Just a Third World Country
January 25, 2010
I am so angry right now.
This is a conversation I read on someone's Facebook status message this morning. Behold:
Some jerk: "Rob B. is wondering why we are getting invoved in Haiti?"
An idiot: "Because Obama needs to look like he's a hero to cover up his big Christmas terrorist attack attempt fiasco, take the attention away, that's why......at least that's why I think he's going overboard with the situation....."
Some jerk: "It just seems like we can come up with something better to spend the money and time on. We are over a trillion dollars in debt our employment rate is skyrocketing.
Haiti is a third world country before the earthquake, its a third world country now, and it will be a third world country after they have milked the United States and other more advanced countries for all the money that they can.
I read an article the other day about the sanitation situation. People doing their business or dumping it in the streets. Meanwhile on the news you see people walking around with nothing to do. Why aren't those people cleaning things up, and at least digging latrines? That little bit of sanitation should have been one of the first things done. I guess it is just easier to sit around waiting for someone else to do things for you."
This disgusts me more than I can even express. What is wrong with people? What happened to humanity, to compassion, to caring about other people whether they are from the USA or France or Iran or Haiti? By saying that Haiti is just "a third world country" are they trying to imply that the value of human life there is less? That we shouldn't waste food/money/medicine on a shithole? That's what is being said, right? Because these people were unfortunate enough to be born in Haiti instead of a loving family in Rhode Island... well, who cares what they get up to! It's their business! Sucks for Haiti! Somebody wasn't praying hard enough!
I understand that there are a lot of people in the United States who have problems and need money for whatever reason but open your eyes. There are already so many government programs which thousands of Americans are benefiting from (milking for all the money that they can)... and I really doubt that you or anyone you know has ever had to live in the conditions that so many Haitians lived in BEFORE the earthquake. Does giving up something to these people hurt you so much?
I'd like to think that only a very small minority of people feel this way but I have seen some really shocking comments on Facebook lately. We may have gone to High School together but with some of you I have nothing in common.
Saw death on a sunny snow
January 17, 2010
So I've been feeling a little crazy lately. Not committable but I'm definitely experiencing a severe lack of Vitamin D. There has not been a non-overcast day the whole of 2010 so far and it makes me want to jump out of my skin. Or to do insane things like
run from here to the Rhein and jump in.
clean the whole house from top to bottom.
drink 20 cups of tea in a row.
Sometimes I'll stand in the living room and stare out the balcony window and clinch my toes into the carpet, wanting to do something so badly but not knowing what it is.
Tuesday, however, is reported to be filled with nothing but sunshine. Tuesday is SUN DAY and, before class, I am going to go out and lie naked on a bench and soak it all up.
Here's some music for you: (<---- Cliiiick)
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Laura Marling - My Manic and I
Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - Broadripple is Burning
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
The xx - Basic Space
Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - Bookworm
Bright Eyes - Lua
Bon Iver - For Emma
The Guggenheim Grotto - And a Tear Isn't Such a Bad Thing
Jack Johnson - Middle Man
Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard - Roll Bus Roll
Mumford & Sons - The Cave
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Bare: A Pop Opera - Spring
I wish I were posting this from the beach. x
As ye sew, so shall ye rip.
January 4, 2010
I started a new project today: a quilt. Before someone comments with how ridiculous this is, let it please be known that I am already aware that a quilt is not really the best newbie-sewing project. I know! But I'm one of those "jump in the deep end" type people. I can't really be bothered to first learn how to stitch properly and then move onto baby doll dresses and so on.
So! After spending Saturday trying to figure out where in Germany one can buy craft supplies, I went to Ikea today, picked out some cheap fabric and went to town.
First, I cut out some squares. They are all approximately 20 cm square. Yes, approximately. I'm sure I will run into problems because of this later but I'll just... patch on some extra fabric somewhere later. Or use duct tape.
The unevenness of the squares became a problem sooner than I'd expected when I began making rows. Oops. However, I think the unmatchyness of it all gives it a little something extra. I sort-of finished 2 rows today. Behold:
I know it's looking all kinds of dodgy and uneven but all I have is a pair of scissors, a threaded needle, some pins and a tape measure. I spend half of the time shoving the cat off of the fabric -- who cares if it looks a little funny? After sewing it badly by hand, I'll be happy if it stays together in the wash.
A good day's work.
In the end, it may not be a quilt at all. Perhaps it's really a table cloth or the perfect material to shove in the bottom of Spleeny's sleeping hut. We'll just have to wait and see.
I will keep you updated on my progress.