I did it! I hopped on my bike for my Lipton Bike Giveaway winner drawing!
OK, so this is really slapped together and next time I clearly need some sort of wind screen for the Flip Video, but here it is! Check it out to see if you've won, and I'll email the winner on Monday:
And thanks for all the *great* healthy snack ideas in the comments!
Sometimes I go ages without logging into Site Meter, but generally I pop in every few days just to check where people are coming from, to see if anyone linked to me and I missed it, and to check the basic level of my traffic.
A glance at Google search terms is always fun.
One thing that always catches my eye is links coming in from email programs like Yahoo and Gmail. You can tell what post was in the email, and I always think it's cool that someone was moved to email a link to something I wrote.
Usually, it's one of my IUD posts.
But recently, someone read my post, Gen X and Gen Y in song. (Weezer & Flobots, respectively) and apparently emailed it to a bunch of people. Who all clicked on the link and read it, but no one commented.
What a mystery, huh? Did they think I was onto something? Or did they think I'm an idiot? Weezer fan? Flobots fan? (For the record, I rock out to both, baby.)
Gen Y commentary, perhaps, about those cranky old Gen Xers? Gen Xer sending out a hell yeah?
It's a Mystery to Me.
Oh, I had such a wonderful time! And I really learned a lot about heart disease.
You can read about it over at Everyday Goddess Does... "You've Gotta Have Heart" to Fight Heart Disease.
I went to this really awesome event last night called "You've Gotta Have Heart." I can't write it up until I get home from work today, but I pulled myself out of bed early to get the pics up on Flickr.
Check it out, and tonight I'll tell you all about it!
The thing about blogging is that it gives you a space to express yourself about whatever you want and instantly makes you part of the blogging community. And whether you start out wanting to blog about Important Issues or not, suddenly there's Blog Against Sexism Day and Blog for Choice Day and on and on and on and on. There's "silence is compliance" and go sign this petition and go donate money here.
I could blog everyday about something horrible that's going on. Since joining the blogosphere I've become hopelessly aware of all sorts of things - many, many of which are of personal interest and concern to me. But if I blogged them every day, this would be a very different blog. And further, I buck against blogging feeling like homework because I "have" to blog a particular issue on a particular day.
Which isn't to say that it's not a great idea for the blogosphere to come together on a particular day for a particular cause - it's a great idea, actually. But I struggle about how much to participate and when and about what.
I also feel like too much of that renders it all invisible on a personal blog, because it's not why people are reading so they leave. It's much better to wait for things you really want to blog about, because then, hopefully they stand out.
I felt like I got snapped on the donation thing because I blogged about Hilly and Clusterfook - which I wanted to do, absolutely - and then along came the BlogHer Global Giving Initiative and I was like, crap, I just blogged about donate money... twice. And so I stare at that damn widget as if I could will it to get over $2,000 with the force of my mind. I sent another $12 because I was so sick of looking at it stuck on $1798.
Of course, I could also never blog about causes and issues, and that would completely solve the problem. It could be that this is simply not that space. Except that this is my personal blog, and I absolutely care about a million things and want to blog about them sometimes. So I try to strike a balance.
So if you're still with me here, there's three pretty major things going on that I think warrant your attention.
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From ABC News: Top Bush Advisors Approved 'Enhanced Interrogation' (h/t Digby).
Highly placed sources said a handful of top advisers signed off on how the CIA would interrogate top al Qaeda suspects -- whether they would be slapped, pushed, deprived of sleep or subjected to simulated drowning, called waterboarding.
The high-level discussions about these "enhanced interrogation techniques" were so detailed, these sources said, some of the interrogation sessions were almost choreographed -- down to the number of times CIA agents could use a specific tactic.
The advisers were members of the National Security Council's Principals Committee, a select group of senior officials who met frequently to advise President Bush on issues of national security policy.
At the time, the Principals Committee included Vice President Cheney, former National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell, as well as CIA Director George Tenet and Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Now, while this was reported by ABC and the blogosphere has been going crazy about it, other mainstream media outlets haven't joined in to ring the bell. From Digby:
They were aware that what they were doing was wrong, immoral. Attorney General John Ashcroft warned them that by doing such things, right in the White House, "history would not be kind." But they did it. The president approved it. ABC reported it. And nobody else in the media cares.
