julifolo

A Bison moment

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:44:36 GMT

I missed "The National Parks" when it was on PBS, though Folo managed to Tivo most of them, I didn't get around to watching. I think I was busy getting ready for selling necklaces at CLCU show. Saturday he had deep discount coupon and bought the set at Borders. The last few days I've been slowly watching the first two disks. (It's roughly chronological, so the first shows, with John Muir & Teddy Roosevelt, are the best.)

We've been to Yellowstone twice, off season, just one day each. Old Faithful both times & different other locations. I haven't seen the Yellowstone falls or Mammoth Springs terraces, and I would like to. Now even more so.

In the middle of the second show I had a shudder experience. Yellowstone was the last refuge for the Bison, and its herd was numbered in the low hundreds. The soldiers in the park found a "poacher" killing any bison he could find, to cut off the heads & sell to a taxidermist. At this time (1894) there weren't laws that protected wildlife on public land and the poacher boasted to the soldiers that all they could do was expel him and he'd loose $25 of supplies. Luckily, there was a journalist and a photographer in the park at the time who was on the side of conservation. Immediately, a Scandal was declared and within two months the needed law was passed. (Similar laws had been proposed, but thwarted.) The narrator opined that if that opportunity had not been used to force the issue the bison would have gone the way of the carrier pigeon -- they were that close to gone.

This is personal to me. I've seen Bison up close. Our second trip (early spring) many were walking beside (or on) the roads in the park, getting to favorite meadows, and they looked wearily glad that Winter had passed and they didn't have to forage for grass under snow and life was good again. I can't imagine not being able to have that experience. I think bison are now my second totem animal (after cats).

Of course, Burns used every P.T. Barnum trick to make everything So Emotional and So Significant -- I don't care, it isn't gratuitous. The Parks are worth it. One thing about the Parks (and any kind of tourist Pilgrimage) is that it isn't only the place, it's who you go with, a shared experience. (This is one of the main themes of the show.) People go to the same spots, and if you're talking to a friend ("Have you been to Yellowstone?") it's as if you were both watching Old Faithful erupt at the same time.

The DVDs are highly recommended. I'm going to start watching the 3rd disk now. Since we don't travel for holidays, I'm expecting I'll finish the set this weekend. (Then go back and listen to John Muir again; the voice actor for his quotes is a wonderful voice.) I had good dreams last night. I can't remember what about, but I think there were mountains ... and bison.

Working to block legal access to abortion in US

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:30:33 GMT

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=809350

Abortion mills - 1,500 down, 700 to go

warning: it has an ugly pop-up & an audio clip that plays automatically. Scroll down to stop it before it plays, it's below a "latest newscast" that's higher on the page.

Operation Rescue has done extensive research to determine how many abortion clinics have closed in the last two decades. Spokesman Troy Newman believes the days of legal abortion in America are numbered.

The Christian Post article has a longer article

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20091209/report-two-thirds-of-abortion-clinics-closed-since-1991/

Kansas-based Operation Rescue has created a map that shows all the abortion clinics in America and their location. The group claims a general relationship between access to abortion clinics and the abortion rate in each state, with states with greater access having higher abortion rates.

Did you know there is no abortion laws in Canada? Canada has medical standards, not laws. The "least ethical doctor" has not become the norm in Canada. We should have medical standards, not laws.

We exchange gifts on New Years

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:12:35 GMT

This is how consumerism hides behind religion to encourage Buy-Buy-Buy:

http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/attachments/127961/treelroom.jpg

Notice all the presents (& no creche)! It's not about "birthday of Jesus" it's about spend money. I'd rather leave Christmas to Christians and have modest gift giving on a secular holiday. (New Years isn't totally secular, but it's almost there.)

DA says "accident"; no charges. What happened Oct 9 on the other side of town? 15yo, unarmed, killed

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:15:13 GMT

As soon as it happened, the police closed ranks. It's a foregone conclusion that no police would face charges. And the only non-police witness still living is facing charges of "aggravated resisting arrest", a felony, and he's another 15 year old teenager.

