9 posts tagged “politics”

Okay, so despite my caution in the last post about getting too excited about O's ability to bring about significant change, I was definitely moved by the inauguration ceremony.  He gave a great speech and the whole thing was just pregnant with historical significance.  So, yeah, I was choked up by it all.  I do think that if anyone has the ability to inspire people to make the monumental collective effort that real change would necessitate, he's the one.  Let's get busy.

Okay, so despite my caution in the last post about getting too excited about O's ability to bring about significant change, I was definitely moved by the inauguration ceremony.  He gave a great speech and the whole thing was just pregnant with historical significance.  So, yeah, I was choked up by it all.  I do think that if anyone has the ability to inspire people to make the monumental collective effort that real change would necessitate, he's the one.  Let's get busy.

A cute story from yesterday.  On the way back from the park in the car, Little One and her friend J were finally getting a little on each other's nerves.  Was bound to happen after being together for nearly 24 hours and running on little sleep.  Anyway, I had J call her mom on the cellphone to let her know of our impending arrival.  Her mother asked if LO would like to join them for dinner.  Suddenly the bad vibes dissipated and LO was very excited at the prospect.  But then she said, "Dad, the only problem is, they cook spicy food."  J was still on the phone with her mom and heard this.  So she says to her mom, "Mom, could you cook something German, 'cause she doesn't like spicy food."  Both LO and I busted up laughing and LO said, "That's so cute."

A less cute story.  On Sunday we went ice skating.  LO started taking lessons and part of the price includes several admissions to the public skating times with a guest.  While there, we saw her old Russian friend whom we have not seen in at least a year.  LO is a huge fan of this girl, but try as I might, her parents just do not respond to requests for play dates.  How do you tell your daughter that your sorry she can't play with her "bestest friend" since her parents are complete flakes?  In fact, as it turns out, they moved to Irvine from Torrance in December, so now we for sure won't be seeing them.  A shame for LO and the little girl, who really is very sweet.  I really felt like telling off the mom for never returning our calls, but I held my tongue.

Everyone is celebratory about Obama's inauguration today.  I must say, I'm certainly pleased that we are finally rid of Bush/Darth Vader and the lot, and I do like Obama.  But, I'm a little concerned that people are expecting him to be a miracle worker.  He's not and they're bound to be a lot of disappointed people when they slowly discover that.  So, sure, let's relish this moment; it is momentous.  But let's keep our wits about us, too.  Not much will change unless there is a huge collective effort to do so, and that sort of political will is hard to muster.

So, just to report:  the car is back.  Picked it up at an impounding station in Marina Del Rey.  Had to pay around $250 to get it out.  I asked them why the officer who found it didn't just call me to come pick it up from the street instead of having it towed, since it was apparently not illegally parked.  They gave me some cock and bull story about it having been a DOT officer, not a police officer, who found the car.  She only had knowledge about the car having been reported stolen, but not contact info of the owner.  And why she can't get that info from the LAPD?  Could it be that the city gets about $100 out of that $250 fine, so they have little incentive to spare the victim of the crime any hassle?  Crazy.

The car seems to be in fine working order.  The boneheads who took it appear to have been on a joy ride or just wanting a cheap way to get to LAX.  They seem to have tried to steal the stereo, but couldn't quite figure it out.  I don't understand how you can know how to steal a car, but a stereo stumps you.  They took everything in the glove compartment (incl the registration card.  From now on, I'm keeping registration in my wallet, not in the car), everything from the compartment between the front seats (incl. the valet parking key!), my AAA maps, and all my burned CDs (ca. 200, none of which they are likely to like -- the radio was tuned to a Hip Hop station when I first started the car).  They left the child car seat, various toys, the spare tire, and the bike rack in the trunk.  Wondered whether it would make sense to have the locks changed on the car, given that they got the valet key.  But, given that they could get in the car in the first place w/o a key, seems like changing the locks wouldn't do much good and it costs $350 to do so.  Instead, I went with a brake pedal lock (like the Club, but supposedly a little harder to crack) and I may install a kill switch, too.

