Wilma's Place

Sorry I Caved!

2005-12-29T19:10:00.000-08:00

I know. The comment spam has finally gotten the best of me. I'm going back to MSN Spaces. See you at http://spaces.msn.com/members/wilma.

Aphorisms

2005-11-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

"Life is what you think about all day."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honors are things to be ashamed of."

Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.)

Check out the new book "The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism".

Ultra High Resolution Image of Hurricane Wilma

2005-10-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

Just when I joked about going back to being associated with Wilma Flintstone, my mom sends me this....

Rosa Parks Dies at 92

2005-10-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

The matriarch of the modern civil rights struggle in the United States died last night in her home in Detroit.

Wilma Heads for the Northeast

2005-10-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

Wilma took her toll on both the west and east coasts of Florida over the weekend, and now heads northeast. Her affects on the Northeast can be found here.

It has been fun to follow the hurricane. This week, I was introduced to a couple of new people, and when told my name, they said, "Norma?"

My friend said, "No, Wilma, like the hurricane."

It's the first time in my life that I haven't heard, "No, Wilma, like Wilma Flintstone."

As Wilma, the hurricane, decreases in strength I guess I'll go back to being compared to a cartoon character. Maybe I should wear more animal prints and jewelry with large stones.

Hmmm.

There's a thought.

I've Never Been to Mexico

2005-10-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Wilma heads for Cancun.

Track her course here.

Category 5

2005-10-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

The following arrived in an email from a friend this morning...

"SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras - Gathering strength at a fierce pace, Hurricane Wilma grew into a Category 5 monster storm early Wednesday with 175 mph winds. Forecasters warned the storm was “extremely dangerous” and said a key reading of its pressure was the lowest ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.

I rest my case."

What does that mean? I've always thought I was rather sweet. I don't take any shit from anyone, but I'm sweet until people do me wrong. Really.

Really.

I'm not a monster! It will be interesting to see what remarks arrive in my inbox today.

Hurricane Wilma, however, has gained strength very quickly and is now a record-breaking storm. Check out the story and images here.

I don't recall breaking any records. I graduated third in my high school class, graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Washington while holding down a job and single momdom, and won the "Keep Montana Green" poster contest back in the early 80s, but I am far from a recordbreaker.

Wilma Becomes a Hurricane

2005-10-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

It's official. Wilma is now a Category 2 hurricane.

Some comments I received today included....

"Are you a hurricane yet?"

When I told the landscape architect that I work with, "Wilma's now a hurricane." He retorted, "I knew you were a hurricane the moment I met you!"

Another friend stated flatly, "If it fizzles out without doing anything I'll think it was misnamed."

Well, I have always tried to be the best at whatever I set my mind to.

But the best comment of all came from Anonymous in my previous post. In response to the comment about hurricanes photographing well, I had to find some images of the storm. Take your pick.

While I'm having a little fun with this, we can't forget there is also a serious side to this. It doesn't look like Wilma is fizzling out any time soon. She is already responsible for mudslides and the deaths of 10 in Haiti. Wilma is expected to gain strength in the warm waters west of Cuba and reach windspeeds of 130 mph (Category 4) . She could reach Florida by the weekend.

Sadly, I doubt Wilma is the last hurricane of the season.

Globally warm regards,
Wilma

Tropical Storm Wilma forms in Caribbean

2005-10-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

The last name in the list of Atlantic hurricanes for 2005 is Wilma, and she formed on Monday in the Caribbean.

It is rare for me to meet anyone with the same name. It's even more rare to have a storm with the same name. This is exciting.

Last week, news stories started explaining that since 2005 has been a busy year for hurricanes, the 21 names used to name the storms would soon be exhausted, ending with Wilma. Names thereafter would come from the Greek alphabet, starting with Alpha. Before the storm formed emails started arriving in my inbox last week with subject lines such as...

"Oh man, this is sure to be a category 5!"

"Whoa, watch out for this one!"

and

"We're in trouble now!"

Come on! Am I really so bad?

I tried to think about which of my traits are similar to a hurricane.

Strength. I have that. From categories 1 to 5, I'm at least a 4.

I don't back down easily. (Did I mention that I'm also a Taurus?)

And don't get me started on a rant. I gain momentum along the way.

But really, I don't know. Can I play innocent, and say I don't know what my friends are referring to?

Track the storm here.

The Clock

2005-09-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

While we're bashing Bush, here's another little joke for you....

The Clock
A man died and went to heaven. As he stood in front of St. Peter atthe Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him.

He asked,"What are all those clocks?"

St. Peter answered, "Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on earth has a Lie-Clock. Every time you lie, the hands on your clock will move."

"Oh," said the man, "whose clock is that?"

"That's Mother Teresa's. The hands have never moved, indicating that she never told a lie."

"Incredible," said the man. "And whose clock is that one?"

St. Peter responded, "That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have moved twice, telling us that Abe told only two lies in his entire life."

"Where's President Bush's clock?" asked the man.

"Bush's clock is in Jesus' office. He's using it as a ceiling fan."

A woman's right to choose....?

2005-09-18T23:38:00.000-07:00

Q. What is George Bush's position on Roe vs. Wade?

A. He really doesn't care how people get out of New Orleans.

Ok, it may be somewhat in poor taste, but you have to admit that was a little bit funny.

