MONOGAMY / INTERNET PRIVACY

MONOGAMY. Christopher Ryan poses an interesting hypothesis -- that monogamy is an unnatural state for our species. His take on shifting relationship codes over our evolutionary development, starting in prehistory, has some factual merit. Still, as one who is educated in ecology and evolutionary biology, it is not clear to me that his analysis stretches to lend support to humans being naturally polygamous (or polyandrous). Bottom line, whether or not we are hard-wired for certain social behaviors is emphatically secondary to our free will, set of ethics, or simple practicality.

In my hormone-driven youth, I went through passages of having one intimate partner, and also of having more than one partner (with one of those being primary). There was never any duplicity -- all parties knew and approved of whatever arrangement held sway at the moment. Ultimately, I found that paying adequate and deserved attention to just one partner (emotionally, sexually, intellectually) was not only more satisfying, but more realistic. Spreading onself around simply takes too much energy and attention, and doesn't do justice to the Quality of each relationship.

Perhaps that's just me. Perhaps others have discovered a capacity for multiplicity, at least for short periods. I doubt that it is workable as an established social norm, without risking the oppression of one gender or the other.

INTERNET PRIVACY. Ellen Nakashima -- "The Obama administration is seeking to make it easier for the FBI to compel companies to turn over records of an individual's Internet activity without a court order if agents deem the information relevant to a terrorism or intelligence investigation."

Over my dead body. Privacy is a sacrosanct civil liberty. I do not trust either the integrity or the judgment of ANY intelligence agent with the details of my personal life, as a matter of principle. We've seen far too many instances of abuse and neglect over the years, by the FBI, by the CIA, by the NSA, and by the Department of Homland Security. If the need is legitimate, then the agency must justify it by getting a court order. Period. The old joke runs that the term "military intelligence" is an oxymoron. A facile judgment, perhaps, but not without some foundation in truth. Far better to preserve judicial oversight in order to avoid intelligence excesses.

A BETTER WAR

In today's NYTimes, Nicholas Kristof notes that the ostensible "war on terror" has been the most costly war in American history, with the exception of World War II. This information comes from a new report by the Congressional Research Office, and measures only monetary costs. It does not include the costs in casualties or ruined lives, in troop morale, or in the credibility of the US among the world community. Kristof justifiably takes President Obama to task for his escalation of the war in Afghanistan (tripling the number of US troops in that country since he took office). The money and lives would be far better spent (as this writer has noted repeatedly) by shifting our attention to education in Afghanistant and other countries.

Greg Mortenson's inspiring book Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time is required reading at West Point, but its message has yet to penetrate the upper levels of policy making in the Obama Administration. Three Cups of Tea is set in Pakistan, while Mortenson's follow-up book Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, not Bombs is set mostly in Afghanistan. Mortenson's non-profit Central Asia Institute is based in Bozeman, MT, and has built over 130 schools in the two countries -- not by barging into local communities and declaring "this is what you need", but rather by respectfully establishing relationships with community leaders and then asking "what do you most need?" Resoundingly, the answer is "We need schools." CAI's approach includes locals at all levels of decision-making and construction, which is key to allowing them to feel empowered, to take charge of their own lives. Incidentally, that taking charge includes rejecting any further support for the Taliban, in village after village. Military protection for these schools is not needed, as the experience of Mortenson and the relief organization CARE have demonstrated repeatedly.

Kristof's article mentions Three Cups of Tea as a model for a much more effective method of combatting terrorism than our costly and counterproductive military presence in southern Asia. The focus on schools for girls is especially important. "Teach a boy, and you educate an individual. Teach a girl, and you educate a community."

Kristof closes by noting that "We won our nation's independence for $2.4 billion in today's money ... That was good value, considering that we now fritter the same amount every nine days in Afghanistan." Time for a change in priorities, indeed. For the cost of just one soldier in Afghanistan for one year, we could start about twenty schools there.

On another Afghanistan front, the recent publication of thousands of documents by Wikileaks has been roundly (and predictably) criticized by Administration and Pentagon officials. For another viewpoint, please consider this brief essay by a soldier on the ground in Afghanistan. We need more transparency in government, not less. The US intelligence apparatus is so bloated that, according to the Washington Post, the number of people with Top Secret security clearances is 1.5 times the population of the District of Columbia. Fewer spies, more teachers?

Black & White Kids Rooms

Grown up elegance. The soccer ball adds fun and whimsy to a stately bedroom. Image from BHG.com

Teen black and white sophistication.

