carnival will be hosted by Rocket Jones
Posted by Beth at 11:40 AM
February 17, 2005
Apparently Euthanasia is legal in Boston
This woman is not in a coma. She is unable to speak because of Lou Gehrig's disease. There is no talk of her being brain dead.
But because a doctor believes she is suffering, a hospital believes the right thing to do is to remove lifesupport and let her die a death of suffocation while she is awake and conscious.
We are not dogs to be "put to sleep" because we are suffering. Doctors should not be doing this - it is different if a person is brain dead.
Lovely.
From the Boston Globe:
Hospital plans to remove patient from life support despite daughter's wishes
Hospital plans to remove patient from life support despite daughter's wishes February 17, 2005 BOSTON -- Massachusetts General Hospital said it will take a 79-year-old woman off life support next week -- against the wishes of her daughter -- and this time a judge has declined to block the move.Barbara Howe has advanced-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, an incurable and degenerative muscle condition. She has been in a hospital bed on a ventilator since 1997. She cannot speak and can barely move, but remains mentally alert, says her daughter, Carol Carvitt.
"Her face lights up when you talk to her," Carvitt said. "I visit her four times a week, and my sister visits her every single day. You can see the eye move back and forth and her mouth starts moving."
The hospital went to court last year to get permission to remove Howe from life support, but probate court Judge John M. Smoot ruled in Carvitt's favor, barring the hospital from disconnecting her. But the judge also advised Carvitt to consider what was in her mother's best interest, not what she believed her mother would want.
Dr. Britain Nicholson, Mass. General's chief medical officer, said Wednesday that he ordered Howe taken off life support next week following an evaluation that determined her condition had worsened and she was suffering. He said he informed Carvitt with a phone call and a letter earlier this month.Carvitt's lawyer, Gary Zalkin, went back to probate court seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the hospital from removing life support, but was turned down last week.
According to Zalkin, Smoot left Carvitt the option of renewing her motion after getting more information from the hospital. Zalkin said the family was reviewing its legal options.
"I'm devastated and I'm angry," Carvitt said. "Devastated because they're trying to terminate my mother's life. And angry because they're violating a court order."
The hospital said it plans no further legal action.
"This situation is very sad and enormously difficult for all those involved," the hospital said in a statement Thursday. "Everyone is focused on trying to do the right thing for Barbara Howe, but in this case, there are differing views about what the right thing is."
Posted by Beth at 5:34 PM | Comments (8)
Not enough time
I have so much yet to do this week, and I leave here tomorrow morning!
I have not even had time to remind everyone to get their Recipes in to the recipe.carnival - at - gmail.com mailbox so that Allan can put them all together for the Carnival of the Recipes!
I have to get more work done now - later!
Posted by Beth at 4:41 AM
February 15, 2005
Life is precious
I am pro-life. From the beginning of life until the end. I am against the death penalty, especially for completely innocent people, like Terri Shiavo. Terri is not brain dead. She can breathe on her own. She needs to be fed intravenously, though, so her husband wants her put out of her misery.
Terri never signed a living will, and if she had, few living wills have instructions to stop feeding or giving water to someone.
I suspect that the same people who want Terri to die would have also wanted Helen Keller killed - I mean, really, what kind of life can a deaf, dumb and blind person have, they probably think.
The thing is - if you believe in God, life is a precious gift.
If you don't believe in God - life is precious because it is all we have.
Terri's life is her own. Her husband should not take it away from her - he has his own life now - he has two children by his girlfriend. He should divorce Terri and let her parents care for her, as they want to.
I am amazed that the same people who don't want the government 'in the bedroom' are willing to allow the government (judges) decide who lives or dies.
Posted by Beth at 8:40 PM | Comments (9)
Boy, am I embarrassed
When I am traveling, I usually send my husband, John, a note in the morning saying something like: Hi, handsome. Hope you have a good day, and then I often sign it something like love you and lust you.
Well, this morning, I was in a rush, and if you have gmail, you might know that when you are addressing an email, you just have to type in the first letter or two of the recipient's name.
