I'm Not Holding My Breath

Thursday, December 31, 2009
Turns out my BFF Rush Limbaugh was taken to the hospital due to a suspected heart attack.

I don't wish the man ill, of course - such feelings would say more about me than about him, and that's not the kind of person I want to be.


But I can't help hoping that this end-of-year event might be indicative of what the upcoming decade might hold. The old, fundamentalist whackadoo's are on their way out, replaced by a more moderate viewpoint, capable of compromise and bipartisanship, capable of choosing the best course for all of us, not just for their party, or their cronies, or their special interest contributers.

I hope, I hope, I hope.

But I'm not holding my breath.

I <3 Jimmy Carter, Part II

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
It's no secret that I love Jimmy Carter, for a variety of reasons. I consider him to be one of the most moral and upstanding statesmen of his generation. I believe his example is one that gives me something to aspire to, and that he stands as a stunning role model for those people of faith who also value critical thinking skills and the pursuit of secular truth.

I've been making my way through his books, and while his sojourn into fiction was singularly unimpressive, I'm enjoying his nonfiction. I'm currently listening to Our Endangered Values, and in spite of our diametrically opposed religious viewpoints, I'm having more and more "what he said!" moments. Here is a man who has lived his whole life as a person of deep faith, and yet his viewpoints are ones that I can find common ground with. Part of that has to do with the fact that he's an unapologetic liberal, of course, but he also stands as an example of how devout Christians can act in the public sphere with compassion and a capacity for compromise.

For example, here is a quote from this book where President Carter discusses the label "fundamentalist," and how it pertains to a society's ability to come to terms with all its members:
For generations, leaders within my own church and denomination had described themselves as “fundamentalists,” claiming that they were clinging to the fundamental elements of our Baptist beliefs and resisting the pressures and influence of the modern world. This inclination to “cling to unchanging principles” is an understandable and benign aspect of religion, and a general attitude that I have shared during most of my life. I soon learned that there was a more intense form of fundamentalism, with some prevailing characteristics:
  • Almost invariably, fundamentalist movements are led by authoritarian males who consider themselves to be superior to others and, within religious groups, have an overwhelming commitment to subjugate women and to dominate their fellow believers.
  • Although fundamentalists usually believe that the past is better than the present, they retain certain self-beneficial aspects of both their historic religious beliefs and the modern world.
  • Fundamentalists draw clear distinctions between themselves, as true believers, and others, convinced that they are right and that anyone who contradicts them is ignorant and possibly evil.
  • Fundamentalists are militant in fighting against any challenge to their beliefs. They are often angry and sometimes resort to verbal or even physical abuse against those who interfere with the implementation of their agenda.
  • Fundamentalists tend to make their self-definition increasingly narrow and restricted, to isolate themselves, to demagogue emotional issues, and to view change, cooperation, negotiation, and other efforts to resolve differences as signs of weakness.
To summarize, there are three words that characterize this brand of fundamentalism: rigidity, domination, and exclusion.

I was walking the Boogie-Dog as I listened to this passage, and it's a good thing I was the only one on the path. I was waving my arms like a loon, saying, "Yes, yes! Exactly! That's exactly right!" He applies this definition to both religious and political fundamentalists, and points out how very unproductive such a mindset is. It's difficult to achieve any kind of political compromise or work with others of differing viewpoints towards a common goal if you're too busy engaging in smug assholery to listen for areas of commonality.

He goes on to point out the inherent hypocrisies in some of the fundamentalist positions, including the dichotomy between someone who claims to be 'pro-life' but simultaneously supports the death penalty; the subjugation of women by religious hierarchy; and the infiltration of the religious right into politics.

All of these positions are things I've ranted about before, but since I'm a dirty, dirty heathen (and a liberal!), my opinion doesn't really mean much in the eyes of the devout. But Jimmy Carter? The most devout president in recent memory?* He's got some credibility, and the fact that he has the intellectual honesty to call out his own coreligionists makes me admire him even more.

I don't agree with every position taken by former President Carter. Such adulation leaves no room for meaningful dialogue, and would probably make him stunningly uncomfortable. It really is too bad he was such a poor president, because he is an incredibly effective human being.


*Yes, including W. Comparing the thoughtful, analytic, studious faith of Jimmy Carter to the blind devotion of W is like comparing my science background (i.e., fan-girl) to that of a scientist with an advanced degree - i.e., just plain silly.

Motivating Scintillating Content

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
I realize the content around here hasn't been too scintillating of late. For those of you who follow HCDSM and expect some daily entertainment, I'll just apologize now for my suckage, and admit that I'm not entirely sure how much longer it's going to last.

It's a direct result of apathy, which is a direct result of situational depression. I can't go into details surrounding why I'm currently depressed, as I don't think it's appropriate to put other people's business out on the Internet without their permission. However, if you guessed "the holidays" coupled with "family drama" you win the prize. The prize, of course, being that you get to listen to me bitch, cry and whine in private venues. Aren't you lucky.

In any event, I'm hoping that the New Year will give me some motivation to seek out topics that will result in new, scintillating content. In the meanwhile, I'll ask your indulgence while I try and reach an emotional equilibrium that does not involve sticking my head in an oven in the hopes that the Hindus are correct and I'll get a "do over."

On a related note, I'd like to point out that the Smart Man has been very patient with my general moping around and poor company. He's a keeper that way. But we knew that.

Here's hoping for a better 2010.

Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind

Monday, December 28, 2009
Via my celebrity boyfriend The Bad Astronomer, I have discovered a YouTube channel that makes my heart sing and fills me with NERD LOVE.* It's the YouTube channel of the Nobel Prize, and it's simply filled with sciencey goodness as ordinary folks ask burning questions of Nobel Laureates, who then answer in a way a layperson can understand. HOW COOL IS THIS?

As an example, here is Nobel Laureate John Mather, astronomer and the principle investigator of the soon-to-be too cool for school James Webb Space Telescope. The question he fields relates to whether or not the LHC will actually suck the world into a vortex of black holes. Long time readers of this space will know why I chose this example, and why it fills me with glee to use it. Please note that Dr. Mather is an actual scientist with an actual Ph.D in an actual scientific discipline.



::swoon::



*I also heard today on The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe that my propensity towards Nerd Love may actually have an evolutionary motivation. Because the success of our society is so wrapped up in STEM, choosing mates based on their Nerd Cred has now become a "survival of the fittest" issue. Sweet.

Avatar

Sunday, December 27, 2009

The Smart Man and I went to see Avatar yesterday with the Incomparable Anne™, her folks, and her brother and lovely sister-in-law.

It was AWESOME. AWESOME. And did I mention it was AWESOME?

Okay, enough gushing. There are reviews all over the Internet, so I'm not going to pick the movie apart or go on and on and on about the technology that made the Na'vi so incredibly realistic (and it did), but I am going to nitpick on a couple of interrelated things.

Over at Stonekettle Station, my friend Jim Wright was complaining about how James Cameron always seems to make the military the bad guy in his movies, and how he found that pretty offensive, since he's a career military man. I find such typecasting offensive myownself, for what should be obvious reasons. But in this case, I think Jim missed the mark just a bit. The offensive Colonel and his ilk in this film aren't military, at least not in the way that Jim and I are. They're mercenaries, and that's a whole different kettle of fish. Real military men and women, the ones that I'm proud to call my shipmates and brothers and sisters-in-arms, would not consider signing up with a mercenary outfit, and especially wouldn't sign up as a mercenary for a corporation. Because the real villain wasn't the mercenaries. It was the corporation who thought it just fine and dandy to demonize and destroy the natives in order to line their pockets. Sort of like our recent economic crisis, come to think about it.

