Adios, Amigos

I'm outta Jersey starting tomorrow morning for a whole week.
This time I'm spending my time on a ship. I like ships.

Sense and Sensibility

Bush's 'War on Terror' Comes to a Sudden End

WASHINGTON - President Obama yesterday eliminated the most controversial tools employed by his predecessor against terrorism suspects. With the stroke of his pen, he effectively declared an end to the "war on terror," as President George W. Bush had defined it, signaling to the world that the reach of the U.S. government in battling its enemies will not be limitless.

While Obama says he has no plans to diminish counterterrorism operations abroad, the notion that a president can circumvent long-standing U.S. laws simply by declaring war was halted by executive order in the Oval Office.

I'm not openly weeping with relief, but it's close.

For years I wrote blog posts saying that the government was committing crimes. For years it didn't matter. All of a sudden we have a President who knows that it does matter. I feel funny writing this, like I'm about to be all sunshine and roses and say that President Obama is perfect. Of course he's not perfect, he's a politician. I'm sure over the coming years he'll do a lot of things I disagree with. This one, though, this one makes me so happy.

Probably Not Important

I just keep thinking that "Miracle on the Hudson" sounds like "Moscow on the Hudson".

Really glad all the passengers got out alive.

...from the plane crash. I don't think that the movie had passengers.

Things That Suck

1 - War

War sucks because it means that people are unwilling to compromise without killing each other. Usually when I have a disagreement that I can't win, I give in, although with a terrible lack of grace, and I'm bitter about it basically forever. Still, no loss of life there. I wish that nation-scale conflicts could be solved without death.

2 - Falling down

I don't have a link for that one, I just tripped this morning on the way to the car, and that sucked. It sucked a lot. I'm not broken, just bruised, but I think I'm going to hold a grudge against the piece of plastic I tripped on forever. Forever! You're dead to me, wedge-shaped dark gray piece of plastic that someone left lying on the ground by the curb!

I'm It

Sharon tagged me with a meme. I don't like to tag people, because I'm shy about strange things, but I hate to miss out on showing you all how bad I am with a camera phone.

Me, right now.

When Selecting a Mate...

... one thing you should always check very early on - pretty much on the first date - is that they don't have a birthday that falls in January or early February. If they do, you can date them, but you shouldn't move in with them or marry them. Because, if you do, the day will eventually come when their birthday party falls on the same day as a playoff game or the Super Bowl.

All of this, of course, is just a nice way to say that my lovely wife, Georg, (who reads and comments here often enough) is celebrating her birthday today. It's one of those "big ones" that ends in a zero, but since I've learned enough by now not to get more specific, I'll just guess that it's twenty.

And a Happy New Year

Haven't heard from me much? Too many family issues going on for me to see beyond the immediate and into the world around me. My dad's recovery is going slowly, and with many many many bumps. Taking care of all the stuff, even with help, takes a lot. I'm sure there are things I could say about politicians and the economy and stuff, but all I'm really worried about right now is fitting in responsibilities and a reasonable amount of down time so that I get to keep my sanity.

I wish all of you a happy new year, in case I don't post again in the next few days. Thanks for coming here to see what I'm on about, or what Jazz is on about. We appreciate you caring what we have to say.

A Voice Known to Nerds Everywhere

RIP, Majel Roddenberry.

By ROBERT JABLON, Associated Press Writer Robert Jablon, Associated Press Writer – Thu Dec 18, 6:15 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Majel Barrett Roddenberry, "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry's widow who nurtured the legacy of the seminal science fiction TV series after his death, has died. She was 76. Roddenberry died of leukemia Thursday morning at her home in Bel-Air, said Sean Rossall, a family spokesman.

I Gots A Crush on Caroline Kennedy

Unlike the One True Tami, (blessed be Her name) I live in New York, not Jersey. As such, I stand to benefit from the pending appointment of Hillary Clinton to the State Department. I don't mean "benefit" so much in terms of what a great job she'll do in convincing Russia to let us put missile silos on their borders, but more the simple fact that we'll finally get to ship her ass out of my state and off to Washington where she and Bill will doubtless be more comfortable.

But what will Governor David Paterson do about a replacement? I had thought he would make a relatively safe, sane choice and put Nydia Velazquez in the office. Of course, what do I know? I appears that he'll probably award this particular pony to none other than Caroline Kennedy. You need only take one look at the woman and you'll doubtless have the same reaction I did.

Oh. My. God. She's sooooooo pretty! She's like a little piece of the sun, wrapped in a rainbow and brought down to Earth for us to enjoy! And she's a real, honest to God Kennedy, straight from the fount of Camelot. In this era of hope and change, could we ask for a more inspirational, transcendent character to lift our Senatorial politics out of the partisan gutter and on to a higher plain? I think not.

But... But... But...

After hitting my thumb with a hammer a few times to break the spell, I remember to ask a couple of questions. What sort of legislative and governmental experience does she have? Oh. None. I see. Well, at least she is probably a forceful speaker who will press our case in the upper chamber with aplomb. Oh? She's described by many people as "painfully shy" and tends to avoid confrontational situations, you say? Why are we considering her again?