I mis-typed and sent my morning "I love you letter" to a Jeff, not my John.
And Jeff's poor wife got it.
Oh dear.
Sometimes my life is just too bizarre for words!
Posted by Beth at 8:09 PM | Comments (8)
Why Euthanasia is wrong
I'm in the airport waiting to board my plane, and I was surfing around the web - I found this article
Brain Damaged Woman Talks after 20 Years
Sarah Scantlin was an 18-year-old college freshman on Sept. 22, 1984, when she was hit by a drunk driver as she walked to her car after celebrating with friends at a teen club. That week, she had been hired at an upscale clothing store and won a spot on the drill team at Hutchinson Community College.After two decades of silence, she began talking last month. Doctors are not sure why. On Saturday, Scantlin's parents hosted an open house at her nursing home to introduce her to friends, family members and reporters.
A week ago, her parents got a call from Jennifer Trammell, a licensed nurse at the Golden Plains Health Care Center. She asked Betsy Scantlin if she was sitting down, told her someone wanted to talk to her and switched the phone to speaker mode:
"Hi, Mom."
The human body is a remarkable thing. This woman, considered horribly brain damaged can speak again - go read the entire article.
It should make the husband of the Florida woman, Terri Schiavo, who is in the same kind of vegetative state as Sarah was, reconsider his desire to have his wife killed by denying her food.
At the very least, those judges who deem Terri's life not worthy of living should fly to Kansas and ask Sarah what she thinks of their ideas.
UPDATE: Seems I'm not the only blogger who sees the similarities between Sarah's and Terri's stories. See LaShawn Barber's post.
In fact, all these bloggers are blogging to help save Terri's life:
And, say a prayer for Terri. Killing her by starvation is absolutely evil.
Posted by Beth at 7:28 AM | Comments (18)
I've been busy
I really do love Maine. I have only been here in winter, but I imagine in the summer it would be even better.
I have a large project I'm working on this week. The client is one of my favorites, all the people I'm working with are just the nicest you can imagine.
Last night, I went to the local brewpub/restaurant - Sea Dog. It is right on the river under the middle bridge here in Bangor. I had mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce and then I had dessert - strawberry shortcake made the proper way - with a biscuit!
I also had their India Pale Ale beer and it was excellent.
They had a huge snowstorm here last week, and the snow drifts are taller than me. I have a first floor room in the hotel, and I cannot see out the window because of the snow!
Anyway, I have to get moving to get this installation done. Maybe Barnacle or Little Girl or Hal will post something for me today!
Posted by Beth at 5:06 AM
February 14, 2005
Happy Valentine's Day, SWWBO!
I know that I will never see
One more beautiful than thee...
And I thank God above,
For allowing me to be your love.
Happy Valentine's Day, sweetie.
Love,
toadster
Posted by John at 7:56 AM | Comments (4)
February 12, 2005
Meeting bloggers is such fun!
Tonight, John and I had dinner with Rammer and Punctilious of Blog O' Ram and their children and Jay Manifold of A Voyage To Arcturus.
We met at Stroud's and after an extremely long wait - what was it - 2 hours - we had a great meal and great conversation.
Posted by Beth at 11:22 PM | Comments (7)
Credit Card Interest Rates
There is a credit card company in Britain that charges a 70% interest rate.
Many credit cards here in the USA charge 20 to 25% rates - outrageously high.
And poor people are the ones likely to be hit by these charges.
Other credit cards flat out lie about 'fixed rates'.
There used to be usury laws back in the day. They limited credit card and other interest rates to maybe 14 to 18%. I guess some court or other threw out usury laws, or perhaps lawmakers were convinced by bankers to get rid of those laws must have been during President Carter's time in office - when interest rates on homes were up to 15, 16% and more and no one could afford to buy one. Or perhaps it was Paul Volker. Here is a history of prime rates.
When the prime goes up, credit card interest rates go up - but I have never seen them go down - perhaps it is time to reconsider usury laws - stop the 'check cashing' businesses who prey upon the poor and put a top limit on credit card rates.