The other, related, nit is that I really want to know who writes the dialogue for the professional soldiers in Cameron's films. The Smart Man says it's written the way it is because Cameron simply doesn't understand that the military is a profession, not some crazed testosterone fest, and I tend to agree. The Colonel's "safety brief" at the beginning of the movie could just as easily been given by Gunny Highway as by the futuristic Colonel, and made me roll my eyes more than a little. The fighting men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces are highly trained and highly professional, and while esprit de corps requires a certain amount of rhetoric, Cameron takes it so far over the top that it made me throw up in my mouth a little. Next time, James, find yourself a military adviser to help with the cultural aspects of military life. I know a retired Chief Warrant Officer who might want the job...

Miscellany

Saturday, December 26, 2009
Well, Christmas Day is over, although it doesn't really feel like it. We haven't opened our presents yet, since our new tradition is that we do so after our annual New Year's Biscuits and Gravy breakfast and present-palooza. So I have another week before I get to the LOOT. Since I already got my big gift from the Smart Man, it's not that big of a deal.

I actually went to Weight Watchers this morning, and discovered that yes, I had in fact gained some weight over the last week. SHOCKING (not). I've been eating foods that aren't really conducive to weight loss, so I'll just count my lucky stars that I only gained back what I had lost the previous week. I'm back to counting points today, and hope to end the year with achieving my short term goal of 35 pounds lost in 2009, thus leaving me 30 pounds as my goal for 2010. At least I actually got up and went to the meeting. Given today's weather, I would have preferred to just stay home.

I've started knitting for the 2010 Excelsior House donation (see how I'm not waiting until the last minute this time?). So far I have one hat and half a scarf. Woohoo.

In other news, my Hot Sister, who you might remember is a techno-phobe, has recently joined the 21st century and started using text messaging on her cell phone. Of course I've been teasing her about it. Her response? "Humph." Then she yelled at the neighborhood kids to get off her lawn.

Today me, the Smart Man, the Incomparable Anne™, and possibly her folks are going to see Avatar. Most of the things I've heard about this movie have been positive, so we're looking forward to it. Then it's home for some yummy, yummy Chicken and Dumplings.

Have a good Saturday!

Boogie Blogging Friday, Christmas Edition

Friday, December 25, 2009

A big, big Christmas bone for a big, big dog.

Merry Christmas, Snoopy Style



I hope your Christmas is full of good music, good dancing and good food. But without the sour Schroeder and Lucy face.

Merry Christmas, Hot Chicks and Smart Men.

What He Said, With Less Manners

Thursday, December 24, 2009
I like Sean Carroll.* I enjoy his posts over on Cosmic Variance, and I already have his audiobook reserved at my awesome library when it becomes available. I find his writing clear and easy for a layperson to understand, and I'm looking forward to learning what he has to teach.

Which apparently isn't limited to science and physics. Today he posted on his issues with the Freedom From Religion Foundation's sign at the Illinois State capital, and I had a "Hell, yeah, what he said," moment. Sean feels, like I do, that atheists do themselves a disservice when they act like, well, dicks. Except he has better manners than me, so he didn't say "dicks." He said "tiresome bores." Po-tae-to, po-tah-to. 

Here's the offending language:
At the time of the winter solstice, let reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is just myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.
Really, FRFF? You couldn't think of a better way to put your ideas out there during the holiday season without essentially telling 96% of the people in the world that they're delusional asshats with no capacity for reason? Really? There's a new concept abroad in the world. It's called "manners" or sometimes "sensitivity." Perhaps you should look into it.

It's this kind of crap that makes me self-identify as an "agnostic" rather than an "atheist," even though my personal worldview has more in common with atheists than with agnostics. There's a time and a place for everything, and you cannot expect moderate people of faith to help you fight (for example) the Young Earth Creationist nutbars if you spend all your time poking them with a stick and acting like a superior dick. Err, I mean, acting like a tiresome bore.

So, today, the eve of one of the most important religious holidays in the Western World, I will take the opportunity to bid you all Merry Christmas. Whatever you believe, may these days be filled with the things that make you happiest.


*If you asked, "Which one?" after reading that, congratulations. You have massive geek cred.

'Tard of the Week - The American Public

Wednesday, December 23, 2009
And why is the American Public the 'Tard this week? Because we thought that "health care reform" would actually result in, you know, reform.  Instead, the insurance companies will get a whole new set of healthy consumers that will now be forced to purchase health insurance from these for-profit companies. This goldmine is supposed to offset the new restriction on insurance companies that will prevent them from dropping sick people from their rolls. Of course, the fact that they'll be required under the law to insure these people in no way obligates them to keep the premiums in a range where a normal American family can actually afford to buy the insurance. And it in no way actually obligates the insurance companies to approve the treatments and medications these people need. You can bet your last Lipitor prescription that this so-called 'reform' will not result in reduced earnings and/or profits for insurance companies. The companies made sure of that, with their bought-and-paid-for toadies on Capital Hill.


I know I'm supposed to be making an effort to be less stabby these days, but this really chaps my ass.* How, exactly, is this a good deal for the majority of Americans? It seems to me that it's a good deal for the insurance companies (more profits!), and it's a good deal for the politicians (we passed health care reform!), and it's a good deal for the Congressional Districts who will be the recipients of the pork that was used to get the votes (I got us a new hospital!), but for us? Not so much. Instead, we get that sinking feeling that comes from knowing that you've been screwed - again. You'd think we'd learn, and not have such high expectations for a system that has proved again and again and again that it has more loyalty to K Street than to its constituents.

But we don't. Because we're 'tards.


*Shut up, Nathan.

This I Believe - A New Tradition

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
I'm a big fan of This I Believe. My Hot Sister gave me one of the books for Christmas several years ago, and I subsequently subscribed to the NPR Podcast. When that was canceled, I subscribed to the independent Podcast, which includes not only essays from the 21st century run of the initiative, but also selections from the initial 1950's broadcast by Edward R. Murrow.

I've always wanted to write an essay in the spirit of the series, but had trouble knowing where to begin. After all, I believe in a great many things - love, service, duty, integrity, generosity. Which one of these virtues encompasses my core beliefs, and how do I manage the fact that my beliefs continue to evolve as I grow and learn? If I write an essay now, in my mid-forties, will it accurately reflect my belief as I continue to grow into the person I want to be?

The answer to those questions is that it doesn't really matter. The values I try to live by now, in my mid-forties, may not end up being the values I try to live by in my mid-sixties, and that's okay. Everyone evolves and grows as they gain more experience - to remain static is the result that's undesirable.

So I'm starting a new tradition here at Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men. On January 1st, I will post the first of my annual "This I Believe" essays. Each one will explore my belief in a specific concept, or value, or aspect of my humanity that matters to me. I hope to post a new essay on the first of every year, but if the mood strikes and I feel inspired, there may be some that are published midyear.

I would be delighted if my fellow bloggers would like to join me in this new tradition, but if not, that's fine too. Baring the soul on the Internet isn't for everyone. For myself, I want it to serve as a reminder to help me become the person I want to be.

This I believe.

DONE!


Here are the Excelsior House hats, bagged up and ready to be picked up by my Hot Cousin. She'll be here this afternoon to pick them up and drop them off at the home, so the girls will have them in time for Christmas day.

The final count ended up being 198. I think that will give the staff enough wiggle room to accommodate the "over 180 residents" number, and give the girls some choice. I tried to make each hat unique, but my imagination was starting to run a little thin there towards the end.

Thank you to all who contributed to this project! I'm happy to have gotten them done in time for the holiday, and I hope the girls enjoy having them. For 2010, I'm going to start knitting in January, rather than waiting until the last minute again. Because I'll have more time, I'm hoping I can do a hat and a matching scarf for each girl. Scarves take longer than hats, though, so we'll see.

