The other night my son called. Mike informed me that a Tsunami warning had been issued for the coast of California. TSUNAMI WARNING!
Mike went on to explain that there had been a 7 point earthquake north of San Francisco. He was hearing reports of it all over the radio.
I hadn't felt anything here and everything seemed calm. Maybe it was too calm. Nothing was being said on the television I had just turned on. Nothing was rocking. Mike told me I was too far inland to be affected. Good. I am not quite sure why he called with the news, but when we got off the phone, I rushed to my computer and sure enough, there it was. The Tsunami Alert. By the time I finished looking into the information the alert was called off.
Those of us who live in California are always feeling earthquakes. Most are generally ignored as people go on with their business. I often think I am feeling the ground moving. But then, I seem to be feeling a lot of odd things lately. I'm never quite sure if it is something only I am feeling, or something is really happening.
After all, I am getting older, and I seem to get lots of odd and strange sensations lately. I'm never too sure what to pay attention to and what to discount. I really don't want to become a jumpy complaining old lady. So, even though my mind becomes very active with frightful possibilities, I try not to bore everyone with all this stuff.
That is why last Sunday, while lazing about late in bed, I didn't even get up and check when I felt the bed rolling and weaving merrily underneath me. It was only later, when Pete came home from an early morning errand, and asked if I had felt the earthquake, that I knew for sure my senses were correct.
This afternoon I started to feel the familiar rock and rolling again. I was at the beauty salon being beautified. I noticed that a lamp on the table near me was gently swinging to and fro. No one said a thing, and all present were continuing their usual conversations as if nothing was happening.
I asked; "Is anyone else feeling an earthquake?" "Yes" said several people. But apparently no one felt that they should be impolite enough to break into anyone's conversation to mention it.
My question prompted one client, who was getting ready to leave, to go out to her car to check if there was news of it on her car radio. She came quickly back into the salon with the news that it was being reported that a 5.0 quake centered near Yucaipa had occurred.
I'm thinking "Maybe all of this commotion is responsible for the comment section on my blog being broken." That seemed like a logical conclusion to me.
I'd reported problem to Mike yesterday, when I discovered that I could not delete spam pings and comments. He informed me that something was wrong with the server and later that day that something complicated was busted, but that he would look into it. It stayed broken all day.
Mike called a while ago. My comment section is working again. As I understand it, Moveable Type had turned off the comments of all the blogs due to an overwhelming amount of SPAM. I think Mike said that he rewrote or changed the script and that corrected the problem. I haven't got a clue exactly what that means, but it is not broken anymore.
I use the term 'server', but I don't really know what that is. I imagine it to be a building size computer with millions of ones and zeroes whizzing around inside of it. Feel free to correct me.
For years I used to ask people who their 'server' was. No one seemed to know what I was talking about. Finally, one day Michael realized what I was talking about and explained that what I really meant to be asking people was; "Who is your Internet Service Provider or ISP."
I think at that time he explained what a 'server' is. But, I am not sure that I remember. But I am quite sure that it is something solid and we don't keep them in our homes.
SAVE PBS and NPR
Contact your senators and representative now to save Public Broadcasting. Keep Sesame Street and other valuable programing on the air.
Look here or here to find out how.
PBS and NPR are the only broadcast media left that gives you more than one point of view. The attempted takeover of the these stations by the Right is not being covered any place else.
Without your action now, any true journalism will be completely gone on the broadcast media. Tomorrow may be too late!
Rosa Brooks' commentary in today's LA times caught my eye.
Hope you will take the time to read BOLTON'S BROKEN WORLD in the rest of the story below.
Bolton's Broken World
-Rosa Brooks
(Rosa Brooks, an associate professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, will be writing a regular column for The Times.)
June 13, 2005
Despite his well-earned reputation as a bully and a blowhard, John Bolton, the guy who says "it is a big mistake for us to grant any validity to international law," seems poised to become the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Anyone who doesn't see why Bolton's attitude is disastrously mistaken should picture his first days as ambassador in a world where no one grants any validity to international law.
First, Ambassador Bolton is surely going to want whip all those foreign diplomats into shape. Particularly the French, with their foie gras and snooty "Je-told-you-so" attitude about Iraq. So maybe he will start by sending a letter summoning the French ambassador back to New York from the Riviera. But, oops! Bolton would have a hard time sending his letter, because in a world where no one grants the validity of international law, why would the French abide by the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union and related protocols? That's the treaty that pledges nations to deliver mail with foreign stamps. Without it, foreign postal officials would toss U.S. letters into the trash.
