Joss Speaks

Just when I thought the stress of the upcoming election (and the economy, and having my bathroom remodeled, etc and so forth) was going to be too much for me, I stopped by Whedonesque and was rewarded with not one, but TWO recent Joss posts!

I really should sign up for some kind of alert system for Joss posts - bells and whistles and flashing lights - but then there wouldn't be the sweet serendipitous feeling of stumbling on them myself. And nothing beats serendipity. (Side note, Serendipity was the title of one of my Reading books in elementary school. Coolest textbook name ever.)

As always, Joss put me in a good mood. (another reason blogs are fun -- you can talk familiarly about famous people you will never meet as if they're old pals) Not only because it's just good fun to read anything Joss writes, but because he sounds pretty positive on the progress of Dollhouse. (his new series coming to Fox in January)

The rumors have been a bit worrisome lately with shutdowns and rewrites and cougars on set (yes, I made one of those up). Joss, however, says "Poppycock!" Sure, he admits to frustration and despair, but he also goes on to speak of a stronger, better Dollhouse on the horizon. And Jane Espenson is joining the mix which makes me all kinds of happy.

Here's a link to the full post, Joss Whedon's update on Dollhouse, and a sampling:

What's me up to? I'm glad me asked. Me've (I'm not doing that any more) been working on a little show called Dollhouse. Yes, perhaps you've read about how it's blazing an untrammeled path to surefire success, with nary a hitch or a hiccup, just pure blazing blazery, comet-like and meteoresque. What's that, you say? You've read other things? Dark, Yog-Sothothy rumors about shutdowns and delays? Poppycock! They’re true. But I never pass up a chance to say "poppycock". ("Balderdash" is so '07. Let it go.) I know there's been a lot of concern, various fabulous hues of panic alert readiness. So here's the skinny. Some of the names have been changed.

And as if that wasn't enough to make me smile, Joss posted again today with a List of Happies, explained in his own words below:

Hi guys. I was talking today to Patton Oswalt, which already makes me cool, but he said something that struck me: He said if he’s snarky as hell, everybody feels him, but if he talks honestly about things he truly loves, he’ll get flamed right off the net. Which makes a twisted sense: for what do haters hate more than love? Since I am burnt from work, I’ve decided to light a flame of my own by listing, in absolutely no order of importance, a few things that jazz me right now. Haters, start your search engines.

So, I'm off to think about the things that make me happy at the moment and for the next week I'll cling to the belief that no matter how dark it may get, there's always the hope that Joss Whedon will ride in with an Internet musical, a new TV series, or even just a promosing blog post to lift my spirits.

Sarah Palin vs. Fruit Flies

Yes, Sarah Palin has again opened her mouth only to promptly insert her foot. And, yes, her supporters have continued to defend her ignorance. This is the kind of political situation that is either very funny or very scary, but we won't know which until after November 4th.

Palin's latest gaffe occured on Friday when she gave a speech urging the federal government to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In the course of her speech, Palin ridiculed some of the projects currently funded by Congress, including fruit fly research -- which happens to have yielded valuable insights into genetic disorders such as autism.

The tone of her comment, followed by saying "I kid you not", clearly shows her contempt for the concept of fruit fly research. (see video below) Her detractors have been quick to point out the importance of fruit fly research and to mock Palin for not understanding the enormous scientific value in this research.



Palin supporters have rushed to her defense, claiming that she was refering to a particular earmark for research into controling the olive fruit fly, not on fruit fly medical research. For argument's sake, let's make that assumption. What is wrong with spending money to research stopping a pest that is devastating the US olive oil industry?

This earmark has already been criticized by the group Citizens Against Government Waste and has been publicly defended by California Rep. Mike Thompson in a formal statement:

“The Olive Fruit Fly has infested thousands of California olive groves and is the single largest threat to the U.S. olive and olive oil industries,” he said. “I secured $748,000 for olive fruit fly research and irradiation in the (fiscal year 2008) appropriations bill for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA will use some of that funding for their research facility in France. This USDA research facility is located in France because Mediterranean countries like France have dealt with the Olive Fruit Fly for decades, while California has only been exposed since the late 1990s. This is not uncommon; the USDA has several international research facilities throughout the world, including Australia, China and Argentina.”

He goes on to say that CAGW did not contact him for information on this earmark before condemning it in their annual report.

Palin's vague reference to "fruit fly research in Paris, France" skews the facts to support her attempts to be seen as "Pro-America". She conveniently leaves out the information that the USDA routinely conducts research in facilities around the world. She also fails to say that the goal of this research is to help a US agricultural crop.

Does Palin know the full story behind this research? Maybe, maybe not. Does her tone and word choice imply derision toward scientific research conducted outside of the United States? You betcha. Does Palin speak from ignorance or in a deliberate attempt to mislead and take advantage of her supporters' concerns?

The scary fact is that we just don't know.

I Live in Fake America

I was really going to try to take a break from posting about politics, until I learned that I live in Fake America. It's hard not to have a reaction to a Presidential hopeful's campaign when it dismisses large portions of the country and reaches out to those they deem to be "real Americans".

"Real America" on The Daily Show:



Sure, I disagree with McCain and Palin's politics. Yes, as a woman, I often find Palin's comments and behavior personally offensive. But that does not make me any less of an American. Neither does living in Northern Virginia.

This "Pro-America/Real America" campaign strategy exemplifies one of the main reasons why I do not agree with McCain, Palin, or most of the GOP. By their own admission, they only want to stand up for people who fit their narrow definition of what makes a person "American".

