her body politik

I just purchased an 'Elizabeth Warren for President 2016' bumper sticker.  While I am impressed by Obama's recent decision to sack up and file some executive orders for student loans and underwater homeowners I just can't get excited about this election.   I love Obama, but I love progress more.  If Barack is going to remain so obstructed that Obama can't be the Obama I worked to elect then better to put someone in office who doesn't offend peoples' sensibilities so much.  Although I don't know that middle of the road Mormons are any less scary than  middle of the road black men for the American public at large. I don't know what the world will look like in 2015, but it look like either a Mormon or and African-American is going to be president between now and then.  Maybe a white woman will just what the economy ordered by then.

Since I decided to go as Medusa this year for Halloween, I thought I should brush up on my Greek myths and not just rely on my memories of the 1981, stop-motion-tastic film  Clash of the Titans .  In Ovid's rendition, this symbol of female power was once a beautiful, virginal priestess,  "the jealous aspiration of many suitors,"  in the temple of Athena.  When Poseidon decides he will have her, he "ravishes" (i.e. rapes) her as she prays in temple in front of the altar of Athena.  The goddess Athena punishes Medusa's transgression by causing snakes to grow out of her head, tearing their way through her scalp to take the place of her much admired hair.  Athena gives Medusa boar's tusks and turns her skin to scales.  (The myth doesn't mention how Athena takes vengeance on Poseidon.)  After this torturous transformation Medusa is banished to the island of Cristhene, off the coast of Ethiopia in the Red Sea.  In exile she is pursued as she ...

One of the many joys of having a dog is making them look ridiculous.  Since I am going as Medusa for Halloween this year it is only fitting that Oliver should go as Cerberus, especially because he is the least viscous animal I have ever met.  While Oliver's costume will be hilarious, don't expect anything nearly this cool when you see us Saturday night...                                                     

This isn't rocket science...

What I think is interesting about what's going on here in Oakland is that the reaction stems from the OPD's historically poor relationship with the citizens of Oakland. ( http://www.insidebayarea.com/t op-stories/ci_18947724 ) The OPD was threatened with federal takeover last year because it has failed to reform its behavior and practices. It shouldn't be lost on anyone that Ogawa Park is been dubb ed 'Oscar Grant Park' by protesters. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B ART_Police_shooting_of_Oscar_G rant ) the unarmed man shot by BART police in Oakland the on NYE. Community ties and culturally competency matter in every business, public or private. If OPD had done its due diligence-- training and educating its officers about cultural differences and historical oppression, hiring for diversity of life experience, not just diversity of race and gender-- to change it's relationship with the working class in Oakland violent unrest would be no more of an issue here t...

Just taking a fiscally conservative approach- what costs more: port-a-potties & extra garbage cans or 200 police officers & a police helicopter being paid overtime, miles of barricades,flash & bang grenades, tear gas, and a publicity nightmare? I don't think one  needs to make a moral or constitutional argument when a cost-benefit analysis will do.