I turned on a cable news channel a little while ago, just in time for "breaking news." The Pentagon was in lockdown after shots were fired at the Pentagon Metro Station, just outside the main entrance to the Pentagon. Beyond the fact that people may have been injured, the larger question hanging in the air concerned whether the shots signified some terrorist threat to the Pentagon. Probably not, I told myself. Yet I felt a small frisson of anxiety. This was one of those moments that could turn momentous or could mean nothing at all.
Like most Americans, I remember vividly the exact moment when I first learned a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. My local NPR station reported that a small plane had crashed into one of the buildings. My curiosity was peaked, but nothing more. It sounded like an unfortunate accident. I never remotely imagined the way events would unfold.
The latest reports say that three people have been shot at the Metro Station. They're being rushed to area hospitals. By the time you read this, authorities will probably know more about why the incident occurred. Right now, though, there's uncertainly. In reality, that is the human condition. Everything that seems sure one minute can become doubtful the next. Even solid ground can suddenly shift under our feet, as people in Haiti and Chile know all too well.
Lots to worry about. Good for a worrier like me. Bad for a worrier like me.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
"Rahmbo" to the Rescue?
When President Obama named Rahm Emanuel White House Chief of Staff, I assumed Obama saw the importance of having a former Clinton advisor and Congressional insider to help shepherd his ambitious legislative agenda through Congress. And I've assumed that Emanuel has been lockstep in support of Obama's agenda as it's been rolled out. But it turns out that, in fact, Emanuel may have been the lone voice opposing many of the stands taken by the White House.
Emanuel apparently argued against closing Guantanamo within a year. He also argued against trying alleged terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed in civilian court, while David Axelrod supported Eric Holder's position, with which Obama ultimately sided. And Emanuel reportedly pushed for a smaller health care bill. According to a recent Dana Milbank column in the Washington Post, "Early on, Emanuel argued for a smaller bill with popular items, such as expanding health coverage for children and young adults, that could win some Republican support. He opposed the public option as a needless distraction."
As we now know, Emanuel failed to persuade the President on any of these issues. Instead, the President forged ahead with a more partisan and ideologically-driven approach, which has proved unpopular with the public. Milbank points to Valerie Jarrett, Robert Gibbs, and David Axelrod as White House insiders who are part of the "Cult of Obama." As Milbank describes it, "In love with the president, they believe he is a transformational figure who needn't dirty his hands in politics." Or, to coin a phrase, they've been drinking the Kool-Aid. That is, they are reluctant to speak truth to power and are inclined to reinforce Obama's most idealistic inclinations.
Emanuel, on the other hand, may represent just the pragmatic voice that Obama needs to encourage him to moderate his views and begin to work realistically with the Republicans to pass meaningful legislation. Although I believe Obama means it when he say he wants to hear a range of opinions, I worry that, like other leaders before him, he may find that it's just so much easier to listen to those who already agree with him. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Emanuel apparently argued against closing Guantanamo within a year. He also argued against trying alleged terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed in civilian court, while David Axelrod supported Eric Holder's position, with which Obama ultimately sided. And Emanuel reportedly pushed for a smaller health care bill. According to a recent Dana Milbank column in the Washington Post, "Early on, Emanuel argued for a smaller bill with popular items, such as expanding health coverage for children and young adults, that could win some Republican support. He opposed the public option as a needless distraction."
As we now know, Emanuel failed to persuade the President on any of these issues. Instead, the President forged ahead with a more partisan and ideologically-driven approach, which has proved unpopular with the public. Milbank points to Valerie Jarrett, Robert Gibbs, and David Axelrod as White House insiders who are part of the "Cult of Obama." As Milbank describes it, "In love with the president, they believe he is a transformational figure who needn't dirty his hands in politics." Or, to coin a phrase, they've been drinking the Kool-Aid. That is, they are reluctant to speak truth to power and are inclined to reinforce Obama's most idealistic inclinations.
Emanuel, on the other hand, may represent just the pragmatic voice that Obama needs to encourage him to moderate his views and begin to work realistically with the Republicans to pass meaningful legislation. Although I believe Obama means it when he say he wants to hear a range of opinions, I worry that, like other leaders before him, he may find that it's just so much easier to listen to those who already agree with him. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Memento
When I travel, I rarely bring back souvenirs, but I've noticed that, on the rare occasions when I do return with a memento of a trip, it becomes a special way of remembering the experience.
In the early summer of 1974, E. and I visited Portugal and Spain. It was a momentous time in Portugal. Shortly before our arrival, the government of Portugal's longtime dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar, had been overthrown by a military coup. Although the coup was bloodless, there were concerns about instability in its wake. As a result, virtually all tourists cancelled their trips. Except us.
We arrived in a Lisbon blissfully free of visitors and awash in the euphoria of freedom. Bookstores displayed Marxist texts and other books that had been banned for decades. People couldn't stop smiling. We regarded ourselves as witnesses to history.
