Categories
Diversity History

Women’s Movement

I am ashamed to say that I did not know this month was dedicated to Women’s History until I read this lovely rundown of historical moments by Alas, a Blog.

In keeping up with the theme, bean is continuing posting events in women’s history that have happened on each particular day in January. These are in keeping with all the other exceptionally good writings posted at this site.

I am ashamed that I don’t write on Women’s Writing or history for that matter, as much as I should for someone with my interest in both. Too easily sidetracked into other things that aren’t that important.

Such as political speeches that focus more on steroid use in athletes then on providing health care for all the people in this country. But then, we have California’s example to go by – that state felt it more important to rollback increases in car license fees rather than ensure the children of that state get access to medical care.

Damn, I just got sidetracked again. I think I’ll spend some more time at Alas, and focus more on women’s writing than the President and his politics – it is a much more palatable subject.

Categories
Connecting

Responding

I am somewhat disappointed that my response to Bush’s speech has not received many comments, though the comments I have received – agree with me or not – are of the type one hopes to attract when making strong statements.

Ah me, that’s the difficulty of this medium and commentary at times – just because you think you write something noteworthy, doesn’t mean everyone agrees. All you can do is shrug your shoulders, relish the writing of those who do take time to respond (and so eloquently, too!), and move on.

Or you could, like Stavros the Wonder Chicken, throw a different party:

Weblogs are a party, damn it, and sometimes they’re publications too, or instead, and sometimes they’re diaries, sometimes they’re pieces of art, sometimes they’re tools for self-promotion, sometimes they’re money-maknig ventures, sometimes they’re monuments to ego, sometimes they’re massive wanks, sometimes they’re public services, sometimes they’re dedications of faith, sometimes they’re communities. Always, they are a public face, one chosen and crafted to varying degrees, of the people who write them. They are avatars, masks, or revelations of our deepest selves. They are political or philosophical, merrily inebriate or sententiously sober. Do not listen to those who would tell you what they are not.

These people will destroy your soul. Classification is for insects.

My name’s wonderchicken, and I am a wild party.

Categories
Writing

Actually, it’s awfully well written

I am wary of how to be a better writer guides, but the Ten Mistakes Writers Don’t See by Holt Uncensored is excellent. The sections covered are: repeats (crutch words), flat writing, empty adverds (avoid fat writing), phony dialog, no-good suffixes, the ‘to be’ words, lists (uh, well, ignore this one), show don’t tell, awkward phrasing, and commas.

I have five crutch words I am trying to break myself of. They are: actually, ultimately, that, however, and fuckthepresident.

However, in regards to the essay’s section on comma use, my problem with commas is that I tend to use too many rather than not enough. One of my favorite college computer teachers, who happened to have a PhD in English, used to tell me he wanted me to write comfortably without worry about punctuation, and then go through the work when I was finished and delete half the commas — adjusting the text accordingly. I still try to follow this today, but am not always successful.

As for flat writing, that’s the bane of technical writers. It’s very difficult to write actively when you’re talking about code. Something about code flattens written language. Still (is still a crutch word? Hmmm), flat, or passive writing, is a very effective tool to use when you’re involved in a sensitive written debate, such as in comments. The flat writings nollifies the bite of the words, making it less, uhm, flammable.

If you want your writing to be perceived more passively, write more passively.

All in all, an excellent essay.

Categories
Political

State of the Union: a Citizen response

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I sit at my computer and I think about all the reasoned things I could say in response to President Bush’s State of the Union speech. I am one that has been pushing for moderation from my brothers and sisters in this, the family of those who believes that it is imperative we make a change in leadership this year. I wrote and I polished and I erased and I paced and I read again.

But it was a life affirming moment when I realized that I didn’t have to make a reasoned response. I am not a Journalist, no not even a wannabe one. I am not an elected official or member of the government or candidate for office. I am a regular person, nobody of any importance, and as such I can take all that massive swirling heaving, maelstorm in my brain and literally paint this page with it – and it’s okay! Because I am a Citizen.

Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September the 11th, 2001…

Twenty-eight months? Why stop there? Over seven years have passed since Timothy McVeigh decided to ‘teach the government a lesson’ and blew up a Federal building in Oklahoma. Over forty years have gone by since the Russians tried to ship nuclear missles over to Cuba. And over sixty years have passed since the Attack on Pearl Harbor.

But if we’re determined to be frightened, truly frightened, let’s not stop there.

Over 100 years have passed since the Maine was sunk during the Spanish American War. And let’s not forget those sneaky Southerners and them wanting to bust up the Union. Well that happened 150 years ago, more or less. And close to 230 years have passed since we kicked the British out during the Revolutionary War. Damn Brits, thinking they could tax our tea. Let’s go get the Aussies and beat the shit out of the Brits, shall we? We can pretend it’s a soccer game.

