Webisode Series: The Howling - Part 2 of 5

Part Two<-- Prev   Next -->

It’s colder when I come to. How long have I slept? A shriek impales my ear drums as an elephant stampede might overwhelm a bridge of glued popsicle sticks.

This feels familiar.

I snap alert, but I’m not leaning on the horn this time. The wail silences for a moment and resounds again. I wince as my right ear pops and desperately swing my head around to the source of the noise.

I feel my blood turn to ice in my veins. It's a child. My God! I flip on the dome light, praying the illuminated interior will somehow make it disappear, revealing it a harmless mirage carried over from my subconscious. No such luck. The boy squirms like a worm on a hook in his blue snowsuit and rubs his eyes with fat fingers.

What kind of parent can’t remember having a baby? He hollers again and I fight the impulse to snap his small neck.

Liquid fire pulses through my side and abdomen as I tear through the car. Food! FOOD! Where is his fucking food? I paw over gift boxes enclosed in green wrapping paper. Worthless. I toss them outside. I can’t remember who they are for anyway.

Finally, I find powdered formula and a clean bottle and grin at the boy, thankful for the small measure of good fortune. No water, though. I step outside, scoop fistfuls of snow into the bottle, and warm it against my skin inside my shirt. He cries again. I slam the car door shut behind me. Why should both of us be miserable? That’s not logical.

The cold air bites at my face. Outside, the snow-covered wild earth looks peaceful. The crumpled Buick seems strange here. It doesn’t fit; it disrupts the serenity of the natural world. I know I should be evaluating my predicament. Yes, the art of deduction may not be beautiful or alluring, but in the end it will get me out of this nightmare so I must surrender myself completely to it.

The ride is in perfect condition aside from the flat front tire and engine-turned-accordion, I muse. But, my levity is short lived: something more concerning draws my attention.

Footprints.

I know they cannot not my own. They travel along the side and rear of the car, where they trample on top of each other, as if pacing back and forth. Then they turn the corner, and trail off into the dark woods, come back and trail off again. Come back and trail off.

It’s the man. And he’s not here to help me. Fear seizes hold and my irrational mind compels me to run away. I start to. I lean on my bad foot, but it crumples beneath me. I fall hard on the snow. The pain is too much and I cry out. Warm tears flow down the sides of my face and into my ears.

Idiot! Stupid, STUPID!

It feels as if it takes me forever to return to the car. If he wanted me dead, he would have done it already. I try to comfort myself, but I don’t believe my words.

The radio interrupts my thoughts.

“- for Sedgwick County. Be on the alert of a recent escapee from our local hospital. He is male, 6 foot 4 inches and Caucasian. His name is Robert Sands, also aliased as the Wolf Man.”

Rapt, I notice that I’m holding my breath.

“This person is considered extremely dangerous, known for his violent, random attacks on women and families in the area nearly fifteen years ago. Sands was last seen at 10:15 p.m. in his hospital room.”

I hear the wolf cry again in the night. It rattles me to the core. Tears follow and I let them. What could be the harm now? I know what I have to do. I must kill The Man.

I feed The Boy from the bottle now dirtied with my blood. His rhythmic sucking reminds me of a steady drumbeat. I watch him slide a pale hand over the bottle and through the wet, red ooze. Back and forth, back and forth, as steady as a heartbeat.

... Next installment 12/31 7 p.m.

Dexter Season 4 Episode 12: The Gateway Predictions

Yep. We’re doing this again. In a few days the season finale of Dexter premieres and I’m strung tighter than a fiddle. The producers at Showtime have promised us the most explosive episode since the show’s inception. No easy task.

Once again, I thought it might be fun to stretch out the excitement, discussing a few final episode theories. Heaven knows the writers have thrown enough material at us to take it a number of directions. I feel like I could write a book. For both our sanity’s sake, I’ll limit the number of open questions to five.

#1 Will Dexter finally get the chance to kill Trinity?

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This absolutely tops the list and I would say: Yes.

I don’t believe we’ll be surprised here. We’ve been strung along all season, watching Dexter thwarted time and again on bringing Trinity to erm “justice.” To be sure, he’s a worthy adversary. He’s the kind of epitome of evil that reminds us why we’re rooting for a killer like Dexter in the first place, but is oh so delicious to watch. Lithgow’s performance has truly been incredible in portraying this vulnerable psychopath, a character who recoils in disgust “I’m NOT a pedophile,” stopping short of correcting, “just a murderer,” but is savvy enough to (I believe) lure Dexter into a trap at the arcade in “Hello, Dexter Morgan!” Awesomeness.

It’s been fun to watch, but frankly, we’re ripe now for the payoff. And I think the writers recognize that. With the final shot of episode 11, ending with a face-to-face intimidation stare down reminiscent of a kind of morbid boxing match, we can be sure they are if anything only encouraging our anticipation. Trinity needs to go down. And not by the law. And it needs to be epic. Anything less will feel less like a witty stab at irony and more like some sick joke at the expense of the audience. From the episode 12 preview. we’re assured at least that he gets wrapped in plastic.

#2 Will Deb learn about Dexter’s Dark Passenger?

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No.

I’ve heard Deb finds out about her brother’s homicidal nature in the books, but I’m struggling to see how it would work in the show. Part of what makes the series so satisfying is the constant peeling away of Dexter’s safety nets to see if he can continue to get away with what he is doing. We’ve watched him survive scrutiny in the workplace and at home. This season he’s lost his trophy hiding places (twice) and his ever sturdy foundation, his code, seems to be crumbling beneath him as he finds himself taking hurried short cuts and shuffling life priorities.

Now, back to Deb. Dexter is not going to prison; our hero must prevail for at least another season. I don’t believe he’ll kill his sister, either. Should she learn the truth, it leaves us with Deb as an accomplice, or at least willing to keep his secret. In my opinion, this would suck. It gives him more wiggle room instead of less, loosening the rope the writers have worked so hard to pull taut.

From the sneak peak, we’re assured Deb learns about Dexter’s biological mother. I think it ends here.

#3 Will Quinn and Deb rekindle a romance?

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No.

I keep finding this lurking around in prediction circles, but we’ve already seen the Quinn and Deb thing happen in a previous season. Why would we visit it again, or want to? Seriously, I’m asking.

#4 What will happen to Batista and LaGuerta?

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Who cares?

Season Four has been wonderful, but not perfect. This has to be the weakest plotline in the series so far. The episode that features LaGuerta staring misty-eyed into the sunset murmuring “I’m afraid… afraid to say [I love you],” in particular momentarily elicited my gag reflex. With all that is happening this season, it’s a gross misstep to assume our investment in a forbidden love affair between two relatively normal people and subsequent catharsis when they elope, escaping tragic “career-ending” consequences. Yawn. As stellar as the writing has otherwise been, I think the acting pair deserved better attention this season.

