support froot loops

support our troops? eat froot loops?

i apologize in advance to all of my friends who may be offended by this post. i will add a preemptive caveat - although i am a dedicated pacifist, i want you all to know that i genuinely and sincerely feel badly for those who are serving the united states in the crazy war-mongering currently defining our country.

'support our troops' bumper stickers are exactly the thing that is wrong with this country, this war. first and foremost, the government, who initiated this misguided effort, should be supporting the troops - by protecting them and formulating a plan to extricate them from this mess. secondly, the government should be providing young, disenfranchised (from the socio-economic ladder) americans with alternate opportunities in education that would afford them the chance to do something else with their lives.

more critically, these bumper stickers, which can be picked up for a few bucks at 7-11 or other 'convenience' locations, do NOT support those in need. the revenue received for these stickers, which are probably churned out in china for pennies a piece, go into the pockets of a few shrewd businessman. the manufacturing of the product does not create jobs. the investors reap the profits, which go towards enriching their own lives. they are usurping a catch phrase (part of the bush administration's brainwashing effort) and taking money that you MAY be using to purchase phone cards, blankets, or other necessary items, and redirecting it away from where it is actually needed. as a result of the government's irresponsible and cavalier attitude towards those on the front lines, poor souls.

if you really and truly would like to offer assistance, send a salami to your boy in the army. or attend a peace rally. or start a grass roots campaign. or hold those that are running for office in '08 accountable ... no more war, bring the troops home, and fight terrorism by providing citizens with real security through tolerance, understanding, education, and compassion.

PLEASE! do not buy these magnetic bumper stickers anymore - you are only making a few fatcats richer, while making a mockery of the democracy that the troops are fighting for. if you want to do something truly patriotic, write the white house and your congressional and senatorial representatives.

and i almost forgot - eat froot loops!

h

angelique angela

i must say, i was quite delighted (and relieved!) to see angela merkel, the chancellor of germany, being greeted by our own 'w' this past weekend in crawford, in a much less salubrious way. you may recall the (in)famous and unwelcome back rub (read: sexual harassment - you're either with me or against me!) he 'gave' her previously. i shudder at that thought (so does she, i'm sure). talk about 'yer cold war. uggghh. what a clod.

this time she was seen riding shotgun with him in his pickup. although he doesn't look all that bad in a pair of wranglers - much less dorky than chuckling and yuckling in a suit. that's what he should be doing - roping steer, not pillaging the world. i digress.

so there was angela again today, evidently embroiled in a three way.

embracing nicolas sarkozy in berlin - what a hussy! and what's 'w' going to say? how does that make him feel? like a jilted lover, i'll bet. i mean, here he goes out of his way, bending over backwards (probably in his wranglers) for nic (i think that's what he calls him). remember, he looked into his eyes, and could see his soul. oh, wait, that's putin. never mind.

alas, all these hookups ... what are these leaders teaching our children? soon they'll be sharing needles as part of the swiss exchange program, strung out on crack in a zurich park. tsk, tsk. let's get these folks some help, before the axis of evil really gets them good.

now, back to your best behavior please. and angela, please - cool it with those come-hither glances!

h

sarko, mon amour

letter from cecile sarkozy, former first lady (briefly) of france (translated from french):

mon cher sarko:

how quickly things have changed. in just a few short weeks since our divorce, announced almost immediately upon our separation and coinciding with a big strike back here in old europe, our situation does in fact seem strange and twisted.

when i saw you storm off of the 60 minutes set, i was sure that you were still my little jilted lover, my napoleon bravely putting your best foot forward (and not in your mouth, merci dieu).

you are now miles away, on distant shores, in the warm embrace of another lover. it was i, just a short time ago, who was perusing apartment floor plans with my own significant other, deciding upon the perfect love nest in new york. once you and i had officially split, everyone assumed that it would be me to return to les etats unis ... perhaps a park view, a jog by the reservoir, and lunch somewhere smart and discreet.

i can see now that i have driven you into the arms of another. and although i stake no claim to you, i do find it curious that you have taken solace 'over there'. it is both odd and ironic, and yet i do in fact feel a certain vindication in this measure. you have set out to win the hearts of your brethren across the sea - perhaps you admire their courage, their passion for life, their steadfast if often misguided determination. or maybe it is that you have fallen victim to that middle aged scourge - you have have someone younger ... and her name is america!

my darling, i wish you all the best. i am happy for you, and in your new romance i feel a certain modicum of (long sought) freedom for myself. just as our country once gave your new friend the aptly named (in this case) lady liberty, so i release you fully to the united states, with all my resolve.