Happy Ookymmas to the girls of Excelsior House!

Smart Dog

Monday, December 21, 2009

Usually I think Boogie the Giant Schnauzer is dumber than a box of rocks. Don't get me wrong - he's the sweetest dog EVAH, and quite a handsome boy, but he's never exactly been the sharpest knife in the drawer.This morning, however, he proved that he at least has some common sense, even if he'll never understand the doggie version of E=mc2.

I had an early meeting this morning on the North end of town, so Boogie and I headed out on our daily walkie at 5:30 a.m. Since it's you know, the Winter Solstice, and there wasn't much of a moon, it was pitch dark in the open space where we normally walk.

Boogie has been taking his walks off-leash for many years now, as long as there's no one else on the path. He usually does a good job of staying within my sight, and when we walk in the dark, he tends to stay even closer, being the good, good boy that he is. Occasionally, though, we lose sight of each other. The path is slightly hilly, and it's easy to do with a black dog. Usually it's me losing sight of him (of course), but when I call him, he trots right over and we head off again.

This morning, however, when we lost sight of each other, he apparently couldn't see me, either. I called and called, and  - no Boogie. I started walking back along the path, calling the whole way. The closer I got to the sidewalk that leads to the Big Yellow House, the tighter my chest became as my anxiety mounted. I decided to continue to the house, just to see if he had made his way home. If he wasn't there, I decided, I'd head back along the path one more time before heading into full-blown panic mode and getting the Smart Man to help me look for him. As I approached the house, I softly called his name, and his head appeared around the corner of the garage. As soon as he saw me, his ears immediately went back and he trotted over, wagging and wiggling, obviously happy to see me.

As near as I can figure, he couldn't see me, so decided the best thing to do was to go home and wait at the front door for someone to come and let him in. I can't tell you how relieved I was to see him waiting for me, as he gave me quite a scare. I think he was scared, too, so headed to the place where he knew he'd be safe.

What a good, good boy.

Genghis Khan and Spicy Pickles

Sunday, December 20, 2009
Today was a productive day. This morning we went to one of my favorite places on the planet, The Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where we checked out the new Genghis Khan exhibit with my Hot Mom and the Incomparable Anne™. The exhibit was wonderful, and I'd like to give a special shout-out to the volunteers manning the interactive sections. They were well-read on the subject at hand, and able to either answer our questions (like how, exactly, do you string a composite, compound bow with 13th century technology?), or could point us to resources that could. Well done, museum volunteers. As usual, you guys rock the house.

After watching an IMAX film on the Wild Coast of Africa called Wild Ocean, we headed over to the local Spicy Pickle for some lunch. Note to self: While the food was delish, there is nothing (and I mean nothing) on the Spicy Pickle menu that could be twisted into a "smart choice" from a Weight Watchers perspective. I looked it up when I got home, and everything has double digit fat content, and the sandwich I ate that I THOUGHT was a good choice ended up sucking up 19 points. So my menu for the rest of the day will consist of "water." But the actual spicy pickle spear was FABULOUS.

All in all, a very satisfying day, and since we got to the museum as soon as it opened, there were no crowds or irksome hordes to push me into an episode of unbecoming stabbiness. I made some strawberry jam when we got home, and now I'm off to Target to buy a few things for the week. Hope your Sunday is as satisfactory.

Damn Kids! Get Off My Lawn!

Saturday, December 19, 2009
This was the scene in front of the Big Yellow House this morning when the Smart Man and I awoke to begin our daily activities. Our tree was the only one so decorated in the neighborhood, so we suspect our selection was personal, although we have no evidence. And since it seems most unlikely that the Smart Man and my friends could stay up long enough to accomplish the deed without waking Boogie the Giant Schnauzer, we have also concluded that this was probably the work of some young group of folks out looking to foment some harmless trouble. The Smart Boy has indicated he doesn't think it was his friends, and I have to admit it seems a bit juvenile for college students, so it might have been a random event.

In any case, the Smart Boy had a chore waiting for him when he got up this morning, and the Smart Man and I have even more reason to tell those damn kids to get off our lawn.

Stabby is as Stabby Does

Friday, December 18, 2009
Here lately I've been noticing a tendency in myself to be more than a bit stabby. There are a number of contributing factors, such as my normal holiday blues; my decision to leave a job I absolutely loved in order to take a job that provided more long term security; my never ending struggle with parenthood and finding my way into my new role as the parent of young adults (as opposed to teens); the continuing assholery of the majority of politicians; the stupidity of the masses; the cupidity of the business world, blah, blah, blah. It feels like pretty much everything is pissing me off these days, especially as it relates to the things I choose to blog about.

Well, no one likes someone who spends all their time bitching and crying about every single thing, including me, and I'm starting to dislike the tenor my writing has taken. I think it would be good for me to try and focus on more positive topics. Not that I'm going to retire the 'Tard of the Week, or fail to call out discrimination or other foul aspects of humanity - I just want to be a bit more positive in the new year.

Now, I'm not a huge fan of "New Year's Resolutions." I tend to believe that anytime is a good time to attempt a behavioral change, provided the desire for change is real and the issue at hand is one that needs to be addressed. However, I do understand the appeal of using the turning of the year as a milestone that encourages positive change. New year = new behavior and all that.

So in that vein, I'm going to try and spend more time finding topics for HCDSM in 2010 that don't make me want to stab myself (or someone else) in the eye with a fork. It would probably make me hurl to write a sweetness-and-light blog, but all-stabby, all-the-time is starting to wear me down just a bit. I have some new ideas for 2010, including a new January 1st recurring feature, and I hope that by changing my behavior, my attitude will follow. Sort of a converse strategy to "stabby is as stabby does."

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment to go skip through a field of daisies. Tra-la-la-la-la...

Technical Difficulties

Thursday, December 17, 2009
Well, crap.

I don't know what the hell the deal is, but the DVD drive on my desktop has given up the ghost - AGAIN.  I go through DVD drives faster than I'm having to buy smaller jeans, and it's really starting to piss me off. It usually starts with the drive failing to burn, but quickly escalates to complete uselessness. This time was no different, and now I have my awesome library's copy of Weekends at Bellevue and no drive to import it into my iTunes.

The part of this that really irks me is not that I have to buy yet ANOTHER drive - they're relatively inexpensive, and the Smart Man is great about installing my hardware for me. It's that every time he opens the case to my desktop, it seems like another component fails. That's the part that can get expensive, and fast. I don't really want to spend a ton of extra money this month.

Of course, if I was willing to periodically clean out the case and keep the area clean, then parts might not fail as often. But that's just crazy talk.

Extending Douchey Behavior to Social Media

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Is it just me, or has the advent of social media turned us into a nation of douchebags?

I'm not talking about those incredible tools who break up with their boyfriends or girlfriends via e:mail, or text message, or twitter. What I'm talking about is those people with whom you might have a somewhat casual relationship, who, for whatever reason, decide they no longer wish to be your friend.

In the bad old days before Facebook and MySpace, such a desire might be accomplished by either fading out of someone's life (i.e., not returning calls, not making plans together, etc.), or with a direct confrontation. I've used both of those strategies, depending on how close I was to the person, how often I'd see them and why I wanted to eliminate them from my life.

But in the good new days, if you decide to cut off a relationship with someone, you also have to decide what to do about the social media you have in common with the person you don't like anymore. Do you remain connected to them via Facebook, or do you just "hide" their posts? Do you "unfollow" them on Twitter? Do you change your e:mail address?