Since the national news is obsessed with the Pope's visit, "bitterness", "duck blinds" and how and what Democrats drink in diners and bars, they are not inclined to pursue this. Or maybe they just think the top echelon of the Bush administration personally approving specific torture techniques is business as usual by now. It isn't.
It's unbelievable and it's unacceptable what our current administration is doing to what it means to be an American. Digby points to a tool from Firedoglake that's better than an online petition. You put in your zip code and it helps you personally send a letter to various national and local news outlets demanding coverage of this issue. I will be sending mine right after I hit publish on this post.
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Now, my second item is also about ABC, which ironically has found itself sitting at the tipping point of ridiculous election coverage. This video says it all:
For this one, MoveOn.org has got an online petition for you called Enough Distractions. Also, Media Matters covers the debate with its usual excellent analysis with comprehensive backup. Somebody give Media Matters a television show, damn.
This issue reminds me of when I tuned into the nightly news for the first and basically last time - When Katie Couric became a news anchor. I was curious and excited, so I tuned in. Only to find that the nightly news contains very little news. I blogged about it: This ain't no CNN.
You know, the network news shows are trying to compete when they add fluff. Yet they never try actually reporting the news. Somebody needs to watch BBC News for a refresher on what news looks like. Or just air BBC News, because even though it's England-centric, it's still more news than we're giving television viewers here.
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Women serving in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq.
Women serving in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq.
Women serving in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq.
That is so incredibly shameful and such a damning statement about our military. Women are in active combat more than ever. They are working their butts off and proving every day that women make good soldiers. And our military is allowing them to be raped and ignoring them or ruining their careers when they report it. It is completely unacceptable, and in my opinion it is a top down issue.
It's also the result of lowering standards of entry into the military. Kicking out homosexual soldiers while letting in gang members, criminals, cultists, etc. It is also happening within the companies that America is contracting work from in Iraq. And nothing, nothing, NOTHING is being done.
No one is shouting from the American rooftop. The military isn't making it a priority to solve this crisis. And lest you think they have more pressing matters to deal with - how is a unit where this bullshit is going on functioning at its best? Why are we letting some of our best soldiers be destroyed by our worst?
Ask yourself, if you were a strong, honorable young man or woman today, and you knew about this rape epidemic in the military, would you sign up? If you were a criminal, on the other hand, would the thunderdome that is the American military today appeal to you? Apparently, being in the U.S. Military today is just like being in prison.
Remember, rape doesn't occur because someone is horny. It occurs because someone doesn't consider the women in their unit to be full, equal human beings and because they have a desire to force their own power and violence and demoralize someone that perhaps they feel shouldn't be there and/or isn't their equal and partner. This is proven by every male U.S. soldier who doesn't rape and never would. Systemic military rape doesn't occur simply because women soldiers are there - it happens because it is condoned and allowed within our military structure and because, apparently, no one in the U.S. Military gives a shit about the female soldiers who are over there fighting just as hard in our war.
Here's some links to read on an empty stomach:
Military culture hides rape, lawmaker say - United Press International
U.S. Women Working in Iraq Continue to be Sexually Assaulted While Their Rapists Go Free - Alternet
Rapists in the Ranks - L.A. Times Opinion
This is hardly a comprehensive round-up, but it's a good place to start. Hopefully there will be some calls to action on this issue, as it is finally beginning to get congressional attention.
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OK, I'm off to Firedoglake to let the media know that I for one care that our administration is criminal.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading today about these important issues. Back to relationships, entertainment, books, and other daily silliness next post, I promise.
Hey, as I hit publish, the BlogHer Global Giving total is up over $1900! Rock on!
Like many bloggers, I just love a good widget.
And today, BlogHer launched a new widget to help you find political blogs by women: BlogHer's Guide to Political Bloggers:
We're excited to announce our latest project, BlogHer's Guide to Political Bloggers, brought to you by BlogHer's politics team and our friends at Cerado. While we love the many blog-lists that abound of amazing political blogging by women, we got tired of trying to guess which state bloggers are from and/or which party they're in or leaning toward. That's why, as a non-partisan guide to women who blog, BlogHer has developed a widget that you can instantly categorize your blog in and find other bloggers.