Posted by Beth at 10:22 AM | Comments (2)
I have so much to do!
I will be travelling all over the place for the next 6 or 7 weeks. Tomorrow, I leave for Bangor, Maine (one of my favorite places), and I have got to do a ton of laundry to get ready for that trip.
I also want to take John to a gun show today, so I can get him a Valentine's gift.
Oh, and we are going to meet Rammer and family for dinner tonight.
I'm only going to be home one and 1/2 or 2 1/2 days ever week until April - arggghhh!!
Here is my schedule -
Week of Feb. 14th - Bangor, Maine
Week of Feb. 21st - Orlando, Florida (I'll get to see Tammi!)
Week of Feb. 28th - Reno, Nevada
Week of March 7th - Washington, D.C.
Week of March 14th - New Orleans, LA.
Week of March 21st - Bridgeport, CT
Week of March 28th - Somewhere in Pennsylvania (not sure which city!)
Just looking at that schedule wears me out!
But - this week will be in Maine - lobster - lobster roll - yum! Good, fresh and cheap!
I'm flying to Manchester, NH and then driving up to Bangor so I can get some picture taking opportunities.
All this stuff to do, and here I am, sitting at my computer, just blogging away. ..
Posted by Beth at 9:44 AM | Comments (5)
Haiku Headline of the Day
Eason Jordan quit!
a blogosphere victory -
MSM beware!
Posted by Beth at 9:26 AM
Last night
Last night we had dinner with Sharon and Bill. Sharon is a frequent commenter, and they were in the KC area for a surprise birthday party today.
They are both cat people, and therefore, very nice!
Free plug here - Sharon has a business - Friends FurEver - and she sells all kinds of cat apparel and accessories. I really like the t-shirts and the cat dishes.
Anyway, John and I had a lovely dinner with lovely people. Hopefully, Sharon will start blogging someday soon.
Posted by Beth at 9:03 AM | Comments (1)
Liberals equating Bush to Nazis
Mike the Librarian has discovered what the liberals really mean.
Posted by Beth at 8:46 AM
February 11, 2005
Carnival of the Recipes #26
Kris at Anywhere but Here is our Carnival of the Recipes #26 Hostess this week. Kris has a very artistic way of looking at food ( :
Speaking of the Carnival of the Recipes - several people have suggested that we somehow create a database of all the recipe entries (with the links to the orginal recipe or just to the blog, I'm not sure). Sounds like a good idea, but I need help doing it.
Do we copy all the recipes and put them in a database, or do we just put the links in a database, or what?
And what kind of front end would let people search our Carnival of the Recipes database for the type of food they are looking for?
And who has any idea how to do this? I figure the Carnival is a owned by everyone who has hosted or contributed to it, so I really do want your suggestions and your help.
Posted by Beth at 4:38 PM | Comments (4)
Pantyhose
I hate pantyhose. They never fit right, and they pull and bind or they are lose make my ankles look wrinkled up. And they really look dumb when a robber puts a pair of them over his head to rob a bank or something. Geeze!
I made the mistake of wearing pantyhose to work today. About an hour ago, I could stand it no longer. I took them off and threw them away!
Posted by Beth at 1:28 PM | Comments (10)
Haiku Headline of the Day
dean can't lose this time.
he's the only only one running.
makes me want to scream!
Posted by Beth at 6:38 AM
Kitty thief!
Last night we had rib eye steaks and baked potatoes for dinner. With Andy away at college, we have picked up the habit of eating while watching CSI (I'm completely hooked on that show) in the living room.
I looked down and my steak was gone. I asked John if he had already taken it to give to the dogs, and he had not. I thought I had lost my mind, because I knew I had not eaten most of the steak, and it was gone.
So I got up off the couch and carried my dishes to the kitchen, and on my way, I saw the culprit - Annie, our tiny little kitty, had managed to sneak away with a steak almost as big as she was.
We must have been really into CSI because neither of us noticed Annie jumping on the end table, grabbing the steak, and running off with it!