To be a citizen of America, you need to have been born here, been born to US citizens abroad, or acheived citizenship through the process of naturalization. You do not have to be a Christian. You do not have to be heterosexual. You do not have to belong to the PTA, bake apple pie, hunt, or watch NASCAR.

Americans have the right to do any of those things, but they also have the right to not do them.

Americans can be Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, Wiccan, Christian, or a part of any other religion. Americans can be heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. Americans can be married or be single, have children or have none, belong to PETA or drape themselves in fur while eating a triple cheeseburger with bacon and a side of ribs.

Americans live in cities, small towns, suburbs, and trailer parks. Americans live on ranches and in apartments, in mansions and in slums. Americans live in shelters and sleep on the streets.

If a person isn't ready and willing to lead all of America, then perhaps he or she shouldn't be running for office.

An Intelligent View of this Election

In the midst of the media's often frivolous coverage of the election, it's refreshing to hear Colin Powell present his reasons for endorsing Obama in a clear, concise manner.



I especially love the way he spoke out against the persecution of Muslims in America:

I'm also troubled by, not what Sen. McCain says, but what members of the party say. And it is permitted to be said, such things as, "Well, you that know Mr. Obama is a Muslim." Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's a Christian. He's always been a Christian. But the really right answer is: What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some 7-year-old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion, "He's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists." This is not the way we should be doing it in America.

And, of course, I was happy to hear him plainly say that Palin is not qualified to be President:

She's a very distinguished woman, and she's to be admired. But at the same time, now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president. And so that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Sen. McCain made.

Unfortunately, I fear that many voters value emotion over objective reasoning and put their own personal beliefs before the rights of all Americans.

Palin on SNL

This is what lack of judgment looks like.

Her supporters could say that Palin showed an ability to laugh at herself, but that is not what she needed to prove. Palin's problem is that she is not taken seriously and she cannot correct that by letting the SNL cast make fun of her to her face. If it was a shot at damage control, Palin missed the point entirely.

I didn't think I could have less respect for Sarah Palin, but last night I found new depths of contempt. As a woman, each time I hear her speak I want to shout from the rooftops, "Sarah Palin does not represent me."

Tina Fey on the other hand, was wonderful as usual and I admire her even more for not watering down her parody just because Palin was on the set.

Deer in My Yard

A mother doe and her two fawns spent the past few weeks visiting my yard. They came by almost every day and often twice a day, slipping in and out of the thin strip of woods that run behind my house.

While it was nice to see such beautiful creatures in my own yard, I know that they were only here because the rapid development in our area is destroying their natural habitat. Clearly these deer were very hungry to be feeding throughout the day in a busy suburb.

During visits, the mother deer would hang back, watching intently while her kids ate their fill. From time to time she would take a quick bite of leaves from a nearby tree before resuming her post. Her vigilance clearly was taking its toll. While they were all lean, the fawns were much sturdier than their watchful mother, whose ribs showed through her skin.

A few times I watched them venture into my neighbors' yard to feast on their tomato plants, but the neighbors' dogs would quickly scare them away. I usually don't hear the dogs at all, but recently the sound of barking was often followed by deer darting past the back of my house.

The deer haven't been here this week and I've been worrying about them. With their homes disappearing, deer are often killed in local traffic accidents. I hope my deer will survive.

I have posted several pictures of my visiting deer online, which you can see here: Deer in My Yard.

As you look through the pictures, please consider getting involved with a wildlife conservancy near you. Also, consider voting for politicians who support wildlife preservation. Humans are not alone on this planet and our development shouldn't come at the expense of all other life.

Dr. Horrible's Tea of Evil

While some are putting their powers of Evil into planning the perfect Halloween costume and others are applying to the Evil League of Evil, one woman has created a special tea blend she calls, Dr. Horrible's Tea of Evil.

That's right, it's a special tea blend inspired by Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. And it isn't the only one. You can also try the Captain Hammer Corporate Tool Tea.

I don't know about you, but there's something about a Tea of Evil that just feels right. I mean, really... Tea... clearly the drink of Evil. I'm sure every meeting of the Evil League of Evil happens around a long table with a tea service smack in the center.

Read more about the creator of these teas and hear an interview with her on Dr. Horrible's Official Fan site: Dr. Horrible Tea Blends.

Mail Goggles - Saving You from Yourself

How funny is this? Google has taken the time to develop a tool - called Mail Goggles - to help prevent late-night drunk-emailing.

You can even customize the hours Mail Goggles is active in case your cocktail hour starts a little earlier than most.

So, how does it work?

During the hours that it is enabled, Mail Goggles will present you with some simple math problems whenever you hit send. If you're too blotto to solve the math, then you probably aren't in the right mind to send emails and they won't go out.

Interesting idea. Could it be the best CYA tool since spell-check? You might think so if it keeps you from sending that garbled sad/angry/steamy/pathetic email to your ex.

Get the full story here: Official Gmail Blog - Mail Goggles Announcement

And start practicing, soon you may need to say the alphabet backwards before you can make late-night cell phone calls.

Tina Fey or Sarah Palin?

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. Has there ever been an SNL parody as spot on as Fey's Palin? Fey nails it all - the glasses, the hair, the voice, the vague non-answers, and, of course, the cringe-worthy homespun colloquialisms.

If you've read about Tina Fey's Palin skits online but haven't seen the actual videos, I've added them here, straight from SNL's website.

They really are must-see TV, but as much as I love laughing at Tina Fey's impression of Sarah Palin, I do not want to see Palin or Palin-parodies after November. So, get out and vote for Obama/Biden.

Remember, feminism isn't about 'getting a woman into the white house'. Feminism is about getting the best person elected to the white house, even if she is a woman.

SNL - skits with Tina Fey as Sarah Palin: