'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.

A Moral Imperative

Monday, November 23, 2009
The debate over health care reform is really quite simple. The talking heads would like you to believe it's complicated, but really - it's not.

It's a simple matter of answering the following questions:
  • Do you believe that access to health care is a basic human right in an industrialized country?
  • If you don't, then you've condemned thousands to die because they don't have enough money, or because they lost their job (and their health insurance), or because they're used up all their benefits and have no more assets to sell. While I find such a position morally repugnant, those who are honest about it at least have the courage not to weasel out of their self-serving narcissism by obfuscating.
  • If you do, and you're intellectually honest, then you realize that such a position comes at a cost. That cost is...wait for it...HIGHER TAXES.
You don't get to say that you want universal health care (and a public option) out of one side of your mouth and then claim that such services won't result in higher costs. That's Bread and Circuses democracy, and that ways lies ruin. Somebody is going to pay. You can bet on it.

So it's simple - you either believe that basic health care is a moral imperative, and you're willing to pay for it, or you believe that the "fuck you, I've got mine" system is perfectly acceptable, and you don't want to give up any of your assets to assist those who need help.

I'm a self-described liberal. And I'm a fiscal conservative. The two are not mutually exclusive, and I believe the label used for people such as myself is "tax and spend liberal." I'm a proponent of social services that result in a higher quality of life for everyone, and I'm willing to be taxed at a higher rate to achieve that goal. What I'm not a proponent of is offering additional social services and then failing to provide sufficient funds to pay for them. A balanced budget is a thing of beauty, political hacks - learn it, love it, live by it.

Inspired by Jim Wright over at Stonekettle Station, this morning I've been thinking about how both sides of the health care debate are giving me high blood pressure with their partisan bickering. The basic issue is not rocket science, you weasels. Either you believe in universal health care, and you're willing to pay for it, or you don't give a good goddamn about it, and you're not.  Simple.

Now, execution? That's a different matter, and one of infinite complexity. Single payer, private insurance, public insurance, insurance exchanges, public options...it's mind boggling, and people of good conscience can disagree about the means we use to achieve health care reform.

But the partisan obfuscation, the grandstanding (*cough*Joe Lieberman*cough*), the sea of red herrings that are being thrown out in an effort to feather their own nests, or advance their own agendas, or save their campaign contributors? Transparent, buckos. Really transparent. And you're insulting my intelligence by attempting to make the issue into something it's not. I know health care reform is going to cost - I'm not stupid. And I'm willing to pay. For me, it's a moral imperative

Of course, not everyone feels that way. But can we at least be honest in the way we frame the debate?

Chicken and Dumplings, Where Have You Been All My Life?

Sunday, November 22, 2009
I have a new cookbook. It's a Weight Watchers publication, and it's called Comfort Classics: 150 Favorite Home-Style Dishes. After perusing the contents together, the Smart Man asked me to try and make a recipe called "Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings." Evidently his Hot Mom used to make it periodically for him and my Smart BIL, so it really is comfort food for him.

Believe it not, I have never had Chicken and Dumplings. My own Hot Mom never made it, and in spite of being exposed to southern cooking on a pretty regular basis for the years I was in the Navy*, it simply never came up. So I girded my loins, and prepared the recipe (with extra coarse ground pepper).

ZOMG, YOU GUYS. CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS ARE SO GOOD. AND THE WEIGHT WATCHERS RECIPE ONLY HAS 5 POINTS FOR A BIG BOWL.

Ahem. Sorry about that. I'm still swooning with joy over the quasi-religious experience that is guilt free chicken and dumplings.

And if this cookbook was a boy, I would be totally marrying it and having its babies. For tonight's dinner, we're having "Home-Style Salisbury Steaks with Mushroom Gravy," and tomorrow it'll be "Spicy Shrimp and Rice." Who knew that healthy, low-fat, low-cal eating could be so yummy?


*The American south has a strong tradition of military service. Because of this, military culture is strongly influenced by southern culture, and so aspects of the south have crept into military life. Many military people I know use the phrase "fixing to" and "y'all," and Yanks like myself are also exposed to southern cooking. For which I am grateful.

The Cheerful Hats of Venus Vaughn*

Saturday, November 21, 2009




Occasional commenter and aspiring romance writer Venus Vaughn ponied up the scratch for some yarn for the Excelsior House hat project. The only request she had was that the yarn I selected for her contribution be "cheerful," so I chose this fun, bright, patterned yarn.

The Excelsior House hat count is now at 122.


