August 1, 2004

"To be fair to the Catholic Church, no religion is a great friend of women," she told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. "They pay you a lot of compliments but when push comes to shove they ask you to stay in your place: wife, nurse, mother and grandmother."  See article.

July 13, 2004
TO: President Bush, Senators, and Representatives
FROM:  Beth Goodsell
SUBJECT: Marriage Equality
__________

Dear President Bush, Senators, and Representatives:

Our constitution is supposed to preserve rights, not take them away. There is no basis in amending the constitution when we take into account the separation of church and state.  Our government should recognize marriage as no more than an economic relationship, never as a religious one.  Please reconsider and show us some of that compassion you promised you would.

I urge you to reject the politics of hate and division.

Everyone has the same rights. There is no place in America for a Constitutional amendment denying marriage equality to anyone.

Sincerely, 
       Beth Goodsell

June 24, 2004
Changed the template back. What do you all think?

June 23, 2004
Yikes. Long time no write. I'm going to my transfer orientation on Saturday! I'm quite excited - it is just Jeremy and I going and we are going to learn so much. Too bad school doesn't start for another few months. Sigh. Of course, I doubt Jeremy feels that way as he is taking his last final tomorrow and is in for some summer school as well (to get ahead for next year).

We are also going to be taking a karate class with Jer's good friend, Daniel. Speaking of Daniel, visit www.unclean.org. Hehe. You'd better thank me man!!!

Oooh. It is officially the 24th now. Another day of work in like 10 hours.

June 6, 2004
Ok. I've been very lazy in my updates - but I haven't been too lazy otherwise. The job is going well - I'm pulling in $45 in tips per day (not amazing but it is nice spending money!).  My friend Katelyn came to visit and we had fun, although I worked a lot while she was here.

What else? Jeremy and I celebrate our 14th month together on the 8th.  He is currently pickling dilly beans and making a sour cherry pie (or was it blackberry?) with Daniel. I've just relaxing, waitressing is easy on the mind but tough on the body.

May 20, 2004
Well, I got a job at the Olive Garden as a server. Man it is crazy learning everything but I'm confident I'll eventually get the hang of it.

Check out this article about Mayor Giuliani - it is enlightening.

May 12, 2004
Well, I'm back.  Settling into summer life.  I got hired at the Olive Garden as a waitress. I'm so proud of myself (really modest, I know) because I talked myself into a serving position with minimum amount of experience and was hired on the spot, even though they typically have a second interview.  The manager said he knew enthusiasm and talent when he saw it. Mmmm...ego trip.

Katelyn is coming down here Memorial day weekend, it should be pretty crazy but I am really looking forward to seeing her. It still hasn't quite hit me that this isn't some long weekend break that will eventually end with me returning to L&C and my roommate (shudder).

Speaking of roommate, I didn't get to say goodbye to Autumn. Probably for the best.  We were barely on speaking terms most of the time and being in the room with her was very stressful.  Still, I wish her the best and I know I have learned a lot from living with her as a roommate - but still, a single is hopefully in order next year. I like my space.

Jeremy is doing well - 13 months together now. He is still in the thick of it at Foothill - Calculus, Chemistry and Biology - but I'm confident he will get through it all.  Right now we are working on a Calc quiz - I'm making inane suggestions and he is being very nice and pretending like they make sense. I knew there was a reason I went into the humanities.

May 5, 2004
I'm coming home today! See everyone soon!

May 3, 2004
My cousin and his wife have a wonderful new baby girl! Yay for them!
Two more days. That's it.
Mommy comes here tomorrow.
Done with IA now.  Have my French final today at 6pm.

May 2, 2004
3 days. That's it. Oh me, oh my!

May 1, 2004
Oh my gosh! Only 4 more days. Yay. Yay! Heh, obviously my mind is on politics and finals and all...uhm, yeah.  All I can seem to think about is packing but I haven't anything to pack with yet (woe is me) so basically I'm just puttering around (le bricolage).  It is pretty ineffective.  On the upside though I have gotten 2.4 of my Paul Powers essays done! The first is on Islamic fundamentalism, the second is on Hindu fundamentalism and the third is Christian fundamentalism! Actually, it wasn't required to be that comprehensive but it just worked out that way.

What else? Ali got into Cosmos - a program offered at UCSC.  She will be doing math and chemistry for a month this summer. I know she will love it but BLECH! Heh. That would be absolute hell for "humanities-Bethie".

April 29, 2004
6 more days!!!

Dear Mr. President,
    I frankly find it appalling that you refused to speak with the 9/11 panel and initially even opposed its creation.  That you did testify today was the right thing to do but holding Cheney's hand and not speaking under oath implies you are either incapable of handling the situation or you are hiding something (perhaps both).
    It is strange to me how you could continue to have the support of about half of the population when you and your fellow administration members continue to lie to the people, attempt to modify the constitution and do your best to take away their education and their job opportunities. But then again, the media today is more of an entertainment service than anything else.  I'm just warning you, many, many Americans oppose your policies and we will do our best to see that you are not elected next term (I'd say reelected but, sorry, you weren't the first time).


April 28, 2004
Well, I finished up (FINALLY!) my last day of classes and now I'm just waiting around to take my finals and get OUT OF HERE! Wooooo. I did the entire year and now it is over. Go me. Go me.

And, obviously, I am very psyched because I just spent 10 minutes making all of those colorful .

April 27, 2004
So, it has been a few days since my last update.  I'm coming home in 8 days now! Just one more day of class.
Uncky Bob is back safe from his trip with Global Exchange to Venezuela - check out his site.

April 22, 2004
Count em - 14 days until I am back in Mountain View!
Today I was reasonably productive and finished my IA essay entitled, "An Analysis of Japanese Socio-Economic Status in Mountain View, California". Go me? Go me.

Now, I also have a presentation tomorrow but I haven't done that one yet. Sigh. Ah well. I'll get to it eventually.

April 19, 2004
Well, I got my CRF paper back from Paul Powers. First B+ I've gotten this term.  It irks me ( I wanted all A's. Sigh) but what makes it all better is his commentary! Read:

A pretty good effort - a thorough and accurate summary/analysis of motivating factors, drawing nicely on a range of sources.  You fit a lot in yet remain pretty clear in presenting a unifying thread to your analysis - the implications of the Islamic world's encounter with a modern, secular, colonial west.  The writing is good, though perhaps not the best I have seen from you  but one can't always be at one's best, and your second-best is better than the best of many students.  I'll admit, the Sunni/Shiite topic seems to stick out uncomfortable though.  B+

Mmm. Not what I was hoping for but I really enjoy some of that commentary. (OOOH. ego bloatation )!!! Makes me feel really good. Yay!  He was also very nice and asked me about what was happening next year.  I told him UC Santa Cruz, woohoo and he congratulated me and was supportive when I asked about how hard it is to learn Arabic.  Oh, Powers is probably the top on a very short list of things that I will miss about L&C.

April 18, 2004
An excerpt from Ted Rall (it is a bit long but interesting!):

As the 9/11 commission winds down, Republicans are arguing that Bill Clinton, whose presidency spanned eight years from the first World Trade Center bombing to the U.S.S. Cole, deserves far more blame for the attacks than Bush, who had only been in office eight months. But they've got it wrong when they criticize Clinton for not being aggressive enough in the fight against Muslim extremism. If we're to believe the August 2001 intelligence assessment and the word of the jihadis themselves, we know why 9/11 really took place.

It wasn't, as Bush says, because radical Islamists are evil or because they hate our freedom. It was vengeance for 1998, for cruise missile attacks that scarcely raised an eyebrow in the United States even as they convulsions of rage surged through millions of Muslims. It's perfectly reasonable, therefore, to blame Bill Clinton for 9/11, but not because he didn't do enough. What led to 9/11 was a clumsy application of excessive military power and arrogance.

It's a lesson that the United States, so accustomed to swinging a sledgehammer to kill a fly, should take to heart in its dealings with the rest of humanity.

April 17, 2004
Visit Daniel's website: www.unclean.org

Secondly, a young man who served in Iraq and who lives in the Bay Area has died of unknown health complications. Hmmm? Depleted Uranium or something hazardous maybe? The SJ Mercury News said:

After graduation, Mr. Martinez joined the military and served with the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines. He was based at Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan, from July 2001 until January 2003.

He then went to Iraq before and during the U.S.-led invasion, from February to July 2003, and was in an artillery unit that assisted the charge from Kuwait to Baghdad. He had been based at Camp Pendleton in Southern California since his return to the United States.

Mr. Martinez was on leave and visiting his family in San Jose over the Easter holidays. He died after visiting a local health clinic and then San Jose Medical Center.

``After he returned from Iraq, he complained of headaches,'' said Raoul Martinez, his older brother. ``He went to get an MRI on Friday and then he died. This came as a surprise to us, as he was the healthiest young boy that anyone knew.''
-SJ Mercury News Article - Link.

Scary, eh? What are they feeding these boys?

April 15, 2004

    What is going on in the Arab Israeli Conflict this week? Bush lent his support to Israeli Prime Minister Sharon this week in what is an official U.S. policy shift.  Sharon is planning on dismantling some but not all settlements in the West Bank and withdrawing by the end of 2005.  Bush fully endorsed this plan, lending Sharon his official support and the support of the U.S treasury.
     