I was as a panel discussion late night held at the Afro-American Studies building on campus -- 10 academics and community members talked about different aspects of how this is all "more of the same from this town". One Grad Student, her section was on two previous cases and the parallels. In both cases the police officer was found not at fault, but one when to trial and one didn't. Why? In the second case the victim was delegitimized, so there wasn't a mass movement forcing a trial because "he was a gang member". (Police collaborating with the press.) So Kiwane is being delegitimized (the local newspaper was supporting the police even before the questionable report came out) and the only non-police witness is being threatened with prison.

Of course, the discussion (led by news reports) is always “why didn’t he do as ordered?” rather than “why was a gun drawn when it’s obviously kids?” (it was daytime; I’ve been told Kiwane is 5 ft and looked like a kid. I don’t know about the other kid’s size; the whole thing took less than 60 seconds, reportedly, to go horribly wrong.) The was, reportedly, a complaint two weeks prior about a police officer pointing a gun at a kid, in a situation that didn’t result in an arrest. And CUCPJ was trying to get into a meeting with police to address the “use of force” policy because they were afraid of the risk of accidental harm happening when police officers pull out guns to intimidate.

Here’s a link to an analysis of the DA’s report, plus comments:
http://ucimc.org/content/critique-sa-rietzs-summary-isp-investigation-carrington-killing-cpd-officer-norbits

I haven’t been able to read more than a few sentences at a time or keep track of what’s said because it reads like the narrative have been massaged to blame the victim and exonerate the police. It’s effectively an internal investigation rather than an investigation from outside. The way policy is now, a police officer doesn’t need to have proof that someone running away has a gun. If the officer thinks the person might have a weapon and thinks the person might be a danger to others then it’s allowable to use deadly force to prevent failure of an arrest attempt. (“Deadly force” isn’t killing, it’s taking an action (such as drawing a gun) that might lead to a death.)

Oh, and, according to what was said yesterday: Illinois tops the states for people killed during arrests and Champaign county (even though we’re home to the U of I) has highest poverty level in Illinois. (I need to look those up to verify for my current events citations file.)
I’m inclined to support the local (attempting to be) mass movement against the entitlement behavior of local police. Unfortunately, whenever I’ve attended a protest or discussion there’s a lot of God-talk. Which, because of personal family experience, is difficult for me. It’s not as if I’m planning to go to meetings wearing Gay Rights, Atheist, or My Body My Choice t-shirts … but neither do I want to get involved with something emotionally intense if I have to be closeted. So I need to talk to one of the committee members to find out if the God-talking local leader is welcoming to other world views.

CLCU Sale report: grinning

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:06:43 GMT

Well, the plan worked. It would have been better if I had been better producing new necklaces through the year -- my summer sales at the Saturday Markets would have been better -- but the working trip to Seattle (& visit Fran) was productive. More than half of the necklaces I made there or on the bus sold -- and almost all the special ones. So I've justified claiming the travel expenses as business expenses; plus income enough to balance not selling much at Reenactorfest last February (where we paid for 3 nights in the hotel).

Other good things were the weather--which was just perfect. We had a lot of people, even on Sunday. Beverly came up with a good advertising idea which seemed to work: reusable yard signs saying "Air Fair Sat-Sun", and some businesses like the Food Coop agreed to put up signs. Unlike last year, I had a 7 ft space instead of 3 ft and could use one of the 6 ft tables. Paying more money for more space was well worth it -- I think this was my best sales ever at the show. I also got Folo's advice on what to wear. My first choice, the blouse clashed with my red sweater. (It's like the sweater is invisible for me: the color doesn't count, it's just for warmth. Well, no.) Plus I sent out 28 invitations from my mailing list.

I started out with about 80 or 85 necklaces, and sold 24 -- and a lot of seed bead bracelets. (One of my customers I sent an invite to bought $60 worth of bracelets at $2.50 each.) I think I sold 1/4 of my entire stock, which is kind of unheard of for me. Hopefully I can get back into the good designing zone I got to in Seattle. I'll be doing a smaller show (several people doing home/studio shows with multiple artists at each place) first weekend in December.

briefly

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:35:54 GMT

The strike ended, Tuesday evening. I've been busy getting ready for the Craft League sale tomorrow & sunday, hoping to sell lots of necklaces. The GEO got tuition waiver security & the usual suspects were decrying how aweful they were to strike and how they're ungrateful sots for not working less-than-poverty wages without complaint. pffft

More GEO: why the out-of-state tuition wavier is important

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:14:53 GMT

When I expressed GEO support to Eleanor (supervisor) she said her niece (?) had to pick an in state school becaue she couldn't afford out os state. Now I've got a reply: the faculty want the out of state waiver so they can attract the best students, important for diversity of scholarship, and impacts on future recruiting of best scholars. From the Faculty Union [unrecognized by the UoI]: "Giving in on this key issue, however, risks transforming the character of campus departments, as areas capable of winning outside grants to fund tuition payments would get the maximum support, while others might face downsizing or elimination. The corporate university would trump the faculty's role in shaping the curriculum."