*The title of this post reminds me of a children's book, which makes me inappropriately happy. "The Cheerful Hats of Venus Vaughn, an inspiring tale of happy-making hats and their generous owner!"  Shut up. I know what you're thinking. The truth is that I'm now starting to dream of knitting hats, and my inappropriate giggling is better than the alternative, which would involve an automatic weapon of some sort with a knitted cozy.

Weight Watchers Update

The last several weeks I've been a bit lackadaisical about my Weight Watchers program, and (of course) that lack of discipline was being reflected in my results. So this week I recommitted to the program, and lost 3.8 pounds, bringing my total weight loss to 31 pounds. My short term goal is to reach 35 pounds by the end of the year, a goal I think I can easily achieve, in spite of the holiday season. For those of you keeping track at home, I only have 1.5 pounds to go before I reach the 50% mark. 

So I'm back on track, and realized for the first time today how much I'd actually lost. I've had to start wearing smaller size jeans and such, but it's so hard for me to be objective about my own body, I just don't see it.  Which is, of course, how I got into so much trouble in the first place.

But inspired by Megan, I went looking for a "before" picture, intending to post it with my not-yet-taken svelte photo once I reach my goal.  I found one, and YIKES. I really have lost quite a lot of weight, which is something to be proud of. Now the trick is to keep my eyes on the prize, and continue with my plan and my final goal - 65 pounds in one year, followed by a lifetime membership in Weight Watchers*. Almost half-way there, and without depriving myself of Michelle's homemade Oreo cookies and the occasional high-fat meal.

Go, me.


*For those of you unfamiliar with the program, you achieve lifetime status in Weight Watchers when you maintain your goal weight for six weeks. Once you achieve that goal, you no longer have to pay for the program...provided you continue to maintain.

Boogie Blogging Friday

Friday, November 20, 2009


The Incomparable Boogie™, smelling the smells in the back yard.

As you can see, he still isn't wearing his collar, as the scar on his neck still feels a bit rough to the touch. We're giving it a week or two more to heal before reintroducing his collar in the hopes of reducing any chafing. He's completely accustomed to his spiffy harness now, so daily walkies are no problem at all.

As you can also see, he's a bit scruffy (and smelly) and he's ready to visit his groomer tomorrow for a bath and a haircut. The fabulous Miss Gigi* takes good care of him, and soon he'll be back to his handsome, handsome self.

*For some reason it just cracks me up that his groomer is named "Gigi."

Vince's Reality-Based Hats

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Fellow UCFer and Reality is Frequently Inaccurate blogger Vince donated the money for these reality-based hats for the girls at Excelsior House. Thanks, Vince! You're a peach.

The Excelsior House Hat Count is now at 115.

On Professional Fear and Schadenfreude

We all know that hiring trends are cyclical. In bad times (like now), people are fearful, and tend to put up with an enormous amount of crap simply to stay employed. I don't know how many times I've heard in the last year "at least I have a job!" when people discuss their professional lives.

And they're right - being employed in kind of a sucky position sure beats the alternative when professionals are remaining unemployed for months (and years) if they lose their jobs. Mortgages, college tuition and basic sustenance won't wait, and responsible men and women do what they have to do in order to ensure they can support their families.

The pundits are calling this a "jobless" recovery. I take that to mean that if you have a job, you'd better damn well keep it, since there won't be many replacement positions out there. That's scary, and these are valid fears. Hell, my new position was a lateral move, and an attempt on my part to secure a position that had more long-term security than my old, beloved, much-missed job. I have to make professional decisions based on what will allow me the best chance of accomplishing my professional and financial goals, and recognize that others have to do the same.

But that doesn't mean they have to like it. Nobody likes having to make decisions based on fear - fear of losing their income, fear of losing their health insurance, fear of not being able to secure another position because you're too old, too well-paid, too committed to your family to agree to travel 75% of the time. That feeling totally blows.

Which brings me to the schadenfreude part of the discussion. You just know that all those people who are holding on to their jobs for dear life can't WAIT until the economy improves so they can have this conversation with their boss/company:

Employee:  Guess what?

Pointy Haired Boss:  You've figured out a way to increase your weekly output so the company can make more money off your labor? You've decided to get a divorce so you can spend more time here at the office instead of having your spouse and children act as a time-suck? You've decided you no longer need your lunch break for exercise, and will instead use it to work on my special projects?

E: No, none of those things. Hee, hee.

PHB: Well, what it is? I haven't got all day - I have to meet with H.R. to determine how best to cut your benefits in an effort to increase executive bonuses.

E:  I got another job. I'm putting in my notice.

PHB: What do you mean, "you got another job?" There aren't any other jobs out there.

E: That may have been true a year ago, but now? I've gotten three offers just this week. And I've decided to take one of them. I'm giving you two weeks notice, effective today.

