Laminations

2006-05-28T19:37:00.000-04:00

If I could clone myself......my clone's career would use the other side of my brain: costume designer, hair stylist, makeup artist.I did my sister's hair and make up for prom. Dreadlocks, actually easier to style than straight hair: they've got natural velcro properties.

2006-03-31T09:47:00.000-05:00

The Ivory Tower: thoughts on museumsWhy is it that museums look like armories? Look: The Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT. Thank you, Antiquarian and Landmarks Society.The Smithsonian, Washington, DC. Thank you, National Library of Medicine.No wonder they have attendance and funding shortfalls.From the Courant, a museum expansion in Savannah: "'Museums sometimes look like fortresses, and they

2006-03-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

Bill Nye the Science GuyHoly cow! I absolutely loved Bill's show. At some point, he disappeared from PBS, and life was a little bleaker. Then I heard he recently got married, which was nice. And now, he has a column on MSN! Hooray for Bill! (I also love his retro-looking website. Too bad the t-shirts are only kids' sizes...)

2005-11-11T08:53:00.000-05:00

Note 11/15: Not that anyone will read this, but for my own conscience...Terrible error on my part! In my fervor to post to my blog after a long absence, I confused the city of Bethlehem with Jerusalem. It was originally proposed that Jerusalem should be internationally administered. I say, why not Bethlehem too? Anyway, Bethlehem is not as much of a contested territory as Jerusalem, though it

2005-08-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

On Jane Austen's Emma and professions for young womenIn Emma, Jane Fairfax is a kind of secondary character, a mirror against which the protagonist compares herself. While Emma is suitably well-off to live a life of leisure, Jane will have to become a governess, unless she can somehow snatch a wealthy husband-- she's an orphan and, though "well-bred," her adoptive family can't afford to support

2005-06-26T21:23:00.000-04:00

I was going through some old journals, and found these entries from when I worked retail in a discount book store. I thought they were pretty darn funny, so I'll share with you:"…While I'm at work, people behave as though it's an upscale department store and I'm some kind of [stinking] personal shopper or concierge. No! Don't ask me to find something for you when you haven't even looked

2005-06-17T09:39:00.000-04:00

Thus insured against aggressive admiration...Sometimes I totally feel like doing this:“She reached Chalk-Newton and breakfasted at an inn, where several young men were troublesomely complimentary to her good looks. […] As soon as she got out of the village, she entered a thicket and took from her basket one of the oldest field-gowns, which she had never put on even at the dairy—never since she

2005-05-12T22:42:00.000-04:00

And now, a word from Zuhair the Moralist...War is nothing else but what you've known and yourselves tasted,it is not a tale told at random, a vague conjecture;when you stir it up, it's a hateful thing you've stirred up;ravenous it is, once you whet its appetitie; it bursts aflame,then it grinds you as a millstone grinds on its cushion;yearly it conceives, birth upon birth, and with twins for

2005-05-12T19:31:00.000-04:00

Rubbing salt in their wounds... literallyFrom The Palestinian Gandhi by Dr. Ran HaCohen"...On Thursday, April 28, about 1,000 Palestinians and some 200 Israeli guests, invited by the people of Bil'in, participated in a demonstration against the wall. All the participants undertook in advance to avoid all violence, no matter whether they had seen the Gandhi film or not. But even before the demo

2005-05-11T21:05:00.000-04:00

Note:To add to my list of Books That Have Changed My LifeNickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreichpp. 220-221:"Guilt [...] isn't that what we're supposed to feel? But guilt doesn't go anywhere near far enough; the appropriate emotion is shame-- shame at our own dependency, in this case, on the underpaid labor of others. When someone works for less pay than she can live on-- when, for example, she

2005-05-09T22:07:00.000-04:00

CrackI have determined that there really is nothing better than reading for pleasure. I have been waiting for this the way a convict longs for freedom, the way an invalid pines for solid food, the way FDR wanted so badly to stand on his own again.I'm not even finished with exams and I have already nabbed two Mrs. Gaskell books from the library, North and South and Wives and Daughters; today I

