Quoted in a book I'm reading about the history of cocktails:
I have seen purer liquors, better seagars, finer tobacco, truer guns and pistols, larger dirks and bowie knives, and prettier courtezans here, than in any other place I have ever visited; and it is my unbiased opinion that California can and does furnish the best bad things that are obtainable in America.
This was in the gold rush era, but I suspect many people would still agree.Please don't tell Israel, as I'd like to go back to Haifa someday.
So, there's now a flap about Obama and Rashid Khalidi, stemming from his going-away party when he left UChicago for Columbia. Apparently Rashid Khalidi, previously a highly-esteemed UChicago prof and current head of the Middle East Institute at Columbia, is like a neo-Nazi, at least according to John McCain. He is a dangerous man who hates Israel. Please don't ask McCain why he gave Khalidi's organization money in the 80s, thanks. Also, this means that Barack is a terrorist and hates Israel.
It just got personal for me, people.
Not many people know this, I didn't settle on math as a major until the summer after my first year of college. (Side story: I was walking home drunk from a party by myself, and all of a sudden I yelled out, "Oh fuck. I really like math!"; I had tried to avoid it after burning out in high school.) During my first year, I seriously contemplated an international studies major, and Rashid Khalidi is a major reason for that. I took his class on modern Middle Eastern history, along with a friend of mine who's now in the CIA, and it was the best class I took that quarter. I do recall he really liked Edward Said; I also remember that he took an entire class session to explain all the issues surrounging the Israeli prime ministerial election of 1999. It wasn't some biased rant about Israel; he explained the history of their political parties and the events that led to the election. He's an incredible teacher, and in class, at least, he was perfectly able to separate his personal beliefs and the opinions espoused in his scholarship from the teaching of history. I presume he is also capable of being friendly with people who might not share his beliefs on Palestine. I remember him being one of the most urbane, genteel professors I had. He actually encouraged me to apply for a Georgetown program that would have sent me to Turkey for a year; I was accepted, but eventually decided not to go because I was only going to receive a year of language credit for the entire program. I also would've landed the day of the Ankara earthquake, so perhaps it was for the best.
To summarize: Rashid Khalidi, he's not some scary radical. Despite what my dormmate Karen (direct quote: "Palestinians are exactly like dogs") and John McCain believe, people who have differing opinions on Israel and Palestine can interact. It doesn't make Barack Obama any more of a terrorist than I am. The fact that he was friends with such a wonderful guy makes me think more of him.
Also, Khalidi saying he's going to lay low until this "idiot wind" passes only makes me like him more.
So, there's now a flap about Obama and Rashid Khalidi, stemming from his going-away party when he left UChicago for Columbia. Apparently Rashid Khalidi, previously a highly-esteemed UChicago prof and current head of the Middle East Institute at Columbia, is like a neo-Nazi, at least according to John McCain. He is a dangerous man who hates Israel. Please don't ask McCain why he gave Khalidi's organization money in the 80s, thanks. Also, this means that Barack is a terrorist and hates Israel.
It just got personal for me, people.
Not many people know this, I didn't settle on math as a major until the summer after my first year of college. (Side story: I was walking home drunk from a party by myself, and all of a sudden I yelled out, "Oh fuck. I really like math!"; I had tried to avoid it after burning out in high school.) During my first year, I seriously contemplated an international studies major, and Rashid Khalidi is a major reason for that. I took his class on modern Middle Eastern history, along with a friend of mine who's now in the CIA, and it was the best class I took that quarter. I do recall he really liked Edward Said; I also remember that he took an entire class session to explain all the issues surrounging the Israeli prime ministerial election of 1999. It wasn't some biased rant about Israel; he explained the history of their political parties and the events that led to the election. He's an incredible teacher, and in class, at least, he was perfectly able to separate his personal beliefs and the opinions espoused in his scholarship from the teaching of history. I presume he is also capable of being friendly with people who might not share his beliefs on Palestine. I remember him being one of the most urbane, genteel professors I had. He actually encouraged me to apply for a Georgetown program that would have sent me to Turkey for a year; I was accepted, but eventually decided not to go because I was only going to receive a year of language credit for the entire program. I also would've landed the day of the Ankara earthquake, so perhaps it was for the best.
To summarize: Rashid Khalidi, he's not some scary radical. Despite what my dormmate Karen (direct quote: "Palestinians are exactly like dogs") and John McCain believe, people who have differing opinions on Israel and Palestine can interact. It doesn't make Barack Obama any more of a terrorist than I am. The fact that he was friends with such a wonderful guy makes me think more of him.
Also, Khalidi saying he's going to lay low until this "idiot wind" passes only makes me like him more.
