Love and Death

Last Sunday I was listening to a radio piece from the show "This American Life" on NPR about the lives of Page and Eloise Smith, a couple who were married for over 50 years and who died within 36 hours of each other (Eloise first, and then Page). I was initially drawn to the listening to the piece because Page Smith was the founding Provost at Cowell College at the University of California, Santa Cruz--a place that shaped much of who I am today and where I met my wife and many of our dearest friends. So naturally, I had a desire to listen. However, after listening to the story of their life and practically their death together, I was touched by their unrelenting devotion to each other. Their story inspired me to be a better husband, father, human and made me realize how the abstactness of love is the foundation of life.

"It is a fearful thing to love what death can touch."

Penis Pumps and Justice

From CNN.Com:

BRISTOW, Oklahoma (AP) -- A former judge convicted of exposing himself while presiding over jury trials by using a sexual device under his robe was sentenced Friday to four years in prison.


So as I was sitting through the voir dire process of jury selection yesterday, I kept looking at the judge to see what he was doing. At times, he looked like he was falling asleep; however, maybe he was doing something else.

¿Qué onda güero?

Dear George Allen,
Your attempt at hurling a racial slur at an American of Indian desent at your recent political rally in Virginia was meager at best. My advice: if you really want to offend someone, say something offensive. Don't pussyfoot around by saying some jumbled set of vowels and consonants that few have ever heard. Now, I'm not advocating the use of racial slurs by anyone--especially mopes running for political office. All I'm saying is, at least come up with something better than a racial slur used by the French referring to dark skinned North Africans--hummm, your mother is a French (i.e., white) Tunisian. To me, It's more offensive that you "welcomed" Mr. Sidarth (an American) to America. Do your homework you lazy sack of redneck shit. And, the next time you invoke a racial epithet at a political rally or "other" type of "rally", you know what I'm talkin' bout' George, at least get it right you dumb fucking güero.

Signed,
Hebe in SoCal (see at least I know the appropriate slur to use when I derogate my own peeps!)

Heard on the Wireless this Morning

In war, there are no winners.
Only losers, and more losers.

--Northern Israeli citizen upon seeing his destoyed home