2005-05-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

Reign of the Death-Eye DogFrom yesterday's Washington Post, Torture's Tortured Cultural Roots, by Teresa Wiltz...In pop culture, we approve of rogue heroes saving the day by any means necessary. It's all about getting the job done, and in getting the job done, there will always be casualties of war. And anyway, the bad guy deserved it.It's not so simple, of course, when as a nation we're

2005-05-02T10:16:00.000-04:00

Op-Ed from today's New York TimesFrom 'Gook' to 'Raghead'By BOB HERBERTI spent some time recently with Aidan Delgado, a 23-year-old religion major at New College of Florida, a small, highly selective school in Sarasota.On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, before hearing anything about the terror attacks that would change the direction of American history, Mr. Delgado enlisted as a private in the

2005-04-29T23:26:00.000-04:00

From the GW Writers' ConferenceThe most eloquent way to say, "Shut up. Now."MOUTHI wish I could show youit does not mean you're dyingto keep it closed a moment.I like to see the thin lineof your lips pursed shutlike a bag with a closed zipper.Your teeth are tucked away, safe.Don't worry. Let one lip lay closeon top of the other, no space between.In fact, when you are awayI practice for hours,

2005-04-26T23:24:00.000-04:00

I'm going to a writing conference!Yay! I took the leap and submitted my piece on Tinariwen and dancing (see October 2004), revamped a bit. They accepted it, so Friday night I'm going to talk about writing with other writers! The theme of the conference is introspective writing. I'm mainly interested in motivating myself to write more and better, for this blog and maybe other outlets... One

2005-04-26T23:11:00.000-04:00

Licking my chopsIt is a truth universally acknowledged that the best thing about graduating from college is that your time outside of work is your own, i.e. for PLEASURE READING.I am anxiously compiling my dream menu, I mean, summer reading list:All the Jane Austen I haven't read yetDitto Mrs. GaskellDitto Virginia WoolfThe Wind in the Willows (I have no idea...)The Forsyte SagaReviving Ophelia (

2005-04-24T13:30:00.000-04:00

The Day Spa as Mental Health FacilityYesterday at the spa where I am the weekend receptionist, I got a phone call from a woman looking to come in for a massage. I could hear kids in the background, and she sounded a little like she had a cold. It soon became clear to me that she was crying. "I just really need to get away right now." She wanted to come in as soon as possible, but we didn't

2005-04-07T16:32:00.000-04:00

Blog O'DCOOohhh! I just found the greatest blog! This makes my afternoon so much better.

2005-03-30T16:13:00.000-05:00

TornI hate girls. And yet I love them, and I support them. I hate that they have no self-respect, are self-pitying, have no common sense, are emotionally dependent on men... Yet I empathize (since I am one) and I understand that most of this has to do with the way we are socialized. Hormones and other biological/psychological stuff also play a part, but socialization compounds all these "girly"

2005-03-19T14:00:00.000-05:00

If you haven't already filed your taxes...Please consider the fact that about half of the tax revenue collected per year in the U.S. is used to pay for military action past, present and future. If you think this is messed up; if you are paying student loans; if you have no health insurance; if you think maybe war is not a great way to achieve peace, let the government know.This is a sample

2005-03-10T22:59:00.000-05:00

By the way...Last night I saw Alannis Morrisette, Leeann Womack and Lila Downs in this gorgeous building, during a gala event to stop violence against women. Only in Washington.

2005-03-04T15:42:00.000-05:00

Please check out new links under Travel, Visual Art, Bloggety Blog.

