Just saw this commercial and I absolutely love it!
http://www.careerbuilder.com/tv/
Scroll down to the fifth commercial with the Asian guy.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Lactose-free milk
Ever since I got pregnant, I've needed to reintroduce milk into my diet. I have been a soy milk drinker since about 2002, when I finally realized that my body was not liking milk as much as it used to. I really like soy milk - especially Silk - because it tastes really great and it's easy on my tummy. The annoying thing about soy milk though is that I can't substitute it for milk when I'm cooking.
I'm not sure what happened because I drank a lot of milk growing up. Somehow, over the years, my body just developed lactose intolerance and instead of continuing to drink milk to keep up my tolerance, I just decided to switch over to soy. What's strange is that I can eat things like ice cream, cheese, yogurt as well as other dairy products, but for some reason my body slowly stopped liking regular milk. I began to introduce regular milk back into my system as soon as I found out I was pregnant but my body just was not having it.
So for the past 7 months or so, I've had this silly semi-obsession with finding the best tasting lactose-free lowfat (2%) milk. At the beginning of the pregnancy, I didn't even realize there was such a thing as lactose-free milk. I think I remember purchasing Lactaid a couple of times towards the end of my stay in NYC, but I didn't think that there were any other options out there. Then I started to work at camp at the beginning of this summer, where we asked parents to bring in recyclables including milk cartons. That was the first time I saw lactose-free milk. I was amazed.
So I started with Lactaid, which is sold at my neighborhood Lucky's as well as Trader Joe's, for a bit. I began to shop at Safeway, which was a bit further away, more often because the produce was fresher. There, I picked up the Safeway brand lactose-free milk. Between Lactaid and the Safeway brand, I liked the latter better because it tasted richer, more like real milk, whereas Lactaid tasted watered-down.
A month later, I discovered Land O'Lakes lactose-free milk at the Marina market, a local Asian grocery store. This brand was very tasty - nice and rich as I remembered milk tasting. The difficult part was that I went to the Marina market only about once every two weeks or so but I was drinking a carton of milk every week. Marina market produce is by far the freshest and cheapest of all but there were no organic-grown options there. So, I was back to the Safeway for the most part.
Another difficult negotiation for me has been Trader Joe's. I really like shopping there because there are plenty of organic, range-free, all-natural options that TJ's is by far my favorite grocery place, even if it is 15 minutes away by car. However, TJ's only lactose-free option is Lactaid - bleh.
A couple of weeks ago, I had to pick up some things at the Target by the TJ's and discovered that they expanded their market pantry section. In the refrigerated section, I found lactose-free milk by Archer Farms, their line of organic foods. I was shocked because I've been looking for but unable to find lactose-free organic milk this entire time. I just thought there wasn't such a thing so when I saw it at Target, I nearly fell over.
I picked up my first carton yesterday and busted it open for breakfast this morning. I poured myself a bowl of Raisin Bran Crunch and it was absolutely delicious! It tastes rich and yummy! So I've found my new favorite milk!
Are there other brands out there? I'm still searching.
I'm not sure what happened because I drank a lot of milk growing up. Somehow, over the years, my body just developed lactose intolerance and instead of continuing to drink milk to keep up my tolerance, I just decided to switch over to soy. What's strange is that I can eat things like ice cream, cheese, yogurt as well as other dairy products, but for some reason my body slowly stopped liking regular milk. I began to introduce regular milk back into my system as soon as I found out I was pregnant but my body just was not having it.
So for the past 7 months or so, I've had this silly semi-obsession with finding the best tasting lactose-free lowfat (2%) milk. At the beginning of the pregnancy, I didn't even realize there was such a thing as lactose-free milk. I think I remember purchasing Lactaid a couple of times towards the end of my stay in NYC, but I didn't think that there were any other options out there. Then I started to work at camp at the beginning of this summer, where we asked parents to bring in recyclables including milk cartons. That was the first time I saw lactose-free milk. I was amazed.
So I started with Lactaid, which is sold at my neighborhood Lucky's as well as Trader Joe's, for a bit. I began to shop at Safeway, which was a bit further away, more often because the produce was fresher. There, I picked up the Safeway brand lactose-free milk. Between Lactaid and the Safeway brand, I liked the latter better because it tasted richer, more like real milk, whereas Lactaid tasted watered-down.
A month later, I discovered Land O'Lakes lactose-free milk at the Marina market, a local Asian grocery store. This brand was very tasty - nice and rich as I remembered milk tasting. The difficult part was that I went to the Marina market only about once every two weeks or so but I was drinking a carton of milk every week. Marina market produce is by far the freshest and cheapest of all but there were no organic-grown options there. So, I was back to the Safeway for the most part.
