Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Erin Danielle's LiveJournal:

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Thursday, November 5th, 2009
5:46 pm	I wish I could post about the awesome time I had at Clare's Hallowe'en extravaganza last weekend, rather than the substituted agenda of spending several days either unconscious or attempting that state. What started out this week as one doctor's appointment quickly turned into three, spawning further into at least two upcoming (I've never seen a neurologist before, that will be a first). Nothing catching, so while saitou is under the weather as well I claim innocence in that affair. (Otherwise, stormcloud would be quite doomed by now.) I hope this resolves in the near future, because in a week and a half I will be going on my very first non-family or -Glee Club trip (yes, at my age . . .), so I am pretty excited about that. I'll keep my fingers crossed, and the tea brewing. Current Mood: sick (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, October 3rd, 2009
7:41 pm	perhaps an apology to the entertainment industry I'm just as disappointed in the directors, actors, and writers who've been defending a fugitive child-rapist, but a slightly closer look reveals the news coverage has again run to the sensational and there are a number of luminaries who have spoken out against Polanski. Best has got to be Chris Rock; I highly recommend watching this clip from an interview with Jay Leno. Rock may be my new hero. Kirstie Alley was apparently going nuts: you have to scroll down a fair bit, but she must have made ten or more posts condemning Polanski and his supporters. Two sighs of relief for the geek community would be Neil Gaiman and Kevin Smith, even though most of us have no difficulty separating an artist and his or her work. If California wins its extradition Polanski will find no friend in Schwarzenegger, which saitou pointed out is unusual for a European actor but not at all for a Republican elected official. (I'd like to think a Democrat would react the same way, if only to avoid the 'soft on crime' stigma.) But do watch the Chris Rock video. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
10:40 pm	out of the woodwork Like many of you, I'm sure, I've been fairly disgusted the past few days over the Polanski issue (my respect for the French gov't and the film industry has gone way, way down). Roman Polanski is not being "persecuted." Anything "horrifying" about this case is not on the part of the US officials requesting the extradition. One of my favourites is from the French Foreign Minister, saying, "This affair is frankly a bit sinister. Here is a man of such talent, recognized worldwide, recognised especially in the country where he was arrested. This is not nice at all." I'm sorry, but when did raping a child or fleeing the country because you don't like how your trial is going (and as rhipowered put it, "flaunting" that freedom by continuing to work) become acceptable because of the person's artistic ability? And I might have to hunt for the original quotation, because if that translation is accurate, since when was the legal process supposed to be ignored in favour of being "nice"? As saitou has pointed out, the biggest case the US has is that he skipped out while the trial was ongoing. If there was a question of judicial misconduct sure, that's a grave issue, but there's this thing, we call it an Appeals Court. More than just about anything, this country does not look kindly on breaking or evading the rule of law (we are Locke's idealogical descendents, after all*). We don't really care how long it's been, or how famous or talented you are, or what else you may have gone through, this is our social contract that holds everything together and you pretty flagrantly broke it. I'm confused about what is confusing about this. I've seen someone raise the concern that California is dead broke right now and the resources used on this could be better spent elsewhere, but that's an issue of practicality. Personally, I think what he was on trial for was pretty damn horrifying, but that's not the argument that will win us the extradition. (I hadn't known that unlawful sex with a minor and statuatory rape are separate charges and do not have to be prosecuted concurrently, which I'll admit I don't quite understand so perhaps I will look that up.) From a more amusing perspective, given timing of recent events, saitou and I were paraphrasing/imagining a recent exchange: United States: So, how about those hidden bank accounts our citizens have been using to, like, break the law? Switzerland: Right, that, here's a list! Switzerland: Also, here's Roman Polanski! United States: That's a start. *Although, has anyone else ever been bothered by the fact that Locke seems a lot less worked up about government cavalierly taking your life than cavalierly taking your stuff? (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
9:15 pm	. . . I am actually eating bread and water for dinner. Cheers for an upset stomach. Current Mood: dismal (Comment on this)
Saturday, July 18th, 2009
10:32 pm	Request for advice, if anyone knows/feels like it: I am trying to get back into healthier habits, including exercise, but I don't even know what to look for in terms of clothing for it (other than not-sweatpants). I overheat very easily, so that's always a big concern for me. Any suggestions/info would be appreciated. (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, February 23rd, 2009
5:22 pm	sometimes the universe is laughing Last night I went with my dad and little little brother to a Providence Bruins minor-league hockey game. My dad didn't know beforehand who they were playing, so when we got there and I saw it was the Springfield Falcons I cracked up. I then had a moment of indecision regarding my rooting preferences: "I grew up in this town, but the Falcons winning would make madraxus and lordavon happy . . . ." Went with the home team because I reasoned that if I were in Western Mass I'd have to support a Providence team, and they didn't disappoint. There was even a gloves-off fight, so it was a real hockey game. Current Mood: amused Current Music: head: Rush, "Free Will" (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
