Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Song a Decade to Early?

I was sitting around (ok, working) and an Iris DeMent song popped up. I had forgotten how much I loved the song. The lyrics couldn't be any more poignant today than they were when they were released a decade ago...maybe more so.

WASTELAND OF THE FREE (Iris DeMent)
(c) 1996 Songs of Iris ASCAP


We got preachers dealing in politics and diamond mines
and their speech is growing increasingly unkind
They say they are Christ's disciples
but they don't look like Jesus to me
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We got politicians running races on corporate cash
Now don't tell me they don't turn around and kiss them peoples' ass
You may call me old-fashioned
but that don't fit my picture of a true democracy
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We got CEO's making two hundred times the workers' pay
but they'll fight like hell against raising the minimum wage
and If you don't like it, mister, they'll ship your job
to some third-world country 'cross the sea
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We got little kids with guns fighting inner city wars
So what do we do, we put these little kids behind prison doors
and we call ourselves the advanced civilization
that sounds like crap to me
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We got high-school kids running 'round in Calvin Klein and Guess
who cannot pass a sixth-grade reading test
but if you ask them, they can tell you
the name of every crotch on mTV
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We kill for oil, then we throw a party when we win
Some guy refuses to fight, and we call that the sin
but he's standing up for what he believes in
and that seems pretty damned American to me
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

Living in the wasteland of the free
where the poor have now become the enemy
Let's blame our troubles on the weak ones
Sounds like some kind of Hitler remedy
Living in the wasteland of the free

While we sit gloating in our greatness
justice is sinking to the bottom of the sea
Living in the wasteland of the free

Monday, March 28, 2005

SITE OF THE MONTH

Ok - I get the site of the month posting done by the hair of my chinny chin chin. So what? It is not like you people are hanging on my every blog entry (though l-rd, I wish you were!). This is a site Jon had steered me to a year or so back which I actually had forgotten about. But he re-found it and it has been updated.

You must Must MUST listen to: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Knowing Me Knowing You". It really puts that American Idol fellow to shame.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

OHIO ISSUE 1

Yesterday a Cuyahoga County judge ruled that the amendment approved in Nov 2004 made the state's domestic violence law unconstitutional since it recognizes the relationship between unmarried offender and victim as one "approximating the significance or effect of marriage".

Keep in mind that I do not advocate domestic abuse. But on the other hand, I find something ironic, funny and satisfying that all those who voted for Issue 1 for the sole purpose of banning gay marriage in Ohio now have no protection from domestic abuse if they are not married.

Of course this will go to appeal, but a CWRU law professor states, "My own guess is that Judge Friedman is correct because the language in Issue 1 is so clear, it's hard to get around that."

Though I'm sure if this holds up, the law for domestic abuse will just be changed. But for the time being, it is somewhat satisfying to know that shortsightedness in a rush to exclude one group is doing the same for other groups. Maybe lawmakers, or better yet, the lemmings who rush to vote to discriminate, might actually find out that they too can be discriminated against.

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Vatican Calls for Keeping Schiavo Alive (AP)

If g-d didn't opt to keep his own son from death, why would he choose Terri whats-her-name to beat the odds? Why didn't g-d keep jesus up on the cross for 15+ years? If the g-d had acted (w/a special session from Pilate's government) and kept jesus alive, he couldn't have died for your sins (and in turn, create a need for the vatican)! But at least he'd have been alive - regardless of the quality of life.

Seriously though, the neurosurgeons and neurologists I work with have had (literally) dozens of collegues exam this woman over the years and not one has come back to say there is the remotest bit of hope for any sort of recovery. But I'm guessing that the federal judge will favor w/the husband, but now congress can say "hey, we did our best! we tried!! you can't blame us folks. Vote Quimby!"

Monday, March 21, 2005

House Hunting Funny

Denton & I went looking at houses this last weekend. We had a few on our list that we wanted to see, and a few that Ernie, our realtor wanted to take us to. A house we mutually agreed on looking at was nice, but that's all. The weirdest thing is that is was the home of doctor I had interviewed with about a year ago. Sometimes Cleveland is just way too small.

The one house Ernie wanted us to see was out of our price range, but he thought it would give us good perspective. I'm not sure it did that, but it did provide the oddest moment.