Another difficult negotiation for me has been Trader Joe's. I really like shopping there because there are plenty of organic, range-free, all-natural options that TJ's is by far my favorite grocery place, even if it is 15 minutes away by car. However, TJ's only lactose-free option is Lactaid - bleh.
A couple of weeks ago, I had to pick up some things at the Target by the TJ's and discovered that they expanded their market pantry section. In the refrigerated section, I found lactose-free milk by Archer Farms, their line of organic foods. I was shocked because I've been looking for but unable to find lactose-free organic milk this entire time. I just thought there wasn't such a thing so when I saw it at Target, I nearly fell over.
I picked up my first carton yesterday and busted it open for breakfast this morning. I poured myself a bowl of Raisin Bran Crunch and it was absolutely delicious! It tastes rich and yummy! So I've found my new favorite milk!
Are there other brands out there? I'm still searching.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
First presidential debate
I watched parts of the debate last night, including some post-debate commentary on CNN and have come to the conclusion about a couple of things:
1. McCain comes off as condescending. During the entire time I watched I noticed that he refused to look at Obama (he stayed focused on Jim Lehrer) and spent a lot time snickering when Obama talked. He must have called Obama naive and said naivite in reference to Obama at least a dozen times. By characterizng him as young, inexperienced and naive, McCain began to sound dangerously like someone whose experience would be all that he needed to make decisions. That is, McCain doesn't sound like he would be open to other's opinions or new ideas when making decisions. Case in point - the entire part about diplomacy and talking with "dangerous" folks in places like Afghanistan and North Korea - McCain kept talking about how there has to be a particular context for the US President to sit down with these dangerous people, otherwise run the risk of legitimizing their extremist views. Obama, on the on other hand, said that the US President should be able to sit down and talk to who he wants to, without an eye towards expecting immediate outcomes that are in US interests. I totally agree with Obama because diplomacy is something that gets worked on over time and we can't just turn our backs on people/countries just because their doesn't seem to be an immediate US interest.
2. If I have to hear McCain's POW story one more time, I think I'm going to kill my tv. I don't think I can take it anymore because it's clear that Obama can't compare to him in that way. McCain n eeds to be careful to not de-value or fetishize that story, so that it loses its significance as an experience.
3. Obama has better manners than McCain. Instead of standing there snickering, Obama politely yet forcefully interjected every time he took issue with McCain's remarks. In these minor interruptions, McCain didn't even pause to acknowledge Obama (I guess that would have been a sign of weakness), even when Obama got a chance to later say that McCain had been mischaracterizing him. Obama constantly showed respect to Jim Lehrer (who I think managed the situation really well, even though the candidates took a lot of liberty with time) by saying allowing Lehrer to do his job. McCain ran over Obama as well as Lehrer and really didn't show any manners at all. Also, Obama did a great job of making eye contact with not only McCain, but also Lehrer and the audience that was out there in the sea of blackness. Obama acknowledge that there were more people who were a part of this debate than just Lehrer.
4. I guess the financial crisis isn't that big of a deal. There was no mention of it at any point when I was watching. I thought McCain would for sure mention it since he made such a big deal by "suspending" his campaign. So is WaMu's overnight take over by JPMorgan really that big of a deal? Is the bailout that huge of an issue? Not sure at this point...
5. I totally can't wait until the VP debate. Biden, if he can stay focused and not say stupid stuff, is going to kick Palin's ass.
6. Commentary on CNN and NPR have been pretty even handed so far. I need to go renew my membership with NPR since it's "drive" time... (thanks NPR!)
1. McCain comes off as condescending. During the entire time I watched I noticed that he refused to look at Obama (he stayed focused on Jim Lehrer) and spent a lot time snickering when Obama talked. He must have called Obama naive and said naivite in reference to Obama at least a dozen times. By characterizng him as young, inexperienced and naive, McCain began to sound dangerously like someone whose experience would be all that he needed to make decisions. That is, McCain doesn't sound like he would be open to other's opinions or new ideas when making decisions. Case in point - the entire part about diplomacy and talking with "dangerous" folks in places like Afghanistan and North Korea - McCain kept talking about how there has to be a particular context for the US President to sit down with these dangerous people, otherwise run the risk of legitimizing their extremist views. Obama, on the on other hand, said that the US President should be able to sit down and talk to who he wants to, without an eye towards expecting immediate outcomes that are in US interests. I totally agree with Obama because diplomacy is something that gets worked on over time and we can't just turn our backs on people/countries just because their doesn't seem to be an immediate US interest.
