Over 100,000 Dead from the Tsunami

More than half children. Open up your pocketbook. The people on NPR say donate to US charities so you can write the deduction off on your taxes. I think that's pretty cold. Donate to the place where the money will do the most good and thank your lucky stars to still be alive.

Like, Chennai (formerly Madras) which is in the Tamil Nadu Province, Sri Lanka or anywhere in Indonesia. I'll try and contact some relatives and get some names of charities that do a good job that are on the ground now.

I'm very concerned about the fact that NO ONE thought to warn anyone about 9.5 reading on the Richter scale. Jeez, if it's some rich guy's house on the Outer Banks, it's a tragedy. OTOH, if it's little children swept to their deaths while they are sleeping its really no big deal, I guess.

Whose Democracy?

This map of Cuyohoga County precincts by minority percentage shows the bleak reality of voter suppression in Ohio and in the nation. The correlation between a precinct having a high precentage of spoiled ballots and being majority minority precinct is not coincidental, but rather the result of people in power doing everything, including breaking the law, to keep it.

The poloar ice caps will melt before Social Security goes away.

Just my 2 cents.

December 14, 2004

It's become somewhat of an article of faith that every mom who works feels pangs of guilt whenever she steps away from her child and into the working world.

Not me, man. The first day I was back at work after three months maternity leave, I was so happy. If I had some problem or something came up, I could just think about it or discuss it with another adult over a cup of coffee. All I had to remember was my purse. And it didn't need changing, feeding or enrichment activities (aside from a quick trip to the ATM).

Plus, I got to provide my kid with all the "extras" -- food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, loving caregivers, a stimulating environment. And my kids got to see how adults manage to make room for work, kids, home, hobbies and relationships.

December 12, 2004

So Long Democrats!!

I got a really nice note from the DNC soliciting my input one day after I got the kick-ass email from Moveon.org . Funny that the DNC hasn't asked me anything until then, no?

Of course, as is the case with these fat-cats, they just wanted me to donate more money so they could give it to their good friends, the Inside-the-Beltway crowd. You know, the ones who thought a pro-gun anti-woman religious zealot was the best choice for Senate Minority leader.

Things I do care about:

• The environment.
  
• Making gun-related deaths rare, possibly by making guns really hard to own.
• Choice. I don't care how many abortions a woman has. It's her choice, her uterus, her genes.
  
• Gay rights. I glad my state has gay marriage.
  
• Equality of access, whether to school, to the job market, or to the boardroom.
  
• Universal healthcare regardless of ability to pay.
  
• No more people without a place to live or food to eat.
  
• Social justice.
  
• Progressive tax code.

Things I do not like:

• Racism and sexism. It exists and the 50s were 'great' for white men only.
  
• Religion. Really can't stand it and don't want to hear about it.
  
• The rising number of people in jail.
  
• The fact that the 'minimum wage' can't support a family of four.

My list of values don't really seem to be "Democratic Party" values, so they can forget about any help from me. It's on to the Greens. Because most Democrats in DC today, except in rare cases (Ted Kennedy), most seem to care less about policies to help the needy and more about their own jobs.