The Latest News

It's been awhile. I know. I have been away.

So, what's new? Well, I have just discovered a brand new food stuck comonly known as the chickpea (aka the garbanzo bean) and I am in love. It has a buttery flavor that surprises the palate. Plus, it fufills all the requirements... it's cheap, storable for long periods in my cupboard, able to be cooked in one point with no more than three additional ingredients (can not handle more than that), healthy, and, of course, something I am actually able to cook. Needless to say, there are not many foods that fulfill these stringent requirements so any new addition is always celebrated with glee.

What else... Barack did it. And, it looks like the environment might actually be a factor in this election. That's a promising bit of hope. Another bit of hope, my mother is no longer drinking bottled water because, and I quote (please imagine in a slight Chicago accent but please do not ever mention this to her, for your own sake), 'I realized that's a lot of plastic I generate.' She mentioned the cancer thing too but of course 'they're always saying things like that'. My stepdad (aka world's coolest man aka if everone could be like him the world would be such a wonderful place although my mother would have to be institutionalized for having been driven insane) actually went kayaking with me and even tried to get us into some wetlands. It was very sweet and I'll be honest, no one in my family has ever taken any interest in anything environmental, ever. They aren't bad people or horrific consumers (not this side at least) they just are hard-working midwesterners with more important things to worry about. So, yeah, I just got back from a family reunion. Hadn't seen my family in years. Good times were had I do have to say. I didn't even cry, not once. And, I think I am my aunt's hero for telling my mom to quit complaining.

So, I guess you could say I'm feeling pretty good. Maybe it's because I haven't watched the news in about 3 weeks so I have nothing to be pissed off about. I don't know. But the vitriol has subsided, at least for a little while. And, if I might add, none too soon. I was starting to get ornery.

What else, fuel prices, I guess. The story is getting old though. It will be news again if the prices don't rise.

Oh, I saw Richard Simmons. He was on the second leg of my three-plane ride, 'I'm not even going to tell you how many hours long but I am still tired a week later' ordeal to get home from the family reunion. Mr. Simmons was sitting in first-class. Unmistakeable in his red tank top and curly 'what Donald Trump wishes he had' hair. I couldn't tell you about the shorts because he was sitting in the window-seat so I could not get a look. He has aged since the torturous gym classes of my middle school years and his hair has thinned a bit (yes, it is real), but he's looking good. He was very smiley but not in a creepy way, in a happy nice kind of way.

No, I did not talk to him.

I have decided that World of Warcraft is definitely evil. And I am one of the lucky few who has had basically no experience of it at all. Just what I overhear and... it is evil. I am glad that no one reads this because otherwise I would probably be hunted down and killed for what I have just said. But the truth must be spoken.

And I am not talking about baseball. I just can't. It's too painful.

Mother Nature, Do Not Mess With Her

There are massive floods in the Midwest. Man-made dams and reservoirs are bursting. A lake has burst its berm sweeping away several multi-million dollar homes in the process, a man-made lake. It's the worst flooding in the last 15 years.

When will people learn that mother nature will take back her land. Rivers flood their banks and water will eventually go where it wants. And it is well known that bad floods happen. A little thing called the 100-year event. I just get mad at our attempts to control hydrology. It has such horrible effects on the environment. I just find it interesting that the worst damage is occurring at engineered sites.

And by the way. Why don't the airlines design some more fuel-efficient airplanes? We all know oil prices are never dropping. Doesn't matter that much to me. I'm all for airplanes charging by the pound, I only weigh about a 100 pounds.

Impeach Bush Movement

Now, I'm pretty sure that you have all figured out that I am fairly liberal in my politics and not the biggest Bush fan (both literally and figuratively, ha ha ha). But, to each his own.

However, what I do feel is that ALL Americans, no matter what their political, social, religious bent have to agree on is that we currently have a president who repeatedly violates the Constitution and has committed numerous impeachable 0ffenses. These are facts. Even rightwingers don't deny that just add on a lot of but's. Me, I don't believe in buts (do not confuse with butts, because those I do believe in).