For three weeks I've been mulling over the federal government's slow response to Hurricane Katrina, and I didn't blog it because I felt I had WAY to many mean and nasty things to say about Bush, FEMA, and the whole concept of 'Homeland Security'. The initial response to the catastrophe in New Orleans and the Gulf region was a national embarrassment of epic proportions.

I'll restrain myself from further comments at this time.

What can you do?

2005-08-26T07:04:00.001-07:00

People often resist changing their lives in any significant way, especially when asked to make changes that would lessen their impact on the planet. Americans in particular resist giving up their car and riding the bus, cutting down on their meat consumption, and living in smaller homes.

However, there are many things that are easy to change that, collectively, can make a big difference.

For example, what if everyone who buys a Starbuck's coffee in the morning used a reusable cup? How many paper cups and plastic lids are going into landfills every day? Remember, there is no such thing as 'throwing something away.' That plastic lid will be here for years after you are gone.

What's one small thing you could do to lessen your impact on the planet?

Our virtual, parallel universe

2005-07-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Should we be surprised to hear that Joseph E. Duncan, III blogged his struggle with right and wrong before kidnapping Shasta and Dylan Groene from their Idaho home? His blog can be found right here on Blogger entitled, Blogging the Fifth Nail.

Just as one meets all types of people on city streets, the blogosphere is filled with all types as well. The difference in cyberspace is one generally judges blog authors by the thoughts they publish, not their physical appearance. When I am walking down a city street I keep my eyes open to avoid anyone who appears to be acting in an unpredictable or questionable manner. Likewise, on the internet, I typically read the first few entries of a blog and make decisions about whether or not I want to continue. I don't spend much time reading about the sex lives of others, nor do I take much interest in blogs filled with anger or hate.

I struggled this morning with the idea of giving Joseph Duncan's blog attention, fearing that blogging it and providing a link would give him additional focus and notoriety. Just as I don't watch shows like Jerry Springer or reality TV, I don't think Joseph Duncan's blog and story should become a movie of the week. I also do not want to show sympathy for him. He is obviously an extremely sick man. I am sure if someone like him ever so much as laid a finger on one of my children, I would want to kill him myself, but that is not what I want to focus on here.

Since his blog was discovered, there have been thousands of comments posted on his website, and for every comment, you can bet there are thousands more, like myself, who have chosen to not publish a comment on his blog.

So then why am I blogging this?

This entry has less to do with Joseph Duncan than it does my reflections on the society we are living in today.

Yes, I went to Duncan's blog. I read some of the entries. But, I read more of the comments. And just like the real world, the blogosphere provides us with comments ranging from, "Bang. No more pervert," to "Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart...", and so on and so on, thousands of them. Most of the comments are filled with anger or encourage Duncan to pray for forgiveness and seek God's help.

But most of them are reactionary.

How can we have a serious dialogue about managing the problems of pedophilia if we never examine and address the causes of such monsterous behavior?

After reading some of the comments on the front page of Duncan's blog, I searched the archives. Duncan started his blog in January 2004. You will find very few comments there, but what you will find are the thoughts of a man who is terribly sick, one who I believe was asking for help. The very act of blogging indicates that Joseph Duncan wanted to get caught again, to save himself and victims like Shasta and Dylan.

But nobody was listening.

It reminds me of the people you see on the nightly news after a teenager has murdered his family. "He was such a quiet young man, kept to himself...."

Even in cyberspace, why are we blind to the warning signs until it's too late?

Duncan repeated wrote about asking God for help, yet was unable to take responsibilty for his own actions. Think about it. If a person has no desire to kill, is there really a need for a commandment against it? God and demons are Duncan's scapegoats. Therefore, no amount of religion will save him. He has never learned to take responsibility for his actions, and probably never will.

What happened to Joseph Duncan to make him act this way? Are children born evil, or does our society change them into sick adults like Joseph Duncan? Is it biological or psychological? In this case, and many others, why is religion so often mixed with hate, anger, and violence? Compared to the crime rates of other countries, why is America so violent?

Duncan's blog entry from January 29, 2004 begs the question, "I suspect sex crimes are up, especially the violent stranger type.....I could never guess why. What would ever make a person behave so angrily toward another completely innocent person? Could it be that that innocent person somehow represents society, and the violation is some kind of attempt to regain control...I'm no psychologist, but I do know ignorance never solved anything."

As images of Shasta and Dylan Groene float around my brain I struggle to imagine how the two children could have possibly represented our society to this man. It is incomprehensible, especially, when my current view of our society is represented by the War in Iraq, the Al-Qaida bombings in London, and religion used as a Weapon of Mass Deception. Can my view of society and that of Joseph Duncan's be at all similar? I don't see how two innocent children could represent our sick society.

Perhaps it seems too great a task to understand and treat pedophilia, and so, it is easier and cheaper to react with hatred and violence. But, doesn't immoral behavior breed immoral behavior? (Even the idea of "moral values" is questionable these days.)

What I do know is our current system is not working, and I have to agree with Duncan in saying "ignorance never solved anything." If we never examine and treat the root causes of this type of violence, there will always be more victims like Shasta, Dylan, and their family.

Google Earth

2005-07-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

Download Google Earth, the 3D interface to the planet.

The Corpse Flower is Blooming!

2005-07-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

The corpse flower, Amorphophallus titanum, at Volunteer Park Conservatory is in full bloom. This smelly flower can be viewed until 9 p.m. tonight at 1400 E. Galer Street. It can also be seen on Wednesday - and then starting Thursday morning, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Hold your breath while you're there, but don't hold your breath in waiting to go see it. The flower only lasts a few days.