It's pretty cool. You can search by name, state, or political party. Bloggers add themselves, so it's just started to get populated. Check it out:
Another great widget (and a great initiative!) from BlogHer is the Global Giving widget from BlogHers Act.
How many women's lives can we save with donations from the BlogHer community, between now and Mother's Day, May 11, 2008? If you will download this widget today and encourage your readers to donate, we can find out. Won't you join us? Here's what we're up to: As part of our BlogHers Act commitment to make a difference on the issue of maternal health, BlogHer has joined forces with Global Giving to help save women's lives and we need your help.
Maternal Heath is this year's BlogHers Act issue as voted on by the BlogHer community.
There are many cool things about this initiative. The geeky widget one is that right when you donate, your donation is added to the total on the widget. But even more great is that you can choose from five different maternal health projects to support. As Lisa Stone says, Pro-life? Pro-choice? Pro-Saving women's lives? Here's how we can work together. In that post, Lisa also explains a little more about why Global Giving is an awesome organization, how it works with the various charities, and a little more about each choice, including which option is suggested for those against birth control and/or abortion.
Check the widgety goodness:
I picked "Help Afghan Women Deliver Healthy Babies Safely" to support.
An alarming percentage of Afghan women and babies die during pregnancy and delivery. Most women deliver babies at home without the assistance of trained medical staff. CHI/AIL offer lifesaving health services and medical interventions to pregnant women and babies through three rural clinics in Afghanistan, including on-site baby delivery for high-risk cases. CHI/AIL also educate women about their reproductive health so that they can make healthy choices during pregnancy and delivery.
Activities
12,000 Afghan women will receive pre- and post-natal care, midwifery, family planning services, education on women’s reproductive health, delivery kits for home delivery, and assessment and intervention for high-risk pregnancies.Potential Long Term Impact
Thousands of women who would have lost their lives or the lives of their babies during pregnancy and delivery will be saved. Women will learn how to prevent complications during pregnancy and delivery and protect their long-term reproductive health.
Of course, the challenge with widgets is, how much do you really want cluttering up your sidebars? I've been following politics more than usual this year, but I don't think BlogHer's Guide to Political Bloggers will be living on my blog - I can just use it off the BlogHer site.
The Global Giving widget, however, will be in my sidebar through Mother's Day. It's pretty cool to watch that number go up, up, up.
There is a blogger named Clusterfook. She is not someone I've met, or even read, truth be told, but she's friends of friends. Bloggy friends.
And when she discovered she'd been diagnosed with cancer for the third time, her blogger friends came together to raise funds to help send her and her kids to Disney, because that's something she really wants to do, and to hit some of her medical bills. So they're having a raffle for tons of cool stuff, including hand-knitted items, because how we blog types do it up.
You can read more about it over at Miss Ann Thrope's.
And then you can click here if you'd like to participate:
So this post is the first thing I was going to do today. And now it's 11pm. Sweet.
I stumbled out of bed feeling like crap, and that basically sums up my whole day. With the stumbling. And the feeling like crap. And the almost total lack of accomplishment.
I bought a very purple purse. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Perfect design, but quite purple. Hm.
Average Jane nominated me for an Excellent Blog award! Wasn't that nice! And she said it took her a month to blog about getting one, so since it's been only like four days since her post, I'm going to forget completely about my shameful email inbox, and pat my excellent self on the back.
Here's the rules:
As part of the terms of accepting this award, I must pass on the rules:
- Identify the originator of this award, and link so she can get her well-deserved traffic. It's Kayla at Project Mommy. Great idea, Kayla!
- Pass on at least 10 Excellent Blog Awards.
Thank you, Average Jane!
Now. A year ago. (See, I had to give myself that pat on the back before I got to this part.) Sara from Amusing Farf gave me a Thinking Blogger award for my BlogHer blog. At the time, I did jump on her post and say thank you (thank goodness!), but I never blogged about it, so I thought I would now. Just so Average Jane can feel comfortable in the knowledge that a month is nothing.
I'm thinking about blogging about the 2007 BlogHer swag any day now. I'm not even kidding. I have this theory that it's moved from so late that it's lame, all the way to funny. Ahem.
The Thinking Blogger Award guidelines suggest giving it to five blogs that really make you think. But I am lumping the Excellent and the Thinking, and so, here is my list of ten blogs that I find both excellent and thoughtful:
The Guild of Scientific Troubadours
The Valley Advocate: Masculinity and Its Discontents
Now, I know not everyone's into these bloggy things, so I don't expect everyone/anyone on this list to feel like they have to blog about this or link me up or whatever. But nice thoughts are nice to receive, so I thought I'd do my part to share the love.
And finally, speaking about sharing the love, remember when I blogged about sending Hilly to Philly? I won a $50 gift certificate from Avitable, and you can watch them draw my name in a video blog! Yes, this video will forever cement my blog cred, as it's clear from the vlog that everybody in the blogosphere so totally knows my name. Ah, fame.
I'm going to use it to buy an Underwater Case
Rock.
First things first. Fabulous friend Raphael has designed a new banner for me, and I love it! So if you are reading me in RSS right now - Hey, that's cool, I never get any advertising revenue off you beyond those pennies from Feedburner, Whatevers... Now click on over and check out the pretty!
What do you think?
(I'm an avid RSS reader myself; it's all good. Such is the way we read.)
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Next up, a relatively new project (read: obsession) of mine. I've started documenting the construction around Hollywood & Vine, and the pics are up on Flickr. It's one of those things where I always feel like I don't have the time, but it's really just an hourish on a Sunday, so sometimes I find a way to fit it in because it makes me happy. With Script Frenzy coming up next month and the construction moving forward, I got my butt out of bed last weekend, so some of the set is new.
This is not a construction pic, but I took it last Sunday, and it's a fav:
I've got pics up from the awesome Aaron Kraten opening at Wax Poetic on Saturday, too. Haven't gone through and added commentary, except on the world's most awesome cookies from Freshly Baked, which clearly needed to be labeled as such.
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And finally! It will be a perhaps crisp day in hell the day I go on an actual "vacation" (what is this word "vacation"?), so I must help others experience this miraculous joy.
Plus, this widget from Avitable is hot, and when I met Hilly at DaveLA she was fun, so:
Here's what Avitable has to say about it:
Today, I'd also like to talk quickly about an awesome blogger named Hilly. Most of you already know Hilly's blog very well, and if you don't, get over there and fix that. She's cute and funny and dirty and wonderful. And I really, really, really want to meet her.
I have the chance to meet her when I go to TequilaCon 2008, but there's one problem. At this point of the year, given the shitty economy and costs of flights from Los Angeles to Philly, she might not be able to make it!
This just won't do, people. This boy has to meet HillySue!
So here's my solution, and a chance for you to turn a dollar into fifty! I know that some of you have an extra dollar or five rattling around in your Paypal account. It's not doing you any good there. Why not donate it?
Hey, maybe you, reader, have a blog where people actually click on your links and order stuff from Amazon
Anyway, sometimes it's fun to just throw a few buck off from the Paypal to bring someone some happiness. It's pretty cool how easily we can do stuff like this these days - So, right now, while the mood is striking you, click through and help Hilly go to Philly. Fun!
I don't do memes that often, but they catch my interest when they have to do with found images and the like. I enjoyed Hilly's Meme in Pictures, so I thought I'd give it a go.
Here’s how it works:
1. Go to www.photobucket.com
2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box
3. Use only the first page
4. Insert the picture into your Blog
Here I go...
1.) What is your relationship status?
2.) What is your current mood?
3.) Who is your favorite band/artist?
4.) What is your favorite movie?
5.) What kind of pet do you have? 
6.) Where do you live?
7.) Where do you work?
8.) What do you look like?
9.) What do you drive?
10.) What did you do last night?
11.) What is your favorite TV show?
12.) Describe yourself.
13.) What are you doing today?
14.) What is your name?
15.) What is your favorite candy?
Yum!
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