PHB: You can't do that! You're the lead on too many important projects! I'll have to hire two people to do the work you do now! It will negatively impact my department's profits!

E: Yeah, make that one week's notice.

PHB: You ungrateful wretch! I let you work here when the economy was in the tank! You OWE me!

E: Not so much. I provided an agreed upon service for an agreed upon compensation package. Now another company is offering me a better compensation package. Since this wasn't indentured servitude the last time I looked, I'm leaving.

PHB: THIS IS SO UNFAIR!

E: Bite me, dickwad.
I know for a fact that there are hundreds and hundreds of employees who can't wait to have that conversation with their bosses. People are tired of being afraid, of feeling trapped, of not having control over their professional futures. And they're looking forward to the sweet, sweet feeling of schadenfreude that will come when they finally get to tell their bosses to fuck off.

What comes around, goes around. It might behoove all of us to remember that.

Merry Christmas to Me

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

I've been itching for a Netbook for awhile. My desktop is fabulous (especially with the awesome monitor I use), but I really wanted something a bit more PORTABLE for when we're upstairs. Not that running up and down the basement stairs isn't good for me, but I really do like to make laziness an art form.

So I asked the Smart Man for a Netbook for Christmas this year, and we've been looking at them periodically for about six months. Last night, he bought me the Toshiba NB205 in Royal Blue, pictured at right. It's so small! It's so light! It's so cute!


I decided on the Toshiba because while I have very small hands, I was concerned about my ability to type on a Netbook and the form factor of the keyboard seemed to suit me the best. The fact that the keys are discretely set in the case makes it easier for me to type without error.

Right now it's running Windows 7 Starter Edition, but when things slow down for me professionally in December, I may bite the bullet and load up Linux, instead.

Duh-duh-duh!  

Just kidding. Linux isn't that scary, especially since my fellow UCFer Shawn writes for the Linux Journal, and my Smart Brother-in-Law has ongoing nerd love for the open source movement. I'm quite sure I could ask either one of them for assistance if I run into trouble. Right, guys? Guys?

::tap, tap::

Is this thing on?

In any event, I bought a cute little travel case for it so I can take it with me when I travel, as well as a wired mouse. Yes, I know how 20th century that is, but I despise touch pads, and don't want to bother with changing the batteries on a wireless mouse.

So early Merry Christmas to me!  Thanks, Smart Man!

'Tard of the Week - Blamey Whinehouse...er, I mean Sarah Palin

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Well, Sarah Palin's ghost-written POS book came out this week, and while everyone was obsessing about her appearance on Oprah "Wackadoo" Winfrey's show, I was rolling my eyes and wishing she would just SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY. DO YOU NOT REALIZE HOW UTTERLY STUPID YOU ARE??

Ahem.

Alas, Sarah Palin does not realize how utterly stupid she is, as evidenced by her participation in a conservative "documentary" called Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and Sarah Palin Got Smeared. I just can't bring myself to link to that piece of excrescence, so here is Jon Stewart's take on this masterpiece of fair and balanced journalism:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Blamey Whinehouse
www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor
Health Care Crisis

Poor Sarah. SHE'S JUST SO PERSECUTED.

Here's what I don't get. How has it not occurred to the Palinistas that this woman is just too dumb, too emotionally immature, and too unqualified to have responsibility for anything more serious than her local Teabagger contingent? I just don't get it. Are her "followers" just as dumb and non-reality based as she is? Really? There's that many dumbasses registered to vote in this country?  How frightening.

So here's to Sarah Palin, who wins the 'Tard of the Week award for the last time this week. I've decided to eliminate her from the running moving forward, because really - selecting her is like shooting fish in a barrel. Or like shooting wolves from an airplane. Or like coming to a battle of the wits against an unarmed opponent. You understand. She just makes it too damn easy.

So enjoy your "crown," Sarah. Perhaps it's not as prestigious as your "Miss Wasilla" title, but I can guarantee you that it will last considerably longer. You truly are the public personification of the Dunning-Kruger effect. And that's an accomplishment no one can take away from you.

Incomparable Hats™

Monday, November 16, 2009

Here are the Incomparable Hats™, made with yarn paid for by the Incomparable Anne™. The Excelsior Hat count is now at 106.

Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History, Volume XXVII


This is Brooksley Born. She's a Stanford educated attorney who was the first woman to ever be named as the President of the Stanford Law Review, and graduated at the top of her class in 1964.

She's a smart cookie. If she'd spent the rest of her professional life doing nothing more than being a smart cookie in the field of financial law, then she'd still be an ill-behaved woman for her role in breaking down barriers for women in the field of law. But that's not how she spent the rest of her professional life.