Tales from the Eastside - Epilogue

2005-06-28T00:28:00.000-07:00

Three months ago when I started a new job in Bellevue, Seattle's neighboring city on the east side of Lake Washington, my friends were a little shocked.

"But you hate the suburbs."
"You're going to drive your CAR to work?????"
"You know, they're swing voters over there."
"It will be good experience for you."
"You're working on the EASTSIDE?????"
"But you HATE the suburbs!"

I did not want to lose touch with my friends in the city, so despite a horrific commute, and expensive parking downtown, I committed to meeting my friends every Friday for Happy Hour in Seattle. We would catch up on each other's lives, and I would tell them what came to be known as "Tales from the Eastside." Many times along the way, I thought about blogging my experiences on the Eastside, but found it impossible to do so.

The main reason was that I did not want to say anything negative or reveal to much about the place of my employment.

Well, all of that changed when I was laid off two weeks ago because the company is having financial difficulties. I no longer feel any loyalty.

I do, however, consider myself a professional, and as such have decided to keep my opinions about this particular organization off of the internet...

The worst part is I'm angry at myself for this whole thing. I was thinking about it, and here's what I concluded....

This situation is like when you meet a potential boyfriend for the first time, and you know in your gut that he is not right for you.

Maybe he lacks education.
Maybe he has a mean streak.
Maybe he's uncouth.
Maybe he's loud and obnoxious.
Maybe he doesn't recognize your intelligence or your worth.
Maybe he's a Republican.
Maybe he drives an SUV.

You get the picture.

...But, you date him anyway.

Because you're desperate......or because you don't have any other options on the table at the moment, and you think he'll fill a void,......or maybe you tell yourself that he's not that bad.

So you start dating, and you settle, even though you know you could do better.

Then he dumps you!

Damn it! I was suppose to dump them!
It's hard for me to be too upset about my unemployment. They did me a favor.

The Design Forum

2005-06-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

I decided to start a blog dedicated to design. I didn't get very far along with the setup, but watch it grow and let me know what you think.

If Clinton was impeachable, then what do you call this?

2005-06-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Bush's deception regarding the build up to the War in Iraq might rise to the level of an impeachable offense. Check out the link above.

HTML Help

2005-06-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

I love the random connections you can make through blogging. A while back I asked for help with the HTML on my Visited Places entry, and a few people responded through comments and email. Some were people I knew and others were not. (The virtual human community of blogging and the interactions that take place still fascinate me.)

THANKS!! to friends and random strangers the HTML is now fixed, and I feel a tiny bit more geeky! I even figured out how to change the text color of the hyperlink in the above paragraph. Aren't you proud of me??

THANK YOU!

Lost and Forgotten

2005-06-16T00:13:00.000-07:00

I just realized something...

In case any of you were wondering what ever happened with my ride on the Harborview Medical Center hamster wheel...

After 3 months, no one from Harborview has called me with a referral to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

They did, however, find me to bill me over $800 for my day in the Urgent Care Clinic.

Figures!

Concert Etiquette 101

2005-06-10T00:51:00.000-07:00

When attending a symphony concert, please hold all applause until the piece has concluded. I realize this can be confusing for some, because there are often little breaks in the music. The music is often in what are called 'movements', and it is considered poor form to applaud during the silence between these movements.

My son had a concert last and although the director announced the music before they started and SPECIFICALLY said, "This piece is in three movements, so if you would hold all applause until the end, that would be appreciated," there were still those who simply could not restrain themselves.

Rather than obscure the first few notes of the second or third movements with your clapping, here is a tip:

You will know the musicians are ready for your applause when the musicians relax, and the director puts down his or her baton, faces the crowd and takes a bow. Sometimes they will even step down from their little box. THAT action is a SURE sign that the piece is finished, and you can applaud to your heart's content without pissing off the rest of those in attendance.

BRAVO!

More cowbell

2005-06-10T00:42:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the radio this morning while I sat in traffic, and a song came on which featured that oft neglected percussion instrument...

...the cowbell.

Check out 'Hazy Shade of Winter' by The Bangles.

Blue Oyster Cult eat your heart out.

HTML Help

2005-06-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

So, in the post below there was something wrong with the HTML. It said my closing lessthan/slash/b/greaterthan needed a matching opening. It obviously is what is needed to make the text on the passport graphic legible, but I can't figure out where it needs to go. Can anyone help?

Anyone?

Visited Places Maps

2005-06-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

I obviously need to get out more!

create your own visited country map

Sitting in an airport on a layover doesn't count.

In the States, it looks like I've missed some of the key Bible Belt states. I'm really bummed about that...

create your own personalized map of the USA

...and I'm not as adventurous as some, but I'm usually well-prepared.


	Your travel type: Culture Buff The culture buff needs to see a museum, an art gallery, a 16-th century church every day during his holiday. When he travels he is always well prepared. He has read history books, speaks a few words of the lingo, knows about the strange habits the locals have.
	top destinations: Venice Paris New York	stay away from: North Korea Ciudad Perdida Darien Gap

get your own travel profile

This is a little scary. I'm hoping to take a trip to NYC this summer to see my cousin. The top sites on my list are MoMA, Central Park and the WTC site for their art/landscape architecture/architecture interest, and then any suggestion on my cousin's list. He's a photographer, afterall. I trust his judgement.

