Just as shocking as ever, with an amazing cast, I’m glad they were renewed and happy to hear that they won an Emmy!
HBO Documentaries on Chinese Earthquake and Family Diversity
Both of them made me cry for different reasons. I was very glad to see poor, rural Chinese citizens distraught over losing their children speak up about the shoddy construction (citing specific examples of there being no mortar between the bricks and small wires for large walls), including cursing at the Party leaders who were trying to stop a demonstration. Some things don’t need translation, but what made this even more painful to watch is the one child policy that China has, which means that the likelihood that many of these parents who lost kids in the schools that crumbled while other buildings remained upright are probably unable to have any other kids either because of forced sterilization or because they are beyond child-bearing years.
I had seen Rosie O’Donnell interviewed about her family diversity documentary, which I thought as pretty well done. Rosie is never shy about showing herself raw, and this is sort of what she looked like when I met her in person. When I was on her show, though, I did not meet her.
TGIF – Getting out of town!
Heading up to Petaluma tonight to hang out with friends and a welcome change of scenery.
I find it very interesting that for the price of parking my (shitty, old) car downtown in the FiDi, I can RENT a car for a day in comfort, so that’s what I’m doing.
Why is there any debate left on DADT?
When did people start forgetting the United States President is the de facto Commander-in-Chief of the military?! That is clearly stated in the Constitution and it has worked to prevent us from having coups in this country. Countries with coups have an army “independent” of the executive branch. Obama said repeal DADT! End of discussion! This should have been handled 17 years ago, but hypocrites like McCain who said he would follow “military leadership” (as if Bill Clinton himself wasn’t the Commander-in-Chief) reneged even when people like Colin Powell have changed their minds.
I know at least three active duty servicemen who I keep in regular contact with who are very comfortable with the fact that they are gay, even though it is not discussed where they work. I don’t think they are particularly afraid of losing their jobs, but it sure would be a lot less stressful ON THE BATTLEFIELD if they didn’t have to worry about their own colleagues turning their backs on them.
Bear Drama?
I’m excited about IBR starting next week, but miffed that my bear411 profile was inexplicably dismantled!
Got my h1n1 vaccine at work today!
Ironically I didn’t take the regular flu shot earlier in the winter that my job offered, and I ended up trying to get it at my regular doctor’s office, but they were out of it! I’m not sure if it will even be worth taking it a month from now, but fortunately I’ve not been ill this year. I just need to get my blood sugar under control, because my blood pressure and cholesterol are really good now. Losing weight is part of the goal, so I’m taking some prescription and over the counter appetite suppressants. I’m also eating a lot more from home, but probably not getting any exercise as of late.
How can we ever say anything bad about Bill Gates?
Yes, it’s a tax write-off, but TEN BILLION dollars for children’s vaccines to save untold millions of lives? How many rich people even think of such benevolence? By comparison the United States committed 100 MILLION to Haiti relief, even though I realize it might become far more as a result of the military efforts and that many of the expenses will benefit the American economy as companies from the United States will be providing many of the supplies.
I disdain Democratic hypocrisy also!
John Edwards’ former assistant Andrew Young and his family who feigned Andrew’s fatherhood of Rielle Hunter’s baby should be highly compensated for their sacrifices with their book proceeds and otherwise! I would think someone capable of such loyalty would be highly employable if he should ever have to worry about his marketability.
Today of all days
Had a perilous commute into work today (usually, of course, I take the train). I was trying to get to work two hours early for a special project, but didn’t make it until one hour later than expected because of traffic, but what made it so treacherous was that it was still very dark at that hour (which was not helped by the cloud cover), there was an intense rain storm and while I was defrosting the windows, the driver’s side windshield wiper completely stopped working right before entering highway. I pulled over and the wiper portion basically came right off, but the arm had stopped moving anyway. I had to sit in a precarious position to see the road and changing lanes was scary. It was almost a blessing that traffic came to a standstill far sooner than usual because of the backup at the bridge, but then of course there were high winds and the problematic S-curve which is currently on the Bay Bridge during the reconstruction. The garage attendant said all I had to do was pull up the windshield wiper from the passenger side and pop it in the driver’s side, but I don’t want to risk having no windshield at all when I drive home today!
More Important News than the Late Night Wars
Am I the only one who doesn’t giving a flying heap about the late night lineups? These shows are all cookie-cutter anyway.
I mean economically speaking, I think SPORTS are more important than this, and I can’t believe we waste ANY time on sports “news” (which thankfully CNN does not).