--The UoI is acting increasingly "corporate" these days.

Strike

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:29:09 GMT

There's a G.E.O. (Graduate Employee Organization) strike at the University of Illinois. I'm in AFSCME, so I'm wearing my AFSCME t-shirt in support. Luckily, the Main Library didn't get a picket line so I didn't turn around and go home (which is what I was going to do -- I have vacation time).

However, Gregory Hall is being picketed and there's a lot of noise happening, through the closed windows. It would be even louder for the classrooms in Greg, for those teachers who didn't cancel classes (some did cancel). I suppose that's the point. One of the faculty supporters at the Thursday rally said: "It's going to be inconvenient. Convenient strikes don't work."

The statement from the University Administration, of course, is saying this & that, & doing a "good" spin. OtOH, 92% of the union members voted "yes" on the strike authorization vote, saying they trusted the negotiating team. 92% -- I don't know all the details, but I'll trust that.

Being a woman compared to being a smoker

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:46:38 GMT

here:

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2009/11/7/101418/596/253#c253

The above links to a seven-second clip. To put the clip in context, here's a larger section of the debate, transcribed (bolded is what's in the clip):

In promoting the House health bill, New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone made reference to discrimination by insurance companies, citing their reluctance to insure people with preexisting conditions and differences in costs based on gender. "But that's not against the law," Texas Republican Pete Sessions said.

Pallone replied, "No, but we would make it against the law. Why do you have a problem with that?" he asked. "Why should a woman pay more than a man?"

"Well, we're all different," Sessions explained. "Why should a smoker pay more-?," he said before getting interrupted by a burst of chatter throughout the room.

... so it's women's fault that insurance companies want to charge them more for insurance, and men shouldn't lose their discounts. In other words, it would be unfair for men to lose their discounts, in the same way it would be unfair to make it illegal for a nonsmoker to get a discount.

Frustrating weather

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:01:00 GMT

Cold, cloudy, windy day at the market today: no sales. Lisa (in charge of the Market) was hoping the sun would come out at 9am -- but it only would do so for a few minutes at a time, and not very frequently until it was almost time to pack up. At least two people started to shop, looking at the new stuff, but then the wind started blowing again & it was too cold. Hopefully I will see them at the CLCU sale in November. There's two more market Saturdays, both free. I may show up to one or the other (if now rain/wind) to hand out postcards for the show.

Vacation report (it's a working vacation)

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:09:01 GMT

I've had fun visiting with Fran in Seattle. I've also gotten many necklaces made for the CLCU show (& Saturday market when I get home). I'm taking the bus ticket as a business expense, & I think that's justified: I've made many more necklaces in the last several days (starting prep work the evening of Fri 9th) than I have the rest of the year!

It takes me a while to get into the grove. I can always force a necklace and get it to look OK -- especially if it's one of my standard garnets and/or pearls -- but if I want a great design I have to putz and and I have to be in the groove. This year I've done better from better pre-planning. I took a tote full of necklaces, bracelets and beads to the Micel Folcland Hearth night the weekend of 9th-11th, along with a desk lamp & extension cord. Friday night (as in 2am-4:30 am) I kept the fire going while sorting to woodland & fireplace noises & no distractions. Friday nite & Sunday morning I planned & packed the beads & findings I would take (making notes for what I'd need to pull out at home, since I didn't bring my whole inventory). In my bead sales & notes blank book I wrote down what I already had & what I wanted to have made for the CLCU sale 3rd weekend of November. Then I started making project bags, one per necklace-to-make. I added to the "to do" list as I found projects I'd assembled earlier but hadn't made yet. I also added to the "to do" list as I was sorting beads I had & ideas occurred to me. Anyway, it was a list of 39 necklaces & 17 bracelets that backed up into a surprisingly small total volume.

When I got on the Greyhound bus, it was all carry-on: A small purse, a backpack, a plastic file-folder box 11x13x6" strong enough to sit on, a small duffel (18" long). All three pieces were thin enough to put up in the overhead racks. There was space enough extra for some purchases & bringing food along for half my meals for the bus trip (54 hours -- 3 transfers, 5 different drivers). I had two 3 hour stretches & one of two nights were I had to share the seat with a second passenger, but mostly I could spread out to work. I got two necklaces done on the bus, and I'm finishing necklace no. 23 at Fran's house , and I may get two more done after that [edit: no, just planned, just planned]. We still got to do some tourist things (Pike's Market, a one hour harbor tour yesterday) and family errands. (Two of four grand-kids were here over the weekend).

If it doesn't rain, I'll be at the Market Saturday. It's going to be cold (low 38, high 45) and the forecast is alternating between "no" & "few" showers. I've got something new I might try, if I get the rest of the way ready Friday after Folo picks me up from the bus station: one of my toys is a large stash of quilt fabric ... which should be weeded. Since anything I sell at the Market has to be something I made, I needed to figure out something to do with the quarter yards & fat quarters that qualified as "something Julie made" ... when the real goal is to sell the fabric to other people who like scrap quilting. So I've hand stitched the pieces into usable pouches, but quickly & loosely enough that I can sell them for about what I paid for the fabric. The sales pitch will be: "Clever Quarters: put your stash to work while you're deciding the scrap quilt to make." I'm going to have an instruction sheet inside, which will also double as showing it's just the right size for sorting letter-size envelopes or half sheets of paper. If I can get the instruction sheet made Friday I'll be good to go; I've got about a dozen I've made earlier & several more done or will be done on the bus ride.

Basically, in order for me to get productive, it works best if I have planning time, then work up gradually to the fancy designs. The first designs I did were the simplest -- restringing a few necklaces that needed small alterations, then a couple of designs that I'd pulled out last year but hadn't done because they weren't that inspiring, then I was able to do some of my special beads justice (focus beads I bought from Athan or Jael or Melinda) plus some jasper fans & such. I still need to stock up on garnet and/or pearl standards when I get back home, but I'll be more in practice.

Guardian (UK) : Revealed: millions spent by lobby firms fighting Obama health reforms

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:12:39 GMT

How much of this money has been written off as "business expenses"?
Any time there's a report of "how much profit", remember how much salaries & advertising & lobbying costs were deducted from the gross dollars before profit was figured ...

Revealed: millions spent by lobby firms fighting Obama health reforms
Six lobbyists for every member of Congress as healthcare industry heaps cash on politicians to water down legislation
* Chris McGreal in Washington
* guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 October 2009 16.55 BST

excerpt

"What the bill has done is use the coercive power of the state to force people to hand their money over to a private entity which is the private insurance industry. That is not what people were promised."

If there's mandates that everyone has to have insurance or pay a fine and there's no public option, there's going to be mutiny.

Domestic Violence Shouldn't Be a 'Pre-Existing Condition'

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:22:31 GMT

One more example of why we need healthcare reform (which includes full coverage for women)(ie, no "abortion restrictions" ... which, besides being misogynist, would be used as an attack against contraception)

Here's the article:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_09/019948.php

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHOULDN'T BE A 'PRE-EXISTING CONDITION'.... Just when it seemed private health insurers couldn't appear any less sympathetic, we learn a little more about their coverage practices. Ryan Grim reported this jaw-dropper late yesterday.

With the White House zeroing in on the insurance-industry practice of discriminating against clients based on pre-existing conditions, administration allies are calling attention to how broadly insurers interpret the term to maximize profits.

It turns out that in eight states, plus the District of Columbia, getting beaten up by your spouse is a pre-existing condition.

Under the cold logic of the insurance industry, it makes perfect sense: If you are in a marriage with someone who has beaten you in the past, you're more likely to get beaten again than the average person and are therefore more expensive to insure.

In human terms, it's a second punishment for a victim of domestic violence.

... apparently this has been true for a long time and a couple of attempts to write laws against the practice have failed, but I wasn't aware of it.

Ghost fleet

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:42:11 GMT

Article & lots a pictures here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1212013/Revealed-The-ghost-fleet-recession.html

Revealed: The ghost fleet of the recession
By Simon Parry
13th September 2009

The biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history lies at anchor east of Singapore. Never before photographed, it is bigger than the U.S. and British navies combined but has no crew, no cargo and no destination ...

A quote I agree with

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:07:19 GMT

all the below (including "NOTE:" comes from here:

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2009/9/14/141413/104/229#c229
Pescadero Bill on Mon Sep 14, 2009 at 03:54:32 PM CDT

And let me stress that in the Constitution it is emphasized in the preamble that - We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Founders laid out the goals they saw as necessary for a perfect country, then the means to achieve them. That's why we have things like fire and police departments, and the military.
NOTE: Notice that "defense" wasn't capitalized and therefore wasn't meant to be as important as the other stated ideals. It's just too bad we spend half a trillion dollars a year propping up the MIC, rather using that money to prop up the health and wellbeing of our citizens and letting the MIC fight tooth and nail for every hundred million.
And you can bet your ass that if they had the available health care that we have today, they'd have started single payer from the get go in order to assure the country lived up to the stated goal of promoting the general "Welfare".

Thus, it is the only part of the stated goals of achieving a "more perfect Union" that the modern government has completely failed to deliver on. Simply because it became a game for profit.

Sad story (Ted Kennedy)

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:56:21 GMT

quoted here:

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/26/two_lions_when_ted_kennedy_privately_honored_yitzh/?ref=fpblg

Professor Leonard Fein from Boston (of Americans for Peace Now) -- who has spent a lifetime struggling for Middle East peace -- offers this beautiful remembrance of Ted Kennedy today. He describes a small incident in Kennedy's long life but one that tells us a lot about the man.

"On the morning of the day before the funeral of Yitzhak Rabin, Senator Ted Kennedy called the White House to inquire if it was appropriate to bring to the burial some earth from Arlington National Cemetery. The answer was essentially a shrug: Who knows? Unadvised, the senator carried a shopping bag onto the plane, filled with earth he had himself dug the afternoon before from the graves of his two murdered brothers. And at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, after waiting for the crowd and the cameras to disperse, he dropped to his hands and knees, and gently placed that earth on the grave of the murdered prime minister.

No spin, no photo op; a man unreasonably familiar with bidding farewell to slain heroes, a man in mourning, quietly making tangible a miserable connection."

link found from a comment here:
http://bitchphd.blogspot.com/2009/08/in-defense-of-privilege.html
which was pointed to in a post by telperion1.

Randall Terry gets kicked out

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:16:28 GMT

Randall Terry, anti-abortionist, as warned there will be violence if U.S. healthcare reform includes funding abortions. He got kicked out of a town hall that included Howard Dean:

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/08/25/terry/

he was led out by police as he loudly accused Dean of murdering babies.

My new favorite Bruce Sprintstein song

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:53:36 GMT

(from Bellatrys, thank you!)

"Mrs. McGrath", a traditional irish folk song (anti-war). The rolling and interaction of the melody & rhyming words are perfect. -- which is why I'm not quoting here. Rhyming couplets, only 4 beats long (~7-12 sylables), and no forced rhymes. I suggest you go experience it cold. Wonderful performance!

the youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGwUrmNI6wY

the lyrics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._McGrath

Say what?

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:52:39 GMT

We're having a severe thunderstorm right now ... and the Library PA turns on with the announcement "The Library will be closing in ten minutes, at 5 o'clock".

I don't think so. I think the patrons are going to be standing behind the glass door and tell the man with the key that, no, they're not leaving till the rain stops. Hopefully the man with the key is in another building & will be late.

A Rescue the Heartland "pro-lifer" said this:

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:45:18 GMT

“A protection order is used to protect someone from real violence,” he said, “not to protect someone against First Amendment-protected actions.”

http://www.omaha.com/article/20090817/NEWS01/708179958/-1/FRONTPAGE

Now that Dr. Tiller has been assassinated, anti-abortion groups are planning to put additional pressure Dr. Carhart, who also performs late abortions, some at Dr. Tiller's former business. Anti-abortion groups mentioned in the article are

More from the Omaha World-Herald:

[Vanessa Klinetobe] makes the following claims in her petition for a protection order: Donlan once followed her home from work in 2006; he sent a letter to her home demanding that she resign or face protests near her Bellevue house; and he recently shouted outside the clinic: “Vanessa, you are next. We plan to exploit you.”

Donlan said Sunday that he knew nothing about the protection order and had not been served as of Sunday afternoon.

He denied any wrongdoing and said he was surprised because his group had been looking for alternative employment for Klinetobe. He did admit to following Klinetobe a few years back in his red van, but said it was only for a few blocks and to get an idea of where she lived for protest purposes.

Here's the apparent game plan, which, so far, is working well for Operation Rescue and fellow travelers: be obnoxious and verbally threating [legally, that's "assault"; if it becomes physical then it becomes "and battery"], get arrested or sued, counter sue and (since they have deep pockets full of money) win the countersuits. Thereby making legal precidents that their intimidation is acceptable behavior and protected speech -- even though an average sane person would consider yelling "baby killer" and following you home and publishing your address or such stuff harassment.

I don't want to shut down protests -- "free speech zones" 2 miles away from reporters of the last administration -- that's unacceptable. But there has to be a way to insist that "peaceful" protests are that -- peaceful. Also, local community standards (& anti-fraud) should prevent the mega "bloody fetus" posters -- the photos often of late miscarriages or photoshoped.

Christian pro-life activists ... and target shooting

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 03:22:00 GMT

See here:
http://www.covenantnews.com/newswire/archives/059382.html

emphasis added

Christian pro-life activists from the American Northwest are coming together for a strategy conference and family social in Bend, Oregon. Paul DeParrie was an ardent Christian activist who opposed abortion without compromise to his final breath.

Agenda:

8/28 (Friday evening): Arrive and camp out at group location.

8/29 (Saturday morning): Anti-abortion graphic sign demonstration in Bend. Afternoon: Outdoor target shoot. Evening: Strategy conference and social time (dinner provided by host). Campout.

8/30 (Sunday morning): Prayer and worship. Adjourn.

What to bring:

Everything you need to camp outside for two nights. Your own food or money for most meals. Your own graphic signs for demonstration (extras available for loan). Your own weapons and ammunition for target shoot (extras available for loan).

Contact the event organizer for the exact location coordinates:
...

Dr. Tiller was killed barely 2 months ago. Co-locating anti-abortion people and guns is organizers hoping to let it happen again on purpose.

the diary at Daily Kos had this comment
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/12/765788/-Anti-Abortionists-Feature-Target-Shooting-at-Their-Family-Campout

Can you imagine the MSM going apoplectic if a left wing group was doing this? OMGOHNOEZ! They're still babbling about Bill Ayers and the Weathermen from 40 freaking years ago

Pennsic

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:06:11 GMT

Leaving in a half hour to catch the city bus to the Amtrak station. Hopefully there won't be too much more rain -- Folo's very tired of it, and he has more tolerance than I do.

But it sounds like lots of great people there & great conversations. And the backpack is not as overstuffed/heave as it usually is because I'm not bringing the bead boxes to work on necklaces. I'm working on hadwork instead -- my new linen gown. Weather permitting, we'll get back 10th August.

Not mine. The person who I got it from can't remember where she got it ...

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:24:22 GMT

The reportin' haiku

The food in my dish is old
and more to the point
contains no tuna.

---

I have my bus tickets to visit Fran in Seattle in October, hurrah! The advance purchase discount is (temporarly?) back -- it's 50% off -- and it's costing less than last year. It wasn't available when I checked end of April. So I bought it 3 mo early instead of 3 wk early just so I didn't get an unhappy surprize.

BBC report: Cats 'exploit' humans by purring

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:44:49 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8147566.stm

Cats 'exploit' humans by purring
By Victoria Gill
Science reporter, BBC News

excerpt

"Cat owners may have suspected as much, but it seems our feline friends have found a way to manipulate us humans.

Researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered that cats use a "soliciting purr" to overpower their owners and garner attention and food.

Unlike regular purring, this sound incorporates a "cry", with a similar frequency to a human baby's. "

A purr can have two components. It's a neat description of the process & how they did the study.

Julie
Grinning

Good writing (Stonewall letter)

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:13:44 GMT

Found this here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/26/DDOH18BVH7.DTL

quote

In the world before that night, we could not have done what we did. But that night we did. We finally stood up and said we have rights. To congregate. To dance. To mourn. To be left alone. Left alone to live, to love, to work, or just dance and listen to Garland sing.