Papillon Rouge

Friday, October 16, 2009

 

Slavery in the Toyota Supply Chain: Letter to the Company

Dear Toyota,

I am shocked and appalled to have just learned that "the supply chain that leads to the Prius is riddled with sweatshop abuse and human trafficking" ("The Slave-Made Prius and the Future of Green, Fair Labor", by Amanda Kloer*). Toyota's best car for the conscientious consumer is hiding labor practices that would make every one of those consumers sick. This makes me believe that such practices are probably behind every Toyota model.

My mother drives a Rav4, my father a Yaris, my sister an Echo and my mother-in-law a Prius, but none of our extended families will be buying a Toyota again until the company makes a serious effort to ensure that free laborers are paid fair wages at every stage of the supply chain, and makes a public statement as to its success. I would suggest you work with an organization such as free2work.org.

Please take this seriously. Modern slavery is a real and horrific practice, and over 27 million people are enslaved in the world today. With consumer supply chains that stretch around the world, you may not have even realized your supply chain included slave labor. However, more and more American consumers are learning about this problem and will monetarily punish manufacturers who are alerted to the problem and ignore it. On the other hand, by taking a stand against slavery, Toyota may build goodwill for itself in a country that is bitter about the suffering of our "home-grown" automakers. Furthermore, if Toyota considers its labor practices to be common in the industry, being the first to fix the problem internally and then point out the shortcomings of competitors is likely to be a positive and lucrative enterprise.

Thank you for your consideration.

Peace and abolition,
[Papillon]


*Article URL: http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/the_slave-made_prius_and_the_future_of_green_fair_labor

:D 10/16/2009 12:56:00 AM (0) comments

Monday, September 07, 2009

 

New Uses for Old Things

Victoria's Circuit: Harnessing the untapped power of breast motion.
By Adrienne So for Slate magazine

If that's not intriguing enough to get you to click, how's this little nugget?

"Measurements compiled by Lawson and her colleagues show that a D-cup in a low-support bra can travel as much as 35 inches up and down (35 inches!) during exercise, while a B-cup in a high-support bra barely moves an inch."

:D 9/07/2009 12:55:00 AM (1) comments

Thursday, August 13, 2009

 

About Healthcare

Dear Friend,

This is probably one of the longest emails I’ve ever sent, but it could be the most important.

Across the country we are seeing vigorous debate about health insurance reform. Unfortunately, some of the old tactics we know so well are back — even the viral emails that fly unchecked and under the radar, spreading all sorts of lies and distortions.

As President Obama said at the town hall in New Hampshire, “where we do disagree, let's disagree over things that are real, not these wild misrepresentations that bear no resemblance to anything that's actually been proposed.”

So let’s start a chain email of our own. At the end of my email, you’ll find a lot of information about health insurance reform, distilled into 8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage, 8 common myths about reform and 8 reasons we need health insurance reform now.

Right now, someone you know probably has a question about reform that could be answered by what’s below. So what are you waiting for? Forward this email.

Thanks,
David

David Axelrod
Senior Adviser to the President

P.S. We launched www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck this week to knock down the rumors and lies that are floating around the internet. You can find the information below, and much more, there. For example, we've just added a video of Nancy-Ann DeParle from our Health Reform Office tackling a viral email head on. Check it out:



8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.
2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.
4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.
5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.
6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.
7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.
8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

Learn more and get details: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/

8 common myths about health insurance reform

1. Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it: It’s a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.
2. We can’t afford reform: It's the status quo we can't afford. It’s a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.
3. Reform would encourage "euthanasia": It does not. It’s a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions.
4. Vets' health care is safe and sound: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.
5. Reform will benefit small business - not burden it: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.
6. Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It’s myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.
7. You can keep your own insurance: It’s myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.
8. No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts. Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose. Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.

Learn more and get details:
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck
http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/realitycheck/faq

8 Reasons We Need Health Insurance Reform Now

1. Coverage Denied to Millions: A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market – were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years or dropped from coverage when they became seriously ill. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html
2. Less Care for More Costs: With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job. Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less coverage. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/index.html
3. Roadblocks to Care for Women: Women’s reproductive health requires more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men, women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html
4. Hard Times in the Heartland: Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty, mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are already elevated in rural communities. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes
5. Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – are employees of firms with less than 100 workers. From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. Much of this decline stems from small business. The percentage of small businesses offering coverage dropped from 68% to 59%, while large firms held stable at 99%. About a third of such workers in firms with fewer than 50 employees obtain insurance through a spouse. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline
6. The Tragedies are Personal: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare alone. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction
7. Diminishing Access to Care: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people - one in every three Americans under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html
8. The Trends are Troubling: Without reform, health care costs will continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families, businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance - projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. Learn more: http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf

:D 8/13/2009 08:16:00 PM (0) comments

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

 

Now THIS is amazing customer service.


* * *

-----Original Message-----
From: Papillon Rouge
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009
To: planchange igo
Subject: Cancellation

Hi,

I would like to cancel my account, number XXXXXX. I actually meant to
do this a while ago and forgot--which I realize is my fault--but is
there any way you can refund a month or two? I wouldn't ask but,
obviously, I need the money.

Many thanks,
Papillon Rouge

* * *

-----Original Message-----
From: planchange igo
Sent: Tue, Aug 11, 2009
To: Papillon Rouge
Subject: Re: Cancellation

Papillon,

Per your request, I've closed your I-GO account. I've also put the past 3 months plan fees (a total of $45) back onto your credit card on file with us. You will see this post within 48 hours. Hope you have a great day!

Clare Wisner
I-GO Car Sharing
Member Services Associate
773.269.4060

* * *

-----Original Message-----
From: Papillon Rouge
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009
To: planchange igo
Subject: Re: Cancellation

Dear Clare and I-GO:

Thank you so much! You are amazing! If you ever start up in New York I will certainly hop on board again.

cheers,
Papillon

* * *

-----Original Message-----
From: planchange igo
Sent: Tue, Aug 11, 2009
To: Papillon Rouge
Subject: Re: Cancellation

Not a problem! Enjoy New York!!

Clare Wisner
I-GO Car Sharing
Member Services Associate
773.269.4060

:D 8/11/2009 06:00:00 PM (0) comments

Sunday, August 09, 2009

 

The Upside of Being Down

Paul Krugman wrote a brief analytical piece today about "The Town Mob", in which he theorizes as to the source of the sheer vehemence--even violence--of the protesters' anger, and worries, finally, that "right now Mr. Obama’s backers seem to lack all conviction, perhaps because the prosaic reality of his administration isn’t living up to their dreams of transformation. Meanwhile, the angry right is filled with a passionate intensity."

I think we can find a clue to this phenomenon here: Sociologist of Religion Christian Smith has found that the religious groups most likely to thrive in our modern pluralist society are those that neither separate from the larger culture and subsequently wither, nor blend into the culture to the point of losing their unique viewpoint. Instead, groups that thrive differentiate themselves from the larger culture while actively engaging it. In terms of the major types of Christians present in America, mainstream and [theologically] liberal denominations seem to be the "blenders", so to speak, and fundamentalist Christians are historically separationist, while evangelicals differentiate and engage, and also happen to be the fastest-growing Christian group in America.

Personally, I have found that I feel most "alive" in my Christianity living in New York City, where even routine Christian behaviors--attending church on Sunday, for example--mean making a choice to do something few others are doing. You "differentiate" without doing anything different, unlike being in Ohio, where going to church on Sunday is basically default behavior. Being in a minority group, in other words, makes you more aware of your different-ness, and you act accordingly.

Obama supporters, especially when the Dems were split between Obama and Mrs. Clinton, were in the minority, and they (we) were evangelical about it: differentiating from the larger culture, yet engaging in every way possible. Now Obama supporters are no longer in the minority, as proven on November 4th, and Democrats dominate Congress, and it's like if I moved from NYC to Ohio: when your position is the default position, when you're no longer the underdog, it no longer feels imperative to act: there are others who can act; everyone knows we're in the majority anyway already; we elected the Democratic congress and this is what we did it for!

So Mr. Krugman may not like it, but there's something to be said for that. Ultimately, Americans are like the pack donkey who was asked by another if it was a heavy pack he was carrying and replied, "what pack?" Americans will not realize how bad they had it until they have it good, and then they will never want to go back. (Can you imagine taking away Medicare? HA!) So, Congressional Democrats, do your thing. Right now your legacy is the spinelessness of the blank check for the Iraq war, but now you have numbers on your side, and no elections hanging over your heads just yet, so let's GET. THIS. JOB. DONE: a good, strong healthcare bill, in place as soon as practicable, so that by the time the next Congressional election comes around, Americans will have started experiencing the benefits and will be appropriately grateful.

:D 8/09/2009 02:50:00 AM (0) comments

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

 

Flying Friendly?

Worst Part of a Trip May Be Booking It on the Web

This article from today's NYT talks about how air travel continues to be annoying--even increasingly so year after year--from the moment you begin dreading the process of going online to buy your tickets. Which sites or airlines are going to add fees that don't show in the initial costs? How much will they charge you for your baggage? Is it different for domestic and international flights? (Yes.) Can you be charged baggage fees for some legs of a trip and not others? (Yes.)

Statistics show that about a third of air travelers find air travel frustrating. Some people have actually decided not to take a particular trip this year, in part because of the economy and in part because it sucks having to deal with airlines ("despite some improvements in airline performance because of a decline in the number of people traveling").

The article ends with the quote: “As a society, we need to be thinking, what is the cost when someone says it’s not worth it to travel?”

As an airline you may need to be thinking about that, but as a citizen, I'm actually wondering the opposite: What is the benefit? Air travel is one of the top polluting activities that Americans do, and as an individual passenger there's extremely little you can do to mitigate that. (You can pack lighter--how much difference will it make if you do?) But if people are avoiding air travel in order to take a "stay-cation"... I'm sure that's fine by Mother Earth.

:D 8/04/2009 05:06:00 PM (3) comments

Friday, July 31, 2009

 

How to use Twitter for marketing and PR

:D 7/31/2009 12:21:00 PM (0) comments

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

 

Would God back universal health care?

Religious texts give us a good idea. The common theme: Don’t turn your back on the needy.

By Oliver Thomas

Mixing church and state might be inexcusable, but the influence of religion on our political views is inevitable. Accordingly, the First Amendment does not prohibit laws that reflect our religious values as long as those laws have a secular purpose and effect. So it is curious that, until recently, little has been written about the moral dimension of the health care debate. The focus has largely been on how to pay for insuring 46 million uninsured people in America and whether to provide a so-called public option. At last, religious leaders are stepping forward to explain what our Scriptures and religious traditions have to teach us about the most important domestic policy issue to come before the Congress in recent years.

The answer, it turns out, is a lot. Not directly, of course. Our Scriptures were written long before talk of deductibles, pre-existing conditions and single payers. But indirectly, the Christian, Hebrew and Muslim texts have much to say about the quality, availability and affordability of health care.

Where we are now

Let's start with the current arrangement. Unless you qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, health care in America is rationed based upon income and prior medical history. If you aren't part of a group health plan and can't afford or don't qualify for private insurance because of a pre-existing condition, you're sunk — condemned to a life of no health care or, at best, substandard health care. We've all heard the heart-wrenching stories of Americans who are forced to choose between food and medicine or who die because they could not afford surgery.

Here's where the Bible comes in.

Perhaps the truest thing I can say about the God of the Bible is that he is for the poor. Not just a little. God appears to be for the poor in a way that he is for no other. Because a disproportionately high number of the uninsured are low-income, knowledge of this simple fact is critical to our views on health care reform. And please don't take my word for it. The Hebrew Scriptures command that a certain amount of farm produce be left behind for the poor, forbid interest from being charged on loans and forgive the debts of people at seven-year intervals.

In ancient Israel's agrarian society, even the land itself was to be returned to its original owners every 49 years so that a family's underlying source of income could be protected and sustained. While some Christians conclude that the infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their militant homosexuality, I think the Bible reports otherwise. Instead, Ezekiel 16:48-49 suggests that it was because they neglected to care for the needy.

Such "care" extends to health care. The legendary Jewish scholar and physician Maimonides listed health care first on his list of services that a city should offer its residents. According to Rabbi David Saperstein (described by Newsweek as the most influential rabbi in America), the ancient Jewish commitment to provide health care to all God's children stems from the Torah's teaching that an individual human life is of infinite value. "A little lower than the angels," as the Psalmist puts it. Quoting Leviticus, Saperstein says, "We are constantly commanded not to stand idly by the blood of our neighbors."

Christians find similar teachings in the New Testament. One of Jesus' most famous parables is about health care. A Samaritan traveler happens upon a seriously wounded man lying by the side of the road. The Samaritan attends to the man, dresses his wounds and pays a substantial sum for his care and recovery. Jesus ends the story by telling his hearers to "go and do likewise." At the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus adds final instruction to those who might have lingering doubts about their responsibilities to their uninsured neighbors: "Love one another as I have loved you."

So tell me, do you suppose Jesus would make a person choose between food and medicine?

For Muslims, the Holy Quran contains multiple admonitions to attend to the needy. One of the prophet Mohammed's sayings, in particular, bears mention: "When a believer visits a sick believer at dawn, 70,000 angels keep on praying for him until dusk. If he visits him in the evening, 70,000 angels keep praying for him until morning, and he will have reaped rewards in paradise." Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf tells me that if merely "visiting" the sick provides this kind of blessing, providing actual medical care especially if the person is poor would engender even greater rewards.

What about the how?

While our various holy texts instruct us about who should receive health care (i.e. everyone), and our common religious teaching to "do unto others as we would have them do unto us" suggests that the quality of medical service should not be compromised because of age or income, our scriptures do not instruct us about how we should go about accomplishing the task.

Some faith communities, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have elaborate social welfare systems that may include funds for medical costs. Others may band together to provide free clinics for the uninsured of all faiths as some doctors have done. Some members of Congress are proposing "health care cooperatives" as one means of expanding coverage, and some states have gotten ahead of the federal government and are finding ways to cover their own citizens. However we choose to do it, the moral imperative is the same: high quality, affordable health care for everyone.

The Rev. Jim Wallis, a Christian activist and founder of Sojourners magazine, has warned that there is one additional role clergy will be playing in the upcoming debate: helping us get at the truth. "Lying is not allowed here," he says. No doubt Wallis remembers the rancorous 1993-94 health care debate with its infamous Harry and Louise ads. But this time, things feel different. Doctors, hospitals, drug makers and insurance companies are at the negotiating table. Even Wal-Mart is running ads advocating employer-mandated coverage.

Nevertheless, Cigna insurance executive turned whistle-blower Wendell Potter testified recently that the insurance industry fearing competition is engaged in a campaign to scare Americans away from any sort of public plan.

In truth, says Potter, America's nearly half-century-old Medicare program has proved itself an efficient choice. Administrative costs of Medicare? Less than 5%. Of the private plans? Closer to 20%, according to Potter.

Jesus admonished his disciples to be as innocent as doves, but he also warned them to be "as wise as serpents." Let's hope Congress can be the same.

* * *
Oliver Thomas is a minister, lawyer and author of 10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You (But Can't Because He Needs the Job). This article was originally posted on the USA Today opinion blog:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/07/would-god-back-universal-health-care--religious-texts-give-us-a-good-idea-the-common-theme-dont-turn-your-back-on-th.html

:D 7/29/2009 10:09:00 PM (0) comments

 

Letter from the President


Dear Friend,

If you’re like most Americans, there’s nothing more important to you about health care than peace of mind.

Given the status quo, that’s understandable. The current system often denies insurance due to pre-existing conditions, charges steep out-of-pocket fees – and sometimes isn’t there at all if you become seriously ill.

It’s time to fix our unsustainable insurance system and create a new foundation for health care security. That means guaranteeing your health care security and stability with eight basic consumer protections:

• No discrimination for pre-existing conditions
• No exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles or co-pays
• No cost-sharing for preventive care
• No dropping of coverage if you become seriously ill
• No gender discrimination
• No annual or lifetime caps on coverage
• Extended coverage for young adults
• Guaranteed insurance renewal so long as premiums are paid

Learn more about these consumer protections at Whitehouse.gov.

Over the next month there is going to be an avalanche of misinformation and scare tactics from those seeking to perpetuate the status quo. But we know the cost of doing nothing is too high. Health care costs will double over the next decade, millions more will become uninsured, and state and local governments will go bankrupt.

It’s time to act and reform health insurance, drive down costs and guarantee the health care security and stability of every American family. You can help by putting these core principles of reform in the hands of your friends, your family, and the rest of your social network.

Thank you,
Barack Obama

:D 7/29/2009 02:23:00 PM (0) comments

Saturday, July 18, 2009

 

Gut Check

It's been a great evening: a bunch of us went to the White Sox/Orioles game, a couple of the guys and I ordered some pizza and watched a Quentin Tarentino flick, a good time has been had by all. My friend B (not boyfriend-B but a friend of the same name whom I affectionately refer to as "my other B") offers to walk me home, so we're walking and talking in the cool evening and B is pushing along his bike. About 2 blocks away from my apartment we pass a well-lit alley and there's a homeless guy there--black leather jacket with silver designs, pushing a shopping cart piled high with stuff, most noticeably a 5-foot cat climber, which is odd. The guy starts chattering to us, and B takes the lead in saying "sorry man, we can't help you"--repeating it several times as the guy continues to walk toward us and begin his elaborate sob story that will ultimately end in him asking for money.

I hesitate before crossing the alley but as B leads the way I follow, reasoning that this homeless guy is no more likely to do anything or follow than any others--asking, pestering, is always as far as it's gone.

But as we continue down the sidewalk he continues to pester, walking after us. I turn--B stops a few steps ahead of me--and seeing him still walking toward us I turn up the volume to insist: "Hey man, back off! Leave us alone!"

He shoves me roughly aside to go up to B, still chattering and grabbing at the bike as B continues to shout at him, also turning up the volume, telling him to back off and what the fuck do you think you're doing?! Incensed, scared, adrenaline-rushed, I kick him hard in the back of the legs. As he turns back toward me I continue shouting and back off a step, taking a fighting stance, "You get away from us! I will punch you in the face!" He starts shouting too--there is a momentary face-off--he has to step toward me to step past me back the way he came, and as he passes (did I really? it all happened so fast--I'm sure I did and probably I shouldn't have) I shove him in the back with my fist. He turns back toward me and throws a punch, and as he backs away, as the shock registers on my face where the blow fell, I start back toward him, shouting all the louder, "I will call the police!" but my fists are in the air and he turns tail, shouting over his shoulder, and all I catch is the word "bitch!" before I turn and see that (brilliant!) B is already on the phone with the police.

We continue toward home in shock, B talking to the police (he kept his cool so much better than I did!) and I look over my shoulder and see the guy pushing his shopping cart frantically across the street and into the darkness. By the time the police patrol the street looking for him moments later he is already gone.

* * *

I still can't believe it. I can't believe it happened at all. I can't believe he pursued us the way he did--I've never known a beggar to do that. Once or twice I've shouted threateningly at someone and they always backed off immediately. B thought initially he was drunk; he could also have been high or mentally ill; in my memory all of his chatter is senseless noise except the word "bitch!" floating back to me on the night air.

I can't believe, also, my own reaction. I have imagined such situations a million times--usually I imagine muggers, actually, a situation in which my belligerence could get me killed if they were carrying a gun or even a knife--but my imaginary rehearsals stood me in shockingly good stead, considering that most people who upset me see only a fraction of the aggression I imagine unleashing. Once he crossed the line--initiating contact, shoving me roughly aside--there was no "fight or flight", only "fight" was left, and I think even his final punch was an attempt to regain some shred of self-respect more than anything else. B didn't have a great view and initially thought it landed on my arm--he was gripping his bike and tensed to throw it but the guy was already backing, then half-running away.

I realize that no one has hit me since I had the occasional fight with my siblings as a kid. The taste of pain, the heat of blood rushing to the skin remaining after the initial shock fades to a dull ache--they are familiar, but distantly. I'm so lucky I had siblings. Thank you guys, really, for helping prepare me for this moment. If he had been more aggressive, if he hadn't run, B and I could have taken this guy easily, pinned him until the police arrived.

In a way, it feels good and alive to feel the blood pumping in my veins and the adrenaline tightening my fists and the muscles tensed to land a blow and even the heat and the pow! and the ache where he punched me--to know that I'm only a "fragile flower" when I choose to be, that I can kick a little ass when called for. In a way, I feel really sorry for that guy, running off alone into the night, hiding from police, with only his shopping cart and his useless cat furniture and his addled and broken mind, while I go home to my beautiful cozy apartment and my fuzzy and loving cat and my ivory-tower books, safely encased in my own white skin, not afraid to tell the police everything, even that I kicked him, because never in a million years would he have the capacity to press charges. Maybe I shouldn't have kicked and hit him--poor, threatening homeless guy.

:D 7/18/2009 04:29:00 AM (1) comments

Thursday, June 04, 2009

 

The funniest part about this is the Swedish bikini-model penguins :)~


Zoo hails gay penguin couple as foster parents
3 Jun 09

Two homosexual Humboldt penguins have become happy foster parents at the Bemerhaven Zoo, marking the first time two male penguins have helped hatch a baby bird in the northern German port city.

The proud fathers, known as Z and Vielpunkt, are one of three homosexual penguin pairs at the zoo. They assumed the role of surrogate parents when an egg was cast aside by a heterosexual pair. The zoo has tried to have gay birds incubate an egg before, but this is the only occasion it has worked.

"We are of course, very excited about this," Dr. Joachim Schöne, veterinarian at the zoo, told The Local on Wednesday.

In late April 2009, a female Humboldt penguin laid two eggs. The hetero couple actively nurtured and incubated the first egg, but for unknown reasons, they simply kicked the second egg out of the nest. Zookeepers placed the second-hand egg near the homosexual couple in hopes that both fathers would care for it as their own.

The two penguins, who have been together for more than five years, have proven to be loving parents and evidently happy fathers, said Schöne.

"It's really touching how they both care for the chick," he told news agency DPA.

According to the zoo, such homosexuality is nothing out of the ordinary in the animal kingdom. And since penguins split parenting work evenly, there are no traditional motherly or fatherly roles.

Schöne said the zoo was ecstatic the gay birds decided to take on the trials of fatherhood and they were "absolutely" accepted by the rest of the penguins.

The zoo has maintained a mix of homosexual and heterosexual Humboldt penguin pairs on its grounds for over three years. Zookeepers had tried to encourage the gay birds to breed with some imported females brought in from Sweden in 2006, but they stayed faithful to their homosexual partners.

With breeding in captivity remaining rare, zoo officials are pleased to have parents of any sexual orientation raising baby birds. Four other eggs are excepted to hatch in early June.

:D 6/04/2009 12:04:00 PM (0) comments

Sunday, May 31, 2009

 

Check it!

Ben Nolan just started a rockin', thought-provockin' new blog: Tied to the Mast.

:D 5/31/2009 10:32:00 PM (1) comments

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

 

You Can't Go Home Again

On August 28th, assuming I manage to set aside my expert-level procrastination for a few more months of sustained hard work, I will receive my MA from the University of Chicago and begin my return to my beloved New York City.

From the moment I made the decision to do this, excitement electrified me at the thought. B and I could finally just date instead of having a "long-distance" relationship! I would get to see all of my old friends again! The city that never sleeps, where one great neighborhood blends into the next, would again be called home!

Until a chance conversation with a friend reminded me that life in New York wasn't quite as rosy as I was remembering it. My rent and grocery costs will likely double, and I'll once again be constantly surrounded by the temptations that ballooned the credit card debt I've actually been paying down as a grad student. Furthermore, even my relationships with friends weren't as great as I remembered them--not because my friends aren't wonderful, warm, loving and funny people, but because, in a word, we were all too busy. We saw each other almost exclusively at church and at church-related functions (small groups, social events organized for the church or a small group, or occasionally volunteering together). Otherwise, it was SO hard to actually spend time together. We worked long hours, we were scattered across the city, and, sometimes, we were just too tired to make the effort. The week before I moved away I had breakfast with one of my dearest friends--with whom, until that morning, I had never hung out one-on-one in the entire time I lived in New York.

When I lived there this was occasionally frustrating and quietly saddening, but I didn't recognize it as the bottleneck preventing our friendships from developing to a deeper level of closeness. Partially this may have been because deep and close friendships can turn cliquey, and as a church-based community we truly valued welcoming people and being open to new friends joining our group. It's a tough balance to strike, but as I've reflected on it, I don't think this is the best way to seek that balance--I don't think that deep and intimate friendships are necessarily cliquey or closed to outsiders.

B, my honey, has a lot of friends through his school (he recently graduated!! congratulations, darling!!) and through the music industry in which he works, and his social network is the foil against which these flaws in my own NYC friendships have become more clear. Without regular church events keeping them in contact, he and his friends take the time, or make the time, to spend together. They shift schedules to meet for coffee; they stay up a little later than they otherwise would have; they find ways to get things done while also spending time together--going shopping, or writing that paper at one person's apartment, or introducing friends to each other in order to hang out with both at once.

I think our desire for friendships like that--where people, as our pastor JR likes to say, actually "do life" together--is why we love shows like Friends, or SATC, or Seinfeld. Life makes it difficult to re-create that closeness (or that comedic element), but have we allowed that difficulty to win? Have we given up?

I love my NYC friends, and I love our church, and I have no doubt that when I return I'll attend Sunday services and mid-week small group meetings just like I always have. But I'm also grateful for B and his friends, who are excited for my arrival and are already welcoming me warmly. I'm grateful for the fact that the other 5 days of the week I'll have other friends who don't need a shared "organized religion" to organize their schedule with some space for me in it.

:D 5/27/2009 09:18:00 PM (0) comments

Saturday, May 02, 2009

 

Can powdered sugar save the bees?

At the back of my mind, for a while now, I've been helplessly concerned about the massive die-offs of honeybees. (Also bats getting the white-nose syndrome.) But, after a reminder from our sponsor Haagen-Dazs, who have taken this on as a little cause of their own, I looked it up and found this optimism-inducing article:

Hopes rise in puzzle of dying bees

Some scientists think that over time bees are getting sick due to long-term exposure to a variety of pesticides. One pesticide is applied by beekeepers themselves to prevent mites that feed on the bees' blood. " 'Instead of one disease, we have several,' Caron said. 'The pesticides are tying up the way they fight these things.' "

Another way to keep off those mites? "Powdered sugar. Beekeepers can sift the sugar into a hive, which coats the bees and knocks the mites off."

Hooray! Domino Sugar, you've found your new community cause.

:D 5/02/2009 06:44:00 PM (2) comments

Saturday, April 18, 2009

 

Gautam Bhattacharjee, Leave Me Alone!

I should ask Chris Crocker to make a youtube video to Gautam Bhattacharjee for me. I have no idea who he is or how he got my email address, but I do know that his favorite activity is joining online social networks. Since September 2007 he has joined Yaari, WAYN (where are you now), Indyarocks (more than once), Netlog, Scour, Brijj and ApnaCircle, and has invited me to all of them. He may or may not have 5 different profiles on Facebook, only one of which has a photo. He also very kindly sent me a link-filled newsletter on the uses of magnesium in the human body.

Last week I decided enough was enough. I sent him an email with the subject heading, "Gautam Bhattacharjee, who are you and what do you want from me?!" I explained briefly that did not want to receive any more social network invitations.

Today I got an email from Gautam Bhattacharjee. I was so excited! The mystery was going to be solved! The idiot would apologize for the spam and we could all move on with our lives! I opened it up and it said...

Reminder: I have moved to Indyarocks.

:D 4/18/2009 01:43:00 PM (1) comments