 Black and white baby nursery with touches of red. Crib bedding from here.

Touches of turquoise.

Black and white striped walls and floor? Stunning!

Image from here.





Trend Lab Versailles Black and White 4 Piece Crib Set





Black Tie Teen Bedding: Black and White Queen Bed Quilt

Black and White Bedding

Friends' List..

When I started writing this post, there was a question inside my head 

"Can you count how many friends you have?"

If I were younger, I would definitely answer yes to this question. But yesterday, when I ran into my three of my four closest friends during my first year in university, I began to wonder, why did I neglected them? Why our friendship were merely hi and goodbye lately? Why did I let myself to be controlled by circumstances and just let them go because we didn't take the same papers lately? I felt like such a bad friend. I felt like instead of being friends, we became more like acquaintences lately and I really didn't want that to happen. I still want our friendship to go on and strong because they are really good people and I should give them what they deserved from me, which is a quality time together.

What's a friend?

According to Dictionary.com, a friend is a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. 

I still remember when I was still in my primary school, I would list down my friends' name and decorated it. The list will consist of almost all the girls' name in my class. That time, to me, the definition of friend was simple. A friend to me, means someone you know and whom you did not fight with. How innocent of us kids back then hehe.

When I entered high school, I entered the smartest class for Bahasa Melayu Medium though I didn't get straight As. So I felt like the underdog firstly because I personally think that I didn't fit in the smart category and I was a very timid girl. I didn't know how to converse in Mandarin back then because in my primary school, we just conversed in my mother tongue, my dialect, which is Hokkien.

It was during high school I always felt very lonely because I only talk to people when they were the one who started the conversations. It was because I was too self-conscious and afraid I might be laughed at for speaking Mandarin inaccurately. So I would do anything just to gain friends - I became the delivery girl by helping my classmates to buy food from the canteen though sometimes I didn't intend to go to the canteen. A small thank you made my day, I felt appreciated, but there were times when I bought things wrongly and got dissatisfied remarks.

During that lonely period of my afternoon session moment in high school, I would list down the number of friends I had in my diary. I became more critical about the definition of a friend, and the list was very short, because there were only a few who was close to me and was kind to me that time. But still, I was sure, somehow someday, I would get out of my shell and be more approachable towards other people. 

But that didn't happen during my high school, because all through high school, whenever I tried to come out of my shell, there were always obstacles from a different level coming for me. I was frustrated with studying life. Because of that, I was finally comfortable with my anti-social attitude and I told my mom I wanted to work right away after Form 5, but well, as you can see, that did not happen. I continued with Form 6. Though I still speak poor Mandarin that time, I felt the sense of belongingness in my Form 6 class. I was considered smart, something that I won't expected to be labelled as after primary school. 

My friends' list became longer than before, and I was really blissful. It was during my Form 6 where for the first time, I began to be involved in religious club such as Young Christian Students. And through my Form 6, I began to know more people and had quality time with my bestie.

Then there was university life. During my first year first semester, I had a gang which consists of Mei Ling, Sook Mon, Christopher, Susanna, Pei Lee and me. When we attended classes, we always go together. But when the second semester arrived, we majored in different subjects and the gang was like, splitted into two. Pei Lee and me were always together, then the rest were at another part. During my first year 2nd semester, I always felt lonely because sometimes Pei Lee fell sick and couldn't attend the classes. Then I started to make the friends' list all over again, counting how many friends I had. Inside the list contained most of my seniors' name. I wasn't really mixing with my peers that time. I felt frustrated with myself, the trauma of being an outcast like what I felt during my high school years came back haunting me again. 

But God was really kind to me. During my 2nd year, He gave me a role to play in a religious club and He met me with Hawa and a lot of other new people I began to became close with. Though I was busy and all that, it was a small price to pay compared to the blessings He gave me. I felt more contented and it was the first time I thanked my mother for forcing me to enter university.

And you know what? It was during that time I stopped making the friends' list.

And only when I stopped making the friends' list that I realized we cannot count how many friends we have cause it's hard to determine which one of your acquaintences is your friend because friendship must be nurtured. Acquaintances can turn into friends and vice versa. If you do not keep in touch with your friends, your friends might turn into merely acquaintences.

[Interframe: And that is why now I want to find a very good timing to reconnect with my first year gang, my beloved friends, Pei Lee, Sook Mon, Susanna and Mei Ling. I don't want this friendship we have turning into acquaintances relationship]

Friends' List..

When I started writing this post, there was a question inside my head 

"Can you count how many friends you have?"

If I were younger, I would definitely answer yes to this question. But yesterday, when I ran into my three of my four closest friends during my first year in university, I began to wonder, why did I neglected them? Why our friendship were merely hi and goodbye lately? Why did I let myself to be controlled by circumstances and just let them go because we didn't take the same papers lately? I felt like such a bad friend. I felt like instead of being friends, we became more like acquaintences lately and I really didn't want that to happen. I still want our friendship to go on and strong because they are really good people and I should give them what they deserved from me, which is a quality time together.

What's a friend?

According to Dictionary.com, a friend is a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. 

I still remember when I was still in my primary school, I would list down my friends' name and decorated it. The list will consist of almost all the girls' name in my class. That time, to me, the definition of friend was simple. A friend to me, means someone you know and whom you did not fight with. How innocent of us kids back then hehe.

When I entered high school, I entered the smartest class for Bahasa Melayu Medium though I didn't get straight As. So I felt like the underdog firstly because I personally think that I didn't fit in the smart category and I was a very timid girl. I didn't know how to converse in Mandarin back then because in my primary school, we just conversed in my mother tongue, my dialect, which is Hokkien.

It was during high school I always felt very lonely because I only talk to people when they were the one who started the conversations. It was because I was too self-conscious and afraid I might be laughed at for speaking Mandarin inaccurately. So I would do anything just to gain friends - I became the delivery girl by helping my classmates to buy food from the canteen though sometimes I didn't intend to go to the canteen. A small thank you made my day, I felt appreciated, but there were times when I bought things wrongly and got dissatisfied remarks.

During that lonely period of my afternoon session moment in high school, I would list down the number of friends I had in my diary. I became more critical about the definition of a friend, and the list was very short, because there were only a few who was close to me and was kind to me that time. But still, I was sure, somehow someday, I would get out of my shell and be more approachable towards other people. 

But that didn't happen during my high school, because all through high school, whenever I tried to come out of my shell, there were always obstacles from a different level coming for me. I was frustrated with studying life. Because of that, I was finally comfortable with my anti-social attitude and I told my mom I wanted to work right away after Form 5, but well, as you can see, that did not happen. I continued with Form 6. Though I still speak poor Mandarin that time, I felt the sense of belongingness in my Form 6 class. I was considered smart, something that I won't expected to be labelled as after primary school. 

My friends' list became longer than before, and I was really blissful. It was during my Form 6 where for the first time, I began to be involved in religious club such as Young Christian Students. And through my Form 6, I began to know more people and had quality time with my bestie.

Then there was university life. During my first year first semester, I had a gang which consists of Mei Ling, Sook Mon, Christopher, Susanna, Pei Lee and me. When we attended classes, we always go together. But when the second semester arrived, we majored in different subjects and the gang was like, splitted into two. Pei Lee and me were always together, then the rest were at another part. During my first year 2nd semester, I always felt lonely because sometimes Pei Lee fell sick and couldn't attend the classes. Then I started to make the friends' list all over again, counting how many friends I had. Inside the list contained most of my seniors' name. I wasn't really mixing with my peers that time. I felt frustrated with myself, the trauma of being an outcast like what I felt during my high school years came back haunting me again. 

But God was really kind to me. During my 2nd year, He gave me a role to play in a religious club and He met me with Hawa and a lot of other new people I began to became close with. Though I was busy and all that, it was a small price to pay compared to the blessings He gave me. I felt more contented and it was the first time I thanked my mother for forcing me to enter university.

And you know what? It was during that time I stopped making the friends' list.

And only when I stopped making the friends' list that I realized we cannot count how many friends we have cause it's hard to determine which one of your acquaintences is your friend because friendship must be nurtured. Acquaintances can turn into friends and vice versa. If you do not keep in touch with your friends, your friends might turn into merely acquaintences.