What has so many people up in arms?  President Bush also made a statement saying that the pre-1967 borders should not be restored and Palestinians do not have the right of return or compensation.  Bush also argued that Palestinians could not return to the state of Israel once the Palestinian state is created.  Essentially Bush’s statements reject the idea that Palestinians have a right to any of the land and very clearly take Israel’s side.  Because the United States is the only country with enough leverage to mediate this conflict (we give billions of dollars in aid to Israel each year), Bush’s stance leaves Palestinians without hope for a resolution which would grant them some of what they lost in the 1967 war.  Our administration has effectively left hundreds of thousands of men, women and children stranded in the occupied territories.
    
What are we going to do about it?  Obviously there needs to be a fair solution which grants Palestinians a certain amount of land and Israel a certain amount.  Both sides will need to bargain.  This will not happen if the United States does not play fairly and continues to support Israel over Palestine.  We cannot afford to take sides; it is not fair to those in Palestine.  And our continuing anti-Arab, anti-Muslim foreign policy will have repercussions.

A quote from an essay Blair wrote (I added in the blue)

"We are locked in an historic struggle in Iraq, on its outcome hangs more than the fate of the Iraqi people. On its outcome hangs the fate of my job. Were we to fail, which we shall not, it is more than `the power of America' that would be defeated, I wouldn't EVER get reelected. The hope of freedom and religious tolerance would be snuffed out. Dictators would rejoice; fanatics and terrorists would be triumphant. And I would be fired."

April 14, 2004
Why don't people have more of a problem with a person who cannot publicly admit he made mistakes? Yup, that is what happened when Bush was asked a direct question. He just can't think of any! ALL officials in power need to be able to take responsibility for their actions, both good and bad.  What am I saying? Bush does not understand his policy so how can he actually be repentent?  Bush feeds us the same line that he has been fed by his administration:

'We are fighting evil and therefore everything should be justified, there is no reason why I or my administration should be questioned about anything. Duh, God's on our side and if you are against me you are against God!'

Check out the White House for the real transcript/audio/video of the interview.

Ah, amusing.  A post from Yahoo:
Republican: Bush floats above liberal's heads!
Democrat: Like a big, gas-filled balloon? Give me a pin.

Katelyn: She is a really, really good friend here at Lewis & Clark. I have finally managed to capture the elusive Katelyn on film, digital film, that is.

April 12, 2004

Geneive Abdo’s book, No God But God addresses the more moderate Islamist movement in Egypt.  So often the moderates in the world are eclipsed by more vocal, violent radicals who are willing to push their agenda at any cost.  We see this occultation within religious groups – pro-life Christians, for instance, who bomb abortion clinics or anti-Western Islamic terrorists groups like al-Qaeda.  Those types of groups naturally make the news because the media seeks to “shock and awe” its subscribers. 

     The problem with unbalanced media coverage is that smaller, grass-roots groups are not put in the spotlight.  Because of this the American public (especially, I would say, because our media is so bad right now) gets a very messy picture of the Middle East and Islam.  We come to see Islam as being synonymous with violence when in reality it is just an edge, the “crust” if you will, which actually perpetrates these hostile acts.  Yes, there are people in the Islamic world who sympathize with acts of violence but it is not everyone and Americans need to know that.

     The importance of Abdo’s book is to illuminate movements which have renounced violence as an avenue for social change.  These groups instead focus more on social work, re-Islamicization and changing society from the bottom up rather than attempting to wrest power from secular governments.  She focuses on Egypt and the movements there – Egypt has a history of social reform movements, the Muslim Brotherhood is an enduring example, and harsh government repression from Nasser to Sadat to Mubarak. 

    From what I’ve read so far (the first 2 chapters) it is a very well balanced book which brings a human quality to societies which have constantly been vilified by our media.  Try it out if you are interested and would like to learn something.

Jeremy and I have been together for 1 year and 4 days now. That's cool.

April 5, 2004
Jeremy's name means an "exalted male descendent of a wagon".

Check out an amusing song: http://www.molvania.com/images/Elektronik_Supersonik.mp3

"The progressively more ignorant public (my brilliant nieces the exceptions) which resulted from these cutbacks just can't get enough of a bad thing. " - Bob referenced me and Ali on his blog. Quite nicely I might add.

April 2, 2004

I was accepted to UCSC! Yay. My friends here are a bit down about it but being very supportive. Thank you all- Katelyn, Jessica, Sarah and Chloe!

UCSC teaches Arabic - which I'm considering adding to my courseload.

March 30, 2004

Ooops, it has been a while since I last updated. Sorry, people.  I was on spring break down in California with my family and boyfriend.

Anyway, Spring Break was fun.  Although Jeremy was in the middle of his finals week, we managed to see each other on a daily basis.  We rode our bikes, purchased another plate from a garage sale (25 cents!) to add to our collection and had a lot of fun just hanging out.  I also bought a paint by numbers kit which I am about 1/2 done with. I'll finish it sometime in May, most likely - when I get home.

On two up-notes, 1) I got an "A" on my Islamist Thinkers Reaction Essay - go me! and 2) I was accepted to the University of the Pacific in a record 8 days. Woohoo. Go me.

On another up-note, the White House has finally agreed to allow Condy to testify publicly - which they should ALL do. I hope she slips up, although she will probably lie under oath anyway. Erm!

March 15, 2004

I made my first quiz on quizilla today! Take it!

Jeremy did: Apparently he defies standards and is most attracted to men who can accept that and enjoy his intelligence. Beautiful on both the inside and outside but not accepted by society, he is a bombshell ahead of his time.  Good to know! Hehe

My brain almost got the better of me this morning.  It was trying to keep me asleep through French. You see, I hadn't quite reached my sleep quota due to massive amounts of procrastination conducted during the weekend which resulted in a mad dash to write a paper on Islamist thinkers Mawdudi, Turabi and Qutb.  But I fought my brain and I won! (Mainly due to the fact that I promised said brain sleep on Friday because I'll be in CA). 
     Anyway, I went to French class in my PJs.  My teacher saw me and, in her typical French fashion, looked at my attire with contempt (of course, by 'attire' I mean that she was judging the strength of my soul).  I do suppose though that powder blue PJ pants covered in moons and stars paired with a bright orange T-shirt might offend some people.

On an upside, I got an A- on my in class Inventing America Essay.  This semester seems to be plodding on rather well. Yay!

March 11, 2004

Jeremy and I have been together for over 11 months now!

I added 5 new essays (the majority in Spanish) to the Written Literature page. Check them out.

Something interesting was released by salon.com on pre-war intelligence and manipulation.  A quote:
"The one I remember most specifically is when they dropped the bullet that said one of Saddam's intelligence operatives had met with Mohammad Atta in Prague, supposedly salient proof that Saddam was in part responsible for the 9/11 attack. That claim had lasted through a number of revisions, but after the media reported the claim as unsubstantiated by U.S. intelligence, denied by the Czech government, and that Atta's location had been confirmed by the FBI to be elsewhere, that particular bullet was dropped entirely from our "advice on things to say" to senior Pentagon officials when they met with guests or outsiders." Check it out!

March 3rd, 2004

Yay! They are marrying gays in both my home state and my college town! Support SF, Portland, some parts of New York and Massachusetts! It is time to end the discrimination!

"This is about the government recognizing gay and lesbian couples who live in Oregon, who contribute to the community, who pay taxes and are a part of the fabric of Oregon," she said. "For the first time in Oregon history, under law, gay couples are not seen as strangers."

From Ted Rall: Amazingly, Bush's spokesman argues that there's nothing undemocratic about deposing a popularly elected president. "There are times when people lose faith in the ability of their leaders to govern effectively, and this is what happened," says Scott McClellan. He called the coup "a democratic and constitutional solution that we achieved working with our international partners."

March 1st, 2004

So, Haiti is a mess.  Their first democratically elected President was forced to flee the other day because of armed rebels (who constitute just a small percentage of the population).  Let me rephrase: The US is supporting anti-democratic government in Haiti - we are on the side of heavily armed men who have been killing, looting and stopping humanitarian aid from being delivered to the poor in Haiti.  The US is applauding these people for overthrowing a DEMOCRACY and implementing military rule. Can we say dictatorship? And we are letting our government do this.

The United States, Powell said, has "ways of talking to the various rebel leaders and [is] pleased that at least so far they've said they're not interested in violence any more and will put down their arms." Doesn't it make you wonder why we are so close with these people? I thought we didn't cooperate with terrorists!

Secondly, I'm coming home on Friday! Yay. Just for the weekend though.

February 20th

Please check out this website and post your own response. It's important.

February 18th
Bush, regarding the Gay marriages going on in CA and whether or not he will support a consitutional amendment:

"People need to be involved in this decision," Bush said. "Marriage ought to be defined by the people not by the courts. And I'm watching it carefully."

Yes, marriage should be defined by the people and THOUSANDS of couples are defining it as OKAY to marry a person of the same sex.  We should respect their definition and make it legal throughout the union.  Because of the whole separation of church and state it is clearly unconstitutional to define marriage based upon your religious beliefs.

February 12, 2004

This Friday is the 13th. Oooh. Only happens twice this year. Ever wonder why the 13th has such bad connotations? I'm making a little page about it, probably to be added to my page on feminism.   Yes, a lot of information suggests that there is a relation to the vilification the number of 13 and Friday dating back a couple thousand years. (Read the Da Vinci Code, if you are interested in that stuff - it's interesting).