The first thing that struck me was that it smelled exactly like my grandmother's house. Not just and old person's home, but my father's mother AND she and her house have been gone for about 20 years. The folks who lived in the house had been there for FORTY-SEVEN years!!!! And had changed very little since the day they moved in. It was very 'Far From Heaven', but not done quite as well. Odd layouts, weird rooms and the smell. It just stuck with me. We get upstairs and there are twin beds that immediately had me flashing on my father and his brother's beds circa 1928. Maybe it was the room set-up, maybe it was the smell. I said nothing to Denton or Ernie about this, because, what would they care?

We walk through the master bedroom which all I can describe as very Courtship of Eddie's Father. Modular bed, weird late '60s art - very not 'Far From Heaven'. From there we go out into the hall to get to the 3rd floor and two things catch my eye for about 3 seconds. I see a family photograph which I'm sure I've seen before and then a framed family tree. MY family tree...on my father's side.

I start laughing and had to explain to both why I was doing so. Denton goes, 'are YOU in that picture?' to which I had to point out the 120lb 6'2", zit faced kid with the off the rack suit and his hair parted down the middle!!!

I asked Ernie, 'whose house IS this', to which he replied 'Sid and Barbara Kaplan'. Whom I would have had to have guessed died eons ago (but apparently not) and would be my second cousin or something.

The next house as we pull up, I says to Ernie 'no one I know or am related to lives here - do they?'.

He didn't reply. He didn't find me humorous.

Saturday, March 19, 2005

LIVING WILL & MY HIGH HORSE

My f*cking g-d! Does congress have NOTHING better to do than to decide who shall live or die on a person by person basis? If they insist on keeping Terri whats-her-name alive, then by all rights, shouldn't they make sure that guy who kidnapped, raped and killed that 9yo girl (also in FL) get the same attention to not getting the dealth penalty? (side note: I love how three weeks went by and no one noticed the freshly dug grave 150 yds from where the child was kidnapped - the fact that they found the killer is slightly miraculous.)

Does Frist and Hasert think a patient in a completely vegetative state for over 15 years doesn't rack up major medical bills just because they don't eat? Since they may force her husband to keep her alive, does that force him to pay for her care? If the courts decide she must be kept alive, should they pay? 15 years of that type of medical care would make anyone eligible for state or disability assistance, but the government can't be expected to keep up her care - I mean, isn't congress the same group attempting to cut Medicaid and Medicare benefits?

Another side note: I laughed that people tried to break into the hospital with food and water. Because, I'm sure they were trained professionals who could just squash that all up and shove it down her somehow to keep her alive.

And what if she dies? I think that would be one tense after-funeral gathering. Who'll bring the Jello salad (w/the suspended canned fruit)?

Seriously though - congress should not be allowed to decide what the courts can and cannot rule on when it's convenient for them. Right now they stand here:

Abortion - higher court decision
Gay Marriage - courts should be allowed decide
Patient Rights - depends on person or amount of media coverage

Monday, March 14, 2005

The Gates (part II)

The Sommerville Gates (see Feb Site of the Month)is up for sale on eBay.

Bids are up to $51 as of today (9 days left) - which I think is great. All proceeds will be donated to two local Sommerville non-profits.


note: winning bid was for $227.50 !!!

Sunday, March 13, 2005

OPUS

Damn that Berke Breathed. Now he's going to be sending MILLIONS (Becky says trillions!) of users to my site, which I have not been keeping up. Oh the hell of it. Now I have to be clever, creative and prolific.

For those who missed the Sunday Funnies this a.m. (Mar 13th), Opus apparently writes for blobbyblog.com. This site does exist in name only. Someone bought the domain name, but has done nothing with it.

If i can scan the comic and post it, I will. Then everyone can donate a dollar to my defense fund when Mr. Breathed sues my sorry ass.

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Since so many people actually saw this guy in Atlanta shoot the judge and other court employees - this fate and guilt are pretty much determined. But what about that judge from Chicago whose mother and husband were murdered? Police were quick to assume that since the judge overseeing a hate group trial that said group was responsible.

As it turns out, it was a former plaintiff who had his case rejected by this judge. Who is going to apologize to the White Supremacists?? WHO? Nothing says I'm sorry like a fresh fruit basket. And even White Supremacists need their vitamin C.