Because WordPress is way too out of my league...someday, I'll get it together, I hope!
Conscious Zombie
January 1, 2010
Update
Happy New Year! I want to update anyone who is interested in my current situation. Since the end of October, I’ve been staying with my parents near Champaign-Urbana, IL, about 120 miles south of Chicago. The town is actually called Gifford (and no, Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford are not from here), and this town makes Mayberry look like the size of Hong Kong 
. But fortunately, I’m close to Champaign-Urbana, which is a decent-sized college town and home of the University of Illinois Illini, the obsession with which seems to be somewhat of a religion around here.
It’s got its share of Walmarts, Barnes & Nobles, Chili’s and Walgreen’s to pass for any midwestern town. But there is a dearth of known grocery stores- the two main ones seem to be a “Schnuck’s” and a “Meijer’s”- there’s not a Jewel, Dominick’s, or Cub Foods to be found. Oh, but there IS an Aldi’s. Thanks heavens. (yes, that’s sarcasm )
Also, I’m within a few miles of a train station that goes to and from Chicago’sUnion Station twice a day, for fairly cheap, which is a very good thing. I’m also like only half an hour from Indiana- where I’ve never been- but I do know that come July 4th we’ll be able to get legal fireworks there!
Anyway, I’ve had some difficult health problems that have lingered long enough to require this living situation for the time being. It is my intention though to eventually get back toMinneapolis and live full-time there again, although I do not know when that will be.
Until then, it is good to be with family and back near my old stomping grounds of rural IL…although I’ve never lived this far southin my life , and it almost seems like I’m in the south, with the subtle accents around here that bear absolutely no resemblance to the Chicago accent.
But at least I’m not too far from the political action – since there’s been a UnivIllinois scandal involving (what else) pay-for-play, or should I say cash-for-classes- involving the former governor Rod and others. It’s nice to know that IL politics does not discriminate against those of us living in the boonies- there is plenty of opportunity to participate in all the dishonest graft and patronage- more than I could ever want.
So, those of you who want my current address and phone numbers, please let me know. I have the same email addresses as I’ve had for years.
There’s an open invitation to visit, if anyone wants to “get away from it all” and experience nature. That is, if your idea of nature involves a town with more pickup trucks without mufflers than people. Perhaps notWalden Pond , but seriously we have a big house and it’s peaceful and a good place to get away, and only 2 hrs from Chicago.
Also, those of my family and friends wholive in Chicago or the Chicagoland area, I would love to get together soon- we should set something up! Please feel free to contact me anytime!
Happy New Year and I hope you’ve had a great Christmas and/or Hanukkah holiday!
-Gina
. But fortunately, I’m close to Champaign-Urbana, which is a decent-sized It’s got its share of Walmarts, Barnes & Nobles, Chili’s and Walgreen’s to pass for any midwestern town. But there is a dearth of known grocery stores- the two main ones seem to be a “Schnuck’s” and a “Meijer’s”- there’s not a Jewel, Dominick’s, or Cub Foods to be found. Oh, but there IS an Aldi’s. Thanks heavens. (yes, that’s sarcasm
)Also, I’m within a few miles of a train station that goes to and from Chicago’s
Anyway, I’ve had some difficult health problems that have lingered long enough to require this living situation for the time being. It is my intention though to eventually get back to
Until then, it is good to be with family and back near my old stomping grounds of rural IL…although I’ve never lived this far south
But at least I’m not too far from the political action – since there’s been a Univ
So, those of you who want my current address and phone numbers, please let me know. I have the same email addresses as I’ve had for years.
There’s an open invitation to visit, if anyone wants to “get away from it all” and experience nature. That is, if your idea of nature involves a town with more pickup trucks without mufflers than people. Perhaps not
Also, those of my family and friends who
Happy New Year and I hope you’ve had a great Christmas and/or Hanukkah holiday!
-Gina
December 6, 2009
“WAR ON TERROR” – what are we doing in Afghanistan ?
I’m going to post my thoughts on this issue tomorrow. I was going to do it today, but didn’t have the chance to get it all presentable. Funny how you can spend all day on the computer and not get anything done. What with ebay, Facebook, trying to fix computer settings, and what-not, how can I be expected to?