[Interframe: And that is why now I want to find a very good timing to reconnect with my first year gang, my beloved friends, Pei Lee, Sook Mon, Susanna and Mei Ling. I don't want this friendship we have turning into acquaintances relationship]

BULLFIGHTING / SPACEQUAKES / VISUALS

BULLFIGHTING. Grand news !! CBS News reports that in the northeast of Spain, the parliament of Catalonia (whose capital is Barcelona) has voted to ban bull fighting. This is an unprecidented step forward, in my view. Consider that in a traditional bull fight, the animal is first pierced by the lances of mounted picadores, who aim to sever neck muscles and cause extensive bleeding. Next barbed sticks are used by banderilleros to further enrage, confuse and bleed out the bull. Finally, when the bull is exhausted and weakened from loss of blood, and after being taunted repeatedly by the motion (not the color) of a sweeping cape, the matador, if he is skilled, kills the bull with a well-aimed thrust of his sword to the spinal column. If the matador is not skilled or quick on his feet, he risks being gored by the bull. All for the blood sport of the cheering audience.

There are certain human forms of entertainment which can only be considered barbaric, cruel torture. Among them, bull fighting, dog fighting, cock fighting, and rodeos. The former three involve bloodshed and death. While rodeo usually does not, most events feature humans forcing animals into states of fear or anger, with a high risk of injury to man and beast. Once a redneck Texas cowboy challenged me on this, saying that the animals in events such as calf roping are not hurt. The biologist in me (not to mention the humanitarian) responded that for an animal to be running at full speed, then when a lariat settles around its neck and tightens, to be brought to an instant halt, so violently that the calf is jerked off its feet and somersaults to the ground, physical trauma is inevitable. I suggested that the cowboy try out the role of the calf for himself, to see what it felt like. He declined.

The last time I attended a rodeo was in my teens, at a local three day event celebrating Whoop Up Trail Days, or Whoop Up for short. The naivete of youth was shattered during a bronc riding event, along with one of the hind legs of the bucking horse -- the rear knee joint broke clean in two, leaving the lower half of his leg dangling and swinging bizarrely by only a shred of skin. The poor horse went wild with pain, careening out of control. It took event managers a full half hour to get the animal into a holding pen, contact its owner for instructions, and finally to end its misery with a gunshot to the head. During that entire time the arena air was pierced by the horse's screams. Never again.

So Parliamentarians of Catalonia, I salute you. Bullfighting is on the wane in Spain and Mexico. It cannot disappear too soon.

SPACEQUAKES. Scientists at NASA have discovered a phenomenon called spacequakes. Just as earthquakes are disturbances in the earth's crust, spacequakes are disturbances in the magnetosphere surrounding Earth (and presumably other celestial bodies). Here is a brief video illustrationg a spacequake's behavior. And here is a fuller description of the discovery.

VISUALS. Just for fun -- here is a high-speed (9000 frames per second) video of multiple lightning flashes. Slow motion takes on an entirely new meaning. And here is an article and graph on the mathematics of marriage. Analysis, far from deadening the mystery of music or poetry or literature or relationships, adds to the color and enjoyment.

BONUS. Robert Redford is more than an accomplished movie actor and director. He is also an intelligent and committed philanthropist and environmentalist, just as his close friend Paul Newman was a lifelong active humanitarian. Redford founded the Sundance Film Festival, the largest venue for independent filmmakers in the US. In a recent editorial on The Huffington Post, Redford eloquently and forcefully rebuts those Republican Senators whose cynical intransigence blocked passage of meaningful, comprehensive energy and climate legislation. Ever since the US failure to sign the Kyoto Accord in 1997, the US has been the sole developed nation to resist energy and climate reform. We are the laughing-stock of the world, due to our myopia, greed and stupidity. Obstructionist conservatives should be horsewhipped. Or perhaps be made to perform the calf's role at a rodeo.

GIVEAWAY: Got A Blog? Make A Book - CLOSED

Easily transform your blog into a professionally printed book with Blog2Print. How would you like a hard copy of your blog to look at and have as a keepsake? Check out Blog2Prints website for easy instructions. Once on the Blog2print website it's simple - enter your URL and decide what time range you want to print, choose a cover and with a couple of clicks it automatically downloads all the posts from your blog. The value of this giveaway is $31.95.  Participants must use one of the Blog2Print supported blog platforms: Blogger, Typepad, and Wordpress.

To enter to win this giveaway of one blog book 40 pages (valued at $31.95) - please go to Blog2Print and check out what they offer.  Then come back here and leave a comment on this blog post about why you would like to print your blog. Contest closes August 6th at 11:00 pm (PST).





Additional entries:


• 2 Extra entries - become a Design Dazzle follower (by adding yourself to the follower group on the sidebar)... would love to have you as a blog friend and reader : )



• 2 Extra entries - add our Design Dazzle button to your blog/website or blog about Design Dazzle with a link to our blog.