#5 Will Trinity kill Dexter’s family?

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This is a tricky one. Let’s start with Rita and the kids. Probably not.

To build on the second point, we would lose Dexter’s scrutiny at home, and unfortunately for him, less drama for us in season five. But, it would also disrupt the building theme this season that I hope will be expanded upon next year: the detrimental effects living with a serial killer is having on Dexter’s family. Of course Arthur’s family is a mess, but Dexter’s has also been touched this season. His murderous impulses have arguably led to Rita’s “infidelity,” and Cody getting into fight at school. I’ve bought into it; I’m intrigued to see how Cody might be affected growing up, so clearly idolizing Dexter as his role model. Can I say that Rita has the worst taste in men?

And now Deb. Strong likelihood.

As much as I hate to admit it, I do see losing her as a real possibility. In a previous interview, Carpenter leaked that this season we will see a darker Dexter than we have grown accustomed to, that the audience has become too comfortable with our killer, and that is about to change. I can’t think of a better catalyst for his transformation than losing a member of the family, especially now as Dexter has learned how much it means to him.

Her long-held role in Dexter’s mind of moral and familial grounding is arguably now double-covered through Rita. And as a character, I think she may have been pushed about as far as the writers can take her, to the point of suffering the now-famous, gut-wrenching “I’m broken!” breakdown for which I hope earns Carpenter an award. She’s beyond likable, but writer Clyde Phillips maintains his steadfast willingness to kill off popular characters if good story-telling demands it. Adding more fuel to the fire, we’re promised in the episode preview a sinister Trinity visit to the address listing “D. Morgan,” which we might presume is Dexter’s old apartment where Deb now lives. Anyway, it seems an odd listing to have for Rita’s house (where Dexter moved). I’m inclined to vote Deb’s expendability a strong maybe.

So, what’s left?

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Probably a lot.

Nothing above is the kind of earth shattering revelation the producers have promised. From the preview we know we get, another body, an emboldened Jonah squaring off with Daddy that potentially leads to a home invasion by the police. None of which I have addressed.

If anyone has pieced together more of the puzzle, I’d love to read about it below.

See you Sunday!

Webisode Series: The Howling - Part 1 of 5

Part OneNext -->

It’s the sound that startles me awake. I squint through the black and my vision slowly focuses. I can see something: numbers and a word. They are luminescent and blue. The word is: Volume. The sound is maybe a siren… no. A car horn… yes. I’m in the driver’s seat collapsed on the steering wheel. I gasp, shoot myself into the seat and the horn silences. I find myself suddenly alert from an adrenaline surge as I gulp back metallic blood. Pain shoots through my head and abdomen. I’m afraid.

Think, think, THINK! I consciously breathe deeply. Slowly in and slowly out. In and out. In and out. It’s important to avoid panic in a situation like this. One must use the capacity of the mind and cool intellect. There are many questions; prioritize them and survive. Prioritize and survive.

Number one: Am I safe? This question can be divided into two parts. For the first part, how injured am I? Secondly, how safe is my environment?

I relax balmy fists. Every body part must be checked. Stop trembling. Now! OK. I have a broken ankle, a few cracked ribs and a forehead injury. I look up into the rear view mirror, but it’s too dark. I see nothing but the whites of my eyes peering back at me. I press the base of my palm against my head. Two streams of warm blood run down my wrist and pool inside my elbow before running off. It’s not good. I know that I need to address this immediately, but allow myself a moment. I must keep myself awake. I turn on the radio. It works and the sounds of Roxette fill the dark car. I find a knit scarf on the seat beside me and tie it around my head. That should slow the blood flow. I reason that I my injuries are sufficiently taken care of, for now.

Onto the second part. I look around me in the night air. I don’t recognize the area. It must be close to the middle of the night because it is near pitch black. A full moon illuminates the snow covered pine trees below. I’m far from the main road: I can’t even see it. The headlights are still on. They filter bright beams fifty feet in front of me. I can see that I’ve hit a tree. The hood is crumpled against it. I’d be surprised if the car was drivable. It appears I’m alone in the wilderness.

It’s cold outside, but the heater is still running. Where was I going? I can’t remember. What is the last thing I did? I try to backtrack in my mind, but draw a blank. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to recall it.

Who am I? Nothing.

I decide to shove panic aside. What matters at the moment is my need for help. My head injury may be serious and the pain in my side could be a bruised lung or worse. I need to find my way to help.

I’m becoming sleepy. I must fight it. The music fades to a message sputtering through the speakers. I sit still and try to concentrate. I’m hopeful it will give me a clue on my whereabouts.

The seat envelops me like a warm protective blanket. I surrender to it. In the distance I hear a wolf cry. I wonder to myself if man was ever once a creature of instinct. A wolf would fight its way out of this mess, not sit here to die in comfort.

My eyelids are growing so heavy, so I snap them open. Fight it! I dart them to and fro along the wide, icy landscape until I see a figure ahead. Could it be? Yes! A man propped against a tree. It's dark, but there is no doubt that he IS a man. The rhythmic motion of his breathing gives his silhouette away. He doesn't move, only stands at a distance. I think he's watching me. Maybe he'll save me. I know I should cry out to him, but succumb instead back to the Sandman.

Maybe it’s easier in the black.

Next -->

You can help me hone my craft by posting your feedback below. I hope you enjoyed part one. See you next week!

2009 in a Nutshell

My Little Pumpkin Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

Hello!

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So, Jeremy encouraged me to start up posting to my blog again, basically to stop being “chicken,” and to finally post some of the stories I’ve been working on. So, we’ll see how this goes.

Gosh, I’ve been away a while. No excuses! First thing is first, though. A catch up on the past year is in order. It’s mostly family and friends that check back here, so many of you already know. In case you don’t: we had a baby. :) She’s two months old, born September 12th of this year. She was premature by three and a half weeks, but a solid 6 lbs 12 oz, 19 inches long and no health problems. I’m lucky in that I get to be home with her on leave for another month. She’s pretty much awesome and so I’ve been cherishing the time. Above is a picture of Hayden Elizabeth.

So, besides trying to squeeze back into my old jeans again, I’ve traded my occasional evenings at BJ’s relaxing with a beer for exchanging squishy faces with the little one, cleaning spit up, and singing “You Are My Sunshine” (Hayden’s favorite). Come to think of it, it's kind of nice to have the outlet for some adult conversation during the day.

Has Anyone Seen Vighpyr?