So, no letter to the French ambassador. Fine! Bolton can focus instead on the Germans, who are also a real pain in the butt, what with their insistence on taking the human rights high road to make up for their Nazi past. Bolton could pay a visit to Germany, spreading the good news about U.S. dominance � I mean, uh, leadership � and reminding the Germans about the Marshall Plan.
Except that it would be hard for him to get anywhere if no one respected the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 1944. That's the treaty that permits overflights of sovereign airspace. Without it, sovereign states would be free to shoot down any foreign planes appearing overhead. So maybe Bolton's plane would be forced down over, say, Croatia. Now, it's fair to say the Croatians probably wouldn't be amused at a violation of their airspace, especially given that little misunderstanding they had with the U.S. a few years ago. Bolton might not recall it after all, there were so many little misunderstandings, with so many little countries. But the Croatians still remember how, under Bolton's leadership, the U.S. suspended foreign aid to Croatia (and other allies) just because Croatia wouldn't promise not to turn U.S. war crimes suspects over to the International Criminal Court. So perhaps the Croatians would arrest Bolton.
Of course, as an ambassador, Bolton could try to claim diplomatic immunity. But in a world where no one accepts the validity of international law, Croatia would feel free to ignore the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Naturally, Bolton would demand that the U.S. consul be informed of his arrest, but because the Croatians would be using their copy of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations as toilet paper, he'd be out of luck there too.
Bolton would just have to wait for the Marines to rescue him. They could after all, isn't the U.S. still the preeminent global military power? And even with all our recruiting woes (oops, that Iraq problem again) we ought to have a few guys left who could be spared for such a mission. Still, these things take time, so Bolton would have to cool his heels for a while. Maybe his jailers would let him watch CNN. But, uh-oh, no satellite communications without the U.N. Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting!
OK. OK. You get the idea. Although many Americans associate "international law" with controversial issues such as disarmament treaties or the International Criminal Court, the overwhelming bulk of international law has to do with the mundane but essential ways in which nations cooperate to make life possible in our interconnected world. And if Bolton really believes that international law is a dangerous evil, he has no business serving as ambassador to the U.N. He should head back to law school for a little refresher course instead.
To be fair, Bolton is also famous for remarking that "there is no such thing as the United Nations." So maybe he's only interested in the ambassadorship because he sees it as the next best thing to retirement.
Of course, if what Bolton really wants is early retirement, the Senate could just give it to him.
....................
Go Rosa!
I keep trying not to be scared, but every day I get a little more frightened. I keep trying to get control of the anger resulting from this fear, but then something happens that increases the unease.
I always felt grateful that I was lucky enough to have been born in this country. Although I knew that we have made mistakes, I held a sense of trust that in the end, we would stand for freedom and liberty. I am not so sure anymore.
I am worried now about what my government is doing in my name. God help us.
As a patriot, I want to stand up against those who have taken over our government. Those people who tell us not to question Almighty Bush and Company.
To make this perfectly clear. Wearing Red, White and Blue does not make one a patriot. Saying: "My country, right or wrong." does not make one a patriot.
Speaking out against our government when our government is working against freedom and democracy is a patriotic act. So, I am speaking out.
Sending our young people into danger to protect our right to cheap oil is not patriotic. It is imperialism.
Shutting down dissent is not patriotic, it is the act of dictators.
Dissent was shut down yesterday in congress. Yesterday, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee shut down the hearing and turned off the mikes when witnesses criticized the administration attempt to dismantle our basic freedom with expansion of the Patriot Act.
Who is going to save us from our own government now?
I never thought that one day I would go along those who feared our own government. But, now I have joined their ranks.
It is amazing what keeps the attention of my fellow citizens. Just think how much media time and newspaper print is being spent on nonsense, and scandal. I bet you know what is going on in the Michael Jackson trial and what Celeb or has or has not gotten plastic surgery, but little attention is being spent on the death throws of our Democracy.
I guess our only hope is the internet.
That is, until our access to that is cut off.
At least for now, if we know where to look, the real news is available. Once again I learned something from someone half a world away. Thanks Dieter.
Please take the time to watch the videos available from on this story. Even if you are a Republican.
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD
I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom for me and for you.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white.
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"
I hear babies cry', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
-Written by George Weiss & Bob Thiele
-And sung by the wonderful Louis Armstrong
I'm in a cheery mood today.