Secondly, a quote from Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The wonderful thing about her work is that it can still be applied to causes today.  Think of this quote in relation to both the continuing women's rights movement and also gay rights. 

"To deny political equality is to rob the ostracised of all self-repect...What a picture of woman's position.  Robbed of her natural rights, handicapped by law and custom at every turn, yet compelled to fight her own battles and in the emergencies of life to fall back on herself for protection."  The Solitude of Self (1892)

February 11, 2004

Three things: Better keep an eye and a voice on what is going on in Massachusetts with gay marriage. What is so important to realize is this: if you oppose gay marriage on religious grounds, you have to take into account the fact that we have a separation of church and state.  Religious grounds should have nothing to do with this fight - (of course they do but that is not ok when we are talking about legislation).

Secondly, Kevin Cooper received a stay of execution just 4 hours before he was to die by lethal injection.  Recently a large amount of evidence has arisen which suggests that the police may have planted/tampered with evidence.  Regardless of your views on capital punishment (I oppose it - strongly) if there is any chance this man is innocent we need to find it out before we execute him.

Thirdly, school was fun today, I studied in the library a lot. Yay!

February 7, 2004

Oh yeah! Tomorrow is 10 months!

Secondly, 5 page essay is coming along nicely- in that abstract, undone sense.

February 4, 2004

Mmmm. Jeremy is perfect. Haha. He isn't your boyfriend.

February 3, 2004

I made the Dean's list. Go me.

"Admire me I am a violet! Dote upon me I am a primrose!"
-- john keats

From Dad (don't know where he got it):
"While suturing a laceration on the hand of a 70-year-old Texas rancher
(whose hand had caught in a gate while working cattle), a doctor and the old
man were talking about George W. Bush being in the White House. The old
Texan said, "Well, ya know, Bush is a 'post turtle'."

Not knowing what the old man meant, the doctor asked him what a post turtle
was. The old man said, "When you're driving down a country road, and you
come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post
turtle. The old man saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued
to explain, "You know he didn't get there by himself, he doesn't belong
there, he can't get anything done while he's up there, and you just want to
help the poor dumb thing get down."

February 1, 2004

This is my sister. She's a knockout.

 

 

December 26, 2003

Wow, it has been quite a long time since my last update.  I'm back in the bay area having a wonderful Christmas season and being happily busy.  Christmas was nice but, as usual, very consumer oriented (that makes me sad). One really nice gift I got was a donation from Jeremy's parents to Heifer International.  Their donation helped families around the world by providing them with bees to use for earning supplementary income. It made me happy.

On a less happy note, Dad totalled his car.  He was fine and everyone else was too but that sucks. On an up-note he is considering a Hybid - Prius 2004! They are so cool. Check them out. Gas mileage is an average of 55 mpg.  51 Highway, 60 city! Yay!

December 13, 2003

America. Sigh. Why don't our people have more of a problem with the government? Here is Ridge calmy explaining to the public our color-coded terrorist system.  Because, of course, the American people cannot understand anything else!

December 7, 2003

"Dr. Seuss never used phrases like "son of a bitch", "dirty ho" or "burns my ass", and I don't think a film based on his works should either. The second worst scene has the cat showing his butt crack and farting. Another scene has the cat opening a centerfold picture of the two children's mother, and his hat gets an erection. This film is several notches below Jim Carrey's "Grinch", and is a much lower budgeted film, with none of the charm, warmth or humor necessary to make it a success. This movie was a big disappointment and I will not be adding this to my video collection. The MPAA and Universal pictures should be reprimanded for giving this a mere PG rating, and targeting young children with this trash." - (taken from imdb.com.) Gotta love the movies!

December 6, 2003

Guns aren't really an issue in Europe, so when I'm traveling abroad, my first question usually relates to barnyard animals. "What do your roosters say?" is a good icebreaker, as every country has its own unique interpretation. In Germany, where dogs bark "vow vow" and both the frog and the duck say "quack," the rooster greets the dawn with a hearty "kik-a-ricki." Greek roosters crow "kiri-a-kee," and in France they scream "coco-rico," which sounds like one of those horrible premixed cocktails with a pirate on the label. When told that an American rooster says "cock-a-doodle-doo," my hosts look at me with disbelief and pity. --- Six to Eight Black Men.

December 4, 2003

Jeremy rocks as a boyfriend. He is the bestest.  I don't say that often enough. ;)

I changed the caption. Thanks Daniel.

December 3, 2003

Jeremy is reading a book called Cold Mountain for English.  I was under the impression that the character's name was Timmy so I've been calling him that.  But it turns out his name is actually Inman.  Don't even ask how my mind came up with that one. 

On a side note, Daniel is dressing up as Santa Claus for his mother's German class.  Apparently German Santa is not round and jolly.  He is skinny and carries a switch.

I got an A on my Camp David paper as well. It is online under written lit. Too lazy to make hyperlink.

 

I got a 100% on my Gitanos essay! I also started filming my Spanish video. Urgh.

December 1, 2003

15 days until I go home again! And I just got back this morning too! Yay.  Merg. Had to wake up at 4:45 am to take the plane. Yucketh! So please pardon my poor writing for the day.

The weekend was fun. Lots of fresh made food - virtually all the prepared food was prepared by us. Go us! Here is the menu:

Thursday:
To start there were fresh hand-made corn tortillas. They were pressed and thrown on a hot pan.  On the side was Spanish rice topped with tomatoes, fresh pico de gallo, guacamole and black or refried beans covered in melted cheese.  For dessert we had brownies a la mode and blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream.

Friday:
This menu started with a fresh zucchini, mint and tomato salad.  We also served Teriyaki broccoli with tofu and super-duper garlic bread.  But the main dish was fresh pasta, made from scratch and divided into little spaghetti strands by our pasta maker.  To finish there were warm crepes filled with either melted milk chocolate and whipped cream or flambéd peaches in cognac.

Sound good? Totally vegetarian! And lots of organic, healthy food (save the crepes). Probably the best Thanksgiving I've ever had, of course, Jeremy could have influenced that a bit.

On Sunday night Jeremy and I decorated the Christmas tree at his house. Very enjoyable, actually. Hehe - his sister and I ordered him around but overall it was a nice, relaxing atmosphere.  Man, I'm tired.  That already feels like a week ago!

What else? A Rumsfeld quote!  

"We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know."

Thank you, thank you very much.  I'll update later. To bed!

November 30, 2003

I'm coming back to L&C tomorrow, Monday...I'll update more there.
It has been a fun weekend...with lots of yummy food.
Too much yummy food.
Oooh. Gotta go! - Bethie

November 26, 2003

Well, almost the 26th...I'm flying home today/morrow! Woohoo!
Lookee here - Is this for real or not? Can you tell? 
If you want to reach me over the weekend I'll be staying with my mommy! Look me up friends!

November 25, 2003

Some pictures I drew. Warning - there is a nude (albeit a poorly drawn one). Thanks!

November 23, 2003
                                                                          Quotes of the day:

La Guerra Mundial del poderoso quiere convertir al planeta tierra en un club exclusivo donde él se reserva el derecho de admisión." - Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos

The ESEA [No Child Left Behind Act] is like a Russian novel. That's because it's long, it's complicated, and in the end, everybody gets killed.   --Scott Howard, former superintendent, Perry, Ohio, public schools

If the reaction of the big-business community is any barometer, the new "FTAA à la carte" approach is good news for free-trade critics.

November 22, 2003

Here is an article I wrote on Iraq.  Meh. It's ok but I'm proud of it. I also updated the site map.

November 19, 2003

It's snowing in Portland! My birthday present to Mom. (Happy B-day Mommy!)

November 12, 2003

Sorry it has been a while! Let's see - just got back from taking a Spanish test. Yummy. I think I did alright. Ended up writing about Iraq (Irak, en español) and the Iraqi power system. I also had to write a bunch of stuff using comparative, imperative, past and present subjunctive! Ick - but suprisingly not too bad. I'm going for high B or low A. Yay!

What else? I registered for a class called Comparing Fundamentalisms: Islamic, Hindu and Christian. It should be very interesting! This is the same teacher I have for my Middle East in Modern Times Class. All I have to do now is make sure it transfers...

Anything else? Mmmmm. Gotta love our country. 25 more soldiers were just killed in Iraq. Come on Bush! Get them out of there!

November 4, 2003

Hey there everyone! I returned to CA for the weekend and had a nice time - but as usual, too short. A lot of stuff is up for me right now - classes are going relatively well; I expect reasonable grades. Hehe. But I've no idea how to use punctuation.

Alison is coming up Friday! That should be a lot of fun. Just have to remember to pick her up...yeah, that would make mom angry if I forgot. Hehe.

Becky's B-day is this weekend. We are going to do something for her, I think. Probably not ice cream. Too cold!

If my luck holds today I will be adding a few essays I've written recently and some pictures around the site. Surf!

October 26, 2003

Ooooh. Continuing. I just finished - Something Wicked this Way Comes by Rad Bradbury. Really well done piece of work. If you can't quite place his name this is the guy who wrote Fareinheit 451. Amazing author. Pick up the book and give it 50 pages - you won't be able to put it down afterward.  Something Wicked was really creepy and the word choice will make you ill (in a good, disgusting, literary way).

Claire wanted a picture online. So here we are. Happy times! She certainly looks like she is in agony. Hehe.