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Vighpyr: you’re my reader of 2010, for donating the most to my site’s “penny” jar as you put it. If you’re still around, send me a message here or on YouTube. I have a little Christmas present for you. It's a silly reward that doesn't mean much in the real world, but I want to show my appreciation. Thank you and I hope you continue to drop in from time to time.

Thia’s Webisodes

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So, I’m planning to post my first story in short installments each Thursday at 7 p.m. The first story is one I’ve titled “The Howling.” To peak your interest, here is a (very) short preview. If you like it, come back tomorrow and next week to read more. Please don’t forget to comment – I’d love to know what’s working and what’s not for you. I hope you enjoy:

Preview:

"The Howling"

It’s the sound that startles me awake. I squint through the black and my vision slowly focuses. I can see something: numbers and a word. They are luminescent and blue. The word is: Volume. The sound is maybe a siren… no. A car horn… yes. I’m in the driver’s seat collapsed on the steering wheel. I gasp, shoot myself into the seat and the horn silences. I find myself suddenly alert from an adrenaline surge as I gulp back metallic blood. Pain shoots through my head and abdomen. I’m afraid.

Think, think, THINK! I consciously breathe deeply. Slowly in and slowly out. In and out. In and out. It’s important to avoid panic in a situation like this. One must use the capacity of the mind and cool intellect. There are many questions; prioritize them and survive. Prioritize and survive...

... Next installment 12/3 7 p.m.

Season 4 Dexter Predictions

I’m one of the many completely addicted to this show inspired by the novels of the same name and starring Michael C. Hall. For me, this fourth season in particular has been the most explosive and fun ride yet. As it comes to an end, it’s a bittersweet pleasure of sort to turn on my DVR each Sunday night and watch the next installment. With only two episodes left, I thought it might be fun to spice up the anticipation by discussing some predictions of our own.

Some of my assumptions:

---

Before we dig into some reasonable and far-fetched, let me lay out some ground work. Scouring the nets, it’s clear that many disagree with the following. Season ending prediction surprises range from Dexter getting caught, dying and the like. These are fun to read, but for simplicity, I’ll lean on the formula we’ve been engrained with from the first season. Let’s assume, that Dexter gets two more victims. He gets one victim maximum per episode, and the last being his prime antagonist, Trinity himself in some explosive manner during the finale. This leaves only one more unknown victim, and he or she will be served to us this week.

So, who dies in episode 11?

Theory #1: Elliot gets the axe

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All season, Dexter has been peeling the onion of his own persona, albeit clumsily. The character we have been accustomed to see so stoic and calm, “without human emotions” as Dexter self-describes, slowly realizes how much he values members of his family. He even becomes emotional on several occasions at crimes of the family. This very human response is undoubtedly a weakness: he uncharacteristically overlooks evidence that excludes Trinity from the guilt of his sister’s shooting, and puts himself at risk for exposure on Thanksgiving when he learns his trophy shed is no longer secure, but decides to stay at Mitchell’s house to “protect” Jonah from physical abuse. The “new” Dexter works – very yummy stuff. If you watched last Sunday, as Trinity slips away and an enraged Dexter screams his name into the night, you’ll know what I mean. So, how far are the writers planning to take this new twist on a family man?

We know that Dexter cares for his sister and children. It’s Rita that Dexter has yet to demonstrate he has much of an attachment for. But, then, with Masuka teetering on the edge of spilling her kiss with Elliot over Thanksgiving, his spousal attachment is about to be tested. Joy! I’m eager to find out if we will see the unattached “monster” we’re used to, or if Dexter will be given a lesson from the green-eyed monster. And if he does, will it be enough to send him over the edge to murder Elliot?

Killing (or even attacking) Elliot will not be simple. Dexter’s all too important code will need to be modified. We’ve had murmurings in a previous episode this season that he’d be open to some kind of a change here (the new “revenge page” of the code). But, writers will need to tread carefully to avoid losing our sympathy for our murderous protagonist that dangles by a thread each episode as it is. It may be that they have already begun to gage how far our collective sympathy can be stretched. Remember the recent episode “Road Kill” where Dexter learns he has accidentally killed an innocent man for the first time. Still, it feels a little ambitious for writers even as talented as we’ve seen thus far to pen a scenario in which we can stomach a murder as penance for a kiss. We’ll just have to see.

So, I conclude this is a stretch, but not quite out of reach.

Theory #2: Christine pays the price

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It doesn’t take much dot connecting to come to the conclusion that this character has to go sooner or later. With the revelation that she shot Dexter’s sister, she doesn’t violate Dexter’s code and will easily be a major focal point for our hero. Getting to her will be difficult with the assumption at the end of episode 10 that she is now in police custody.

Christine is a huge problem for both Trinity and Dexter, since she has enough evidence to pin them both. It would be a nice and tight ending to see her somehow set loose before she spills the beans, brought to ahem Dexter’s justice, and somehow pinned for the Trinity murders. Unfortunately, the DNA evidence Deb already has on Trinity makes this ending impossible. If the police associate the name Arthur Mitchell with Trinity, Dexter will be linked through Mitchell’s family and his own cell phone records. As his own daughter, Christine is such a problem for Trinity, I could certainly him perform the deed himself.

At any rate, Dexter in jail for Season 5 sounds like a major drag of a show. If we assume Dexter will somehow brilliantly weasel his way out of suspicion this season, Trinity has to go away before the police discover Arthur Mitchell. Christine has to disappear.

Any others?

---

Before I close: can I say for the record that I *love* John Lithgow in this role? Who doesn’t? He’s the kind of villain you’d hope for: evil to the core, yet hopelessly vulnerable, even socially naïve with his own strict code of ethics that leave both Dexter and us audience members captivated by every word. I can’t wait to see him face off with Dexter this week as he learns “Kyle’s” true identity.

See you all on Sunday!

***********************

12/9 Update

Rest in peace, Bobimus.

On Saturday morning, I held our dear rat in my hands while Jeremy busily cleaned out his cage. I didn’t know then it would be for the last time. He ate a peanut, his favorite snack, and then nestled down into my Orange Bowl sweatshirt. A short time later, he fell asleep against my palms while we waited together for Jeremy to finish.

For Bob, the rest of the day was spent arranging his fresh rags around his cage in just the way he wanted. He covered his food-bowl with one, in the way we lovingly remark as his “lazy-stashing” technique. The other two, he pulled into his purple house and fluffed, pulled and fluffed again and again, until the entire house floor was covered with comfortable, clean bedding. He left a small opening at the top of his house door, to peer out on us as we unpacked the living room whenever his curiosity arose. This was his routine.

At one point last night, Bob grew tired and slowly made his way back to his house for the last time. He curled up in a ball as he liked to do, shut his eyes and laid down for rest.

