I just finished "The Case for Israel" by Alan Dershowitz - great eye opener for the historical background into the conflicts in the Middle East. I had no idea that there has been a majority Jewish presence in what is now Israel for hundreds and hundreds of years.
I've been listening to Martha Beck's "Joy Diet" book on CD in my car. I love any program that starts out with a step that says I should "do nothing" at least 15 minutes a day. Ahhhhh......
Ben and I went to see the Ricky Bobby NASCAR movie - Will Farrel is a funny funny man. I've been enjoying the previews for Snakes on a Plane, but don't think I will actually spend $5 on that one.
My sister Courtney bought a ticket to come to Phoenix and visit in a week. I'm soooo excited to hang out with her and get my sister fix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Poor Pluto
Astronomers strip Pluto of its planet status - Did you hear?
Pluto was stripped of its status as a planet on Thursday when astronomers from around the world redefined it as a "dwarf planet," leaving just eight major planets in the solar system.
Don't you think they should have a grandfather clause for those planets who have that status. I have a magnet on my fridge from the Lowelle Observatory in Flagstaff (where they first discovered Pluto). The magnet has all 9 planets on it and I think that's going to be worth something someday!
Pluto was stripped of its status as a planet on Thursday when astronomers from around the world redefined it as a "dwarf planet," leaving just eight major planets in the solar system.
Don't you think they should have a grandfather clause for those planets who have that status. I have a magnet on my fridge from the Lowelle Observatory in Flagstaff (where they first discovered Pluto). The magnet has all 9 planets on it and I think that's going to be worth something someday!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Is this enough of a reason to switch from Coke to Pepsi?
PepsiCo Inc. said Monday that Chief Financial Officer Indra K. Nooyi will replace Steven Reinemund as chief executive officer of the soft-drink and snacks company, making her the No. 2 female CEO in the Fortune 500. With her Oct. 1 appointment, Nooyi takes her place in an elite group of 11 female CEOs running Fortune 500 companies. Patricia Woertz at agricultural processor Archer Daniels Midland Co. ranks first. ADM is ranked 56th in the Fortune 500, while PepsiCo, the world's second-largest soft-drink company after Coca-Cola Co., is ranked 61st.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
A Girl in the Cafe
MUST SEE MOVIE: A Girl in the Cafe
This one came highly recommended from my friend Duane. I added it to my Netflix queue. It arrived and I read the summary on the DVD jacket - a romance? Not from Duane? Or what has fatherhood and marriage done to him? Or maybe I ordered the wrong movie? Well I shouldn't have doubted him. Yes, it was a romance, an unlikey pairing. But it was also some of the best dialogue I've seen in a while, at parts believalbly awkward. Not fancy, but inspirational. And it turns into a political drama on an international level, fighting poverty and compromise.
The movie ends with this quote by Nelson Mandela:
Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.-- Nelson Mandela
This one came highly recommended from my friend Duane. I added it to my Netflix queue. It arrived and I read the summary on the DVD jacket - a romance? Not from Duane? Or what has fatherhood and marriage done to him? Or maybe I ordered the wrong movie? Well I shouldn't have doubted him. Yes, it was a romance, an unlikey pairing. But it was also some of the best dialogue I've seen in a while, at parts believalbly awkward. Not fancy, but inspirational. And it turns into a political drama on an international level, fighting poverty and compromise.
The movie ends with this quote by Nelson Mandela:
Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.-- Nelson Mandela
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Non-Fiction Reading
Just finished reading "Why Terrorism Works" by Alan Dershowitz. Very interesing given the current state of affairs in Iraq, UK, Israel/Lebanon, just about everywhere. It's a post September 11th perspective, but focuses a lot on the Hammas and the sucess of terrorism in the Palestinian movement. The basic premise is that people resort to terrorism because the international community, and sometimes even the U.S. government, have rewarded them - terrorism will go on as long as it works. He also addresses ways to eliminate terrorism and the trade-offs between morality, freedom, and safety. Very thought provoking and my #2 favorite book on the topic.
What's #1? "American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us" by Steven Emerson. I read this many years ago after it was recommended by a friend of mine who works for the CIA. I got it from the library but had to purchase my own copy for reference!
Monday, August 14, 2006
I hate to shower
Does anyone else out there dread showering? I hate it. I try to go as long as possible without showering. This is difficult when trying to have any kind of exercise routine. My hair actually looks better when I haven't showered in a few days. Showering just seems like a waste of time. I'm not sure why I hate it so much. I do enjoy the feeling of being clean. And I like water in general. Any theories on why I think showering sucks?
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Since we last talked
Since we last talked, here's what's new:
My mom visited from July 18 - 25th - we ate out, shopped and watched lots of movies
Our only 3 year old a/c broke when it was 115 outside, nice, of course warrenty was up
Ben got braces
Weather cooled off below 100 degrees, while the rest of the country is sweltering
Kelly turned 30 in Costa Rica!
