C'est la vie

What's going on in Iran?

2009-06-22T15:50:00.002-04:00

I warn you, most of these videos are graphic. Very, very disturbing.

Censored by Current TV

2009-06-08T12:34:00.005-04:00

Today Current TV journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling were sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp in North Korea.
More on their story here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105092425&sc=fb&cc=fp

I attempted to call this to the attention of Current.com users - who are supposedly the source of the news that is available on their website. My submissions were immediately removed, and my comment in an article about North Korea which included a link to the story was removed within ten minutes.

Below are screenshots of the ongoing censorship:

The original article I posted, with the "Under review" (and thus hidden from general view) banner

The comments that I posted on an article about US-North Korean relations

The "This comment is under review, so it is temporarily hidden" banners which came shortly after my post

Other articles about the same issue:

Book meme

2009-06-03T16:40:00.002-04:00

1. Which book has been on your shelves the longest?
The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams

2. What is your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next?
I'm currently reading Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

3. What book did everyone like and you hated?
The Harry Potter books! Please don't kill me.

4. Which book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?
I'm kind of afraid to dive into Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz. I know it'll upset me, and I simply haven't had the emotional energy to get into it.

5. Which book are you saving for “retirement?”
Haha any romance novel, I suppose.

6. Last page: read it first or wait till the end?
I've never been one of those people, and I can't quite understand it. For me the pleasure of reading a book has nothing to do with the end, and everything to do with the process of reading the book. So, unless the end is blatantly bad, I'll be happy with it.

7. Acknowledgements: waste of ink and paper or interesting aside?
I find them interesting. I think it's a nice place for the author to thank people - and I know those people enjoy seeing their names in print! Why begrudge them that small pleasure?

8. Which book character would you switch places with?
Buddha, in Buddha by Deepak Chopra!

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time)?
The Velveteen Rabbit will always remind me of my father. He used to read it to me every night, and even now when I read it myself I head his voice in my head with his particular emphasis and intonation.

10. Name a book you acquired in some interesting way.
I took books as payment for mowing lawns for awhile...

11. Have you ever given away a book for a special reason to a special person?
I'd only give a book of my own collection to a very special person for a very special reason. Otherwise, I'll lend but I always expect them back. And yes, I have.

12. Which book has been with you to the most places?
Allen Ginsberg's Howl or Aleister Crowley's The Book of Lies

13. Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad ten years later?
Most of it. I resisted instruction in English, because I didn't want to be told what to read. Most of the selections, though, were truly worth reading.

14. What is the strangest item you’ve ever found in a book?
No strange "item", but lots of strange writing. I had a book once that seemed to have been written in from cover to cover, in every margin, with what seemed to be gibberish.

15. Used or brand new?
Both...they have their own wonderful smells :)

16. Stephen King: Literary genius or opiate of the masses?
A bit of both...doesn't it take a genius of sorts to write books that appeal to so many people? Just because it's pop culture doesn't mean it lacks merit. I must admit that I couldn't stand the man until I read his book On Writing, which really opened my eyes.

17. Have you ever seen a movie you liked better than the book?
Nope. Not once. Seriously.

18. Conversely, which book should NEVER have been introduced to celluloid?
Er, most of them! But in particular...Farenheit 451. Does no one get the significance of reading a BOOK about that particular scenario???

19. Have you ever read a book that's made you hungry, cookbooks being excluded from this question?
Oh my, yes. A lot of historical novels describe these lavish feasts, and when they start talking about compotes and pastries I salivate.

20. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?
No one's! I don't have much faith in a book until I've read it.

Animal testing news

2009-06-02T23:51:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON, June 1 (UPI) -- Twenty-six U.S. research labs were accused of fraud in a complaint filed Monday by an independent animal research watchdog.

Stop Animal Exploitation Now filed the complaint with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging a probe of 50 U.S. researchers for allegedly filing fraudulent documents and performing nearly identical experimentation in violation of federal regulations, the organization said in a news release.

"The animal research industry is just as unregulated as Wall Street was before the current economic crisis," said Michael A. Budkie, SAEN executive director. "If this system is not overhauled, the next meltdown will be in research laboratories."

The non-profit group based in Ohio said it filed the complaint following a study
of 57 taxpayer-funded research grants valued at more than $110 million during a five-year period. The study concluded the projects have a redundancy index of 5.4 out of a possible 6.