Bob was three and a half.

I'm sorry it's a little depressing for a welcome back post. I've missed you guys and there will be more (uplifting news) to come.

Nyquil and Christmas Lists

Sniffle, Sniffle

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I’m sick today. Just with generic sore throat, sniffle crud, and overall being miserable. I've gotten nothing accomplished, trying to sleep and accumulating a pile of Kleenex balls on the end table near my couch. Eeew... You’ll have to forgive me for a sloppy post: I’m on serious drugs.

But I did knock out my Christmas wish list, so Sheri: you’ve been asking and it’s here. Yay! Please don’t feel the need to clear the sucker out all on your own; if my Christmas is solely comprised of the new Batman on BluRay, I’ll be ecstatic. :)

No more Ads :)

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I’ve also permanently ditched Google Adsense from this blog that earned me a whopping $13 in two years. Not even enough to receive a first check. I’m replacing it with just Paypal. That way, if I get a generous-feeling reader every now and then browsing Blogger, at least I can get myself a cup of coffee at Starbucks. No minimum payout there.

Mmmm. I love coffee.

Check out my nifty new buttons on the side-bar ----------------------->

New Series Coming Thursdays on Thia Loves the Summer

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I'm tired of whining about how much I miss writing. So, I'm jumping back on the horse. Here's my plan: I’m tabulating a small collection of stories I’ve written over the past 18 months or so. As an experiment, I’m going to post them here kind of like a regular series, called: Unnatural Tales, I think.

I’ve picked Thursdays as a regular posting time. I’ll do this for eight weeks and we’ll see how popular it is with ya’ll. If you like it: I’ll keep it up. If not, I’ll likely scrap it in lieu of a Sci Fi soap opera idea I’ve been tossing around for a few weeks.

I’m pretty excited about picking up writing again. I hope I’m not over-committing the amount of time I’ll need to dedicate to do it well. I’m pretty soaked up with work and studying these days.

Anyway, look for a first installment tomorrow night.

Zero progress today on MS certification exam studying today. Ugh, I hate being sick. I'm going back to bed. See you guys tomorrow.

Love ya,
-T.

Gambling Anyone? Say it ain't so!

Hmmm... Gambling is too stressful...

I'm the kind of girl that can't bring myself to drop a dollar in a slot machine. Nope, can't do it. Even though I've been to Reno and Vegas a handful of times. Something about losing my hard-earned money in a few seconds of lunacy elicits my gag reflex.

And then I found CentSports (thanks, Jeremy!). A site that lets me spend other people's money... for free. Say it ain't so! That would be a dream come true to oh so stingy but wildly competitive individuals like myself. But it's true!

So if you want to play me, I hope to see you there!

http://www.centsports.com/?opcode=300548

This is how it works. CentSports funds itself through a network of advertisers, not you. So, every person starts with 10 cents to bet on any college or professional sports outcome (I lost 4 cents on Louisville today, dang it!). If you're good, and make it to $10, you're a rock star and are eligible to cash out your earnings, for yep... real money.

If you lose everything... you get to start over at 10 cents (with again no cost to you).

So, I'm not so hot yet. But I believe I can get there with some risk-free practice! And I'm also completely addicted to messaging my friends to mercilessly mock their losses (just kidding!).

Let the games begin. YAAAYYY!!

Love,
T.

P.S. Thanks Nikki, for sending me and J more pics from the wedding. Otherwise I wouldn't have this gem from the Bachelorette Party. Ah, memories :)

Bachelorette Party Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

YouTube Impersonation #2

Hopefully, this is a last post about this issue. I've been asked how it's going.

Unfortunately, not well. BeautyIsMe911 hasn't responded to requests to remove my images from her site. And, she continues to receive death threats for her trolling, even though she knows her user base still largely believes she is me.

Here's a message I sent to her inbox this evening. Additionally, I am looking for volunteers who can be added to a witness list on my behalf. If you have witnessed this user's impersonation attempts first hand or have been otherwise victimized by this user, please consider providing me with your contact information (just an E-mail address for now) and a short description of what you have seen.

You can send this information to me privately at my YT account: http://www.youtube.com/user/thiamichelle. I *will not* share this information with anyone beyond my legal counsel, if I choose to take action.

Thanks so much!
-T.

The following is an actual letter sent to BeautyIsMe911 today

Hello,

This is a courtesy mail to alert you that you are illegally using my digital property without permission and failure to respond may result in legal action against the user in possession of the YouTube account: BeautyIsMe911.

I realize that this is the third time you have been contacted by me requesting the removal of my digital property from your site, but I have recently received legal advice that it would be advantageous to my claim if I can produce as evidence that you have been clearly notified that I have not consented to your use of my property. You have deleted my messages to this effect, so I will retain a copy of this message having been sent to your user account November 30, 2008 and will post a copy of it to my personal blog.

Copyright of photographic digital property constitutes the following:

Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is “created” when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time. No publication or registration or other action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright.

Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:

• To reproduce the work

More information about this crime can be read at: www.copyright.gov

The property in question is my image I am showing as evidence originally posted to my personal Flickr account in July 14, 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux_chick/26043311/in/set-72157594174429869/

This image was illegally used by your YouTube account BeautyIsMe911 from October 2008 and is still in use today.

Further more, if you are using this account to attempt to gain revenue by intentionally leading others to believe you are the individual advertised in your site images, it is fraudulent act. I am citing the following textual examples as evidence that you are knowingly leading users to believe you are the woman captured in the stolen digital property in question.

Screenshots from your website and messages:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux_chick/3072716785/in/set-72157609184983826/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux_chick/3032863915/in/set-72157609184983826/

Also as evidence that you are intentionally leading user to believe you are the individual as advertised in your website, you have deleted all textual comments that have attempted to correctly alert your users that you are not the person in any of the images on your YouTube website.

I’ve received counsel that advised me to do the following immediately:
1) Clearly request removal of my digital property from your site in a manner that can be produced as evidence, and
2) To begin tabulating a list of witnesses on my behalf

I will begin over the upcoming weeks tabulating this list. To date, I have two volunteers that I have added to my complaint.

This letter can be considered an official notice, that unless this matter is rectified promptly, legal action may be taken against you.

Thank you for your time.

YouTube Impersonation

YouTube Impersonation Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

Recognize that girl? Yep, that's because it's me. Only it isn't.

A good samaritan recognized me on Flickr and tracked me down to Facebook to let me know that a woman(?) claiming to be "Amaya" had stolen my images in hopes to bump her own traffic and was harassing other YouTubers, making racist comments and overall sucking at life (Thanks, Diana for your diligence in finding me!).

