Robin Morris' Bird's Eye View Bird's Eye View

-How telling that a story on the future of network newscasting appears under the Entertainment section of CNN's website. Aren't we supposed to be informed rather than entertained by the media?

- I recently sent this article to a fellow liberal and friend from work who's an expert on brain mapping in psychophysiological studies, thinking he'd be amused that scientists had supposedly shown that Democrats had more empathy than Republicans. He was appalled, replying "These guys work at UCLA? WTF?" and, "These guys are completely talking out of their ass[es]." The article turned out to be another example of the pop-science fluff the media peddles. I should have known, though--especially since no scientific publication is cited, indicating that the study hasn't yet gone through the peer-review process, which tends to weed out crap like this.

-In case you missed it, listen to this interesting commentary recently aired on NPR:

All Things Considered, November 23, 2004 · Commentator Drew Westen studies the way that psychology and politics intersect, and he says the format of cable TV news -- throwing out a topic to two representatives of opposite sides -- capitalizes on a design flaw in the human brain. People believe what they want to believe, no matter what the facts are.

So I auditioned for our holiday pageant. After flubbing the last sentence of the chosen reading, I was cast as "Hanukkah," which is small roll--a very brief monologue explaining the meaning and tradition of the most well-known Jewish holiday (to non-Jews, anyway). Oh, in case you haven't read the rest of my site, I'm not Jewish, and sadly every time I think about a "Jewish costume," all that comes to mind is Mike Myers and Kyle's Mom.

The co-director of the pageant told us to "think about hats" when putting together our colorful costumes. Tonight, I Googled several configurations of Hanukkah, Jewish, hat, and scarf and discovered some interesting items.

• These are the only "Hanukkah hats" I found. They're actually just blue Santa hats, which seemed pretty demeaning to me. Then I found out about Hanukkah Harry, and they seem pretty darn funny now. Also, check out the pet and "Chrismakkah" costumes on the first link.
• This is the Jerusalem twist. Get your mind out of the gutter. It's actually a beautiful way to tie a modest head scarf. I'm tempted to start wearing head scarves--I really like them--but alas, I have no other "modest" clothing to wear with them, and I'd look quite silly I think. My hair also costs too much in time and money to hide under a scarf.
• These are quite handsome Jewish-themed scarves at JewishBazaar.com and JudaicaWorldWide.com, also known as "The greatest Jewish place in cyberspace."
• If I were a man, figuring out Jewish headwear would be easy, and I'd have a great time shopping for a Kippah.

Mind you, none of this is meant to make fun of Judaism--there are already plenty of Jews who excel at that. I just think the marriage of marketing and religion begets some funky offspring.

From Atrios: This weekend in the omnibus spending bill, the Senate, lead by ever-fiscally-responsible Republicans, approved $2 million in government funds (read: your money) for the Navy to buy back the old presidential yacht.

A little Sequoia history:

The yacht was built in 1925 and first used by President Herbert Hoover. In the throes of Watergate, President Richard M. Nixon cruised the Potomac at night on the boat and brooded on his fate.

When President Jimmy Carter was trying to rid the White House of an imperial image, he had the yacht sold to a private group for $286,000. Ever since, it has been rented out for private parties.

"Imperial image." Hmm...

In the meantime, John Kerry wants you and everyone you know to sign on to co-sponsor the bill he will introduce the first day of the next congressional session, which will provide health care for every child in America. As he states in his message, "It is a disgrace that eight million children lack health insurance in the richest nation on earth."

"Disgrace." Good word choice.

Here's a must-read article for the next time you argue--excuse me, debate--with someone who asserts the Old Testament section of the Bible on their bookshelf is composed of the actual "Word of God" and not a human creation (or distillation, at the very least). The piece discusses "Biblical scholar Robert altar's major new English translation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible."

Notable excerpts:

The 1611 King James version, perhaps the most famous book ever written by a committee, may reach poetic heights, but Alter says it is fraught with "embarrassing inaccuracies" and often substitutes Greek or Latin words and Renaissance English tonalities and rhythms for biblical ones.
...
Washington Post reviewer Michael Dirda said that some Bible translations are so simple-minded that Adam and Eve might as well be called Dick and Jane, but "Alter will have nothing to do with (such) dumbing-down.