Posted by Beth at 6:04 AM | Comments (9)
February 10, 2005
This does not bother me one bit!
From MSNBC - Detainees accuse female interrogators
Female interrogators repeatedly used sexually suggestive tactics to try to humiliate and pry information from devout Muslim men held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to a military investigation not yet public and newly declassified accounts from detainees. advertisementThe prisoners have told their lawyers, who compiled the accounts, that female interrogators regularly violated Muslim taboos about sex and contact with women. The women rubbed their bodies against the men, wore skimpy clothes in front of them, made sexually explicit remarks and touched them provocatively, at least eight detainees said in documents or through their attorneys.
A wide-ranging Pentagon investigation, which has not yet been released, generally confirms the detainees' allegations, according to a senior Defense Department official familiar with the report. While isolated accounts of such tactics have emerged in recent weeks, the new allegations and the findings of the Pentagon investigation indicate that sexually oriented tactics may have been part of the fabric of Guantanamo interrogations, especially in 2003.
Who cares? So-called "Devout Muslim Men" captured in battle are the kind of fundamentalist Muslims who kill wives and daughters if the women are raped - who think it's OK to beat women if they are not submissive enough - these are the type of Muslims the Taliban are - not allowing women to get medical help and forbidding girls from becoming educated.
I have no problem whatsoever in making them feel icky around women. It's about time they did!
Posted by Beth at 12:04 PM | Comments (5)
Is this Art worthy of an Award?
Yesterday, I pointed out the shameful behaviour of New England artists towards Marine Sgt. Fay and his art exhibit at the Farnsworth Museum in Maine.
Today, Michele Malkin has a picture of an 'award winning' piece of 'art' committed by a 17 year high school boy in Providence, Rhode Island.
Let's compare the works of art:
Here are two examples of Marine Sgt. Fay's paintings:
Here is a picture of the 'award winning art' by Jeffery Eden (full story here)
Read The Antiprotestor Journal for more thoughts on the nazi art.
Comments anyone?
Posted by Beth at 6:26 AM | Comments (5)
Recipe Blegging
Don't forget - get your recipe links to recipe.carnival - at - gmail.com for this week's Carnival!
This week, our hostess is Kris of Anywhere But Here.
Posted by Beth at 5:53 AM
Haiku Headline of the day
Shoppers gone wild!
IKEA bargains are great.
But stabbing, pushing?
Posted by Beth at 5:48 AM | Comments (1)
February 9, 2005
College son
I use aol's instant messenger - the only worthwhile thing they do (I do not use their IP stuff - yuch!)
It's a way to keep in touch with Andy, away at college.
This afternoon he IM'd me and told me that he is dating Lu, an art major at K-State. This makes me very happy for Andy, because he is, as I am, a nerd, and this is his first girlfriend (he has always had plenty of friends who were girls, but not a girlfriend). It should be interesting, Andy has not an artistic bone in his body (though he is a great writer). Perhaps he will grow to like art more now that he is involved with someone who is an artist!
This has been a good year for both Andy and August (his best friend - he goes to KU). Both of them have girlfriends for the first time. As a mom, I'm happy. And I'm even more pleased that I get to know about it!
Posted by Beth at 4:27 PM | Comments (2)
Bad behaviour by Artists
The Bangor Daily News has a report about some rude artists who ganged up on Marine Sgt. Michael Fay at an opening of a museum exhibition featuring his paintings because they don't think his art should be shown "out of context".
ROCKLAND - Free speech clashed with free expression on a downtown street corner Saturday as artists opposed to war protested the showing of combat paintings of Marine Sgt. Michael Fay at the Farnsworth Art Museum. Sgt. Fay stood ramrod straight when confronted by the small group of protesters upset with the Farnsworth for exhibiting his paintings of combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The afternoon sun reflected off the combat ribbons pinned to his green uniform, and the red chevrons on his sleeves glinted in the finish of his spit-shined shoes as Fay listened to his challengers.Fay told the group he recognized their right to voice their opinion but reminded them that he had a right to express himself as well.