The projects are funded at 26 separate U.S. labs, including Harvard, Stanford, Emory, University of Alabama, University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis and San Francisco, as well as Johns Hopkins, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rutgers and Duke. Other labs named in the complaint are Wake Forest, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Vanderbilt, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas, Brown University, Smith Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, Salk Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, City College of New York, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Chicago and University of Washington.

Source: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/01/Watchdog-seeks-probe-of-leading-US-labs/UPI-55871243899814/

Tuesday Linkage

2009-06-02T10:33:00.003-04:00

A collection of worthwhile links:

Book Autopsies (artwork by Brian Dettmer)

Data Visualization (from Web Design Depot, really a collection of links that I'm linking to)

Sarah Haskins on Current (a witty look at marketing towards women...she makes me laugh every time)

Petition to save California's state parks (The Governator has plans to close 220 of them, including the Redwood parks that Michael and I want to visit on our honeymoon!)

The Cool Hunter (always a diverting site)

Best visual illusions of the year (from New Scientist)

Arrgh!

2009-05-18T09:02:00.000-04:00

"Dear Lauren,

There is a problem as that date has been taken. I am very sorry as it is the only one reserved in May, 2010. Let me know how to proceed. I am sorry as the client had made a couple changes and that was where they ended up and it was booked so long ago, I couldn't remember.

Sam"

IAMS cruelty letter

2009-05-15T11:42:00.001-04:00

I just sent another email to IAMS about their policy of testing on animals (to the address customer.service@iams.com). Feel free to use this text or add to it, and send one as well.

"Mr. Ansell,
I’m writing a letter to you to explain why I’m boycotting IAMS products. As someone who loves animals, and has several companion animals, I naturally want the best food for my pets. While I believe that IAMS is a high-quality pet food, I cannot in good conscience purchase it. Your practice of animal testing goes against the very idea of loving animals, and I cannot support a company that continues these archaic tests merely to help prevent potential lawsuits. I understand that having product tested on dogs and cats (or rats and mice – it’s equally wrong) makes it less “risky” because you can point to proven results if a consumer has a problem with your product. This reasoning, however, is quite frankly irresponsible. There are proven formulas that are safe and healthy for dogs and cats – not to mention that one way to ensure food safety is to use food that’s safe for human consumption. It is only greed that motivates these animal tests.

There are numerous dog and cat food manufacturers that do NOT conduct animal testing (such as Bone Vivant, Inc., Holistic Blend, Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc., Newman’s Own Organics, or Veterinary Nutritional Formula, to name just a few). If these companies can do it, why can’t you?

Until your animal testing policy changes I will continue to boycott your company, and to encourage every pet owner I meet to do the same. Please consider making a compassionate and humane choice. Just consider the marketing benefits of having a cruelty-free policy!

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Lauren"

Letters can also be written to any of the following:

Dan Rajczak, General Manager
Iams Company
7250 Poe Ave.
Dayton, OH 45414-5801
1-800-675-3849
937-898-7387
customer.service@iams.com

A.G. Lafley, CEO
Procter & Gamble Co.
1 Procter & Gamble Plz.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
1-800-525-4267

Bill Miller, Director of Sales
Iams Canada
920 Gana Ct.
Mississauga, ON L5S 1Z4
1-800-658-5657 (press 5 for the name directory)
905-565-4711 (fax)

Gianni Ciserani
General Manager
Procter & Gamble
The Heights
Brooklands, Weybridge
Surrey KT13 0XP
+44 (0)1932 896000

For more information, visit www.iamscruelty.com (a site run by PETA) or http://www.uncaged.co.uk/iams.htm.

Do something

2009-05-15T10:46:00.002-04:00

Make your life make a difference, and do something to help those in need.
These creatures have no one to defend them but you and I.

Anti-Bride

2009-05-14T13:05:00.005-04:00

If you know me at all, you know that when something knew comes into my life the first thing I do is read about it. A lot. For instance, before my first season of playing Rugby I read the rule book as well as several books about the sport. My first day of practice I felt prepared and knowledgeable...and actually, teammates expressed surprise that I'd never played before.