• 2 Extra entries - join Design Dazzles' new facebook page as a fan. 
  
  

Each entry needs its own comment! Post a separate comment for each extra entry - if you entered all entries you would leave 7 separate comments. Winner chosen using Random.org.  The winner will be announced August 7th on a blog post. If winner fails to respond within three days, a new winner will be chosen. You need to be at least 18 years old to be eligible for this prize. Giveaway open to anyone with blogger, wordpress or typepad. Winner responsible for any applicable taxes. Blog2Print has offered Design Dazzle a blog2print book valued at $31.95 









THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!

KOLYA

Two days ago I watched a nuanced and very moving Czech film called Kolya, on DVD. The story is set in what was then Czechoslovakia (see map below), one of the satellite republics of the former Soviet Union. My mother's parents immigrated to the US from Prague (see image above), so my interest in the film's story was heightened.

You may recall that Czechoslovakia was the setting for reformist Alexander Dubcek's Prague Spring, an attempt to grant additional rights to citizens through partial decentralization of powers, and through democratization. Dubcek's reforms posed a threat to the Soviet leadership, who launched an invasion and occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops and tanks. Dubcek was removed from office, and Soviet dominance with an iron fist reigned until 1989, when peaceful student protestors sparked a nationwide general strike, in what is now known as the Velvet Revolution. The Communist Party relinquished power, and in subsequent elections, Vaclav Havel was chosen as the nation's President, and Alexander Dubcek became the elected speaker of the federal parliament. With the fall of the USSR in 1993, Chechoslovakia as a nation was dissolved, becoming two independent nations -- the Czech Republic and Slovakia. I have family and friends in both nations.

The film takes place on the eve of the Velvet Revolution, during a time of flux when it was still dangerous to express anti-Soviet sentiments. And yet the indomitable Czech spirit refused to be crushed. An active underground existed, and ultimately prevailed. Against this backdrop, the title character is a middle-aged cellist and hedonistic bachelor, with no family ties until his life becomes complicated by .... well, you'll have to see the film. This is a warm and personal story, one which both warmed my heart and moved me to tears at the end.

It also revived in me a feeling of pride in my family's cultural heritage. My family roots lie in Bohemia, one of three Czech districts (the other two being Moravia and Czech Silesia). Imagine, having roots in a land where revolutions are achieved peacefully, without violence or bloodshed. The human history of the region is ancient and rich with achievement. The list of famous Czech writers, poets, musicians, composers, artists, philosophers, politicians, and scientists is long and impressive. It is one of my dreams to spend a year in Europe, including significant time in the land of Kolya the cellist.

DIY Kids Decor: Refurbish & Revamp

Do you happen to have stuff around the house...even junk? Want to revamp an item to make it into something else? Melissa from 320 Sycamore created this fun monogram sign from a round table top purchased at Goodwill.  The sign hangs in her boys' room.

This is the before. Here is the DIY project

Another project.....

Make a pouf using dollar store rugs.  Dollar Store Crafts posted a how-to make a pouf on their blog. Who woulda thought to make inexpensive rugs into something you sit on.  Poufs are keen for kids rooms.

 Clever idea!

THINK TANK

WHO COOKED THE PLANET? Eminent economist Paul Krugman follows the science, the politics, and the money -- and points out events that make you go "hmmm". If you are among the dwindling number of those who doubt that global warming is real, and in the current instance is caused by human agency, please read this.

SCIENTISTS CONFIRM UNDERWATER PLUMES ARE FROM SPILL. Gee, ya think? This is the 500-lb. gorilla in the room that no one is talking about. It's easy for the media and the public to notice all the oil on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, thousands of square miles of ugly sludge. Equally easy to notice that same oil as it washes ashore, despoiling pristine beaches, marshlands, and wildlife habitat. But beneath the surface, out of sight, is where even more oil is circulating. All those chemical dispersants didn't make the oil disappear -- they simply broke it up into smaller particles, which sink partway to the sea bottom. Additional plumes of oil were formed at the well head, and simply didn't make it to the surface before being carried by ocean currents, circulating in the Gulf of Mexico gyre, potentially to be caught and carried out into the Atlantic and up the eastern seashore of the US. Here in the water column, the oil spill may create environmental havoc at least equal to the damage done on the surface and onshore. The subsurface oil is like that portion of an iceberg which one cannot see from the surface -- more massive than the visible portion, and just as deadly to marine life. Thank you, BP. Thank you, Transocean. Thank you, Halliburton.