Now, for all we know (putting skepticism aside and assuming he exists, of course), the original Torah could very well be the Word of God. However, to believe that the many vernacular and denominational translations of the Bible are the work of God and not the work of the interpreters, who had their own temporal agendas, is to ignore the obvious. (I guess that brings us to the issue of whether or not God granted us--or the writers and their sponsors--free will to adhere to his inspiration. But that's for another website to ponder.)

Forgive me for yet another Star-Wars-referencing title. I've been watching the first trilogy a lot lately, rekindling my adoration of Princess Leia and Han Solo. In a side note, George Lucas consulted Joseph Campbell when creating the Jedi religion, which earned its own code on the UK census form in 2001; and who's to say that God didn't inspire ol' George?

This is just so very sad. I don't even know what to say, it's so disheartening.

In this post-election season of reflection, I offer a psychological tool for my friends still in need of uplifting.

Take a moment in your busy day. Sit down. Quiet yourself, your thoughts, your mind. Close your eyes, and chant:
My unfinished Green Tara tattoo, designed and applied by Dirk Hayes. See www.tattoobydirk.com.
OM TARE TUTARE TURE SOHA
(ohm taray totaray tooray so ha)

Calling on the Green Tara and chanting her mantra is said to offer protection from eight tribulations:

1) Lions and pride
2) Wild elephants and delusions
3) Forest fires and hatred
4) Snakes and envy
5) Robbers and fanatical views
6) Prisons and avarice
7) Floods and lust
8) Demons and doubt

While chanting, I suggest meditating specifically on numbers 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8.

When you're done, you might feel a bit better, a little more relaxed, and maybe even more energized.

Then get off your ass and do something positive, progressive, and compassionate!

The Next EmperorHow on Earth does a two-year-old know what Star Wars is?

Maybe it's the countless number of toys and collectibles displayed in our house. Yet, Bill and I don't recall ever saying the words "Star Wars" in front of Joe, so what could possibly make him do a little happy dance and repeat "dar war, dar war" when we tried to steer him away from Finding Nemo and Dora videos and introduce him to classic sci-fi last night?

He sat and watched the first half-hour of Episode IV with us, mesmerized and quiet--except for the times he shouted "pairpane" and "wobot" when the first ships and droids came on screen.

I think we know what we're getting Joe for Christmas this year now.

Make a wish, Joe!Here's a link to Bill's Bugsmedia page, which has all the nice photos from Joe's birthday party last Saturday.

We really need to get a better camera, as these photos took some tweaking to make them web-publishable.

In the photo at left, Joe hasn't quite gotten the hang of blowing out candles.

to thank a vet today.
I once sent my Dad an e-Veteran's Day card and it made his day. He'd never gotten one before. So, surprise a vet today and send a hearty thank you. It will make at least two people feel good.
My personal thank you list of war vets includes my Dad and grandfathers, and I also send a thank you to my uncles, my big brother, Lee, and friends Ben and Shauna for serving in uniform, although not in battle. (I think I'm forgetting someone, though; if it's you, please forgive me.)

This is a great article from the Washington Post on the issue of "moral values"--who owns it and who defines it. Some excerpts:

Battling the notion that "values voters" swept President Bush to victory because of opposition to gay marriage and abortion, three liberal groups released a post-election poll in which 33 percent of voters said the nation's most urgent moral problem was "greed and materialism" and 31 percent said it was "poverty and economic justice." Sixteen percent cited abortion, and 12 percent named same-sex marriage.
...
"The values that were promoted most within the conservative religious community were almost always tied to a fear factor, and that was not necessarily the case in the Democratic strategy, and I would say should not be the case," said the Rev. Welton Gaddy, head of the Interfaith Alliance.
...
The poll found that 42 percent of voters cited the war in Iraq as the "moral issue" that most influenced their choice of candidates, while 13 percent cited abortion and 9 percent same-sex marriage. Asked to name the greatest threat to marriage, 31 percent said "infidelity," 25 percent cited "rising financial burdens" and 22 percent named same-sex marriage.
...
Tom Perriello, an organizer at Res Publica, said the poll shows that "while there may be a solid 20 percent who are very focused on abortion and gay marriage, for most Americans of faith, there are other moral issues of greater urgency, and that's where the religious middle is."
...
The answer to this "God gap," Perriello said, "is that progressives need to embrace the deep moral critique that people are looking for and make that case on poverty and Iraq, and not just try to talk more about God or outpace the Republicans on gay marriage or abortion."