So it should come as no surprise that when Michael and I got engaged the first thing I did (after calling our parents, of course) was go on Amazon.com and find as many books about getting married as I could reasonably afford. Not being your typical girl, Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette was not my first choice. Instead, I ended up with the following:

The DIY Wedding: Celebrate Your Day Your Way
Eco-Chic Weddings: Simple Tips to Plan an Earth-Friendly, Socially Responsible, Affordable Green Wedding
Green Wedding: Planning Your Eco-Friendly Celebration
Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides
The DIY Bride: 40 Fun Projects for Your Ultimate One-of-a-Kind Wedding
The Green Bride Guide: How to Create an Earth-Friendly Wedding on Any Budget, and
Anti-Bride Guide: Tying the Knot Outside of the Box

So far, Anti-Bride seems to coincide perfectly with my attitude about the whole thing. In fact, the introduction fit me so perfectly - so closely matched my philosophy on what our wedding should be - that I'm going to give you the text of it.

"Growing up in suburbia in the 1970s, my sisters and I were enthralled by one particular board game. While Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean King, and Betty Friedan were doing their best to get women out of the kitchen and into the streets, we couldn't wait to plunk down on the three-tone shag carpet and lift the lid of a big pink box embossed with 'The Bride Game' in frilly white script. Unlike Risk or Monopoly, there wasn't much substance to The Bride Game. Competition, and even winning, weren't the point. Instead, it was a romantic consumerist fantasy: build a bridal identity based on stuff. You rolled a pair of dice to become one of four brides - spring, summer, autumn, winter - with accompanying grooms and bridesmaids. Then, the only goal was to accumulate the required pile of gear - cake, ring, bouquet, something borrowed, something blue - as you moved down the hot-pink steps toward the altar.

Of course, it's almost impossible to imagine any toy company blithely selling such a game today. Or is it? From honeymoon cruises to plastic cake toppers, Americans shell out roughly $45 billion a year for weddings. With an average of 2.5 million couples tying the knot in a given year, that's about $15,000 per wedding. Of course, some weddings are as simple as a backyard potluck; others (the kind involving orchids flown in from Thailand and taking place on private islands) can stretch to six figures. Stuffed with advertisements, the average bridal magazine makes even the big, juicy September issue of Vogue look puny by comparison. For most first-time brides, the real problem with planning a wedding is getting deluged with too many 'shoulds.'

We've watched a lot of otherwise smart, sassy brides-to-be drive themselves crazy trying to make everyone happy. The first accessory we recommend for any anti-bride is a pair of earplugs - not real ones, but rather some big, fluffy imaginary earmuffs that float snugly around your head every time your future mother-in-law, your coworker, or your florist starts telling you what you must, should, or ought to do at your wedding. Because you know what? It's all up to you and your partner. Yes, there are tons of traditions, some cultural, some religious, and some just traditional. But regardless of what your mom (or Emily Post) implies, your marriage will not disintegrate if you don't send every guest home with a little box of color-coordinated Jordan almonds inscribed with your names in fancy script. While we were putting together this book, we asked dozens of couples how they got hitched. The last question we asked every bride was, 'What was the coolest part of your wedding?' Not one mentioned the miniature quiches or the great deal she got on her Vera Wang gown. Instead, they told us about 'the enormous numbers of friends who came from far and wide' and 'the toasts given by our friends that went on longer and were much more heartfelt than expected.' One bride shared the moment of 'hearing my husband-to-be say "I do," and looking into his beautiful, dark eyes and seeing the truth: love, eternity, and devotion.' For another bride, after the ceremony, the cake, and the final departure of the last guest, it was all about 'finally being alone with my fella - and going on a Fritos binge!'

After all, if all you cared about was having the most perfect wedding cake in the universe, you'd be reading Martha Stewart Weddings instead, right?

That's not to say you should give up being a princess. At what other time do you get to plan, stage-manage, and then (wearing a really fabulous outfit) star in your very own show? After all, we love pedicures, presents, and Champagne as much as the next girl (if not more). And unless you're Miss America or Madonna, you'll probably never have so many people dedicated to making you beautiful as you will for this one day.

That's where the concept of the anti-bride comes in. When we first started working on this book, some of our friends didn't get it right away. What was with the title? How could we be writing a wedding guide without a bride in it? Did we think everyone should just get hitched at City Hall on their lunch hour, with no veil, no cake, no bouquet? This led to a lot of Merlot-fueled musings on just what being a bride was all about. Could a girl be a hip, independent woman, able to fix her own carburetor and hook up her own hard drive, but still harbor a deep craving for matching china and fancy matchbooks?