From August 26, 1996 to June 1, 1999, Ms. Born was the Chairperson of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the federal agency which oversees the futures and commodity options markets. This little known agency was charged with the regulation of of financial instruments called "derivatives."

During her tenure, Ms. Born, being an extremely skilled and experienced attorney, began to wonder why an instrument called "over the counter derivatives" were so difficult to track, and why there was no regulation associated with these instruments. She had her staff begin investigating these OTC derivatives, and during the course of their investigation, she came to the conclusion that these instruments, if left without regulation and without requirements for cash reserves, posed a significant threat to the U.S. financial system.

Because the CFTC is a fairly minor agency, Ms. Born did what any good team player would do - she approached the heads of other government agencies to express her concern and to let them know that she intended to pursue regulation, as was her responsibility as the head of the CFTC.

Well. You'd have thought she had suggested a re-institution of slavery, with the roles of the slaves and the masters being reversed. The response to Ms. Born's plan was immediate and vociferous. Alan Greenspan,  Robert Rubin and Larry Summers went after Brooksley Born with a vengeance. Congressional hearings were called. Testimony was given. The entire Clinton Administration and the Congress basically told her she was full of shit.

Her response? She proceeded with plans to do what she thought was best - she announced her intention to regulate OTC derivatives. And the Administration shut her down. Not only did they shut her down, they essentially castrated her entire agency, making it extremely difficult for any Chairperson to enact regulation surrounding OTC derivatives.

What could she do? She resigned.


And two years later, her concerns were proven to be justified - the derivative trader LTCM overextended themselves to the point where they needed federal intervention to save their bacon. In 1998. A clear signal that OTC derivatives were dangerous, and needed some regulation. But that didn't happen. Alan Greenspan wouldn't budge, saying that LTCM's troubles were not indicative of a larger problem, but a one-off incident. He received congratulations for "saving the economy," and Ms. Born continued to do what she did - pro bono work, teaching, working with the American Bar Association.


And then came 2008, and the meltdown of our economy - the exact crisis predicted by Ms. Born. I myself probably could not have resisted slapping the "Three Marketeers" in the head with a shovel, while simultaneously screaming "I TOLD YOU SO!" Thankfully, Ms. Born took the high road, and commented, "I think we will have continuing danger from these markets and that we will have repeats of the financial crisis -- may differ in details but there will be significant financial downturns and disasters attributed to this regulatory gap, over and over, until we learn from experience."

With the Wall Street lobbyists essentially getting their way regardless of consideration for the public good, it seems unlikely that we will "learn from experience."

But Ms. Born received the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award this year for her incredible fortitude in standing up and speaking the truth, regardless of the consequences. Ms. Born, you are ill-behaved and awesome. Congratulations.


H/T to Frontline, for the source material.

Lazy Day, Productive Day

Sunday, November 15, 2009
Isn't it strange how some days seem like "lazy days" when you get up, but then turn out to be all productive, in spite of your best efforts? Today was that way. I got up thinking the most productive thing I'd do today is make some strawberry jam.  But in addition to making the jam, I've also done some file management tasks on my PC, done most of my homework for this week, listened to a good portion of Karen Armstrong's Buddha, shoveled the driveway and the sidewalk, knitted three hats and now I'm fixing to go upstairs and clean that blasted fish tank*.

It's like I'm being productive in spite of myself. Since I'm in for a long, long week this week, I feel like I should be upset by my inadvertent productivity. Or perhaps I'm just over-thinking things - again.


*I hate that damn fish tank. I keep waiting and waiting for the stupid fish to hurry up and DIE so I can get rid of it, but they insist on living long, healthy lives, and I can't bring myself to kill them. Stupid fish. Stupid Karma.

Jeri's Smug Hats

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Here's Boogie the Giant Schnauzer, grumpily modeling one of the Excelsior House hats I made from the yarn donated by Jeri of Smug Puppies. As you can tell, he's not an entirely willing subject in this case, but I really don't care. These are SMUG PUPPY HATS, and he's a SMUG PUPPY. So he can suck it up and model the damn hat. The remainder are pictured below.

The hat count is now at 99, and I'm still accepting $10.00 donations for those who want to help out with this project.






By Popular Demand



We missed Boogie Blogging Friday yesterday due to the 100,000th visitor milestone, so by popular demand, here's Boogie. He's engaged in his favorite fall activity, bringing every fallen leaf in the neighborhood into the house in the hair in his legs and beard. He then breaks them up into tiny pieces that are just the right size to be ground into the carpet.


Because he's helpful that way.

Milestone

Friday, November 13, 2009
Thanks to a huge influx of traffic to the January 'Tard of the Week entry on Andrew Basiago, today Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men reached a blogging milestone: We reached over 100,000 visitors.

