How could anyone hurt a pig?!?!?

Now, I eat pork, and I find it mighty tasty. I don't know exactly how I justify this, while at the same time holding a huge soft spot for the snouted creatures. All I can say is that eating pigs once they have been killed seem to be okay with me, but actually hurting them while they are alive and being cruel to them is a very big no-no!!

I came across a story on the cnn.com website from a couple of days ago about these awful people in Iowa who take out all their pent-up frustrations due to huge inadequacies in every aspect of their life (this is my deduction) by doing horrible things to the pigs they grow for Hormel.

Read the story here and get mad!!

The awful, awful men apparently stuck metal rods up sows' patoots, and even slammed cute little piglets on the floor! Now, I have been around pigs before, and know how large they can get. I wonder why the sows didn't turn right around and smash those bastards to the ground and stomp on them!!

UPDATE
I had actually written the above before watching the video accompanying the story (click "Video" at top right to view) and I have to admit that it made me so mad that I actually teared up (annoying thing I do when super pissed, I cry, go figure). I usually poke fun at PETA and I think a lot of the things they do are really hypocritical, but this time I hope that they bring these assholes to full prosecution. The video is appaerntly "heavily edited" and I can't even imagine what else they do to these poor piggies. Hateful hateful people!!!

Best Political Commentary on YouTube

Hahaha. "If he said 'put lipstick on a pig and it's the second coming of Reagan, then you'd know he was talking about Sarah Palin."

And go to 2:43. Purty pig! Purty pig!

Things that make me happy

I feel particularly jolly today. Perhaps it is because my morning started out by waking up next to my best friend (awe!); or perhaps it is because I have decided that I need to be positive and optimistic about life in general. Whatever the cause, today I was struck at nearly every turn by things that made me happy, and I'd like to share them.

1. I walked out of my apartment today, turned the corner, and arrived at the Copy Factory from which I sent a fax out. I love living close by to necessary things, and I love that I have small private business options, instead of having to go to conglomerates like FedEx Kinkos which basically suck you dry. Case in point: for the same project that FedEx Kinkos would have charged me around 200 bucks, the Copy Center charged me $16!!!

2. My blue suede shoes. They are adorable, and comfortable, and blue! I wore them to my interview at FSI today, and I think they definitely helped me feel confident, vibrant, and prepared to handle anything. Don't think a pair of blue suede shoes can accomplish this? You clearly have never stepped into a pair of blue suede Mary Janes with a flower on the side!

3. Sugarland. I L-O-V-E Sugarland. No, this does not refer to a candy store, but rather to my new favorite band! I have been listening to their music for about a year now without knowing who they are. First, I heard "Stay," a lovely acoustic ballad about loving a married man who inevitably never does leave his wife, and the hard realization that it's better to move on than to be a door mat. I used to bump this LOUD on my drives home from Honnold at 2 in the morning. Then, I heard "Settlin'," the should-be-theme-song for anyone who's ever woken up one day and thought, "What am I doing with my life, wasting it away in this dead-end relationship?" The song captures that moment of clarity when you realize that it's better to be alone that be waiting on Mr. Wrong to mystifyingly turn into Mr. Right. Then, I heard "Everyday America," a song that misleadingly gets you to bop your head and stomp your foot before you realize that you're singing along to a song pointing out that everyday Americans are often barely getting by, but that somehow they push on and make the best of life. Then, I heard "Baby Girl," the sweetest song ever! Basically it's about a young girl struggling to make it as a singer, asking her parents to send her some money so she can get by; luck is hers, and she becomes a big star, and it's her turn now to send money to her parents, to whom she writes,

"Dear Mom and Dad,
I'll send money. I'm so rich that It ain't funny.
Well it oughtta be more then enough to get you through.
Please don't worry cause I'm alright,
I'm stayin here at the Ritz tonight,
Whatta ya know we made our dreams come true!
And there are fancy cars and diamond rings,
But you know that they don't mean a thing,
Well they all add up to nothin compared to you,
Well, remember me in ribbons and curls...
I still love you more than anything in the world
Love,
Your Baby Girl"

Then, I heard... well the list goes on and on. But the point is, I had been singing along to these great songs without ever really knowing anything about the band playing them. Then, M and I watched them on TV, and it was love! This is their website, where it clearly says that they will NOT be playing any time soon in California! Tragedy! Anyhoo, the duo is composed of Jennifer Nettles, who is all teeth and perkiness and smiles, a prettier version of Janis Joplin (and with a cleaner voice) who seems to cute to be country!, and Kristian Bush, who plays a mad guitar and likes fedoras!

