then she appeared

OK, I know it's Saint Patrick's Day and all, but the pope is an ass.

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane headed to Yaounde, Cameroon, where he will begin a seven-day pilgrimage on the continent. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

Well! This is kind of fascinating (albeit WAY too short): Barack and Michelle were interviewed and photographed back in May 1996 as part of a photography project on couples in America. Just think, 12+ years later, the "strong possibility that Barack will pursue a political career" has turned into "is the President of the United States."

So what are you going to do with your next 12 years?


(found via kottke.)

Wow, I couldn't be happier! The 11pm hour ticks over and bam, we've made history.

Final day of the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium. Mariano Rivera has just walked out to the mound, it’s the 9th inning, and everyone is on their feet. Even considering how much I hate the Yankees, it’s a pretty emotional moment. The entire stadium is filled with flashes from cameras, and there’s a solid wall of noise. Every player that isn’t on the field is leaning on the dugout wall, watching the action. They’re playing the hapless Orioles, so there’s no doubt they’re going to hang on to the 7-3 lead they have, but it’s still the tiniest bit tense. One down. I think there’s going to be no clinch for the Sox today. Two down. Down to the last out ever at Yankee Stadium. Brian Roberts at the bat. Jeter is leaving the game for some reason. Fans are going nuts. The players are all embracing. Maybe they wanted him to have a little special time before the last out. Tipped his hat to the fans, pandemonium! Ball. Ball 2. Foul. Little chopper, and Yanks win. There’s the damned "New York, New York" song. History from 1923 to now, and Andy Pettitte gets the final win.

There’s such a sense people have now about history. They all understand what it’s means to be part of it, and they all want part of it. Even the players are scraping dirt off the pitchers mound into little baggies.

Oh, Jeter’s speaking. He’s got Rivera next to him. He’s pretty well spoken, Jeter is. He’s not reading off of anything, but is keeping his train of thought and sounds good. Oh, they all took their hats off to the fans. Maybe rehearsed? But still pretty good. Nice and flashy for a flashy town! They’re lapping the field, now, the players. A-Rod with his frosted tips. Cameras everywhere. Damned "New York, New York" song. It doesn’t look like one fan has left. Constant cheering. Pretty loyal fans for a 3rd place team in the division! Every fan has a camera up. Damn, there’s another loop of the song. They need a second song. “Start spreading the news…” Aw, just showed some kid crying.

I know just how that kid feels. I’m feeling really emotional about change right now. I think the financial crisis and the impending elections are really stressing me out. I feel, more this year than ever before in my life, that we are on the brink. We could go either way—good, bad—and there’s no guessing how it’s going to turn out. Are we all going to be scrabbling around for food in a few months? Are we going to make another 50 years before we crash? Or are we going to manage to squeak it out and actually fix things? I am afraid that no one really understands our financial scene, that it’s become this organic monster that’s truly unknowable, and that we don’t actually have our best and brightest trying to solve it. I guess I am just nervous!

Jeter got his moment, and now they’re signing off. Bye, Yankee Stadium!

Watching tv this week, noticed new McDonald's ad. Rampantly anti-intellectual.

Setting: snobby coffee shop
Two women, one reading the paper, another reading a magazine
Woman 1: "Y'know, I heard McDonald's is making lattes now"
Woman 2: "McDonald's? Well, that's just...just...fantastic!"
Woman 1: "Now we don't have to listen to jazz all day long!"
Woman 2: "I can start wearing heels again!"
Woman 1: "I can read gossip magazines!"
Woman 2: "I can watch reality tv shows!"
Woman 1: "I like television!"
Woman 2: "I can't really speak French!"
Woman 1: "I don't know where Paraguay is!"
Voiceover with info about fabulous Mc-whatevers
Woman 2: "I just wanna show my knees, y'know?"

Sigh.

Does anyone else find this article both hilarious and horrifically embarrassing?

It really says a lot about the man, anyway.

via kottke

Watch past the halfway point, it gets funny!

...prompted by an article in the Times about China and its impact on the environment. Just about the scariest article I've read in recent memory. There's a lot of focus on China lately with the recalls of all the dangerous products; and of course because of the approach of the 2008 Summer Olympics. I've been pretty interested in all of it.


I don't have any solutions. I'm just cranky. Doing laundry makes me cranky.

ETA: a few links
China Watch
The Consumerist's Chinese Poison Train
A different view
The U.S government's perspective

Full version of Michael Moore's "Sicko" on Google video. Don't know if it's authorized or pirated, but it was great. Also don't know (if it's pirated) how long it will be there.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9006414844032752909

Scary and sad: S.D. Sen. Johnson in critical condition. He's a Democrat. You know, in the Senate. That we just took over by one. And his governor is a Republican. More than beyond the mere humanity of it, where I want everyone to be healthy and happy all the time, I really really really hope the guy can resume his duties.