Team of Rivals

With the exception of the AG, Obama’s appointments have received broad approval and even applause. He has nominated at least 2 Republicans to my knowledge and a wonderful sampling of the melting pot is represented. I don’t think the President-elect is pandering with the diversity of his choices for the cabinet. The Cabinet will be made up of men and women of various ethnicities and backgrounds, but they were all chosen based on credentials. Pandering would have been making Hillary VP. I think President Obama (we may as well drop the ‘Elect’ since Shoe W. Target has no right to make policy anymore) has chosen to surround himself with patriots who will challenge him instead of bullying him or cowing to him and bring honest ideas to the table while striving to restore the American dream.
While the road ahead will be fraught with hardship, we should be optimistic that our leaders have our long-term interests in mind. We should be patient during the coming years and not blame the recession on the incoming administration. They will be building a ladder to get us out of the Bush-hole and it may take several years.

By the way, getting worked up because the invocation at the inauguration will be given by a preacher that once said something negative about gay rights is a waste of energy. Of course I am appalled by the passing of Prop. 8 and am a proponent of gay rights, but Obama is trying to heal this nation by bringing people of different beliefs to the same table. A man giving a prayer has no bearing on national policy.

P.S. – OMG, Deepthroat died! Maybe now the media will stop adding ‘Gate’ to every stupid scandal that comes up.

Random Tag

Rules are: Anything you have done has to be in bold.
How much have you done?
1. Started your own blog -obviously
2. Slept under the stars -meteor showers rule
3. Played in a Band -I played the sexy saxophone
4. Visited Hawaii - senior trip (we all vowed never to discuss the details)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland -back when Michael Jackson was still trusted with children (Captain EO)
8. Climbed a mountain- best was Mt. Whitney (highest in lower 48)
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris- does Vegas count?
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea -spectacular if you are in a cove-not so cool in open water
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child-one of our best decisions
16. Had food poisoning -stupid McD's gave me salmonella
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables - very satisfying
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort- snow caves are even harder
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping -Myrtle Beach, SC
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset -recharges the batteries
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise- Honeymoon to Mexico
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language- I intend to learn Amharic before I go back to Ethiopia
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied- I'm satisfied, but we could always use more $
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing -not as much as I'd like since children...
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke -In the Philippines (nobody knew me, so no stage fright)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa- highly recommend it
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted -If you count a characature at an amusement park
48. Gone deep sea fishing -commerical salmon seining
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling -snorkeling in Hawaii and Mexico
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater -usually not in the trunk
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business- shovelling roofs and driveways in winter
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching -Alaska and Oregon
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma -I'm not allowed back until Mar '09, since Ethiopia is a malaria zone
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter- I even got paid to do it! -freakin' sweet
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - I won't admit what
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar -I ordered a salmon 'roll' at a sushi bar recently and the waiter thought I said salmon 'roe'. We were brave and ate it anyway-delicious!
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone -I tried, I swear
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book- does a thesis count?
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper -If you count my backside playing football. Also wedding anouncement.
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life -little boy drowning
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - not really, just a couple of lesser known NBA players
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby -by proxy
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake -stinky but fun
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Visited Italy- Rome tarmac, but it counts.

I thought this was a fun tag. It brings back memories and helps you add to your bucket list. -Try it.

Gov. Rod Jagov

The story of Illinois Gov Blagojevich is almost comical. It reminded me of the Simpsons episode "Mr Lisa Goes to Washington" in which a congressman sells the right to drill for oil in Teddy Roosevelt's head (Mt Rushmore) to an undercover federal agent.
Ironically, the real story also takes place in Springfield. How stupid can one man be? Corrupt and evil is one thing, but throw in that level of idiocy and it boggles the mind. He knew he was the subject of a federal investigation. So, he thinks he can get away with feloniously profiting from the most high profile Senate appointment in history? -Really?!
In reference to Obama's Senate seat, he actually said that it's "a f---ing valuable thing. You just don't give it away for nothing. I've got this thing and it's f---ing golden and uh, uh, I'm not just giving it up for f---ing nothing."
I also have to wonder about the perceptiveness of Illinois voters. This governor's predecessor was also corrupt and Blagovich ran on a platform of cleaning it up.
It's sad that our leaders can be so corrupt, but also encouraging that this kind of thing does not go unchecked.

Fitness Tip of the Week: Work out all day

As you move through your day, always be on the lookout for ways to burn calories:

• As you walk down the street or the hall, flex your core muscles (abs, obliques, back).
• When sitting at your desk or in your car, flex your glutes (largest muscles mass on the body) and/or pelvic floor (known as Kegels to you Lamaze students).
• Bend with your knees (this prevents back injury and works the quads).
• Park in the back of the parking lot.
• Take the stairs.
• Go home for a 'nooner' ; )

World AIDS Day

I was reflecting yesterday on the progression of knowledge and perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS since the 1980's. When the U.S. public was initially told about AIDS, not much information was known other than it was sexually transmitted and was cropping up predominately in male homosexuals. It was originally dubbed GAIDS by some researchers-not as a joke or insult, but because they thought that only gay men could get it. It was a death sentence and the Moral Right said it was "God's Justice". That is until cases with children started appearing. Then everyone cared, and they were also terrified. Anyone who had it was shunned or worse by society, hearkening back to biblical attitudes toward leprosy. Strangers were eyeing each other suspiciously, and parents were dodging each other in crowds clutching their children like the pigskin in a game of flag football. No one knew if you could get it by kissing, sharing a bathroom, or accepting an innocent handshake.

Eventually, the virus that caused AIDS was isolated, and this knowledge led to the ability to test for it in blood. This made all the difference because the blood supply could be protected and those who had it could be identified and educated about safe behavior, right? Well, those receiving blood transfusions are now protected, but you can't force those engaging in high-risk behaviors to desist their vices and get tested. The problem is that symptoms may not manifest for years, all the while it is being spread to others.

We now know of course that one can not contract HIV through casual contact, but I think Americans have maybe become too casual about AIDS in general. It is just not in the news unless the story is about Africa. The ARV triple-cocktail is a wonderful advancement and it allows HIV+ individuals to live long lives, but this should not remove a healthy degree of fear toward the aggressive virus. For one thing, viruses can evolve relatively quickly and what works today may not work tomorrow.

One thing the current President Bush did right was to fund HIV/AIDS research and treatment in the form of President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). I read much of this piece of legislation and was very impressed. It is very progressive and aggressive. This program is treating 1.7 million people worldwide with ARVs and promoting prevention through education to the general populations and also targeting high-risk groups. The PEPFAR workers use an A.B.C. approach: Abstinence, Be faithful, and Condom use. -Good advice to anyone of any age on any continent.