Look for Claire - she is crazy. Don't let her sneak up behind you! You might find yourself a victim!

 

October 23, 2003

Ok. Ok. It has been a while since I've updated. Sorry! But things have been rather crazy.

Letter to Bon Appetit. Server of food that makes me ill:

Dear lord,

Please vary your menu. I know they have cut the budget but please! I cannot take this anymore. Always the same food - or very close...Just make cheap but high-quality foods - staples: rice, garbanzos, pastas etc and spend the money on SPICES and vegetables and HOT tofu. Also increase the quantity - the Bon often seems to run out of the best foods or refuses to offer enough to vegetarians/vegans who have very limited diets.

I'd be willing to VOLUNTEER my time if the quality of the food would improve. I'm sorry - whoever is reading this - it probably isn't your fault! Just please, every time I enter the Bon I become slightly ill from smelling flavors I've smelled every day for 8 weeks.

Lastly, anything you could do to vary the entrees offered for vegetarians would be wonderful. Maybe higher quality pasta sauce?

Thanks, Beth Goodsell.

So what's up? I had midterms...Did ok on one of them - the Middle East in Modern Times (the midterm covered 632AD-1973. Ick!). I get the next midterm back tomorrow. Ieee!

Yup. The world is still screwed up. If you have an extra $5 please take the opportunity to donate it to a good cause. $5 helps. Hell, $1 helps. I'd say an AIDS initiative would be a good idea or possibly some sort of hunger project. They are all out there - just take the time to look! If you don't have the money volunteer an hour of your time or at the very least talk to another person about the issues. The absolute WORST thing that could happen would be for the American public (people with considerable power, wealth and freedom) to forget the world and its needs)...of course, many would argue that has already happened. Sadness. Help out!

L&C is going pretty well - lots of debating. I like that. Also I'm learning French relatively quickly, which I'm quite proud of - I may get a tutor next semester just to be able to practice more. Sound nerdy? I certainly hope so!

Random Fact:

More people are killed annually by donkeys than die in air crashes.

This is something I need to take to heart. Stupid fear of airplanes! PS. Hmmmm? Just HOW many people die by the donkey?

 

October 14, 2003

A message from the Raelians in favor of genetically modified foods. Yes, they are naked and believe aliens created humanity.

 

October 13, 2003

Well, I went to California for the break. Saw Mom and Ali and Dad and - of course! Jeremy! We had a lot of fun hanging out. TOO many burritos. Good Chinese food. The world's best brownies!!! Brownies with melted kisses and toffee bits are AmAzInG! And ice cream, of course. ;) Also, there was a nice little fire that Jeremy got going. Yay for Eagle Scouting.

Overall I wish I had had more time - of course. 3 months wouldn't have been sufficient. Such is life. I AM going down on October 31, or that is the plan. That will be nice. Claire is turning 18. Hmmmm...must think of super-cool present. Will do this weekend, I think.

What else? Kucinich announced his official bid for the presidency. Look him up and vote for him! Yay.

Just finished another essay (draft) and will have that up soon. I promise. ;) Have a great day! - Bethie.

October 6, 2003

Oh man. I really must be a masochist. I spent about 30 minutes today on the Yahoo message boards rebutting the argument that to be homosexual is a sin etc etc. There was a study announced today that there is a relation between blinking and sexual orientation. Rolls eyes.

What I wrote:

"Americans seem to have a superiority complex. All of 'us' think we know exactly what is right and wrong and that because of this we can hate people who don't fit the definition. Well, wake up people! The world is a changing place and right and wrong is a relative concept. So stop hating what you don't understand or what freaks you out a little because you were raised differently and start questioning. Why? Could YOU possibly be wrong? Could the reason you are finding something abhorrent be cultural or religious rather than fundamentally wrong?

PS. This study seems to me to be on pretty shaky legs. Not a very big sample study, the experiment had a lot of variables which could have affected the outcome of the data and from the data they seemed to have interpreted way more than was actually there."

October 5, 2003

Jeremy came up for the weekend. We had a great time touring Portland (I probably saw more of Portland in two days than I've seen in the last month...ie EVER). We went to Powell's, took lots of buses, went on the max, went to a bunch of restaurants, toured L&C etc etc. Lots of walking. In the end I think he liked Portland - it really is a nice city in terms of public transportation, cleanliness and life. The city is both posh and eclectic and just a fun place to be in general - unlike say, San Francisco where you don't always feel safe. In terms of life - so much stuff was going on during the weekend - L&C had their homecoming dance, there was the women's world cup, the Portland marathon and, of course, Saturday market. Yay!

Side note: the only downside to Jeremy's trip was that it was only two days and the sky didn't want to be friendly. It was overcast. Aargh!

On another happy note - I'm coming down on Wednesday! Yay. Return to Jeremy, my family, my cats and sleepdom. Mmmmm. Need sleep. I like my roommate but it isn't the same as having your own room.

Lastly, Bush wrote a poem! Laura recited it Friday at the National Book Festival as he watched quietly:

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Oh my, lump in the bed
How I've missed you.
Roses are redder
Bluer am I
Seeing you kissed by that charming French guy.
The dogs and the cat, they missed you too
Barney's still mad you dropped him, he ate your shoe
The distance, my dear, has been such a barrier
Next time you want an adventure, just land on a carrier.

Notes on the poem: Laura had just returned from a solo trip to France where she was kissed by Chirac. Barney is their dog - she dropped him a while back. ouchies.

Laura says that the American people may not be aware of her husband's knack for poetry. But have you ever seen such a painful poem. I mean - roses are red? It would be nice if our President could come up with something a bit more original! Really - is this the education one receives at Yale?

September 29, 2003

I am sick. Argh. Don't know what I have but I hope I will get over it soon!

Things are going well for me in terms of grades and life and all but I'm ready for a break!

In not so happy news a guy died here at Lewis & Clark today. His name was Oliver Zlonis and he was from Minnesota. He will be missed. Bad times.

September 23, 2003

What I've added today is a new article that was published in the Guardian a couple years back. Think Bush is a feminist? Think again. What I like most about this article is how it outlines the parallels between the British Lord Cromer who took control of Egypt and Bush. Both of these men called themselves feminists who wanted to liberate the women of Islam but at home and in all their policies they did no such thing:

Colonial patriarchs like Cromer believed that middle-class Victorian mores represented the pinnacle of civilization, and set about implementing this model wherever they went - with women in their rightful, subservient place, of course. They wanted merely to replace eastern misogyny with western misogyny. But, like Bush, they stole feminist language in order to denounce the indigenous culture; and, says Ahmed, feminism thus served as a "handmaid to colonialism". "Whether in the hands of patriarchal men or feminists," she writes, "the ideas of western feminism essentially functioned to morally justify the attack on native societies and to support the notion of comprehensive superiority of Europe."

Really, check the article out. It is quite interesting and may bring to light certain stereotypes/prejudices you have of Islamic culture.

 

September 21, 2003

I spoke with my cousin - who is in a really cool band called Calling Marvin (you should check out the music and if you likee tell me/them and you can buy a CD!)...It's good to support non-corporate music.

What else? Hrm...not working like a bee here. It is 7pm on Sunday and I have not really done my homework yet. That's gonna get me later. Sigh.

Lastly, stupid USA! Ok, glad I got that out of my system. Oh, and stupid Hobbes too.

September 14, 2003

Well, Jeremy and some other people have gone off to Lake Mono for the weekend so I'm forced to sit here playing with Adobe Photoshop..

Yeah, so you can see what I've done to the picture below - strangely enough the picture to the right is NOT edited! It is my one relatively good photo! Hehe. I'm very proud of it - actually it is a cropped version of my prom picture and Jeremy is standing next to me. I love this picture of us and will soon upload it to the site.

What else is going on? Well, the WTO meeting in Cancun collapsed and nothing has been resolved because of a bunch of wealthy nations not caring one bit about impoverished ones. Ick!

Hrm...so I've just finished reading Antigone - a play by Sophocles. Nice and unhappy. Woohoo! You too should read this and benefit from the wonders of depressing and sexist work. Yaay!

La La La. Get back soon Jeremy! And as for everyone else CALL ME or somethin' I need some contact with the outside world! :) goodsell@lclark.edu... for your information. Bye!

September 12, 2003

Hey there all - check this out!!! The new stuff I have added today to my webpage:

Why Kucinich?

Socrates and Republicanism

"The president is mixing public policy events, mostly on the West Coast, with six fund-raisers in Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington and Minnesota. The practice allows the administration, in certain cases, to bill taxpayers for half the travel costs of the political activity."

   It looks as if there will be another Zapatista rebellion. Hooray! It is about time we gave them their rights - so stand with me and promote this in the U.S. - the Zapatistas will only succeed with our help and our voices. (If you are wondering who these people are check out my Chiapas page.

July 22, 2003

Well, I've just started out on a non-dairy diet. This is because I have been feeling rather ill these last couple of months and it may be due to lactose intolerance...of course, this diet cuts out much of the fat I had been having before so I'm pretty happy about that. I've also increased my iron intake in case I was actually anemic. We'll see!

Hrm...I've been getting ready for L&C - it is a ton of work - I have to figure out everything I need to bring up there from my computer to little things that I wouldn't usually think of like sudafed tablets...Lately I've been reading up on L&C's food service and it looks to be fantastic. Bon Appetit is the caterer and almost everything they serve is fair trade and sustainable! I'm so happy.

So, apparently 2 of Saddam's sons are dead. The article I read was rather vague - it did not bother to explain whether or not the two men had died fairly (were given a chance to surrender - and were offered proper treatment) or had just been shot/bombed. Also, afterward there was much "rejoicing" throughout Baghdad and some American Infantry division mistakenly shot an old man in the chest and a girl between the ages of 6 and 8 in the head. OOPS!

July 19, 2003

Jeesh, it has been a long time since I've updated! Let's see...where do I start?

Jeremy dropped his chemistry class in favor of a Poli. Sci class. Yay for him!

I'm walking in the AIDS walk tomorrow - I've raised just over $600 dollars...If you'd like to contribute online just go to my webpage: Beth's AIDS walk webpage.

Anyway, what else? I got a job cleaning my father's house - pays killer money ($15/hr) and Jeremy and I can work together as well. We make a good team - scrubbing, composting and doing the other million things that need to be done at dad's house.

Lastly, hrm...I feel like I should comment on the current state of things politically - Chris Nicholson is planning on running for Governor in the recall...so vote for him!

July 8, 2003

Hey everyone! Today is our (me and Jeremy's) 3 month anniversary! Ta-da! I'm so happy. Unfortunately Jeremy is feeling quite stressed because of his Chemistry class so I don't know how much time we will have to celebrate (I covered some cherries in chocolate and bought a cool present for him!)...but hopefully we will be able to see each other.

Anyway, we spent the weekend with Jeremy's parents and sister at the cabin. It was a lot of fun. We did some archery, took a walk, saw some horses and fell off a dirt bike. (That incident pretty much made us invalids for the rest of the weekend.) But it was totally worth it in my opinion. :)

Lastly, yesterday someone backed into my car at Border's bookstore. It was pretty much their fault but of course they were rather rude and tried to blame it on me. Aargh. I was very polite though - even when the guy did not have his insurance card...He scraped a bit of paint off my car but there was no dent - I want to get it fixed but I don't want to have to deal with my insurancy person. We'll see.

July 2, 2003

Man...I woke up with a nasty headache this morning. Ouch.

Anyway, I've been doing a lot of research into webpage design because I'd like to get off the template and design my own page but I'm not sure where to start! If anyone has suggestions about really easy to use software and good webhosting please do tell! Email me at bethgoodsell@hotmail.com. Thanks!

June 26, 2003

Who is graduating? Me! Today! Yaaay! Come to my graduation if you can - it is in Smithwyck Theatre at Foothill at 7pm. Free.

Look at this rose Jeremy gave me...he is so sweet! (I inverted the colors because it looked cool. Yes, anyone who actually understands editing may laugh here.

Mmmmm. Check out my Uncle's Page. See ya! Hopefully at my graduation!

June 23, 2003

Creepy,eh?

June 22, 2003

It is only June 22 by 1 minute. How cool is that? Well, of course, on a TRUE scale of cool it would only rate maybe a 3. But still - to make the cool scale at all *sigh*.

Hey, today...the new day of cool is hereby Christened Paula's Day in honor of my wonderful teacher Paula who is unfortunately leaving Middle College for Madison to go to school. Here is a card I made for her.

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

Yes, I took the picture what do you think Paula? It is actually from right outside the 5500 building near that shell of a dried out water fountain. Very pretty, eh? I feel like a genuine photographer now. Enjoy. The photo is for you!

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

June 18, 2003

Pretty photo I took:

June 17, 2003

Jeremy was a busy little bee today. Lately a man has been coming to Foothill with a Bible and a loud mouth and preaching about the evils of homosexuality.  Basically he is offensive and obnoxious - especially seeing how it is Gay & Lesbian Heritage Month at Foothill. 

Anyway, on his way to the student lounge Jeremy passed this guy who was preaching in the middle of Cesar Chavez Plaza.  But instead of ignoring him as so many Foothill students do in their haste to depart from the campus, Jeremy made a sign.  The sign read "Bigots Suck".  Once the sign had been completed Jeremy decided to sit right by where this guy was preaching and hold his sign up for the whole world to see.
    
As Jeremy held his sign and the bigot-man preached hate a lady walked by and yelled "I agree with him." The bigot told her thank you, and she yelled back...."Not you! I was talking to the guy with the sign!"

Ah. I love this story.

  The Beauty of Nature

June 15, 2003

I graduated from MVHS on Friday the 13th, 2003. Stupid school - they messed up and did not have my diploma. AAARGH!

The cat is sooo cute. Bob calls him Marcos (after the Zapatista leader). Watch the video here.

June 12, 2003

  Check out the new icon. It is a 
  baby draik plushie. How cute.
  Oh, I'm such a nerd.

  Anyway, hope you are all doing 
  well - I graduate tomorrow (for 
  the first time...) at MVHS. Yaay!

June 11, 2003

Prom Picture

Ah. Not the best picture we took but it was easily accessible. So there. It was also a whole lot cheaper than the pictures we paid for at prom.

Anyway, I've been busy writing some horried poetry which I will upload to the written literature section now. See ya later, alligators!

PS. Read Mars by Ben Bova. Good sci-fi.

Oh, I also have to update that my Grandmother died. I don't think she was in any pain. I certainly hope not. She is getting a kick-ass burial at Arlington National Cemetary on June 30! Way to go out in style. Go Grandma go!

June 5, 2003

Students for Justice De Anza is camping out to oppose the budget cuts. Yay for them! They make me so proud. *Sigh* unfortunately I couldn't make it up to see them this morning. Check out this article I found in the paper.

June 2, 2003

A fantastic quote I found online:

     "There will be change because all the military have are guns"
                                               -Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Hey, this is something that can apply everywhere. EVEN HERE. We do not need to be threatened by the might of the U.S.

June 1, 2003

Ok, this is an article about some prospective legislation which scares me!

Also, come to Chiapas Movie night - tomorrow, June 2nd...at Foothill Campus in Appreciation Hall at 7pm...It will be fun!

An Op/Ed I copied onto my site...Check it out.

May 28, 2003

Are you a bigot?

big·ot 
n.

One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

ho·mo·pho·bi·a

1. Fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay men.

2. Behavior based on such a feeling.

Are you judgemental?

judg·ment also judge·ment  
n.

The act or process of judging; the formation of an opinion after consideration or deliberation. The mental ability to perceive and distinguish relationships; discernment: Fatigue may affect a pilot's judgment of distances.

1. The capacity to form an opinion by distinguishing and evaluating: His judgment of fine music is impeccable.

2. The capacity to assess situations or circumstances and draw sound conclusions

My grandmother had a stroke. Well, let me clarify, she had ANOTHER stroke. I feel sad for her. She has been in a home for a while now and has some sort of dementia. It looks as if these will be her last days. I'm sorry I didn't know her better and that we couldn't have had that warm, fuzzy relationship. Too bad she chose her dog over me. *Sigh* I hope she isn't in any pain.

May 27, 2003

Hey, added a new essay to my written literature page - check it out. Basically the essay is my oral argument for New Jersey v. T.L.O.

Slightly updated the feminism page. Sorry - I have a lot to do right now but hopefully I'll finish the page off by tomorrow.

William Safire and the FCC:

"We've already seen what happened when the F.C.C. allowed the monopolization of local radio: today three companies own half the stations in America, delivering a homogenized product that neglects local news coverage and dictates music sales.

And the F.C.C. has abdicated enforcement of the "public interest" requirement in issuing licenses. Time was, broadcasters had to regularly reapply and show public-interest programming to earn continuance; now they mail the F.C.C. a postcard every eight years that nobody reads."

May 26, 2003

Hey all. I suppose today is Memorial Day - and so we don't go to work/school in memory of our honored dead. Well, it seems pretty soon that we will be needing two Memorial Days, given our President's love of war and greedy nature.

Anyway, I've updated the site (rearranged the menu bar, added more Kucinich information, updated the links, updated the Chiapas page...) So enjoy it all!

From Daily Kos:

In Memorial Day remarks, our President says "This nation does not forget".

But in his review of The Matrix Reloaded, NYT's Frank Rich observes that forgetfulness is the core principle of American consciousness:

... when Al Qaeda's terrorists were gearing up for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks ... media giants were in overdrive selling escapist fare like the Clinton scandals, Gary Condit's sex life and shark attacks. ... entertaining melodramas drove any reports of threatening developments beyond U.S. shores to the periphery ...

The media giants took the same tack in banding together to push the administration-dictated narrative of Saddam Hussein ... by the time the war began, 51 percent of Americans, according to a Knight-Ridder poll, believed that Iraqis were among the Sept. 11 hijackers.

It took the bloody re-emergence of Qaeda terrorists in Riyadh two weeks ago to recover the repressed memory that none of those terrorists were Iraqis ... And whatever happened to Saddam's arsenal ...? Well, sarin today, gone tomorrow ... vanished from the national consciousness.

The power of the five companies that foster this sequential amnesia is increasing, not declining. ... But who knows or cares? ... the companies that program America's matrix have shut out all but bare-bones coverage of the imminent FCC [action, much as the ruling machines in "The Matrix" do not feed their capitve humans any truths that might set them free].

May 19, 2003

Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me!

Well, if you haven't guessed...it is my birthday! I am officially 18 years old. This means I can buy pornography, cigarettes and vote/be drafted...I think the only one of those rights I will exercise will be to vote.