Inside the United States, where the war began, we must continue to give homeland security and law enforcement personnel every tool they need to defend us. And one of those essential tools is the Patriot Act..

Fuckin’a, you got that bud. And I want to tell you Prez – I can call you Prez, can’t I – I love your anti-terrorist strategy. Let’s treat every person that enters this country as a terrorist. Let’s fingerprint them, abuse them, prohibit their planes from landing, make it impossible to get a visa, and just make a visit to this country an all around miserable experience. Eventually the regular folk won’t want to come here, and our job will be a whole lot easier because the only ones who will want to come are the terrorists! Brilliant! Shooting fish in a barrel.

Then, once we make all the visitors to our country into terrorists, let’s do that to most of the people in this country – starting with the Democrats. And everyone in San Francisco.

Since we last met in this chamber, combat forces of the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Poland and other countries enforced the demands of the United Nations, ended the rule of Saddam Hussein – and the people of Iraq are free.

Man, is Bush our guy, or what? Of course Iraq and the people are free now – most of the wealth of the country has either been stolen or destroyed so it’s dirt cheap. Sure, you could probably get a hotel room anywhere in the country for less than a Motel 6. Get a hooker for less, see what hides underneath those scarves.

And can you dig that statement about our enforcing the demands of the United Nations? What’s with this “unilateral” shit – we’re only doing what the UN asked us to do. I’m sure I heard them say, “US, please go bomb the bejesus out of the Iraqi people and make us all safe from them horrible Weapons of Mass Destruction.”. Why it’s no different than a girl saying No, she don’t want sex, but you know she does. She really does, she needs to be coaxed.

Month by month, Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own security and their own future. And tonight we are honored to welcome one of Iraq’s most respected leaders: the current President of the Iraqi Governing Council, Adnan Pachachi.

Is that the guy over in the corner, with a gag on, a soldier standing over him with a rifle, and a ball and chain around his ankle? Just curious.

Different threats require different strategies. Along with nations in the region, we’re insisting that North Korea eliminate its nuclear program. America and the international community are demanding that Iran meet its commitments and not develop nuclear weapons. America is committed to keeping the world’s most dangerous weapons out of the hands of the most dangerous regimes.

And we’ll bomb the bejesus out of anyone we think is dangerous. You hear! You hear! We’re going to make this world safe if we have to kill every god damn one of you.

I have had the honor of meeting our servicemen and women at many posts, from the deck of a carrier in the Pacific, to a mess hall in Baghdad.

Yup, prime turkey photos in both places, too.

We’re seeking all the facts – already the Kay Report identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations. Had we failed to act, the dictator’s weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day.

Damn teleprompters! It played parts of the State of the Union speech from 2003. You know, you just can’t trust technology.

America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country.

Because Bush is the baddest matha fucka in the hood, and all your bases belong to him.

I propose increasing our support for America’s fine community colleges, I do so so they can train workers for the industries that are creating the most new jobs.

Is that the 200 million or so that will be spread real thin and make virtually no difference in programs for the unemployed? Ahh, that’s real nice, but McDonald’s and Wal-Mart said I didn’t have to know anything to work for them. Oh, oh, sorry, slip of the tongue – they said I didn’t have to know anything special to work for them.

Unless you act, Americans face a tax increase. What the Congress has given, the Congress should not take away: For the sake of job growth, the tax cuts you passed should be permanent.

And we wouldn’t want to deprive ordinary citizens like Instapundit his 1500.00 in tax refunds, would we?

I urge you to pass legislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation, and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

You got all that farm and ranch land in Colorado to sink oil wells in, do you have to go for the Wilderness in Alaska, too?

In two weeks, I will send you a budget that funds the war, protects the homeland, and meets important domestic needs, while limiting the growth in discretionary spending to less than 4 percent. This will require that Congress focus on priorities, cut wasteful spending, and be wise with the people’s money.

Let’s see now, was that discretionary spending for the 43 million people with no health care? Or was it the schools that have closed because state governments no longer have federal help to keep them opening? Or perhaps since we’ve drilled up the conserved land, and relaxed clean air and water restrictions, we can save some money firing all the park rangers.

I oppose amnesty, because it would encourage further illegal immigration, and unfairly reward those who break our laws. My temporary worker program will preserve the citizenship path for those who respect the law, while bringing millions of hardworking men and women out from the shadows of American life.

You see, that’s just what we told the blacks when we brought them here several hundred years ago. But dammit, they wanted something more and in a moment of weakness, we gave it to ‘em. Now we have to find another disposable worker class.