2005-03-03T20:32:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love riding the bus.For all of you creative writers, I cannot think of a better way to find story ideas. All I think about while I'm riding is, "What is that person's deal? Where is this guy going? Where is she from? Where do they work? Who does he live with?..." It's awesome, and totally beautiful. It's probably the best way to experience Washington, DC, other than walking--but

2005-03-03T15:26:00.000-05:00

My Kuffiyeh(c) Dale Lightfoot- Thanks to Prof. Lightfoot, whose work I also referred to in a paper on Sijilmasa, the old Moroccan trading center.I always feel good when I wear my kuffiyeh. Lately I've been wearing it as a winter scarf. Sometimes I wrap it around my hair like a gypsy. Sometimes I wear it like a hijab. It's stylish and ancient, black and white checked with tasseled fringe. It's

2005-02-20T20:27:00.000-05:00

New Links SectionI have added a new section: TravelThis is for myself, to keep track of where I've been and where I intend to go post-grad, and also to recommend places and accommodations to you all.Savannah is really a beautiful city, though still very 'old South': the racial divide is not subtle. This bed and breakfast inn is lovely and comfortable, and their brekky is tasty.

2005-02-18T18:43:00.000-05:00

My CityThis week City Paper (like the Hartford Advocate) featured "The Norton Anthology of Lost DC Poetry." I would like to share some with you all, to give you a taste of my most favoritest city in the US.The Fountains-- Washington , DCby Kathryn AdkissonThe plashy fountains in the squaresAre swimming pools for little colored boysWho gather like the blackbirds, droves and pairs,Climbing on the

2005-02-13T11:20:00.000-05:00

The Niggers of EuropeIn today's NY Times, Catholic Schools Find Status Is Diminished:"Thomas Nast, the nation's leading political cartoonist, routinely portrayed the rag-poor Irish immigrants as apes. Mr. Morris, in his history, quotes a letter written by Bishop Bernard McQuaid to the pope, warning that American public schools would expose Catholic children to a situation where 'all classes,

2005-02-10T21:08:00.000-05:00

Another reason I hate Coca-ColaI recently lost $1.25 in a desperate attempt to acquire water from a Coke vending machine-- let me emphasize, desperate. I would rather drink unfiltered Washington, DC tapwater than Coke. Anyway, being the poor student that I am, I called them up to ask for a refund. The customer service rep on the line was very nice and said that "it" would be sent out in about 5

2005-02-10T21:04:00.000-05:00

Yet more Gonzalez, and political correctitudeWhat can I say? The Post was on a roll with its op-eds on Tuesday...Race Bait And SwitchBy E. J. Dionne Jr.Tuesday, February 8, 2005; The Washington Post, Page A23"Every Hispanic in America is watching," Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch declared ominously as most Senate Democrats voted last week to oppose the nomination of Alberto Gonzales as attorney

2005-02-10T20:59:00.000-05:00

Oh Condi, Condi...This cracked me up.Nobody's ArchetypeBy Eugene RobinsonTuesday, February 8, 2005; The Washington Post, Page A23I thought that by now we had grown accustomed to seeing Condoleezza Rice on the public stage, after her four years as a wartime president's national security adviser. But her first foreign trip as secretary of state has been compelling to watch, and I think that has to

2005-01-25T17:19:00.001-05:00

Dehumanizing the Enemy? But whatever happened to the Geneva Conventions? Ask Alberto Gonzalez. Today the Washington Post published a brief article on mass suicide attempts by prisoners suspected of terrorism at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In August 2003, 23 prisoners attempted suicide at the base. "Ten detainees made a mass attempt on Aug. 22. U.S. Southern Command described it as 'a coordinated

2005-01-25T11:28:00.000-05:00

Gonzalez Update Friends, tomorrow (26 Jan.) the Senate Judiciary will be further considering the nomination of Alberto Gonzalez as the next U.S. Attorney General. If you have not already done so, please call your senators to oppose his confirmation. Here is the Senate schedule. Here is a great resource for contacting your representatives. See my post below for my opinion and contact info for

2005-01-22T14:15:00.000-05:00

Western Civilization "It is not too much of an overstatement to say that at a time when unwashed Europeans in northern forests wore leather jerkins and ate roast game and gruel when they were not beating each other over the head with clubs to solve disputes, bathed and perfumed Muslims dressed in silken robes, inhabited splendid palaces with running water and sanitation systems, and ate haute

2005-01-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Megan... She will be spending this semester getting her butt whooped into top thespian shape at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Institute. Break a leg, girl! My acting experience is limited to a weird play by Jules Feiffer, whom no one my age has ever heard of. It was great because I got to wear vintage clothes and basically act like my sarcastic, bitter self.