vive la liberté -

yours,

cecile

(sans) serif

i have often wondered why, in the united states, the government depends so heavily on the use of serif typography. all of the lettering has little 'feet', as if to lend gravity and depth to the meaning of the words - without this grounding the text may in fact render itself superfluous. it seems that this is in manner a holdover from the earliest days of our country reaching it's birth - the gentlemanly script of days gone by. we have somehow not matured enough to distinguish between this link to the past, this imagery, and what we strive to be. campaign posters use the serif fonts; the large political screens staring blankly at us behind our 'leaders' use serif fonts - and certainly the good old greenback adopts this look for perpetuity. can we really be a superpower with sans serif graphics?

positive, forward thinking graphics is a reflection of what a country's mindset is. there is a certain 'democracy' in the sans serif font - it is seemingly devoid of pretension - the letters are just presenting themselves as what they are, without excess baggage. in europe we see the serif raise it's lovely head constantly - in fact, the confidence with which it is employed conveys a much more powerful message than the united states' grasp at merit by linking graphics with the past (think of steven colbert's eagle graphics poking fun at all of this).

lighten up america. literally (no pun intended).

h

why climate change is a good thing

originally posted 12 september 2007:
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The prevailing climate is not sustainable.

That’s just my personal opinion, of course. Yesterday, 11 September, found us lying prostrate on the ground, exercising at the unholy hour of 5 am. A dearth of cooking shows prompted us to watch Channel 7 Live (how many times can I see Lydia Bastianich make pasta?). On the news, the broadcast was beamed directly from Ground Zero. The dapper newscaster professed the unified support of the country, and emoted the feelings of the families of the victims of 9-11. I found the entire thing rather unseemly and disingenuous. Actually, infuriating. “This is how the families will heal”, and “reading the names of the loved ones brings closure”. These buzz words from talking heads only help to numb us further - reducing the gravity of the tragedy and the lives caught up in it to a collective whole, to some pathetic mass worthy of the attention of People magazine and schmaltzy local TV. Fear not, tomorrow it will be Paris, Nicole, and Brittney back on top.

In a related story, another local TV station had Mayor Bloomberg on - the question posed to him was “Are we safer than we were in 2001”. An ensuing dialogue between the two assured all of us out there that, bien sur, we are indeed safer now. A resounding, emphatic yes! Don’t you feel better? Never mind taking off your shoes at JFK, or squeezing your shaving gel into a plastic bottle with a capacity of less then 3 ounces!

All of this talk in the media, in Congress, by GWB about safety (remember Iraq’s WMD?). It is such utter, complete nonsense. Anyone that thinks for a moment that hearing the Mayor or the President or Nancy Pelosi posture that we are safe really is in mortal danger! Safety and security are two very different issues, and we are not secure as a nation.

Security. Well, having just returned from Israel, I can tell you that people are not constantly obsessing about ‘safety’. They are smart enough there, and have enough experience to know that in fact, they are not ‘safe’. But they ARE secure, which we are not. Do you think if Israel was attacked by Osama bin Laden, he would still be hanging out in caves six years on? Remember Entebbe? Now, I know, I know, I’ve told you I’m a pacifist, an optimist, and I am. But let’s be real. This garbage that we get fed about what’s coming around the corner just keeps everyone paralyzed with fear.

Israel... our flight home, with the carryon luggage, found us moving swiftly through the security checkpoint at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. As we approached the ‘xray’ machine, we offered to remove our shoes, show our puny liquids in ziploc bags, take out our laptops, even submit to internal exams! Our offers were promptly declined. “We’re not the US”, proclaimed the young woman manning the booth. In other words, we actually use intelligent techniques to screen out shady elements. We have no vested interest in keeping our population, or our guests, freaked out. Quite the opposite - we want you to enjoy, be relaxed, take your time - and not feel as if you’ve just been to the local Finnish sauna by the time you’ve passed through to your gate. No need to schvitz here. And there is the key - in Israel, they live with the threat of terrorism daily, on top of the threat of war from hostile neighbors. What purpose does it serve to have everyone terrified 24/7? They know the dangers, they live with them, they send their kids to the army. So, the rest of the time - enjoy! Dance, have lattés at Aroma, go to the beach, drink Goldstars, have a rave in the Negev - just do it!

Is our own security in this country compromised as a result of Big Brother’s need to sell a very unsuccessful, unconvincing, and in my opinion misguided war? How will we know if and when we’ve won? Or lost? Fear (and high fructose corn syrup) keep us going. And the market has jitters. And the dollar is at an all time low against the Euro. And it takes 18 weeks to get a passport. But you wouldn’t want to go anywhere anyhow - all the good patriots are right here, next to us at Walmart!

So, as September 11th passes, and a new year begins this evening, be brave! My wish for the world is that we all move, discover, communicate, challenge, think, question, and be optimistic. Yes, life is very precious, but we are all vulnerable - and that’s exactly why the time is NOW for change ... and peace.

Good luck should you choose to accept this mission ... this tape will self destruct in ten seconds! Time for a little climate change, a little global warming if you know what I mean ...

Happy birthday Jane!

Shana tova and best wishes for the coming new year to all,

Harley