My stat counter indicates the 100,000th visitor was in fact my Great Aunt Marge, coming in from tiny Holyoke, Colorado.  Aunt Marge, my Gram's younger sister, visits frequently, although she's too shy to comment and has graciously never taken me to task for my continued use of foul language. It makes me happy that number 100,000 was someone I love rather than some reprobate searching for teh pr0n.  So say hi to Aunt Marge, guys - she's a good lady.

This may not be a huge milestone compared to more popular sites, but for me, this milestone has made me think about my blogging, and what it means to me. I have to say - I love my little Internet home. I love the folks that stop by and comment, and I wonder about the lurkers who come here consistently but choose not to make themselves known. I wonder about those entries that take off, months after I write them, when I don't think they were that damn interesting to begin with (like yesterday's spike relating to Mr. Basiago's pareidolia). I enjoy the interaction that comes when I spend time writing something that others find thought-provoking.

Mostly, though, I enjoy the community I'm building here. This blog is part of a blogging circle called The UCF, and while this place is only a small part of that larger community, it really is a small community in it's own right, as well. I can't tell you how much that tickles me, and I want to this opportunity to thank all of you who visit here. Whether you come for pictures of Boogie the Giant Schnauzer, political ranting or to point and laugh with me, I appreciate you sharing my on-line home with me.

So Wrong, and Yet So Utterly Right




H/T to the hilarious Nathan, who is neither Christian nor gay.

Pimpin', Yo

Thursday, November 12, 2009

You all remember how I found my friend Matt-Chew through Facebook last month? Well, he's been hanging around, keeping me amused since then. When I was ranting and raving about our nation building efforts in Afghanistan, he gave the discussion some perspective with his definition of when we should nation-build: The Spiccoli Test.
"I've often thought that, before committing to nation building, we should ask ourselves if the country in question passes this basic test: can they, as a society, understand the basic concepts of democracy? After all, the 80's stoned, surfer icon Joe Spiccoli was able to grasp the basic concept after his impromptu tutoring session with his long suffering history teacher (for those two people over 35 out there who haven't seen "Fast times at Ridgemont High", just trust me here). To paraphrase Mr. Spiccoli, he realized that we broke from England because their rules were bogus, and if we didn't get some cool rules, pronto, then we'd be bogus too. I think that's a fair standard to start with . . . Does this or that country pass "The Spiccoli Test"? Are they able to grasp the concept of "cool rules"? If not, nation builders beware . . ."
Well, now Matt has decided to keep me amused by writing for his OWN blog instead of just leaving pithy comments here, the bastard. It's called "The Vagabond Way," and he brings his widely varied experience as a combat journalist, retail manager, coffee connoisseur, Latin scholar and Big Apple transplant to bear in providing his commentary on the world. It's worth your time, Hot Chicks and Smart Men.

Welcome to the Internet, Matt. And you get extra bonus points if you actually wear the costume.

Veteran's Day

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
I'm a veteran. I come from a family of veterans. The majority of my personal relationships have been with other veterans.

And that's a problem.

In today's all-volunteer military, it seems like the culture of the military is becoming more and more insular. Service tends to run in families, and there are many, many citizens out there who know not a single veteran. And there are many, many veterans who seek out other veterans with whom to have relationships, to the exclusion of civilians who have never served. The result? A citizenry who has no contact with their protectors, and has no real understanding of what it means to serve, and a military who feels isolated from those they protect.

No good can come of this.

This Veteran's Day, I would encourage those of you who don't know a soldier, sailor, airman, Marine or Guardsman personally to get to know one. Find out what the challenges are inherent in their service, and find out what you can do to help. Whether it's volunteering a couple of hours a month at the local USO or sending care packages to those who are deployed, a citizenry should have some personal connection to those who volunteer to protect their freedoms with their lives.

And if you're a vet or an active duty service member, I encourage you to reach out to the citizenry whom you protect. It's hard for those who have never served to understand the sacrifice you make on their behalf, as they have nothing to compare it to.

And to all who continue to serve, thank you for protecting our country and our Constitution. Your service is appreciated, remembered, and respected.

Honor, Courage, Commitment.

Semper Paratus.

Semper Fidelis.

Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do.

This We'll Defend.

Non sibi sed patriae. Thank you, my brothers and sisters-in-arms, past, present and future.

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
I love Sesame Street. When it first came out forty years ago, I was just the perfect age to get the most possible benefit out of it, and mine was the first generation to grow up on Burt and Ernie, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and the Grouch.

I love the fact that everyone who's anyone has guested on the show, and used their individual talents to help educate kids on such important concepts as the alphabet, counting, the value of diversity and basic good manners.