After NYC, where should I go next?

Seeds from Italy for your garden

2005-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

It wasn't until I took a cooking class in Rome in 2002 that I could eat kale and really enjoy it. In the States, I had always been served greens such as spinach, kale and collards that had been cooked down to a limp, dripping mush. If they were supposed to be good for me, all the nutrients had surely been cooked out of them and were probably floating in the water in the pan. (The thought still disgusts me.)

But in Rome in 2002, I was introduced to cavalo nero, black cabbage, or black Tuscan kale. Cooked briefly in olive oil, with a touch of garlic and a sprinkling of sea salt, it was fabulous. The problem was when I came back to Seattle I couldn't find black cabbage anywhere.

Luckily, only three short years later, I have seen it come into the marketplace. It is sold under various names, but Tuscan kale or Lacinato kale can be found at farmer's markets, a few local supermarkets, and organic food distributers, such as Pioneer Organics when in season. You will know it by its long, bumpy, dark green (almost black) leaves.

But sometimes, it's best to grow your own.

This year I am growing Lacinato kale in my garden. Kale grows best in cool temperatures, but you can order seeds now from Renee's Garden, Territorial Seed Company, or Seeds From Italy, and plant them in late summer for harvest in winter. Seeds from Italy carries everything from black cabbage,

to alpine strawberries, which I have NEVER seen here, (If you've only been exposed to the mutated, racquetball-sized freaks of nature sold in the grocery stores, your mouth is in for a delicious journey.)

to arugola, (Rucola in Italian. It's essential to so many Italian dishes, from pasta sauces and soups to beef steak cooked with balsamic vinegar. Yum!)

to zucchini, (The website describes varieties which will produce ample flowers for harvesting. Cooking zucchini flowers is something we don't do enough of here in the United States. The flowers can be picked, stamens removed, dredged in egg, stuffed if desired and fried in olive oil. My favorite, however, is pasta with a zucchini flower sauce. It's delightful!)

to several varieties of Italian beans,

Chioggia beets,

and let's not forget herbs such as basil, rosemary, chicory, fennel, and sage.

What's your favorite Italian vegetable? What do you grow in your garden? What's your favorite Italian recipe, and where did you find it?

I need to go pull some weeds and then cook lunch.

Ciao and chow! Buon appetito!

On Blogging....

2005-05-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

NPR ran a piece on blogging this morning.

Personally, blogging gives me a reason to write. Writing is an outlet for creative energy and angst, a intellectual exercise of formulating my thoughts into what I hope will be something meaningful, a way of being heard, even if no one is listening.

NPR reported that over 32 million people read blogs, while approximately 8 million people write blogs. What are people blogging? An article in the NYTimes Magazine a few months ago stated that most people blog their sex lives. (I typically don't, though at times, I've been tempted to.)

What do blog readers want to read? Which blogs interest you most? Why?

Microsoft Flip Flop

2005-05-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

The NYTimes reported today that Microsoft has again changed their position on the anti-discrimination bill.

There has been a lot of debate in recent weeks over whether or not major corporations should take positions on social issues.

Here's what I think...

If you stand by passively and allow prejudice to become institutionalized you are taking a stand whether you like it or not. Better to be proactive. I'm pleased that Microsoft has re-examined the issue, and listened to its employees.

I'll hold off switching to OS 10.

Big Sigh

2005-04-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much I hate the suburbs?

I want this book.

Microsoft Hypocrisy

2005-04-21T23:25:00.000-07:00

I've been ranting a lot about Microsoft lately, but today I think they finally completely turned me off. For a company that at one time seemed provocative and cutting edge most of my interactions with this company lately have left me feeling they are far too conservative and lacking in creativity.

"Begasse wrote that Microsoft remains committed to "providing our employees with a workplace that is free from any form of discrimination," reported The Stranger.

Then please tell me why Microsoft, a company that offers domestic partner benefits, would take a stand against House Bill 1515, the anti discrimination bill.

It's simple.

Microsoft has chosen to kiss up to an over-zealous, homophobe, Eastside preacher when most major corporations in the Pacific Northwest have supported the bill. In a nutshell, Microsoft caved to threats of an Evangelical boycott.

That's fine. Two can play that game. Google stock still looks pretty good. The use of gmail is on the rise. I think I'll cancel my msn account tomorrow.

Uninspired

2005-04-18T22:35:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a long time I have nothing to say.

Really.

Oh the pressure! My friends want me to write something, but I can't think of anything interesting. Now, I'm forcing myself to write something because I don't want to become one of those bloggers who blogs for a few months and then fizzles out to nothing.

Maybe if I let my thoughts wonder something will come to me.

I realized today that I can't blog about work. It's for the same reason I don't blog about my sex life. It's to protect the innocent...

...or not so innocent.

It's to protect me.

In my previous job, I never stated where I worked until I had actually left the position. That seems like a good policy to stick to with the new job as well. However, I know many of you are curious about the new job. Believe me. There is a cast of characters at the new job who would provide enough material for a very interesting sitcom, but alas, I think I'll only be able to tell those stories over drinks during happy hour.

So, I really do need to blog about work.

Everyone is wondering how I'm doing and how I like it. I'm not unhappy, per se, but I'm certainly not challenged by the work either. I'm at a point in my career where I need to be building up my resume, and acquiring as many skills as possible, and I don't see how that is EVER going to happen at this job.