If you're the kind of person who leans towards a more passive approach to ending casual relationships, then social media is not going to work to your benefit. Eventually, the person you "unfriended" is going to realize it, and they're probably going to be pissed off if you took the coward's way out and didn't tell them your intentions ahead of time. I'm not particularly interested in being "friends" with someone who doesn't want to be "friends" with me, but I will say that if I decided to "unfriend" someone on Facebook, I would at least extend them the courtesy of telling them I was doing so, and why. Because I'm kind of a social retard, I need people to put things out there, so there's no confusion on my part, and I try to do the same for others. Not everyone feels that way, of course, but in my opinion, "unfriending" someone without telling them is pretty much a douchebag move.

I wonder, does the advent of social media give people the opportunity to extend their personal cowardice to aspects of their life that were previously immune (like breaking up with your partner on Twitter, for fuck's sake), or is it allowing people to confront those who try to sneak away from relationships like a thief in the night?

Either way, I think it's fair to say that acting like a douchebag, both online and off, is never going to go out of style. How fabulous. "When people show you who they are, believe them." If someone acts like a douche, it's probably because they're a douche. Live and learn.

Great Auntie Marge's Country Hats



Here are the hats made with yarn purchased by my Great Auntie Marge of tiny Holyoke, Colorado. She said she wanted "bright, colorful yarn" for her portion of this project, and I thought this fit the bill. Thanks for your support, Margie!

The Excselsior House hat count is now at 183, and I have a conundrum. The web site indicates they have "over 180 residents," which of course encourages me to ask the question - HOW MANY MORE? I don't want to knit too few and have the horrifying scenario of some poor girl getting left out, but I am heartily sick of knitting these damn hats to the exclusion of other activities. I expect I'll continue to knit until December 20th, then I'll call my Hot Cousin to come get the goods. Hopefully I'll have enough done by then to give the staff some wiggle room, and the girls some choice.

Ookymmas Cards and Other Traditions

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
I used to send holiday cards. I would include photos from the year, a newsletter including all of the pertinent events from the previous year, and a personalized message for each card.

Yeah, we don't do that anymore.

We used to put up a big tree in our living room every year. It was a big pre-lit job, with all of our geeky ornaments.

We don't do that anymore, either.

We used to fill everyone's stockings on Christmas Eve, and dig through them on Christmas morning. There was the usual stuff - Lifesaver's Sweet Storybooks, jewelry, makeup, action figures.

That's off the table, too.

The erosion of our Christmas traditions have been due to a variety of things. The holiday cards went by the wayside in 2007, when I simply didn't feel like sending them. In 2008, I had a case of the holiday blues, and again didn't feel like sending them. This year, I was beyond guilt or even consideration when it came to the cards. I just blew it off because I don't see the point.

The tree is a slightly different matter. Boogie the Giant Schnauzer has had a terrible time leaving the tree alone in years past. It's always a struggle, because I have to keep him in my sight at all times, just to keep him from inadvertently electrocuting himself, the dumbass. Last year we traveled to Ohio for the holiday, and decided not to put the tree up. It was so nice not to have to constantly supervise the dog, and now that he doesn't sleep in his crate at night anymore, it would be even worse. So this year, rather than deal with it, we put up a tiny 3' tree on an end table. It looks nice enough, although we decided to put it up sans Star Trek ornaments, but it's not the same as the BIG TREE.

The stocking tradition just kind of petered out. Once the Smart Twins became older and started making their own holiday schedules, we just never had the kids in the house at the same time on Christmas morning. I didn't see the point in making a stocking for the Smart Man and my Hot Mom, as doing so just made me feel depressed for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with Christmas and everything to do with family dynamics.

So many of my holiday traditions have just sort of faded away, and I need to replace them with something. Like many people, I'm prone to holiday depression, and one of the ways I keep it at bay is to have obligations that encourage me not isolate myself. This year I committed to knitting all those damn hats for Excelsior House (the hats are damned because I'm dreaming about them, not because it's not a good thing to do. I should have given myself more time), and I've also started making jam with the intent of donating it to Meals-on-Wheels. These things aren't enough, though, especially since I'm trying to keep the holiday treating down to a minimum in support of my weight loss goals.

I've thought about starting to celebrate Ookymmas from now on, but I don't think a holiday tradition that includes a drunken saturnalia would go over too well with the Smart Man. It might stave off the depression, though...

Rejected

Monday, December 14, 2009
I've never been particularly interested in being a "cool mom" and a "friend" to my kids. The way I see it, my job as a parent has always been to ensure the Smart Twins reach adulthood with the desire and the capability to be contributing members of society, and performing that job would be hindered by a "friend" relationship. Once they're off the payroll and on their own, then I can see our relationship evolving into one where we can become friends. It's not that I don't like them - we're just not equals yet, and I consider equality to be a prerequisite for friendship.

Which probably explains why neither of the Smart Twins is willing to "friend" me on Facebook. The Smart Boy has never been willing to friend me, maintaining that he wasn't really interested in having his Mommy be his friend on Facebook (although he seems perfectly willing to have his Mommy help him pay his bills). The Smart Girl initially friended me, and I have recently discovered that she has unfriended me.

I'm not sure how I feel about either of those things.

On the one hand, until they're fully adult, I don't want our current relationship to be based on friendship. Their unwillingness to "friend" me simply reflects the relationship that I myself have generated, and makes sense.

On the other hand, they are in fact approaching adulthood, and I would like our relationship to start to mature into one that is based more on equal footing. Apparently they're not there yet, though, and the fact that the Smart Girl unfriended me after first deciding to have that connection makes me feel squicky.

Add this to the fact that neither child seems very interested in keeping me informed about their lives, and I'm feeling the harsh, harsh burn of PARENTAL REJECTION. Intellectually, I understand the need and the desire to move away from your parental units at this stage of life. It's a necessary step towards independence, and I far prefer the process of becoming unnecessary than that of raising emotionally crippled children who have no interest in developing their own ability to manage their life independently. Emotionally? Not so much.

Does this parenting thing EVER get any easier? EVER?

::tap, tap::

Is this thing on?

I thought so.

Being Blessed

Sunday, December 13, 2009
I swear I live under a rock. Apparently the Vatican added some new deadly sins to their list in April of last year, and I TOTALLY MISSED THE BOAT. Just think of the blog fodder inherent in the Catholic Church adding "excessive wealth" and "increasing poverty" to the list of deadly sins. I'm so disappointed.

But it does tie into some conversations I've been having lately with other irreligious people.

One of the many, many things I don't get about the Christian religion is how come, from a moral perspective, someone who "accepts Jesus Christ as their personal savior" is in a better moral position than an irreligious person who spends their whole life doing the right thing and serving others? What makes me feel "blessed" is not dedicating my life to the worship of the principles of Christianity, but enriching my humanity by helping others.

If you define a "Christian" as someone who follows the teachings of Jesus, then I know many, many irreligious people who are far better Christians than those who self-identify as such by virtue of their acceptance of him as their "personal savior."

And that's the rub, isn't it? For me, as an outsider, being a moral individual is all about ACTION. That means living your live in way that makes you your brother's and sister's keeper, and doing the right thing, even when it's hard, or inconvenient, or unpleasant. For Christianity, it's about BELIEF. That creates a system where hypocrisy is not only possible, but practically built in. I realize that being a "Christian" based on faith is not mutually exclusive from being a moral individual. I know enough Christians who live and breathe their faith traditions in a consistent way that it keeps my view more balanced than it might otherwise be. But there are enough "Christians" out there who are also complete douchebags that the entire system leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Charities - Pissing Me Off in Whole New Ways

Saturday, December 12, 2009
I try to be a charitable person. I donate money to various do-gooders. I knit cold weather gear for those who need it. I prepare jam for a local Meals-on-Wheels program. We donate our lightly used goods.