I'm having a terrible time selecting a video for this birthday celebration, as there are just so many I love - the"C is for Cookie" song, the celebrity alphabet song, Patrick Stewart's "B or not a B" soliloquy, plus that perennial favorite, the Rubber Ducky song. But I'm going to have to go with Patti LaBelle's soulful alphabet song, just because watching Patti makes me happy, and watching Patti with the Muppets makes my heart sing. I'm also including the classic "Rebel L," just because I can't watch it without singing along. "I'm just a Rebel L, singing LALALA!"

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street. You guys ROCK.



Happy Birthday, Carl Sagan

Monday, November 9, 2009
Today would have been Carl Sagan's 75th birthday if he hadn't succumbed to cancer in 1996, much too young.

In recognition of his incredible gift for communicating the joy and mystery of science, today is the first annual celebration of "Carl Sagan Day." As a fan of Cosmos and a huge fan of The Demon Haunted World, I'm posting this remix of Carl and Stephen Hawking, called "A Glorious Dawn." 

October 'Tard of the Month

I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT A SLACKER I AM. It's November 9th, and we still haven't voted on the October 'tard of the month. Any day now I'll be voted off the island, or voted as the 'tard myownself.

In any event, here are the candidates for October: First up is Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who evidently believes that the Christian religious symbol is everyone's religious symbol. Because really, why not?  Next is "The Oath Keepers," those treasonous motherfuckers who think only THEY are real Americans (the rest of us are apparently just PRETENDING). Lastly we have that incredible opportunist Joe Lieberman, whose ability to execute on an idea or value is directly related to the direction of the wind.

What say you, Hot Chicks and Smart Men?

Attention, Dickweed: Yes, I Mean YOU

Sunday, November 8, 2009
Attention Dickweed who was sitting in the last row of the theater for the 2:45 p.m. showing of Men Who Stare at Goats at the Parker 20 Mile Theater with your kid:

If you don't want to be "disrespected" in front of your son by being called out on your incredibly rude public behavior, then the answer is not to be a bigger DICK. It's to stop spending the entire movie TALKING like you were hanging out in your living room instead of a PUBLIC THEATER. I don't give a good goddamn how "crazy" you think you are, and your suggestion that your poor behavior really has no limits scares me not at all. It just means you're a pathetic reprobate who still needs to learn some fucking manners.

Christ on a crutch, will people ever learn how to act?

Why, Yes, I Am Mature

I have a message for the health care insurance industries, the lobbyists that serve them, and the entire conservative movement:

Suck it, Bitches! Nyah, Nyah, Nyah Nyah Nyah!

And here's a SPECIAL message for my representative, Republican Mike Coffman:

BITE ME, ASSWIPE. This was a make or break issue for me, and your choice to vote the party line because of the "fuck you, I've got mine" mentality means you're BROKEN. And my memory is long.

We now return to your regularly scheduled Sunday activities, including my attendance at our local movie theater to see "Men Who Stare at Goats."

Karl's Spinny Hats

Saturday, November 7, 2009


Here's a photo of the hats I made with the donation sent by frequent commenter and Alaska resident Karl. They're "Spinny" because Karl's twitter account is "Spinny Bits," I assume because he's a wood turner. If it's not because he's a wood turner, then I don't want to know. LALALALA. I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

Thanks for the donation, Karl! The Excelsior hat count is now 86. If anyone else is interested, I'm still accepting $10.00 donations for yarn to my PayPal account for this project.





5...4...3...2...1...Envy!

You want to know what I'm doing this morning? I'll bet you can't guess.

I'm going to go tour the local Lockheed Martin facility where they manufacture the Atlas rocket.


That's right - the same Atlas Rocket that launched the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Squee!

Our Smart Friend has a professor who works there and has volunteered to take us. It's a secure facility, so no recording devices are permitted, but you just know the whole thing is going to be off-the-hook COOL.

5...4...3...2...1...ENVY!

Mourning

Friday, November 6, 2009
Yesterday, my brothers and sisters-in-arms at Fort Hood, Texas, were exposed to that most heinous of betrayals: They were attacked by one of their own in an incident that leaves 13 dead and 30 wounded, including the alleged perpetrator, Major Nidal M. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist.

I'm a civilian now, but I still consider myself to be a member of the community that is the Armed Forces. And for me, this event is simply devastating. I don't understand how a member of our community could do such a thing. I have no insight into the motivations of Dr. Hasan, although I see that the speculation is running rampant - he was a disgruntled soldier, he was a very religious Muslim, he opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Yesterday, I tried to make excuses - maybe he was mentally ill. That would certainly explain his behavior...right? Because nobody who wore the uniform would really be capable of doing such a thing without extenuating circumstances...right?

But today, I realize that to me, none of this matters. Not his education, not his religion, not his personal beliefs. He was a soldier. He took an oath, and he betrayed that oath in the worst way imaginable. The deepest pits of hell are reserved for the likes of him.

And today I mourn for my Fort Hood brothers and sisters, who have not only lost their fellow soldiers, but their innocence, as well.

Blog Share

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I need some help. I read lots of blogs in which wives complain about husbands who take them for granted (stay with me here). Stay at home moms, moms who work outside the home, it seems that no matter what, the mom is the one who cleans the house, looks after the kids, takes care of the husband, etc., etc. Well...not in my house. My husband is the stay at home parent. I work outside the house. And too easily, I fall into the role of the "clueless" outside parent. I come in from work and I want to relax. My husband takes care of the laundry, the cleaning, the kids. And my husband says I take him for granted. I know that in a lot of ways I do. So I need advice. Aside from the obvious, (helping around the house), how can I show how much I do appreciate what he does? Because I do. He is the core of my life and I would be lost without him. He keeps me going - in all ways. And I hate the thought that I don't act like he is essential to me.
________

This post is being anonymously posted as part of Blog Share. Participating blogs include:

Not the Daddy: http://notthedaddy.blogspot.com
O is for Olson: http://oisforolson.wordpress.com
Red Red Whine: http://redredwhine.com
Rediscovering Me: http://leavingthecocoon.blogspot.com
Reflections in the Snow-covered Hills: http://snowcoveredhills.com
The Reluctant Grownup: http://gilliangaladriel.spaces.live.com/
Sauntering Soul:http://saunteringsoul.blogspot.com
Serendipity Now: http://serendipitynow.wordpress.com
Snarke: http://snarke.net
So, This Is a Treadmill: http://sothisisatreadmill.blogspot.com
Thinking Some More: http://3carnations.blogspot.com
Time for Change: http://ngradstudent.blogspot.com
Together They Come: http://togethertheycome.wordpress.com
Wondering and Pondering: http://wonderingandpondering.wordpress.com
And You Know What Else: http://andyouknow.wordpress.com
Andrea Unplugged: http://andreaunplugged.wordpress.com
Arctic-ulate: http://arctic-ulate.blogspot.com
Bright Yellow World: http://brightyellowworld.com
Bwildered: http://bbwilder.blogspot.com
Catheroominations: http://catheroo.com
Did I Say That Outloud?: http://tracyoutloud.blogspot.com
Dispatches from the Failed Mommy Club: http://failedmommy.com
Full of Snark: http://fullofsnark.com
Heidikins: http://heidikins.com
Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men: http://hotchicksdigsmartmen.com
Just Below 63: http://littlepieceoftexas2.blogspot.com
The Little Goat: http://thelittlegoat.com

I <3 xkcd, The Discovery Channel and now This Animation, Too

I Love xkcd from NoamR on Vimeo.



Tip o' the Faraday Cage to Dr. Phil (Physics).

Tomorrow is Blog Share

Once again, I'm totally hijacking Megan's content for my own base use. Bwahaha.

Okay, so it's not really base. But I am hijacking her content, because we're both participating in Blog Share tomorrow, and I like the way she explained it. So, here is Megan's description of what will happen here on Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men tomorrow:

The next post that will be published on this blog will have been written by a stranger. Or maybe by someone you know well. You’ll never know who wrote it. That’s the beauty of Blog Share.

I have written a post that will appear anonymously on another blog.

The rules say that I cannot tell you which post is mine. This is to protect the other people who are participating and anyone else who might be mentioned in the shared posts, so even if you think you know which one is mine, please do not say so. The issue here is not that it would be terrible for you to confirm your guess, but that if too many of us identify ourselves, the entire chain of anonymity breaks down. Blog Share only works because we have a pretty big group together.

I suspect that if you recognise me, you won’t feel the need to say that you do. Just leave your comment on the other site without naming me or making any references that could accidentally identify me.

Participants (check them all out tomorrow):

And You Know What Else
Andrea Unplugged
Arctic-ulate
Bright Yellow World
Bwildered
Catheroo
Did I Say That Outloud?
Dispatches from the Failed Mommy Club
Full of Snark
Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men
Just Below 63
The Little Goat
Northland Adventures
Not the Daddy
O is for Olson
Red Red Whine
Rediscovering Me
Reflections in the Snow-covered Hills
The Reluctant Grownup
Serendipity Now
So, This Is a Treadmill
Thinking Some More
Time for Change
Together They Come
Where’s My Pony?
Wondering and Pondering


Thanks for the explanation, Megan. And on an unrelated note, I agree with you - way go go, Maine bigots. WERE YOU PEOPLE RAISED BY WOLVES? How does denying other people their basic rights enhance your life in any way? Please work on developing a moral sense that is based on recognizing the basic humanness of others, whether they're "like you" or not. Thank you for your attention to this matter, you bigoted, narrow-minded motherfuckers.

