Where Were You?

So, we are 4 days into the Obama Presidency. Everyone is talking about the Inaguration. I think this is going to be another "where were you?" things. Where were you when MLK/JFK were shot? Where were you when the Challenger exploded? Where were you when Obama was sworn in? though I guess we have to ask "which time?" to this now. The thing is, I didn't watch it. Before you start flaming me, assuming anyone actualy reads this blog anymore, let me explain. This was the largest and most expensive inaguration in history. They kept adding things, which cost money. Now, I know that a lot of the stuff was paid for by private donation, but not all of it, and none of the security. The bigger it got, the more things that were added, the more security was needed. I find that horribly irrisponcible. We have a national debt that is in the trillions. Does anyone even know what a trillion is? It's a made up number! It's so huge that we can not logicaly conceive of it. People try to explain it by saying how high a stack of $20 bills are. I have heard to the moon and back. That is huge!!! We spend something like a billion dollars a DAY in Iraq. We are still in Afghanistan remember that place?. We are still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The country is bankrupt. Yesterday on the news they said that the state of Arizona is $4 billion in debt!!! They want to cut the education budget by 40%. Sidenote: um...lawmakers, just FYI, cutting the education budget is no way to help with the deficite. Less education means fewer people can get jobs, which means more unemployment and welfare, which means more depbt.
So with all this, how can we as a nation seriously be ok with spending that much on the inaguarion? So I did not watch it. I did not feel pride that we had elected our first African American president. I felt shame that the Democratic Party, which I have supported all my life, would be this fiscaly irrisponcible.
So, where was I when Obama was sworn in? No clue. Proboby at home. Probobly knitting. Probobly doing what I do every day. And in a year, I won't remember it at all.

But there are other "tv moments" I will remember. So I am curious, what do you think is your most memorable tv moment? I ask for "tv moments" rather than any memorable moment because tv is something we share as a culture. You're most memorable moment could be when your oldest child first said "mama", but that is for you. Something like when Mr. Cooper died on Seseme Streetit affected generations. I remember watching Big Bird trying to find out what happened, and my dad sitting next to me, trying to help me understand is something we all can remember and share together.

So, my most memorable moment: the 2000 election coverage. My history class had cable, and we were all in there just watching, amazed. We fought and argued and stared at the tv. I think things were thrown at the tv, and we had to be dragged from the classroom. Can you immagine it? A bunch of teenagers, who mostly don't care about politics, mesmerised by the political process, discussing the electoral college and teh constitution and the candidates. A bunch of high schoolers not wanting class to be over, and later in the day not wanting school to be over. I think our reaction to it is what makes it stick in my head so much.

How about you?

Anyone know about this?

Does anyone have information on this? I've been trying to find out, and can't find anything. Anyone know what happened?

OK, I have found that there was a settlement reached between. Anymore info? Though, I think the boycott should continue until SFSE appologises. I got a profanity filled letter from their lawyer threatening to sue me "for everything [I am] worth" and have me thrown in jail. Not the way to endeer me to you. And since NYC is one of the places I am considering going to grad school, it may make a difference. I think that unless they send out individual letters appologising for their lawyers behavior, since it was individual letters threatening knitters, than they still should not get our buisness.

Just once

Last night I wasn't feeling well, so I stayed home instead of going to my knitting group. I watched this show on CBS called "The Menatlist", about some guy who works for the cops helping solve crimes with the power of his intellect. Last nights show was a boy who was found dead in the woods with candles and a pentagram near the body. You can see where this is heading. When they asked the parents if the kid was interested in the occult, they said that this witch had called and said she put a spell on him for stealing her cat.

So they go and visit the witch. Her "name" was Tourmaline Dove, or some new age crap like that. She was a complete freak, with a coven of high schoolers. She put a "death curse" on the kid for stealing and killing her cat um..isn't that a crime? What ever happened to calling the cops?. She is the worst stereotype of the New Age fluffy bunny crazy freak witch wannabe. She took great pleasure in playing that role, and scaring the cops and people around her. Later you find out she did time in a mental institution. One of the cops describes people who follow Wicca as "nerds in cloaks".

Now, my coven is made up of these people:

HP: retired Air Force, Civil Engineer. Now works for the county clerk

HPS: retired Air Force, medic. Now a neo-natal nurse practitioner, works with Doctors Without Borders

Maiden: palates instructor, working on her degree in physical therapy

Others include: retired military intelligence officer, working on masters. Pharmacist. Vet tek. Artists. Grad student in music. Teacher. IT. Restaurant manager. Artist. RPCV.

Now, while between the 14 of us we have or ar working towards 16 higher educational degrees (from bachelors to PhD), I don't think any of us are nerds. And the closest thing I have to a cloak is a shawl.



Just once, I would like to watch one of these shows where the cops are looking for the evil/scary/crazy witch and find a normal person, like the majority of us are. Here's my script:

cops approach a nice ranch style home. The yard is desert landscaping, with islands of flowers. Very neat and conservative, as fitting for the neighborhood. They use the knocker, which is a wrought iron green man like this:
The first indication that the house is not exactly like it's neighbors. Then again, they could just have liked antiques and thought it was a cool door knocker. The door is opened by a man in a pinstripe suit

Man: Can I help you?

Cops: Yes, um, we're looking for the witch. We were told she lives here.

Man: She? Well, I suppose you mean my wife. She's still doing rounds. Is there something I can help you with? I'm John Smith.

Cops: Rounds?

John: Yes. My wife is chief of staff at the local hospital. Got her MD from John's Hopkins. Can I help you? Though I only have about 20 minutes to spare before I have to leave for court.

Cop:with a look of condensation on his face. "Here it is!" he thinks. "all these freaks are criminals, and he's just admitted it." Court?

John: Yes. I am an appellate judge. I am hearing a case this afternoon. Why don't you come inside. I can offer you some coffee and you can tell me what this is about.

everyone goes inside. They see a nice home, maybe a bit cluttered with the collections of a lifetime. The cops wait in the living room while the man goes for coffee. They look around and see pictures of kids in every stage of development

John:with obvious pride in his voice Ah, I see you looking at our children. That is my oldest son. He's a corporate lawyer in NYC. We joke about if that is a violation of the Rede. There is my daughter. She's getting her masters in political science at Georgetown. And my youngest, a teacher in an inner city school. Wonderful children.

Cop: Are they witches too?

John: Of course. Why wouldn't they be?

Cop: You actually raised your children like this?

John:confused Yes, of course. We raised three wonderful children into three wonderful adults. I am confused...

Cop: No, I mean raised them as witches

John: We raised our children in the religion that we follow. Didn't you do the same? Now, how can I help you?

Cop: We're investigating a murder. A boy named Jimmy.

John: hmm...I don't recall any of the cases before me to be about children. But you said you were looking for my wife. Was he a patient of hers?

Cop: Not that we know of. But we'll be looking into that. He was killed in a ritualistic fashion.

John: That's terrible. His family must be devastated. Not enough to loose your son, but to have him taken in such a way. I am not sure how I can help though.

Cop: He was found with candles and a pentagram. We think he was sacrificed.

John: I am still confused...Ah, now I see. A boy is killed, and you come to the followers of a non-mainstream faith. Tell me, what makes you think me of my family did this besides the name of our religion? I wonder, if a boy is killed and there is wine or bread present, do you go and question the Catholic priests in the area? Or if there is salt found near the body, do you get a list of Jews? Do you do that instead of looking for the nearest kitchen?

Cop: well, um...

John: I know! If a black man is killed, you question every black man you can find. Obviously, one of them did it! My, police work must be gratifying, with your suspect list so obvious. You never have to investigate. Like if you had, you would have realised that in this house is a judge and a doctor. We live an upper-middle class existence. We raised 3 kids and put them through school. We also happen to be a religious family. Had we attended St. Joseph's down the street, you would never have looked twice at us. Now, I have a question for you: What was the religion of the last murder suspect you arrested?

Cop: I don't know. Christian I guess.

John: And the one before that? Christian? How about the five before that? So, statistically, of the last 7 murder suspects, 100% were Christian. So, statistically speaking, shouldn't you be next door questioning Mr. Doe? He's in human resources, raised 5 kids, has 8 grand kids. He's also the deacon of his parish. Being Christian, doesn't it stand a better chance of him being your killer? Do some investigating, and if you still feel like I or my wife are viable suspects, you can contact our attorney, who will be quite interested in your religious discrimination and racial profiling. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get to work.

the cops are shown out, with a sheepish look on their faces. John closes the door, and you can hear a garage door opening and see him drive away

Cop; Maybe we should do some investigating, and find out if this murder actually has anything to do with the religion. Maybe it's kids, or someone trying to stage something to throw us off the trail. I mean, we zeroed in on a suspect, and if he's not the killer, the real one has had all day to cover his tracks.

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