This is a dynasty appointment. We don't need any more dynasties. We need another Kennedy (just for the sake of having a Kennedy) about as much as we need another Bush or another Clinton. Is it so silly to think that maybe we should just put qualified, competent, experienced people in these offices on the rare occasions when we need an appointment instead of an election? And oh, by the way, whoever takes that seat is going to have to stand for reelection in BOTH 2010 and 2012. So the person is going to need to be a seasoned campaigner who may have to face down Rudy Giuliani in a series of debates.

Enough with the dynasties, please. We don't need the same few families controlling the country like it's some sort of monarchy.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled rants.

Newsflash, December 2008

Water is wet, and the US has been in a recession for a year.

The economy slipped into recession in December 2007, the nation's business cycle arbiter declared on Monday, and the downturn could be the worst since World War Two.

The National Bureau of Economic Research said its business cycle dating committee members met by conference call on Friday and concluded that the economic expansion that started in November 2001 had ended. The previous period of economic expansion, which ended in 2001, lasted 10 years.

Gosh, really? I might not have noticed... idiots.

Gender Identity Disorder?

Gender Analyzer says this about my blog:

We think http://tryaches.blogspot.com is written by a man (68%).

I remain really female, and there is no way Jazz posts often enough to skew the results that much.

I often say that I talk like a truck driver, I guess I mean a *male* truck driver.

Unexpected Revelation

A whole lot of people are on Facebook. So far I've been "friended" by people I haven't spoken to since high school, someone I was in Israel with my first year of college, people I speak with all the time, and relatives whom I wish that I spoke with more often. It's very strange. How did I join the party so late on this one?

The saddest part is that I haven't even had time to log on to my own computer this week. I've been keeping up with my phone, but just barely.

Dad status: back in the hospital since very very very early Friday morning. Nothing major is wrong with him, and I'm wondering why the hell they don't release him. Yes, yes, he has some issues, but they're the sort of issues you can treat at home.

Derelict

Whose job is it to take down all those campaign signs littering the sides of the roads?


*Edited for an update: my dad got to go home from the hospital on Sunday evening. He's doing just fine, but I can't figure out when I'm going to be able to take his garbage out, tomorrow.

And So It Goes

My dad remains in the hospital, but stable. There's some infection going around, and he's reacted poorly to the dye they use in cardiac catheterization, and they want to de-sensitize him to aspirin (he's been allergic), so he's not home, and it's all a giant pain in the ass.

Today, I am wearing a skirt. Thought I'd pretend I'm a girl.

An Open Letter

An Open Letter to the people who voted "yes" on Proposition 8 in California:

The Church of Tami no longer recognizes any marriage that makes us feel icky or threatened. I'm going to go ahead and say that's every marriage, current or future, of every person who voted "yes" on Proposition 8.

You are close-minded, fearful bastards. I wish equal prejudice and unwarranted distaste upon you and your so-called "families".

Fourty Four

Barack Obama.

OK, we're on the new roller coaster, let's see how this ride goes.

Completely Inappropriate

So I know it's completely inappropriate to talk about your father's heart attack on your blog, but holy crap, you have to talk about it somewhere! I figured if I wrote it out once, I wouldn't be talking about it all day to everyone. I'm probably wrong about that.

My dad thought he had indigestion, or an issue with his blood hemolizing, because he has a couple of blood conditions. It turns out he had a mild heart attack. Crap, that's scary, but my god, it's like a heart attack fixing factory in the hospital we went to. People stacked up like cord wood, coming out on stretchers being told that they can go home tomorrow after angioplasty, and no driving for 2 days!

He was coherent and healthy-looking the whole time, what the hell? I was nervous like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, and the cardiologist was all like, Oh, here's a copy of the pictures we took of the inside of his heart. Neat, right?

No. Not neat, terrifying. I don't care if it's commonplace for them, it wasn't commonplace for *us*.

And yes, I voted already. Took the opportunity to cancel out the vote of some good New Jersey republican.

Always Left of Center

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -5.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.36


I was reading Poor Impulse Control today, and she posted about this under the post with the adorable picture of "Panky with Pumpkins". I can't believe how big he is! I can believe that I'm left of center. I really don't have crazy extremist views, I swear.

I'm Sure Liberals Do It, Too

But this is a story about asshole Republicans.

Cops for Bush Arrest 'Liberals,' Say Five

JERSEY CITY (CN) - New Jersey police officers arrested five people who were posting political signs, calling them "a bunch of fucking liberals," say the five in Hudson County Court. The cops added, "It's not your day. We like Bush."
After they were arrested and taken to the Kearny City police station, the plaintiffs say, "several police officers continued to chastise plaintiffs for posting political signs and working for 'liberals.'"
After holding them for hours, the plaintiffs say, the cops said they would let them go because one plaintiff "is in the ROTC. He's gonna join the Army. You guys are lucky."
Plaintiffs say they were posting signs legally. They demand punitive damages for false arrest, harassment, malicious prosecution and civil rights violations. They are represented by Mitchell Stein of Parsippany.

Members of my family, please feel free to chuckle at the in-joke. Everyone else, please remember that voting is really important.

Public Inside Joke

Sometimes rainbows can be pretty.