I was the MC at a FIRST Robotics event for Microchip - For Inspiration in Research & Technology is a competition where high school kids build robots and the intention is to inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists and inventors, started by Dean Kamen the guy who invented the Segway transporter http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/
Ran into old co-workers from what seems like a previous life as a design engineer at Motorola
Trivia with Ben at BW3s, of course
Finished reading: Beasts of No Nation (interesting), Reading Lolita in Tehran (fascinating given current events), Honeymoon by James Patterson (brainless and fun)
Just started Harvesting the Heart - another my Jodi Piccoult
Planned Parenthood Speaker's Bureau meetings started back up - I'm scheduled to give a talk on healthy relationships and communication to at-risk teens next week
Both of my sisters have interviews for new jobs, Ty as a manager at OSU's Planned Parenthood and Court as a social worker at OSU hospital - GOOD LUCK!!
I really want to see the cheesey movie - John Tucker must Die and the Ricky Bobby movie is tempting too
Most important trivial news item: Prince is getting a divorce and closed down his website
Most important Political Rant: The FDA may FINALLY approve PlanB, over the counter, just like they should have years ago!!
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., charged Tuesday that the
battle over the morning-after pill was an attempt by the White House
to inject politics into science.
Seeking to overcome opposition from the Democrats, Dr. Andrew von
Eschenbach, the Bush administration's choice to head the Food and
Drug Administration, pledged that his decisions would be guided
by "medical ideology," not "political ideology."
But Clinton and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said they would not lift
their "hold" on his nomination. Under Senate rules, any member can
indefinitely block, or hold, a nomination.
The focus of the latest fight was the FDA's sudden turnaround Monday
that would allow the sale to women 18 and older, without
prescription, of the so-called Plan B morning-after pill made by
Duramed, a subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals.
Planned Parenthood and other groups have argued that Plan B would
cut unwanted pregnancies that lead to abortions, while conservative
critics claim it would promote promiscuity.
At a Senate Health Committee hearing, Clinton praised von
Eschenbach's qualifications but told him he was caught up in a
debate that "has been turned into a political football and you are
on the field."
"Once we start politicizing the FDA, there is no stopping," said
Clinton, who challenged von Eschenbach's claim that women younger
than 18 might not use Plan B safely.
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., the committee's chairman, pleaded with
colleagues to approve the nomination while the FDA and the
manufacturer work out procedures for the sale of Plan B.
But Clinton and Murray refused to budge until they review any FDA-
Duramed agreement.
My mom visited from July 18 - 25th - we ate out, shopped and watched lots of movies
Our only 3 year old a/c broke when it was 115 outside, nice, of course warrenty was up
Ben got braces
Weather cooled off below 100 degrees, while the rest of the country is sweltering
Kelly turned 30 in Costa Rica!
I was the MC at a FIRST Robotics event for Microchip - For Inspiration in Research & Technology is a competition where high school kids build robots and the intention is to inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists and inventors, started by Dean Kamen the guy who invented the Segway transporter http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/
Ran into old co-workers from what seems like a previous life as a design engineer at Motorola
Trivia with Ben at BW3s, of course
Finished reading: Beasts of No Nation (interesting), Reading Lolita in Tehran (fascinating given current events), Honeymoon by James Patterson (brainless and fun)
Just started Harvesting the Heart - another my Jodi Piccoult
Planned Parenthood Speaker's Bureau meetings started back up - I'm scheduled to give a talk on healthy relationships and communication to at-risk teens next week
Both of my sisters have interviews for new jobs, Ty as a manager at OSU's Planned Parenthood and Court as a social worker at OSU hospital - GOOD LUCK!!
I really want to see the cheesey movie - John Tucker must Die and the Ricky Bobby movie is tempting too
Most important trivial news item: Prince is getting a divorce and closed down his website
Most important Political Rant: The FDA may FINALLY approve PlanB, over the counter, just like they should have years ago!!
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., charged Tuesday that the
battle over the morning-after pill was an attempt by the White House
to inject politics into science.
Seeking to overcome opposition from the Democrats, Dr. Andrew von
Eschenbach, the Bush administration's choice to head the Food and
Drug Administration, pledged that his decisions would be guided
by "medical ideology," not "political ideology."
But Clinton and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said they would not lift
their "hold" on his nomination. Under Senate rules, any member can
indefinitely block, or hold, a nomination.
The focus of the latest fight was the FDA's sudden turnaround Monday
that would allow the sale to women 18 and older, without
prescription, of the so-called Plan B morning-after pill made by
Duramed, a subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals.
Planned Parenthood and other groups have argued that Plan B would
cut unwanted pregnancies that lead to abortions, while conservative
critics claim it would promote promiscuity.
At a Senate Health Committee hearing, Clinton praised von
Eschenbach's qualifications but told him he was caught up in a
debate that "has been turned into a political football and you are
on the field."
"Once we start politicizing the FDA, there is no stopping," said
Clinton, who challenged von Eschenbach's claim that women younger
than 18 might not use Plan B safely.
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., the committee's chairman, pleaded with
colleagues to approve the nomination while the FDA and the
manufacturer work out procedures for the sale of Plan B.
But Clinton and Murray refused to budge until they review any FDA-
Duramed agreement.
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