I don't even have a computer at work! No AutoCAD, no Photoshop, no GIS, no Illustrator, no email, no plotter, no presentation graphics, no construction specifications. Shall I go on? Everything at this place is still hand-drawn! Everything!!! In PENCIL!!! On VELLUM!!!

Friends have laughed and jaws have dropped in disbelief!

Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoy drawing and coloring. My hand graphics and rendering skills are something I'm actually pretty proud of. I don't want to simply be a CAD monkey either, but to have marketable skills in this profession one MUST be proficient in AutoCAD and the graphic design software that gets projects sold. My fear is my skills will go backwards.

I'm hoping I'm just going through growing pains. Maybe I'll get used to it. But I sort of feel like I'm hanging out with a bunch of mammoths who don't know an ice age is coming.

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

2005-04-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

Check out this slide show of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and then take action...

http://www.wilderness.org/slideshow/arcticrefuge.html

Excuse me for my absence...

2005-04-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

Around the time I start thinking nobody is reading my blog I receive three emails asking me where I've been.

Excuse me. I've been busy, ok?

I've been feeling a little out of sorts. I'm trying to figure out whether or not I like my new job, and at the same time, I'm trying to decide whether or not I like my new blog.

Which should I expound on first, blog or work, blog or work.

Blog is shorter.

As many of you know, I recently moved my blog from MSN Spaces to Blogger. While MSN Spaces was fast and easy to use, I found its modules, themes, and general layout confining and too busy. I hated how my previous blog looked. Then there was a small run-in I had with the Code of Conduct, MSN Spaces morality police, and their censorship of my site, the ridiculousness of which nailed the coffin shut for me. Let's just say that Bill Gates and MSN Spaces are too Right-wing for me, and I intend to make the best of my new blog.

Unfortunately, Blogger is not as user friendly. It is taking me some time to customize my blog in any meaningful way. The nice thing about Blogger is that I have much more freedom to create a blog that looks that way I want it to, not the way some aesthetically challenged geek at Microsoft thinks it should. The bad thing is, customizing takes time. Time is something I haven't had much of lately. The other bad thing is truly personalizing my blog on Blogger may require some knowledge of HTML. This is also something I don't currently have but I'm working on it.

Don't worry. I'll eventually get the hang of it and feel more comfortable on Blogger.

Change is good and I don't have any plans to go crawling back to MSN Spaces and their Morality Goons.

I'll blog about the job later.

The wind during the Pope's funeral

2005-04-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

On NPR this morning reporters spoke of a breeze that fluttered and turned the pages of the Bible placed upon the Pope's casket. It sounded so poetic.

These pictures from the Italian newspaper 'La Repubblica' tell a different story.

Challenges to No Child Left Behind

2005-04-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

States are finally starting to rally against the No Child Left Behind Act. Conneticut will become the first state to file a lawsuit challenging the blatant abuses of power presented in this act. Check out this article from the Associated Press.

But with the challenges to the rules about testing and lack of federal funding, it still surprises me that one of the most dispicable portions of this act continues to go unreported. Check out 'No Child Left Behind From What?' on my previous blog. Contact your senators and representatives if you're as disgusted as I am.

Green is the new brown

2005-03-27T18:10:00.000-08:00

The environmental policies of the Bush Administration are as outdated as the grunge look spawned by Rock bands from Northwest logging towns!

In 'Support the War in Iraq: Drive an SUV,' I ranted about the need for people to get a clue and care about the larger issues facing this country and the planet, but today, Thomas L. Friedman, of the NYTimes put things in a much more articulate manner in 'Geo-Greening by Example.'

When it comes to environmental issues, countries in Europe are WAY ahead of us. Tax incentives for green building have been part of governmental policy there since the oil crisis in the 1970s. Check out the Svend Auken lecture on the Seattle Channel.

If Dub-Ya cared at all about anything other than his oil investments, he would push for policies that reward people for making environmentally sound choices.

Instead, we have a President who is so blatantly anti-environment it makes you wonder why he doesn't just flip the switch on a couple of nukes. Maybe he thinks the desertification of our planet, the disdain of the rest of the world, and a slow death are the way to go.

Maybe he was told barrels of oil would buy his way to heaven.

I don't know. I can't even think like that.

Oil-loving, nut-hugger cowboy jeans and are out of style Mr. President.

The styles always get here a little late, but the look in Europe is focused on renewable energy and it's very, very green.

I feel a little dirty...

2005-03-25T09:22:00.000-08:00

...I'll have to do something I haven't done in over five years.

Starting on Monday, I'll have to use my CAR as my primary transportation to work!

Here's how it happened.

On Tuesday, my work with the City of Seattle's monorail planning team ended, and I ventured out on what I had jokingly started calling 'The Wilma Campaign'. (Now here's a W you can vote for!) I don't see myself as very outgoing when it comes to the whole networking game, but in the past month, I had started aggressively making phone calls and visiting with several landscape architects around town. Up until recently, I had taken a much more passive approach. I'd send the resume out, see if anyone bites. That strategy doesn't work. In nine months of sending my resume to folks, I got nothing. No bites, a couple nibbles.

I had four offers of work this week! Two were related to my field. The other two were temp jobs, so maybe they don't count. But when you're trying to pay the rent, work is work. A paycheck is the difference between having a roof over your head and loading all your possessions into a stolen shopping cart!