However, I'm typically not interested in giving my money to any charity that I haven't had an opportunity to research on my own. I have my own set of criteria on which I base my giving decisions, including the percentage of their budget that goes to program costs, whether or not they address a need that's important to me personally, if they provide services in a non-discriminatory way, and how much of my current charity budget is available. These criteria are why I won't give money to The Salvation Army or to the Women's Bean Project, even though they both do good work, and why I do give money to Planned Parenthood, even though their fund-raising staff should probably be arresting for stalking. There are far too many charitable organizations fighting the good fight who meet all of my standards for me to compromise and donate my money willy-nilly.

Which brings me to the "pissing me off in whole new ways" thing.

We're on the "do not call list." That means solicitors are not permitted to call us and try to sell us their worthless shit and crappy services. Unfortunately, charitable organizations are exempt from the "do not call" list, as it negatively impacts their ability to generate charitable contributions. We've had the same phone number for almost eight years, and that means our number has found its way onto every charitable calling list on the planet.  Everyone calls us wanting our money. Organizations I've never heard of. Organizations I wouldn't support if I had heard of them. Organizations that I've heard of but are diametrically opposed to my point of view. Organizations I might be inclined to support if they weren't annoying the fuck out of me by calling me every two weeks begging me for my support. None of them get my money, because I haven't had a chance to research them on the criteria I find important. It doesn't matter how many times you call me, ARC and Cerebral Palsy - we're not giving you our lightly used goods. Not because you don't do good work, but because we donate them to an organization that means more to us.

Here's a clue, charitable organizations: If you call me every month, and every month I say "no thank you," then continuing to call me every month for years on end begging me for money is not likely to end in the result you want. Your call center agent is wasting their time, and you're paying them to waste their time. I know enough about analytics to know that you should be deleting unproductive numbers from your call list rather than letting them suck up your scarce resources.

So recently I've decided to help these charities. Every time they call the Big Yellow House and ask for money, not only do I say "no," I tell them to take us off their call list. This move will save them time and money by not using their resources on a non-contributing number. Right? Wrong. Based on their reactions, you'd think that "take me off your call list" is actually secret code for "I kidnap babies from the local Kindercare and roast them over an open fire to meet my tasty, tasty Bar-B-Que needs. Won't you like to come over and join me?" Like asking them not to call my home, invade my privacy and interrupt my free time is somehow reprehensible, and I'm a bad person for making this perfectly reasonable request.

Hey, charitable organization call center agent! Guess what? I'm not a bad person. I do give to charity. I try to support my fellow humans when they need it. I'm a TAX AND SPEND LIBERAL, for fuck's sake. I just don't want to contribute to your employer. And your attitude is really starting to piss me the hell off. So the next time I tell you to take me off your call list, just do it and keep your holier-than-thou attitude to yourself, won't you? And then maybe I'll invite you over for some tasty, tasty Bar-B-Que.
____________

Updated 3:27 p.m.: Sweet irony. After this post was auto-twitted, I received the following robo-reply:
LifersENT @Janiece65 Help raise teen violence awareness for teen violence by donating  http://bit.ly/75fcff
Because really,  why WOULDN'T I donate my hard earned money to some random charity that auto-bots me on Twitter?

#FAIL

Boogie Blogging Friday (Now With Fuzzy Gloves and Squee)

Friday, December 11, 2009

Here's Boogie, taking a nap on his futon after his oh-so-fun daily walkies. As you can see, he's busy with his favorite fall/winter hobby - dragging in the seeds of every weed that grows in the open space near the Big Yellow House and depositing them all over the house.  He's a helpful, helpful dog.

And on an unrelated note, it has been FRICKEN COLD here in Colorado for the last week or so, and since I work in the basement, I've been chronically chilly. So chilly, in fact, that my hands have been practically numb by the end of the day. That makes working a bit tough, so I have purchased these nifty new fingerless gloves for weeks like these. I understand this style is quite the rage these days (although the fuzzy raspberry color would probably be considered a sartorial mistake), but really - it's all about not freezing.

Fuzzy gloves aside, I've got a bit of the SQUEE going on today, too. I'm scheduled to have dinner with a dear friend whom I haven't seen in over twenty years, and recently reconnected with via Facebook. I can't wait to see her again, but she was snowed in at Chicago yesterday so her availability is still in question. Stupid weather...

The Dulcet Hats of Kate

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Here are the hats made with yarn donated by the lovely and talented Kathryn Nerys Baker, whose generosity is only exceeded by the quality of her narrations. Thanks, Kate!

The Excelsior House hat count is now at 167. I don't know if I'm going to make it by Christmas, y'all. Next time I'll give myself more time, methinks.

Pardon Me While I Heave

Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Encouraged by Random Michelle, I have been listening to Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. It's essentially a dissertation on how the fast food industry has radically changed our eating habits, our food economy, and our food safety since the advent of the first McDonald's.

Thanks, Michelle. Thanks a lot. I'm thinking ignorance might have been bliss in this particular instance.

Reading this book has made me want to heave at the thought of all of those fast food meals I've eaten over the years, not to mention the pounds of beef and pork that have made their way through my digestive system. It's a fricken wonder I haven't dropped dead of  Calicivirus, E. coli O157:H7 or any one of hundreds of foodborne illnesses that infect our meat supply on a daily basis. I feel like I've been transported back to 1907 and dropped into an Upton Sinclair novel.

I've been agonizing over eating meat for ethical reasons since I read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, and this book has added "personal safety" to the list of reasons on the "con" side of the equation. The fact that I'm eating beef or pork that routinely passes USDA inspection with fecal matter in it is a pretty compelling argument. Yuck.

'Tard of the Week - Family Research Council

Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Disclaimer: I know many, many Christian Americans who are fine people and do not indulge in institutionalized bigotry. The following screed does not imply that every Christian American is a bigoted asstard. But it does imply the FRC (and its members) are. If the shoe fits, and all that.

There's a bill winding its way through Congress. It hasn't received a great deal of publicity - not surprising, in light of the historical health care reform bill, that this piece of legislation is taking a back seat. It's called the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and provides employment discrimination protection for LGBT workers. Specifically, the legislation would make it illegal “to fire, refuse to hire, or fail to promote employees simply based on sexual orientation." Small business, religious organizations and the military would be exempt from these new regulations.

President Obama supports this bill, and is pushing the Democratic Congress to pass it.

Enter the "Family Research Council," a self-described "Christian organization promoting the traditional family unit and the Judeo-Christian value system upon which it is built." Feel free to translate their mission to be spreading Judeo-Christian justified bigotry and blurring the line between church and state, because their website doesn't seem to be about anything else. Don't believe me? Check out the letter they sent out to their supporters surrounding the ENDA legislation. In it, they claim that extending the same non-discrimination rights already enjoyed by other minorities isn't really about protecting the LGBT community at all. Oh, no - in fact, it's about DISCRIMINATING AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN THE WORK PLACE. That's right - the far left and their HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA (which is intent on contaminating your sons and daughters and converting them to teh Gay) is now actively attempting to SQUASH YOUR CHRISTIAN FAITH. SQUASH IT LIKE THE OPPRESSED, PERSECUTED BUG THAT IT IS.

Ahem.  Sorry about that. The crazy - it's contagious.

This letter contains so many flavors of crazy and outright untruths, I don't even know where to begin.

Let's start with the many, many references to "cross dressers" in the letter. Their fear and loathing appears to be restricted to men dressing as women, but it apparently never occurs to them that cross-dressing often has nothing to do with sexual preference, and in fact many cross-dressing men are heterosexuals. But that confuses the issue with pesky facts.