7:58 pm	Election Night '08 I want John King's magic map. (I love how everyone else in the media calls it that.) CNN really does win in terms of technology tonight, as I have to say that hologram was also pretty neat. On the other hand, would they please stop posting results when the returns are under 10% (or in some cases under 1%!). I know all the networks are desperate for something to say, but it's a little ridiculous. Today at lunch my dad decided to get pizza for everyone in the office in honour of tonight's expected victory, and ordered extra cheese and black olive so it would be white and black. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, October 19th, 2008
4:53 pm	apparently there's a new definition of "passing" In the process of reading some opinion columns from swing states, I came across this line from a reporter visiting a conservative white suburb: "A woman . . . said she didn’t approve of the way Mr. Obama tries to pass himself off as black despite being raised by a white mother and white grandparents." (Full story here.) Eyebrow-raising moment of the day, check. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, October 6th, 2008
6:09 pm	seems this one is going around again . . . Comment with your name and I'll tell you something I like about you. Afterward, copy and paste this into your own journal, so I may do the same! (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
6:48 pm	Needed: a kind person with a good eye who would still be willing to be my friend after an exercise that would try the patience of a saint. I have miserably difficult-to-fit feet, and I need new dress shoes. (Actually, I need two new pairs of dress shoes, but one is more immediate than the other.) On one occasion I had to go to seven stores before finding one pair of shoes; the good news is that it doesn't usually get that extreme. Still, of all errands this is possibly my least favourite, and any help would be vastly appreciated. Current Music: head: Bruce Dickinson, "The Tower" (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, September 12th, 2008
11:02 am	After reading a (not quite complete) transcript, I have one word for the Palin ABC interview: farce. 'Brazen' comes to mind as well. I commented to ladderrat a while ago on a very interesting article I saw in the NY Times about accountability and the disappearing line between public and private statements in the age of YouTube, blogs, camera phones and easily-hidden mini-recorders, but it seems none of that matters when you can just deny. I liked her line, "I would never presume to know God's will," when video is readily available of her on stage saying just the opposite. What disturbed me more was her refusal to actually answer questions or get into specifics rather than repeating general talking points, even when pressed. Gibson several times repeated his question and she still went right by it. When asked what insights Alaska's proximity to Russia has given her in dealing with the country and its leaders, she simply pointed out that Alaska is indeed close to Russia. Asked again what insights she's taken from that fact, she said, "Well, I'm giving you that perspective of how small our world is." Same scenario when later asked repeatedly if she approved cross-border strikes into Pakistan without the approval of the Pakistani government. In this attitude of 'I don't have to answer, I don't have to explain myself' she chillingly reminds me of our sitting president. I've said for a while: whoever wins this election, at least that person will be a step up from Bush. The degree differs, but at least that much is inescapable. I'm not sure how much I believe the people saying the rigors of the presidency are too much for a 72-year-old to live out a full term, but I certainly hope they're wrong because while McCain would still be an improvement, this makes me fear his potential successor would not. Lest one think I am ranting too much about the wrong end of the ticket, let's move to McCain. I'm tired of feminist political discourse revolving solely around abortion. Certainly it's an important issue, but hardly the only one. For starters, how about seventy-seven cents to the dollar? As you may recall, McCain recently voted against an equal pay for equal work bill (and helped it not pass). He then added insult to injury by stating that instead of lawsuits, women just needed to get "more education and training." In other words, McCain voted against the bill because he does not believe women's work is actually equal. Just out of the women reading this, can you imagine someone telling crystalsong or Maria that she needed more education so her work would measure up? It would be funny if it weren't galling. Maybe I should just stick to reading about people who think the Earth is going to get swallowed up by a black hole because of those mad scientists. Really, that's just funny. (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, September 11th, 2008
9:20 pm	yes, I am posting something from The National Review (I've remarked to saitou that for whatever reason I read many more opinion pieces by conservatives than I do news articles by conservatives.) This was too funny not to share. Victor Davis Hanson on Joe Biden: "Almost any thought that comes into his head goes out his mouth, and the strange thing is that no one seems to mind (imagine if Sarah Palin had said Obama was good looking, or a step backward, or that Romney would have been a better pick than herself), or even takes what he says seriously. He seems to have established a new Biden's Law: if one makes enough gaffes, they soon reach a point that none of them matter. And even stranger is Biden's Second Law of Politics: the more you sound obnoxious and offend, you soon reach a point where the shocked listener turns from anger to indifference and finally no less to empathy!" You can read the full piece here. Current Mood: amused (Comment on this)
3:57 pm	Question for LJ-ers: any suggestions on where I might go to recycle non-container (also larger) plastic items? I'd really rather not send them to a landfill, but I suspect that if I were to put them outside with the cans and bottles they would not get picked up. (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 8th, 2008