2. If I have to hear McCain's POW story one more time, I think I'm going to kill my tv. I don't think I can take it anymore because it's clear that Obama can't compare to him in that way. McCain n eeds to be careful to not de-value or fetishize that story, so that it loses its significance as an experience.
3. Obama has better manners than McCain. Instead of standing there snickering, Obama politely yet forcefully interjected every time he took issue with McCain's remarks. In these minor interruptions, McCain didn't even pause to acknowledge Obama (I guess that would have been a sign of weakness), even when Obama got a chance to later say that McCain had been mischaracterizing him. Obama constantly showed respect to Jim Lehrer (who I think managed the situation really well, even though the candidates took a lot of liberty with time) by saying allowing Lehrer to do his job. McCain ran over Obama as well as Lehrer and really didn't show any manners at all. Also, Obama did a great job of making eye contact with not only McCain, but also Lehrer and the audience that was out there in the sea of blackness. Obama acknowledge that there were more people who were a part of this debate than just Lehrer.
4. I guess the financial crisis isn't that big of a deal. There was no mention of it at any point when I was watching. I thought McCain would for sure mention it since he made such a big deal by "suspending" his campaign. So is WaMu's overnight take over by JPMorgan really that big of a deal? Is the bailout that huge of an issue? Not sure at this point...
5. I totally can't wait until the VP debate. Biden, if he can stay focused and not say stupid stuff, is going to kick Palin's ass.
6. Commentary on CNN and NPR have been pretty even handed so far. I need to go renew my membership with NPR since it's "drive" time... (thanks NPR!)
Friday, September 19, 2008
Semi-hippy momminess
I have been trying to approach motherhood with a particular eye towards being earth friendly. Unfortunately I can't blame Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth, though friends S and M did give us a copy last holiday season. I still haven't watched it, except for clips on Youtube. Instead, I have been thinking a lot about what condition I'm going to be leaving the planet in for the baby that I am about to bring into this world.
In seventh grade I did a research project on what was referred to back then as "environmentalism." The report was really cute - I printed it on my dot-matrix printer and produced a title page for my project called "The Amateur Environmentalist." I remember contacting organizations like Greenpeace and local groups about things like recycling and saving rainforests. These environmental topics were in vogue at that time. It's remarkable how similar yet different the issues are since the mid-1980s.
I got an A on this project and my interest in environmentalism stayed with me through college, when I got a job as a legal secretary in the Field Solicitor's Office in San Francisco, during the time of the Exxon Valdez oil spill case. I was seriously thinking about going into environmental law at that time. The biggest discomfort I had with environmentalism was the stereotypical image of the typical advocate - hippie, white, unshowered, and an all-around tofu loving vegan. This stereotype was kind of like the image of the Berkeley resident, that has continued to stick to this day. The image bothered me because it seemed like white people were always talking to me about how people of color were not concerned about environmental issues or saving the planet. I soon lost interest with going into that field, but habits such as recycling and asking for paper instead of plastic stuck with me.
Being on the cusp of becoming a parent and doing yoga these past several years has reimmersed me into more holistic approaches to living. In addition, my exposure to films such as Maquilapolis has increased my awareness about environmental issues in a more nuanced way that brings in an economic and political analysis to the conversation that felt missing in the 1980s. I have been really interested in eliminating the use of harmful chemicals from household products because I want to limit the exposure to my child.
I am not naive about this entire environmental issue though. I don't think that I can and want to completely shield my family from things like pesticides, toxins, etc. because it's necessary for some exposure to build resistance and for the body to in general learn how to cope. However, what I can control or prevent, I will.
So, this entire parenting thing has gotten off to an interesting start beginning with the baby registry. I have gotten a wide range of reaction from people when they find out that I've registered for mainly organic materials and eco-friendly products. People are surprised when I tell them that we're going to try cloth diapers and ask we a whole slew of questions based on the incorrect assumptions people have about cloth diapers. Then people are surprised that I've gotten rid of most of my household cleaning products that are not eco-friendly. People seem to think that it has to be partially toxic in order to clean well. People are also surprised to find out that I've almost completely eliminated the use and accumulation of plastic bags as well. (I have a half dozen tote bags that I use for shopping and rarely accept plastic or paper bags to carry items I've bought anymore.)
I try to eat organic as much as possible because I know it's healthier and because it supports local economies. People are really surprised when I say that I try to patronize local farmers' markets and not buy mass quantities at places liek Costco when possible. I can their questioning eyes: Who doesn't love the convenience of Costco? To not like Costco feels anti-American in some ways. Costco is the epitome of American consumption after all, and here I am resisting that which is quintessentially American. Poo-poo on me.