If you haven't already read my posts on religion and its importance in my life, read them.

I sure hope the left listens to this and learns to speak of religion without disdain, or at least destroys the perception that to agree with a Democrat on social issues is to be against God. I understand how frustrating it is to watch people attempt to "legislate their articles of faith" --it pisses me off immensely, especially when we're suppose to be fighting a war against terrorism fueled by religious extremism. Still, when the religious in America feel under attack for simply being religious, it only serves to bind them (who disagree on many things) together and make them a huge anti-left voting block.

I'll try to tone down my own verbal assault on the faith-based community, or at least make more of a distinction between power-hungry, hateful ultra-conservatives and the more moderate, well-meaning, open-minded people who actually understand what Christ was saying about "love[ing] thy neighbor." I can't promise that I won't use the words bigotry, ignorance, or illogical, though. Sometimes when I get my dander up (again, my apologies, Mr. Spock {Don't you love that site?}), those words just fly out of my brain, especially when they're appropriate.

Sunday morning began beautifully. Joe, tired from his birthday celebration, woke up a little later than usual and we all snuggled together in our room, under the covers, lingering for a while until it was finally time to get up and make coffee, eat breakfast, and start the first quiet day we've had in so very long.

But then the phone rang.

My Dad, in a serious voice I'm told, asked Bill to put me on the phone. After saying hello, I began telling him how we were recovering from Joe's birthday party, and instead of following me on this pleasant conversation thread, Dad said that he was calling to put the distance between us in the past. To which I said, "Where is this coming from?"

Apparently, my Dad felt as though I've purposefully avoided talking to him due to his opposition to John Kerry. (He's a Vietnam vet--not one who came home protesting the war.) I assure you that I have not been avoiding my Dad; I don't think I have reason to. Politics are certainly not something that should split up families. I avoid bringing up certain topics when talking to relatives, especially now. I don't wish to argue with those I love. I understand and in some cases even respect and empathize with their viewpoints, such as my Dad's. I just don't happen to hold the same views. I am, after all, a separate, intelligent person with my own mind, body, experiences, what have you.

But when I tried to apologize and explain to him that I was not purposefully avoiding him, that I was just very busy and very stressed, that I hadn't meant to slight him, and that he "shouldn't take it personally," he became enraged, yelling "That's what they said about Vietnam," and other things that due to my confused and overwhelmed emotional state I cannot accurately relate here. I do specifically recall that he called me a "turncoat"--at least twice--and said that he's done "put[ting] up with my candy-ass politics."

I'm not sure if I'm a "turncoat" to my country or to him personally because of my opposition to Bush--which essentially (and unfortunately for my paternal relationship, I suppose) had to manifest itself as support for Kerry this political season.

I'm also unsure as to why my particular political beliefs are "candy-ass." I guess because I don't like my president telling me untruths and my tax dollars--and my son's future tax dollars--being used to fund an unjust war. (Do I need to repeat here that I support the continuing war in Afghanistan?)

I write what I experience, and I'm not writing this as an indictment of my Dad. Sure, I'm pissed that he ruined my Sunday and caused me to have a crying fit and subsequent all-day migraine and nausea, not to mention that he also upset my child and angered my husband, but I'm also terribly saddened, wondering how many other parents and children or siblings or cousins are yelling at each other over issues that we should be speaking about quietly and diplomatically in order to reunite the country I was raised to love.

We have to come to some kind of middle ground, and it will take understanding from both sides. I'm certainly guilty of offense or insult in passionate defense of my beliefs. I am human, inherently emotional--Sorry, Mr. Spock. But how long can we keep yelling at each other? What good does it do?

I'm not shutting up, though. So don't even ask.

Doh! Joe's birthday party is tomorrow. It's five days early, of course, but I doubt he'll mind.


