Sarah Palin's speech at the Republican National Convention mocked Barack Obama's career as a "community organizer" and said that what America needs is a president with "executive experience" who can act as our CEO. She got a lot of cheers from the party delegates. Probably a lot of them are (or want to be) CEOs themselves and like the idea … Continue reading Community Organizer vs. CEO
Society
John McCain is committing adultery.
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is committing adultery."--Jesus Christ, as quoted in Mark 10:11 and Luke 16:18I'm just saying. By having divorced Carol and married Cindy, John McCain committed adultery and has lived in an adulterous relationship for 28 years now. This may not be adultery as your typical American defines it, … Continue reading John McCain is committing adultery.
Thirty Reasons Why Women Should Have the Vote
In the late 1970s, my mother was advocating ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, and one of her organizations decided to make the editorial below part of the program they presented to other women's groups. It is adapted from an editorial in a suffragist newspaper published in Garnett, Kansas, in the era when women were fighting for … Continue reading Thirty Reasons Why Women Should Have the Vote
Train Travel
We just took a trip to Chicago and back on Amtrak, and it was wonderful! Our three-year-old railroad enthusiast was thrilled, and Daniel and I had a great time too. It's dramatically different from airline travel. Some of the differences are absolutely positive, others are better from our point of view but wouldn't suit everyone, and … Continue reading Train Travel
What’s wrong with these Earth policemen?!
Pittsburgh police killed Nang Nguyen because he was waving a meat cleaver. Okay, he should not have been doing that, but did they really have to shoot him dead on the sidewalk? Consider the details of this story: He had a history of acting strangely toward the end of the month, when he would run … Continue reading What’s wrong with these Earth policemen?!
The Dreadful Future of the Postage Stamp
Last Friday night, I walked over to my local post office to buy some 1-cent stamps. Sure, the post office was closed at 9pm, but it has a new computerized machine to serve our posting needs 24/7. In fact, the Postal Service is so keen on our using this machine that, last time I was … Continue reading The Dreadful Future of the Postage Stamp
To You, They ARE Underwear!
This article is part of my Tastes Like Somebody Loves You! series. I wrote it in 2003, but it falls into that category of things I wasn't allowed to say when I wasn't a parent. Toddlers learning to use the toilet used to wear cotton "training pants" that were just like underpants but made of thicker … Continue reading To You, They ARE Underwear!
When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best
This article is part of my Tastes Like Somebody Loves You! series. My son was 12 days old the first time he received a package with his name computer-printed on the shipping label. "What did you order?" I asked him jokingly. "Did you go online without permission?" Of course he hadn't--the package contained a gift. … Continue reading When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best
Tastes Like Somebody Loves You!
Each photograph showed a smiling child, alone in the foreground of an after-school activity: ballet lesson, soccer practice, etc. The slogan said, "Tastes Like Somebody Loves You!" It was an ad campaign for individual pudding snacks. Well, it may taste like it, but that snack doesn't mean anyone loves you, kid. In fact, nobody loves … Continue reading Tastes Like Somebody Loves You!
Linkapalooza
Free Range Kids advocates allowing children to develop the skills they'll need as adults, instead of trying to protect them from everything. It started because of the huge backlash to the author's column about letting her nine-year-old ride home alone on New York City public transit. Bravo! (Over-protectiveness is another thing many people told me I would … Continue reading Linkapalooza
Pittsburgh: A Love Letter
As of last August, I've lived in Pittsburgh longer than in any other town. Sixteen years, and I still love it! Pittsburgh is the #1 most livable city in America. I grew up in Oklahoma, so that's my basis for comparison, and Pittsburgh wins in many ways: I like walkable neighborhoods, not spread-out ranch houses and strip … Continue reading Pittsburgh: A Love Letter
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last week I took Nicholas to an interdenominational service celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There was only one other child there. We didn't stay for the whole thing, just the singing and opening speech and readings from Dr. King's speeches; then Nick got bored and we left, but I got a lot out of hearing … Continue reading Martin Luther King, Jr.
Links for the new year!
Have you been wondering if anything is made in USA these days?Norka Futon makes all its mattresses and frames in the United States. We bought one of their 8-coil mattresses for our bed four years ago and have been very happy with it. Last month, we bought another such mattress with a sofa/bed frame to use in our living room. The guests so … Continue reading Links for the new year!
About those newsbots…
I received a skeptical query in response to my recent article "When Robots Write the News":C'mon, those were in spam? They were too grammatical. The ones I get are usually the first several words of one sentence and the next several words of another, without regard to grammar.All of the text I quoted was lifted … Continue reading About those newsbots…
When robots write the news
Lately, my e-mail account at work has been receiving a lot of spam that consists of a block of text, a pornographic image, an ad for some drug, and then another block of text. It's become a routine yet surreal part of my day, being bombarded with porn while I'm trying to do my job. … Continue reading When robots write the news
Mothering in transit
The distance from our home to our childcare center is less than three miles. In rush-hour traffic, it's a 20-minute drive. But almost every day, Nicholas and I make the trip by public transit, taking two buses and at least 45 minutes in each direction. I could walk that distance in that time! Am I insane?! No. I'm convinced that public transit is a wonderful way to travel with a young child. The conveniences more than make up for the inconveniences, that extra time is time we spend together, and the trip is full of learning experiences for my child and me.
Links galore!
This speech by a psychologist includes some fascinating ideas about gender roles. After landing a movie role at age 13, this local actor responded to his success by deciding he should do something to help his community. He hasn't done it yet, but just the fact that he thought of it is refreshing! Have you heard … Continue reading Links galore!
There go the helpers!
One day when my son was a tiny baby, I was walking with him along the main street of our neighborhood when an ambulance went screaming past. Just ahead of us on the sidewalk were a little boy and his mother, and they jumped up and down shouting happily, "There go the helpers!" Wow. What … Continue reading There go the helpers!
response to “The Urban Archipelago”
I just learned that an article several people forwarded to me just after the 2004 election now has its own Website. "The Urban Archipelago" has one very clear, important point: The states of the United States are not as different from one another as the cities are different from the small-town and rural areas. But after … Continue reading response to “The Urban Archipelago”
Energy Independence Day
Recently, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced plans to get some environmental legislation through Congress before July 4 so that it will be "Energy Independence Day": http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=0038 Of course, there's no way the United States can eliminate the need to get energy (oil, etc.) from other countries in less than two months, so her … Continue reading Energy Independence Day
The Earthling's Handbook 