I feel as if I'm settling into being a semi-hippy mommy. I think I'm doing a pretty good job with what I can can to reduce my carbon footprint and in the end, I think I can look back and be proud of myself for trying to contribute at least a little bit, in my own way, of helping to save the earth in my own small sustainable way.
However, I don't try to impose my own lifestyle and beliefs on other people (or at least I think I don't do this). I am really conscious about being like the people I encountered in the 1980s when I was an "amateur environmentalist." Those folks seemed to always know better and act better. I'd like to think that I'm part of a generation of new parents who not only political progressive but also environmentally conscious. I haven't met too many of them, but hopefully I will. The ultimately test of how much this all will hold up will be when the baby actually comes. In the midst of exhaustion, will I choose convenience over environmentally-responsible choices?
In seventh grade I did a research project on what was referred to back then as "environmentalism." The report was really cute - I printed it on my dot-matrix printer and produced a title page for my project called "The Amateur Environmentalist." I remember contacting organizations like Greenpeace and local groups about things like recycling and saving rainforests. These environmental topics were in vogue at that time. It's remarkable how similar yet different the issues are since the mid-1980s.
I got an A on this project and my interest in environmentalism stayed with me through college, when I got a job as a legal secretary in the Field Solicitor's Office in San Francisco, during the time of the Exxon Valdez oil spill case. I was seriously thinking about going into environmental law at that time. The biggest discomfort I had with environmentalism was the stereotypical image of the typical advocate - hippie, white, unshowered, and an all-around tofu loving vegan. This stereotype was kind of like the image of the Berkeley resident, that has continued to stick to this day. The image bothered me because it seemed like white people were always talking to me about how people of color were not concerned about environmental issues or saving the planet. I soon lost interest with going into that field, but habits such as recycling and asking for paper instead of plastic stuck with me.
Being on the cusp of becoming a parent and doing yoga these past several years has reimmersed me into more holistic approaches to living. In addition, my exposure to films such as Maquilapolis has increased my awareness about environmental issues in a more nuanced way that brings in an economic and political analysis to the conversation that felt missing in the 1980s. I have been really interested in eliminating the use of harmful chemicals from household products because I want to limit the exposure to my child.
I am not naive about this entire environmental issue though. I don't think that I can and want to completely shield my family from things like pesticides, toxins, etc. because it's necessary for some exposure to build resistance and for the body to in general learn how to cope. However, what I can control or prevent, I will.
So, this entire parenting thing has gotten off to an interesting start beginning with the baby registry. I have gotten a wide range of reaction from people when they find out that I've registered for mainly organic materials and eco-friendly products. People are surprised when I tell them that we're going to try cloth diapers and ask we a whole slew of questions based on the incorrect assumptions people have about cloth diapers. Then people are surprised that I've gotten rid of most of my household cleaning products that are not eco-friendly. People seem to think that it has to be partially toxic in order to clean well. People are also surprised to find out that I've almost completely eliminated the use and accumulation of plastic bags as well. (I have a half dozen tote bags that I use for shopping and rarely accept plastic or paper bags to carry items I've bought anymore.)
I try to eat organic as much as possible because I know it's healthier and because it supports local economies. People are really surprised when I say that I try to patronize local farmers' markets and not buy mass quantities at places liek Costco when possible. I can their questioning eyes: Who doesn't love the convenience of Costco? To not like Costco feels anti-American in some ways. Costco is the epitome of American consumption after all, and here I am resisting that which is quintessentially American. Poo-poo on me.
I feel as if I'm settling into being a semi-hippy mommy. I think I'm doing a pretty good job with what I can can to reduce my carbon footprint and in the end, I think I can look back and be proud of myself for trying to contribute at least a little bit, in my own way, of helping to save the earth in my own small sustainable way.
However, I don't try to impose my own lifestyle and beliefs on other people (or at least I think I don't do this). I am really conscious about being like the people I encountered in the 1980s when I was an "amateur environmentalist." Those folks seemed to always know better and act better. I'd like to think that I'm part of a generation of new parents who not only political progressive but also environmentally conscious. I haven't met too many of them, but hopefully I will. The ultimately test of how much this all will hold up will be when the baby actually comes. In the midst of exhaustion, will I choose convenience over environmentally-responsible choices?
Monday, September 15, 2008
Maui in dreams
I can safely say that I now realize I've never really been on a vacation in my entire adult life until now. I didn't have real internet access aside from my iPhone so I could dawdle the time away looking at my email, my facebook, this blog, or other usual distractions. Surfing on my iPhone isn't really that easy so I just ended up checking my gmail and my facebook everyone once in awhile. I have to say it was really nice not being or feeling tethered in a subconscious way. I never realized this was happening to me.