On Sunday we visited the Greediest Place on Earth.  I had promised Little One that we would go sometime during her winter break, and Sunday was the very last day of the break.  Had actually hoped to go earlier, but our old family friend who works there and can sign us in for free could not do it during the holiday period b/c of black out days for his sign in priveleges.  We met up there with my Feline Friend and her family, whom we had bumped into at the Santa Monica pier a few weeks earlier.  We didn't spend a long time at the park, but we got in some good rides and LO definitely had fun.  Our last visit was around 18 months ago with Dr. B and family, and she's clearly moved on since then in terms of what kind of rides she's ready for.  She just loved the thrill rides like Splash Mtn and Big Thunder Railroad.  Only bummer was that the Haunted Mansion was closed and we didn't make it to Space Mtn.  Small World was also closed -- I'd read somewhere they need to redesign it b/c too many boats were getting stuck b/c of the increasing average weight of the passengers!

Big Sis's FB status comment re: Israeli aggression in Gaza received some expected knee-jerk responses.  You knew that was coming, didn't you?  I just don't get the whole thing where people refuse to see Israeli actions in a critical manner.  Sure, they live in a hostile environment and nobody condones the violence perpetrated by Hamas or Hezbollah or any other extremist organization.  But how can you fail to look at the roots of the problem that encouraged such organizations to develop and gain support? -- the wholesale expulsion of Palestinians in 1948 and then the expansion of Israel and creation of the occupied territories during the 1967 war.  You just can't do that sort of thing and not expect people to fight back.  Get serious people.

In all honesty, I should be asleep right now.  Or at least doing something productive.  But, noooo, I've just spent the last, oh, 2.5 hrs. digesting the "debate" and the blog/msm analysis.  I still haven't even seen the whole thing since I couldn't catch the live webcast and the clips so far are incomplete (esp. the last bit on foreign policy).  But, it seems it mostly went ok for Obama, so I'm pleased.  For me, the highlight was when he answered healthcare is a right, whereas McCain said it is a responsibility.  I think he nailed that one.  Interesting to read the National Review blog -- they were all beating up on McCain!  Complete resignation.  Good riddance, I say.

Other stuff:  well, we had an enjoyable trip to Legoland this weekend.  Little One has been pining to go for months now, and we had a good opportunity given that we were taking care of one of her friends for the weekend.  Cuz two adults and one kid at Legoland is not the right balance -- 2/2 works much better.  And it was good.  Much more mellow than DLand, and the kids really dig it b/c they can actually do everything they want to do.  She didn't even try (much) to get us to buy a bunch of junk.

Little One's bike riding has been improving, though we had some regression about a week ago.  Prior to that, she has begun to start pedaling on her own without support.  Doesn't get it every time, but we're getting there.  Which means, since she can already brake and steer, we're pretty much good to go.  Next thing is to try out on some bike paths that have a little more traffic, but are still wide and easy.  That way she can get comfortable with oncoming bikers and people passing her.  And then i figure we're ready to do that bike tour of Africa I've always dreamed about :)

In case you forgot, I am a bonafide Gourdhead.  The lads were in town last week for a show at Safari Sam's.  'Twas a school night, but I still could not resist going.  I guess after being six years in the desert (i.e. no shows between 2002-2008), a man works up a thirst, you know?  So, yeah, a second show in 2008 after the great one in SF in February was definitely called for.  The show opened with Kevin Russell playing solo under the moniker of Shinyribs, as he had in February.  Probably no more than 20 people in the crowd at that point, but he still put his all into it.  The setlist (no doubt, with errors since there were many tunes I didn't not know):

1. Sweet Potato
2. Me & Jesus (Tom T. Hall) -- serious white boy gospel.  hard to tell if he was earnest or ironic
3. The Devil's Song (?)
4. Image of Me -- "one fo the best country songs ever written" by Harlan Howard (who??)
5. Fisherman's Friend (?) -- a song for travelers
6. Dang Me --  Roger Miller tune
7. Who built the moon?  -- pretty silly ditty
8. Highway 61 Revisited -- "Bobby" Dylan countrified.  Changed all the verses 'cept the first.
9. For the turnstiles -- excellent cover of Neil
10. Waterfalls -- apparently a cover of some R&B group called TLC

Shinyribs was followed by a gawd awful local troupe called Stampead.  The less said the better.

