Want to read something truly terrifying for the future of this country?

I try to avoid the right wing media idiots but this story about Glenn Beck is so upsetting. So he produces an hour long special called "Revolutionary Holocaust: Live Free or Die" which basically says that Obama and other progressive democrats are moving towards becoming the next Hilter and Nazi movement. I would dismiss this sick distorted crap if it were not for the fact that 4 MILLION PEOPLE watched this program!!! I shutter to think of what some people would do if they thought their president was the next Hitler.

Check out this great post by the Rude Pundit after Scott Brown won

Stephanie Miller read a bit this great essay from The Rude Pundit the other day on the radio. This guy is good. He does a good job of putting together the Mass Senate race, Obama's success, health care, how to be effective in elections, the Bush legacy and more.....

The best part:

"Fuck you, Massachusetts. Not just for Brown's election, but for voting for Coakley in the Democratic primary. And fuck you because you already have health care program in your state, which made it a fuck of a lot easier to not give a shit about the rest of the nation (and means that it wasn't really about health care). Fuck you, White House and DSCC, for not seeing this coming."

Babies and Boobs?!

So an old friend got married recently and put great wedding photos on Facebook. Went to the photographers website hoping to find more. I don't know if this is typical but this very professional looking experienced photographer had galleries right there for people to see and there were 5 categories one of which was "babies" and one was "nudes" (others were "pets" and "seniors"). I am no prude and I am fine with nude art photography but it seems sort of wrong to have those type of photographs a click apart. If I am looking to hire a photographer to take photos of my new little bundle of joy do I want to see the sexy naked photos that the photographer also takes?

Meth Will Turn You Into a Badass

I agree with Althouse, this new software that will show folks what they would look like if they turn into meth addicts should not make the person look cool. Check out NPR's Guy Raz photo. That could encourage people to go down that path. I think showing real photos of meth addicts would be more effective. Check out these sad folks at Faces of Meth.

Facebook, Get Your Nose Out of My Business

I was a bit disturbed to see an ad today on my FB page for something that I wrote about in a status update.

I am not bothered when I get an ad for a movie or author that I said I like in my profile but a status update? This one was pretty minor, an ad for a book by an author I said I like, but a status update seem like a private thing to me between me and my friends.

How far would they go with this and how specific would they get? I trust Facebook sort of but what about the advertisers who use the data and sell them ads, I am not so sure.

So if I say, "I am thinking about buying a boat" on my update. Will I get ads from local companies to buy a boat? Will they get my name? and send me email or call me? What if I am writing about something serious like an illness or financial problems? Will I get ads about that type of stuff? Part of what seems wrong about this is that someone is looking through all of our status updates to find shit to sell us.

Attention passangers - we are going to make a short pit stop in Port-au-Prince

Have you heard about the controversy regarding cruise ships that are continuing to use a private beach to dock boats in Haiti. The spot is called Labadee and Royal Caribbean leases the beach on Haiti's northern coast. At Labadee, passengers can "enjoy jetski rides, parasailing, and rum cocktails delivered to their hammocks." Labadee is 60 miles from location of the earthquake.

At first I had the same reaction that most probably have, this is outrageous. But then after reading the companies defense I am not so sure. They have used these stops to deliver food and water.

Part of the problem with this is the cruise industry overall exploitive approach to the countries that it stops at. The benefit to the local communities is usually much less that it could be. These walled camps that are set up to give tourists a safe local visit are very fake and controlled by company and do not really help local businesses. You would not the happy rich tourists to see how the locals really live, that would be a buzz kill for your trip. While Royal Caribbean’s Haiti camp provides a small local benefit but it is likely very minimal compared to what it could be. How much did the Haitian government need to pay to fix up the infrastructure to support this spot?

If the boat decided to skip Haiti and go to some other stop in another island, does that help the people of Haiti in anyway? If the cruise ship were disruptive of relieve efforts in any way, it would be very clear that this is wrong. Could the Ladadee spot be effectively used somehow as part of the relief effort to house people or relief workers? If so that should be seriously considered.

My immediate reaction to this crisis was how cruise ships could be used to help. Forget Labadee, it makes me sick to think of these million dollar luxury cruise lines floating around Haiti with happy guests drinking margaritas and eating lobster while people die. They could be used for housing for people (either locals or relief workers), as floating hospitals, to deliver supplies, etc. The problem is that these boats are run by private companies and would they be willing to use their boats in such a way? Such a plan could trash their valuable asset and put a dent in the bottom line. What would you do if your cruise was cancelled because the company was using the boat to deliver water to Haiti?