In addition, I took this trip with D and 4 other friends who had a wedding to go to. D and I spontaneously ended up in Maui simply because these friends had invited us and not because of any forethought or planning. So the trip was not really planned out except for where we would be staying and for how long.
I thought I knew Hawaii. I visited Honolulu and stayed in the outskirts of the Waikiki area several years back with my parents but was really unimpressed. We spent a lot of time with my aunt and uncle who live there and jumped over to the big island, Hawaii, for a day. For the most part, the trip was nice but not relaxing. I don't know if it was because I traveled with my parents or if we just didn't do the right things. So when we arrived to Maui last Friday night, I didn't really have high expectations.
We stayed in the Wailea area for the first four days. Located in the south-western part of Maui, Wailea seemed to me like the newer resort area, with newer hotels, condos, shopping and eateries. The condo we stayed at was wonderful - three bedrooms on a single level with a fair-sized kitchen, dining area, living room, and a large wrap-around balcony. The complex itself was pretty awesome too - quiet, plenty of parking, and two pools. We spent a lot of time hanging out the beach, eating, hanging out at the condo playing Uno and boardgames and just roaming around the Wailea area.
Midway through the week we moved further north-west to the Lahaina area. This area seemed older and more touristy, but closer to activities. We were a short drive away from the downtown area, filled with old plantation-style buildings, snorkeling, resort beaches, and other shopping areas. While the accessibility was nice, I preferred the Wailea area for its quiet beauty.
This week came and went without feeling like the days were being rushed away. We hung out at small secluded beaches, witnessed the breathtaking sunset at Haleakula Crater, snorkled at beautiful Hanalua Bay and the crystal waters at Molokini Island, visited the lava rocks, saw sea turtles, and ate some damn good food. The Maui hospitality was very warm and welcoming. However, the only thing that was a bit irksome was the Maui hospitality. Every retail transaction took twice as long to complete because sales people loved to talk to us asking about where we were visiting from, how long we were going to stay and where we should go visit.
Since I've been back my dreams have been infused with my memories of Maui. I have dreamed about swimming in the crystal blue waters with sea turtles at Molokini Island and watching the sunrise above the clouds of Haleakula. I have dreamed about the happy black lab with the tennis ball in its mouth that I saw at the last beach we visited. Our minivan that we affectionately name Izzy (for the Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole who covered Somewhere Over the Rainbow on his ukelele), has transported me to different destinations in my dreams as well.
I am really looking forward to returning to Maui, perhaps next year after the baby is old enough to travel. In the meantime, my dreams will probably be filled with Maui memories.
Friday, September 5, 2008
On holiday
Maui here I come! I may not have internet access to blog so I'll make my return on the 14th.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Donation
I got so mad just a moment ago that I just made my donation to the Obama/Biden campaign. Dammit.
And why the hell is Gary Sinese doing the voice over for all the Repub videos??? Don't tell me he's a Republican because I really like watching CSI:NY!!!!
And why the hell is Gary Sinese doing the voice over for all the Repub videos??? Don't tell me he's a Republican because I really like watching CSI:NY!!!!
More on the community organizer issue
Thanks to DJ, former student of mine, for putting this link on her FN status.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/4/105623/5197/586/586233
Community organizers need to be respected because they are the ones working on the ground level and they are the ones who deal with the every day realities of people who are in need. They are the ones who make change happen on the every day level. Policy change cannot happen without community change. And community change does not occur with community organizers. Never forget that Republicans. So when you spout off about how much you love this great nation, how service to the people is your priority, and when you talk about change don't you dare forget about community organizers, and don't discount even the liberal ones because they love this country and are stepping up the call to serve.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/4/105623/5197/586/586233
Community organizers need to be respected because they are the ones working on the ground level and they are the ones who deal with the every day realities of people who are in need. They are the ones who make change happen on the every day level. Policy change cannot happen without community change. And community change does not occur with community organizers. Never forget that Republicans. So when you spout off about how much you love this great nation, how service to the people is your priority, and when you talk about change don't you dare forget about community organizers, and don't discount even the liberal ones because they love this country and are stepping up the call to serve.
Palin's big speech
I missed Palin's speech last night because I was at a Breastfeeding Basics class, which by the way, ended up being really informative in the most unexpected ways. I'll write more about that in a bit.