2005-01-06T11:38:00.000-05:00

Elected officials better REPRESENT, what! Dear Friends, Comrades, Patriots, Today, January 6th, the Senate will begin confirmation hearings for Alberto Gonzalez, George Bush’s nominee for the position of U.S. Attorney General, the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the U.S. We should all be concerned about Mr. Gonzalez’s past legal opinions as White House Counsel. He was involved in

2005-01-02T21:01:00.000-05:00

My winter break reading list Continuing Amin Maalouf's In the Name of Identity, begun on the train home for Thanksgiving; also Leslie Marmon Silko's Almanac of the Dead, which apparently was influential in the Zapatista uprising of 1994, although I haven't yet come to the supposedly rebellious part; finished The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin, Jr.: FAnTAStick!; recently stuck my nose

2004-12-10T16:46:00.000-05:00

From the Arab-American Institute weekly Countdown, 10 December, 2004: (better late than never) Heard Around Town... Writes Yitzhak Laor in Ha'aretz: "But from the perspective of someone waiting long hours in line, it does not matter whether the soldiers standing facing you is a sadist or a nice guy. Ask any Israeli who is forced to wait 15 minutes in line at the bank if there is any difference

2004-12-10T14:47:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Edition It was so nice to wake up to this today, knowing I was almost finished with my last term paper... Her voice is so sweet, it's like summer rain, or mango sherbet.

2004-12-05T13:43:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning pirate graffiti sidewalk: half-eaten radish a black squirrel teddy bear honey room full of Buddhas apple crisp.

2004-11-30T20:43:00.000-05:00

U.N. Calls for an Updated Council At the moment, no other big news sites are carrying this story, at least not on the front page. Massive! Yet I'm still really disappointed to see that although the Security Council will be expanded, the five Permanent Members retain their veto power. From what I've read/heard, this is the most contentious issue regarding the Security Council. Well, it won't be

2004-11-08T18:25:00.000-05:00

Please pray for Iraq, however you know how.

2004-11-06T19:15:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to Our Nation's Capital From the Washington Post, 2 November, 2004 "Filmmaker Details Struggles of 'Last Colony'" by Marc Fisher "... The more Kingsley got into the topic, the deeper she found herself in the story of America's ambivalence toward its capital city, from Colonial origins through slavery and the Civil War, and on to the various powers that have

2004-10-31T01:58:00.000-04:00

Soul Music Tonight I saw the best concert I have ever experienced in my life. The only thing comparable might be Sweet Honey in the Rock, but.... this far surpassed. I must say one good thing about my school, and that is they generally find some really good international acts to play at the big fancy auditorium here. Case in point: Tinariwen. They come out on stage wearing basically

2004-10-27T23:22:00.000-04:00

You know I haven't posted in a while when I can't remember my password to Blogger... Just trying to get out of this egg box called secondary education. Ouch. I am a Mineral by Eric (4th grade, Bailey's Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences) I am a mineral. I am stuck in an egg box in a classroom. Someone is pouring vinegar on me to see if I dissolve. Some people play with me, throw me,

2004-10-12T20:19:00.000-04:00

The Rights Thing to Do I just read an amazing article for my Human Rights and Ethics class, discussing the crucial-- and so far rather untapped-- role for allied health professionals in human rights. It's called "Pathologies of Power: Rethinking Health and Human Rights" by Paul Farmer from the American Journal of Public Health, October 1999. Some of his major points: 1. human rights work must

2004-10-07T16:33:00.000-04:00

What is terrorism? Tawfeeq Muhammad Ash Shrafi; 24 years, Jabalia camp Ahmad Ibrahim Madi; 17 years, Jabalia camp Said Muhammad Abi Al Aish; 14 years, Jabalia camp Mus'ab Mahmud Al Barad'I; 21 years, Gaza City Fathi Ahmad Abu Sawaween; 23 years, Gaza City Khalil Khalil Naji; 27 years, Gaza City Usama Muhammad Al Bursh; 21 years, Jabalia town Abdul hai An Najjar; 24 years, Jabalia camp Ra'fat

2004-10-07T16:26:00.000-04:00

20 for Iman - Allah yarhamha A young girl school uniform crisp and blue a quiet street dusty leaves swirling she has no idea she is a threat. At the hospital they count one for every year of her life (5 in the head) and 7 more to make sure she will never reach 20.