The larger question is whether or not such a disaster will or should disrupt the lives or the middle-class or wealthy outside of Haiti in any way. It is very easy to write a check to the Red Cross but not so easy for us to do anything else.

One passenger wrote: "I just can't see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water," But would that person be ok with doing these things at another island 50 miles from Haiti? What real difference does it make? What about at a nice hotel in the Dominican Republic on the same island? What about all the folks in million dollar homes in south Florida a few hundred miles away? How do you think people would like the idea of taking 10 cruise ships, going to Haiti, filling them up with people and families who have lost their homes and bring them to South Beach and housing them in the empty beach front condos?

A few weeks ago I walked along the intercostal in Fort Lauderdale and looked at the cruise ships and million dollar yachts. Should those folks take their boats down there full of food and water and drop it off in Haiti? I don’t have the answers but I don’t think skipping this stop will make any difference in the lives of the suffering Haitians.

Smart Madison Man Finds Criminal

Great story from Madison police department.

"40-year old Madison man decided to a do a little of his own detective work Saturday night shortly after discovering someone had gotten into his SUV and stolen his radar detector. It had been parked in front of his home on Talmadge Street. He got on his computer and went to Craigslist where someone had just posted a radar detector exactly like his. The man made arrangements to meet with the seller the next day. By this time, a police officer was working with the victim. The 15-year old suspect arrived at the prearranged location on Waubesa Street shortly after 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, and the officer - who was in a squad - pulled up. The suspect made a run for it, with the 40-year old victim giving chase. The foot pursuit lasted about a block and a half until the victim was able to grab the suspect, just as police moved into to make the arrest. The radar detector was recovered."

I am glad to see that Madison police cooperated with the victim in this case but the crook would never had been caught if the guy did not figure this out. Do police ever check craigslist to find stolen property? Maybe the bad guys should steal stuff and not try to sell it on craigslist right away.

Maybe Instead of Green Marriage Therapy- These People Need Green OCD Therapy

I am sure that the reason this article, Therapists Report Increase in Green Disputes, is #1 on the NY Times website is because the red-meat eating, truck driving, working for a living part of America probably thinks it is ridiculous that couples are fighting about who is greener. With record number of people out of work, crisis in Haiti, families living through issues like cancer, etc. don't people have better things to do with their efforts and more important issues to fight about, blah blah blah.... I can see the comments now.

I agree with this sentiment to some extent. The part that bothers me about these people in the article is that most everyone does some things to be more green while other parts of their lives could use some work. I am not in a positions to point my green finger at others unless I am Mr. Green in every way, which I am not. You have to be pretty crunchy to point the finger at someone who bikes 12 miles to work each day. Also, not all choices are so black and white anyway. Buying things On-line is somewhat better than driving to the mall despite the packaging.

The other interesting part of this is how deeply, to the point of obsession, people feel about their green lives. I know folks who would not use a Styrofoam plate or drive to work if someone paid them a million dollars. It is like exercise or prayer, people get hooked on it and feel it is an essential part of who they are and they can't not do it. I do some green things, I think about environmental issues in my life but it doesn't bother me to go through the McDonald's drive-thru from time to time.

The other contradiction is even if you and your partner agree to be green and live a happy vegan organic life, what about the rest of people out there? How can you be happy and feel good about your green life when you see and know people who drive monster SUVs 50 miles a day, blast the AC all summer long, eat a big Mac every day, etc. Part of why I have trouble getting too obsessed with green living is that the gross examples of choices people make completely overtake the efforts I make. For every can I recycle, there is a recycling bin full of trash. Every time I wait in the rain for the bus I see 1000s of cars driving past me most with only 1 person in the drivers seat.

If these people really cared about the earth, they would spend less time giving their partner a hard time about their minor anti-green transgression and would focus on how to change the rest of the world in ways that make an actual difference.

The Van!

Mom My Ride from Zima - This is a really funny video of a car that looks like our life (from friend JP).

Black Gold in Lake Monona

Great photo and blog post by Madison Guy of oil rigs pumping oil out from under Lake Monona. I have not seen this but it is a cool idea.

As part of the great Madison tradition of putting art and other fun stuff out on our frozen lakes, someone has put up a piece that looks like they are pumping for oil in Mad-town. Just as I think that everyone who eats meat should have to take a tour of a meat processing plant/ slaughterhouse, those who drive should see how oil is drilled and refined.

Should Coops Charge Non-Members More?

Interesting debate at the Willy St. Coop about whether to get rid of the non-member surcharge. Currently, Willy St and the Regent Market Coop (which I was on the board of) charge non-members an extra if they want to shop there. Check out this discussion on their website, lots of interest and thoughtful comments.