After all, who else can we lock them into stores all night, or make work seven days a week, or kill quickly by spending ten hours a day hunched over pesticide laden crops in 105 degree sun? People in this country think they’re too good for these types of jobs – lazy SOBs.

In January of 2006, seniors can get prescription drug coverage under Medicare. For a monthly premium of about $35, most seniors who do not have that coverage today can expect to see their drug bills cut roughly in half.

I know someone with emphysema, who spends 2000.00 a month on prescription medicine. I bet she’s relieved to know that when she heads toward death, the same medications will only eat 1000.00 a month into the saving she and her husband spent a lifetime building up. Maybe she’ll die while there’s still a little bit left for her husband to live on.

And tonight I propose that individuals who buy catastrophic health care coverage, as part of our new health savings accounts, be allowed to deduct 100 percent of the premiums from their taxes.

Hmm, well you see, this is tricky. The way our tax system works, unless you have several thousands of dollars of tax deductions, they’re pretty useless for lower, or even middle income families.

But you know, your Daddy didn’t know how computer cash registers worked, maybe you don’t know how the tax system works for the rest of us?

So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives, coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough, and to get rid of steroids now.

43 million Americans don’t have health coverage, and you’re worried about steroid use? 43 million Americans can’t afford steroids! Isn’t that good enough?

We will double federal funding for abstinence programs, so schools can teach this fact of life: Abstinence for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases.

President Bush I have just one question for you: were you a virgin when you married?

The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in God’s sight.

Dignity and value but not equality or rights, is that it? Mr. President, you’re giving Gays an empty cup and pointing to the desert and telling them to drink deeply from the compassion of your God. I think their mouths are too dry to express their thanks.

By executive order, I have opened billions of dollars in grant money to competition that includes faith-based charities. Tonight I ask you to codify this into law, so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate against them again.

This is the same billions of dollars that you’ve taken away from institutions that have offered comfort, and food, and support in the past. The only difference is these non-religious organizations offer help without forcing the recipient to accept it on bended knee, or while standing over them while those helped speak hollow words of faith because they are too hungry, or too scared, or too sick, or too young to stand on their dignity.

We can trust in that greater power who guides the unfolding of the years. And in all that is to come, we can know that his purposes are just and true.

May God continue to bless America.

But he isn’t my God, Mr. President. Mr. President, do you hear me? He isn’t my God. We each have the right to pick our own god or gods, and your God isn’t my God.

And you’re not my President.

Categories
Photography Writing

Duplicating Images

Something said to me in comments about Emily Dickinson sent me scrambling online for information, as well as to the library for several books focusing on her life. I expected to find that her life was interesting. I didn’t expect to find such an incredibly sad story.

Oh, not sad if you read this biographer or that, but it is if you read the letters: to her, from her, about her. Eventually I want to write about my impressions, but I have to sort them out into some form of coherency first. Additionally, I’d hoped to have photographs to annotate the story.

I am finding a growing dependency on my photos to fill in where words cannot. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not: shouldn’t words be able to live independent of images? Or images without words?

I don’t know if it was the influence of W.G. Sebald’s books such as the Rings of Saturn or Austerlitz (or that of Emigrants and Vertigo, which I hope to add to my small collection someday) that led to my growing interest in annotating my writing with photos (or perhaps I’m annotating my photos with words). Few writers have impacted on me as much as he has, but I have no interest in duplicating his style of writing (as if I could anyway, it is so uniquely him). But his use of photos and other images in the stories – it was wonderful.

I do know that writing now, without the use of accompanying photos feels incomplete, lifeless. Probably a phase I’m going through. My Photo Period. Next year I’ll write only in stanzas, and you’ll scream for the pictures.

In fact, I don’t have a photo for this writing. How uncomfortable. I suppose I’ll have to find a copy of the one official photo of Emily and paste it at the bottom. Or perhaps I’ll include the newly discovered photo supposedly of Emily, discussed in How I Met and Dated Miss Emily Dickinson. (Ignore the overly cute title, the story is good.)

Eventually, I have a feeling that I will stop all writing without some accompanying image, and vice versa; including my technical writing, which should make it rather unique in form and format.

(I wonder what type of photo one would use to accompany pages of RDF/XML? Something cryptic and complex but rather Important, I’m sure. Giant squid photos come to mind.)

Unfortunately, my photographs are being held up because a film scanner I ordered from B & H in New York didn’t work when I received it. Equally unfortunate, B & H is taking far too long to process the return. In the meantime, I have both slides and negatives I want to digitalize but can’t because of no scanner. I’d kick something in frustration, but this would most likely be inadvisable.

I guess I’ll just have to go out this week with my digital and see what new vistas I can find that don’t require a great deal of walking.