Speaking of voting, here is a quote from Dennis Kucinich - the man I will support for the presidency. Well, more specifically, I will support him in the primary...if he does not win that then I'm switchin' over to old Ralphie because green is the way to be. But really, Kucinich is the coolest democrat around right now. And he actually follows through! (Check lower down the page for some other quotes).

"As President, I'll make sure that workers' rights are enshrined in a Workers' White House. As President, I'll issue an executive order which will say that anyone who gets a federal contract will have to provide that when 50% of the workers sign up for a union, there's an automatic union. As President, I'll set aside those provisions of Taft-Harley which attack the right to organize. As President (with a 100% AFSCME voting record, I might add), one of my first acts in office -- recognizing how trade has devastated so many towns around Iowa and the nation -- will be to cancel NAFTA and the WTO.

"I ask this administration: Tell me, Mr. Bush, where are those weapons of mass destruction? I've seen those weapons, and I'll tell you where they are. Joblessness is a weapon of mass destruction. Poverty is a weapon of mass
destruction. Hopelessness is a weapon of mass destruction. Let's bring back hope in America. Let's bring back jobs in America. Let's bring back workers' rights in America! Thank you."

May 13, 2003

Hey, I was listening to Ramsay Clark, former Attorney General and Founder/Chairman of International Answer (actually, he's done a whole lot more!). You can find a video of his speech on C-Span if you search their database.

"When you see the nature of the occupation.  When you see the chaos in which the people are living.  The government of the United States was implored to see that there were emergency medical supplies spread throughout Iraq before any attack because there were a lot of us that saw --- for instances I saw an 11-year old girl have her left leg sawed off very near the hip without anethesia while 4 men held her down because there was no anesthesia."

"What was all that shock and awe? Was it just fireworks like the 4th of July or was it  killing people? The heavy bombardment..  And how'd we let them get away with a phrase like shock and awe? Tell me the difference psychologically between what was intended with shock and awe and 9/11? It's sudden devastating violence against a defenseless people  by surprise...seeking awe that will make them tremble and surrender...I can't believe that those who wrote the constitution wouldn't be nauseated by the suggestion that we would have been reduced to such a miserable expression that would be accepted by the people of the United States as a means of having our way...The media needs to find out how many Iraqis died.  Don't they matter? Are their lives worth any less than ours?"

 

May 12, 2003

Well, as you can see I've been fiddling with the template (the old one was giving me trouble). I have also added a bunch of new stuff - essays, information about Chiapas and a new Jeremy quote. Yeah...the feminism stuff will be coming along soon - I hope. For now, content yourself with my essay on Print Ads and Women's Psychology.

May 11, 2003

Sorry about the lack of updating. Well, here we go. Jonathan is going to Reed, my sister is boring and I bought a nice prom dress.

Yes, I know that sounds materialistic and shallow but as I only shop about 4 times a year (ie only when necessary) I feel I have a right to brag. Ok, as I write this my sister is talking to herself. Anyway, back to the dress - it is empress style gold with beading on the bodice and along the bottom 2 feet or so. Very pretty. To go with it I have a pair of gold shoes (which I found in my closet) and will probably steal a gold shawl from my sister. Pretty cool, eh? Maybe I'll take a picture of it.

I've just finished writing my term paper and I think I will load all of my essays online so that people can enjoy them! Aren't I nice? :) Check out the "Written Literature" section I've created.

May 4, 2003

Hey there folks - I just learned that the California Public Utilities Commission voted 3-2 to defeat solar exit fees and support President Peevey's proposal to exempt all solar energy from these fees. In case you are wondering, this is good (at least in my opinion) because it encourages people and businesses to use solar as they will not get taxed on making their own electricity. When I'd first heard of the proposal to tax the production of solar energy in homes I was appalled but at least this is one thing I have to be happy about. And Jeremy, of course.

Secondly, I saw X2 (or whatever they are calling it). It was okay...pretty hokey...some religion. Eeew. But basically all it was good for was some eye-candy. Lots of really attractive people. Of course, it was really violent which surprised me. I mean the "good guys" were just killing people - especially Wolverine!

May 1, 2003

You know, presidential elections are fast approaching. Yeah, they are. And I'm of the opinion that knowing who you are going to vote for or what kinds of characteristics you want in the next president of the United States is a good thing - so you don't get confused or cheated of your vote.

One candidate I'm liking a lot is Dennis Kucinich. He seems to share my passion for reforming the government.  Here are some quotes from one of his recent speeches:

"Regardless of the outcome, the war in Iraq was wrong. While the United States has won a military victory in Iraq, the Administration never justified the war, rendering it a diplomatic and foreign policy failure.

"The Administration led America into a war based on false pretenses. Even today, as the President declares an end to combat, there is no credible evidence that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. These weapons,
they said, posed an immediate and imminent threat to our nation and our allies, and could not be eliminated through international weapons inspectors.

"The Administration, with its policy in Iraq, has isolated the United States from the international community and threatens to make our country less safe not more safe.

"Bringing the troops home, and bringing in the international community to assist with humanitarian reconstruction and security, must happen immediately. Rhetoric alone will not convince the world that the United States is not occupying Iraq, especially since the U.S. has prioritized the rebuilding oil infrastructures instead of providing humanitarian assistance."

April 29, 2003

So, Middle College went to a Patriot Act info/awareness seminar sponsored by the campus. They had some interesting speakers - including a woman from the Muslim Network (or something of the sort), an ACLU speaker, a former Japanese internee... yeah. But they didn't allow for a lot of time for the speakers and very little time for asking questions. Damn moderator!!!

So Jeremy and I discussed this and thought - we'd have liked to have learned a little more of the logistics regarding the Patriot Act I/II and also some more about the internment camps. Oh well, at least we learned something.

Hey, I also took the bus today! Lots of walking. But it made me feel good because for once I wasn't using my private vehicle.  I am so sore.

Got an A - 97.5% on my Gender Studies Midterm! 

Changed the template. What do you guys think? It's simpler but....I'm not sure. If you hate it email me!

I also added some pages - Alison's page and my own All About Me page! Check them out. Tell me what you think!

So, I won Middle College Bingo yesterday - $3 and the Dali Lama's book on Love and Compassion.

April 27, 2003

Jeremy, Ali and I went to a Peace Action teach-in yesterday. The organizers did a very terrible job and no one showed up - made me respect those people who do the SF and DC rallies a whole lot more.

Secondly, I have a link to an article about Bush - the person's grammer is bad but she has a lot of information. Check it out and see!  http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/03/04/23_resume.html

 

April 23, 2003

Well, the Lockheed Martin protest was a success! Jeremy and I got together at a little after 6am and drove to the Light Rail in Mtn View to meet up for the protest.  Since this was a direct action protest when we arrived at Lockheed there were TONS of cops - most in riot gear. The protest had a very different feeling from other rallies I've been to - but it wasn't a dark feeling or anything - more of an air of determination.

 

April 17, 2003

Hrmmm. I have an announcement for a very important demonstration next Tuesday April 22, 2003.  The demonstration is to protest Lockheed Martin (the #1 arms manufacturer in the world) by shutting down the Sunnyvale compound through direct action and a rally. If you are interested you can attend with me (I will not be practicing direct action but supporting those who are), SARJ or SFJ. Or, of course, you can attend on your own. Everyone will be assembling at Centennial Plaza in Mtn View by the light rail on Castro.

A nice lady, Marian, was telling us about something that her husband experienced: Marian is Syrian by birth but an American citizen by nationality. One day at her husband's work he was approached by a man who asked him "When we go to war with Syria will your wife hold a Syrian flag or an American flag?" To this her husband replied, "I don't know but will you hold a confederate flag or an American flag?"

Gosh, my Gender Studies class is hard to stomach - NOT because I'm sexist or anything but because the teacher is not as well informed about stuff as she could be. She tells the students that their theories are wrong but doesn't do a good job of explaining how they are incorrect. Basically, she is stifling the class with her ignorance and inability to articulate what knowledge she has. 

 

April 13, 2003

Well, I'm getting back into the groove of Middle College - sorta...It has never been an extremely appealing class because of the lack of interest by the students and lack of new material from the teachers. My Gender Studies class on the other hand is full of very useful trivia - although it is not what I'd call difficult (yet, anyway).

I went last night and saw Forever Plaid at the Saratoga Civic Theater. A guy from my MC class - Nick - was starring in this 4 person cast. These 4 guys are part of a group called Forever Plaid- but the night they are driving to pick up their plaid tuxedoes they are hit by a school bus and killed instantly. Luckally, do to a bunch of astrophysics mumbojumbo they are allowed to return for one night to perform the show they never had the chance to. Basically they sing lots and lots of 50s music. It was hysterical. Anyway, I wish Nick well - he definitely has the the talent.

Tonight, if Jeremy decides to return from the wedding he attended this weekend, we can go and do something. Of course, there really is no where to go in suburbia...unless you want to spend money - and even then your choices are limited. All the suggestions I have been getting involve bowling, shooting pool or miniature golfing...none of which are particularly interesting right now. Any suggestions?

 

April 9, 2003

Ok, so I've been really busy getting back from Mexico and adjusting to my new classes. Sorry. I'm now official President AND facilitator for Students For Justice at Foothill College. (I may whine but that is SO cool! Hehe.) Anyway, so I've been kinda swamped.

