Blinking Wide-eyed But Aloof

Tags

cross stitch, FCC, herbs, Human Biology, Iowa, Israel, McCain, Media, Middle East, Palestinians, philosophy, Putin, quilting, Regulatory agencies, religion, Russia, science, Veterans, WWII

This silver print by Lewis W. Hine is called “On the Bowery, New York City” and is from the MoMA. That’s some hat wouldn’t you say? 😮 ! Okay, not a hat. LOL.

On the homefront, we are drying out once again, but it’s slow. We can of course get out at this point with the trucks, but its soggy just everywhere you walk. And more rain seems to be in the offing. I wonder how the farmers are ever going to get the crops in this year. I think we got another two inches in the last storm. Enough already.

On the housecleaning front, the living room is done, and that makes six down and 1 1/2 to go. I actually did a bit in the kitchen and the Contrarianis taking out some things that I’ve declared for the trash. He also has come up with a really good redesign of our laundry/pantry room at the back door. We plan on doing some reorganizing that will make it more efficient and more storage compatible.

I’m brining a couple of chops for dinner and making a fettuccine Alfredovegetable casserole to go with it. A salad and vinaigrette dressing should round off the menu today. At least the sun is shining.

Let’s get on to today’s news:

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Today is the anniversary of the celebration of V-E Day, Victory in Europe in WWII. Germany had surrenderedthe previous day in 1945. As the years go by, fewer and fewer veterans from that war remain. It seems hard for me to internalize  this since I grew up with virtually all the men in my family being veterans. And I realize that nearly all of them are gone too.

I’ve been troubled by Israel for a few years now. I have begun to wonder at our absolute support at apparently all and any costs. I know this policy has had a lot to do with anti-American sentiments throughout much of the world, but certainly in the Middle East. I think that Israel does stray often beyond the bounds of rational action. I do think the Palestinians have a real point to make and have suffered immeasurably at the hands of the Israel. I have not reconciled any of this one way or another yet in my own mind. I know there are others who feel as I do. Mostly helpless. We wish to extend an olive branch to the Palestinians, yet not support violence directed at innocents. Read Alternet‘s fine article today entitled, ” Marketing Ethnic Cleansing: Israel Parties like it 1948 on its 60th Birthday,” and see if it helps you figure it all out.

I don’t know about you, but it’s been disheartening to see Russia slide from its infancy as a democratic state back down into the cesspool that is dictatorship. I think the flirt with Communism is gone, it’s just plain old dictatorship now. Putin hand picked his successor, who had NO political experience and is a whopping 34 years old or so. Putin is now firmly installed as Prime Minister and is the real power. Taking a page from Bush, Vlad has decided not to let a constitution stand in the way of his plans.

It seems Mr. McUntruth is suffering from senility again. He told a group in Michigan that he wanted to set up a task force to deal with the issue of human trafficking,most of whom end up in the sex trades. Problem was, such a task force already exists and has since 2000. Guess what? He voted against an earmark to fund this program in 2001. We thank Blue Girl, Red State for a heads up on this one.

Do you tend to see most issues as one or the other? Or are you inclined to see that there are usually multiple positions? Are you a decliner or a progressive? If you’re now totally confused, then slip by Britannica Blog and get unconfused. It’s how you view mankind mostly. Are we devolving ( not in a evolutionary sense) or evolving (in an evolutionary sense)?

Josie at C’est La Vie has a very interesting post about Synesthesia, the “condition” that allows some people to see color with numbers and well, feel color and sound unlike the rest of us. I’m wondering if proportionally, more artists are people like this or not. I’m wondering if it helps in cooking? I’m jealous I gotta tell you. I think it would be fun to experience. Alas, I do not.

Lynda at Essential Estrogen is back to  her old tricks. She is giving you another fine profile of a Democratic woman, Susan Radke,  running for the Iowa House, this time from District 10. If that is your district, then you should take a look and read about the candidates running. Lynda does a fine job of keeping us all informed on all things political in Iowa.

An excellent post by Gardening Tips ‘n Ideas today. It features herbs and explains in some detail what herbs go with what foods. That is a welcome help when you are trying to be inventive in your cooking and create your own dishes. It definitely helps to know which marry well  together. I grow fresh herbs every year, and for the first time managed to keep my rosemary and parsley growing indoors all winter!  I keep them close at hand, dotting them among the flowers. They are pretty in their own right, and you use them a lot more when they are a mere step or two away from the door.

