SWF’s Story

What is it about watching two animals, whether they be human or not, fight until death? Well, unfortunately for fans of cockfighting, Louisiana becomes the last state in the nation to ban cockfighting on Friday. I didn’t even know it was legal still anywhere. I don’t really consider myself an animal right activist or anything. I am okay with some animal testing as long as it can save human lives. I just don’t get paying and/or betting on a fight where animals try and kill each other. Plus, watching it would only make me think about the training involved. Trainers are really cruel to the animals and do things like starve them to make them mean enough to fight each other to the death. Frankly, that is why I think people like Vick should be in jail for life. It really isn’t a great leap to train animals to kill each other to treating fellow human beings with a complete and utter lack of respect for their god-given rights.

 Cajun people in Louisiana are arguing that their god-given right to exercise their culture is being taken away by the passage of the law. In fact the quote from the article was, “…another one of the rights that big government has taken away from the people.” Really? Cockfighting is one of the rights bestowed upon the people of America by the consitution? I bet Louisiana law schools cover that, but apparently Michigan ones don’t. Note to self…if taking the Louisiana bar exam in the future, argue that cockfighting is a fundamental right under the US consitution. Um, probably not. I think it is what most would classify as a privilege that was bestowed upon the people by government and later taken away because it is inhumane. It was never a right. Besides, like dog fighting and other types of animal fighting, it might be made illegal but it doesn’t stop it from happening - - and probably more than the rest of us know about. I guess if Cajuns really want to exercise their culture or if people really go into withdrawals, cockfighting is still legal on American soil in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and Guam. And, they would get a vacation out of it, too.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/149009/page/1

I tried. I really did. I just could not get into the show 24. I found myself not caring about the characters and not really worrying about whether I would catch the next episode. I even went out of my way to Netflix the first season and make myself sit through it all just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. I just never saw what made the show great and I quit after the first season. However, I find the comparison between the current White House torture policy (and for that matter, foreign policy) completely hilarious.

I couldn’t have said it better myself - -

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150240/page/2

 And that is all I have to say about that…

Knowing there are some perople who are interested in the town of Flint who read my blog, I ran across this article - - http://www.newsweek.com/id/146803

You really would think the police have better things to do in that city, but apparently the police chief is using the “Broken Windows” approach to policing and going after all the little things that he believes attributes to the bigger crimes. I love how the ACLU is getting involved too. The Flint branch of ACLU apparently has nothing better to do either…

Two things I have noticed about California - people can’t drive and they clap for everything in the movie theater.

Drivers here will brake for people merging onto a highway instead of changing into another lane and going around them. I think this is quite dangerous, especially with the mountains. I am really glad I got the brakes on my car checked before driving out here. Another thing drivers do here that they tend to not do as much in the midwest is they change lanes without even checking to see if there is a car there. It’s like they say to themselves, “I want to be in the next lane over…I think I will just go without looking.” And my new boss says to make sure and study for a California license because it is a really hard test. I wonder how 90% of the people on the road here got their licenses…

Secondly, people will clap about anything in the movie theater. I am used to Michigan where sometimes after the blockbuster movies like the Lord of the Rings movies or the Harry Potter movies, people will clap at the end. Oh no, here they will “ssh” you like crazy if you are whispering during even the previews, but they will clap for anything. I went to see Wanted this past week and people clapped after the movie. Um, we’re not talking about a summer blockbuster movie with a large audience. This movie has been out for almost 3 weeks now and there were all of 15 of us in the theater….but they all clapped at the end like it was opening day of a huge franchise movie. Oh, and I went to see The Dark Knight in IMAX downtown San Fran today with Mike and Michelle and people clapped during the IMAX theater intro. Yes, they clapped to the beat of the music they had going while they put the stats for the speakers and size of the screen on the screen. Oh, and of course they had to clap and scream after all stats on IMAX theaters was over, not even the previews had started yet…but they also clapped for those when each one was finished. There were also parts of the movie itself where they felt the need to clap spontaneously. I have to admit that I don’t understand it but I joined in by the end

So, now that I am done with the bar, I have begun to read for fun. I have been reading the Patricia Cornwell Kay Scarpetta series and have made it to the last book, Predator. However, I took a break to read a few other books. I will from time to time mention books I am reading that I feel others might enjoy. If you don’t enjoy them or reading, oh well

I really like The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards. I don’t think there is any relation to John Edwards, that kooky psychic guy on TV, but who knows…It was a bit more serious than any other book I have read in a awhile, but it was really good. Toward the end something happened that took me by surprise so much that I actually put my hand over my mouth as my jaw dropped. I happened to be sitting near Dilcos…I think he might be rethinking this marriage thing :-/

I also just finished The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid or Hamid Mohsin (I forget and already returned the book). This was only about 200 pages and a very fast read. It is written a little bit differently in that the entire book is from the narrator’s point of view in a conversation with another person, but you do not know who the other person is. The narrator talks about his life as a Pakistani in America before and after 9/11. I have to say that I got to the end and went to turn the page to read more….there was no complete resolution to the story. However, it was a very worthwhile book to read as it gives a different perspective  on terrorism. I can’t say I agree with it, but it was interesting to read about anyway.

I am currently reading 19 Minutes. This book had me from the opening page with a Chinese Proverb which I absolutely LOVE: If we do not change course, we will end up where we are heading. I think this is a beautiful quote in its simplicity….think about what we are doing today because it affects where we find ourselves tomorrow. So simple and yet so powerful. The book itself is based on Columbine. It is a fictionalized version, but from the reviews I have read, it tries to stay pretty true to what the author learned about those events through her research. I am only about 20 pages in right now.

On tap, I have The Plot Against America by Philip Roth about what would have happened had Charles Lindbergh become President of the United States before the first World War. Apparently, we would have sided with the Nazis? I don’t know yet, but there is a swastika on the cover….Any other suggestions on books? I have a long list, but am always looking to add to it. And please Berry, no vet books!

So, I managed to go all of February without making one post…I need to be WAY better about this. There has not been a whole lot going on for me, which makes it even harder than normal to post.

One thing that happened in February is that I officially got old. Yes, my brother turned the big 2-1. Really it wasn’t the age he was turning that made me feel old, it was the fact that the Saturday morning (around 2 am) that he called to see if I would pick him and his friends up from the bar, all I wanted to do was fall asleep. O-L-D spells Keri.

I started going to a chiropractor just because I have insurance that covers all but $10 of the first visit and completely covers up to 24 visits a year after that. A couple people also had suggested it to me because they had found it beneficial. Now, I am the type where I yell at Dilcos for grabbing my toes or fingers and cracking my knuckles, so I was a little worried about some guy making my neck crack.  However, it really wasn’t that bad. In fact, I went into my first appointment with the chiropractor with a headache and by the time I left, it was gone. My neck also hurt when I went into the office and was also completely gone by the time I left. I have to say, I am hooked. It also helps that the doctor is so awesome. Some chiropractors require or bully their clients into coming in at least twice a month or something like that, but this guy just says to come in when I feel like it.

I play on a bowling league with my mom every other Monday. I bowled a personal best of 176. Also, this past Monday I went up to bowl and the pins fell out of the rack and then the arm that usually pushes the pins knocked over back actually pushed them outward  toward where I was standing. Half of the pins made it halfway down the alley! It was crazy looking….

Last weekend was Foster’s long-awaited Seinfeld party in D-town. It was SO much fun! Everyone had great costumes from Elaine to Jerry (great tapered pants and frilly shirt Foster) to the soup nazi. Shannon and Foster went all out with the many soups available and beer pong was great! Quite a bit of the night is a blur…especially after Beth brought me a 40, which I drank out of a paper bag Here’s to more good times in March!