By the time The Gourds came on, the crowd had built up some.  Not packed, by any means, but at least not embarrasing (if you forget the fact that some 15 mil. people live in metro LA).The set was spirited, though not quite the knockout that Slim's was.  They played:

1. My Name is Jorge
2. Arapahoe
3. Old Man from the Mountain
4. Jesues Christ with Signs Following
5. Gyroscopic
6. Maria -- Jimmy at his maniacal best
7. Yoli Find a Possum -- not sure where this one comes from
8. LGO
9.O Rings
10. Roll & Tumble
11.Take Me Back to Tulsa
12. All the Labour -- one of my favs!
13. I'm a Man -- very impromptu Muddy Waters with different lyrics.  Actually, Jimmy just sang about one verse.
14. Flavor on Your Tongue -- ending with the "do do do doo doos" from the Stones' "Hangfire" and followed by a few bars of Chariots of Fire((!!)
15. Promenade -- nice ballad, but the line about Southern Democrats is really weak
16. Red Letter Day -- Max on vox
17. Dr. Spivey -- Jimmy at his maniacal worst. Too bloody loud. (tho' I liked how he snuck in a bass line from "I Want You (She's So Heavy)
18. Mr. Betty
19. Gin and Juice -- snippets of The Hungry Wolf (X), Surrender (Cheap Trick), and The End (The Doors)

Frankly, I could of done w/out G&J.  It's just getting too cliche for them to play and they looked bored playing it.  They do a great version and it's a lot of fun, but it just doesn't make sense to make a cover your signature tune and play it at every gig.  I liked it back in, oh, 1998 when they stopped playing it at every show for a while.

And with that, I really will go to bed now.

I don't have TV and I'm quite happy about that, but every now again there is a choice segment that I miss.  This is one of them. Maybe Obama should appoint John Stewart as his press secretary, when the time comes.

Not that the news changes my vote in any way, but it looks like McCain/Palin have just lost the crucial librarian demographic (and any who believes in free speech).  Apparently, the ex-Mayor wanted to make sure the good people of Wasilia, Alaska weren't corrupted by some of the books held in the local public library.  Read here for more.  Oh, she's a beaut alright!

Yet another "out of the mouth of babes" moment.  The other day we got a Neiman-Marcus catalog in the mail, and LO was flipping through it.  She pointed out a few dresses she liked.  Then, at one point, she says, "She looks plastic, like a Barbie."  Just about floored me.

In other news, can someone explain to me what Geraldine Ferraro was thinking?  With friends like these....

Better Half had an interview yesterday with a new kidney disease medical unit located in the same medical complex where Middle Sis works.  Apparently, the interview went really well.  Most of the staff speaks Farsi, as do many of the patients.  If an offer does come through, we have to figure out what to do.  On the one hand, it sounds like it would be a more professional outfit, a place where she could get her LCSW supervision hours, and have some benes.  On the other hand, it's in Glendale, which is mighty far from us, and they initially only want someone for 24hrs/wk.  Quite a dilemma.

We're getting back into our regular groove again after the holidays, though I am working a day shift through the end of the month.  The hardest thing is the morning routine with Little One.  It never fails to stress me out.  She's usually difficult to awaken (though today she woke me), and regardless of what time she gets up, she dilly dallies until we're invariably pressed for time to make it to school on time.  I don't know how to get her to focus on getting ready.  Instead of eating breakfast, getting dressed, and brushing her teeth, she just wants to play.  I understand that, and I've tried to make those activities play-like, but it does not work.

Going to a Bill Frisell gig tonight at the Jazz Bakery.  I think I may have seen this guy live more than any other artist.  Certainly in more places:  Santa Cruz, London, Munich, Leverkusen, Bochum, and now LA.  Catching the show with a guy I met in one of my first MLS classes last year.  Should be fun.

Got my car back from the PUs yesterday.  Although the radiator is quite possibly shot, I still prefer it to their car.

Trying to make sense of the primaries and figure out whom to back.  My favorite candidates ideologically (Kucinich and Edwards) don't really have a chance.  Richardson is on the way out, and I would have probably preferred him too over Clinton or Obama.  The big contenders are each interesting from a historical perspective, but on the policy side, I'm less enthused.  Obama is basically an empty vessel for me right now.  I just don't know what his policies are, though I admit I have not dug into yet.