Monthly Archives: May 2012

Is 67 More

Posted by Tata on

Pete: How about hamburgers for dinner?
Tata: That sounds great. You should make rolls.
Pete: You should make rolls.
Tata: What? I could swear you just said I should bake something.
Pete: Use my bread recipe.
Tata: I guess…I guess I could. I could do that, right? I could!

Pete put his recipe for whole wheat bread on the kitchen table and watched from a safe distance as I added flours, salt, herbs, dry milk, butter and water to the mixing bowl without injuring myself. I covered the dough with plastic wrap and we went out for a fantastic bike ride on a sunny day. Later, I punched it down, covered it and took a nap. Finally, I divided it into six more or less equal roundy-squarey globs. Then I turned over the compost heap and when I came back, the globs looked like rolls. Pete and I stared at them. We preheated the oven, sprinkled dried onions and wheat germ over top. Pete told me to get that water spritzer I use to tame my Mediterranean mane and spray water inside the oven before putting in the rolls to bake. So I did.

Believe it or not: edible!

We pulled one apart to taste it. I couldn’t believe it. This wasn’t even hard to do!

See the Evil And the Good Without Hiding

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When last we left god-forsaken Kansas, it was ready to forsake caring for women, even sick women. Perhaps the bill will pass, perhaps not, but that’s not really this issue, in my opinion. No, the real question is where is the AMA? Why does the AMA not step in and insist that legislators knock off this destructive shit that will make doctors all but uninsurable in Kansas and any other state that permits or, as in New Hampshire, demands doctors lie to patients?

Neutrality favors the oppressor 100% of the time.

It’s the best question the AMA’s website does nothing to address. Have a look at the site. It’s so mild it says nothing at all about anything, really. Fortunately, there’s a contact site, so you can ask the AMA yourself. I wrote a charming, profanity-free letter asking why the AMA is silent when women are harassed, misled, misinformed, mistreated, left untreated and, as far as the statutes are concerned, raped? This is not medical care. It is complicity with torturers.

You too might want to write a letter.

The Blues Get Ahold Of You

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Mutts on leashes. Squirrels. Outdoor cats. Birdies. Fat, tasty toddlers. It’s sort of a miracle screens contain tiny couch panthers and window sill mountain lions.

Kansas Bill Permits Doctors to Refuse to Administer Chemotherapy to Pregnant Cancer Patients

Anti-gay Amendment One passes in NC

I can’t talk. This is all too fucking sad.

Words Are Meaningless And Forgettable

Posted by Tata on

I hesitate to quote from the New York Times, the jealous-boyfriend-who-hates-your-besties of newspapers. Ignore it and the Times sends you email about taking it back. Quote it on your blog and the Times threatens you. Well, New York Times: two can play that game. Ead-re the rticle-ay.

Note the tentative language. We’re not talking about egregious labor violations, unsafe working conditions, paycheck theft and extortion; we’re talking about student complaints. Isn’t it charming the State Department took the time to listen? Yes, it’s so charming. As we know, students get riled and have complaints about nothing all the time.

Please hold and our next available representative will be with you shortly.

Complaints Department. How can I help you?

In America, this crap happens all the time, mostly to the working poor. The mistake these companies made was in assuming educated, middle class people would tolerate the same treatment. That the State Department stepped in may be the best reason for hope – about anything – in a long time. I’m shocked it happened. And even though we’re suffering through disgusting finals – the week I call When Freshmen Forget How To Flush – I’m hoping students complain some more.

Ten Nine Eight I’m Always Counting

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The thing about vacations – even the ones taken at home – is that each day fills with more things to do than there are hours in which to do those things. There should be a formula:

V = What the hell, it’s dinnertime and I just ate brunch!

Yes, that’s true. You should also know my cousin the hairdresser and I decided our tiny town needs nothing with a greater urgency than a tiki bar.