Before I go on, I have to say that all of the folks I worked with at the City are fabulous. I have never worked with such a progressive, intelligent, caring, fun group of people. They are truly focused on what is best for the city and its inhabitants, and it's good to know that the future of Seattle is in their hands.

But now, I'm off to other things.

On Monday, I will start working at a landscape design/build company in Bellevue. (Yes, this means I not only have to drive my car, but each morning I will also have to assess which bridge is less jammed up getting across the lake.)

But the job will be a great opportunity for me to improve my technical skills and understanding of construction, and I definitely have the sense that this is a company where I will be encouraged to take on my own projects more quickly than at other firms. (I've already talked to architects I know, letting them know where I will be.)

But I'm wrestling with some of these sustainability issues.

1. I'll be driving my car everyday. This will raise my cost of living tremendously. I had been spending approximately $100 a month on transportation, and that included insurance on my car and a monthly bus pass. The expense aside, this means as I sit in traffic on SR520 my car will be spewing carcinogenic green house gases into our atmosphere. Yes, I will be contributing to Global Warming, and the fact that we only have 26% of the snowpack we need in the Cascades. (Folks, wake up! This is where Seattle gets its drinking water!)

2. As a consequence of driving my car, I will have eight hours less per week to do some of the things I enjoy, such as knitting, reading, daydreaming, and chatting with random strangers. All these things currently happen on the bus.

3. I may have to join a gym. I used to get a lot of exercise walking to the bus and hiking up and down the steep hills of Seattle's downtown commercial core. I would walk during my lunch hour to run errands, pick up a library book, or go shopping. Now, rather than walking simply being a part of my daily routine, I will have to schedule time for it. While downtown Bellevue is improving, the bulk of it is a pedestrian's nightmare. I can see myself developing a suburban ass already, and it frightens me! It truly pisses me off when I have to get in my car to drive less than 1/2 a mile.

4. The bulk of the projects this company builds are high-end, single-family residential. I don't even know where to start with the ecological issues surrounding this. Before my friends think I'm selling out, let me say that I myself live in a single family dwelling. However, it is small, has a green roof, rainbarrels connected to all its downspouts, and it's situated in a very walkable neighborhood with good transit connections to just about anywhere. What I fear is that the residential landscapes I'll be designing will be at the edge of a forest somewhere, with one of those grotesque monstrosities of a home plunked down in the middle of hundreds of square yards of lawn the homeowner will want to dowse with pesticides and chemicals to keep green. The homeowners will probably even be Republican.

Oh god.

I am SO out of my element.

But here's my thinking...

Maybe this is an opportunity to make a difference through one-on-one interactions with people.

1. I believe that, given the education, most people want to do the right thing. People perceive golf courses and public parks as huge users of water and pesticides, but in reality, Mr. Joe Schmoe Public causes much more pollution and environmental degradation than public agencies.
2. I, as a designer, can influence what is planted, why, and where. Drought-tolerant and native plants will require much less care and water than non-native ornamentals, and native plants can provide a much needed food source for birds.
3. Through design, I can also encourage natural drainage, water detention, and water retention.

On a personal level,...
...I will save up to buy a hybrid or biodeisel vehicle. Eighty mpg is typical in Europe. The technology is out there. Why aren't we using it? Huh, Mr. Bush, huh, huh????

Former Danish Minister, Energy and Environment, Svend Auken said recently during a lecture at UW's Meany Hall, "If you want to drive a tank, go join the military."

I think it's safe to say The Wilma Campaign will continue, but its new focus will be ecological design, and its mission will be fought one design project and one client at a time.

Go Green!

Serious blogging

2005-03-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

Since I am just starting this blog, I'm afraid people will think I only blog political rants and links to petitions and political actions.

Not true.

Check out my previous blog.

I think you'll find I have a lot to say. Hope you find something you like.

If you want to be pro-life, why don't you stop killing people in Iraq?

2005-03-23T21:20:00.000-08:00

The hypocrisy of the religious right is incredible. It's not okay to let Terri Schiavo die, but it's okay to kill Iraqi civilians and American and foreign soldiers in Iraq.

And this is pro-life???

It seems we treat animals more humanely. If Terri had been the family dog she would have been injected with a happy little cocktail, gone to sleep, and died in peace. Instead, she gets to starve to death while the Republican Party makes her their poster child.

There are two things Terry could have done to ensure her life didn't become putty for the Republican Party to mold into their twisted form of morality:

1. She could have had a living will stating her wishes.
2. She could have converted to Islam, and then Republicans probably would have HELPED her die.

The politics in the Terry Schiavo case are despicable.

The following is information provided by MoveOn.org.

On Sunday, Tom DeLay and Bill Frist, the Republican congressional leaders, convened an emergency meeting of Congress to pass a bill that that interferes with the Terri Schiavo tragedy. And although in five years no other issue has prompted President Bush to return to Washington during a vacation—including the tsunami—Bush flew back from his ranch in Texas to sign it.[1]

Bush, Frist, and DeLay claim that they're acting out of concern for Ms. Schiavo. But a memo intended only for Republican Senators—uncovered by ABC News—reveals Republicans' true concern: "The pro-life base will be excited...this is a great political issue...this is a tough issue for Democrats."[2] This story also takes the heat off Tom DeLay, who is facing a number of serious ethics charges and legal scandals.[3]

Americans can have different personal opinions about what should happen to Terri Schiavo—life is precious, and this case raises some important ethical questions. But we can all agree that that's what the courts are for: to make the call in difficult circumstances. That's why Congress' interference is such an ugly and shameful incident of political grandstanding. There's no legislative purpose here, just a blatant attempt to play politics with someone's life.