But anyways, the impeach Bush grassroots organization (only political group I have ever belonged to) is organizing a one-day phone protest. On Tuesday, June 3rd, please call John Conyers (he is head of the Judiciary Committee) and say 'You have a constitutional and legal obligation to act on impeachment. The Bush administration intentionally deceived the public to go to war, and the people of this country demand that they be held accountable." The telephone numbers are: 202-225-5126, 202-224-3121, 202-225-3951, 313-961-5670, 734-675-4084.

Just because a man is a Republican or a born-again does not mean that he should not be held accountable for his crimes. If anything, he should be held to a higher moral ground.

And remember, we, not so long ago, impeached a man for getting a blow job. I think a fairly loose precedent has been set.

The Real Reason We Are on Mars

So a NASA probe has just landed on the north pole of Mars. This is a fabulous scientific achievement that will no doubt vastly increase our knowledge. But, this is not why the US government is funding this. Come on. The search for life on Mars is really just the cover.

They're really looking for resources.

Crunch at the Pump

So, gas is at an outrageous price. I guess I haven't realized cause I hardly ever drive. In fact, I have pretty much avoided driving my entire life. It's not that I don't enjoy a good drive. I love to drive in the mountains and through the great North. I like it more in the passenger seat. But everyday driving. And traffic. And don't get me started on parking.

I've never understood it. A couple of years ago when I lived in Florida, people thought I was weird, walking to work. I didn't have a car though so they kind of got it. No one realized that I loved walking to work. It was a great empty (but safe) road. What a way to wake up in the morning. And, the best way to decompress after a long day. Quiet and peace. Or music and dancing. Even singing in the rain.

Even two years ago, I had a car (which I frequently loaned out, others needed it). But I only drove to the grocery store or Wal-Mart maybe once a week. And I walked to and from school every day. Why? Because it took less time than driving, finding parking, etc. And it's so much more enjoyable. People thought I was nuts.

Then, last year I got a great job but it meant I had to drive. I spent about $10 a week on gas. Then summer came and my car broke down. Horribly. And horribly expensive. Took me awhile to get it fixed. I had to take the bus. To tell you the honest truth, I stalled on getting my car fixed because it was okay with me. I like taking public transportation. It's fun. Have you ever watched the people on the bus. You do not get better people watching than that. And sometimes they really do make you smile.

So, now summer is back. My car is working. And I'll still take the bus sometimes. And I'll definitely walk to the free shuttle. The great thing is that people won't think I'm quite so weird.

I still only spend $10 a week at the pump.

Stolen Grass aka one more sign of the armageddon

Thieves have stolen strips of sod from an elementary school. It was really nice grass that they had planted themselves as part of a project building a stage. They got to put on one performance.

And then people stole their grass! Who the hell steals grass from an elementary school. Seriously, aren't there some rich people out there?

I swear I'm not a crazy person

So, I swear that I am not really a crazy person. But I honestly do think that the 'Armageddon' (I in no way mean a literal translation, in no way). Well, I hope that I am wrong. I really think it will be more of a plague-like illness.

But anyways, I have been joking about this, and dreaming about this, for just a little bit too long. And this whole Burma/Mynamar thing is the prime setting. With no food, no water, no sanitation, disease is going to hit and it's going to hit hard. And when help finally gets in, it could be just in time to spread a new superbug throughout the world. I just worry that five years from now when we look at the devastation, we will be able to point our fingers back to this time. And now tornados, and an earthquake in China.

It's just, doesn't it seem like the Earth is trying to tell us something?

At least now I don't sound like such a crazy person. All my Armageddon talk (again, I mean more of a world-altering event, the kind only seen in the movies, no biblical message to be inferred in any way shape or form) has been getting a bit much lately. I watched a documentary about Bellevue Mental Hospital and I realized that there is a very fine line between genius and insanity and I believe that it primarily revolves around keeping one's mouth shut. So, I need to keep my mouth shut. Plus, I've been back on my nuclear fusion idea. And trust me, no one likes listening to that one.

I guess all we can do is wait and see.