Floods, Stampedes and the Cost of Energy

This morning I woke up, turned on the tv to catch the local forecast. The tv was on CNN where they were talking about the floods in New Orleans in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. I watched CNN for 30 minutes, hearing stories and related stories about the hurricane, the flooding, and the short-term rise in fuel costs because most of the pipelines from the oil refineries in Louisiana are under water. Apparantly George Bush has just released some of the nation's emergency reserves of oil. With this unexpected emergency, and the energy security problems in what is now, officially, America's new colony, Iraq, which, as we all know, has the 2nd largest oil reserves in the world, consumers will be paying out the ass for fuel costs, while energy companies and those who oversee them reap gargantuan profits. The prices of oil are expected to rise to 70+ dollars a barrel, up from the already astronomical price of 55 a barrel. Profits indeed. For more info, check out Parija Phatnagar's short article in truthout - http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/083005Q.shtml

CNN focused mainly on the human interest side of the floods in New Orleans, what this means for American drivers, and failed, of course, to put this situation into a geopolitical context. As always, it's not what they say, but what they do not say. It's not what the mainstream media imparts, but what it fails to impart and connect. There was no connection made between oil refineries in New Orleans, the price of oil on the global market, the President unlocking the country's oil reserves to the war in Iraq. That puzzle always remains disconnected, apart from, events to which it is clearly connected. You gotta love our "news" media, and its "journalists."

Anyway, I turned off the television and went to my computer where I read that a stampede in Iraq killed 1,000 people. The story, incredibly, is that people were on a religious pilgrimage when some of them walking across this bridge panicked because of the threat of suicide bombers. This sent people in the large crowd moving, and scores of them, mostly women and children, were killed. I heard or read nothing about this on CNN in the entire 30 minutes I was watching this morning. The human tragedy of thousands of Iraqi women and children apparantly cannot compare with the tragedy of a flood in the U.S. Again, it's what they don't say, what they fail to connect that is always the most telling.

JB

Making New Friends

i had an amazing and fantastic weekend. first, we attended the annual hamilton faculty dinner on friday night and met lots of interesting and friendly people. my head is still spinning from all the wonderful conversations and the experiences of the weekend. it's mind-blowing because all of the people i have met do such interesting work, have gone to the best schools in the country, and have taught at the best schools in the country - harvard, yale, cornell, smith etc etc, and they are the most unpretentious, down-to-earth, stimualating people. literally, i liked every single person i met on friday. there didn't appear to be an asshole in the bunch. one of the most refreshing aspects of the people associated with private, liberal arts colleges is that they are also critical of the administration, the machine, and those who work and manipulate that machine. our experience at msu was so different. there, administrators and those who supported the administration were the most revered. it was refreshing to hear comments about people who were uncritically into the machine, such as one woman who derisively commented on a colleague "he knows how to manipulate the system very well." she informed us that she would also make that comment straight to his face if he were present. it's just a whole different mind-set here.

the dinner on friday was nice, and one of the deans invited us over to his place for an after dinner party. it was great hearing about everyone's research interests, their teaching experiences etc. i've discovered that with academics the main topics of conversation are our research and teaching interests, and where we have gone to school and lived. this is a bit new as well, because at msu there wasn't a lot of talk about research interests and scholarship. i'm not sure what we talked about but we weren't necessarily identified by the type of research we do. of course everyone we met on friday, like anne and i, have lived all over the place in pursuit of education and career goals. i met people from kentucky, france, ireland, chicago, san diego, new orleans - all over the place. it was fantastic.

also, the people here are much more friendly and accomodating to partners. nobody treated me any differently from anne, and i met so many people who know how difficult it is to be an academic couple. many of them have had what they call "commuter relationships" and are very understanding about what we go through trying to find meaningful employment in the same place. lots of people told me they would try and help me find permanent work, introduce me to people at colgate and in other departments at hamilton. the people in anne's dept. have been wonderful too - very inclusive and always looking out for me. this, too, is a new experience. people at msu didn't even know or seem to care what my research interests were, and they certainly didn't concern themselves with my employment or lack thereof. so, being treated so well and so equally to anne makes us both very happy. it's good for us as individuals and for our relationship.

we left the dinner and the party with our heads reeling, but feeling so happy about our decision to move here. and we also got another dinner invitation out of that social event. at the party we met damhnait, who is chair of the biology dept. at colgate, and her partner, pat, who is in the biology dept. at hamilton. they invited us over for dinner on sunday, where we met their daugther, nora, and one of pat's colleagues, jack. we enjoyed great food and conversation, and i discovered that pat also knows phil terrie, who chaired my dissertation! it's true that the academy is a somewhat small place. oh, and pat and damhnait (who are irish) gave me a big box of barry's irish tea. it's good stuff.

so, even though i miss my minnesota friends, and will also keep in touch with them, i feel confident that we will make new friends, and have a social life here too. life is so good right now that i feel like i'm dreaming. it seems that all of the trials and tribulations of the first part of the year are over, and i had to experience the worst spiritual and emotional experiences of my life earlier this year to fully appreciate and enjoy the best spiritual and emotional experiences now.

