april 2004

15 april 2004
i am tired of shushing cats in the middle of the night. there's one cat that hangs outside my window and has the loudest meow i have ever heard in my life. i think it echoes down the alley way to create the most perfect acoustic noise.

another year, another tax day. i threw caution to the wind and filed online this morning, still unclear whether or not anything actually went through. i hate doing taxes, why can't they just get it right when they take it out of your paycheck? i always owe money, that's the only reason i think like that.

happy birthday to the 10 million people in my life who seem to be having a birthday today, tomorrow, this weekend, etc. who knew i was such an aries lover?

how cool is this graduate program?

13 april 2004
warning: ranty mcranterson ahead ..
i am watching the presidential news conference on tv right now and my jaw is on the floor. i really can't believe that this man is leading our country. and really, it's not because i am a bleeding heart liberal feminist living in new york city whatever you want to call me, i feel this way because i am not sure i have ever felt that another person was so deluded about their purpose. i am glad that all of the questions coming from the press are negative, calling him out, asking him to stand by what he has said, what he done, decisions that he has made. and every one, he either dodges, stumbles through, claims no real responsibility. granted, i did not vote for this man, but he is our president, and i wish i felt like he was leading the country with confidence and support.

this news conference is necessary -- for our benefit, to bring to the national audience the discussion of these events that the media has a habit of glossing over. i know why he is really doing it, because he's down in the polls, below 50% and 80 americans have died in iraq this month, hundreds of iraqis. this is a bad situation. a bad situation that only gets worse. he says that as of june 30th, we are out. ok. we're turning over the sovereignty to iraq. but for now, if we need more troops, he will send them in. they want more money, he will send it in. anything they want to continue to kill and destroy, it will be sent at once.

why are we in iraq? because even though it has not been proven that saddam hussein had weapons of mass destruction, according to bush, he was an extreme threat. here is where i get confused. our country actually does make weapons of mass destruction (am i correct in saying that?). yet it's ok for us to decide that we can take over a country to "liberate" it, but who's to say that an unnamed yet to be superpower (and you know there are a few waiting in the wings) isn't going to come and liberate us. i am so confused why it's acceptable to go in and occupy a country with bombs, with guns, with endless supplies of troops and equipment. where is the education and progression in that? where is the liberation in that?

he keeps bringing up the fact that our occupation and liberation of iraq is good for the WORLD, when it is only indeed good for us.. but not even, it divides the world. we have made enemies of countries who are against us, as in the "with us or against us" statement made previously... and also, the countries that are with us, as a part of our coalition have also been victim to attacks, as we saw in madrid after the senseless commuter train bombings. innocent people going about their lives, possibly not supporting their country leaderships choice to get involved in this quagmire. but in this attempt to defeat terrorism, what is in fact happening is that we are spreading terrorism. it is not gone, it will not be gone as long as we keep coming in and launching bombs and rockets and sending young people to their deaths in the name of war.

if i could count the number of umms, pauses, slurs that i have heard tonight, i bet the number would pretty high. this is our president, he is NOT comfortable, he is not trustworthy, he is not responsible. he is unsure, he is weak, he has brought great danger upon our country and to other countries. "my last choice is the use of military power" a direct quote. a quote that i do not understand considering the state of our military at this juncture. "we are not an imperial power, we are a liberating power"

lib·er·ate
tr.v. lib·er·at·ed, lib·er·at·ing, lib·er·ates
1.To set free, as from oppression, confinement, or foreign control.

to set free.

are weapons able to set us free? in our increasing paranoia, we are encouraging the increase of weaponry. while we may use it against the so called "evildoers," what we are doing is creating the ongoing need for new weapons to be created both by us and by our enemies. he plans to "win the war on terror." i got news for you buddy, it's never going to happen. it's an impossible task, especially when one fights violence with violence. there will never be an end unless one fights with peace. peace will only create more peace. it really is the only solution.

okay, that's the end of my ridiculous george bush inspired rant.

hope you enjoy the lovely pics below, they were sent from japan courtesy of michelle's cellphone.



8 april 2004
it's been ages since i have written.. busy busy busy. i'd like to introduce my friend matt six to the world of blogging. yeah i know all the cool kids are doing it these days..