SFJ is planning a direct-action protest against Lockheed Martin on April 22nd with the PPJC and a number of other organizations. If you are interested contact me - there is also a plain old rally planned so you can participate...

Check out the new Foothill Students For Justice Website!

 

April 5th???

Sorry, I'm updating from an internet cafe in San Cristobal, Mexico. I have no idea what day it is because I don't really want to get up and ask in spanish. Very tired. I had quite the adventure in the jungle...more updates on that later. So far it has been a blast but a really tiring one. I have learned a ton about the people here and really improved my spanish. I hope all you guys are doing well and missing me a whole lot. I'm coming back tomorrow in the evening...then school again...eeww.. ok see ya all later! Love, Bethie.

March 30, 2003

Hey everyone! I am in Chiapas, Mexico with my group and Unky Bob. We have been visiting local organizations here in San Cristobal and on Tuesday will leave for the jungle. I hope everyone back home is fine and still working to stop the war. Everyone we have met here is against the war. See you next week! Adios!

March 28, 2003

I'm headed out to Chiapas Mexico with my group. We are going down there to stand in solidarity with the indigenous people who are being oppressed by the Mexican government. I will be gone from Friday until Sunday April 6th. Wish me luck and please continue the anti-war movement while I'm gone. Other blogs of interest can be found on the links page. Peace be with you all. Bethie.

March 26, 2003

Read this account of police brutality from Rina Bliss, an SF schoolteacher:

     My name is Rina Bliss and I have been a teacher and resident of San Francisco for the past three and a half years. I chose to strike on March 20th because I do not believe that war promotes peace or understanding in this world. I came to the intersection of Stockton and Market at around 11:00am to witness a conflict ensuing between police and protesters.

Police were using a strategy to disperse protesters in which they cordoned off a group of protesters forcibly and arrested them. I happened to be at the edge of the group they were blocking off. They asked me and others closer to the sidewalk to back up towards the sidewalk. All of us reluctantly did, yet every time they asked us to back up more, I had less and less room to retreat. The crowd was thick with people concerned about those beyond the police barricade. Seeing that I was the lone person not yet on the sidewalk, an officer put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me to back up. I did not resist his push, but I had nowhere to go. Just as I was attempting to withdraw in any way possible, a female officer with the badge number 719 lunged forward through the barricade and plunged her billy club into my stomach. Then she began swinging at my arms, as I raised them to block off further blows. In a rush of fear, I thrust my hand at her face mask, at which time several officers began beating me on my arms and chest. In the nick of time, the crowd behind me reached out to envelop me in the safety of their fold. I cried and shook for fifteen minutes, while individuals comforted me and shouted to the officers that they bore witness to this indescretionary use of violence.

I am healing and physically will be all right. Yet, I will never be able to shake the feeling that I got when I saw that officer lunge at me to hurt me however she could. I saw in her eyes hatred for all those trying to give voice to their dissenting opinion. It is unacceptable for an officer to use violence to express their frustration, even in a dire situation. It is ironic, because teachers and police officers are both entrusted with the well-being of our citizens. We both work under stressful conditions. We are even paid from the same municipal and state sources. Just as those officers would want me to treat their children with the utmost care and respect, I deserve their best regard for my protection. I am not the enemy, but an active supporter of our community.

I aim to file a complaint on officer 719, but that will not resolve the mistrust I now have of the San Francisco Police force. I write this as a warning to citizens and police officers alike: the San Francisco Police Department needs to make it known to its rank that brutality is unwelcome. Persons who cannot control their own distress cannot be asked to control the distress of others.

Rina Bliss

 

March 25, 2003

Sorry, haven't updated for a couple days. I just finished my finals and have been really busy with protesting as well. Check out these two short articles I got from imdb.com (media database site). They are actually rather well written blurbs. The US is a really scary place to be. Peace Out. Beth.

Al-Jazeera Reporter Barred from NYSE

A reporter for the Qatar-based al-Jazeera cable news network was barred from the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday. Reuters quoted an NYSE spokesman as saying that the stock exchange wanted "to focus our efforts on networks that focus on responsible business coverage." He did not indicate why the NYSE found al-Jazeera's business coverage irresponsible. Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations told Reuters that the group believes the ban sets a bad precedent. "We believe in freedom of speech ... in the media," he said.

 

Networks Divided on Whether To Run P.O.W. Tapes

CBS, NBC and CNN began running portions of an Iraqi tape, originally shown on al-Jazeera, of captured American soldiers after withholding them at the request of the Pentagon pending notification of next of kin. The tape also showed bodies of U.S. infantrymen who had been killed in action. ABC and Fox News decided to run only still photos from the tapes that had been carried by the wire services. "It's a tough call, but I don't think it furthers the story" to show the video, Fox News Vice President John Moody told today's (Tuesday) Washington Post. "The fear in these young people's faces is powerful. It's a little bit like watching a snuff movie, it's so awful." But al-Jazeera Washington correspondent Hafex Mirazi told CNN's Aaron Brown Monday: "You cannot have just war as video games and just the very sanitized image of the war." Today's Wall Street Journal reported that the German press has compared coverage of the war by the U.S. media to the "Gleichschaltung" of World War 2, when the Nazis took control of the media.

 

March 23, 2003

I went to a SARJ meeting today. I had a lot of fun. Looks like I'm going to be in charge of yet another website - unless I can convince Jeremy to do it (he seemed like he might want to).

This picture is of a French employee at teh French interests section in Baghdad crying as she bids farewell to an Iraqi collegue before her evacuation from the country. This is just so sad.

 

 

March 22, 2003

It's been a while since my last update. Sorry about that - I've been really busy protesting and sorta shocked into silence by the atrocities that are being committed. Ok, so tomorrow I am going to a SARJ meeting - Students against Reactionary Jingoism. It should be interesting. I hope I will be able to attend some rallies with the group and that I will be able to recruit them (pardon me!) maybe to do a seminar for the Cultural Expo.

Yup, and this Friday I will be heading out to Chiapas, Mexico -- It's been a long 8 months fundraising the needed 25K for the trip but we are done and woohoo! We are off to help people and educate ourselves about what is going on down there. 

I will update soon! Please, if you are interested - MVHS students are having peace vigils every school morning at 7am or so at the corner of Bryant and Truman. I'll be there. Join us in protesting an unjust war and demand that we bring our soldiers home safe and sound.

Before you go to bed tonight pray/ask/wish/make a pledge for peace. It is something that this world needs very much. 

 

War has begun. Already innocents are dying.

 

March 19, 2003

Well, as most of us are aware - going to war against terrorism is going to create a whole lot more of it. So, to 'combat' this the US has come up with a nifty little color-coded chart which tells the public their chances of being killed. Right now I believe that the current terror alert is orange - one step down from red, the highest. Why, you might ask? Because the US is about to start bombing another country - this is bound to create some anti-US sentiment.

Anyway, should the terror alert increase to red the government will put in effect martial law (basically). You will not be able to leave your home and your access to critical areas will be restricted.  Anyone who does leave their home can be considered 'the enemy'. Red alert would also tear away virtually all personal freedoms to move about and associate.

 

March 18, 2003

"We cannot base our military strategy on the assumption
that Saddam is weak and at the same time justify pre-emptive action on the claim that he is a threat."

Mr. Robin Cook, the Leader of the house in Britain has resigned with a moving speech. (some of which is quoted above). He very eloquently has questioned the need for immediate invasion of Iraq to destroy weapons of mass destruction which the US has known were there for over 10 years.  In the quote above he questions that if we are unafraid to send our soldiers in because war with Iraq is no contest then why is Iraq a threat to us?

I like this man. As he resigned from the government he praised Tony Blair for attempting to find a resolution, reminded him why there was a necessity in the first place for a resolution and warned him that there are consequences that need to be faced should we carry out an invasion.

"It has been a favourite theme of commentators that this House no longer occupies a central role in British politics. Nothing could better demonstrate that they are wrong than for this House to stop the commitment of troops in a war that has neither international agreement nor domestic support. I intend to join those tomorrow night who will vote against military action now. It is for that reason, and for that reason alone, and with a heavy heart, that I resign from the Government." - Mr Robin Cook

 

March 17, 2003

Bush made an address today: he declared that since the U.N will veto US resolutions for war, he will circumvent them by going to war with a coalition of the willing.  He warned that US and UN officials need to get out of the country if they want to be safe.  Clearly Bush is not looking for a way to help the Iraqi people - he is authorizing a full out bombing and subsequent invasion which will most likely commence Wednesday. My advice to anyone is to start talking LOUD about why this war is wrong. Walk out, speak out and protest. If we can't stop this war maybe we can minimize it or at least keep the man in office from being reelected.

People are going to die on both sides. This war will only spawn more terrorists because more and more people will live lives devoid of hope.  The only way to stop violence is with peace. Killing will only beget more killing.

"We must work hard to see the U.N. remains strong, at least from our perspective."

Bush said this at the press conference in the Azores.  It struck me as a little off - I thought the purpose of the UN was to be an alliance of countries - not just our tool for US invasion.  Basically Bush is saying that the UN has to remain strong only in supporting the US - the UN is our pawn.

I'm sure you all have heard about the MOAB - the 21,000 pound bomb that is the military's new playtoy. We're pretty sure they came up with MOAB - the Mother of All Bombs - before they came up with the bomb itself.  Anyway, when you drop the bomb - out of a really big plane, of course - it releases a spray of gasoline like stuff which creates a cloud around it. Next the bomb itself explodes and lights the gasoline on fire, creating a huge ball of fire.  But at the same time the bomb's explosion sends out a huge sound wave (maybe not the right word) which is super strong.  The way people die from this bomb is by having their internal organs ruptured by the emitted wave. You can't hide from this thing, even little animals buried deep in the sand are killed - and this is what we want to use in Iraq!

Lastly, a human shield in Palestine - an American from Evergreen College in Olympia -was killed.  She was trying to stop an Israeli bulldozer from knocking down the home of a physician in Gaza.  Apparently the bulldozer crushed her and then backed up over her.  According to those on the scene, the guy in the bulldozer had a good view of her and realized what he was doing. She was 23.

 

March 15, 2003

These people are trying to represent the thousands of Iraqi women who have lost their babies because of the US.

 

I just got back from the peace rally! I'm not sure how many of us there were but I'd estimate about 200,000 - (we finished the 8-10 block march and went back to the start - there were still people leaving from the Civic Center!). Anyway, it went really well - lots of cheering, smiles and great conversations. I met a really great socialist guy who was definitely passionate about creating change.

 

March 13, 2003

 If patriotism has to precipitate us into dishonour, if there is no precipice of inhumanity over which nations and men will not throw themselves, then, why in fact do we go to so much trouble to become, or to remain, human? --Jean-Paul Sartre

This quote headed up an article I read about US using torture tactics on suspected terrorists. In fact, the US has decided that we do not need to abide by the rules set out in the Geneva Convention of 1949.

According to the Geneva Convention, "Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria." Now, I am aware that we are dealing with a terrorist group but how far can these rules be bent when we are not technically at war? My guess is that the US is definitely exceeding its bending limits with its inhumane treatment of prisoners.

Anyway, the issue at hand is that the US wants to torture some information out of Al Qaeda leader Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. And since this is technically illegal EVERY way you look at it...well, the administration has to either find a way to cover it up or a way to justify it. One suggestion being made currently is to ship this guy out to another country which will not ask so many questions. "Torture" may not seem all that bad to you but here is a list of some of what US paramilitaries around the world have done to POWs (careful, rather disturbing):

• stripped and blindfolded
• suspended from ceilings with feet only touching the floor
• beaten with metal rods/whips/chains
• subjected to electric shocks
• had fingernails pulled out
• were in some way or another brutally raped

 Al Qaeda captives held at overseas CIA interrogation centers, which are completely off-limits to reporters, lawyers and outside agencies, are routinely "softened up"--that is, beaten--by US Army Special Forces before interrogation, as well as thrown against walls, hooded, deprived of sleep, bombarded with light and bound in painful positions with duct tape.

 Right now, if even only a few of these reports of brutality is true we as citizens have to reevaluate our support of a military willing to commit acts which violate the Geneva Convention and the UN Convention Against Torture ratified in 1994 by the US! Human Rights groups around the world as well as within the US are outraged by the administration's treatment of these people and their continued secrecy. We may be a superpower but torture is certainly not the mark of a great country.

 

March 9, 2003

So, I have been getting quite a lot of hate mail recently. Pro-war people (at least the ones I've written to/spoken with) have not been able to voice their opinions without lashing out quite rudely at mine. I can understand that - it is the fear driving them is my best guess. Seeing it other than in good and evil is hard. Yeah, so you can read their entries in the guestbook - and be reminded - I don't erase entries just because they may differ from my point of view - I only erase them if they are overly profane etc etc. (Sorry about the hyphens, I'm sure using them a lot right now).

Secondly,  I went to the Palo Alto rally this weekend - nice turnout. What I appreciated most was that we had a really long walk compared to the one last time. It gave us more time to open up as a crowd and to catch people on the street. Lot's of cops too. ABC and NBC were there.

I just signed up for my new classes - A women's studies class and jazz dance with Bubba. They should be fun and fit the last quarter of my senior year well. No stress, lots of exercise.

 

March 4, 2003

It has been some time since I last updated! Sorry. Anyway, L&C was sooo cool! I am very excited about going there next year. I also just found out I was accepted to UC Santa Cruz - not a surprise but it is good to know I have a fallback. I'll hear from Davis in mid-March.

Tomorrow I'm going to Foothill College's student walkout - "No Business As Usual" is the slogan, I guess. Basically my coalition (the host of this strike) is saying that we cannot just blissfully ignore Bush's war and go about our merry business. We need to make a ruckus and let it be heard that we do not support this war!

So yeah. If you are at Foothill join other students and staff in protesting the war. If you are anywhere else - walk out anyway! This is a nationwide protest. Hope to see you there or at least hear that you did something!

 

February 25, 2003

So, I was filling up my gas tank - mourning the fact that I don't have an electric or hybrid vehicle - and this old guy pulls up. He gets out and is staring at me. I smile, thinking he must be overpowered by my youthful beauty. But then he says to me really angrily, "What, you just gonna sit there and let them come get us?!" I assume he was referring to the anti-war fliers my car windows are covered in. But still, it really freaked me out - I thought he was going to kill me or something he looked so angry.

But at the same time I wanted to ask the guy, "Who exactly are "they"? I mean, "they" could be Saddam (which in that case would mean that he needs to practice his conjugation), Bin Laden (which is stupid as we are invading Iraq) or maybe some other terrorist faction (the last parentheses covered that). Well, I didn't say anything because I didn't - obviously - want to get in a fight with an angry, overweight white man and so I finished and drove off as he stared malevolently at me. 

 

February 24, 2003

I found this screen capture on my Uncle's site (he found it somewhere else, hehe). It really conveys how idiotic our media is and how idiotic WE are for believing what are media is telling us. That was a mouthful!

 

February 19, 2003

Well, I'm pretty pissed. And rightly so! Bush has managed to shrug and I mean *shrug* off over 7 million people rallying against war. Here's the reason I believe he just doesn't care: Here in California (especially) Bush realizes that he is not going to get our vote next election - he never got it to begin with - so because of this he is not at all worried over any opposition we mount. This is the same in many other parts of the U.S - for the most part the more liberal faction in the U.S. is rallying and not any potential Bush voters.

Now, this makes me angry because, well, it is morally bankrupt and just a crappy thing to do! If the U.S. were a democracy and not the next Nazi Germany maybe the people's sentiment would matter just a bit more!

Anyway, so Bush said that the "size of the protests were irrelevant" and that he couldn't decide anything based on that - he had to decide whether or not to bomb Iraq based upon U.S. security. This idiotic, pompous little speech of his really pissed off my Uncle -

 Aside from the obvious duct-tape-lined fact that an Iraq war will clearly decrease our security, my focus group suggests that the "leader" IN A FRIGGIN' DEMOCRACY should decide policy based on the will of the people, ESPECIALLY if they didn't elect the STUPID MORON in the first place! What meager support the INSANE COWBOY has is based entirely on the LIES that his warmongering administration and the state-run media have been feeding the mentally-challenged population of this country.

Anyway, the good news is that although the anti-war rallies may not deter Mr. Bush, in England they are having more of an effect. Over 1 million people gathered in London last Saturday. For the most part these were England's left - people who voted for and elected current Prime Minister Blair. This said, PM Blair has got to be a bit worried that his position as leader is in jeopardy. Let's cross our fingers that he'll pull out! Or at least slow down.

 

February 18, 2003

Well, Claire, Anthony, Chris and I all made it up to the SF rally around 9am. REALLY early, just as I'd planned. So early, in fact, that the streets were nearly empty except for the organizers and some crazy, bagel-loving folks. It was great.

While my mom went off to buy some hot chocolate I got up the courage to talk to some die hard communists. Anthony and I walked over to where they had their table set up and I asked for the low down on commie history. About half way through their explanation Anthony abandoned me and I was forced to think up some REAL questions - of course, the first one I asked was "So...(long pause) who was YOUR favorite communist leader?" The nice woman with the red hair told me it was really hard to choose - probably a toss up between Fidel and Lenin. That sounded pretty reasonable to me - I like Fidel, cool guy - until I asked them what they thought of Stalin. I was told he had been misrepresented - wrongly demonized...

It was about then that I realized these people at the booth were more of a cult following than a real political movement. Oh well, as I remarked to Anthony later - "Sure, Stalin was a cool guy except for his rampant paranoia and the 2 million he starved to death."

 

February 15, 2003

We are making a difference: around the world already more than 7 million (and that is a conservative estimate made up of police figures!) have rallied! People are committed to slowing this war down! You, WE, can make a difference! Get out there, flier people, raise awareness and unite our countries and the world because war should not happen.

Get out there! Bring your posters, your t-shirts, your voices and your friends! It's time to rally! You'll be joining millions of others around the globe in denouncing an unjust war!

February 5, 2003

I'm sick of people who remain undecided about an issue - who refuse to even think about the issue because it scares or sickens them. The quote below, from Dante's Inferno completely supports my point of view.

"The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who, in time of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality."

Take the war for instance: Without a bunch of people arguing against the war it would have already happened! I feel that to not say anything about an issue, to remain neutral, is in effect to default back onto what will happen. It is extremely important to realize that these issues will not resolve themselves. Just as Martin Luther King Jr. said, "There comes a time when silence is betrayal."