2004-10-07T16:22:00.000-04:00

2004 minus 20 = (Ha! I just realized the mistake I made in the title to this post-- 2 and a half weeks later. This is what I meant...) Cheney Says Report Finding No Illicit Arms in Iraq Justifies War

2004-10-04T21:16:00.000-04:00

Response to a comment on my second-to-last post: "... Congressional investigators say that France, Russia and China systematically sabotaged the former United Nations oil-for-food program in Iraq by preventing the United States and Britain from investigating whether Saddam Hussein was diverting billions of dollars." Who sabotaged the oil-for-food program? Yeah. Specific countries, not the

2004-09-25T16:02:00.000-04:00

Proof: I have not lost my soul. Disney cartoons still make me laugh. Long live the tradition of Saturday morning cartoons!

2004-09-22T20:53:00.000-04:00

Whose Line is This? "'In this young century, our world needs a new definition of security,'' he said. 'Our security is not merely found in spheres of influence or some balance of power. The security of our world is found in the advancing rights of mankind.'" Kofi Annan? Woodrow Wilson? Noam Chomsky? No, ladies and gentlemen, it was our fearless leader, George. Someone must have laced his Texas

2004-09-19T21:35:00.000-04:00

New Links Human Family: Get a job! Idealist.org Research: Institute of International Education

2004-09-17T21:04:00.000-04:00

Political Geography Rocks! From Reordering the World, 2nd ed., edited by Demko and Wood "In medieval Christian maps, which were highly schematic, the East, or Asian part where 'Eden' or paradise was fancied to be located, was on top, at the head. The form of these maps was circular-- an O partitioned by a T, representing the world's three principle waterways-- the Tanais (Don) [in Russia] and

2004-09-17T17:16:00.000-04:00

Immigrants are Humans Too The New York Times > National > Growers' Group Signs the First Union Contract for Guest Workers

2004-09-06T19:14:00.000-04:00

New Link under Music: Ozomatli I love this band. I first heard about them on PBS, through a little special at the end of "American Family." I bought their CD Embrace the Chaos while I was in Savannah a couple of years ago. They play this excellent mix of traditional latin music with rock and hip hop, and a big dash of political activism. Apparently, their latest album has some tracks that

2004-09-04T19:47:00.000-04:00

New Link Coca-Cola Kills: under Americas and The Human Family Be sure to check out the list of Coke-owned brands-- it's extensive, and there are things that we buy everyday. It's particularly disturbing because Coke is so representative of America and our way of life, meanwhile they're engaging in terrorism with profits from our purchases. Besides the fact that people drink too much soda

2004-09-03T14:42:00.000-04:00

Reality vs. Politics From the New York Times, Thursday, 2 September, 2004 Mr. Bush and the Truth About Terror This is so good, I just have to share. After all, sharing is caring! OK, I'm done. Read it.

2004-08-30T19:48:00.000-04:00

Genocide in Darfur, Sudan: let's blame the Arabs! OK, so I've been keeping sort of up-to-date on the civil war/genocide in the Sudan. One thing that has really been raising my hackles is that newspapers, from the Hartford Courant to the New York Times, have been characterizing the conflict as between light-skinned, Arab fighters, and dark-skinned black peasants. In the spring, I recall reading

2004-08-29T18:18:00.000-04:00

<<=====COUNTDOWN to ELECTIONS 2004===== Vol. 5, # 34 - August 27, 2004 A regular update from the Arab American Institute This Is Huge! This week, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Alex Acosta wrote to the heads of the departments of education in all 50 states: "As the new school year begins, I write to raise with you an issue that the Civil Rights Division has taken steps to address.

2004-08-29T18:11:00.000-04:00

New Links Under The Human Family: Second Chance Employment Services Under Research: The New York Times

2004-08-07T16:18:00.000-04:00

{Also check out new link under Middle East and Research, and new links section, Visual Art}

2004-08-07T15:51:00.000-04:00

On the Manner of Negotiating with Princes Calm, calculated words of wisdom "It might seem that the ideal which I now set up for the negotiator is one too high for any man to reach. It is true that no man can ever carry out his instructions without a fault, but unless he has before him an ideal as well as a guide he will find himself plunged in the midst of distracting affairs without any rule

2004-07-19T13:20:00.000-04:00

Hmmm... A while ago, I posted (18 May 2004) on Bernard Lewis' "great idea": an arc of crisis in Southwest Asia involving sectarian and nationalistic violence to help weaken the Soviet Union. I mentioned that President Carter's National Security Advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, took credit for this idea and implemented it as U.S. policy. Now it seems that he has had a change of heart. In

2004-06-20T21:58:00.000-04:00

Happy Solstice! Woo woo, it's summer! Today was the first good day I've had in a while. Gorgeous weather, a nice drive through New Hartford, a visit to my grandparents, and a bonfire. Yes, my father is a real God-fearing pagan. Every year for the past few years, he has a bonfire at the summer solstice-- to dispose of brush and wood that accumulates from his landscaping projects here, and to

2004-06-20T13:42:00.000-04:00

Hooray for Primary Sources! I am researching the Sykes-Picot Agreement for my Europe in the 20th Century class (this is the secret 1916 agreement in which Britain, France and Russia decided to carve up the Middle East into "mandates," a nicer word for colonies). Anyway, I found some great online resources from Yale Law School- archives of primary documents. The Avalon Project has documents from

2004-06-14T22:10:00.000-04:00

It's the territory, stupid. So, once again, I found myself trying to defend the right to self-determination of the Palestinians in the face of a bunch of ignorant, propaganda-fed Americans. The conversation didn't even have to go as far as it went, but my prof, so nice and unassuming, just kept inviting comments/questions and wouldn't direct the discussion back to the effects of the Treaty of

2004-06-13T10:24:00.000-04:00

Nature Girl Yesterday I was sitting on my back porch trying to slog through some of the massive reading I have for my history class, when I hear a flapping and a soft thud behind me. There are apple trees to my right, a nondescript shrub directly behind me, and a notorious bird neighborhood in the bushes at the corner of the house to my left. I continue reading, thinking nothing of the

2004-05-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

I should have known... Neha's pairing with Anne Rice intrigued me... I'm not surprised at all by my author-incarnation. It's all Mrs. Dennis's fault. Jane Austen wrote you. You are extremely aware ofthe power of a single word. Which Author's Fiction are You? brought to you by Quizilla

2004-05-22T12:42:00.000-04:00

Meaningful and Redemptive Action Instead of press conferences and superficial attempts at damage control, the U.S. administration and the military should continue their investigations and mete out just punishment to those who are responsible. Most importantly, institutional changes are clearly in order—- preparations for war must include training on the Geneva Conventions and other

2004-05-22T12:39:00.000-04:00

To the Editors: Since neither the New York Times nor the Hartford Courant will publish my letter, I'll do it myself. Secretary Rumsfeld and others have assured us that the sickening and shameful photos of prisoner abuse in Iraq that have already been publicized are not the end of the story. If these other photos come across your desk, please do not publish them. I, for one, have seen enough

2004-05-18T21:59:00.000-04:00

The Worst Idea Ever On April 28, I attended a lecture by Bernard Lewis, renowned Middle East/Islam expert at George Washington U. He spoke really knowledgeably about connotations of the terms "freedom/liberty" and "justice"-- how they were employed by the French imperialists in the 18th century and how they were understood by the Arabic-speakers of the Middle East. He also discussed historic