JB

New Kids on the Block

okay, we've been in New York for a month, working on our house, getting acclimated to the area. it has been kind of lonely, though, being the new people in town with no social contacts in the area. i kept telling myself that things would pick up once school started, and we would meet new people. i think this is proving true.

last night anne and i actually had a social engagement! we were invited to dinner by a professor in the math department at hamilton, who was assigned as anne's mentor at the college. we were both nervous about meeting new people, and felt socially awkward considering all the time we have spent alone lately. Also, we were worried because these people are mathemeticians and we wondered if we would have anything to talk about. anyway, with some trepidation,we went to deb and mike's house last night and ended up having a wonderful time. what great people. they were so nice, so unpretentious, and very politically saavy - without one gram of political correctness. deb has a phd in math from cornell, and just received tenure at hamilton last year, and mike has been teaching in the math dept at smith college for 32 years! we had great food, great conversation and i left their home feeling all warm inside. i love when i spend time with people and leave feeling good and uplifted. i haven't always had those kinds of experiences, especially with some of anne's colleagues in mankato. so, i look forward getting to know them, and spending more time with them.

tonight, we are going to a dinner at the college. it's a college-wide dinner for faculty and partners. i anticipate having some really good food, and meeting even more people. this place is great. i feel really good about our decision to move here, and i have a hunch that our hellish year is finally starting to get better

JB

Close Textual Readings of Gwen Stefani

THIS is sooooo funny. I just had to share it.

JB

This Shit Is Bananas’ A probing analysis of Gwen Stefani’s ‘Hollaback Girl’
by GREG STACY

Gonna get a touchdown, gonna take you out


Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” is one of the most baffling pieces of music of the modern age. It’s got something to do with cheerleaders—that much is clear, judging from the chanting and the marching band that’s honking and tooting in the background. Beyond that, good luck deciphering the song’s ambiguities. We were so vexed by the mystery that is “Hollaback Girl” that we have devoted countless hours to its study. Our conclusions are below. The first thing you should know, though, is that Gwen is not singing “I ain’t no Harlem fat girl”—at least, we don’t think she is.

Uh huh, this my shit

Gwen is introducing us to her shit. All the girls stomp your feet like this This talk of shit and stomping has nothing to do with actually stepping on feces. But what does it mean? From a reading of the later text, we can conclude that the song takes place in the world of high school athletics, and that Gwen is apparently leading the girls in a calisthenics exercise. The “shit,” we surmise, is what she calls the exercises she’s teaching the other girls.

A few times I’ve been around that track So it’s not just gonna happen like that

Here, Gwen exhorts the girls to try harder as they jog around the track, reminding them that physical fitness is “not just gonna happen,” but must be worked at.

Cause I ain’t no hollaback girl I ain’t no hollaback girl

These lines are the most confusing, but their meaning will become clearer later.

Oooh, this my shit, this my shit

Gwen repeats this four more times. She wants to make sure that we are well acquainted with her shit.

I heard that you were talking shit And you didn’t think that I would hear it

Gwen has been the victim of some slanderous high school gossip, and she doesn’t appreciate it. Gwen is 35 years old sliding into MILF status at this point, but we’ll grant her some poetic license.

People hear you talking like that, getting everybody fired up So I’m ready to attack, gonna lead the pack

Gwen is going to round up a “posse” of her girlfriends and retaliate against the person who’s been talking “smack” about her.

Gonna get a touchdown, gonna take you out

Gwen is going to beat up the person who wronged her, after she completes the cheerleading routine that will inspire the football team to score a touchdown. Gwen has interesting priorities.

That’s right, put your pom-poms down, getting everybody fired up

It seems the entire cheerleading squad is going to beat up the person who spoke ill of Gwen; they have put down their pom-poms, and they are now “fired up” to exact swift and terrible vengeance on Gwen’s behalf.

A few times I’ve been around that track So it’s not just gonna happen like that Cause I ain’t no hollaback girl I ain’t no hollaback girl

Gwen is apparently the captain of the cheerleader squad; she is the girl who “hollas” the chants, not one of the girls who simply “hollas” them back. Given that the squad is preparing to beat somebody up on Gwen’s behalf, she’s picked a strange time to remind them that she is their leader and they are her sheep-like followers. Gwen obviously rules her squad with an iron fist.

Oooh, this my shit, this my shit [repeated four times]

Again with the shit.

So that’s right dude, meet me at the bleachers No principals, no student-teachers Both of us want to be the winner, but there can only be one So I’m gonna fight, gonna give it my all

We learn that it was a “dude” who gossiped about Gwen. She challenges him to a fight at the bleachers. If he imagines it will be a fair, one-on-one fight, he is sadly mistaken. Gwen and her aforementioned “pack” will pounce on him like rabid wolves.

Gonna make you fall, gonna sock it to you That’s right, I’m the last one standing, another one bites the dust

Gwen’s pack of furious cheerleaders leaves the boy a quivering, bloody heap behind the bleachers for the groundskeeper to discover the next day.

A few times I’ve been around that track So it’s not just gonna happen like that Cause I ain’t no hollaback girl I ain’t no hollaback girl

Having completed their ghastly work, Gwen’s squad members return to the field and resume their cheerleading activities, as Gwen reminds them once more that she is the boss and they are all her bitches.

Oooh, this my shit, this my shit [repeated four times]

By calling her exercise routines “shit,” Gwen is showing us that for all her bravado, the character in this song secretly suffers from profound self-esteem issues. She is a complex antiheroine for an age of changing gender attitudes and expectations.

Let me hear you say, this shit is bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S

Here, Gwen steps away from this bloody spectacle for a moment to comment on the madness and ugliness of what we’ve just witnessed, and, by extension, the petty rivalries of high school in general. This shit is bananas, Gwen tells us, and we can only agree. And lest we miss the point, she spells it out. And repeats it another three times.

A few times I’ve been around that track So it’s not just gonna happen like that Cause I ain’t no hollaback girl I ain’t no hollaback girl

Back on the field, Gwen is still bullying the squad to carry out her routines. But now we see her in a new light, as the sad, lost creature she truly is.

Oooh, this my shit, this my shit [repeated four times]

As the song fades out, Gwen is left only with her “shit,” the mindless exercises that bring her no comfort from the raging emptiness within. As much as she “hollas,” no one hears her cries for help.

Local Voices

this weekend i bought and read a copy of our local "newspaper", the clinton courier. this publication is 16 pages long, costs a buck, and has been published weekly, on wednesday, since 1846. whew. that's a long time.

there's no state or national news in this publication - just local news and announcements of events. it's an interesting paper in a small-town, i mean village, sort of way. we were encouraged to get it by our friendly neighbor, stan, who we ran into at home depot on saturday. as we were walking to our car, we heard a voice behind us saying "i saw your name in the courier this morning." by this he meant that the courier had a special, back to school section, featuring hamilton college and its new faculty and student body for the 2005-2006 school year. you gotta love small town, i mean village, life. afterall, it does take a village.........

anyway, when we are bored, one of our favorite activities is reading aloud letters to the editor in local newspapers. this is a gem from this week's clinton courier:

MISSING UNCLE SAM:

This is written for the person or persons who stole my Uncle Sam statue from in the front of our home. Not only as it made by me, but it was displayed on our property to show pride for our country. How ironic that the person that took it has no pride or respect for people's belongings or space?

I hope no one was hurt while hauling it away because of its weight. I am sure a getawar car was needed also. Was it really that funny?

Please do me a favor. Display Uncle Sam proudly as we did in front of your house. He wasn't made to be hidden or placed in the shadows.

Richard Hochberg,

Clinton

Mr. Ding-A-Ling

One of the most annoying sounds in the world has to be, hands down, the awful "music" of the ice cream man truck. Every day, around 5:00 p.m., ny neighborhood is invaded by "Mr. Ding-A-Ling" our resident ice cream man. I swear I want to set up land mines for Mr. Ding-A-Ling and his stupid truck. There has to be a way to stop this madness.

When I lived in New York (the Albany-Troy area) a few years ago, I was also subjected to the offensive tunes of the dreaded ice cream man. And now, in central New York, it's the same insanity, day after day, even on Sundays. I didn't realize this shit happened all over the state. New Yorkers love their ice cream trucks. However, the odd part is that I never see anybody approaching for ice cream. I just see the truck driving around, and hear the awful tune. How do they stay in business?

JB

Film Performances

film performancesthis morning i'm thinking about my favorite screen performances.

1. gina rowlands in *woman under the influence.* this is an awesome movie that, despite the title, has nothing to do with alchohol. it's a john cassevetes film about a working-class wife and mother who supposedly struggles with mental illness. i say supposedly because to me this woman was just a bit eccentric, yet her husband, mother-in-law and others around her were determined to get her help. she even spent time in a mental institution, and comes back much more mellow than when she went in. i think most of the movie was shot with a "hand-held camera" of some kind, which was unusual for 1974 because there was no such thing as hand-held cameras. cassevvetes is carrying this huge (by today's standards) monstrosity on his shoulder filming the action. rowlands' performance is shattering.

2. charlize theron in *monster.* damn, what a tour de force. we all know this film is about aileen wournos and her "crimes" against sadistic men. the movie is distrubing, but i like how the film maker humanizes wournos, and the point of view is an explanation for her crimes - a social context that explains how people like wournos get created and cultivated. at the time of its release roger ebert said he was going to state without reservation that theron's performance was one of the greatest in the history of cinema. i'm no film critic, but i agree. theron is mind-blowing in this movie.

3. emma thompson in *wit*. i just saw this on friday. thompson is a 48 year old english literature professor dying of ovarian cancer. the movie not only explores what it's like to have cancer, and how the medical establishment treats some cancer patients, but it also makes comments about science verses humanity, and the life of the mind verses the life of the body. but, overall, it's thompson and this character, who carries viewers through with an infectious wit and attitude. oh, and one of the cool things about the film, technically, is how it breaks the illusion between viewer and characters. thompson directly address the camera in most of the movie, commenting on the action almost like a greek chorus. She is captivating in this movie.

i'm going to the movies today, but doubt i will see any film or performances as good as the above-mentioned.JB

Mangled Bicycles

today i have to take our bikes to a bike doctor. the guy who moved our stuff from minnesota to new york used his body to twist the steering on the bikes so they would better fit on the back of his truck. he must have done this somewhere between those two states because when they left our house in MN, we watched him casually roll them inside of his truck. when we got them in NY, they were hanging on the back in strange positions.

i'm seriously perturbed and depressed by this because of all the things he could have damaged in the move, our bikes would have been the last thing i would have wanted mangled. i love these bikes like i have loved few material possessions. at the end of last year, we plopped down over $900 for two, hybrid bikes so that we could incorporate riding into our fitness programs. riding on a good bike made me fall in love with this sport, and biking has become theraputic for me. if i'm having a bad day, i can hit the trail and whatever is bothering me usually subsides by the time the ride is over. it's beautiful.

but now our bikes are lying in the garage, propped up against some boxes, completely useless. i called our driver to ask what happened, and he casually informed me that he used his body to twist them, but "forgot" to twist them back when he unloaded them. we didn't discover them until the next day when we went to ride them. so, we have had to file insurance claims with mayflower moving company, and wait out the red tape process. today, we will take them to a bike shop to assess the damage and see if they are salvagable. it looks like mayflower will pay for the damages, but my hope is that they will be able to fix the bikes we have. i really don't want a new one. i like this one, but i want it to work as smoothly as it did before charlie got his hands on it.

Personal Facts

some facts about my life:

born in wv in 1965. lived there until 1993.
moved to virginia in 1993.
moved to ohio in 1996.
moved to new york in 1999.
moved to minnesota in 2002.
moved back to new york in 2005.
i'm sensitive, loyal to friends and enjoy an even temperament unless crossed.
was the first girl to play on the all boys little league team in my hometown.
i sometimes entered talent shows in grade schools where i would sing carpenter's songs.
i loathe politically correct feminists.
i have two brothers and three sisters.
i have a fascination with burma, or what is now called myanmar but know i will never be able to visit there unless the current military dictatorship (which sanctions slavery) is overthrown.
i like to dance.
red is my favorite color.
politically, i'm left of liberal.
i think laura bush is sexy.
my favorite poem remains "daddy" by sylvia plath.
i enjoy burning cds for friends.
i grew up in a working-class family where my dad worked as a coal miner, and my mother was a domestic goddess.
i currently enjoy a comfortable middle-class lifestyle, but my sensibilities remain working-class.
i'm interested in treks to mt. everest, and read john krakauer's Into Thin Air with pathological intensity.
i'm currently studying buddhism, trying to become a practitioner.
i'm sickened by identity politics which is still embraced in academe.
i once dressed as jesus for a halloween party.
i don't take shit from anyone. i can't. especially from men, pretentious academics,and upper-middle class people.
i would love to meet roseanne.
i have a fear of flying.
i once believed that jackalopes were real animals.
i'm dyslexic with numbers.
i think bears are the coolest animals on the planet.
i long to own a 1970's camaro.
i'm now enjoying a real health insurance plan for the first time in my adult life.
i don't like frogs.
i have a strong fear of carbon monoxide poisoning.
the last book i bought was *absinthe: a cultural history.*
i think hard, physical labor is cleansing.

Haiku from Mushy in London

Here is a fabulous haiku from my friend, mushy, who just moved to london:


Haiku about London

East Finchley by day
Old ladies walk with purpose
Slow, to the bus stop

Islington at night
All the hipster kids are out
Watch out! They judge you

On the bus at night
Never ever get on the
Top deck, to stay sane

Tinkle tinkle goes
The glass thrown upon the street
By those hooligans

Oh it’s stopped raining
Are those slugs or snails under
My feet? No, dog shit.



JB

just curious. is this one haiku or five haikus?

Media Collection

i'm currently working in our "family room" trying to unpack boxes of books, games, dvds, cds, and yes, albums, cassettes and videotapes. we have a whole wall in this room that is nothing but bookshelves - wall-to-wall shelves, i think they're called. anway, the entire thing is now full of media items. what the hell? we have tons of books, and cds especially. we both love music, film and books. man , it really shows in our house.

i became a bit pissed when putting these items on the shelf to realize how media forms change and how you have to get the same thing in a different form because of these technological "revolutions." it kind of sucks. for example, i have a copy of the beatles *abbey road* on album, cassette and cd. it's crazy. we don't even need these damn cds anymore since we now buy and consume music through itunes and the ipod.

i've decided to store my albums, cassettes and vhs tapes in the garage instead of the family room, much to anne's delight. i don't have the heart to throw them away. it's still a bit too soon to place the cds out there, so they are crammed in one section of the bookcase.

now it's time to assemble our old-fashioned stereo, aiwa, circa 1998.

JB

Becky Bates

i can't believe i forgot to include becky bates in my list of friends made in minnesota. sorry, becky. moving has addled my brain.

how could i forget to mention becky, my live-life-to-the-fullest, seattle- loving, technical -precision- enthusiast-friend?

because of my neglect, i had to devote one post as a correspondence to becky. i received your warm birthday wishes, and the link to live journal. i have been reading and enjoying your posts. i will respond when i get more time, but i'm starting to think that i like this forum for communication better than live journal. anyway, i can keep up with your life there, and you can read about mine here, okay?

JB

Maiden Voyage

here i am writing from my new office - a small, red room upstairs in my 165 year old house in upstate new york. i just relocated from Minnesota, where i lived for 3 years. Before that i was also living in upstate New York - Albany- and i'm starting to feel that my destiny is this area since i have unexpectedly ended up back here. it feels like i have been on an extended vacation and have recently returned home.

it's a nice place to be - beautiful geography, interesting people and lots to keep one entertained and amused. i love the eastern u.s. i have spent most of my adult life living in the east - except for a 6 year stint in the midwest - and i feel most comfortable and alive in this part of the country.

so, i will concentrate this initial post to my new blog on the my observations about the place i just left - minnesota, and my new home, upstate new york.

what i like/will miss about minnesota:

1. friends. i met a lot of great people in minnesota, and enjoyed many stimulating conversations and new experiences. some of the people i met there ( mushy, G, Radeloff and Jeff) will be friends for life.
2. the most amazing blue skies i have ever seen. the colors and brilliance are much to beautiful to adequately describe, so i will not even make an attempt. let's just say i can still see those bright blue skies in my mind whenever i desire.
3. minnesota wild rice soup. mmm, mmm good. i will especially miss this in the winter.
4. minneapolis. what a great city. somewhat small, and easy to negotiate with all of the cool things one can find in larger metropolitan areas. it's worth writing home about.

what i like about upstate new york:

1. the food. even in rural areas one can find delicious food of all kinds. it's amazing really.
2. the geogrpahy. lush, green and hilly. the smells of nature here are so comforting and theraputic.
3. starry skies. on most nights one can enjoy the most peaceful, starry skies set off by the dark (almost black) background of the night sky. breathtakingly beautiful.
4. real farmers' markets. unlike the midwest where most agriculture revolves around livestock, what is grown and consumed here is mostly produce. farmers' markets in upstate have locally grown vegetables, like blueberries, lettuce, peppers, beans etc etc. that are absolutely delicious. and they also offer homemade cheeses, and lots of baked goods. i've become a regular at the northstar farmers' market located about 5 miles from my home.
5. the people. new yorkers are friendly, down-to-earth and frank. so far i haven't had to endure the passive agrressiveness associated with minnesotans (or what is optimistically referred to as "minnesota nice") in upstate. people shoot straight, and i appreciate that direct honesty.

okay, these are my initial musings from upstate. i want to write more, but still have a lot of unpacking to do and general home maintenence..........

to be continued......

JB