The letter also goes on to say that religious organizations would be "forced to hire" teh gayz (and those grotty cross-dressers!), thus exposing their fellow bigots congregants to THE EVIL. Since churches and such are specifically exempt from the law, I'm not sure how FRC arrives at this conclusion. More of those pesky facts. 

They seem to be primarily concerned about the possibility of a "slippery slope." That if ENDA passes, gay marriage and other human atrocities can't be far behind. My own response to such an event would of course be "yippee!" but I guess I understand why such a prospect would scare the crap out of people such as them. 

The thing that really burns my ass about these asstards and their letter is the incredible way in which they try to make their VAST MAJORITY the PERSECUTED MINORITY. For many, many years, Christian Americans had vast amounts of unearned privilege, and basically did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. No one dared speak for the rights of those with a different world view, and the institutionalized bigotry of the so-called "traditional Christians" was allowed to stand without challenge as "mainstream culture," or even worse, "white culture" (::gag::). Now the President and prominent members of Congress are issuing a challenge to their bigotry, and these fucknuts have the absolute gall to pretend THEY'RE the ones that are being PERSECUTED?  Really? Sorry, FRC - you're not persecuted, and your attempt to force your so-called "traditional Christian bigotry values" down the throats of your co-workers in the guise of "religious freedom" simply does not wash. Religion is a private matter, and simply has no role in the secular workplace. No one is attempting to force you to engage in homosexual activity, no one is forcing you to change your religious belief. But they are attempting to force you to stop discriminating against others on the basis of your religious belief. It's no different from the government forcing members of the KKK to stop discriminating against people of color (which was also justified using religious belief, if memory serves), and your attempts to make it seem different on the basis of the 1st Amendment is at least disingenuous, and at most a blatant lie to protect your bigotry from the law.

Killing someone's unearned privilege in the interest of providing equal protection under the law* to other groups is not persecution. Failing to hire someone or promote them to a position for which they're otherwise qualified because you find out they're gay is. You justify your bigotry with your religious belief, and you wonder why liberals consider you uncivilized savages?

YOUR UNEARNED PRIVILEGE IS NOT PROTECTED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, YOU FUCKING 'TARD. The age of the religious right is over. Either move on, or move to a crazy-gated religious compound. Either way works for me.


*That would be the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, you fucking ignoramuses.

H/T to The Amateur Scientist

This Made Me Happy

Monday, December 7, 2009


I especially enjoyed the older gentlemen who appears to be having such fun dancing with his broom. Hee!

Wave o' the Glove to My Hot Mom

"...a date which will live in infamy..."


Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, December 8, 1941


In Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i, the National Park Service maintains the USS ARIZONA Memorial. The Memorial itself was built over the sunken hull of the USS ARIZONA, and on a day when the sun is bright and the water is clear, you can see the rusting ship beneath the water. The Memorial itself is simple and clean, and contains a marble wall inscribed with the names of the fallen.

The Memorial is right off of NAS Ford Island, and there are other markers in the waters surrounding the island to mark the other ships lost that day.

I was stationed in Hawai'i for three years while on active duty. During that time, I had the opportunity to visit the USS ARIZONA Memorial with my Grandmother. I was only 23 years old at the time, and lacked a sense of history regarding my service. World War II seemed a million miles away, but going to the Memorial with my Grandmother allowed me to see that time in history through her eyes. She knew several of the young men who perished on that ship, had gone to school with them, and seeing their names memorialized on the wall of the fallen made her cry. That personalized the events of December 7th for me. While I can never know what it was like for those sailors on that day, I could try and serve with the same honor, courage and commitment as the crew of the USS ARIZONA.

Rest, my brothers. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten, and your example remains for those who still serve.

Deeply Ambivalent

Sunday, December 6, 2009
This particular Navy practice makes me deeply ambivalent.

While I understand the role other species have played in human warfare and property protection over the centuries, I wonder about the moral and ethical ramifications of using dolphins and seals in this capacity. I think a reasonable case can be made that dolphins and seals are sentient. They're also wild animals - not a domesticated species who have co-evolved with us to the point where they cannot survive outside our relationship with them.

Do we have the right to capture wild animals and force them to serve us in this capacity? My gut response is "no." I also tend to believe my gut response can be defended intellectually and ethically, but I need to think about it some more. Since I eat meat and use animal products like leather, it really is a question where I choose to draw my own ethical line. It's okay to exploit animals in this way, but not in that. Perhaps I find the use of marine mammals in these endeavors so disturbing because they're so smart, and it seems so much more exploitative than eating a fish, for example.

This whole "being thoughtful" and "leading an examined life" thing is really quite a lot of work. Life would be so much less stressful if I could just stop.

Technical Housekeeping

Saturday, December 5, 2009
Today is technical housekeeping day here at Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men. That means installing my new 2TB external drive and doing immediate backups, as well as scheduling the weeklies. Once that's done, I'll be moving my old backup drive to service the NetBook. I need to begin research on what version of Linux I want to use on that, and completing a mirror image of the NetBook on the old external drive in case my Linux install goes south, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah.

So yeah. Not too exciting around here today, except I lost 3.4 pounds this week, which makes me happy. PC backups? Not so much.

Hope you're having a good weekend.

Boogie Blogging Friday

Friday, December 4, 2009

Poor Boogie. He's a confused dog today.

Friday is chore day around here. That means I get up crazy early, take him for his walk, then do our weekly grocery shopping while visiting with the night stockers at our local King Soopers.

Well, Colorado is in the middle of a cold snap, and when I got up this morning, it was frickin' 5 below zero. As much as I love my doggy, I am not taking him for a walk in the pitch dark when it's 5 below zero outside.

So I did the shopping, and then Boogie and I went for our walk after the sun had been up for a couple hours and the temperature had warmed up to a more reasonable level. But Boogie is a very conservative dog, and likes his schedule to be consistent. He spent the morning wondering why the hell breakfast was served before walkies, goddamnit?

I expect he'll get over it, though.

And on a completely unrelated note, make sure you check out a new artist named Jana Mashonee. Her new album is called New Moon Born, and it's really quite outstanding, although the autoplay on her website should die in a fire.

What the Fuck is Wrong With These People - Credit Card Companies

You all know what I think about the credit card industry. If there's a hell, I think those who make policy for these businesses have achieved a special place there, complete with a bed-o-nails and daily catheter insertions for the men and continuous labor and/or PMS for the ladies. The ways in which they suck just cannot be overemphasized, and a recent report from Frontline called The Card Game helps to emphasize just how their cupidity feeds their evil vortex of suck and victimizes those least able to protect themselves.

Even the new Credit Card Act of 2009 doesn't do much to rein in their predatory ways. These motherfuckers are spending the nine month window between the signing of the act on May 22, 2009 and its enactment in February 2010 reshuffling their rules, bending fee schedules to their will, and generally doing everything in their power to ensure that their profit margin won't be affected by the new "consumer protections." Then they use the legislation to JUSTIFY THEIR GREED AND TRY TO SAY THAT THE HIGHER INTEREST RATES, FEES AND OTHER ASSHOLERY IS THE FAULT OF CONGRESS. GRR.

Sorry about that. They're evil, evil, evil.

I have a Mastercard with AT&T Universal, which was issued by CitiBank. I've had this credit card since 1991. My credit rating is 820. I have never been late with a payment, and I pay the statement balance in full, promptly each month. I have no revolving debt, no car payment, no debt at all with the exception of our mortgage on the Big Yellow House.*

So on November 30th, I went to pay this bill, like I do every month. And I noticed something strange - my interest rate was 25.99%. 25.99%. Needless to say, I called AT&T Universal to inquire about the outrageous rate. Turns out that AT&T changed my payment date from the 5th of the month to the 30th of the month. They did this during the 9 month window between the passing of the Credit Card Act of 2009 and its enactment, after which they would have been prevented from this activity. As a result, my practice of paying this bill on the last working day of the month ensured that my July payment (placed by me on July 31st) was a day late, making me in default of my cardholder agreement, and giving them the right to up the interest rates in penalty.