Good news on veterans issues. The Bill sponsored by Jim Webb and co-sponsored by Rep. Sen. Hagel touted as the “new GI Bill” appears to be likely to pass in the House. Iowa Dems in the House are on record for it, including Boswell, Loebsack and Braley, as well as Republican Tom Latham. So even though McCain and Bush are against it, it seems it will be presented to the idiot for signing. If he has the guts to veto it, well bring it on I say. We’ll be watching to see if McCain backs down and votes the final bill up or down.

If there was any doubt that some in the GOP are certifiable, a quick look at Kathryn Jean Lopez’s article in the National Review, should remove all doubt. Touting her claim that Rush Limbaugh in fact helped John McCain by “screwing up the Democrats in Indiana” by his chaos plan, we learn that this type of tactic is to be applauded????? She sees this proof that the Limbaughs, Delays, and other wingnuts of the GOP still hold sway with the electorate. LOL…as if that is some good news? I’d say that the more that is proven true, the more determined the ENTIRE REST OF THE RATIONAL WORLD will be fighting to make them irrelevant. Damn the National Review for not having the guts to put up a comments section. They know better.  (She additionally brags at how good Republicans were in bringing Rev. Wright back to the fore to cast more dirt on Obama. One has to wonder just what country she thinks we are in. It’s nauseous.)

I am thoroughly disgusted with what passes for media in this country. I was one of those innocents who saw the advent of the 24-hour news shows  a wonderful thing. Plenty of in depth stories about far off places, far away problems, and those close to home. Plenty of coverage (in depth again) of politicians and policies and bills and whatnot. I got instead, fluff, and high speed chases down our nations highways, lurid murder cases, and nothing else much.  What passes these days for journalism on the tube is reduced to 1 minute soundbites that seem interested in only the shocking. No thought required. The rest apparently is recopied from briefs available on the wire services. And our regulatory agency, the FCC? Oh it’s squarely in the corner of the conglomerates out there who gobble up more and more of the competition, so they  can work even less hard at real journalism. It sucks big time. Read more at The Nation.

The Village Shop has some more tutorial on making a quilt. Lots of pictures and easy to follow commentary will be most helpful if you are fairly new to quilting. I don’t consider myself such, but I can always use a tip or two. I’ve learned by trial and error that seam allowances are critical, ironing seams is essential and pinning exact points means you can end up with a quilt you can smile at.

Threads of Desire is working on a Hawaiian Mandala, and you just have to see it to believe it. Her cross stitch is so beautiful. I don’t know what size count she is working on, but its so far beyond what I can do that I just drool with envy. I truly think this is magnificent art work. I wish I had someone who could teach me how to do this. Take a look.

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“I believe in looking reality straight in the eye and denying it.” Garrison Keillor

“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” Philip K. Dick

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me.” Hunter S. Thompson

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Excuses! When stopped by the police say this:

I was trying to keep up with traffic. Yes, I know there are not other cars around, that’s how far ahead they are!

im sorry officer…i just got breast implants and wearing a seatbelt hurts…

“But Officer, I couldn’t have been driving 60 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone. I haven’t been driving for an hour!”

Sorry officer, I was trying to kill a bug under my gas pedal

I’m sorry I was speeding officer but I have diarrhea.

Yes, I know I was speeding, but I thought I recognized you as the guy who took my ex-wife from me. I thought you were going to give her back!

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Hey, this Sunday is Mother’s Day. Now, if you haven’t gotten your mom a gift yet, can’t go wrong with a gallon of gasoline, huh? It’s a little pricey, but, hey, you only got one mom, you know? Jay Leno

Irvine Robbins, co founder of Baskin-Robbins, is dead at 90. Details of his cremation have been finalized. His remains will be sprinkled, but the sprinkles cost 50 cents extra. – Alan Ray, Stockton, Calif.

One of the planners for a Bible-themed amusement park in Rutherford County, Tennessee has admitted that he once worked as a Penthouse magazine photographer. That could explain why so many women end up with wet T-shirts on the Parting of the Red Sea ride. Paul Seaburn