From there we traveled to Spain, where Francisco Franco still held power. The contrast was dramatic. Madrid felt subdued. People went unsmiling about their tasks. In comparison to the elation of Portugal, Spain seemed in a state of suspended animation, waiting for its moment of liberation.
During our stay in Madrid, I purchased one item, a small ceramic flask with a geometric design in black and orange against a pale coral background. Today, so many years later, that small piece of pottery reminds me of our fascinating sojourn in two countries on the cusp of enormous change.
More recently, E. and I took a boat trip through the Ten Thousand Islands, where the Florida Everglades meet the Gulf of Mexico. During our sun-splashed day, we stopped at a tiny island. On the sand, we found hundreds of beautiful shells. It was tempting to gather up as many as I could carry, but when E. discovered a perfect conch shell, that seemed enough. Today, that shell sits on my desk. I use it as a paperweight, but it also holds my memories of sun, sand, and surf.
Considering how much the few mementos I've gathered mean to me, you'd think I'd make a point of collecting souvenirs. Maybe next time. For now, I'll treasure those few I have.
In the early summer of 1974, E. and I visited Portugal and Spain. It was a momentous time in Portugal. Shortly before our arrival, the government of Portugal's longtime dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar, had been overthrown by a military coup. Although the coup was bloodless, there were concerns about instability in its wake. As a result, virtually all tourists cancelled their trips. Except us.
We arrived in a Lisbon blissfully free of visitors and awash in the euphoria of freedom. Bookstores displayed Marxist texts and other books that had been banned for decades. People couldn't stop smiling. We regarded ourselves as witnesses to history.
From there we traveled to Spain, where Francisco Franco still held power. The contrast was dramatic. Madrid felt subdued. People went unsmiling about their tasks. In comparison to the elation of Portugal, Spain seemed in a state of suspended animation, waiting for its moment of liberation.
During our stay in Madrid, I purchased one item, a small ceramic flask with a geometric design in black and orange against a pale coral background. Today, so many years later, that small piece of pottery reminds me of our fascinating sojourn in two countries on the cusp of enormous change.
Considering how much the few mementos I've gathered mean to me, you'd think I'd make a point of collecting souvenirs. Maybe next time. For now, I'll treasure those few I have.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Quakes
On January 12th, news of an earthquake in Haiti captured the headlines. The earthquake was large, at magnitude 7.0, but the damage was massive. It's difficult to comprehend the loss of life and the toll of suffering. Over 200,000 people died, untold numbers were left homeless, and the country's infrastructure, primitive before the earthquake, was destroyed. It's understandable that news of the quake and subsequent aid efforts dominated the headlines for many days. Until the next earthquake, that is.
The monster quake that hit Chile on February 27th, magnitude 8.8, has now supplanted Haiti's quake in the headlines. This is also understandable. The immediate crisis has passed in Haiti and the country is now engaged in the long slog toward some semblance of normal life. In Haiti, that means subsistence living, but at least with a roof overhead. In Chile, the terrible wounds opened by the earth are still raw. People still alive are trapped in buildings and aftershocks continue to occur.
What's really shocking, though, is how quickly one disaster displaces another. This is one of the effects of living in a global village. We learn of events everywhere on the globe within minutes and can see vivid images of horrendous damage. Just within the last week, the world has witnessed destructive floods on the island of Madeira, hurricane force winds and floods in southwest France and other parts of Europe, and finally the catastrophic earthquake in Chile.
The images of the Madeira floods were astonishing and heartrending. You could literally see cars being swept away. Although I don't know anyone who lives in Madeira, I could imagine the terror residents must have felt. When I first heard news of the extreme weather in France, I worried about my French cousins, but was relieved to learn they live far away from the worst-hit areas. Now, watching tv coverage of the Chilean earthquake, I can only guess at the panic and confusion people there are experiencing.
The world is a dangerous place. Bad things happen everywhere, along with the myriad good things that receive less attention from the media. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the footage of so many natural disasters, not to mention the news reports of man-made conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
In the wake of the most recent cataclysms, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what happened in Haiti. I've started reading Tracy Kidder's book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, about the efforts of American doctor Paul Farmer to bring modern medicine to Haiti. I hope to learn more about Haiti, so I might better understand the challenges it faces in the wake of the earthquake. But reading about Farmer's work also reminds me that one antidote to feeling overwhelmed in the face of so much adversity may be to find a particular problem that interests you and focus on making a difference, one person at a time.
The monster quake that hit Chile on February 27th, magnitude 8.8, has now supplanted Haiti's quake in the headlines. This is also understandable. The immediate crisis has passed in Haiti and the country is now engaged in the long slog toward some semblance of normal life. In Haiti, that means subsistence living, but at least with a roof overhead. In Chile, the terrible wounds opened by the earth are still raw. People still alive are trapped in buildings and aftershocks continue to occur.