So today, I was able to watch a little bit of Palin's "acceptance" speech and to actually hear her talk for the first time. She is a wonderful speaker who has great timing and delivery - I'll give that to her - but she is a bit scary with where she stands on some of the issues that are important to me. I fumed at some of the low blows she took at Obama, so it took a bit more concentration to actually listen to her words and what she was really saying. I am really scared about her pro-life stance and her support for Alaskan drilling. I am also scared about her delusion that being a former mayor and currently serving as the governor of Alaska, a state that geographically resides next to Russia makes her ready to handle international relations of behalf of the U.S. But in the grand scheme of things, I am only a little bit afraid for her because if elected, she'll be forced to learn, and I really think McCain and Palin will continue making this nation look like fools.
What I still have a hard time with are the huge ideological differences between the Republican and Democratic parties. I know that the speeches are supposed to be extreme forms of both parties, but the divide that oppositional politics still bothes me greatly because every day people pick up on the rhetoric and make it their own. All the jabs that Repubs have taken at Obama and the Dems are really damaging. For example, Palin basically reduced Obama's experience to community organizer, simulataneously implying that a community organizer is not working on behalf of everyday people's interests. How dare she? That statement also made insignificant all the young people who participated in Michelle Obama's Public Allies program. Way to go - demean and belittle youth who are walking the talk of Republican party and SERVING in their communities.
I am still boggled by how Repubs can somehow not acknowledge that fact that their Republican, twice-elected President W has been the one who has left this country in shambles. How dare Palin and the rest of the speech-givers ignore this fact? How dare they blame the state of the country on Dems, criticizing them for blocking progress and change? It is because of Dems, who have been standing up to an unaccounted for an constitutionally abusive presidential administration to restore accountability.
I am listening to the RNC via NPR right now, in anticipation of McCain's big speech, but I am tired and weary of hearing all the problems with what Repubs are saying. I wonder if there will be a way to bridge this vast ideological gulf between both parties in the interest of strenghtening this nation after both parties become more vigilant about digging in their heels instead of working towards real change? In this way, I am most optimistic about Obama because his language has not been as divisive as what the Repubs have shown me at the RNC thusfar. He gives me true hope and optimism that things will get better.
So today, I was able to watch a little bit of Palin's "acceptance" speech and to actually hear her talk for the first time. She is a wonderful speaker who has great timing and delivery - I'll give that to her - but she is a bit scary with where she stands on some of the issues that are important to me. I fumed at some of the low blows she took at Obama, so it took a bit more concentration to actually listen to her words and what she was really saying. I am really scared about her pro-life stance and her support for Alaskan drilling. I am also scared about her delusion that being a former mayor and currently serving as the governor of Alaska, a state that geographically resides next to Russia makes her ready to handle international relations of behalf of the U.S. But in the grand scheme of things, I am only a little bit afraid for her because if elected, she'll be forced to learn, and I really think McCain and Palin will continue making this nation look like fools.
What I still have a hard time with are the huge ideological differences between the Republican and Democratic parties. I know that the speeches are supposed to be extreme forms of both parties, but the divide that oppositional politics still bothes me greatly because every day people pick up on the rhetoric and make it their own. All the jabs that Repubs have taken at Obama and the Dems are really damaging. For example, Palin basically reduced Obama's experience to community organizer, simulataneously implying that a community organizer is not working on behalf of everyday people's interests. How dare she? That statement also made insignificant all the young people who participated in Michelle Obama's Public Allies program. Way to go - demean and belittle youth who are walking the talk of Republican party and SERVING in their communities.
I am still boggled by how Repubs can somehow not acknowledge that fact that their Republican, twice-elected President W has been the one who has left this country in shambles. How dare Palin and the rest of the speech-givers ignore this fact? How dare they blame the state of the country on Dems, criticizing them for blocking progress and change? It is because of Dems, who have been standing up to an unaccounted for an constitutionally abusive presidential administration to restore accountability.
I am listening to the RNC via NPR right now, in anticipation of McCain's big speech, but I am tired and weary of hearing all the problems with what Repubs are saying. I wonder if there will be a way to bridge this vast ideological gulf between both parties in the interest of strenghtening this nation after both parties become more vigilant about digging in their heels instead of working towards real change? In this way, I am most optimistic about Obama because his language has not been as divisive as what the Repubs have shown me at the RNC thusfar. He gives me true hope and optimism that things will get better.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
RIP CD
Thank you for always being so kind to and caring so much about my father. Because of you he was able to work with dignity and pride as a janitor for most of his life. You will be missed.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Watching the RNC, feeling depressed
I couldn't seem to catch the Republican National Convention last night because of the postponement of festivities created by a Hurricane called Gustav. I was a little out of the loop yesterday because I was nowhere near radio, TV, or internet most of the afternoon so I had no idea that Gustav had created this delay in the RNC. So when I finally had a quiet moment last night to tune in, all I got was Gustav coverage across all the news channels. I hope that folks are safe in the affected areas including friends G, E, and M, who are all in New Orleans.
I have been planning on watching the RNC, though this may surprise some of you. As a pretty liberal person, I think most people would just expect me to not really care about what the Repubs or conservatives have to say. I am proud to say that one of the things I learned very quickly from my partner D, is that I should never show up to a debate or a battle without knowing what the otherside is thinking and feeling.
I have often seen many liberals foam at the mouth when getting into angry discussions with more moderate folks. The sad thing is, I used to be one of those lefties who used to spout liberal rhetoric, rendering meaningful progressive politics useless because I really didn't know what I was talking about. After getting into some intense debates early on in the relationship, and because D is a lawyer, I had to cocme more prepared to talk about hot button issues. And I think this realization has changed me for the better.
Watching the RNC is important for me because I want to know what they are saying about Obama/Biden and the rest of the Dems (AKA "angry liberals" according to Laura Bush). I want to listen to their rhetoric and try to understand their ideology and why anyone would want to be or vote Republican. I don't want to be too quick to dismiss because I think liberals are far too quick to dismiss conservatives. I believe this dismissive knee-jerk reaction has also often gotten us liberal into trouble and resulted in Repubs/conservatives calling us elitist and condescending; we are dismissive because we think we know better than those "backwards" conservative Repubs. Liberals make the biggest mistake when they don't listen to what conservatives are saying or try to understand where they are coming from.
So the RNC seemed to get back into full swing tonight after yesterday. I was following along friend kaleidescopeyes88's funny twittering during most of the evening. It was really hard to sit through two hours of the RNC but I did it anyway. I cringed at Laura Bush's lack of eloquence and low-blows at Dems as she introduced her husband. W gave his speech via satellite from the White House and received much applaud from the conventioneers. I won't say much about him because I'm so over it...
Then came Fred Thompson. I have to admit that his folksy, down to earth style really had me mesmerized. There is a bit of Bill Clinton to his tone and swagger. I think his acting experience really made a big difference with eloquence. I think he was really successful at making the first real attack on Obama through his speech. I couldn't help but think about all the hypocritical aspects of his speech though. His point about the government-gone-wild, which would also be a repeating theme in Liebermann's speech, ironically came right after W's speech.
Uncontrollable special interests, Dems and Repubs who were putting politics before the American people, and my fave - McCain's experience as a POW - were all central parts of Thompson's speech. He played up all these issues by casting those who were partisan politicians, those who gave up because of seeming cowardice (McCain refused a chance to be let out of prison early because of his fellow comrades who had been there longer), and those who refused to provide funding to support our troops (another valence of cowardice) were all cast as not putting Americans first. This crticism was to be read in only one way - unAmerican.
Joe Lieberman, on the other hand, took a different tone. He cast himself as both an Independent, like McCain, as well as a Democrat (he flip flopped in his self-references so often I needed the CNN factoids to remind me what party he was officially with) who reached "across the aisle" for the greater good of advocating the the American people. I was expecting Lieberman to be a gracious Independent to represent his Dem past with honor and use his airtime to appeal to Independent and undecided voters in a dignified way. However, he ended up attacking Obama and his fellow Dems by echoing Thompson on partisan politics, not putting Americans before politics, political cowardice (of not supporting the surge and bringing troops home with dignity), as well as criticizing Obama for lack of experience while praising Palin, someone with less experience!
Lieberman seriously confused the hell out of me for a bit. And then I started listening to the CNN commentary, which then started making me mad because I realized what a awful thing Lieberman had done. I was really looking to Lieberman to help me understand why Independents should seriously consider supporting McCain, but all he did was just follow the Republican party line!
I was so utterly disappointed in him and his speech. Which then plunged my into a mild state of depression because I realized how vast the gap is between Dem and Rep ideology. I am really sad to see the distance between both parties and how far we have to go before we can really come together as a nation to work towards real change. As liberal as I am, I am willing to listen to all sides and to vote the issues instead of just following along liberal or Dem politics. I am not too quick to criticize conservatives until after I've somewhat gotten to the bottom of their curious thinking. I try to respect their positions but it is REALLY HARD sometimes.
The funny thing is that the main theme of the RNC tonight was "service." That is, service to country and to all other Americans. This theme sounds like deceptively like what Dems stand for - self sacrifice and shared responsibility for the good of the nation, but it is turned on its head to be individualistic and something that each one of us has to be responsibile for. This logic fits in well with the neocon ideology. While similar, this idea of giving of oneself for the greater good is slightly different enough between both parties that it is in reality completely different. Not sure if what I just wrote make sense but all I know is this talking past each other makes me really depressed. Oh and it makes me scared to think about the prospects of McCain/Palin leading this country.