2004-05-17T12:51:00.000-04:00

This is the first of a series of things that I’ve been saving up this semester—too busy to post—so they’re a little out of date… TV Violence – we’re not talking about Power Rangers or WWF… The Washington Post, Monday, 12 April, 2004 “Plot Leader in Madrid Sought Help of Al Qaeda” by Keith B. Richburg …Tatari said many young Muslim immigrants in Spain are experiencing pent-up rage that he said

2004-05-05T14:38:00.000-04:00

Unacceptable "I don't know" is not an answer that invokes my confidence in the Secretary of Defense. Listen to the audio.

2004-05-02T11:51:00.000-04:00

Speechless with rage. I am ashamed to be an American. I am so disgusted and upset. We support this with our tax dollars, albeit unwillingly. I don't even know what to write. Just look at this.

2004-04-17T12:39:00.000-04:00

2004 Minus 20 = And more heavy material, for those who were too surprised by the lighter side of my blog. From the New York Times, Friday 16 April 2004: Iraqis Are Hoping for Early and Peaceful End to Shiite Insurrection By EDWARD WONG In a visit to Baghdad on Thursday, Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, depicted the insurrection and fighting that has risen over

2004-04-17T12:25:00.000-04:00

Laminations Something light(er), for those bogged down by my political ranting. Film review from the April 16, 2004 issue of Washington City Paper: By Mark Jenkins Forget Baghdad: Jews and Arabs—The Iraqi Connection Directed by Samir The title may seem timely, but Forget Baghdad: Jews and Arabs—The Iraqi Connection has little to do with the city currently under beleaguered U.S. occupation. Made

2004-04-15T20:46:00.000-04:00

A Death-to-Tax Day Message I am so pissed off at the news this week, I'm about to pull a Thoreau... Too bad I already telefiled.

2004-03-04T17:44:00.000-05:00

Mark your calendars! The Battle of Algiers will be showing at Cinestudio in Hartford in April! Go! Check out the link under Africa to the right.

2004-02-24T13:05:00.000-05:00

Extracurricular Activities, Third Day The organizing group, Students for Justice in Palestine, finally figured out that 9 am is too early, but no one told me... at least it gave me some time to call my parents before 10:30. This morning's speaker was George Naggiar, president of the American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights. AAPER is a lobbying organization that works to shape US

2004-02-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

Extracurricular Activities, Second Day 9 am is entirely too early to be up and about on a Saturday. But I will sacrifice sleep for what is just... This morning's speaker was Mark Lance, a philosophy professor and member of SUSTAIN (Stop US Tax Aid to Israel Now). He spoke about the US role in Israel and the occupation of Palestine, and about strategies for activism. He made a really sound

2004-02-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

Extracurricular Activities, First Night Tonight I attended the first workshop of a weekend-long teach-in on "The Global Issue of Palestine" here at GW. A last minute change in the schedule of speakers brought Adam Shapiro to the beginning slot-- he is part of the team behind About Baghdad (look right for a link), a PhD candidate at American University, and a member of the International

2004-01-30T11:07:00.000-05:00

A Math Lesson With the help of German negotiators, a prisoner exchange was brokered between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah. According to the New York Times, "Israel is to release more than 400 Arab prisoners and expects to receive from the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah a kidnapped Israeli businessman and the remains of three Israeli soldiers." If I'm doing the math

2004-01-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

Get off your aspirations and go to work. To my dear blogging colleagues and friends, I would like to share this excellent excerpt with you because I think it describes what we do in a precise and lyrical way. I acquired this essay by luck: when I go to work, I pass by the Slavic, East European, and Asian Reading Room in the Gelman Library. Outside of this room is a table which is periodically

2004-01-22T12:30:00.000-05:00

Oh My God II Here's a more useful site if you're interested in seeing The Battle of Algiers. I cannot recommend this film enough-- it is timeless, it is beautiful, it will break your heart and make you think differently about the world.

2004-01-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

Oh My God See this movie.