We need to tell the Republican leaders in Congress that this kind of pandering and demagoguery will not stand. Will you sign our urgent petition to Congress to tell them they must stop using one person's tragedy for their own political gain, and move on to the important business facing our country?

Sign now at:http://www.moveonpac.org/grandstanding/?id=5254-5616210-CMkbwkr9qQXVSHYwHmjCfQ

Even many right-wing activists are concerned about Congress's interference in this case. GOP pollster Tony Fabrizi told the L.A. Times, "It becomes a more crystallized proof point that we are no longer the party of smaller government. We have become a party of 'It doesn't matter what size the government is as long as it is imposing our set of values.'"[4]

The New York Times talked to David Davenport of the Hoover Institute, a conservative research organization, who said, "When a case like this has been heard by 19 judges in six courts and it's been appealed to the Supreme Court three times, the process has worked even if it hasn't given the result that the social conservatives want. For Congress to step in really is a violation of federalism."[5]

Medical ethicists are also outraged at the armchair diagnoses of Republican doctors in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. As the Associated Press reported:
"It's disturbing that doctors who would never venture a comment about the health of anybody from a homemade video are sitting on the floor of Congress making declarations," said Art Caplan, chairman of the Department of Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine. "My own impression, from a distance, is that they've subverted what they know to be good medicine for the aim of achieving a political goal."[6]

And reporters are now raising questions about a right-to-die law Bush signed as Texas governor, contradicting his position in the Schiavo case. Just last week, the law was applied for the first time, allowing doctors to remove a critically ill infant from life support against his mother's wishes. According to the Houston Chronicle, this marks the first time in American history that courts allowed a pediatric patient to die against the wishes of their parent.[7] As the Knight Ridder News service reports:

"The mother down in Texas must be reading the Schiavo case and scratching her head," said Dr. Howard Brody, the director of Michigan State University's Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences. "This does appear to be a contradiction." Brody said that, in taking up the Schiavo case, Bush and Congress had shattered a body of bioethics law and practice."[8]

It's time to speak up about this kind of political posturing, and ask Congress to get back to work. Can you sign our petition to Republican leaders in Congress to stop grandstanding on the Schiavo tragedy?
http://www.moveonpac.org/grandstanding/?id=5254-5616210-CMkbwkr9qQXVSHYwHmjCfQ

A large majority of the American public agree that Congress was wrong to interfere in the Schiavo case, and less than a quarter believe Congress acted out of real concern about Schiavo's life, according to an ABC poll.[9] And the nation's editorial boards agree. Check out this sampling from many of the nation's papers, compiled by the National Journal's Hotline:

"The U.S. legal system is not supposed to be one of legislative 'do-overs... Lawmakers may believe that they acted this weekend to save a life, but they also took a step that diminishes the rule of law" (Washington Post, 3/22).

"When the Founders wrote the Constitution, they devoted the largest section to spelling out the powers of Congress. Nowhere did they include the right to play doctor. Terri Schiavo's story is tragic enough without political malpractice" (USA Today, 3/22).

"The Bush administration and the current Congressional leadership like to wax eloquent about states' rights. But they dropped those principles in their rush to stampede over the Florida courts and Legislature...It may be a formula for short-term political success, but it is no way to preserve and protect a great republic" (New York Times, 3/22).

"Congress' unwarranted and brash effort to seize judicial power in the case of Terri Schiavo is shameful truly a low point in its recent history" (Kennebec Journal, 3/22).

"What has happened here is that the GOP, famously the party favoring limited government intervention into people's personal lives, has inserted the federal government squarely in the middle of an incredibly personal medical issue. And they've done it all in the name of making sure that some of their core voters stay with them" (Athens Banner-Herald, 3/22).
"Terri Schiavo has the right to die ... Congress and President Bush should be ashamed for prolonging the suffering and trying to legislate what is clearly the authority of the courts to adjudicate" (Atlanta Journal Constitution, 3/22).

"Coming at a time when crucial health care services are being slashed, it is particularly upsetting to see this kind of expensive grandstanding on the part of congressional Republicans over one high-profile case. This is not compassion: This is cold-blooded political calculation" (Charleston Gazette, 3/22).

"One by one, the bedrock conservative convictions of the national Republican Party are giving way...yielding to the demands of a raucous religious right that has become the Republicans' most reliable electoral base" (Trenton Times, 3/22).

"Washington's empathy for Schiavo centers on vying for political points, not merely concern for one family's personal, medical plight. That makes this unwise intervention by elected officials even more distasteful" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/22).

"To have the legislative and executive branches of the federal government mobilize on a Sunday as fast as if we'd declared war in order to intervene in a family's medical dispute is, frankly, frightening. It's an unprecedented intrusion by the highest echelons of federal power into a private hospital room. It's dangerous. And more than a little Orwellian" (Augusta Chronicle, 3/22).