CRITIQUING THE ROLE OF THE CITIZEN SCIENTIST. Our tendency is to place our trust in professionals, rather than in amateurs. Yet a quiet army of informed, non-professional scientists contributes immeasurably to the advancement of scientific discovery. Witness the number of stars, comets, asteroids, and other celestial bodies discovered by amateur astronomers each year. Witness the volunteers who observe, collect data, and analyze results as volunteers in the study of nature, species and habitats. The non-professional, or "natural philosopher", has an important place in our evolving, growing body of knowledge.

RESTLESS CONFEDERATES. The author offers an array of revelations about life in the Confederacy during the Civil War, aka the War Between The States. As was true in the North, the South was far from a unified populace. "The Confederacy was conceived as a republic of white men. But since of its 9 million people more than 3 million were slaves, and half the remainder disenfranchised white women, the new nation faced from the outset a crisis of legitimacy ... Southern leaders realized early that they would have to compete with the Union for the loyalty of these groups ... The need to generate consent allowed the Confederate unenfranchised to step onto the stage of politics, with their own demands, grievances and actions." One wonders if the South would have collapsed beneath the weight of its own internal strife, even without a war to drive it to ruin.

150 years later, and we're still learning about our own history. An aside -- during my life I've lived in four Southern states (Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee). Many Southerners, especially white Southerners, hold close to their hearts the memory of the War of Secession. Visiting non-Southerners often wonder aloud (rather rudely), "Why are you still fighting the Civil War? It's over, you lost. Get over it."

Not so easy to do. Imagine yourself a descendant in a family and a region which fought in a war lasting four bloody years. The politics aside, Southerners ultimately were invaded, defeated and humiliated by the second Northern invasion called Reconstruction. Such wounds run deep, and take many generations to heal. Even some of my most free-thinking Southern friends have mixed feelings about that time. For a different window into this paradox, I recommend reading John Hersey's 1965 novel White Lotus. Hersey examines slavery from the point of view of fictional Americans invaded and conquered by China, and their subsequent transport as slaves to that Asian nation (just as African blacks were captured, enslaved, and transported west to a strange continent). One's language, social class, cultural traditions, patterns of thought and behavior are all suddenly replaced by alien concepts and expectations. Learn quickly, or suffer the consequences. Acquiesce? Resist? Rebel? Things are much more complicated and nuanced than they appear.

DISPARITY SEEN IN DEATH PENALTY. This article discusses studies which demonstrate that racism in our country has many faces. One of them is found in the justice system. Racial and ethnic minorities, especially blacks, make up a disproportionate number of those arrested for crime, those bound over for trial, those convicted, and those sentenced to a prison term or to the death penalty. This is entirely supported by the research done by my ex-partner, a JD/PhD (an attorney and a psychologist) who is a professor of criminology and criminal justice. We may not see as many lynchings or burning crosses as we did half a century ago, but racism remains a profound and troubling aspect of our national character.

Minnie Mouse Party

At second street blog you'll find some amazing creative ideas! Check out these Minnie Mouse birthday party pics Kalleen sent over....it's so clever.  Kalleen has posted some totally awesome birthday ideas. 

These are my favorite hats. I heart red and white polka dots - Minnie Mouse fits my color scheme perfectly! Aren't the mouse ears too cute???

Minnie Mouse invitations - simple, yet adorable!

Kalleen is a very talented gal with a creative genius mind! She created this adorable Minnie Mouse Pinata out of a Costco sized Huggies box and tissue paper.

At Second Street is a blog full of creative ideas. Make sure to spend some time browsing...you're gonna be there a while!

 

60'' Wide Minky Cuddle Mini Polka Dots Red/White Fabric By The Yard

Elope Mickey Mouse Ears and Gloves Set

Tissue Paper - Black - 20 Sheets

THE AFGHANISTAN QUAGMIRE

The nearly nine year old war in Afghanistan, ostensibly being waged by coalition forces against Al-Qaeda terrorists and Taliban insurgents, is an exercise in futility. There is a growing list of reasons why the US should hasten its withdrawal of troops from the region.

~~ Counterinsurgency is much more effective in the form of humanitarian aid, rather than military invasion (which generates more insurgents and terrorists than it destroys).