"I think it's great that we can have a passionate debate," Fay told the protesters. "I am not a spokesman for the war. But am I proud to be a Marine? You bet."
About a half-dozen artists carried signs and stood vigil outside the Farnsworth as the show "Fire and Ice: Marine Corps Combat Art from Afghanistan and Iraq" was previewed for museum members. Fay's paintings show soldiers carrying out their daily duties while serving on hostile ground.Fay's paintings and drawings do not depict war, but there is no doubt as to their nature. They are set in a combat zone and include images of tanks, bombs, planes, ambulances and rifle-carrying soldiers.
The protesters objected to the show's content and what they claimed was the museum's "implicit support of war." They said a more balanced show would include images of civilian deaths and mass destruction. To represent one facet of military life in combat zones without placing it in the context of the true costs of war displayed a lack of sensitivity, they said.
"We are fighting an illegal and immoral war," Suzanne Hedrick, 73, of Nobleboro told Fay. "Without another viewpoint, without the faces of the victims and the ruining of the country, I'm deeply concerned."
In the catalog to the show, museum director Christopher Crossman compared the subject matter of Fay's work with that of Winslow Homer when he worked as an artist-journalist covering the Civil War for Harper's Weekly. Although Homer observed numerous battles, it was his paintings of everyday military encampments that were of great interest, said Crossman.
"Fay puts a human face to war," noted Crossman. "For the most part, his work consists of portraits of fellow Marines whose feelings and individuality can be read in their eyes and even in the wear and tear of their uniforms."
Crossman noted that Fay "serendipitously" stopped by the museum a few months ago to introduce his work. He said he later discovered that few of his colleagues in the museum world were aware that combat artists were still active.
The show was organized by Farnsworth curator of exhibitions Helen Ashton Fisher and Charles G. Grow, curator of the Marine Corps Combat Art Collection. It was made possible by the support of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.
The Marine Corps Combat Art Program was adopted in World War I. Using artists, war correspondents and photographers the program continued through each of the country's conflicts. Since the war in Vietnam, the collection has grown to include approximately 7,500 works by more than 350 artists. Over the years they have documented Marines in combat zones across the globe.
Fay spent two years in the Afghanistan and Iraq war zones, armed only with a pistol, camera and sketch bag. Some of his work was done in the field, other pieces created in his studio from images he brought home. Fay retired from the Marines in 2000, "but 9-11 changed everything," he said. Fay, who lives in the Washington area, joined a Reserve unit and was posted to the combat zones.
"These in no way, shape or form glorify war," said Fay. "It has nothing to do with anybody ever pulling a trigger. I'm an artist; we do art."
While critical of his subject matter, the protesters also were upset that Fay came to the show in full-dress uniform. They said it indicated that he was on official business and promoting war.
"The fact that he would come not dressed as an artist, but as a Marine is an affront," said Natasha Mayers of Whitefield. "I'm for real expression that's not paid for. This guy is paid for, he's been a Marine all his life, and this is a military point of view. The day-to-day part of war, which we can't imagine, is what we need to see. We need to see images that tell us the truth."
When asked his reaction to the protest, Fay said that he believed "most servicepeople would say, 'That's why we do what we do.' People have that right to express themselves in this country and I support that. Most are very pleasant, but some are mean-spirited and aggressive."
The show runs through March 27.
I think the article pretty much speaks for itself. The artists who were protesting can't stand the idea of anyone expressing a viewpoint that might be different from their own. Their wish to deny Sgt. Fay's art to the public is incredible.
I putter around with artsy stuff - I have a minor in art, but being artsy should not make artists this stupid and rude! They should all be ashamed of themselves.
I am going to Bangor, Maine this Sunday for a week of work. I just checked Mapquest, and if I have time, I will make a side trip to Rockland, Maine to see the Farnsworth Museum exhibit of Sgt. Fay's work.