2003-12-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

Misadventures in Thrift Yesterday I bought a child’s sweatshirt from a secondhand store, thinking that I would be nostalgic and ironically hip at the same time. Across the chest in primary colors is a cartoon drawing of a merchandising phenomenon that ruled the world when I was four years old. When I put the shirt on, I don’t look ironically hip. I just look like a freakishly overgrown four

2003-12-11T19:26:00.000-05:00

The plunge: un peu de fiction The Other Legal Narcotic I used to scratch and sniff everyday. I had a book full of little swatches of sniffing pleasure: licorice, grass, leather, meat pies, you name it. That’s how I got hooked. Now I don’t imbibe as often, but I’ve moved on to a connoisseur’s level of indulgence. No more pretty pictures and artificial flavors. Just the pure

2003-12-06T22:21:00.000-05:00

Fury My camarade de chambre has someone on her buddy list named IHateSandNigs (for those who don't know, "sand nigger" is a really creative racial slur for Arabs). This is mind boggling to me. Like, did no one ever point out how offensive your screen name is? Furthermore, why would you want to be known for that, like, "Ah, yes, this is my close-minded friend who is really hateful and bigoted

2003-12-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

Dear Editor, Regarding the NYU student whose film project was curtailed by the administration: I'm all for artists' rights and I'm a big fan of the creative process in general. But Miss Carmicino's protests that the school is limiting her creativity and growth as an artist sound like whining to me. First of all, filming passionate sex is not all that unique and creative. More importantly, "

2003-11-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

For one day, try being a non-consumer. International Buy Nothing Day Here's your shopping (or not) list: Do I need it? How many do I already have? How much will I use it? How long will it last? Could I borrow it from a friend or family member? Can I do without it? Am I able to clean, lubricate and/or maintain it myself? Am I willing to? Will I be able to repair it? Have I researched it to get

2003-11-15T21:25:00.000-05:00

The Red Boys in the square sing the people's poetry-- you can tell what tribe they come from by the rhythm of their clay drums. The walls, a sandy pink decreed by law: every edifice and taxi cab. The vegetable seller admits proudly, "The light is so strong here you could not possibly bear the reflection from a white wall." But your heart will vibrate deeply when the sunset is magnified a

2003-10-24T21:04:00.000-04:00

Ubuntu: a little thought... People have been clamoring for material-- here's something I read in O Magazine. "Ubuntu is very difficult to render into a Western language. It speaks of the very essence of being human . . . You share what you have. It is to say, 'My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in yours.' We belong in a bundle of life. We say, 'A person is a person through

2003-10-13T20:06:00.000-04:00

Re: Connecticut Posted in the Great Lettucehead Log 12 October 2003: In the medieval universities of France, students could often be heard fighting about their respective countries. In the United States this phenomenon manifests as the presumptions we make about people from various states and the odd method of competing over greater lack. I wonder why the misconception about CT, a misconception

2003-10-13T17:53:00.000-04:00

Country Club Connecticut: Rant on a Stereotype "I'm here on financial aid-- I have so much student debt. I'm not like the Connecticuts, or Long Islands, or [insert other typical rich-kid origination point here]."-- paraphrase from my Comparative Politics discussion section Guess what, buddy-- I'm from Connecticut, and tuition plus room & board at this school (George Washington University) is

2003-10-01T20:45:00.000-04:00

Posted on Wanderlust 1 October, 2003 Onward & Upward?Hardly So we thought that the Women's Liberation Movement gained impetus and reached a climax...but I suppose once something's peaked, there's really no where to go but down. Some of us also thought that children's rights are breached only in the Far-East and the Indian Subcontinent. This article by the BBC is proving a lot of people wrong,

2003-09-27T19:41:00.000-04:00

Hugh was the only person to whom Frederica had shown her book of jottings, cut-ups, commonplaces and scraps of writing, which she called Laminations. She had only shown him certain bits, as illustrations of jokes or literary points. [...] She had had the word, Laminations, before the object. It referred to her attempts to live her life in separated strata, which did not run into each other.