I have been planning on watching the RNC, though this may surprise some of you. As a pretty liberal person, I think most people would just expect me to not really care about what the Repubs or conservatives have to say. I am proud to say that one of the things I learned very quickly from my partner D, is that I should never show up to a debate or a battle without knowing what the otherside is thinking and feeling.
I have often seen many liberals foam at the mouth when getting into angry discussions with more moderate folks. The sad thing is, I used to be one of those lefties who used to spout liberal rhetoric, rendering meaningful progressive politics useless because I really didn't know what I was talking about. After getting into some intense debates early on in the relationship, and because D is a lawyer, I had to cocme more prepared to talk about hot button issues. And I think this realization has changed me for the better.
Watching the RNC is important for me because I want to know what they are saying about Obama/Biden and the rest of the Dems (AKA "angry liberals" according to Laura Bush). I want to listen to their rhetoric and try to understand their ideology and why anyone would want to be or vote Republican. I don't want to be too quick to dismiss because I think liberals are far too quick to dismiss conservatives. I believe this dismissive knee-jerk reaction has also often gotten us liberal into trouble and resulted in Repubs/conservatives calling us elitist and condescending; we are dismissive because we think we know better than those "backwards" conservative Repubs. Liberals make the biggest mistake when they don't listen to what conservatives are saying or try to understand where they are coming from.
So the RNC seemed to get back into full swing tonight after yesterday. I was following along friend kaleidescopeyes88's funny twittering during most of the evening. It was really hard to sit through two hours of the RNC but I did it anyway. I cringed at Laura Bush's lack of eloquence and low-blows at Dems as she introduced her husband. W gave his speech via satellite from the White House and received much applaud from the conventioneers. I won't say much about him because I'm so over it...
Then came Fred Thompson. I have to admit that his folksy, down to earth style really had me mesmerized. There is a bit of Bill Clinton to his tone and swagger. I think his acting experience really made a big difference with eloquence. I think he was really successful at making the first real attack on Obama through his speech. I couldn't help but think about all the hypocritical aspects of his speech though. His point about the government-gone-wild, which would also be a repeating theme in Liebermann's speech, ironically came right after W's speech.
Uncontrollable special interests, Dems and Repubs who were putting politics before the American people, and my fave - McCain's experience as a POW - were all central parts of Thompson's speech. He played up all these issues by casting those who were partisan politicians, those who gave up because of seeming cowardice (McCain refused a chance to be let out of prison early because of his fellow comrades who had been there longer), and those who refused to provide funding to support our troops (another valence of cowardice) were all cast as not putting Americans first. This crticism was to be read in only one way - unAmerican.
Joe Lieberman, on the other hand, took a different tone. He cast himself as both an Independent, like McCain, as well as a Democrat (he flip flopped in his self-references so often I needed the CNN factoids to remind me what party he was officially with) who reached "across the aisle" for the greater good of advocating the the American people. I was expecting Lieberman to be a gracious Independent to represent his Dem past with honor and use his airtime to appeal to Independent and undecided voters in a dignified way. However, he ended up attacking Obama and his fellow Dems by echoing Thompson on partisan politics, not putting Americans before politics, political cowardice (of not supporting the surge and bringing troops home with dignity), as well as criticizing Obama for lack of experience while praising Palin, someone with less experience!
Lieberman seriously confused the hell out of me for a bit. And then I started listening to the CNN commentary, which then started making me mad because I realized what a awful thing Lieberman had done. I was really looking to Lieberman to help me understand why Independents should seriously consider supporting McCain, but all he did was just follow the Republican party line!
I was so utterly disappointed in him and his speech. Which then plunged my into a mild state of depression because I realized how vast the gap is between Dem and Rep ideology. I am really sad to see the distance between both parties and how far we have to go before we can really come together as a nation to work towards real change. As liberal as I am, I am willing to listen to all sides and to vote the issues instead of just following along liberal or Dem politics. I am not too quick to criticize conservatives until after I've somewhat gotten to the bottom of their curious thinking. I try to respect their positions but it is REALLY HARD sometimes.
The funny thing is that the main theme of the RNC tonight was "service." That is, service to country and to all other Americans. This theme sounds like deceptively like what Dems stand for - self sacrifice and shared responsibility for the good of the nation, but it is turned on its head to be individualistic and something that each one of us has to be responsibile for. This logic fits in well with the neocon ideology. While similar, this idea of giving of oneself for the greater good is slightly different enough between both parties that it is in reality completely different. Not sure if what I just wrote make sense but all I know is this talking past each other makes me really depressed. Oh and it makes me scared to think about the prospects of McCain/Palin leading this country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)