4. My DNC shirt. Today I wore the pink "Democratic - Denver Democratic National Convention 2008" shirt that I got in the Denver airport on the way back from Nebraska, and it sparked a nice conversation with the nice man from the Copy Factory! It feels a little like cheating wearing it, because I wasn't at the convention, but I was technically in Denver during the DNC! Anyhoo, the shirt makes me happy for the same reason that people wear Senior Class shirts, or team jerseys - it makes me feel happy to be part of a group, part of an identity with a common interest and a common goal. Plus, it's pink, and pink always makes the day brighter!

5. My upcoming drive to LA. I haven't been to LA in a while, and I really hope to see some of my friends this weekend, while my lovah is at the debauchery that is a bachelor party :)
5a. In addition to seeing some fabulous people while I'm in LA, I'm looking forward to the drive itself, as it will offer the excellent chance to continue listening to Anne Rice's "Blackwood Farm" on CD. It's been too long since we spent any time with Taaaarquuuiiin Blaaackwoood, and I have to know what happens! The book-on-CD is 18 CDs long!!! We are barely on CD 9, I think, so we have a long way to go, but the story is getting good!

6. Costco. How great is Costco? I bought a 36-pack of Diet Pepsi today for the same price as 2 6-packs at Safeway. The only drawback is I can never really make up my mind what else to buy besides soda, bread, and non-perishables, because I fear that the mass quantities will inevitably go bad before we have the chance to eat them! I mean, really, who needs that much cheese?!?!

7. "Scrubs." M and I were pulling "Scrubs" marathons for the past couple of weeks, but we have reached an impasse and need to wait for the next CDs to come. This show is briliant in so many ways. Not only is my second ex-husband, Zach Braff, at his best in this show (or is his best in "Garden State"? Hmm.. It sure as heck wasn't in "Last Kiss," the evil movie from hell! But I digress...), but the writing is fantastic! I didn't think it was possible for a comedy to successfully and sensitively tackle death, or for a show about doctors to make you relate to nearly every character, but somehow, "Scrubs" does. We have temporarily replaced "Scrubs" with "The Office" and it just isn't the same. Sure, "The Office" is funny, but it's no "Scrubs"!

8. Colder weather. I love wearing sweaters, coats, scarves, floppy hats, socks, and my boots with the fur! Fall is beginning to peek through, with a cold breeze every now and then reminding us that the seasons are a-turning, and my new down jacket from Costco is already getting some wear! I feel cozy and comfy in chilly weather, and I only wish it could get only a tiny bit colder, instead of the inevitable COLD that I know I will have to face living in NorCal. I'm trying to hold on to memories of Honnold at 2 am (hmm I see a theme now!) in December, and think, "I can do this, I can do this!" Let me tell you, it is COLD in Claremont in December at 2 am, and after 10 hours of Martha Gellhorn paper-writing, I would emerge from Honnold in scarf, beanie, gloves, and coat, and would drive home to Upland trying not to touch the steering wheel with my bare hands because it was so cold, but also unable to drive wearing gloves because they would slip on the wheel when I turned corners. Oh, joys of grad school!

9. Webcams! I can see my parents every day with the magic that is the webcam! Makes the world much smaller, and lets me show my parents my pretty blue shoes!

10. My boyfriend. Sorry, ladies, but he's taken, and he's the best, so eat your hearts out!

This is from way back when! Winter of 2005, in Big Bear.

Tuesday is Rant Day

A strange and frightening species has invaded my hallowed place of serenity (i.e., the Mountain View Library). Squeals, screams, and whimpers are being heard throughout this place of quietude and reflection. BABIES have somehow appeared in the midst! They are everywhere! I walked across the second floor to use the restroom and I encountered THREE (3!!!!!) babies just on the way there and back. These aren't even toddlers. These are those lumpy, squishy, drooly, kitten-eyed blobs who can't keep their own heads up. Tiny, barely out of the womb babies! What in the name of Melville are people doing with BABIES at a public library? They can't read. They can't even speak. They make random and rude noises, and most importantly, they violate the silence that I and the rest of the studious or otherwise Solitaire-playing people who have come to the MVL for some peace and quiet, seek! I know it's difficult to raise babies and have time for one's own interests, but for James' sake, hire a babysitter or give the kid some Benadryl and leave it alone for 15 minutes while you sneak off to the library for whatever you need. Or better yet, sign on to your laptop at home and trust me you will find whatever it is you need on that incredible invetion, the internet! That way, your screaming BABY will bother no one but yourself and your unfortunate neighbors. Why must people bring their babies EVERYWHERE? The library, the mall, restaurants, even PFF meetings at CGU! Ugh. If I have a baby I hope I don't turn into one of these drones who think because they have to love their spawn, so must everyone around them. It's bad enough when people drag their forsaken tiny dogs in purses and sweaters everywhere, but at least the dogs don't scream bloody murder in the middle of a LIBRARY. Ok, now that the rant is over, I must try to re-focus on the task at hand, which currently is reading up on current public policy issues that the FSI Institute is participating in. Oodles of joy!! (And yes, I am using a picture of Dubya with a baby because he makes me want to scream like the baby he's trying not to drop).