I found this link at WSJ.com's Best of the Web
Posted by Beth at 2:02 PM | Comments (3)
Bad Money
Back in the late 70s, I was a manager of a Quick Trip convenience store in Grandview, Missouri. We had a customer who had extreme Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and was perhaps a bit on the paranoid side. He carried a bottle of Clorox Bleach in his car, and would pour the bleach all over any money he got as change. He also poured bleach over his hands, making his skin look, well, odd.
I had completely forgotten about that guy until I read this.
It seems that the Russian drug rings in the Northeast Corridor have taken to liberally dosing their ill-gotten money with a toxin derived from the bacteria staphylococcus. The money was wrapped in plastic, but when law enforcement got it, they opened the package and got sick.
I guess my bleach guy customer was way ahead of his time.
This is a worry, though - what a way to introduce disease to the general populace - money is passed so quickly from one person to another -- tainted money in the wild could be catastrophic.
Posted by Beth at 8:23 AM | Comments (5)
February 8, 2005
By the way ...
I just realized that I now have 50 GMAIL accounts to give away - on my personal account - and another 50 on my Carnival of the Recipes account - if you would like one, please let me know in the comments.
Heck, if you want 2 let me know!
Posted by Beth at 5:53 PM | Comments (3)
Snow!
I came home from work early because we are having a lovely snow storm. We might get as many as 8 inches of the cold white stuff, so I'm going to stay in our nice cozy little house for the duration.
For a change, it looks like the weatherman was able to make a correct forecast for our area.
Hopefully, nothing like this will happen around town!
Posted by Beth at 2:46 PM | Comments (3)
Haiku Headlines of the Day
Back in 1998 and 99, John and I both contributed to a website named
'Haiku Headlines of the Day". Every day, we wrote Haikus and linked to the news reports that our poetry described. At one point, I was even the editor of the site. I am going to try to revive my haiku skills by writing a haiku a day based on the news.
Feel free to join in!
Today's haiku headlines:
British monkeys cry.
Cambridge University,
you should be ashamed!
rugby fan is nuts
cuts off his own testicles
he has no nuts now!
Posted by Beth at 7:01 AM | Comments (4)
More on Blog, the book
I meant to write this last night, but you know, life keeps infringing on my blog time.
I did not care very much for "Blog". For one, it is way too simplistic and preachy. Hugh Hewitt pushes blogging like a preacher does Heaven. Hugh compares blogging to the Protestant Reformation - and spends way too many pages trying to demonstrate this. The Catholic Church = MSM and blogs = Luther. That just doesn't work for me, but I suspect that Minnesotan Lutherans will love it.
Hugh's history of Internet communication is several years off, too. Hewitt seems to think that blogs started political discussion between non-media people on the Internet. He is flat out wrong there. I was discussing politics on Prodigy in 1992 on the Rush Limbaugh discussion board - there were a lot of lefties and righties arguing pretty strenuously about the politics of the day. The discussions were often meaner than Kos ever gets.
I am annoyed with his push to get CEOs into blog writing. That will probably kill the blog as a means of communication as it all becomes just one big advertisement. And many of us will quit reading them, just as we have quit watching TV because of all the commercials - we'll go on to something better.
I was disappointed with the book. I expected more from Hewitt. He is obviously just an opportunistic author putting out a book as quickly as possible while the word, Blog, is big - so he can get big sales. Hey, it's a free country (thank God!), so more power to him. I think a little more thought and research into the facts and a lot less emphasis on religion may have made this a better, more useful book.
Posted by Beth at 6:34 AM | Comments (6)
February 7, 2005
Books
I read Hugh Hewitt's "Blog" on my plane trip down to Orlando on Friday. To be honest, I thought it was pretty lame, and some of his analogies were really, really reaching for the old stars. If any of you want to read it, don't spend the money. I'll send it to you. I have to get ready for work, so I'll go into my problems with his book tonight - promise.
On the way home, I read "Dog is My Co-Pilot" by Bark. It is an anthology of the story of friendship between humans and dogs. Most of the stories were pretty darn good. A couple of them were a bit filled with political silliness, but on the whole, the book was a good read.
Posted by Beth at 6:55 AM | Comments (2)
Good Lord, Liberals, grow up!
Just like spoiled little children who throw a fit when they can't get what they want, some extreme liberals are looking to leave the USA for Canada.
From the International Herald Tribune: Some in U.S. voting with their feet
"We're still not talking about a huge movement of people," said David Cohen, an immigration lawyer in Montreal. "In 2003, the last year where full statistics are available, there were something like 6,000 U.S. citizens who received permanent resident status in Canada. So even if we do go up threefold this year, we're only talking about 18,000 people."Still, that is more than double the population of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. "For every one who reacts to the Bush victory by moving to a new country, how many others are there still in America, feeling similarly disaffected but not quite willing to take such a drastic step?" Cohen asked.
Melanie Redman, 30, assistant director of the Epilepsy Foundation in Seattle, said she had put her Volvo up for sale and hopes to be living in Toronto by the summer. She and her Canadian boyfriend, a Web site designer for Canadian nonprofit companies, had been planning to move to New York, but after Nov.2, they decided on Canada instead.
"I'm doing it," she said. "I don't want to participate in what this administration is doing here and around the world. Under Bush, the U.S. seems to be leading the pack as the world spirals down."
Because this is the United States, these folks have the freedom to leave - unlike those in North Korea, Cuba and other loverly lefty places.
Read the entire article. Many of those quoted work for non-profit agencies and are rewarded quite well (see the woman above selling her Volvo) by government largesse to these non-profits. I'm curious if perhaps some of them are more concerned that their gravy train might get cut off?
But mostly, what a bunch of children. They can't always get what they want, so they run away crying.
Now, please remember they are not giving up their citizenship, they will still get their Social Security when it is due them and they can still vote in elections - they just don't want to live among those of us who have a different viewpoint - how's that for inclusiveness?
Posted by Beth at 6:42 AM | Comments (7)
February 6, 2005
Orlando - more fun then I realized!
Even though this is a very short little vacation, we have managed to have a pretty good time.
Yesterday, we went to the Animal Kingdom - we really enjoyed it and we took over 200 pictures of all sorts of birds, mammals, fishies and reptiles. I don't think we got any amphibians, though. We walked for hours, so we didn't feel too awfully guilty about going to Wolfgang Puck's to have dinner with Tammi!
Tammi is great - what a neat woman - she is sweet and funny and smart. She was running a little late, but because I gave her my work number instead of my cell number she left messages in Kansas City. (I'm such a dork). But that was okay - John and I got a table and had a couple of drinks (very pricey drinks, but very good) and an appetizer while we waited for Tammi.
We had a wonderful time talking to Tammi and boy, she has some great stories about the interesting things that happen in the world lf sales - I had no idea!!
Tammi is hosting a get together next weekend for a bunch of the Bad Example family, and I guarantee that they will have a great time with her!
I will probably be back here in Orlando in a couple of weeks - with a little luck, I'll get together with Tammi for dinner one of those nights.
John and I have met several bloggers now, and we have enjoyed getting to know our bloggy friends very much!
Posted by Beth at 7:50 AM | Comments (2)
February 3, 2005
Well, I'm excited
I am taking tomorrow off to fly to Orlando (where John has been this week) for a nice weekend. I am using my Marriott points to stay at the JW Marriott in Orlando - looks very fancy - and I'm using one of my free round trip tickets from Southwest to get there.
And, to make it even better - John and I are having dinner with Tammi, fellow Road Warrior, on Saturday night - we are thinking about going to Wolfgang Puck's restaurant - anyone else want to join us?
I know that perhaps commenter Sharon might try - anyone else?
Posted by Beth at 9:33 PM | Comments (2)
Grown Up Milkshake
This is very easy and very yummy. This is also very fattening, but what the hell, eh?
You need a blender.
Scoop a bunch of your favorite ice cream (I like chocolate chip cookie dough or mint chocolate chip or chocolate chip) into the blender.
Add equal amounts of Irish Cream and Kahlua while blending until it is the consistency of a thick milkshake.
