Here's to a year of learning

BBC has compiled a list of 2005's "Things We Didn't Know Last Year." Check out the list to see how much smarter a year can make you.

My favorite? Number 67. Giant squid eat each other - especially during sex. Yumm. Eat up!

A close second? Number 73. One in six children think that broccoli is a baby tree. Hmmm. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry.

See all 100 here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4566526.stm

Brokeback Mountain

I finally saw Brokeback Mountain tonight. I've been eagar to see this movie for more than a year. As the abundance of nominations and healthy reviews show, the film is simply brilliant. Amazing scripting, directing, and acting. The story, of the triumphs and tradegy of a homosexual romance in a heterosexual world, has been long overdue in the format of a respected film that appeals to the mainstream movie-goer.

However, one critique not as often discussed in reviews is that of the narrow-focused press surrounding this film. This recent commentary, critical of the kudos given to Ledger and Gyllenhaal for playing gay characters, appeared in The Advocate.
Alan Ball's statement (as quoted in the below article) really sums it all up:
“I'm not a big subscriber to the idea that for a straight actor to play gay now is a huge act of bravery, but I do believe that for a straight actor to not want to play a character because he’s gay is a huge act of cowardice.”

Another good quote:

"And to all you straight actors who want pats on the back for playing gay: Until you’ve lived gay, until you’ve been denied a job because of it, or had to hide in a Hollywood closet; until you’ve had your jaw smashed or watched a generation of your friends die of a disease while government did nothing (like in the Reagan era), don’t speak to me of courage. "
It takes courage to be gay and out, not to play it."

Brokeback Mountain is a movie that has been a long time coming. It's about time a movie about a same-sex relationship got such respect and success in the eyes of the american public.

We've still got a long way to go.

******************************************************
Read the entire article at:
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail.asp?id=23334

In Memoriam

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

In memory of the creative and peaceful contributions of John Lennon, and of those who lost thier lives in the attack of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941. (I'm a day late, sorry!)

Joy to the world, A.F.A. style

Mr. and Mrs. AFA, who live in a small town, plan to do most of this year's christmas shopping at the closest store to town - the local Target. Of course, as secluded and cut off from the rest of the world that Mr. and Mrs. AFA are, naturally it takes them 3 hours to get to the closest shopping mall. They cant drive the 3 hours to get to the mall because its suddenly a sin to drive a Ford.
One night, as Mr. and Mrs. AFA are getting ready to go bed (in separate beds, of course!). All of the sudden God appears to Mr. and Mrs. AFA and officially notifies them that they can no longer shop at Target because the store does not wave hideously large and annoying Merry Christmas signs in every customer's face. So, Mr. and Mrs. AFA are in quite the tizzy. Santa's not coming to their house this year because Santa will go straight to hell if he gets his toys at Target. So now what are Mr. and Mrs. AFA supposed to do? How ever are they going to tell their little clan of Little AFA's (and what a large clan they have) that Santa isn't coming because God wont let him get presents for all the little children?

Hmmm. Predicament.

Big Money vs. fundamentalist righwing family groups

Several stories have come to the forefront in the past week regarding rightwing conservative groups such as Focus on the Family and the American Family Association and their battle with large corporations over gay rights issues.
Last week Focus on the Family announced that it withdrew its fund's from Wells Fargo because of it's donation matching to GLAAD, a GLBT-rights organization. Focus claims the move was to protest the bank's "ongoing efforts to advance the radical homosexual agenda." (what BUNK that is!)

Moreover, reports claim that Ford Motor Co. pulled ads from homosexual-targeted publications at the urging of the American Family Association. The AFA launched a boycott of Ford products in May due to it's supposed marketing towards homosexual consumers. Another scary victory for the AFA.

In my opinion, these right wing fundamentalist groups (who represent a very small percentage of the population) are gaining all too much momentum. They are starting to gather an unsettling amount of control over these corporations and are even using the media to promote thier agenda. Kudos to Wells Fargo, however, for matching funds to GLAAD. I can only hope that Wells Fargo maintains it's support of GLBT organizations in the face of Focus's threats. Ford has also been known (at least up until now...???) for it's emphasis on equal treatment and benefits for it's GLBT employees.

While I'd hope that our society would make progress with human rights as we've entered the new century, it seems we are backtracking. For every AMA and Focus on the Family-type organization, we need 10 of the PFLAG, GLAAD, and HRC's to continue to stand up and fight against the rights-restricting agendas of these so called "family-focused" organizations.

How exactly are these organizations supporting families if they are directly fighting against the stability of almost 600,000 families in America?

Picasa is sweet

I thought this pic was pretty neat. Its a collage of a few pics I took in DC with a bit of editing in Picasa. 

Pics from DC

Here's some pics from my recent washington DC trip.

Greenpeace's Kleercut Campaign

I recently went to Washinton D.C. to visit my cousin who is working with Greenpeace's Kleercut Campaign. The campaign promotes awareness and action against Kimberly Clark (KLEENEX brand) and its use of wood from ancient trees and forests in it's paper products. Here's a few pics of my cousin doing her thing. She's on the Greenpeace website. For more info on the Kleercut campaign, go to http://kleercut.net.

For a list of forest-friendly home paper products (tissues, paper towels, and toilet paper) go to http://kleercut.net/en/forestfriendly.

TIME's Tops

TIME Magazine's Top 100 Novels: http://www.time.com/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html

TIME's 50 coolest websites: http://www.time.com/time/2005/websites/

TIME's All Time Top 100 Movies: http://www.time.com/time/2005/100movies/the_complete_list.html

Subway's blanket drive for Bridging

Bring in a new or gently used, clean blanket to a participating Subway on Sunday Nov 13th and get a free 6-inch sub.
For more info go to http://www.bridging.org/events.asp

Pat Robertson is a tool. 'Nuff said.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/10/religion.robertson.reut/index.html


Speaking of ultra-conservative christian fanatics, the same sex marriage debate is sure to yet again be a hot topic in this upcoming legislative session. Yesterday over 300 church members gathered at Grace church in Eden Prairie to strategize on how best to promote a constitutional ban on same sex marriage.
State Senator Michelle Bachmann, who originally proposed the bill several sessions ago and is still it's strongest supporter, is bound to be the key player in this year's debate as well. Bachmann stated that the initiative is "not a Republican-Democrat issue, it's a biblical, moral issue." EXACTLY why the amendment should be ruled unconstitutional. Moreover, she is seeking GOP endorsement for Congress next year. (Ahhhh!)
On a positive note, more than 75 protesters gathered to oppose the religious leaders' summit. The group of protesters included representatives from the Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Congregational, and Unitarian churches.

Pieces of Flare

Next time you're bored at work, check out this site. http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Office-Space.html
You'll look busy because you'll be intently reading the screen, but really you'll just be watching Office Space in your head!

Brilliant.

Finally, a word that rhymes with...TiVo?

Pivo: The car of the future is here. Not only does it look crazy, it acts crazy as well -- making 360 degree it'll make your head spin.
The Pivo (named after the word "pivot") operates on "drive-by-wire" technology, enabling the driver to operate the car through electronic signals. The "drive-by-wire" technology is similar to the "fly-by-wire" technology that pilots have used to fly commercial jets for years.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/AUTOS/09/30/nissan_concept.reut/index.html

for whom my blog is named....

If you're a Napoleon Dynamite fan, check out this ND video on KDWB's website:
http://www.kdwb.com/pages/dave/index.html

Sweeeeeeet!

Poll of Katrina victims

CNN posted an article today summarizing a recent poll of victims living in the Houston area. The poll was done by the Washington Post and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Of those surveyed, less than half wish to return home. Many wish to permanently relocate to the Houston area. Moreover, two-thirds of respondents were renting their homes (rather than owned), almost 75% had no insurance to cover their losses, and more than half didn't have a usable credit card, checking, or savings account. A whopping 55% of victims said they didn't evacuate the city because they had no car or no way to leave. Unfortunately, these are yet more statistics to point out why the poor and disadvantaged victims were the ones who were the most affected.

Read the full article at
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/16/katrina.poll.ap/index.html.

The Wal-Mart debate

Some more resources to fuel the fires of the great Wal-Mart debate:

http://walmartwatch.com
www.wakeupwalmart.com

Wal-Mart counters the criticism with their own site:
www.walmartfacts.com

Wal-Mart in the news:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1405/5608958.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090501598.html

Micahel Brown's resume....

TIME Magazine's website has a special web-exclusive article revealing some of the discrepencies in Michael Brown's (head of FEMA) resume. Quite interesting.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1103003,00.html?cnn=yes

Storm Aid, Minnesota's River of Relief

Listen to one of many MN radio stations this Friday morning, Sept 9th. Over 30 radio stations will be broadcasting from the Washington Ave bridge to raise money and support for the hurricaine Katrina damage.

http://ww2.abc7chicago.com/global/story.asp?s=3801920&ClientType=Printable

Barbara Bush's comments

CNN has an article on their website today outlining some recent comments by former first lady Barbara Bush. Read the entire article at http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/06/katrina.presidents.ap/index.html.

The article states:
Barbara Bush, who accompanied the former presidents on a tour of the Astrodome complex Monday, said the relocation to Houston is "working very well" for some of the poor people forced out of New Orleans.
"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality," she said during a radio interview with the American Public Media program "Marketplace." "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

Oh-my-GOSH! I am outraged at the sheer ignorance of her comments. Unfourtunatly, Barbara Bush's comments are representative of our country's overall attitude towards poverty. Many people are very ignorant when it comes to issues of class and poverty. Many others, even when trying to understand such matters, are not provided with a true and representative picture of these people by our media.
No matter what class or income bracket you belong to, I think it is safe to say that living in your OWN house/apartment, in the city you call home, with your friends, family, and neighbors, is much preferred over living as a refugee in a dome somewhere in Texas. While many of the Katrina refugees were already poor and by no means lived a life of glamour, it was life and these people got by, somehow. Perhaps they couldn't afford brand new cars, designer clothing, and expensive foods, but they got by. Just as their parents and grandparents did. And here goes Barbara Bush saying that living in a dome is a better life than these people ever had before.
SHEESH.
I'm amazed. I'm saddened.
As a nation, we still refuse to understand our neighbors and fellow Americans who live in poverty.

UPDATE: Great editorial from NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/06/opinion/06kristof.html?ex=1126152000&en=53293edd6324afa1&ei=5070

From Leon Wynter's 'The American Race'

Katrina, the Perfect Storm (reprinted from http://theamericanrace.typepad.com/)

There is this one, fat, black, woman who keeps wading across my TV screen. Or maybe there’s a hundred of her. She drags her belongings in a gym bag through chest- deep oily water. Her arms are as fat as thighs. Her THIGHS are churning all that’s foul beneath the surface.

And then there’s the brother. He’s a do-ragged, unshaven gangsta from central casting with a case of beer on his shoulder. Maybe he’s her nephew. He doesn’t have a record deal—yet— but he does have a nasty hard core rapin’ and robbin’ video out on cable news right now.

Auntie and nephew are the worst possible sterotypes of black America. America sees them playing on an endless loop on TV this week. We haven’t seen this many black folks acting out this much pain since the rebranded Rodney King uprising in L.A.
All I can see are metaphors, blowing in the wind from Katrina, the perfect storm.

Forget forest and trees. On TV we can’t see the class for the race.

Last Saturday the ‘official’ evacuation looked like nothing more than the start of a very long weekend--people with available credit, mostly white, stuck in traffic. Or was that the ‘60’s white flight to the suburbs. No, no, it was the stampede of white Dixiecrats into the party of small government and big oil, AFTER they got to the suburbs. But where is THAT video?

Instead, we’ve got talking heads. The FEMA director insisted to CNN that he makes “no judgement” as to the reason why Auntie and nephew stayed sadly behind. He didn’t want to “second guess” them. That’s a euphemism for saying they had no good reason at all. Not when tax cuts have brought so many new jobs and so much prosperity.

Another TV ‘relief official’ said Auntie was just plain unplanned. Unplanned —like what happens--who happens--when you’re too dumb or lazy to use birth control. If you’re poor, that is. As if there was still anybody planning for the black and the poor in America.

Someone said the unplugged black folks in the street in New Orleans have no idea that the whole world is watching them do whatever it is we THINK we see them doing. I saw Auntie and her nephew on a roof, desperately moving her mouth up to the air at a news helicopter shooting video down. But, of course, I didn’t hear a thing. What DID she want, anyway? Her nephew has been reported shooting BACK at a helicopter-with bullets. Great- Now we’re in Somalia.
Or is it Baghdad? There just aren’t enough boots on the ground to do the job. Soon the soldiers may be outgunned by a growing insurgency. Nahh, couldn’t be. This is just black culture outta control—keepin’ it real, real.Still, I wonder what a black Louisiana national guardsman in dusty Iraq is making of this.

In my metaphor, what we are seeing is the SS Deep Dixie. It has been gored by an iceberg that everyone saw coming. It’s poorest blackest passengers are trapped in the steerage of political minority, going down slowly, but not without putting up a dirty fight. And sometimes they come up, treading water, like rats in an oil-slicked sea.

My Auntie. If she were not poor and black, this would not be happening to her.

Today the president finally toured the area. All it took was an act of God to get him and Fox News together to look my Auntie in the eye. When she looks back, I hope she shoves her soggy shoe wherever she thinks they should put THEIR metaphors.

KATRINA

I am really quite speechless in the face of the devastation and tragedy going on in the South. My heart goes out to everyone in New Orleans and all those who have been affected by the Katrina storm.

I could choose to write a long post on my reactions to the storm and flooding. Instead, I will focus only on what we can do to help.

From now through September 30, visit a Best Buy store and make a donation to the American Red Cross for Katrina relief. Best Buy will match all in-store and online donations, up to $1 million dollars.

UPDATE:

KARE 11 is teaming with a local organization, Hope for the City, to collect food, water, and personal hygeine products to be shipped to the hurricane refugees. Collection sites are the Mall of America, Edina Realty, and certain Car-X stores. Go to http://www.kare11.com/news/katrina/hopeforthecity.aspx for more info.

Minnesota Helpers is a brand-new website established for the preparation of the 3,000+ Katrina refugees that will be temorarily re-settled in Minnesota. Go to http://www.minnesotahelpers.com/ to make a donation, offer to volunteer yourself or your vehicle for transportation needs, offer your home as a shelter for Katrina survivors, or offer to volunteer your time.

On the current state of public libraries

An essay from Utne Magazine regarding the public library's struggle in the age of the internet. http://www.utne.com/pub/2005_130/promo/11706-1.html Take a minute to check out www.ala.org 's issues and advocacy page.

A great way to support your local public library is to become a member of the Friends of the Library. For more info, check out your local library's webpage.

UPCOMING LIBRARY EVENTS:

The Eden Prairie Library is having a book sale on Saturday, Oct 8th from 9am -4pm. Hundreds of books, magazines, cd's, and other library materials for $1 or less.

Holocaust Testimonial: A Survivor's Story. Thursday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m at the Eden Prairie Library. Author and concentration camp survivor Henry Oertelt will talk about his experience as told in his book, "An Unbroken Chain: My Journey Through the Nazi Holocaust." He will share his struggle to survive and the chain of events that saved his life. Q & A and a reception will follow the program. Sponsored by Hennepin County Library in collaboration with University of Minnesota Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Great Decisions 2005: Global Poverty Gap Monday, Sept. 12, 4-6 p.m, Edina library. One in five people in the world lives on less than $1 a day. Does America have a responsibility to help poorer countries? Would reducing global poverty make us safer? Foreign policy expert Tom Hanson will facilitate an examination of issues in this citizens' dialogue. Sponsored by the Library Foundation of Hennepin County in collaboration with the Minnesota International Center.

Cost of Freedom: Civil Liberties, Security and the USA Patriot Act. Monday, Sept. 26, 4-6 p.m. at the Edina Library. Watch a one-hour documentary that examines the history of civil liberties during wartime and the controversial USA Patriot Act enacted in the aftermath of 9/11. A moderated discussion will follow. Refreshments provided.

Utne Magazine

Utne magazine is bar none, hands down the best magazine around. It is a progressive independent magazine that gathers articles, stories, editorials, and more from a variety of independent media sources around the country and reprints them. It truly is THE magazine to read if you don't have time to read anything else. What I love most about Utne is it's variety of content. Each issue does have a general topic theme, but each topic is highly unique. While there are some re-0ccuring themes throughout all issues, such as environmentalism, political advocacy, and grass-roots activism, the variety of coverage relating to each topic ensures the reader will never get bored. I've been reading Utne for two years and still eagerly await the delivery of each upcoming issue. Go to www.utne.com.

Utne's latest issue has an article about the current state of the public library. The author argues that libraries are becoming more of an entertainment source with electronic (and sometimes unreliable) sources rather than an archive of knowledge and hard-copy documents. Libraries are at odds with the internet - arguably the "library" of the new century, where someone can google any topic they wish in the comfort of their own home. Libraries are no longer seen as essential sources of free information. The author of the article states that libraries are "a temple to the anti-elitist notion that knowledge should be cheap, if not free." Moreover, public libraries need more support than ever before. Go to www.ala.org for more information.

One redeeming fact, however: there are still more public libraries in the U.S. than there are McDonald's restaurants.

Another great article in Utne's current issue is entitled "Fly the Guilt-Free Skies." The article discusses the air travel industry's contribution to pollution and global warming. Carbon dioxide makes up a large amout of airplane emissions, with several tons of pollution being emitted for each flight. Several organizations work to off-set the carbon emission produced from air travel by planting trees (which absorb carbon dioxide.) Per acre, trees can absorb about five tons of greenhouse gases each year. Future Forests (www.futureforests.org) has an online calculator that allows you to calculate exactly how much carbon dioxide your air flight will produce, and how many trees are needed to absorb the emissions. Pay a small fee per tree, and Future Forests will plant those trees for you, thereby erasing your carbon debt and helping your karma as well. :)

Fun fact: Ernest Hemingway was once asked to write a story in six words. What he came up with? ..... "For sale: baby shoes, never used." It is rumored that Hemingway considered this as his greatest work.

Another reason not to shop at Wal Mart

The Minneapolis and St. Paul Federation of Teachers, the largest teachers unions in the state, are urging their members NOT to buy their school and classroom supplies at Wal - Mart, in an effort to take a stand against the retailer's unfair labor practices. The unions are even considering taking their action a step farther by not reimbursing their teachers for any supplies purchased at Wal-Mart.
Check out the article at http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/5561981.html

Way to go, Minneapolis and St. Paul Federation of Teachers!!!

UPDATE: Wal-Mart sales on the decline for the second quarter. Walm-Mart's financial analysts project that the worst is yet to come. http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/16/news/fortune500/walmart/

Swedish Pancakes and That 70's Show

It must be fate......
On a re-run episode of That 70's Show that was on tonight, Eric and his family were eating Swedish Pancakes. And I thought my family was the only family on the planet that ate Swedish Pancakes.
Is it a coincidence that That 70's Show is my favorite TV show, and Swedish Pancakes are my favorite breakfast food?
.......I THINK NOT!

A bill of rights for future generations

We, the people of the future, like the twenty thousand generations who came before us, have the right to breathe air that smells sweet, to drink water that runs pure and free, to swim in waters that teem with life, and to grow our food in rich, living earth.

We have the right to inherit a world unsullied by toxic chemicals, nuclear waste, or genetic pollution. We have the right to walk in untamed nature and to feel the awe that comes when we suddenly lock eyes with a wild beast.

We beseech you, the people of today: do not leave your dirty messes for us to clean up; do not take technological risks, however small, that may backfire catastrophically in times to come. Just as we respectfully ask that you not burden us with your deferred debts and depleted pension plans, we also claim our right to a share of the planet’s ecological wealth. Please don’t use it all up.

We, in turn, promise to do the same. We grant these same rights and privileges to the generations who will live after us; we do so in the sacred hope that the human spirit will live forever.

A curse on any generation who ignores this plea.

A lesson on political science

Lesson In Political Science

DEMOCRATIC: You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. You feel guilty for being successful. Barbara Streisand sings for you.

REPUBLICANISM: You have two cows. Your neighbor has none. So?

SOCIALIST: You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.

COMMUNIST: You have two cows. The government seizes both and provides you with milk. You wait in line for hours to get it. It is expensive and sour.

CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE: You have two cows. You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.

BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE: You have two cows. Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one, milk the other, and then pours the milk down the drain.

AMERICAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the 2nd one. You force the two cows to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized! and are reducing expenses. Your stock goes up.

FRENCH CORPORATION: You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows. You go to lunch and drink wine. Life is good.

JAPANESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains. Most are at the top of their class at cow school.

GERMAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour. Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year.

ITALIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows but you don't know where they are. While ambling around, you see a beautiful woman. You break for lunch. Life is good.

RUSSIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You have some vodka. You count them and learn you have five cows. You have some more vodka. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. The Mafia shows up and takes over however many cows you really have.

TALIBAN CORPORATION: You have all the cows in Afghanistan, which are two. You don't milk them because you cannot touch any creature's private parts. You get a $40 million grant from the US government to find alternatives to milk production but use the money to buy weapons.

IRAQI CORPORATION: You have two cows. They go into hiding. They send radio tapes of their mooing.

POLISH CORPORATION: You have two bulls. Employees are regularly maimed and killed attempting to milk them.

BELGIAN CORPORATION: You have one cow. The cow is schizophrenic. Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish. The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow. The French cow wants control of the Flemish cow's milk. The cow asks permission to be cut in half. The cow dies happy.

FLORIDA CORPORATION: You have a black cow and a brown cow. Everyone votes for the best looking one. Some of the people who actually like the brown one best accidentally vote for the black one. Some people vote for both. Some people vote for neither. Some people can't figure out how to vote at all. Finally, a bunch of guys from out-of-state tell you which one you think is the best-looking cow.

CALIFORNIA CORPORATION: You have millions of cows. They make real California cheese. Only five speak English. Most are illegals. Arnold likes the ones with the big udders.

60th Anniversary of Hiroshima

August 6th, 2005 marked the 60th anniversary of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. Over 200,000 people died in the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The debate continues, 60 years later, as to whether or not the action was truly necessary to bring the war to an end. For a CNN special report on the anniversary go to http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/hiroshima/. There are some pretty interesting galleries, eyewitness accounts, videos, and articles.

Also in the news has been coverage of two jurors in the Michael Jackson trial that have recently come out voicing their opposition to the acquittal they voted for. Is it no coincidence that these two jurors have book deals in the works? These two jurors should be completely ashamed of themselves. They have made a mockery of the American justice system and have completely let down the American public, of whom they are trusted to be representing. One of the jurors, Eleanor Cook, has recently stated that "I'm speaking out now because I believe it's never too late to tell the truth." Ummm.....excuse me Eleanor...were you SLEEPING while your duties as a juror were explained to you? Apparently so, or perhaps she was too busy scheming about how she could milk out her own publicity stunt throughout this ordeal.
Let me make sure I am being clear: I am not attacking their opinions about the innocence or guilt of Michael Jackson. I am attacking their utter lack of responsibility as participating jurors in one of the most publicised trials of our time.
I was recently engaged in a discussion with my boyfriend regarding the pros and cons of the trial-by-jury system. Eleanor Cook and Ray Hultman have unfortunately personified the flaws in the system. It is people like them that should not be allowed to engage in the privilege of jury participation.

A case of the Mondays

So I'm not exactly sure what "a case of the Mondays" is, but I think I've come close to figuring it out. My air conditioning STILL doesn't work. This week is going to be in the mid 90's, AGAIN. I've been waiting over a month for a stupid part to be ordered so that the shop can fix my car. Apparently they are in no rush. And there's not a damn thing I can do about it but wait and sweat. This weekend I have a lovely 2 hour plus drive up North and another 2 hour plus drive home on sunday morning, with no air. I think I'm going deaf in my right ear because my windows are open all the time. Semi trucks, Harleys, and pimped-out ghetto cruisers have never been so annoying. Noise pollution at it's worst. Grrrr. I just want my air conditioning back!
And its ONLY MONDAY!

Thomas Friedman editorial

While reading the Star Tribune today I came across an eop-ed piece written by Thomas Friedman and published in the New York Times. It's interesting, check it out if you have a moment. Here's the link: http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5533896.html.

We've also heard in the news lately that the IRA has ordered an end to armed struggle and decomissioning of it's weapons. I was fourtunate to visit Ireland and Northern Ireland on a J-term trip in 2003. I spent a month studying the history and present state of the Irish conflict. Unfortunately, tensions between Unionists and Nationalists have not dimmed much since the 1998 Good Friday agreement. Moreover, due to the IRA's history, many unionists and politicians feel that the IRA cannot be trusted and are skeptical of the IRA's declaration. While the declaration by the IRA is definetly a step in the right direction, only time will tell whether they will, in fact, honor their own words. The declaration may also prove to have political gain for Sinn Fein as well. Sinn Fein has suffered from a variety of controversies over the past year, and this move by the IRA may have a dually benefitial effect for the party.
Forbes has summed up the situation very well:
The "Irish problem" will not be solved as a result of last Thursday's statement. However, it may be dissolved if the process begun by the IRA's rejection of armed struggle delivers stability and allows time for the issues to become less emotive.
http://www.forbes.com/business/2005/08/01/ira-sinnfein-arms-cx_0801oxan_irastatement.html

Other news today: new laws in effect in MN include the reduction in the legal limit for blood alcohol levels from .10 to .08. Monies from DUI/DWI fees will go to repair of local roads.
MN has also raised it's minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.15. While $6.15/an hour is nowhere near a liveable wage, the raise is at least a step in the right direction. For a full time (40 hours/week) minimum wage earner, the increase will provide about $2,000 in additional yearly gross income.

MIT OpenCourseWare

Today at work I was searching the wonderful world of Google for some helpful resources for my job-seeking clients. I happened upon an awesome educational resource from MIT called MIT OpenCourseWare. The site is a collaboration of MIT professors' course materials - everything from syllabi, course reading materials, lecture notes, study guides, and assignments. The site is intended to be a free and open educational resource. As of June 2005, there were over 1,100 MIT courses published in a variety of topics - Everything from chemical engineering to women's studies to history. The site is truly a unique collection of course material and allows anyone with internet access to participate in FREE, online MIT education. The only downfall of the program is that it does not offer access to the instructors of the MIT courses. But heck, it's free, I'm not complaining!

As stated by MIT's President, Susan Hockfield:
"OpenCourseWare expresses in an immediate and far-reaching way MIT's goal of advancing education around the world. Through MIT OCW, educators and students everywhere can benefit from the academic activities of our faculty and join a global learning community in which knowledge and ideas are shared openly and freely for the benefit of all."

Here it is, http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html, be sure to check it out!

KDWB Fugitive ... Round Two

I just discovered that KDWB is doing a second round of their Fugitive game from last March. This time, the "so-called" fugitive stole a car and will be giving the Mustang to the first person who correctly identifies him/her. Once again, clues will be given on the radio and on the website. I got pathetically addicted to this game last march and am bound to follow it again this time!

Stillwater, MN

This past weekend Joe and I took a mini-trip to Stillwater, MN and Hudson, WI. While the weather was way too hot to really enjoy anything outside, we did have a good time on a dinner boat cruise on the St. Croix and on a Trolley ride around Stillwater. We also had a good time just relaxing and hanging out. Joe's webpage has our pictures posted. I've included a few here as well.

Not much to say today

Not much to say tonight. There's a bit from MPR that I've been meaning to post on here for a while - its a segment called "America's Image Problem" that was aired on MPR's "Midmorning" show the week of 6/27. It discusses the findings of and responses to the Pew Institute's Global Attitudes survey. To see more info about the survey, go here: http://pewglobal.org/
To hear the audio of the program, go here: http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/programs/midmorning/listings/mm20050627.shtml and scroll down to "Tuesday, June 28th".
All for now!

It's Monday

The good news today: MN's state employees finally were able to return to work today after a week-long government shutdown. Basic outlines of an agreement have been reached. Surprisingly, I haven't heard too many complaints about the decisions that were reached. I haven't had a chance to read much about the details, but I think I can fairly say that it turned out better than I thought it would.

For a great webpage go to http://www.postsecret.com This is a blog that is run by a man who collects people's anonymous secrets and then posts them for the world to see. It's really neat if you have some time to check it out. It was also recently featured in the Star Tribune at
http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/5499335.html

MPR's 'All Things Considered' today featured an article about the Girl Scout's organization's efforts to include Muslim girls scouting. As a former girl scout, I was happy to hear about the organization's broadening scope to welcome girls of other ethnicities. The organization even modified its creed, badges, and activities to include the Muslim girls.
The Girl Scouts have challenged the overall trend of dissapearing rights and respect for Muslim - Americans and have set a great example of cultural inclusion for the rest of the community. Way to Go!
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/06/30_tonessb_girlscouts/

That's all for now, more tomorrow!

Melancholy

It's a very somber world out there today. There's too many frustrating things going on in the world right now. Despite the sun shining and the approaching weekend, people all over seem a bit hopeless and fed-up with all of the going-ons of the past week. This week has brought a state government shutdown with thousands of employees out of work. This week we've also been reminded of our president's refusal to cooperate with implementation of global policy to reduce harmful polution. We've been reminded that terrorism are alive and well. Moreover, we've been reminded that our so-called "war-on-terror" clearly isn't working.

We face some tough challenges ahead, and have some important decisions to make.

It is my hope that Muslims and Arabs all over the world do not experience increased hostility and discrimnation as a result of the recent terrorist attacks. I beleive, however, that they will.

It is my hope that the leaders of the western countries involved in the "war on terror" will begin to acknowlege international opinion and open up their eyes to the true sources of terrorism. I believe, however, that they won't.

It is my hope that our elected officials in the state of Minnesota will understand the harsh consequences their choices have had on the state and come to an agreement regarding the budget. I believe, however, that they won't.

It is my hope that the new leg of the "war on terror" does not become a strictly religious crusade between Islam and the West. I beleive, however, that it already has.

Finally, it is my hope that this generation comes to realize that we must take action against environmental pollution. We must realize that our environment and the future of our planet is more important than the state of our economy. If we don't have a planet, we surely won't have an economy.

I have always believed that the future is simply the borrowing of time from those yet to come. If we don't change our current path of environmental destruction, however, we'll not only be borrowing more than our share, but we'll also be outright stealing it from future generations.

Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned
and the last fish has been caught
will we realize that we can't eat money.
~ Cree Proverb ~

Why do we hate them so?

Here's a poem by a poet and labor organizer who lives in NY city. The horrible attacks today reminded me of this poem.

My City

In my city innocent people
are killed by thunderous terror.
Vendors in the street are pummeled by rubble.
Men and women on their way to work are greeted
with anonymous hatred
of those they have never met.
Janitors, businessmen, clerks,
cooks, construction workers, the rescue workers
who risk all to help these.
My beloved city showered with death.

We cry up and ask, in the midst
of the screams of loved ones,
Why do they hate us so?
Why do they do this to our city,
to our livves?
My stomach turns on itself.
The people I love, burned, dissolving, dying.
The city I love, attacked.
My brothers in agony.
My sisters. Children. Mothers. Dead.
Who would do this?
Why my beautiful city?
How do we survive this
but by breathing the city's name
over and over and over like a mantra, a prayer?
Baghdad, Baghdad, Baghdad.

While not lessening the horrible significance of the attacks today, I continue to question why people don't care about the horrendous acts of terrorism that are occuring on a daily basis on Iraq. While the events of September 11, 2001 and June 7, 2005 will forever live on in our memories, Americans turn a blind eye to the events occuring in the middle east. How can we justify our utter lack of compassion to those in the middle east while we flood London with sympathy in the wake of terrorism? America, Enlgand, Spain, and all other countries in the west that have been attacked by terrorism have been fourtunate in the sense that the acts only occured ONCE. After all, the shadow of terrorism on America was September 11, 2001. The shadow of terrorism was London is June 7, 2005. The shadow of terrorism on Iraq, however, began March 20, 2003...............and still continues.

Why do we not care......?

London, you're in my thoughts

My thoughts and sympathies are with London and all of those affected by the attacks. Let us not turn our eyes away.
Recovery, godspeed.

It is essential that justice be done, and it is equally vital that justice not be confused with revenge, for the two are wholly different. - Oscar Aria

The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance. - Diogenes Laertius

If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it. - Lucy Larcom

On China's growth and greenhouse gases

As the leaders of the G8 summit meet this week, one of the continuing policy divides between Blair and Bush is the Kyoto Protocol and whether or not the United States (and other industrialized nations) should be held accountable for the amount of polluting gases they emit.

Shortly after Bush took office in 2001 he withdrew the United States from Kyoto Protocol developed by the Clinton administration. Blair has been urging Bush to accept the Protocol and make the reduction of global warming a priority. Most large nations have accepted the Protocol and recognize the need to curb production of harmful gasses and pollutants.

China, however, is a nation that is exempt from the Protocol due to it's strive for economic development. Whether or not this is an acceptable excuse remains debateable (of course).
To read more on the topic go to http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/07/06/MNG6UDJJL01.DTL.

P.S. Here's a shout out to Molly for reading my blog! :)

Stupid dumbsh*t godd*mn motherf*cking MN GOVT

I'm just a little P.O'ed that our MN representatives have so utterly failed to represent MN this session. Being the nerd that I am, I am staying up late tonight to watch the TV coverage of the house session on Channel 17. As I listen to the various house reps from across that state, I have found myself swearing, cheering, booing, and who-whoo'ing the reps and their speeches. I feel like I am watching a bunch of selfish no-good kindergardeners fight over who-called-who-a-what. Moreover, I have been emailing reps with my opinions after each makes a speech to address the Members.
I am, however, very saddened and dissapointed that such a day has come. The core function of goverment is to represent the people, and represent them efficiently and fairly. This session has turned into an utter failure of goverment. Never in state history have we come to this point. Unfourtuatly, this evening will set a precedent and open the locked door of special sessions and state goverment shutdown to future sessions.
Nine times out of the past 11 years, MN has had to go into special session to resolve the differences of the representatives in running our state. Unfourtunatly, each year that our legislative year overflows into a special session we have allowed our legistlators and representatives too much leniancy and have esentially given them the permission to test our limits. What has all this come to? Does this prove that as a state, the people of MN have no limits?
While we cannot reverse the decisions that have been made this session, we can at least put in our damn best efforts to prevent such failure of government in the future. During this evening I have come to learn that it is not, in fact, the representatives of the people of MN but the PEOPLE themselves that have the power and the responsibility to prevent such utter failure in the future.
I passionatley plead you to excersise the muscle of your citizenship and show our state representatives what is truly important to the state of MN.

Hang in there. It can only get better from here on out....

My Ode to the Internet

If you don't know a lot about the history of the internet, check out this article that CNN posted today on their website.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/internet/06/23/evolution.main/index.html
When you stop to think about it, it really is quite amazing how much life has changed in the past 10 years because of the internet becoming wide-stream. Do you remember life without email, online news and weather, chat rooms, blogs, and E-bay? People have developed hobbies, friendships, relationships, even MARRIAGES, careers, education,new vocabulary, and so much more, all due to the internet in the past 10 years.
I remember my personal introduction to the internet: my parents bought a computer when I was in 8th grade. Shortly afterward, we connected to America Online. I discovered email, chat rooms, and online encyclopedias (great for those high school research papers!)
Before college I bought my own computer and discovered music downloads. I went off to college and developed my daily habit of reading news online, checking the weather, tracking my finances, and viewing my friend's websites. Soon I was shopping online and even created my own webpage. Today, I spend a large amount of my time online. I email for work and for personal use, and use an online-based database for my work, I search the internet for information, and I blog.
Happy surfing!

A loss for property owners

The Supreme Court today ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses against their will in the name of private economic development. The ruling came with a narrow margin of support of 5-4. The ruling comes as a defeat for homeowners and private business owners. At the center of the issue is the Fifth Amendment, which allows governments to take private property if the land will be put to use for public interest. The question at hand, however, is whether or not private economic development can be considered the act of "serving a public purpose." Among the Justices in opposition to the ruling is Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
I found Justice O'Connor's dissent very mindful: "Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random," O'Connor wrote. "The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms."
In my opinion, the ruling is a loss for American land-owners. Moreover, it sets a dangerous precedent of favoring private economic interests at the cost of the greater American public, and is justified through overly-loose and inaccurate interpretation of the Constitution.

Ikea will ruin your marriage!

If you're looking for a laugh, check out these two articles at the Star Tribune.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/104/5468750.html

There hasn't been a more amusing interactive robot than Ikea's Anna since the Ok-Soda hotline!
http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/5468756.html

AFI's top 100 movie quotes of all time

Last night the American Film Institute released it's list of the top 100 movie quotes of all time.
Curious what they are? Go to the AFI's website at www.afi.com, or to CNN's reprint of the list at http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/22/film.moviequotes.list.ap/index.html.
I'm curious what your favorite movie quotes are! Post a comment!
You didn't think you'd get away without reading a list of MY favorites, did you? :)
Here are some of them, as if it's not obvious enough already!

1. "No.......Yeeesss!" - Night at the Roxbury
2. "Friggin IDIOT!" - Napolean Dynamite
3. "Whats Up? ......2, 3, 4. Whats Up? ... 2, 3, 4." - Night at the Roxbury
4. "Let me tell you something, my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane." - The Shawshank Redemption
5. "I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up DOES rejoice. Still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend. " - The Shawshank Redemption
6. "Rock stars have kidnapped my son!" - Almost Famous
7. "Say 'ello to my little friend!" - Scarface
8. "You must be the Red Dragon!" - Made
9. "My name is...Gladiator!"
10. "Dear Mr. Vernon: We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you're crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club. "
11. "Last week, Japanese scientists explaced... placed explosive detonators at the bottom of Lake Loch Ness to blow Nessie out of the water. Sir Godfrey of the Nessie Alliance summoned the help of Scotland's local wizards to cast a protective spell over the lake and its local residents and all those who seek for the peaceful existence of our underwater ally. " - Napoleon Dynamite


That's my list so far.
Toodelz~

Proposed funding cuts for public broadcasting!

Recently two U.S. House subcommittes have voted to cut funding to, and eventually eliminate, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This could have a huge impact on PBS television and MPR radio (including the new awesome station, The Current!) Federal funding accounts for about 10% of MPR's budget. If the cuts go through, huge changes could be in place which could affect the quality and variety of public broadcasting.
The vote is scheduled to take place on the floor of the House of Rep's on June 22nd. If you are a fan of public broadcasting and would like to see it continue, please contact your legistlators. For more information, go to www.mpr.org

Below are some message points I copied from the MPR website.

Message Points

The following message points may be helpful as you draft an e-mail or prepare for a phone call to your Senators and Representatives:

• Support restoration of funding for FY 2006 that is equal to current funding.
  
  
• Support reinstatement of two-year advance funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a funding mechanism that protects program creation from political influence.
  
  
• Oppose the rescission of advanced funding already earmarked for stations by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
  
  
• Oppose the elimination of the vitally important Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.
  
  
• Oppose the elimination of funding for public broadcasting's digital transition.
  
  
• Oppose the elimination of irreplaceable early-learning initiatives, such as public television's Ready to Learn.
  
  
• Oppose the elimination of funds to renew and replace public television's satellite interconnection system.
  
  
• These proposed funding cuts will have a severe impact on public radio and public television stations, especially those serving rural and minority audiences.
  
  
• Many of these stations are the primary sources of news, information, public safety and cultural programming to their communities.

Teddy Ruxpin is Back!

Remember the cute little talking teddy bear, Teddy Ruxpin? He's making a comeback! Teddy debuted in the 1980's as a teddy bear that played cassette tapes of stories and songs while he would move his mouth along with the words as if he was reading or singing to you. Now, Teddy has been upgraded and welcomed into the digital world with new technology. Whoo-hoo! Welcome back, Teddy! I missed you! Where have you BEEN all my life? heehee.
Check out the article: http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/16/news/midcaps/teddy_ruxpin/index.htm?cnn=yes

Guantanamo Bay Prison scandals

Reports describing questionable treatment of prisoners and the debate about whether to shut down Gitmo have been all over the news the past few days. Sadly enough, a story in the Washington Post today claims that, "Americans do not appear too concerned about allegations of abuse, according to the latest poll by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. The poll found half of those surveyed had heard about reports of prisoner abuse, but only one in three considered the allegations more than isolated instances."
We, as Americans, are obligated to open our eyes and review the image that we are projecting on the world. Being the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the world comes with responsibility. If we are to be the model and inspiration for freedom and democracy for the world over, perhaps we should value the cruciality of a positive image in the field of international politics. I question how much more needs to be "leaked" before we, as a nation, address such matters with responsibility and maturity.

For a great read, pick up "Why do people hate America?" by Ziauddin Sardar, Merryl Wyn Davies. The book gives a clear and insightful view into the history of America's foreign policy and how it is interpreted by other nations.

Anyone shop at Kowalski's?

Anyone shop at Kowalski's? If so, next time you stop in to make a purchase, be sure to put your reciept in the "Grocieries for Good Causes" bin of your choice. Kowalski's makes donations to local non-profits based on the number and monetary value of reciepts placed in the bins. Organizations that benefit include the Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, Hope for the City, and many others. The bins are located at the front of the store near the check-out lanes.

Free Stuff! Twin Cities Free Market

A local non-profit, Eureka Recycling, has a webpage devoted to the listing of unwanted, reusable items that are up-for-grabs. The organization works to combat excessive waste by promoting recycling and re-use of materials. It's like an e-bay of free and exchangable items.
To read the feature article in the Star Trib, go to: http://www.startribune.com/stories/789/5453193.html
To visit the Twin Cities Free Market webpage, go to: http://www.twincitiesfreemarket.org/
For more about Eureka Recycling, go to: http://www.eurekarecycling.org/

Stolen Road Signs - 420 Street

Below is a copy of an article from today's Star Trib. Hmm....stolen road signs.....reminds me of some people I know ...ahem ahem.

Cannabis connotation makes some rural road signs vanish
Chuck Haga, Star Tribune
June 7, 2005 POT0607

Far out from Minneapolis, along country lanes in southern Minnesota, there are signs of a drug problem.
Well, the thing is, the signs are gone. That's the problem. And it's because of weed.
Not weeds. Weed. Or maybe you call it grass, or pot, or Mary Jane, or reefer.
Or 420.
In several southern Minnesota counties where rural street grids use big numbers, remote road signs marking 420th Avenue or 420th Street have gone missing. Same with 420th Lane. County crews replace them -- at $80 or more a shot -- and the new signs disappear.
"They put them up on Friday and by Monday they're gone," said Brad Milbrath, chief deputy for the Waseca County Sheriff's Office. "It costs quite a bit of money and a lot of time."
The number 420 has been slang for marijuana at least since the 1970s, but even regular pot smokers offer only hazy explanations for its origins.
The number is not police code for a marijuana arrest, a sociologist who researched it told the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2001, as the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws began its annual conference on April 20.
It isn't the number of chemical compounds in marijuana, or a Grateful Dead address in San Francisco, or the time of day when guitarist Jerry Garcia died. It doesn't represent a passage from the Bible "or tea time in Amsterdam, where pot is legal," the Inquirer reported.
Whatever, Waseca County said, and renamed 420th to 42Xth. The new signs have stayed put for a week, Milbrath said, and yes, he's holding his breath.
Other counties using similar street grids -- and facing similar losses -- also are weighing responses.
Despite the many losses, "we haven't recovered any," an exasperated Milbrath said. "That surprises us. We just haven't found the right places where people have taken them and put them on their walls."

New atlas shows mankind's stamp on the environment

An article on CNN's website today discusses a new atlas that shows pictures of the global devastation over a period of 40 years cause by human activities. It's an interesting article with some great pictures as examples. Check it out.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/06/04/un.atlas.reut/index.html

Happy Friday

Below is a copy of the Human Rights Campaign's recent email alert. One of the highly controversial issues that I address quite often is society's treatment, recognition, and inclusion of same-sex couples and families. I like to promote companies and organizations that take fair-minded and progressive approaches. On the flip side, that means that I usually badmouth and boycott companies that implement discriminatory and unjust policies. Ford has taken a fair-minded and progressive approach in recognizing and supporting ALL of it's employees, regardless of sexual orientation. I understand and respect that everybody has different views, opinions, and values. However, no matter what your stance is on issues such as same-sex unions, it is important to promote and support those organizations and companies that have implemented policies that pledge not to discriminate (in any form) against their employees.

CLICK HERE to let Ford know you appreciate their support of fairness in the workplace! On the heels of ending a failed boycott against the Walt Disney Company, an anti-gay lobbying group called the American Family Association has called for a boycott of Ford Motor Company because of its family-friendly policies. Among AFA's complaints: that Ford's corporate policies pledge not to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, and that Ford provides equal benefits for all its employees. This is just another example of the AFA being out of touch with reality. Ford knows that treating employees fairly is good business - both for employees and for the company.
	Ford Knows Fairness is Good Business See Ford's Corporate Equality Index Profile

Ford is under attack in part because of its partnership with HRC. Volvo, a Ford Motor brand and sponsor of HRC, donates $500 to HRC for new purchases or leases made in 2005 using the HRC promotion. Click here for more information on this offer. Search for other employer policies online: http://www.hrc.org/employersearch Visit the following URL to take action: http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/supportford

Think Global 2005

A few weeks ago MPR aired "Think Global 2005," a series of documentaries, commentaries, and specials focusing on globalilzation, world poverty, and international economic trends. There were a number of great programs included in the series, and most can be downloaded in MP3 format from the website www.thinkglobal2005.org.
One of the especially interesting features of the series was a speech by Thomas Friedman called "Globalization and the World's Poor." He discussed many of the points in his new book, The World is Flat. Check it out if you have a chance.

MN Constitutional Marriage Amendment Re-Introduced

If you haven't already figured it out, I am very passionate about GLBT rights and issues. The Human Rights Campaign and Outfront MN are two organizations that I highly support.

Below is a copy of Outfront MN's recent action alert email. The House of Reps just re-introduced the marriage amendment bill. It may not be likely that it will actually be voted on, considering the plethora of other pressing issues that needs to be resolved in the special session, but it is still important to voice our opinions to our legistlators.

For more info on Outfront MN, go to www.outfront.org


Constitutional Amendment Re-introduced in Special Session

On Thursday, May 26th, the Minnesota House of Representatives re-introduced the constitutional amendment to bar all legal recognition of same-sex couples. Bills from the regular session that do not pass in both the House and Senate do not carry over into special session. Any bill to be considered during the special session must be reintroduced. The supporters re-introduced the anti-marriage amendment to ensure that the constitutional amendment is included in the debate as the House, Senate, and Governor attempt to reach conclusion on a number of pressing issues.

Two different authors introduced bills containing the same language on Thursday: House File (HF) 8 and HF12. The language and scope of HF8 and HF12 are identical to the anti-marriage amendment that passed the House on March 31st by a 77 to 56 vote. The amendments being discussed would deny all legal recognition to same-sex couples and their families, including marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships.

Once again, legislators need to hear from Minnesotans who are opposed to discrimination and believe that the Constitution should never be used to enshrine second-class status for GLBT people or anyone else.

Take Action!!
Call or email your legislators with the following message: "Please oppose the constitutional amendment to ban civil unions, marriage, and all other forms of legal protection for same-sex couples. This amendment mandates discrimination for some of Minnesota families and it distracts legislators from reaching resolution on pressing issues that affect the quality of life for all of our state's families."
Help us get the word out to others. Forward this message to your friends.
.
The HF 8 authors:
Rep. Mike Beard (R-Shakopee)
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Delano)
Rep. Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton)
Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R-Lakeville)
Rep. Dan Severson (R-Sauk Rapids)
Rep. Judy Soderstrom (R-Mora)
Rep. Lynn Wardlow (R-Eagan)


HF 12 authors:
Rep. Larry Howes (R-Walker)
Rep. Jim Knoblach (R-St. Cloud)
Rep. Phil Krinkie (R-Shorview)
Rep. Andy Westerberg (R-Blaine)

All for now, Toodelz!

Tina, Come Get Some Ham!

Welcome to my fantabulous blog. Alas, did one ever think it would be so easy to get inside my head? Please feel free to comment and respond to any postings. The more the merrier!

Toodelz!