From an economic/ financial perspective it seems that eliminating it would bring in more shoppers who don't want to join and don't go there because it seems like an exclusive place they are not members of, elimate this barried = more sales. But, this could lead less people to join because they don't see the benefits of being a member and less memberships could = less memberships $ and perhaps less shopping by people who don't join and shop sometimes but don't feel they have an investment in the store. I would imagine many who decide to join a coop feel more of an pull to shop there and if they never joined they may shop elsewhere because they are not connected to the store/ community more than any other store (Costco/ Sentry/ etc. you may visit).

I bet they do drop the surcharge.

Free Box of Crap

Looking on Craigslist and found this silly ad. It has no information about what is in the box and the photo is too fuzzy to make out what is in there. Maybe a pan and a jar. I guess if you lived near this person you could get the box and see if there is anything intersting or if you are an artist who uses old junk in your work you may want this but I will pass.

I am glad I don't have any ex-girlfriends who work at Facebook

Very interesting Rumpus interview with a person who works at Facebook that discusses in plain language the data they keep, who can look at your information, privacy policies and more. I never really thought about this but the folks who work there can get access to any one's private information, an old friend or Scarlet Johanson. Also, it is good to know that the engineers who work there are "smart as balls". Unfortunately there are many who abuse FB, create fake accounts, to stalk people, do identity theft, etc.

I want more Rebecca Taylor!

I really enjoy listening to the saucy Rebecca/ Rebekah Taylor (formerly know as Rebekah Baker) the assistant producer on the Stephanie Miller Show. She is not usually on the air but was today a bit perhaps because Jim was out with an ass illness (that is what they said?!). She is funny, has a great voice and is mean.


EXTRA: I have gotten many hits on this very short post I wrote a while ago. I figured out that I spelled her name wrong for one, sorry, it is Rebekah. According to MySpace she is 32 and lives in LA and this is what she looks like w/o a head.

Also, I am curious what anyone knows about her status? Is there a photo of her anywhere? Why is she not on live anymore? I have not heard her in a while. I vote for having her on air on a regular basis or part of some regular bit, like of like how Dave Letterman has some of his folks in skits from time to time. She is very witty, direct and cool.

How would you break into an upscale gated South Florida residential development?

Back to blogging – I returned safely from my fun family vacation to visit my in-laws in Florida and while I had several ideas of things to write about while down there, I did not really have ready access to a computer and my kids were always wanting a snack, needed a diaper change, needed help with a puzzle or some such thing so I did not write much. I have several ideas in my head for things to write about from my 2 weeks in South Florida.

I was staying in one of these places you see all over south Florida, a gated community (which I am opposed to and I would never want to live in one by the way) full of winding streets with names like Oak Meadow Drive and Ocean Harbor Court (which are nowhere near the Ocean or any Meadows) and homes that all look the same (see photo). My in-law's place is on the small side compared to the other homes in this large “residential community”. There are folks with really expensive homes who feel safe knowing that they are protected from the riff raff and some of these folks are only living in these homes part of the year. In theory, they have serious security system with two gates staffed by security people 24/7.

While every car is stopped, we decided to get around by bike and no one ever stopped us as we biked into the place each day on our way back from the pool. My bike was older than me and could not out run a 4 year old on a tricycle. It could have raised some eyebrows, but even better would be if you dressed up like one of the few hard core bikers I saw down there in fancy bike shorts got on a nice racing bike you could come and go as you pleased without any trouble at all.

The whole biking concept down there is ridiculous because the scary big arterial streets which are everywhere that make any biker ride for their life against 4 lanes of traffic driving 45 mph. You could not take a pleasant ride or get to anywhere you’d want to go without putting your life at risk. Even the streets with bike lanes are silly in that there is so rarely a bike anywhere, people drive too fast to safely use it on a bike, the roads are so long that just to get from one block to the next you’d have quite a ride, and the stoplight intersections are a death trap for cars let alone bikes.

I don’t want to suggest that I’d do such a thing but I was reading a great plot twist thriller “Tell No One” by Harlan Coben (two thumbs up) while down there and it got my mind thinking about how to sneak around and do things you are not supposed to.

Happy New Year!

Enjoying the last few days of my vacation in the suburban sprawl at the edge of the Everglades. 75 and sunny. Back holding up so far, my 4 year old is getting far too little sleep but overall we are all surviving the family vacation. Off to bubbee brunch in Boca today! yippeeee! I don't expect to blog as much in 2010 because I expect I will have too much work to do but I will be back with more witty commentary in a few days.