Just another day

I figure we all need a little something to turn our minds from the constant coverage and keep our spirits up. It's important to secure your own oxygen mask before helping others. So I had dinner with Miss Alita and her Mama.

Scene: The new hot dog/sub/ice cream joint.

Alita leans conspiratorially toward her mother and points at me.

Carmencita: Yes honey, that's Kizzy. What about her?

Alita: (whispering) I love her.

Right back atcha babe.

However, the world keeps turning and bad messes don't just melt away while you agree to "see somethin' cool" and "watch me" over sushi and ice cream.

I find that John Scalzi's opinions are always informative. I don't always agree with him but I always appreciate the care with which he and his commenters tackle issues. Do yourself a favor and read the comments as well, you'll probably learn something. I find that in this case I find myself pretty firmly in his camp.

Mr. Scalzi once led me to Ms. Granju. I'm still figuring out if I like her but from the beginning I've respected her and find she, like John, does good journalistic research. I can only give you the main link to her site, she has it set up in a way I don't understand at all. No matter where you click on the site the url displayed is the same. But you can just scroll down and learn about her varied areas of expertise and interest.

DJ Blurb speaks eloquently for the members of the Blurbodoocery as well.

Me? The more I learn the more angry I am. I've been too willing to believe that the money diverted to Homeland Security was necessary. If it's taking this long to respond to the needs of people hit by a catastrophe that we knew was coming then all this hot air about how we're set to respond to a surprise attack is pure bullshit and everyone who professed such a thing should be summarily fired. I'm not heartless, I'll give them a new job. Their new jobs will involve heading south and explaining to individuals why their children are dead, their homes destroyed and their tongues parched.

The fall of 2001 sucked in New York City. Things were bad. But you know what? Dead bodies weren't floating past our homes. OK, technically in some ways yes they were. It's foolish to play a "this was better and that was worse" game but man, this is so far different and so much less contained and the rebuilding so extensive it boggles the mind.

Oh, and give blood. I can't (somehow it doesn't matter to the proper authorities that I was at least this crazy before I spent a year eating beef and Guinness stew) but it looks as though it will be needed so it's a good idea to shore up the supplies.



Kiss your kids, hug your animals, enjoy your friends and do what you can to help. I'm sure you're doing all that and I'm proud of you.