- Mood:
cranky
My aunt and uncle were profiled in a South African newspaper piece about the last debate! (yeah, a South African reporter went to Enid, OK for this story. I don't get it either.)
The story is here. My aunt and uncle are the "evangelist" (she's the head of the sunday school program at her church) and the teamster truck driver (kinda, my uncle is the local hot UPS guy). Read up!
The story is here. My aunt and uncle are the "evangelist" (she's the head of the sunday school program at her church) and the teamster truck driver (kinda, my uncle is the local hot UPS guy). Read up!
So I'm amused that one of my bosses hates appearing on NPR, as they've been doing some of the best work on the financial crisis that I've seen.
So, many people and the New York Times have gushed about the This American Life episode The Giant Pool of Money. They are correct! If you want to know about the subprime mess, stream it here.
Also, this weekend, the same NPR News/TAL guys did another episode, entitled "Another Frightening Show About the Economy". If you want to learn about credit default swaps and commercial paper (the reasons for the bailout, y'all, so you actually might want to do so), this is for you! Find it in multiple formats at the TAL website.
Oh! And the two guys who did those two episodes now have their own podcast and blog. You should read and listen! They explain in clear details how effed we might be.
If I have any money left after the meltdown, I think I'll become an NPR member because of this.
Also, fun quote from two months ago:
Me to coworker: Hey, if/when the Dow drops below 10000, we gotta go out drinking.
Coworker: That's not going to happen. But okay.
Oh, memories. I plan to obliterate you by early this evening.
So, many people and the New York Times have gushed about the This American Life episode The Giant Pool of Money. They are correct! If you want to know about the subprime mess, stream it here.
Also, this weekend, the same NPR News/TAL guys did another episode, entitled "Another Frightening Show About the Economy". If you want to learn about credit default swaps and commercial paper (the reasons for the bailout, y'all, so you actually might want to do so), this is for you! Find it in multiple formats at the TAL website.
Oh! And the two guys who did those two episodes now have their own podcast and blog. You should read and listen! They explain in clear details how effed we might be.
If I have any money left after the meltdown, I think I'll become an NPR member because of this.
Also, fun quote from two months ago:
Me to coworker: Hey, if/when the Dow drops below 10000, we gotta go out drinking.
Coworker: That's not going to happen. But okay.
Oh, memories. I plan to obliterate you by early this evening.
Well, this is rather depressing.
I'd just re-begun reading Broom of the System, and recently loaned Consider the Lobster to a friend of mine, too.
Listen, brilliant and influential people of the world. Let's make a pact. Don't fucking kill yourself, okay? We love you and your big brains and your way with words and concepts. If you bitches don't seem happy to be living, I will take your belts and give you typewriters. This includes science types, Brian Greene, so stay happy, all of you. I like your brains, and want your brains to keep creating more stuff.
If you comply, I will make you cookies. Kay?
I'd just re-begun reading Broom of the System, and recently loaned Consider the Lobster to a friend of mine, too.
Listen, brilliant and influential people of the world. Let's make a pact. Don't fucking kill yourself, okay? We love you and your big brains and your way with words and concepts. If you bitches don't seem happy to be living, I will take your belts and give you typewriters. This includes science types, Brian Greene, so stay happy, all of you. I like your brains, and want your brains to keep creating more stuff.
If you comply, I will make you cookies. Kay?
- Mood:
sad
Chicago is the great American city. New York is one of the capitals of the world and Los Angeles is a constellation of plastic, San Francisco is a lady, Boston has become Urban Renewal, Philadelphia and Baltimore and Washington wink like dull diamonds in the smog of Eastern Megalopolis, and New Orleans is unremarkable past the French Quarter. Detroit is a one-trade town, Pittsburgh has lost its golden triangle, St. louis has become the golden arch of the corporation, and the nights in Kansas City close early. The oil depletion allowance makes Houston and Dallas naught but checkerboards for this sort of game. But Chicago is a great American city. Perhaps it is the last of the great Ameican cities.
-Norman Mailer, Miami and the Siege of Chicago
-Norman Mailer, Miami and the Siege of Chicago
If someone were to write a Shakespearean sonnet* about me right now, I realize that it would begin "Milady has not the livest of journals". I know! Really! Things have been hectic. I'm almost moved into the Ukranian Village digs, and have the next five weekends pretty solidly booked. Also, work is going well enough that I'm asking for more of it. I haven't managed to knit or finish reading much of anything for awhile. I am contemplating taking Monday night go-go classes.
Someday, when things are calm, I will write more, though not about now. Isn't it always the way, that when you have the most to write about, you don't have time to do so? But please, if you want to see me (and you're in Chicago, or in NYC next weekend, or in the SF bay area the last weekend of the month), just let me know. I live next to a killer dive bar now.
(Back to our regularly scheduled silence)
*You know, I think Shakespeare was the original gangster rapper, because a lot of his sonnets basically go, "My lady is ugly, and a bitch/but she my bitch", only in iambic pentameter. (Or about dude love. Slightly non-gangster rap, but ah well.) Don't you agree?
Someday, when things are calm, I will write more, though not about now. Isn't it always the way, that when you have the most to write about, you don't have time to do so? But please, if you want to see me (and you're in Chicago, or in NYC next weekend, or in the SF bay area the last weekend of the month), just let me know. I live next to a killer dive bar now.
(Back to our regularly scheduled silence)
*You know, I think Shakespeare was the original gangster rapper, because a lot of his sonnets basically go, "My lady is ugly, and a bitch/but she my bitch", only in iambic pentameter. (Or about dude love. Slightly non-gangster rap, but ah well.) Don't you agree?
(and also of lingerie, according to D. Parker)
Reunion: OSSM=Awesome. So much fun.
Family: Beyond crazy. I'm not sure what's there, but they're beyond it.
Getting back from OK: Delayed by about a day, once by accident and once by choice. Speaking of which, I now have a round-trip ticket to use anywhere in the US. I'm contemplating NYC or LA in addition to my default of SF.
Moving: Delayed by the fact that I couldn't get back into town until today. Sorry!
Reading: The Savage Detectives by Bolano and I'm still working on Cultural Amnesia. I have to read some 33 1/3 books to clear my palate soon.
Working: A lot. More about this in a protected post, maybe.
Reunion: OSSM=Awesome. So much fun.
Family: Beyond crazy. I'm not sure what's there, but they're beyond it.
Getting back from OK: Delayed by about a day, once by accident and once by choice. Speaking of which, I now have a round-trip ticket to use anywhere in the US. I'm contemplating NYC or LA in addition to my default of SF.
Moving: Delayed by the fact that I couldn't get back into town until today. Sorry!
Reading: The Savage Detectives by Bolano and I'm still working on Cultural Amnesia. I have to read some 33 1/3 books to clear my palate soon.
Working: A lot. More about this in a protected post, maybe.
And here's a reason I need to go to the gym so frequently: Chocolate french toast with bananas and caramel mascarpone at a place in the West Loop. I ate it all up, mmmmm. I also had a side of sausage, and put down half of Mr. Z's bloody mary made with bacon-infused vodka.
In other news, I'm reading a Clive James book and enjoying it. It has made me want to read some of Philip Larkin's criticism. Any recommendations? Also, I'm restarting go-go classes and am taking up jazz vocals at the OTS starting this week. Because I'm just not overbooked enough right now...
I've been making my lunch for the last couple of weeks, and have been trying to prep some food the Sunday before. Although I love dal (and it's super-easy to make, if you make it the lazy way), I had it five days in a row and got a touch bored with it.
Because I am very lazy and fairly busy, I've been using the following recipe to great effect:
-Take a grain, bean, or pasta. Cook it.
-Chop up some veggies. Cook them if you need to cook them. Maybe cook some chorizo, too.
-Mix those things together.
-Dump a bottle of salad dressing over it (I like Brianna's). Mix it up some more.
-Refrigerate. Eat twice daily until gone.
This week, I have utilized this recipe twice, once with quinoa, chorizo, green onions, and sweet potatoes with French vinaigrette; the other was chickpeas, yellow and orange bell peppers, and some more green onions, with lemon tarragon. I probably prefer the former to the latter, but they are both pretty awesome for the lack of effort that went into them. I also stole them from the Trotter's to Go kiosk at my gym, so I should start coming up with my own ideas before Charlie shows up and beats me with a whisk.
In other news, Green City Market opens 5/14. I probably won't be able to get there until a week and change later, but I'm excited.
Because I am very lazy and fairly busy, I've been using the following recipe to great effect:
-Take a grain, bean, or pasta. Cook it.
-Chop up some veggies. Cook them if you need to cook them. Maybe cook some chorizo, too.
-Mix those things together.
-Dump a bottle of salad dressing over it (I like Brianna's). Mix it up some more.
-Refrigerate. Eat twice daily until gone.
This week, I have utilized this recipe twice, once with quinoa, chorizo, green onions, and sweet potatoes with French vinaigrette; the other was chickpeas, yellow and orange bell peppers, and some more green onions, with lemon tarragon. I probably prefer the former to the latter, but they are both pretty awesome for the lack of effort that went into them. I also stole them from the Trotter's to Go kiosk at my gym, so I should start coming up with my own ideas before Charlie shows up and beats me with a whisk.
In other news, Green City Market opens 5/14. I probably won't be able to get there until a week and change later, but I'm excited.
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