1:30 pm	Well, I'm glad to be reminded of the saying don't trust everything in a first read. Palin does support exceptions for the life of the mother (I'd have to do more digging to determine health of the mother), and that is significantly less disturbing. She's still quite disturbing in other ways (the catchphrase around our apartment has become "God wills it!"), but I didn't expect that to change. Also, one welcome benefit of moving to a place where the wireless network actually works is that my laptop is no longer effectively a less powerful desktop. Reminding myself that I could make lunch and not have to pause what I was working on was a pleasant surprise. Current Music: head: U2, "Bullet the Blue Sky" (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, September 4th, 2008
9:38 pm	For a very amusing presentation of Palin's governing by God's will, go to YouTube and do a search for "Palin of Heaven." stormcloud put some effort into its creation and it's quite worth it. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
9:52 pm	since everyone else seems to be discussing the Palin issue . . . I have to say I am not pleased with the people saying she is an abortion extremist and anti-feminist because she decided to carry a fetus with Down Syndrome to term. The whole point of being pro-choice is acknowledging women have a right to a choice rather than being forced into a particular action. To criticize a women for her choice because it's not the one you would have made is anti-feminist. Try to avoid hypocrisy that undermines your entire argument. That being said, I think she is an abortion extremist, but not because of her personal decision. Her stance of no exceptions even for rape, incest, or the life of the mother is as extremist as it gets. For the most part I don't think her daughter's pregnancy is news (as Obama was quick to remind us, his mother was 18 when she had him), but it does make me want to ask her, "If doctors discover that your daughter's life is in danger from this pregnancy, do you still think she must carry it to term? Are you willing to knowingly sacrifice your 17-year-old child to avoid sacrificing her child-to-be?" It's a position I literally do not comprehend. I also don't like her eagerness to drill all over Alaska including the ANWR because oil revenue matters and the environment doesn't. Or her hypocrisy in running as a reformer against pork spending and earmarks when she asked Stevens for a ridiculous amount of federal money for a sparsely populated state (and got it), or being for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it - campaigning on the one and governing on the other, in fact. She also neglects to mention that when she shut down the bridge project she still kept the federal money. This part isn't her but rather her followers, but people saying she has foreign policy credentials because Alaska is so close to Russia? Because I'm sure Putin is terrified of an invasion across the Bering Strait. And I hadn't been previously aware, but Chris showed me video of some of her past speeches that show a frightening confusion of church and state. She actually said that they needed to build a pipeline through Alaska because God willed it. Deus vult, anyone? She gave a very good speech tonight, I'll give her that, much better than I was expecting. Kind of juvenile to keep referring to Obama and Biden as "our opponents" rather than by name, but she proved herself capable on the national stage and I think that's a good thing. Frees up Biden in the veep debate; no longer the chance of it coming off as a kicked puppy sort of thing. She apparently can hold her own, so that might be interesting. And Chris has it for what the Democrat campaign line should be at this point: Do you really want a member of the Keating Five and someone currently under federal ethics investigation as the ones to clean up politics? Current Music: head: Rush, "Time Stand Still" *shrug* sue me (19 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
2:07 pm	all official As many of you already know, saitou and I will be moving to Boston come August (school for him and preparing for school for me - I have plans, now). We'll be moving in with stormcloud; drop me a line if you want to be included in the new address mass e-mail I'll be sending out soon. I have to say I'm pretty excited. (23 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, June 29th, 2008
9:45 am	Interesting article in the NY Times this morning, titled Obama Supporters Take his Middle Name as Their Own, about a group of young (mostly college-age) people responding to the Muslim rumours and smears in a somewhat novel fashion. While I'm not sure about the effectiveness of the tactic I do appreciate the sentiment, going beyond the usual 'Obama isn't actually a Muslim' to 'and even if he were, who the fuck cares?' The racism manifesting in this campaign has (rightfully) seen a lot of attention, but I've been just as disturbed and disgusted by the anti-Islam biases. Not directly related, but a few months ago I was angrier than I've been in a very long time to read an article about a public school principal who was forced out by 'concerned citizens' groups whose stated purpose is to keep Muslim Americans out of any positions of power and influence. What struck me was not the existence of such organizations - I'm hardly that naive - but the political and social climate in which they could state that purpose so openly. I'm sure there are organizations dedicated to keeping black Americans out of positions of power, but (other than the KKK) can you imagine one saying so to a newspaper reporter rather than coming up with some euphemism? Granted, such distinctions aren't always so relevant - witness Fox' latest series of blatant racism followed by half-hearted apology followed by blatant racism - but it's still something I notice. There are a few other good tidbits in the Times today, including an article that may as well be titled 'Who needs 527s when you've got YouTube?' and another about a law school that's willing to take a hit in federal funding to protest "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." I knew I liked Vermont. (Comment on this)
Friday, June 6th, 2008
7:57 pm	This is utterly fluffy and irrelevant, but Chris just pointed me to a top-100 hottest women type of list compiled on a lesbian website, following the same sort of thing on a for-heterosexual-men website a few weeks back, and really, in both cases, there is just no accounting for taste. (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 25th, 2008
11:01 am	at my Dad's Memorial Day shindig . . . My cousin Dave used to work as a caterer, and he's vegetarian. Food at Golden family gatherings tends to be pretty fantastic. Current Mood: content Current Music: background chatter (6 Comments |Comment on this)