Let's tell Tom DeLay and Bill Frist to get back to business. Please join us by signing the petition at the link below, and sending this message on to your friends and family.
http://www.moveonpac.org/grandstanding/?id=5254-5616210-CMkbwkr9qQXVSHYwHmjCfQ

Together, we can restore some common sense to a Congress that's out of control.
Sincerely,--Eli Pariser and the whole MoveOn PAC Team March 23rd, 2005
Footnotes:

1. Schiavo case exposes political divide in U.S., Reuters AlertNethttp://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N21351168.htm

2. GOP Talking Points on Terri Schiavo, ABC Newshttp://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Schiavo/story?id=600937

3. DeLay Under Fire Over Ethics, Associated Presshttp://www.moveon.org/r?r=667&id=5254-5616210-CMkbwkr9qQXVSHYwHmjCfQ

4. Some in GOP Fear Effort May Alienate Voters, L.A. Timeshttp://www.moveon.org/r?r=668&id=5254-5616210-CMkbwkr9qQXVSHYwHmjCfQ

5. G.O.P. Right Is Splintered on Schiavo Intervention, New York Timeshttp://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/23/politics/23repubs.html

6. Physicians in Congress criticized, Associated Presshttp://msnbc.msn.com/id/7263055/

7. Baby dies after hospital removes breathing tube, Houston Chroniclehttp://www.moveon.org/r?r=669&id=5254-5616210-CMkbwkr9qQXVSHYwHmjCfQ
8. Law Bush signed prompts cries of hypocrisy, Knight Ridder Newspapershttp://www.moveon.org/r?r=670&id=5254-5616210-CMkbwkr9qQXVSHYwHmjCfQ

9. ABC News pollhttp://www.pollingreport.com/news.htm
PAID FOR BY MOVEON PACNot authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Tie a Green Ribbon

2005-03-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

The following is information provided by The Wilderness Society:

Tie a Green Ribbon

Unite Around the Arctic Refuge

America's Arctic Refuge is in danger. This week, oil interests came one step closer to ruining the wild coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge with sprawling oil development. In a backdoor scheme cooked up by drilling proponents, the U.S. Senate has included language in the Federal Budget that could remove protections prohibiting oil development in the biological heart of the Refuge. But the fight is far from over!

Make a statement today. Show your solidarity for America's Arctic Refuge with a visible symbol -- a green ribbon. Tie it in your yard, hang it on your home, pin it on your clothes or wear it around your wrist. Then pass it on. Give ribbons to your friends and family.
Millions of Americans feel strongly about this issue -- and together we will NOT be ignored. Show your support until Congress assures us that the Arctic Refuge is safe from oil drills.

Why This Will Work

Millions of Americans have made it plain that they want the Arctic Refuge protected and yet some members of Congress continue to ignore us. It's time to step up the pressure.
When your Members of Congress come home for recess they will see green ribbons on every street. Strangers who know nothing about the Arctic Refuge will ask about your ribbon and you'll tell them. Soon green ribbons will be tied in neighborhoods across the country, news media in every state will take notice, and Congress will not be able to ignore us.
We are counting on YOU to spread the word. Forward this message to your friends and family. Then buy a spool of ribbon and hand out ribbons to everyone you know -- at work, at church, and everywhere you go! It's easy!

Stand up for wildlife and America's wild places and tell oil interests that they have crossed the line. Don't sit quietly while our wild heritage is sold to Big Oil.

Political Update

The House passed its Budget measure last night, 218-214. It did not include any explicit language about Arctic oil drilling. But it does contain instructions to other committees that create a loophole for drilling language to be included. The extremely close nature of the vote offers hope to conservationists as responsibility for the budget moves to a House/Senate conference committee.

Both the Senate and the House have left for a two-week spring recess, returning to work April 4th .
During recess, congressional staff members will begin preparing for the Budget Conference Committee, a process that reconciles differences between the House and Senate Budget bills in order to present a single Budget for a final vote by both houses.
Arctic activists are planning events in several, targeted home districts. The political message during this time: Please vote against any conference report that would instruct committees to pass Arctic drilling as part of the Budget bill.

What You Can Do

Wear your green ribbons, and decorate freely with them. Make an appointment with your member of Congress and Senators and carry them the message that the Budget conference bill must not contain language that would open the Arctic Refuge to oil drilling.

Words to Inspire
"The only thing that ever sat its way to success was a hen."- Sarah Brown

Those Bastards!

2005-03-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

I don't think I've been this depressed since Election Day.

The Senate approved drilling in ANWR today!

Wilma's Place

Sorry I Caved!

Aphorisms

Ultra High Resolution Image of Hurricane Wilma

Rosa Parks Dies at 92

Wilma Heads for the Northeast

I've Never Been to Mexico

Category 5

Wilma Becomes a Hurricane

Tropical Storm Wilma forms in Caribbean

The Clock

A woman's right to choose....?

What can you do?

Our virtual, parallel universe

Google Earth

The Corpse Flower is Blooming!

Tales from the Eastside - Epilogue

The Design Forum

If Clinton was impeachable, then what do you call this?

HTML Help

Lost and Forgotten

Concert Etiquette 101

More cowbell

HTML Help

Visited Places Maps

Your travel type: Culture Buff

top destinations:

stay away from:

Seeds from Italy for your garden

On Blogging....

Microsoft Flip Flop

Big Sigh

Microsoft Hypocrisy

Uninspired

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Excuse me for my absence...

The wind during the Pope's funeral

Challenges to No Child Left Behind

Green is the new brown

I feel a little dirty...

Serious blogging

If you want to be pro-life, why don't you stop killing people in Iraq?

Tie a Green Ribbon

Those Bastards!