Well, of course! An anti-bride is a bride who's getting married her own way. In fact, we'd met a lot of anti-brides before we even began this book. As bridesmaids, sisters, roommates, and friends, we'd spent hours hanging out with a lot of really awesome about-to-be or recently married women who were thrilled to be hooking up with their sweethearts - but more than a little weirded out by the weight of the myriad monogrammed-and-engraved traditions they were suddenly expected to take on. While we all shared the same image of the bride as a blushing young woman floating down the aisle frosted head-to-tow in white satin and lace, the reality couldn't have been more different. You're not living the same kind of life your mother or grandmother had. why should you get married the same way? None of the brides we knew wanted anyone - much less the wedding industry - to dictate what kind of bride she should be. At the same time, we still crave ceremony, ritual, and, yes, a fabulous dress to mark this momentous occasion. The anti-bride is proud to be getting married, but she isn't just anyone's - or any magazine's - bride. She is her own bride, making it up as she goes along, creating her own traditions, and picking and choosing what's right for her and for her partner, without losing her identity along the way. And, like so many of us, she doesn't like being told what to do, especially if it involves wearing ugly white shoes.

The most important thing you can do is relax and enjoy your life now. In the midst of planning this big event, it's easy to lose sight of the reason for all the froufrou: You're in love! After all the flakes, the weirdos, and the hotties who never called back, you've finally discovered Mr. Wonderful. For the rest of your life (we hope), you'll have a lover, a best friend, a sweetheart to kiss every New Year's Eve, and, what's most important, someone to squash that scary spider in the bathroom for you, even in the middle of the night. While you're planning your wedding, don't let your partner get shoved offstage and, more importantly, don't assume you can just stick your relationship in the fridge for six months while you run from cake tastings to bridal salons.

A wedding is not an end in itself. Yes, as rituals go, it is a big deal. But it's also the very beginning of your marriage. There are many steps to take down the road, and lots of issues to be decided that will ultimately be far more important than your wedding tablecloth colors, or even the bandleader knocking back three tequila sunrises and hitting on your mom during the reception.

Our best advice? Do what you want, don't let anyone else stress you out, and have fun!"

I'm still working on how to stick to my guns - as is Michael. We had a list of 28 people to have at the ceremony and reception which, after speaking to both of our families, has grown to 89. We both want a small wedding, but we both want our loved ones there. So, everyone who's invited will have to make do with much cheaper food and music. Hopefully the fact that so many are people are invited will make it fun for everyone, despite us not shelling out for live music or an open bar.

The other subject we're facing some pressure on is the ceremony itself. Michael and I would, for ourselves, be happy with a "ceremony" at City Hall. For a more formal ceremony in front of friends and family we'd hoped to have the mayor of State College (a friend of the family) be the officiant. That idea was nixed by both families for religious reasons, so we're now debating how to make everyone happy while still having a ceremony we don't hate.

I think the most important thing to remember is that even if our mothers get together and plan a tulle-infested celebration replete with a greasy crooner and a stretch limo (which neither of them would do), Michael and I will be blissfully happy at the end of the day, because we'll be MARRIED!!!

Introduction

2009-05-14T12:58:00.000-04:00

Most people reading this already know me, but I suppose I should explain why I finally bit the bullet and joined the blogsphere.

I have several reasons, but primarily it's because there are a lot of things going on in my life right now that people seem to want to keep tabs on. For instance: graduating from college, buying a house, finding a job, getting married, etc. I'd like to use this space to post updates on all of those various fronts, and interested parties can read them if they wish to. This saves me the trouble of emailing people, and saves some of you the trouble of receiving countless emails about what color the bridesmaid's dresses are going to be.

Secondarily, I follow the news voraciously and have an opinion about pretty much everything. Having a blog gives me a place to explicate my thoughts and link to stories I find worthy or prescient. Now, whether or not anyone reads what I write is an entirely different matter. I suppose I must simply write what I know and feel and hope that whoever is meant to read it will do so.

A third reason? I read almost constantly, and am always coming across passages I want to broadcast to the world. I can post things here without inundating anyone's facebook or myspace pages with things they don't care to read.

So, enjoy.
Namaste.