sassy is as sassy does

i can't help but smile everytime i see one of the robin's egg blue cabs with "sassy's cab" running across the side. one of these days i'll remember to take a picture of it. i think i'll post it next to my monitor to remind me about what's really important.

desperately seeking sense

oh, what a world, what a world.

how is it that corporations manage to have zero brains and zero heart yet audacity up the wazoo?

the big-business of agriculture in south america -- which exists so that we can enjoy produce out of season -- is poisoning us and poisoning the eco-systems and communities where said produce is grown. as if that weren't evil enough, it's detrimental, global impact reaches so far as poisoning the north american birds who winter in south america. (read article here.)

in other "dear god, what kind of mess have we created" news, manufacturers of bio-diesel are making a "green" energy source but are dumping tons of by-product into the rivers. since the by-product is non-toxic to humans, someone apparently thought dumping it in the river would be okay. alas, it is literally suffocating the inhabitants of the river to death. reduce petro dependency, kill eco-systems -- is this really a "green" alternative? (read article here.)

how is it that we allow the import of produce grown with massive pesticide use that would be illegal in the u.s.? and how, in this day and age -- after looking at everything that has happened in this country, everything that is happening in china -- how can anyone think it is okay to dump ANYTHING into a river or lake or ocean...ever?

i blame people. corporations are amalgamations of people -- not some sort of autonomous entity. people in power are making irresponsible decisions. and other people in power profit from it, and their tacit support of the irresposibility makes them just as culpible.

what the fuck is wrong with people

(btw, read casimir's blog for additional education about the enviro- socio-global implications of food we eat -- and some yummy slow-food recipies.)

keeping my eye on the real issues

living in portland is feeling lately like living in a sea of optimistic, idealistic obama-supporters. their enthusiasm for his rhetoric can make a person second-guess herself. thank goodness that not everyone in the media is infatuated with obama or a clinton-hater (maureen dowd, i loved you, but we're over). more and more, i am finding paul krugman to be the voice of reason among all the demonization and idolization being thrown around.

let's talk policy. read paul's latest column.

i prefer a president who has progressive yet actionable policy plans, no matter how entrenched in politics-as-usual she might seem on the outside. many of clinton's policies are a return to the idea of a government responsible for taking care of its citizens (à la new deal policies) and in our present economic situation, that might not be such a bad thing. i find this to be a compelling position. re-tooling the system to serve a greater purpose is change, and i'd like to think it is at least somewhat realistic.

(and, yes, i secretly hope that a return to new-deal style government during economic gloominess might again lead to the creation of governmental support for arts outreach like the federal theatre project. art is critical to keeping us in touch with what is human, particularly when times get tight and, as a whole society, we start switching out of "thrive" mode into "survive" mode.)

the monogamy myth

it turns out that even those species that "mate for life" are apparently getting their groove on outside of the relationship. (read ny times article)

perhaps it's time we set aside unrealistic expectations of complete monogamy. instead, i suggest we focus on figuring out how to have affairs without destroying our partnerships. that is perhaps the harder task, but it is the one which respects both our nature and our social bonds. a 100% commitment to the relationship and to your partner need not require a 100% dedication of your sexuality to that person.

the politics of fruit

i didn't know farming policies and politics in this country are so messed up. i'm jaded enough not to be surprised, but i'm still disturbed by it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/opinion/01hedin.html?em&ex=1204693200&en=4f0386d314947329&ei=5087%0A

stuff white people like

okay, so this blog is clearly talking about a certain kind of middle/upper-class, left-leaning white person.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/

i choose to share it for some funny moments it musters up, accepting that it has imperfections (including its presentation of redundant ideas as separate and unique items).

laughter and my new love of radio lab

i've recently developed a love for 'radio lab' on opb. i keep stumbling into it on friday nights while in the car between dinner and drinks. i have to wrench myself away from it and out of the car to join the fun in the bar.

while looking for a podcast of the "laughter" episode, i discovered that this show is on the air four nights per week on opb. yes!

i couldn't find a podcast of the laugher episode, but i found a webpage for it which contains most of the material from the episode. it looks like it's going to air again next friday (i heard it about a month ago). maybe after that they will podcast it.

their podcast list is enticing, though. i'm looking forward to their exploration of wagner's ring cycle, musical language, sleep, placebo and emergence. it makes my brain tingle with activity!

what lies beneath

please read this article. it sums up everything i want to say about the democratic candidates, as well or better than i could. it calls out so-called "hillary hating" for what it really is, for the woman-hating that lies beneath it. the attacks against her in the media and by private citizens, and the tolerance of these attacks by the general population, is completely appalling.

http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/020108.html

i have been thinking about the election a lot. many of us have. i, for one, am not so naive as to think a democrat in the white house is a done deal. (call me a cynic, but i think realist is more accurate.) that said, we should not determine our democratic primary vote based on who we think is more "electable" against a republican -- in doing so, we let the republicans (and arguably the media) choose our candidate for us.

i've also been thinking about the criteria i look for in a president. yes, the ability to inspire citizens is nice. but i see the presidency as any other job, and experience and training count tremendously. personally, i expect the candidate i back to either have a strong track record as an executive leader at the state or national level (i.e., 5-10 years governor, vice president, perhaps cabinet member) or a strong track record in either house of congress at the national level. basically, you gotta really know how to be a head executive or you gotta really know the workings in washington, and preferably you know both. only one of the two leading democratic candidates can claim this.

one other request, if you have not already done so. please ask yourself: if they were both white women, who would i vote for? if they were both black men, who would i vote for? if they were both white men, who would i vote for? if they were both black women, who would i vote for? if all other things were equal, would obama's talent for charismatic delivery (sometimes of his own but sometimes of someone else's words) outweigh his lack of substantial executive branch or federal level experience?

idealist-realist

the struggle between idealism* and realism seems to have pervaded all areas of my life this week.

several conversations about the democratic primaries have been laden with references to these concepts. the unexpected effect, alas, is the bittersweet resurgence of the personal political aspirations i set aside to focus on a career in the performing arts. (note to self: establish residence in california in order to parlay entertainment industry experience into a senate seat or gubernatorial success.)

i have also been trying to balance idealism and realism when it comes to this opera career thing. on the one hand, one must apply a certain amount of optimistic disregard for the politics of the system in order to achieve any kind of success with one's ethics still in tact and without having been consumed by cynicism. on the other hand, a realistic grasp of the system, corruptions and all, is requisite in determining the intermediate steps between aspirations and their fulfillment.

whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of...wrong monologue. but not entirely off topic, huh? i'm feeling kind of overwhelmed and confused, but so long as i can stave off the incapacitating effects of woulda-coulda-shoulda, i am feeling energized and ready for change. i'm also fortunate enough to have a partner who is at this moment similarly energized and ready for change.

*i use 'idealism' in general/idiomatically rather than referencing the philosophical doctrine of idealism.

ticker-tape parade

i didn't realize until today that a ticker-tape parade was a parade where people throw paper out the windows of buildings on the parade route. it's a curious little ritual, but it certainly looks like more fun than your average coffee break. hmm. i was shredding work documents for an hour on monday...maybe i too will scatter it off my balcony in celebration for the giants.