I can't believe Joe's already 2 years old. Just a little while ago he wasn't able to walk or talk--or imitate swimming surfer-dude turtles.

Source;AP via CNN.com As if my aunt needed more signs that Bush's election was heaven sent, here's this AP photo, showing Bush's halo.

A symbol's worth a thousand metaphors.

Liberal media, my ass.

I've gotten some comments from friends on the optimism I'm pulling out of my ass. Some are thankful. Some are more cynical. To you, I say, listen to Mike Watt.

Last night at Market Street Pub, Mike Watt told a small crowd (Bill and I stood less than 5 feet away from him, Bill even got to hug him after the show) that we will make it through the next four years. He also told us to "start [our] own band, paint a picture, write a book" and that creativity is not something we have to get approval for from the government. What a great pep talk. What a great show. (The opening band was great, too. Bill and I both agreed that the first band to come to mind while listening to Dear + Glorious Physician was Talking Heads.)

I was in awe; I was renewed. Suck it up. We have a lot of work to do.

I sniffled much of the morning. But after I spoke to my boss--the magnificent Margaret Bradley, PhD--I felt buoyed by her fiery talk of organizing, raising our voices, and demanding from Bush a more reasonable, moderate second term.

Then I drove home, listening to NPR, waiting for John Kerry's concession speech. The sniffling returned.

At home though, Bill gave me the kick in the ass I needed. I asked him, "Can't we move to Japan?" He told me in a very gentle way (after seven years together, he's mastered how to deal with my fragile ego, bless him), to stop being such a pussy and not surrender our beloved America.

Now is the time to pull up our boots and get to work. Read this from Kos:

Why were we in this fight in the first place? Because terrible leaders are doing terrible things to our country and calling this wonderful. Because radical reactionaries are trying to impose their imperialist schemes on whoever they wish and calling this just. Because amoral oligarchs are determined to enhance their slice of the economic pie and calling this the natural order. Because flag-wrapped ideologues want to chop up civil liberties and call this security. Because myopians are in charge of America's future.
...
After a decent interval of licking our wounds and pondering what might have been and where we went wrong, we need to spit out our despair and return - united - to battling those who have for the moment outmaneuvered us. Otherwise, we might just as well lie down in the street and let them flatten us with their schemes.

Stop looking for your passports. (I'm not picking on you, Ben. Many feel the same. Hell, I did this morning.) Call your like-minded friends. Organize. Join Democracy for America. Go to meet ups. Whatever. Just don't give up. Don't give up fighting for the progress America so desperately needs.

Mr. Bush, please move back to being the "uniter" you promised us you were.

I'm directing you, my dear readers, to this Talent Show entry. Greg managed to sum up how I feel.

This is all I can write for now. My eyes are too blurry from tears of sadness and fear for our nation's future.

Ironically, today is "take out the trash day" on our block.

We arrived at our neighborhood Presbyterian church at 6:57 this morning, thinking we'd beat the line to vote. We were wrong. It stretched out into the parking lot. Thankfully, though, when the polls opened the line moved quickly, and it only took a totally of 40 minutes for both Bill and I to cast our votes.

The only problem I had was wrestling with a restless Joe. Do you have any idea how hard it is to fill in an oval with one arm, holding a squirming, squealing toddler with the other? I'm not bitching, though. My Great, Great Grandmother surely would have happily held a bear if she had to in order to vote.

Isaac and Joseph. The picture to the left is of Joe and his buddy, Isaac, at the UUF Halloween Carnival. Joe did have on a monkey hood, but the Florida heat kept him from wearing it for more than 30 minutes (note the sweaty hair). I'm so glad I only made the bottom half of his costume and just went with the short-sleeved Curious George shirt.

As I noted in a previous post, Bill dressed as the man with the yellow hat, and I was Nurse Carol from Curious George Goes to the Hospital.

The youth group and I worked for five hours Saturday to put together the haunted house, from which I heard many screams on Sunday--which made it a success to me. I arrived at the fellowship at 8:15 Sunday morning to get a jump on setting up the carnival booths, and I'm so grateful to have had some great volunteers, both youth and adult, who went above and beyond the call of duty to help make the annual fall picnic fun for kids of all ages.