Is your head spinning, yet? Mine was.

Apparently, the user claims to be somewhat of a hair expert and enjoys calling out other users for "fashion faux pas." One of her primary victims, Ateyaa, sent me a sweet note to let me know that she hopes I sort this out, since people now know who I am and believe me to be a "mean person."

I can see that I've also received some messages on my Flicker account. So now, I'm irritated that I feel I need to write this post to defend myself. In case it isn't obvious by this point, here it is:

I am not BeautyIsMe911, and I don't know who is. The profile pic is indeed my image, but it was stolen and used without my knowledge or permission. I'm not a part of the hurtful and ignorant nonsense spewed by this user and am doing everything in my power to wrap up the matter quickly.

I've reported the user to YT, posted on her videos and even J has demanded her removal of my stolen images. Fortunately for me, from what I've read today, it looks like YT takes copyright issues fairly seriously. We'll have to wait and see.

And as much as I hate to send my traffic her way, I'm eager that together we can pressure her to do the right thing before YT takes action.

Lame!

http://www.youtube.com/user/BeautyIsMe911

Amaya, if you're reading this: do the right thing. It's time to own up.

The End of Our Pregnancy

LC
Originally uploaded by Linux Chick.

Warning:

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First thing’s first. I’m sorry for spending so long away, only to return with this downer of a post. I regret that it will be anything but uplifting, so I apologize and invite you to NOT read any further.

After I wrote this, I debated about whether I should even post it. But, I found other women’s stories so comforting, even if they were just venting that I decided to throw it on here for the world to judge. Who knows? Maybe someone will come across it Googling and hopefully walk away feeling a little less alone.

So, here’s what I wrote. It’s unedited, so be warned…

Yesterday

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Yesterday, I wondered if I should be writing all this down. That if things did not work out like we hoped things would, if I would look back on yesterday’s moment and somehow be envious.

The thought was ridiculous at the time, I was so rapt with worry about the future of our unborn that any news (yes, even the most terrible of news) would have been a relief. Anything else I may have felt, I can’t remember now.

Today, I wish I could write all the things that yesterday I couldn’t bear to. But, I’m unable to grasp anymore the optimism that I used to cling onto: that everything might work out okay and the baby might somehow make it through this pregnancy.

The Miscarriage

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I knew it was all ending, and soon. I sat on the toilet with the balls of my feet and palms of my hands against the tile floor. I was sweating and I wondered if I was going to throw up. There was pain. And with the pinching, everything in my body betrayed me and worked to expel our precious little one.

When it was over, I gripped the shower curtain beside me and sobbed. 

Suspecting this would happen for nearly two weeks, didn’t really help. Knowing that 20% of all pregnancies end this way didn’t help. I was devastated.

I couldn’t speak. Crumpled on the floor, it took me almost an hour to tell J what happened.

Today

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Aside from the bleeding, nothing in particular is different about today. An hour ago, I washed my face and looking in the mirror, I started to put on my make up. The routine should’ve felt more familiar than it did. It's after all just another day, but I was surprised that with all that had happened, I appeared totally unchanged.

But everything had changed.  I looked down at my flat tummy, knowing it would never grow and grew angry.  I wanted to yell at it: 'What's so wrong with you that you couldn't keep the baby!?  You look fine!  You're not sick!'

It’s utterly impossible not to feel that you’ve failed in some terrible and very fundamental way.

I must’ve aged a thousand years today.

-T.

Do Democrats Have Too Much Pride?

Obama vs. Hillary
Originally uploaded by Manuel Valencia.

See how happy they look? Why can't we learn the value of good comradeship like these two? *sigh*

Democrats are... Defectors?

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Now, I'm a Democrat and am probably going to catch all kinds of crap for this.

Let me begin with saying that I'm a Hillary supporter. Yep, I felt the sting last Tuesday when I watched her campaign chances all but dwindle down to zero. I'm still donating on my recurring campaign automated schedule and I'm behind her as long as she's in it (and today, it sounds like she is definitely in it to stay). But, I'm not in complete denial that pending a miracle, she's about done.

Okay, fine. So, it sucks... but we don't always get what we want. When/if she’s counted out, I'll give myself a couple weeks to sulk, then I'll start buying Obama buttons.

A significant number of us seem to disagree. I felt a wave of genuine nausea last Tuesday at a polling statistic touted by MSNBC. Only 48% of Indiana and North Carolina Hillary supporters would support Obama in the election should she lose. Less than half?!

If Obama wins, nationally, 28% of Hillary supporters will vote... McCain?! Obama supporters are a little better at 19%.

Today, that number is up to almost 50%, with only 34% of West Virginian Hillary supporters willing to support Obama in the national election should he win the nomination.

What’s the deal? This is beyond Obama's image getting muddied over Hillary throwing a little dirt.

And it’s bigger than a demographic.

I am so tired of hearing that Hillary supporters are uneducated racists. I’m a college graduate, twenty-something minority female engineer. I’m sure that Hillary has a few bigots in her clan, probably as many sexists that have flocked to Obama. But I digress.

It's a Simple Question of Policy, Right?

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When it comes down to policy, it’s a struggle to find any two serious candidate contenders more aligned than Hillary and Barack.

We’re saying (and by we, I mean Democrats), that after our self-professed general political alignment with the Democratic ideals, if we lose Hillary, we’d opt to prolong/send more the war and make Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy permanent?!

Either, we haven’t been paying close attention to what Hillary plans to do in the White House, or something else is going on.

I’m going with door #2… and I think it’s pride.

We Need to Swallow It Down

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We can all take a lesson from Alanis on this one. Why? Because we absolutely can lose this Presidential election if we don't get it together.

Some of us have been very invested in the campaigns and have listened to all the speeches. We think Obama is just great, (really, we think he's a nice guy). But we just aren’t convinced he would make as strong of a President compared with Hillary. Over time, that perception of him as “motivational,” “great” and all-round nice guy has become tainted. It’s probably not even Obama’s fault.

It’s the same reaction that happens when we see an evangelist on the street corner holding up a sign reading: “Jesus loves you.” Even fellow Christians cringe and cross the street.

See, no one likes to be preached to (in fact, by now, you're probably already growing sick of my rant), and there are a lot of Obama (and yes, I know, Hillary) zealots out there touting their candidate as the holy messiah to save us from all things unhappy.

I've felt it, too.

But, at the end of the day, I hope I can take a deep breath and realize that it’s the reason this dang nomination is dragging out so long: it’s hard for us to choose between two strong candidates.

And, our country needs a Democrat to clean up our current mess/disaster that Republicans seem to be in denial about. If Hillary doesn’t make it, Obama can and will be an excellent choice. The nominee is going to need our support.