I explained to the agent on the phone that I am paid on the last working day of each month, and my practice of paying this bill on payday was never an issue before, in all the years I have been a customer. I wanted to know how come I was being penalized after being a loyal customer since 1991. Her response? "If you've been a customer since 1991, then you knew that a violation of the agreement would result in us raising your rates." Translation: "Fuck you, consumer. We're within the letter of the law, and you can suck my big, fat profit margin. We made bad decisions about who to issue credit to, and rather than pay for our mistake, we're going to make you pay. Don't like it? Tough shit."

I escalated the issue, of course, and the supervisor "forgave" the transgression, refunded the interest, and changed the due date on the account back to the 5th. The reason they did so, of course, is because my reaction to their "policy" was they could either fix this shit, or cancel the card. Since I carry no balance, they had no leverage. Had I been one of the millions and millions of Americans who routinely carry a balance, you can bet your Free Credit Report the supervisor also would have given me the "fuck you" answer. I would be stuck with paying 25.99% interest because I was lackadaisical about checking the hundreds of mailings sent to me by AT&T Universal each year.

Now I'm not implying here that AT&T Universal did not act within the letter of the law. I'm quite sure I did in fact receive "notification" of their "change" to my billing cycle, and there's no doubt I paid the July bill one day late based on their "compliance." I was lackadaisical because I do pay in full each month, and honestly, I don't give a good goddamn what interest rate they charge me, since I never pay any interest anyway.

But there's also no doubt in my military mind that part of this company's profit retention strategy was to use analytics to determine my payment schedule, and then recommend a change to my payment schedule that would result in my being in default. NO DOUBT IN MY MIND.

There's also no doubt in my mind that every for-profit credit card issuer on the planet is guilty of exactly the same thing, and are frantically scrambling to ensure their fees, interest and other profit-generating strategies are ready for the effective date of the Credit Card Act of 2009. No doubt.

Fuck you, CitiBank. Fuck you, Capital One and the rest of your evil brethren. You will not manipulate me into paying you interest. WILL. NOT. Next week I will apply for (and receive) a credit card from my Credit Union, who are actually, you know, REGULATED.


*Yes, I realize this makes me a very undesirable customer for a rotating credit issuer. But I'm emphasizing that I pay my bills on time, every time.

November 'Tard of the Month

Thursday, December 3, 2009
So it's finally December. Time for gifties, walking Boogie in the freezing morning air, jamapalooza and voting for the November 'Tard of the Month.

This month's candidates include Sarah Palin, whose ability to embarrass herself publicly has removed her from the running forthwith; the LHC Doomsayers, whose predictions of black holes sucking the earth into a gravitational vortex did not materialize; and Swiss Voters, who have taken insitutionalized bigotry to a whole new level.

What say you, Hot Chicks and Smart Men?

I'm So Embarrassed

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Why, you might ask? Because I live in the greater Denver area, and the City and County of Denver has lost their damn mind.

Don't believe me? Check this out - this summer's regularly scheduled citywide election will contain a measure that would create a seven member commission to collect evidence that extraterrestrials and their "UFO vehicles" have been visiting Earth.

The initiative is spearheaded by freeze-dried whackaloon Jeff Peckman, who at least has enough sense not to try and force Denver taxpayers to pay for this piece of lunacy. Instead the commission will be funded through donations, grants and gifts.

I'm pretty sure there are already institutions who are eminently better qualified than Denver's proposed commission to search for and collect evidence of Extra Terrestrial Intelligence. Institutions who have the science, the funding and the equipment to do a professional job of it. Why do those who signed the petition to get this on the ballot think that some dude with a set of binoculars in his backyard is going to do a better job of it than SETI and NASA?

I won't be able to vote on this measure because I'm not a resident of the City and County of Denver, more's the pity. Hopefully my neighbors won't embarrass me further.

The Visio Vortex of Hell and Taking One for the Team

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Today I have been sucked into the Visio Vortex of Hell. If you're not familiar with Microsoft's Visio product, then please thank your lucky stars and run screaming into the night if anyone ever suggests you use this bloated piece of crap. Thank you for your cooperation.

So in lieu of actual content today, I'm going to refer you to an ongoing project of another member of the UCF.

My friend and fellow UCFer Eric of Standing on the Shoulders of Giant Midgets has embarked on an endeavor so frightening, so chilling, that only the consumption of vast amounts of alcohol can mitigate the risk associated with this activity. I'm speaking, of course, of his decision, as a critical thinking socialist, to read and review Sarah Palin's Manifesto, Going Rogue.

::Gasp!:: 

That's right, Hot Chicks and Smart Men. Eric is reading and reviewing daily that self-serving butchering of the English language, and providing insights that have made the occasional quotes from the book actually BEARABLE. Eric didn't actually pay for that piece of crap, of course - one of his more conservative readers sent it to him, along with the requisite alcohol to get him through.

While I always enjoy hearing Eric's thoughts on a variety of subjects, I have to say that I really do appreciate him taking one for the team in this case. You know if I'd tried reading that thing I'd be engaged in an automatic weapons rampage in no time at all. And that just Would Not Do.

So go over to Eric's and check out his commentary. It's worth your time.

'Tard of the Week - Swiss Voters

Monday, November 30, 2009
It seems that the Swiss People's Party, (SVP), the largest party in parliament, put a measure on the Swiss ballot to outlaw minarets within Switzerland. According to the SVP, minarets are a sign of Islamisation, and so must be banned. The measure passed with 57% of the popular vote.

Um....what?

I thought minarets were a single aspect of Middle Eastern architecture. While you see them on mosques and other Middle Eastern structures associated with Islam, you also see them on Russian Orthodox structures, as well as secular buildings.

So why are they suddenly symbolic of Islamic extremism? Based on the reading I've done, it appears that Swiss voters are afraid. They're afraid of Swiss Muslims, and believe they'll try and institute Shari'a in the Swiss democracy. They're afraid of radical Islam, and they're afraid allowing architecture to reflect Islamic belief will encourage radicals to settle in Switzerland. They think that by eliminating an outward symbol of Islam, they will stop the incursion of the radical belief system into their society.


Really, Swiss voters? You think that banning a symbolic structure that is associated with aspects of both moderate and radical Islam will allow you to maintain your culture without it being "polluted" by radical Islam?

Well, that's certainly the stupidest thing I've heard this week.

The reaction of the Muslim community has been predictably negative. They consider the ban to be a message of exclusion, and an indicator that the Swiss majority have no interest whatsoever in integrating Muslim citizens into Swiss society. And in my opinion, they think that because it's true.

Now make no mistake. The problem of radical Islam is no small matter, and all governments and citizenry are in a tricky situation in trying to address it while still maintaining human rights for all their citizens. Radical Islam must be contained. The secular rights of every other person depend on maintaining a separation of church and state that radical Islam abhors. But at the same time, Muslims who embrace a liberal world-view and want to integrate into secular society have just as much right to worship as they see fit as anyone. Depriving moderate Muslims of their rights and ability to participate fully in the cultural life of their country in an effort to contain the radicals is a cure that's worse than the disease.

I'm no fan of organized religion, but I do recognize and respect that it plays a hugely important role in human society. You can't stick your fingers in your ears and sing "LALALA - you can't build here!" in an effort to contain what you consider to be a "bad influence." The only way to protect everyone's rights in a secular society is to make a concerted effort to integrate all groups into the larger whole of the society. It's true that some people don't want to be integrated, but to exclude whole subsections of your population in an effort to contain the undesirables is just stupid.

Hopefully the Swiss supreme court will see that, too, and restore Muslim's rights in Switzerland. Mob rule - it's not just for Americans anymore, and 57% of Swiss voters get the 'tard award.

Anniversary

Sunday, November 29, 2009
Today is the 2nd anniversary of Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men. Every day for the last two years, I've written something for this blog. Sometimes I struggle to find subject matter. Sometimes I can't wait to blog about a specific event or idea. Sometimes I post mediocre content because I'm tired and unmotivated, or my off-line life intrudes and takes time away from quality control and research. And sometimes I shoot myself in the foot and can't get out of my own way to save my life.

I've gotten to know some really amazing people through the blogging process, and learned things about subjects I never would have pursued if left to my own devices. I've attracted some freeze-dried whackaloons to my on-line home, and I've been threatened with libel suits on three separate occasions. I've learned the lesson (and not for the first time) that people of good conscience can disagree about matters of importance without making the disagreement personal. I've learned people who troll the Internet on topics like abortion and leave comments on random blogs typically aren't interested in discussion or in others' points of view. But occasionally, drive-by commenters are interested in civil discussion, and you won't know the difference until you give people the chance to show you who they are. I've learned I have a propensity to abuse italics. I've learned my grasp of grammar is a bit sketchy, but I usually know how to use an apostrophe. And I've learned my writing style can make people believe I'm a supercilious bitch, but their opinion doesn't make that judgment true.

All in all, it's been a positive experience. Thank you for sharing it with me.

It's Going to be a Mesa Boogie Christmas

Saturday, November 28, 2009

So we braved the traffic this morning for a short trip to Guitar Center to pick up the Smart Man's Christmas present. This year he wanted a Mesa Boogie Express 5:25 amplifier, which he selected and I paid for. The Smart Man does enjoy his toys, and this is evidently the guitarist's first choice when it comes to flexible, small amplifiers. I wouldn't know - my job is to swipe the plastic, baby.

Merry Christmas, Smart Man.

Dorky Me

Friday, November 27, 2009

It's no surprise that I love science. I love the process, I love the sense of discovery, and I love how new theories ignite my imagination and expand my view of the world.

And I love PBS. They air many educational shows that I record on the downstairs DVR and then watch when I'm sweating away on the evil machine of torture. Frontline, Nature, Nova, Bill Moyers, I love them all, and frequently I'm exposed to ideas or theories that spark my interest and drive me to learn more.

For example, Nova just finished a three part series called Becoming Human, and man, was that cool. Among the many interesting ideas discussed:
  • Early bipeds starting walking on two legs because walking on two legs instead of four requires a much lower energy budget.
  • Early bipeds became successful hunters by using a technique called persistence hunting, which essentially consists of running your prey to exhaustion. The ability to sweat was key to this ability, because it allowed early hominids to become effective long distance runners.
  • The reason modern humans have so little genetic diversity compared to other species is because we are all descendants of a very small population that managed to survive an almost-extinction event.
  • Neanderthals were really carnivores, not omnivores.
  • Neanderthals and Homo sapiens walked the earth at the same time, but probably didn't interbreed. Instead, we had a common ancestor - Homo heidelbergensis, who gave us both the ability to have language.
  • Homo sapiens probably beat out the Neanderthals for survival due to our incredible ability to adapt and use our environment in an intensive way. Not to mention our ability to go forth and multiply.
Watching these episodes is probably the most intellectually exciting thing that's happened to me this week.  Which just goes to show that yes, I am in fact a big dork.

Neurondoc's Soothing Hats

Thursday, November 26, 2009


The fabulous Neurondoc contributed to the Excelsior Hat Project, with the request that I select "soothing" yarn for her contribution. Since Neurondoc is recuperating from fairly serious surgery and a two week stay in the hospital, I selected this fabulous green homespun, because nothing is more soothing to the touch than homespun.

Thanks, Doc, and get well soon!

Something to be Thankful For

Like many Americans, I like to use the Thanksgiving holiday as an opportunity to reflect on those aspects of my life for which I'm grateful. Since I can always find something to bitch about, I think it's appropriate for me to take some time to acknowledge those things for which I'm profoundly thankful.

I'm thankful for my Smart Man, who makes me laugh and gives me hugs, who takes pride in my accomplishments and hurts when I hurt, who accepts my help and gives me help in return, who admires my virtues and forgives my faults, and whose intelligence and wit make him good company every day.

I'm thankful for my Smart Twins, who, in spite of occasional rough patches and the usual confusion that goes with coming of age, are slowly approaching an adult life of which they can be proud.

I'm thankful for my birth family, who installed all my buttons and still occasionally pushes them, who are always available if I need their help but don't want to live in my back pocket, who make me laugh and make me cry, and whose diversity and individuality makes being a weirdo less isolating.

I'm thankful for my friends, both on-line and off, who make my world a richer place, who make me a better person by their presence, and who show me each and every day how incredibly lucky I am to have them in my life.

I'm thankful for my silly Boogie-Dog, who fills my days with love and laughter.

I'm thankful I'm finally at a point in my life where I'm content to be who I am. It took over thirty years for me to get here, but I can honestly say I love my life and wouldn't change much if given the opportunity.

I'm thankful I'm an American. Not in the "America! Fuck, yeah!" sense, but in the sense that I won the genetic lottery by being born here, in this time, to the birth family that raised me. Those circumstances have contributed an immeasurable amount to my success and quality of life, and it behooves me to remember that.

I'm thankful I have a strong and healthy body, and the means and resources to maintain it to the best of my ability.

I'm thankful I learned the lesson that "fortune favors the prepared mind" in time for it to make a profound difference in my life and circumstances.

I'm thankful I love to learn, and that I have the means to indulge that love.

And finally, I'm thankful that once again I was able to reconnect with an old friend through the wonders of social media. Gayle, I have been looking for you for over 20 years, and knowing that you've missed me too makes my heart sing with joy. You, too, have been a most precious friend, and I'm so glad to have found you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

'Tard of the Week - LHC Doomsayers

Wednesday, November 25, 2009
In an astonishing turn of events, operators of CERN's Large Hadron Collider managed to collide two protons this week and the world didn't end in a maelstrom of black holes.

Betcha feel stupid now, huh?

Don't worry, doomsayers - the LHC will come up to full power by Christmas, so I'm sure there's still plenty of time for all of us to die a horrible, squishy death and for you to be COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED in your MASSIVE KNOWLEDGE of all things PARTICLE PHYSICS. ::wink:wink::


CERN Scientists rejoice that they did not, in fact, destroy the world by sucking the earth and all its inhabitants into a black hole. Except that young woman in the lower right-hand corner. She was evidently hoping the black hole would act as her personal Calgon and take her away. Bummer, dude.

Tania's North Pole Hats

Tuesday, November 24, 2009


Here are the hats I made for the Excelsior House hat project with yarn purchased by fellow UCFer Tania of North Pole, Alaska. I selected warm, earthy colors for Tania, because she's a warm, earthy kind of trollop, and we like that about her.  Thanks, Tania!

The Excelsior House hat count is currently at 130.

CTI (and the Muppets!)

Today I'm neck deep in CTI protocols* and the ways they're used in Advanced Contact Center design. Why, yes, that is as dry and boring as it sounds. Thanks for asking.

Thankfully occasional commenter and all-around Hot Chick Naomi linked to this AWESOME video, which is totally MADE OF WIN, thus saving me from the inevitable automatic weapon rampage.  Check it out - you won't be sorry.



*Computer-Telephony Integration, for the uninitiated. Yeah, I kind of wish I didn't know that, either.