The amount depends upon how much ice cream you put in there - I would guestimate I use about 1 jigger of each for each cup of ice cream.
Enjoy.
Posted by Beth at 6:56 PM | Comments (9)
Recipes, Recipes, Recipes
Don't forget - you have until midnight tonight to get in your recipe for this week's Carnival of the Recipes - this week hosted by David of The Glittering Eye!
Posted by Beth at 6:52 PM | Comments (1)
Can't please everyone
Gerry, a commenter seems to think that I am being rather chauvinistic in my 100 Things About Me list:
It's a nice list, and enjoyable to read, but I must make a criticism. You are on the internet, a.k.a. the WorldWideWeb. People in other countries can read what you say.
When I read that line, I thought, oh, gee, I've insulted someone because I mentioned that my husband is hung like a horse or because I divulged the fact that I lost my virginity at age 19. But no, that was not his beef.
The last line of #100 is complete BS. You may be happy to be a US American, and that is fine. The USA is a fine country. But there are a LOT of other places in this world where "someone can work hard and get what he/she wants".
Just for reference's sake, this was #100:
100. My life is incredibly wonderful. I look at other people and I think about how fortunate I have been - how God has watched over me through thick and thin. I've been poor and now I'm rich (well, I'm rich to me, anyway - don't belong to a country club or anything, but I am richer than probably 99.9% of the rest of the people on earth). I have everything I ever dreamed of (except for a clean house on 100 acres!). Only in the United States of America can someone work hard and get what he/she wants.
I respectfully disagree with Gerry's comment. No other country allows individual citizens to have the freedom and opportunity that this country does. Nowhere else on Earth is there such an entrepreneurial spirit as there is here. Think about it - I have done many things - cleaned houses, managed a convenience store, been a social worker, sold jewelry, sold waterbeds, did retail management, been in a call center, help desk and now I am technical consultant. I stayed home with my son until he was seven, and I was still able to make a brand new career for myself when I had to go back to work because I was divorced. I have done more than I ever dreamed I could.
If Gerry is right, then why do people desperately want to come to the United States? Our economy is strong, our opportunities are nearly endless.
Gerry, show me another country where the poorest citezens still have television sets, stereos, automobiles and an obesity problem. Show me another country where people can decide to create a business and just do it without all kinds of government interference. Show me another country where home ownership is as common as in the United States. Show me another country where the freedom to worship as one chooses is as free as it is here.
There is no other country with the freedoms we have, with the opportunities we have - where an individual can grow up and do what he or she wants and succeed.
And by the way, I'm well aware of the fact that people from many other countries read my blog and my husband's blog. I may live in Kansas, but I am no rube.
Okay, okay, okay - UPDATE!!
Australia is pretty damn close - but we get to keep more of what we earn here in the USA and we get to have our guns here. I really want to visit Australia some day.
I do NOT want to lose Amanda as a reader - I love her blog!
And I'll have to send her some Ranch dressing.
Posted by Beth at 6:29 AM | Comments (16)
February 2, 2005
Update on Laptop
Well, you guys were right - the entire shell of my Dell laptop had to be replaced. I got to keep my hard drive, my dvd/cdrom and my battery.
Fortunately, it is my work laptop and under lease still, so no money had to change hands to fix it!
Posted by Beth at 6:57 AM
Damn, I really hate spam
I just spent an hour de-spamming our blogs. I hate you bob! I hate the Super--Bowl. Hate it, hate it, hate it!!
Between John and I, there must have been 200 comments from Bob.
Bad Bob.
Posted by Beth at 6:39 AM
February 1, 2005
Uh Oh!
This should be interesting - Acidman is thinking about running for President in 2008. Can you imagine his press conferences?
And I'll bet he would have a lot of women in his cabinet. Probably make old Clinton look like a wallflower.
Posted by Beth at 8:57 PM | Comments (1)
This is heartening
Young man seeks out the truth and is strong enough and brave enough to change his mind.
Read the whole post.
Posted by Beth at 6:02 AM | Comments (2)