So, if it’s pride (and I think it is), how do we fix it by November?

Comments? Leave them below.

On to other stuff...

I Was Dugg, Yay!

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It's not a significant accomplishment compared with any serious blogger (I got a whopping 10 and 4 for two articles here). And it'll probably never happen again, but I was excited enough to add the Digg widgets to my blog.

So, now, I can be more easily mocked when I all my subsequent post diggs sit at zero :)

Donate, today to HillaryClinton.com

How to Survive a Zombie Invasion: A Practical Guide

In case of zombies....
Originally uploaded by Drunken Monkey.

It's a Zombie Invasion! What do I do?!

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Have no fear. If the undead begin to rise and reak havok on civilization as you know it, this trusty guide will safely navigate your survival.

I watch a lot of zombie movies. It's my dad's fault. He used to sit down with me from the age of six to view any run of the mill slasher I wanted. I loved it. I saw all the Nightmare on Elm Streets (multiple times in fact – these were my favorites). I grew up on Jason, Halloween, Night of the Living Dead, you name it. So, over time, I've come to consider myself somewhat of a horror amateur connoisseur.

In my experience, there are some practical actions we can take to avoid death should a zombie invasion occur that typically go unexamined on film. It's no accident – employing these rules will allow humans to win... and that's simply not as entertaining.

What is a zombie?

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In order to successfully survive a zombie invasion, we have to be sure we've correctly identified what a zombie is. Not to be confused with vampires, zombies are an undead threat to us in daylight and nighttime. These reanimated corpses were previously living humans (or animal, see Resident Evil Zombie Dogs), that have died, and though dead, are now walking among and attacking the living.

Note that this definition excludes “zombies” in films like 28 Days/Weeks Later. Apologies to all the fans (I like the franchise, too), but although they contain a virus/cannibalistic component, they are not technically zombie films since the infected are not undead and are subject to starvation, death and other natural elements as normal individuals are. My survival “rules” only work given the standard characteristics of true zombies.

Survival in 3 Steps

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Surviving a zombie invasion requires careful mastering of three items in order of priority: 1) Environment, 2) Body armor, and 3) Weaponry.

Environment

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You cannot run forever, and zombies never sleep. They are forever walking around in hopes of stumbling across a member of the living to devour. So, it is vitally important to quickly identify a secure location to live and sleep.

Go upstairs and destroy the stairwell. Zombies cannot climb or swim. Apparently, this requires higher brain function than zombies have. Luckily, we can do both. So unless you can quickly identify a castle with a mote, I'd pick a second plus story apartment. Then, either destroy the stairwell, or you have to permanently block the door. From here on out, you will be scaling the building to climb in or out of your residence of choice. No zombie will be able to follow you.

Apartments are more desirable to houses, because they usually have crawl spaces that connect to other apartments. So, not only do you have to jump up to get in them, but they can give you a quick way out that the undead cannot follow if you need it.

Climb your way to safety.

Body Armor

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I have yet to see this discussed in a zombie film, and to me the is the most surprising omission. One constant across all films: it will be very bad for you if you are bitten by a zombie.

The details tend to vary, but you are infected with zombie blood and one of two things will happen: 1) your wound will get infected because zombies have very poor hygiene and you will eventually die (and become a zombie), or 2) the zombie blood is lethal and so you will quickly die and, well... become a zombie.

You will eventually have to venture outside for supplies/human companionship/sheer boredom, and any exposed flesh will be ripe for a surprise zombie attack. For this, you will need to find the nearest military base or abandoned soldier's home and steal an army combat uniform plus boots.

Lucky for you, zombies really only have one weapon – their teeth. They will never pick up a gun, rock or other weapon. In fact, in most films, zombies are not intelligent enough to operate door turn handles. They are deadly when they surprise you, and when they swarm you in large numbers. The ACU protects you from both. It's not penetrable by human teeth (but you must protect your neck and face!), and is light enough to allow you to get up and run to avoid a potential attacking clan.

If you can't find an ACU, use what you have. Wear jeans, even bubblewrap is better than nothing! Why some individuals venture outside in a zombie situation in shorts and a tank top is beyond me. Sounds like a candidate for Darwin Awards.

Cover up exposed flesh.

Weaponry

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Eventually, you will need to kill a zombie. Zombies can only “die” through blunt trauma to the head or decapitation. You cannot break their necks, burn them alive, or otherwise injure them. Zombies do not feel pain.

Guns are great, but you will eventually run out of bullets. Murphy's law instructs you this will happen at precisely the wrong moment. The key lies in being prepared with a variety of weapons.

Guns will help you for paving a way through a mob. You only need to shoot a clear path – then run for cover. Fresh meat and zombie mobs tend to attract more zombies.

Baseball bats are a fantastic choice. They are quick and pretty clean, minimal risk of zombie infection.

Knives and stabbing weapons are usually a mistake. They allow the undead too close, within biting range. But if you must, I would recommend attaching the stabbing weapon to a plastic broom or some other durable stick. The key here is to keep the zombie face as far away from the body as possible.

Remember that face offs with zombies always end up bad for the human. If all the above fails and your zombie has come within arms reach, don't panic. You simply have to maneuver yourself behind the zombie. Then, grab your foe by the back of the neck (you know, like the snake handlers on Animal Planet). Now you have control of your zombie and are free to bash his(/her?) head against the nearest wall or suitable solid object of choice.

With any luck, you are entangled with the pre-2001 flavor of zombie, which are extremely slow. In this case, out-maneuvering your opponent should be a snap.

And remember – aim for the head. :)

I hope you have enjoyed this little survival manual. I'm open to critique and further thoughts. Leave them below.

We're so *Class-y-cal*

A Night with Mozart

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Last night, Jeremy and I got all pretty and went to the Sacramento Choral Society's Requiem by Mozart. He was required to go for a Music Appreciation course he has, but I decided to come along for fun. See how pretty we are?

I always seem to appreciate art more when there is a local focus. Reading the program, I learned that all of the members of this orchestra and choir were professional musicians currently living in the Sacramento area. The pieces performed after the intermission weren't even Mozart, but requiems from grammy-nominated USC professor Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna, written in 1997. I'm not sure if this local composer theme is a regular thing with this group, but for me, it worked.

After the concert, I overheard an elderly couple remark that, "The first half was wonderful, but the second was absolutely magnificent," apparently none the wiser that a second composer had been slipped into the program at all. What a compliment for Lauridsen.

The choir received a deserved standing ovation.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day!

It's the Anniversary!

Alicia Keys in a Red Dress
Originally uploaded by bigdmia

It's our two-year anniversary and Jeremy did freaking awesome. Well, okay our anniversary is in a few weeks. But there's a reason we're doing it early.