Technical Difficulties Magically Resolved

I believe it was the picture of the adorable pig that made my McCain and Obama, and most importantly, Wall-e videos, go back to working! I am taking this as proof that pigs truly are lucky as well as awesome.

Technical Difficulties!!

For some reason, all the youtube videos (including my Wall-e post!!!!!) are broken. I don't know why, but it makes me very sad! Will try to fix asap.

Lipstick on a Pig

I would like to thank the McCain/Palin campaign for drawing my attention to what has become my new favorite phrase: "Putting lipstick on a pig."

The Republicans are "outraged" that Obama described McCain's policies on the economy, health care, taxes, education, and foreign relations, as likened to "putting lipstick on a pig" -- meaning, they are pretty much identical to George Bush's policies on similar issues, even though McCain is now (and how originally!) running on "change." Why are they "outraged"? Because they believe that Obama's "lipstick on a pig" phrase is a jab at Sarah Palin, who described herself as a "pitbull with lipstick."

The funny thing is, that if you watch the video (clip below), you will hear clearly that Obama is actually talking about McCain, and in fact, not just McCain, but his policies. He is saying, "McCain is trying to sound like he is all for change, but many of his policies are similar to those of George W. Bush. If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig! Calling it "change" but doing nothing different is still the same old, same old." (My paraphrase. You're welcome!)

Watch the clip here: (I'm having trouble keeping my youtube clips on, so if the video doesn't work, go here)



Now, what I find hi-larious is that McCain himself has used this exact same phrase before, and not very long ago! So, in pointing fingers, the Republican camp is completely ignoring the fact that "lipstick on a pig" is a popular phrase (why oh why have I not heard it before?!).

Not convinced? Watch McCain use it here



and again here (around the 29 second mark. keep watching right afterward to watch the LOVELINESS (read, "evilness) that is Fox News): link here



So... the moral of this story is this: There is NO MORAL! This is politics, people. I personally find it a) Ridiculously funny that the Republican campaign thinks that acting all sensitive and inventing personal attacks is an actual campaign tactic; and b) Sad that this kind of tactic actually works with a large part of their voter base.

Here is Obama's response to this "phony" sensitivity used to distract people from the issues.

Obama shirt fr Moveon.org

Hey,

Want an Obama T-shirt? MoveOn's giving them out if you make a small donation (only 8 bucks, people!) to their young-voter registration program, aimed at registering half a million young voters in swing states. I just got mine, and wanted to share the opportunity with you.

Click this link to get your Obama T-shirt:

http://pol.moveon.org/obamatshirts/index4.html?id=-10512612-UTfQsyx

The polls are showing McCain in the lead for the first time. Registering voters is crucial so that come Novemeber, people can actually vote! I sent my registration form in last week. Have you sent yours in?

Anita, Gilberto, and Leah & Luke are up

My last semester at CGU, I interviewed several really interesting people for student and alumni profiles for The Flame. Amongst them was a lady named Anita Boling, a PhD student named Gilberto Ocampo, and a married couple, both PhD's, Leah and Luke Schulte. Well, last night, I accidentally came across the profiles on the Flame website! I did not know that they were up, so it was a pleasant surprise, and I thought I would share them :)

Anita is really an amazing woman, who overcame a great personal loss to go on and do some amazing things with African "virgin" villages (meaning, African villages that have never received outside aid) by creating a non-profit named ViNA (Village Network Africa). During our meeting, she was lovely, and even brought a big bag full of African toys, instruments, and other items from the first village she and her team had been to. Read my profile on her, but know that it is by no means doing justice to the amazing work she has done, or the people she has met!!

Gilberto is also a really interesting figure - a CGU botany PhD student originally from Mexico, he traveled to Australia to do field research on a tiny plant called Portulaca, which may be used in cholesterol medicine. He is very charming, and a great sport, and gave me and my friend Joey a great tour of the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden.

Leah and Luke were really lovely, a couple who met at CGU and have since gotten married. Both are PhD students at the School of Religion, and together, they have put on conferences at CGU where students from different faiths could come together and discuss their points of view.

The profiles are on CGU's The Flame website:
Click here and then go to Alumni Profile for Anita Boling, and to Student Profile for Gilberto Ocampo and the Schultes.