~~ Conventional warfare conducted against indigenous guerrilla forces has a long history of tilting in favor of the guerrillas.

~~ There is evidence that neighboring Pakistan not only provides safe haven for Taliban fighters, but also that Pakistan's secret spy service collaborates directly with the Taliban. This, in spite of the fact that our ostensible ally receives over $1 billion annually in military assistance in fighting the Taliban. (See regional map below, click to enlarge.)

~~ The war is being lost, not won -- Taliban fighters are increasingly equipped with more sophisticated weapons and intelligence, and more secret US operations by Special Forces and CIA operatives are having little impact.

~~ As David Swanson reports, the American public is largely unaware of several pertinent facts relating to the military in general, and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in particular. For instance, the Taliban's largest source of revenue is US taxpayers. The US' top consumer of oil is the US military. Over half of every US tax dollar is spent on wars, the military, and payment on debt for past wars and military spending. The leading cause of deaths in the US military is suicide. Military funding is being devoted to escalating the war, not to stabilizing the Afghan government or its military.

Nine years. Just one year shy of the duration of another grotesque folly, the Vietnam War. The only people happy with this state of affairs are arms suppliers, military contractors, and undertakers -- plus a powerful network of hawkish politicians and military leaders, all of whom have their hands in each others' pockets, and all of whom hope to have a hand in controlling the natural resources of central Asia. The dollar sign is the bottom line.

AVOIDANCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE

The Shirley Sherrod implosion last week was a learning experience on two fronts.

The first learning experience -- the political train wreck was caused by our increasing reliance on spin doctors. You'll recall that it all began with the NAACP calling upon the Tea Party movement to "repudiate those in its ranks who use racist language in their signs and speeches." A resonable request. Reactionary conservative activist Andrew Breitbart shot back by posting a heavily edited video of Sherrod (Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture) describing what sounded like reverse racial discrimination -- until you listen to the entire address, and realize that she was describing the process of unlearning racial stereotypes. Breitbart's perverse brand of journalism is unmasked for what it is -- naked bigotry and intentional distortion of fact. Here, for the record, is Sherrod's entire 42-minute address -- the pertinent portion runs from minute 17 to minute 22.

But (and this is a big "but") NO ONE in the media, in the White House, in the USDA where Sherrod worked, or in the listening public, took the time to get both sides of the story. There was a vertiginous rush to judgment, and Sherrod was forced to resign without benefit of due process. Only days later did the full story emerge, and everyone except Sherrod (a lifelong dedicated public servant) should be cringing with shame. Any journalist or policy-maker worth his/her salt knows the first rule of news -- check your source. As one old-timer put it, "If your mother tells you she loves you, get verification." Realizing that the source was Breitbart, consulting with Sherrod, and listening to the entire video address, would have stopped the scandal in its tracks.

The second learning experience -- in today's NYTimes, two columnists respond to the Sherrod episode. Bob Herbert in Thrown to the Wolves takes the White House to task for its limp policies on race relations. Maureen Dowd in You'll Never Believe What This White House Is Missing describes the near-total absence of racial minorities among President Obama's inner circle. Both articles pull no punches in their commentary. The message needs to be heard. Race and human overpopulation are THE fundamental social issues of our time. After 234 years as a democratic republic, white male America still hasn't gotten the message that blacks, Asians, Latinos and Native Americans are citizens, too. Unemployment and poverty in those communities far outstrips the economic hardships in the white populace, most especially during the current recession. Obama is to be praised for his intellect, his vision, and his determination to seek conciliation between opposing factions. But he also needs to grow a backbone when faced with the virulent conservative backlash which is paralyzing the political process. So long as Republicans know that Democrats are deathly afraid of being labelled as "liberal" (when they should be proudly claiming that adjective), conservatives will continue to obstruct and delay and obfuscate. Throw the intransigent bums out. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

Even the Chinese understand this. Here's a tongue-in-cheek video on the ascendancy of our favorite intellectual lightweight, Sarah Palin.

And here, just for fun, is an animation which demonstrates in an "aha!" fashion the link between math and visual design. Which brings us full circle back to spin. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night.

Crib Mobile Tutorial

Such a cool concept - fabric circles, beads and ribbon make an adorable crib mobile. An easy way to make a crib mobile match the nursery room colors.

For the complete step-by-step crib mobile tutorial - check out Sew She Sews

Instructions on how-to create the beading at the top of the crib mobile.