December 2, 2009
My book review: “The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell”
This is news?
This book was a disappointment. It basically stated the obvious, that certain factors “tip” people one way or another- context, persuasion, genetics, etc., and produce trends as well as personal preferences. There wasn’t anything in here that was not common sense. For example, the chapter on why teenagers still start smoking even after decades of health warnings, etc., provided no new insight. Basically, the reason provided was that kids don’t start smoking because the action of smoking is cool; they start smoking because the SMOKERS are cool. In other words, cool people smoke, just like they do other things. So to be cool, you’ll emulate the cool people. And smoking is one thing you can do to be like them.
Also, the author states that genetics is the reason why certain smokers become addicted (every-day smoking of several cigarettes per day, with great difficulty in quitting including withdrawal symptoms) and why other people can smoke very few cigarettes in a week, every week, for example, and easily stop doing that with no problem. Since the concept of “social smokers” is quite well known now, I don’t think this was any revelation. Just like not every social drinker becomes an alcoholic, not every social smoker becomes a hard-core nicotine fiend. And doesn’t genetics cause pretty much everything? I’ve heard a figure of 80% of our behavior, traits, intelligence, etc. is genetic. This may or may not be true, but the proposition that nature, rather than nurture, is controlling us is not a new idea either. The “masses” won’t be impressed with his ideas on genes.
This book was also very short. I would have appreciated much more substance, and just more MATERIAL in general. Thankfully I got this from the library so I didn’t waste my money on a short, dissatisfying book that states the obvious and expects the public to be wowed by the “insight.”
The author seems to have rattled off this book in one sitting, perhaps as an afterthought, for what reason, I don’t know. I also sensed a patronizing tone throughout. I get the impression by reading it that he wrote this first as an outline for some high school sociology class, and then tried to expand it to something that the great “unwashed masses” would take as a serious, scholarly work. Well, I’m sure that even the “masses” aren’t that easily impressed.
So I do not recommend wasting your time on this one!
Also, the author states that genetics is the reason why certain smokers become addicted (every-day smoking of several cigarettes per day, with great difficulty in quitting including withdrawal symptoms) and why other people can smoke very few cigarettes in a week, every week, for example, and easily stop doing that with no problem. Since the concept of “social smokers” is quite well known now, I don’t think this was any revelation. Just like not every social drinker becomes an alcoholic, not every social smoker becomes a hard-core nicotine fiend. And doesn’t genetics cause pretty much everything? I’ve heard a figure of 80% of our behavior, traits, intelligence, etc. is genetic. This may or may not be true, but the proposition that nature, rather than nurture, is controlling us is not a new idea either. The “masses” won’t be impressed with his ideas on genes.
This book was also very short. I would have appreciated much more substance, and just more MATERIAL in general. Thankfully I got this from the library so I didn’t waste my money on a short, dissatisfying book that states the obvious and expects the public to be wowed by the “insight.”
The author seems to have rattled off this book in one sitting, perhaps as an afterthought, for what reason, I don’t know. I also sensed a patronizing tone throughout. I get the impression by reading it that he wrote this first as an outline for some high school sociology class, and then tried to expand it to something that the great “unwashed masses” would take as a serious, scholarly work. Well, I’m sure that even the “masses” aren’t that easily impressed.
So I do not recommend wasting your time on this one!
November 24, 2009
November 22, 2009
Two Articles by George Will on Afghanistan
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/31/AR2009083102912.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/03/AR2009110302925.html
I really could not agree more. What are we doing over there? why? What national interest is being served?
When will we see that we can’t cure the world’s ills, and that sometimes to quit while we can is the way to go instead of squandering more of our military, lives, and money on a thankless, practically impossible task…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/03/AR2009110302925.html
I really could not agree more. What are we doing over there? why? What national interest is being served?
When will we see that we can’t cure the world’s ills, and that sometimes to quit while we can is the way to go instead of squandering more of our military, lives, and money on a thankless, practically impossible task…
October 1, 2009
OK, new blog
I have switched my blog to WordPress- and will start posting some stuff ASAP. Feel free to post or comment or whatever- please!
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