I was greeted Thursday afternoon by a dozen roses, an appropriately mushy card, and two tickets to Alicia Keys this Sunday night. What a surprise -- I'm pretty much on Cloud 9, but I'll stop here.

Don't want to make the ladies jealous :)

Other Stuff

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I love this apartment complex, community, and blah blah - but the management could use some work.

Yesterday, I received a bright green "Illegally Parked" notice stuck on my car window. And when I say "stuck," I mean the break-out-your-paint-scrapers, peel away in millimeter-diameter strip fragments for twenty minutes while hurling explicatives kind of stuck. The guy (or girl) had to have broken out a blow dryer to make that sucker bake against the glass in the few hours the notice had been there. That, or paper adhesive backing is now secured with super glue.

I was pretty hot.

Apparently, I'm "illegally parked," for leaving my complex registered vehicle in my one parking spot allotted to me in my lease. Reason? My car "hasn't moved" -- the only comment on the notice. Wow.

So, sue me. Lately, I carpool.

What really gets me is, every day I pass all kinds of cars illegally parked in the driving areas of my complex. Occasionally, they are blocking other residents in. Occasionally, they are blocking me in. But management here is very proactive. Yay! For this, we all get generic nasty-grams from management telling us that if residents don't begin using designated parking, management reserves the right to hold garage inspections.

Garage inspections? Why not tow them?

I think I understand, the idea here is that some residents are packing their garages full of their crap and use two outdoor parking spaces, instead of their lease allotted one.

Nothing ever comes of the threats. And anyway, how are residents supposed to use their garages when we're always worrying about being blocked in?

Apparently, this is okay, so long as we routinely move our cars from one illegal spot to another.

Yep. Tow the legally-parked residents and we'll free up the space for the folks parking in the middle of the driving areas. Then, everybody wins!

Meh, I think I may be jaded that there are still tiny bits of that notice maybe forever stuck to my poor Neon window.

Battlestar Galactica Predictions

The Last Supper
Originally uploaded by kidddrunkadelic14.

I'm venting today a little about a topic that I'm frankly sick of thinking about. Apologies in advance for pulling you into my deluded psyche. Here we go.

So, who is the fifth and final cylon?

For going on three weeks now, I've been convinced that it's Anastasia Dualla. (That's right, Dee. I said it!)

So, why Dee...

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My rationale was three-fold:

Point One: Gender
The fifth is probably female. This keeps what I like to call our “5-7-12” theme consistent. Thematic numbers seem to be extremely important to the BSG series writers. We have the concept of twelve colonies, twelve humanoid cylon models, twelve human archetypes and further designation of the “Significant Seven” and the “Final Five.” If the fifth cylon is female, we have a cylon group of seven males and five females.

Not exactly iron-clad proof, but a fair point, I think nonetheless.

Point Two: Gasp. “You... forgive me, I had no idea.”
D'Anna Briers is surprised and apologetic towards one of the Five that are revealed to her in the Opera House. It's clearly a clue for us, but the last time Briers had significant contact with humans was back in season two; we really need to think back. Honestly, myself, I'm split between this being a clue for Sam Anders (whom she tried to kill before a Six shot her) or for Anastasia Dualla, whom she consistently dismissed condescendingly during the Galactica tour in “Final Cut.”

Point Three: “Adama is a cylon.”
Here's the clincher for me. These are the famous last words of Leoben before Roslin throws him out the airlock. We also have significant indication that Leoben's entire objective aboard Galactica was to relay that very message to Roslin, even stalling stalling his own execution through lies, voluntarily enduring torture the face of for the chance to tell her. He leaves it up to her to deduce which Adama he means, though I don't think she could even be sure at this point.

She (and I admittedly, at first) assumes Leoben is referring to Admiral Adama (hereafter referred to as William). After he passes his cylon test, she rejects the theory as a divisive lie and begins the even more intimate partnership/relationship with the man that continues today. We have no indication she thinks of his revelation again... but I'm not so sure I agree with her assessment.

So, let's look at our "Adama" options: William, his children, and don't forget Dualla (since Lee and Dualla have since married).

The Admiral: William being a cylon is a long-shot without taking into account the “Last Supper” photo-argument, given Boomer's programming to shoot the man. We know that the Significant Seven do not program themselves, nor do they know who programmed them. But since we're aware of at least eleven of the twelve cylon models are programmable, and if the raiders even refuse to engage one of the Final Five, I have a hard time buying Boomer being programmed to shoot one.

Zac & Lee: I don't even want to discuss any of William's kids. Lee is excluded in the "Last Supper" photo. But, if Zac Adama is a cylon member of the Final Five... I'll quit watching the show. It's beyond reasonable plausibility to me that one of the main characters on the show can have a child, raise him and have no idea he's a planted cylon. I have no idea what kind of complicated-conspiracy/hospital-room-switched-at-birth scenerio would have to ensue to make this work... and I don't want to. It sucks.

Dee: So, if Leoben is being truthful: we get more early development of Leoben's character as uniquely prophetic, foretelling Dualla and Lee Adama's marriage, and yet another hit for Dualla. Nice.

So, I went along my merry way under this assumption until I saw Razor.

And Why I'm Unsure Now

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Now, I generally don't buy into the over-analysis that seems to take part on some of these topics. I know what you're thinking - and yes, some analyses are much much worse :) Remember, the meticulous examination “Last Supper” promo picture. Clearly, the show producers are trying to relay a fair amount of symbolism through the image, but like the cylon model to astrological sign mapping, we viewers can occasionally read more into these symbols than what was intended by the writers.

Ronald Moore admitted over a year ago, for example, that the numbering of the cylons, with the exception of Six, was entirely random. But you'll still find cyberspace littered with charts and diagrams matching the various models by job function or personality types to their perceived astrological match.

That said, something the old hybrid imparted in Razor reminded me of an obvious omission in the now famous BSG promo image. I'll only highlight one point; I think you'll find it not too much of a stretch.

The old hybrid elaborates about the fifth:

“At last, they’ve come for me. I feel their lives, their destinies spilling out before me. The denial of the one true path, played out on a world not their own, will end soon enough. Soon there will be four, glorious in awakening, struggling with the knowledge of their true selves. The pain of revelation bringing new clarity and in the midst of confusion, he will find her. Enemies brought together by impossible longing. Enemies now joined as one. The way forward at once unthinkable, yet inevitable. And the fifth, still in shadow, will claw toward the light, hungering for redemption that will only come in the howl of terrible suffering. I can see them all. The seven, now six, self-described machines who believe themselves without sin. But in time, it is sin that will consume them. They will know enmity, bitterness, the wrenching agony of one splintering into many. And then, they will join the promised land, gathered on the wings of an angel. Not an end, but a beginning.
Kara Thrace will lead the human race to its end. She is the herald of the apocalypse, the harbinger of death. They must not follow her. “

Remember Moore's admission/media slip that the “missing” individual at the table is the fifth cylon. Given the placement of the twelve present in the photo, we can infer that the missing individual would correspond to Judas in DaVinci's original piece. I mention it, because the characterization of a regretful Judas-like character being the fifth seems consistent with the hybrid's revelation.

So, Dualla? Hungering for redemption? Now I'm confused. Besides Baltar, who is excluded by the photo, I'm drawing a blank on who would harbor this amount of regret and guilt. Shrug. Maybe Dualla's heated argument with her father affected her more than I gave her credit for.

Or... maybe it's not Dee at all and I'm back to square one. Grrr...

To be sure, I guess I'll have to wait until Kara and her new crew reactivate the Three. In the meantime, feel free to leave your own hypothesis/thoughts.

Open Questions after the “Faith” Episode Last Night:

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1.Why did Boomer's blood “activate” the hybrid for Kara Thrace? What's the significance here?

2. What happens to Baltar's Virtual Six now that the NC Six is really dead?

Hello from California

Hair cut - Side view
Originally uploaded by linux_chick.

The hiatus is over

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My mother-in-law brought to my attention this morning that if Jeremy and I are not going to call family in Kansas often, I better at least be posting updates to my blog before she "sends out the calvary."

My apologies for not staying in better touch. I promise I'll do better, and this is my first stab at it :)

Haircut!

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Yesterday, I cut my hair shorter than it's been since I was six years old. Above, you'll see some pics I took this morning of it. My hairdresser, Mackenzie, even remarked how much hair was on the floor, and continued cutting away. I wanted the back to be pretty short, and then angle longer by the face. I brought in a picture of Rhona Mitra in Doomsday. Mackenzie opted to go more conservative, and I can't say I'm sad. It seems to fit pretty well.

I'm sure Dad will hate it. Your thoughts?

I can has a cheezburger?

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Jeremy bought a standing mixer yesterday. Yet another piece of evidence, that his newest cooking hobby/fixation/obsession isn't going away any time soon. And that's pretty much awesome. Over the past several months, I've been "forced" to try out his kitchen experiments, including: chicken teriyaki, lamb vindaloo, beer burgers, and grilled shrimp. Today, he'll add baking goods and pastries to the list. Life is sure rough, out here :) I'll need to keep an eye on my waistline!

Writing Update...

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I've been writing on Chromosome Black, but haven't pushed anything up here yet. I've also started a new story I'd like to write in tandem. It's inspired by a creepy dream I had a few months back that involved a distant future Earth that is nearly completely aquatic. Civilizations of people had been built along the ocean floor in large plastic domes that mimicked the old surface ecosystems of the past and people rely on these structures for their safety. I don't want to give away too much, now. I hope you enjoy reading when I push it up.

I'm off to do some homework. I'd love to read about life in Ks. Leave a comment.

--Thia

A Lil Clip from Today's Campaign and Taking Part in Hillary's Gaining Momentum

Hillary is a fighter

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Hillary is a fighter. It's why we like her; she has gained our trust in her as our dedicated advocate. She has done this through a lifetime of diligently fighting for causes she has committed herself to with the kind of unrelenting passion that makes many of us wonder where she draws her inspiration and caffeine pills.

Now it's our turn

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In the same way we count on her to consistently fight for our us in the Oval Office, we now have the unique and welcomed opportunity to return the favor. ( Yay! :) We won't let you down, Hillary!)

Hillary's campaign fund-raising goals have been met and greatly exceeded since Super-Tuesday. She's received from 90K+ donors for a total of > $9 million, but still needs our help to take back the edge over Obama's ever-rising popularity and funding.

Join with me in submitting a monthly contribution to Hillary's campaign.

Here's a li'l random clip I liked from a speech Hillary made today...

Why Thia is for Hillary

I'm convinced in my mind that Hillary is the right candidate for the Presidency of the United States.

It's time for change on women's issues.

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That picture up there is of me. From a person from African-American heritage *and* a woman, I will put before you my opinion from experience that our country has progressed much (*much*) further in our battles with racism than discrimination based on gender. I'm not saying racism is gone; that there is admittedly some work that needs to be done here. I can say that I believe we have much more pressing battle to fight.

Let's not mistake the urgency of the moment. Hillary makes our country face our own sexism. Oh, it's there; and it's very unpopular to mention. We live in a time when women who argue for equal pay are seen as radicals and sexist rhetoric is accepted as mainstream.

My husband put it well yesterday when he commented on his experience reading political blogs and comments. He observed not a single person called Barack Obama the infamous n-* word. No, how could they? They would be censored off respectable message boards in an instant and labeled a racist.

On the other hand, it's difficult to find a forum absent of the b-* word referring to Hillary.

... And we're used to it. It's almost a subconscious acceptance that ambitious, aggressive women will be hated among their peers and counterparts. I wish I could have the piece of mind to believe that the criticism Hillary draws is even 50% due to her perceived political unworthiness, rather than our overall discomfort with seeing a woman pursuing a role of public leadership.

I can think of nothing better to address this than to elect not only the best candidate, but an intelligent, capable and effective woman to the White House office.

I did my research

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Almost top to bottom, I agree with Hillary's political stances. From the environment, to the war, to education and health care she is absolutely spot on. In fact, for all that Hillary stands superior to Obama, he has only one worthy of her rebuttal: he has admitedly more charisma. This quality is an admirable one, and admitedly has value. But it's not enough for me to overlook the qualifications in which he doesn't measure up. Obama can put together a very inspirational speech, but I'm underwhelmed with my confidence he can do the kind of hard-lifting it will take in the next administration to get things done.

In a nutshell

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It's time for change. America doesn't need just any woman President. In fact, I think it's reasonable to assert that the first one will need to be exceptional. No, I believe instead that it's time for the *right* woman President - and that nominee is here. It's time for Hillary.

Please donate to Hillary's campaign by clicking here.

Jayhawk Status Update

Top 5 in the Nation

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It's official: we're #4 in BCS and #5 in AP.

New fans

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Here's an article on why Mangino should run up the score on Nebraska, given the opportunity.

And, this guy has to be the coolest hippie ever. I thought I saw him in the Baylor game briefly on TV and wondered who he was. Leave it to Emily Jones to find out for me. He calls himself White Owl.




New foes :)

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Dan Cornhusker-fan on Kansas before the game
Andy Cornhusker burns his jersey after beating "lowly" Kansas.