What's really shocking, though, is how quickly one disaster displaces another. This is one of the effects of living in a global village. We learn of events everywhere on the globe within minutes and can see vivid images of horrendous damage. Just within the last week, the world has witnessed destructive floods on the island of Madeira, hurricane force winds and floods in southwest France and other parts of Europe, and finally the catastrophic earthquake in Chile.
The images of the Madeira floods were astonishing and heartrending. You could literally see cars being swept away. Although I don't know anyone who lives in Madeira, I could imagine the terror residents must have felt. When I first heard news of the extreme weather in France, I worried about my French cousins, but was relieved to learn they live far away from the worst-hit areas. Now, watching tv coverage of the Chilean earthquake, I can only guess at the panic and confusion people there are experiencing.
The world is a dangerous place. Bad things happen everywhere, along with the myriad good things that receive less attention from the media. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the footage of so many natural disasters, not to mention the news reports of man-made conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
In the wake of the most recent cataclysms, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what happened in Haiti. I've started reading Tracy Kidder's book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, about the efforts of American doctor Paul Farmer to bring modern medicine to Haiti. I hope to learn more about Haiti, so I might better understand the challenges it faces in the wake of the earthquake. But reading about Farmer's work also reminds me that one antidote to feeling overwhelmed in the face of so much adversity may be to find a particular problem that interests you and focus on making a difference, one person at a time.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Lazy Sunday
It's been a lazy Sunday afternoon. I threw in a load of wash, had a lunch of leftovers, took a walk with friends, checked my email, and started the New York Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle. There's no real reason why Sunday should feel different from other days, since I don't work in an office during the week, yet it does. It's a time to sleep late, putter around, and generally relax.
Somehow Saturday doesn't have the laid-back feeling of Sunday. On Saturday, I'm more likely to run errands, do my exercises, and entertain or go out with friends in the evening. I think of Saturday as a high-energy fun day. On Sundays, I like to slow down.
My Sundays had a slow feel even when I was in high school. There might have been homework I'd left until the last minute, but there was also time to lie on my bed daydreaming about my latest crush, wondering if I'd see him between classes on Monday. If I wasn't fantasizing about boys I was on the phone with my girlfriends talking about them. Sunday was a day of possibilities, filled with the delicious anticipation of the week to come.
Later, when I was in law school, Sunday afternoon might find me napping. I'm normally not a person who naps, but law school was intense. Just thinking about the workload was enough to make me drowsy. On Sunday, the whole afternoon stretched out before me and my quiet bedroom beckoned. School work could wait until evening. Those Sunday afternoon naps were special. I've rarely taken them before or since, but they seemed the height of luxury at the time.
Today I didn't lie on my bed daydreaming or luxuriate in a nap, but I did slow down the pace and take time to appreciate the company of my friends and the beauty of a Miami sunset. I've had a nice lazy Sunday.
Somehow Saturday doesn't have the laid-back feeling of Sunday. On Saturday, I'm more likely to run errands, do my exercises, and entertain or go out with friends in the evening. I think of Saturday as a high-energy fun day. On Sundays, I like to slow down.
My Sundays had a slow feel even when I was in high school. There might have been homework I'd left until the last minute, but there was also time to lie on my bed daydreaming about my latest crush, wondering if I'd see him between classes on Monday. If I wasn't fantasizing about boys I was on the phone with my girlfriends talking about them. Sunday was a day of possibilities, filled with the delicious anticipation of the week to come.
Later, when I was in law school, Sunday afternoon might find me napping. I'm normally not a person who naps, but law school was intense. Just thinking about the workload was enough to make me drowsy. On Sunday, the whole afternoon stretched out before me and my quiet bedroom beckoned. School work could wait until evening. Those Sunday afternoon naps were special. I've rarely taken them before or since, but they seemed the height of luxury at the time.
Friday, February 26, 2010
If the Shoe Fits
As some of you may remember, I recently spent an inordinate amount of time shopping for an evening dress (see "Shopping for 'The One' "). The good news is, I finally found a lovely dress at an amazing price. The bad news is that now I have to find shoes to go with it.
Those of you with adorable Carrie Bradshaw feet, just made for Manolo Blahnik shoes, will probably find this post incomprehensible or merely boring. Why, you might ask, do I not head to the nearest mall and buy myself a cute little pair of strappy sandals? The answer, sadly, is that my feet are not the Manolo Blahnik type. I've been blessed (or, some might say, cursed) with very narrow heels but wide forefeet. Basically, impossible to fit.
I'm not complaining, exactly. Despite their limitations, my feet have served me well. I love to walk and they've carried me for many a mile. But when it's time to shop for dressy shoes, I face a daunting challenge. Thankfully, the Internet exists to help me meet it. Enter Zappos, