11 posts tagged “política”
I'm not having a good day. No, I don't want to talk about it.
Also I'm getting a fairly hideous headache. And my boss is ten minutes late for our meeting. If he's not here in another five I am going home.
In lieu of my own content, links:
- "At the beginning of the 21st century, the typical American suburb is just about the safest place that has ever existed in the history of the world - yet it's full of terrified people."
- The headline says it better than I could.
Maybe everything would be better if I had one of these:
see more crazy cat pics
I'm sure you've all probably seen this in various form around the net, everyone and their brother seems to be reposting it (usually with out credit the original photographer):
What the World Eats, photos by Peter Menzel. It's a series of pictures of families in different nations, sitting with all their groceries for one week. This was originally emailed to me by a work associate, with the comment, "Don't know about you, but right about now, I'm counting my blessings! Sure glad we live in America." Really? Really? I am seriously appalled that anyone would look at this and take that sentiment away from it. My immediate response to it is that I have been slacking lately on my personal pledge not buy prepackaged food and to eat more vegetables. My secondary response to it is that middle class culture, universally, around the world, eats a disgusting amount of non-food items. This is clearly one more sign/symptom of the decline of western civilization. I am going to eat an apple now. And then contemplate making my own tortillas and subsequently my own tortilla chips, as that is one of the few packaged foods I cannot live with out. I will, of course, never follow on this contemplation.
Naturally before I was sitting here feeling all high and mighty about this, I was out, earlier this morning, where I bought myself a bunch of make-up and other useless crap. So later I can go home and make myself feel very very pretty, while simultaneously beating myself up mentally for not being a hairy-legged hippie who could care less about how she looks. Le sigh. Perhaps as I move into my 35th year my meditations should focus more on accepting and balancing the series of contradictions that I am.
I have actually been thinking about food a lot lately. I've run across stories about the current global food crisis in a variety of media this week. I find it really upsetting. America, the Land of Plenty, people starving in other countries, blah blah blah. Sure, right, who doesn't find it upsetting if they dwell on it? The failure of decent world trade, the crumbling international economies, the terrifying rise of nationalism and conservative ideals in middle class "Western" countries, and very real threat of global climate change are all very clear signs that we have passed a tipping point. Sure crazy radical revolutionaries like myself have been saying such things since the 70s (and surely earlier) that western civilization will topple, that we are living in end times, that we've too long been living on a bad colonial model and living beyond our means. I just don't know what is to be done about it. I mean, I live in and am a product of the country and the culture into which I was born. I am incredibly materialistic, and yet ethically against the very foundations that make that kind of materialism possible for me. I am, essentially a moral failure, though still incredibly idealistic. The question is, really, what to do about it? I mean, I'm not going to run off and live in woods and grow all my food. I can continue to work to be a better person. But, how much work do I need to do? Can I be satisfied working in small family-owned business, and working to make small steps in teaching people about energy conservation? Should I run off work harder to help feed poor kids in other countries? Would it even matter if I did?
Ugh, I anticipated introspection this week, pre-birthday and all. I wasn't actually expecting to have a moral crisis about how I live my life. Excuse me, I'll be over here in my designer jeans, putting on eyeshadow and trying to calculate how much I have spent on cosmetics and wondering many months of food I could have purchased for a family in Africa with that cash. Later I will go out and have fun with my friends and then stick myself with pins for not remembering to feel the suffering of the rest of the world acutely enough. Or perhaps I'll forgo all of that, take up pot smoking as a hobby, and forget I ever worried about any of this.
Some mornings I just can't win. Woke up 40 minutes before my alarm, laid in bed for 20 minutes and fell back asleep about the time I'd decided to get up. Overslept. Raced around getting ready. Picked clothes that matched. Got to work, caught myself in the mirror and realized that I look like my mom. Sure, my mom is beautiful, she was insanely gorgeous when she was young, but man, I would rarely be caught dead in her clothes. The problem here, I believe, is the shoes. The very comfortable shoes, which my mom picked out, purchased for me, and then bought herself a matching pair. I probably never should never have let that happen.
And while I was driving to work there was this whole thing on the radio about the Chinese economy and I got to thinking about how we've completely screwed ourself in the US. And how it's really this insane culture of consumerism and disposability that has fucked us. I mean we've sold off our entire manufacturing industry to lowest bidder in Asia and other places, so that can create for us massive amounts of stuff we don't even need. I mean really, there is nearly NOTHING at Walmart that you or I need. Sure you can get lots of cheap stuff there, but why do you needs many cheap items when perhaps one good one would do whatever the job is? OF course, obviously, I am as guilty of buy into this consumerist economy as anyone is. Sure as guilty as I feel about it doesn't seem to stop me too much. Partly because while I understand this idea of everything each individual does does matters, I'm not sure it's true. I don't shop at Walmart. So? Does that really change the entire culture of my country? Because a drastic, 180 change is all that is really going to make a difference. In 50 years can we get everyone into the culture of conservationism so fully that we no longer even need to manufacture plastic trinkets and cheap knockoffs overseas? So we can return to manufacturing in this country (using renewable power) and go back balancing our import /export levels? Can we create enough decent paying jobs for our own citizens so that those same citizens can afford quality items made here and eradicate the needs for using cheap overseas labor?
Ugh, sorry, it's not like I have any new, interesting or original ideas there. I'm just really bothered by it today. I will resume (after last weekends retarded mass of shopping) to buy as much as I can used, or made in America, and really just to buy less. Maybe next week I'll give you my high horse lecture on packaging and how we should all be boycotting the absurd packaging that wasting resources on everything we buy.
And, superficially, and self-servingly, let remind you that my birthday is in 14 days, and if you're so inclined, you should buy me something handmade.
Um, hi. It's sunny. I 'll be over here in my mom outfit drinking more coffee and getting to work, yeah?
Continuing what seems to be a trend, after a fairly unproductive weekend, I got a shit-ton of stuff done yesterday. I guess I should just face it, no matter what I think of Saturday and Sunday, Monday is really my getting stuff done day. All laundry is done, I got a bunch of new jewelry made--not as much as I wanted because the muscle movement needed to wrap wire turned out to be fairly painful on my scabby tattoo. Talked to my mom who recc'ed some movies, as she does, and did not sound at all thrilled that I got another tattoo, as she also does. Finished and uploaded a website for work. Cleaned my room and put away the clean laundry. Watched Scrubs.
This morning I stopped at the good store to stock up on snacky and lunch-like things for work. I got whole grain rye crackers and hummus instead of potato chips and mayo-dip. Am feeling superior about my recent eating habits. Now if I can just remember to drink a river's worth of water today I should be in excellent shape.
My mood so far is far cry from yesterday's hormonal destructomatic. I updated my Pandora station and it is giving me all love right now. So barring any work absurdity (which is always imminent) I should be a-okay today. (And if I can manage to continue to ignore the cold, beating wind and dreary grey. Go away, winter! I don't want you!)
And now for something completely different:
Why I will vote Ralph, an essay by Miss Adventures in the 37206
Ralph Nader has tossed his hat in the presidential ring again. I am not ashamed to say that I voted for him twice before and if he comes up with the cash and is on the ballot again, I will cast a third vote for him. I can already hear all my friends, the good Democrats among them anyway, declaring that I am either throwing away my vote, or worse that I am damaging the party's chance of winning. So let me explain, right here, why no matter how strong the argument, I can't be swayed from my opinion.
I love my country and to some extent I love the political process here. But I am very much and idealist. Obama's idealism does appeal to me, as do his emotional speeches. However, the political process here has become very limited by the strict two party system, choked with party platforms that I am not wholly behind. Both parties I find crooked and not representative of your average American. So while the Green Party does not necessarily entirely represent my beliefs, the idea of a system containing more parties/points of view is so important to me that I will back it every time.
Politics are incredibly corrupt in this country. Perhaps it's necessary to get things done because of the size of the country. I don't know. I do know that I am more interested in what is good for the American people, the average worker, the new immigrant, the elderly, than for corporations and already rich white guys. From my point of view, Nader speaks more to that than any of the other current candidates. He is driven, he does have an agenda, but I hear in his words that he cares more about individuals than about money and power.
It's an exciting time to be alive. I am genuinely thrilled by the prospect of our first female or black president. However, neither candidate has in any way shown me that if elected they will really change our country (more than the obvious advancement for women's rights or racial equality). As I said, I am an idealist. I want change. Academically I have a strong education in movements of extreme change. Revolutions. France. America. The former Soviet bloc countries. It does seem impossible and potentially dangerous in modern day America, but we need change, we need to shake things up. I declare myself completely unsatisfied with the current party choices, with the current party system, with the way things have been done in the last 25+ years, with the way beloved country is slowly being driven into the ground.
My voice is small in this huge nation, but it still works. All I can do is use it to say, no I don't want this, I want something different. Right now, Nader is my choice for that. Ron Paul is that man for many people, and I respect that. I encourage it, in the sense that I hope people will stand behind someone they feel really represents their beliefs, ideals and needs. If Obama or Clinton is that person for you, great!
I know the potential consequences of my decision and I stubbornly stand behind it. If you're interested, there is a great interview with Nader here. I'd like to definitively say that this isn't an arguable point for me. If you feel differently than I do, I fully support you in that, so please respect my choice. My mind can't be changed. If you know me at all, you know how stubborn I can be.
And hey, no matter what you think, go vote, it's the loudest voice you have, no matter how you use it.
And in the vein of every single little thing in this entire post, here is a song for you--
It's WAY too cold. After yesterday's balmy spring-like temps and last night's insane windstorm it should just not be this cold at 11 am when it's this sunny out. BRRRRR!
I am cranky today. The smallest things are irritating me.
So I wrote way, way back that the idea of Guiliani vs. Clinton race was utterly abhorrent to me. I'd probably abstain from voting at all. Now people are talking McCain vs. Obama, which well, I'd go with Obama, I guess. Not so much from party loyalty exactly (fucking Democrats, arg), but because Sen. Kennedy endorsed Obama and whithers goes my tribe as goes Teddy K. But I was listening to the radio this morning talking about the FL primaries and future possibilities and I realized that if it came down to a McCain vs. Clinton race, I'd have to back McCain. I've been saying forever that people, in general, probably unconsciously, vote for the candidate they'd most like to have a beer with. It's how Bush got elected in the first place. A coworker asked me last night about Obama, she said they rest of the staff was behind him but they weren't really sure why (as they don't follow politics enough to worry about policies or anything). I am sure why, because we work in a bar and Obama is the only candidate on the liberal side that we'd want to come hang out and drink with us. Period. It's the way the populace votes. I have other reasons to dislike Hilary, but mostly there's no way she'll manage to come across as someone warm, pleasant and friendly enough to hang out with for a Pabst and therefore she's unelectable. Also Edwards dropping out is a big time bummer. And I am so tired of this election already.
I want new shoes. Instead I will pay bills. Boo.
I don't know if you know anything about Ingrid Bétancourt, but she's been hostage in the jungle of Colombia for the last six years. A few weeks ago the guerillas holding her released a short video of her and a 20 page letter she'd written to her mother. At that time they interviewed her sister on NPR and read portions of the letter. I was driving home at the time and had to pull over because I was crying so hard listening to her letter to her mother. Today the FARC, her captors, released two other hostages. NPR had Bétancourt's husband on talking about his hopes and what the family has been doing. In addition to working with Hugo Chavez and others to negotiate release if possible, her husband has apparently been chartering small planes and flying over the jungle dropping thousands of pictures of her children in hopes one will make it to her. I really cannot express the amount of emotion this whole story stirs up in me. Like listening to her husband today I just kept saying "oh my god" and fluttering my hands to my chest. I was so completely overcome. I feel so bad for Madam Bétancourt, her family, her loved ones, and her country. I really can't explain why, but the entire thing stirs up something really deep, horrible and painful inside me.
An email from my mom, directly copied and pasted:
You know you can count on 1 or fewer fingers the number of broadcasts political appeals that I have ever sent.
I'm conscious that many of my friends and family are on opposite sides of the political pole from me.
But, as an American and a decent human being, I believe that what our
country is doing in Guantanamo is a black, cancerous blot on our
international reputation, the heart of the Constitution, and our shared
human souls. Our children and our children's children will wonder why we didn't do something to stop it.
This is a minor action to take: Please wear orange on Friday to show solidarity with the efforts to close Guantanamo.
We
are a nation governed by the rule of law. It's what our better
angels seek when we try to assist other countries in human-rights
turmoil. We must show by our actions at home that we truly believe in
the rule of law.
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/closeguantanamo.html
This morning on NPR they were talking to academics from Iraq who have fled the country. It made me really sad. I think one of the things that vast majority of Americans don't understand (or don't give time to think about) is that Iraq is a middle class country. That is to say the level of education, the amount of money and education etc. that people have is comparable to western Europe or any of the "first world" nations. It is often depicted in the media etc. as a sandy, desert place full of barefoot boys and bearded men in turbans. But the truth is it was a country full of thriving cities no different from ours here, with people doing all kinds of work and those people, people quite literally just like you and I are now living in extreme danger. Danger from the actual facts of war: bombs, gunshots, beatings. But also from the current regime of fundamentalists that are over taking. This, in my opinion, isn't so different from what happened in Iran, where the entire educated middle class was crushed under the heel of extreme fundamentalism. (HA! Just as I was typing that one of the guys on the show said much the same thing!)
It makes me really hurt, partly because I feel so bad for all these people. People who love their country, the land they come from, who are cast out, running, fearing for their lives because of their beliefs. But it's more than that, I don't feel in any way protected from this myself. I don't doubt the possibility of something similar happening here. We aren't so high and mighty anymore, as Americans. The threat of losing our rights and moral liberties to fundamentalism overtaking government is much more real threat than communism ever was, and more insidious because it will come from inside and we will be too complacent to do anything about it.
Now, people are calling in and apologizing to these men for what American did to Iraq. I need to start thinking about something else before I burst into tears at my desk. But you should all go listen yourselves.
(Found around the 'net. Originally, I believe, from Glamour magazine.)
1. Buy a holiday turkey for a family in Baton Rouge (home to thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees) for $25 at brfoodbank.org.
2. Offer snow-shoveling services to an elderly neighbor. Excellent exercise, and there may be cocoa in it for you.
3. Support the troops with warm socks, deodorant, Cheez-Its: Find their wish lists at anysoldier.com.
4. Donate new blankets to kids in homeless shelters at projectnightnight.org.
5. Buy funky gifts at thrift shops that give back, such as Out of the Closet; sales help support the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. For locations, see outofthecloset.org.
6. Before you shop online, go to goodshop.com. Then buy from participating retailers and the site donates a portion of your purchase to the charity of your choice.
7. Give manicures at a local nursing home.
8. Spend an hour or two a week helping an immigrant learn English (check out literacyvolunteers.org).
9. Help protect half an acre of rain forest in South and Central America with a $25 donation at rainforestalliance.org.
10. Donate old cell phones to victims of domestic violence for emergencies (go to ncadv.org and click “donate”).
11. Vaccinate 50 people around the world against deadly diseases such as meningitis, measles or polio with a $50 donation at doctorswithoutborders.org.
12. Provide a month of care for a woman or child rescued from sexual slavery for just $30 at sharedhope.org.
13. Get friends involved. To find group volunteer projects, go to thevolunteerfamily.com.
14. Clean out your closet! Then donate old glasses (neweyesfortheneedy.org), shoes (shareyoursoles.org) and even wedding gowns (makingmemories.org).
15. Go to glamour.com/woty to get inspired by our 2007 Women of the Year winners and to support their charities.
16. Find projects that help people in your very own zip code at dosomething.org.
17. Make a $10 donation to freethechildren.org and a special matching-funds program will turn it into $100 worth of medical supplies for kids around the world.
18. Mentor an at-risk teen online at icouldbe.org.
19. Volunteer—inside or out—at a national park (nps.gov).
20. Play the Mozart concerto you’ve (almost) mastered for seniors. For local programs, see volunteermatch.org.
21. Help an aspiring student pay for college at scholarshipamerica.org.
22. Send a DVD or video game to hospital-bound kids via childsplaycharity.org.
23. Staying home for the holidays? Donate frequent-flier miles to injured soldiers’ families at heromiles.org.
24. Tutor a future J.K. Rowling at 826national.org.
25. Look at your medical history, then donate to a cause that could help your loved ones, be it the American Heart Association (americanheart.org), Susan G. Komen for the Cure (komen.org) or another charity.
26. Loan money to a budding entrepreneur in the developing world at kiva.org.
27. Train your pooch to be a therapy dog for nursing homes and hospitals at tdi-dog.org.
28. Sell gifts you don’t need through eBay’s Giving Works program (givingworks.ebay.com), which earmarks a percentage of sales for the charities of your choice.
29. Give to donorschoose.org; a small donation can help create cozy reading nooks for underfunded classrooms.
30. Upgrade your laptop; worldcomputerexchange.org will send your old one to a child in one of 61 countries.
31. Give blood (to find out where, go to givelife.org). What better reason to stop and lie down for 10 minutes?
How do you accidentally taint toys with GHB? Seriously, I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but how does one have an