Be Careful What You Wish For, and TUNES

Tuesday, November 3, 2009
I'm currently finding myself in a position where I've gotten exactly what I wanted, and I'm unhappy with the results. That's all I'm going to say about that here, other than to ask your indulgence for any crabbiness that may result from my dashed expectations.

In other news, The Smart Family will be making our annual pilgrimage to the Pepsi Center for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's holiday concert this evening. This year we'll be taking the Incomparable Anne™ with us, as she's never seen the show, and we thought she'd enjoy it. Here's this year's promo to whet your appetite. If you get a chance to go, then GO. Really. You won't be sorry.

Afghanistan, Pakistan and Railing Against the Quagmire

Monday, November 2, 2009
Like many Americans, I've been following the quagmire that is the conflict in Afghanistan. I've been watching the elections, and watching the diplomatic cluster-fuck that is our relationship with Pakistan. And I've been aching for the friends and family of those who have fallen in this conflict.

And I feel the the need to rant and rail for a bit.

Now, before I rant and you start criticizing me for doing so, I'll issue this disclaimer: I realize that this issue is incredibly complicated. I realize that we, as a nation, do indeed owe the people of Afghanistan some sort of nation-building effort as a result of our decision to go in and destroy their whack-a-loon government. I realize that to dump these people on their heads is not the right thing to do, and might in fact be extremely counter-productive in terms of controlling radical Islam in that part of the world.

Intellectually, I understand these things. I accept them. I trust General McChrystal to make informed, rational decisions, and to make reasonable recommendations to the Commander-in-Chief. I trust the President to make an appropriate choice based on the hundred million pieces of information that he has access to and I do not.

And yet...emotionally, I could give a good goddamn about any of those things. And thus, the rant.

The government of Afghanistan is comprised of the most corrupt motherfuckers on the PLANET. From Hamid Karzai all the way down to the lowliest clerk, these people can't go to the restroom without expecting some sort of kickback, or bribe, or payola for actually, you know, DOING THEIR JOBS. We're pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into this government, and our soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and other government workers' lives are on the line so these fuckers can line their pockets? Really? I can't tell you how angry this makes me. I feel like the very least they can do is take some personal responsibility for their own outcomes, and yet - here we are. They abdicate their responsibility for a working, ethical government to us and we continue to pay, and pay, and pay. Meanwhile, they do nothing. That seems like a good deal for those who are lining their pockets, doesn't it? Not so much for those who pay with their lives or their health, or those Joe Shmoe citizens who are just trying to support their family.

And then there's Pakistan. Who out there thinks that the Pakistani intelligence service isn't TOTALLY IN BED with the Taliban? Anyone? Bueller? These duplicitous sacks of shit make my blood boil. I certainly don't expect a sovereign nation to put the interests of the United States ahead of their own - but these motherfuckers smile to our faces, totally take our money, and then run around the block so they can stab us in the back. Anyone who's "in the know," including the CIA, the Afghan Intelligence Service, the U.S. military, essentially EVERYONE knows they're lying sacks of shit. Yet they lie and deny, knowing they're getting over, and knowing that we know it, too.

There's a part of me that just wants to pull out of the entire region and leave them to their own devices. See how well they do without our money, our military, our aid. Fuck 'em.

Okay, not really. I know that's the wrong thing to do. But this report just irked me. And after eight long years of this, I'm growing impatient.

We now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

Mechanicky Hats

Sunday, November 1, 2009
As you all know, I'm currently engaged in a hat knitting marathon to benefit the young women at a residential treatment facility called Excelsior here in Colorado, where my Hot Cousin and her daughter volunteer.

Recently frequent commenter and long-time friend The Mechanicky Gal sent me some dough via PayPal to help purchase yarn for this effort. And with the help of my trusty Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon, I was able to purchase an enormous skein of homespun* which I used to make these:



Thanks, Mechanicky Gal!

Anyone else who wants to donate to the cause can send your money to my PayPal account (no more than $10.00, please), or mail your yarn selections to the Big Yellow House.

Now it's back to the loom, and for those of you keeping track (yes, Hot Cousin, I'm looking at you), the Excelsior hat count now stands at 69.
___________

*Can someone please explain to me why homespun is so much more expensive than regular, plain-jane yarn?