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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in
Janice's LiveJournal:
| Wednesday, August 4th, 2004 | |
| 8:29 pm | Mystery Illness A week ago Sunday, I was riding around in my car doing errands when at about 3 pm, I realized I had only had a banana to eat all day. I rooted around in the back and found a coffee-flavored protein bar that the manufacturer had been giving away as a promotion. Only at 3 a.m. that morning, when I was completely and totally wide awake, did I realize that there must have been more than just coffee flavor in the bar... and I've been off caffeine completely for over 20 years. The next day, I tried to make up for the diuretic qualities of caffeine but I didn't have much time, because Monday night started an annual 25-hour fast (it's a Jewish thing...). Ever since then, despite drinking vast quantities of water and (on the advice of a friend) Gatorade, I've been feeling very peculiar. Really, really fatigued even after doing nothing all weekend but hibernating and sleeping in. Feeling of weakness in my legs, as if they might not hold me up. Heart pounding (that is, I am aware all the time of it beating, and I'm pretty sure it's beating a lot harder than normal). Every once in a while, I feel the need to take a deep breath although I'm not winded by walking or talking. Went to the doctor: had my first-ever EKG. Came through fine. Blood pressure fine. Doctor can't hear anything wrong with my heart. Ordered a slew of blood tests. All came back normal. She listened to my chest again, especially the right side, which is where I can feel the pounding. She didn't hear anything abnormal but I felt like I wanted to cough when she pressed down. I was sent for a chest X-ray today. I don't like this. I don't like this at all. Current Mood:  scared |
| 2:21 pm | Quote of the Day Passed on from a friend: In today's Wall Street Journal, there's a story headlined "Kerry Makes Headway in Luring Corporate Support", which says, in part: Joined by several business leaders at an economic summit today in Davenport, Iowa, Mr. Kerry will release a list of about 200 other corporate supporters. Among the Kerry converts is David Bonderman, founder and managing partner of the Fort Worth, Texas, investment firm Texas Pacific Group, who supported Mr. Bush for president in 2000 and earlier for Texas governor. |
| Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004 | |
| 10:05 am | For Those Who Saw Clinton's DNC Speech http://www.uclick.com/client/spi/bo/200 |
| Monday, August 2nd, 2004 | |
| 3:01 pm | "They Decide, They Report" CNN on the television coverage of the Democratic National Convention (although one wonders how objective they can be), providing statistics on time of actual speech coverage vs. talking heads among other things, at http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/0 My favorite quote: After some critics questioned Fox's short attention span for Gore and Carter, O'Reilly -- ringleader of the "no spin zone" -- explained the next night that his mission was to provide viewers with perspective rather than propaganda. Pretty nice dig from CNN!!! |
| 12:17 pm | Post-Convention Analysis I know that the Dems had been trying to lower expectations of a post-convention "bounce" due to the fact that the contenders had gone into the convention neck-and-neck (unusual, usually the incumbent is way ahead), Kerry had picked the VP ahead of the convention, and there are fewer undecideds than usual. But the fact that there was no bounce at all was pretty depressing. However, a friend provided a link to this analysis of the latest Zogby poll by the Zogby people. It indicates that Kerry did a good job of shoring up his base, and that Bush has not done a good job of courting key constituencies. Lots of figures and the full story at http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.d Current Mood:  hopeful |
| Saturday, July 31st, 2004 | |
| 11:08 pm | More Bushie Paranoia Excerpts below; full story at http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/vote/32 President Bush's re-election campaign insisted on knowing the race of an Arizona Daily Star journalist assigned to photograph Vice President Dick Cheney. Yeah, I mean, there is such a strong likelihood that someone else named Mamta Popat was going to show up and try to pretend to be a newspaper photographer to somehow ambush Cheney. Every time I think I can't be filled with any more outrage, I am surprised yet again... Current Mood:  infuriated |
| 10:58 pm | Regency House Party Regency enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that there will be a reality show on public broadcasting in November called "Regency House Party" in which 10 people will try to live and interact as if they were in the Regency period. (For all I know, this has already been shown in the UK -- I know that "Edwardian Country House" was shown in the UK way before it was shown in the U.S., where it was renamed "Manor House.") The web site below has some information on the show and some quizzes, including one that determines which Jane Austen character one most resembles. http://www.channel4.com/history/microsi Current Mood: intrigued |
| Friday, July 30th, 2004 | |
| 7:14 pm | Comedy Central Kerry Bio Film If you didn't see this on Comedy Central, I urge you to check it out -- unfortunately, there is no direct link but if you go to http://www.comedycentral.com/tv_shows/i Enjoy! |
| Thursday, July 29th, 2004 | |
| 8:28 pm | CNN Drops the F Bomb!!! Imagine my surprise when I switched from PBS coverage of the aftermath of the Kerry speech to CNN just in time to hear someone saying "The balloons aren't falling. What the f**k are you guys doing up there?" Oops :-> Current Mood: Shocked, shocked I tell you! |
| 8:09 pm | Kerry Hits a Home Run Everyone this afternoon was saying that John Kerry had to make the speech of his political life tonight, and I think he did. It was delivered with passion, made some very good points, had the audience's attention (including mine) mostly from start to finish (except for a little dead part in the middle), and avoided nasty negativity. I was also impressed that he didn't milk his Vietnam experience excessively, as I was afraid he might do. I hate the whole "call and response" thing that speakers seem to want to inspire (e.g., the repetitive "Help is on the way") but I guess some people find it inspiring. One specific section directly addressed one of the Republican arrows at him: I defended this country as a young man and I will defend it as President. Let there be no mistake: I will never hesitate to use force when it is required. Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response. I will never give any nation or international institution a veto over our national security. And I will build a stronger American military. And another nice section aimed at the Republicans: And tonight, we have an important message for those who question the patriotism of Americans who offer a better direction for our country. Before wrapping themselves in the flag and shutting their eyes and ears to the truth, they should remember what America is really all about. They should remember the great idea of freedom for which so many have given their lives. Our purpose now is to reclaim democracy itself. We are here to affirm that when Americans stand up and speak their minds and say America can do better, that is not a challenge to patriotism; it is the heart and soul of patriotism. Current Mood: impressed |
| Wednesday, July 28th, 2004 | |
| 10:02 pm | Edwards Gets a C I was very disappointed in John Edwards' speech tonight - for someone who's been described as capturing an audience, he stepped on his applause lines and seemed rushed and mechanical, showing little of his famed energy. In contrast, Bill Clinton in this arena is a Ghod. No one, but no one, is able to deliver a speech like he does, one that is a well-crafted political message but delivered like he's chatting to every person individually. And someone finally busted loose: the Rev Al Sharpton was supposed to speak for 6 minutes and spoke for 23 instead, departing from his vetted script to wow the crowd. (You can compare the two speeches: the text submitted to the media is at http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stori Some excerpts (none of which are in the approved speech): "I suggest to you tonight that if George Bush had selected the Supreme Court in '54, Clarence Thomas would have never got to law school." **************************************** "And when it became clear that there were no weapons, they changed the premise for the war and said: No, we went because of other reasons. "If I told you tonight, Let's leave the Fleet Center, we're in danger, and when you get outside, you ask me, Reverend Al, What is the danger? and I say, It don't matter. We just needed some fresh air, I have misled you and we were misled." **************************************** "Mr. President, I heard you say [at an Urban League meeting] you had questions for voters, particularly African-American voters. And you said the Democratic Party takes us for granted. You said the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass," he said. "It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. We were promised 40 acres and a mule. We never got the 40 acres. … We didn't get the mule. So we decided we would ride this donkey as far as it would take us." Current Mood:  disappointed |
| Sunday, July 25th, 2004 | |
| 10:00 pm | If Cats Could Explain http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/rhyme |
| 6:02 pm | Political Nostalgia The prospect of the upcoming content-free, made-for-TV Democratic National Convention inspired me to scurry to my bookshelves and re-read Convention by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II (authors of Seven Days in May), a story of political hanky-panky related to the choosing of the Presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention. The book was written in 1964 and is thus a bit dated (especially the computer technology) but the political intrigue and inside look at how political conventions worked is still fascinating. Other good books on this subject are various titles in the Advise and Consent series by Allen Drury, and another book by Knebel, Dark Horse. This is a tale of a straight-talking populist turnpike commissioner who becomes a compromise candidate for President thanks to the unexpected death of the Democratic nominee 22 days before the election but shocks his political handlers by actually going on the road and saying what he thinks. Current Mood:  nostalgic |
| Saturday, July 24th, 2004 | |
| 9:36 pm | This Week's Sign of the Apocalypse [With apologies to Sports Illustrated] John Thune, who is trying to unseat Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota, has opposition to gay marriage as his central issue. He is a third-term Congressman and an evangelical Christian who does not believe in evolution. And this is predicted to be among the closest races in the country. How have we come to this? Current Mood: worried |
| 9:26 pm | You, Too, Can Be James Carville NEWSWEEK, July 26 issue: If you don't like the way the election goes this fall, don't worry. A PC game out next month lets you play campaign manager — either for Kerry or Bush, a candidate you create from scratch or, after displaying some proficiency, historical figures like Teddy Roosevelt. The Political Machine takes you through day-to-day campaign operations: there are endorsements to be had from organizations like the National Association for Women, speeches to make, ads to buy in contested states, a travel budget to stick to and a running mate to choose. You also decide where your candidate stands on hot-button topics like homeland security, gay marriage and outsourcing, and evergreens like tax cuts. Should your candidate appear on "The O'Maley Factor" or "60 Seconds"? And what about hiring a writer to pen a book that trashes the opposition? Brad Wardell, the game's designer, says the hotly contested 2000 election provided the "perfect backdrop" for a game giving voters insight into the political process. And this one the Supreme Court can't touch. |
| Friday, July 23rd, 2004 | |
| 5:43 pm | Waldrop Reviews the Retro-Hugos An entertaining take by author Howard Waldrop on the nominees for the Retro-Hugo awards to be awarded at the World Science Fiction Convention this year: http://www.infinitematrix.net/columns/w |
| Wednesday, July 21st, 2004 | |
| 1:32 pm | Male T-shirt of the Day http://www.thinkgeek.com/pvp/swag/6d1f/ |
| Monday, July 19th, 2004 | |
| 11:18 pm | Bulwer-Lytton 2004 Results The 2004 results of the Bulwer-Lytton contest (for "the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels") are up at http://www2.sjsu.edu/depts/english/2 The main web site for the contest also has a link for non-parody, actual bad openings to published books at http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/sticks.h |
| 11:10 pm | Robosapien "The First Commercially Available Biomorphic Robot!" Details at http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/to but I couldn't resist including this one bullet point: * 67 pre-programmed functions: pick-up, throw, kick, dance, kung-fu, fart, belch, rap and more; 3 demonstration modes. Current Mood:  geeky |
| Sunday, July 18th, 2004 | |
| 9:12 pm | Avoid Registering for Register-Only Sites! Did some poking around and found something brilliant - a site called http://www.bugmenot.com that provides logins for sites that require registration. You provide the URL for the main site and if they have a registration on file, they show you the registration information that you can use to get in. I love the net :-> Current Mood: grateful |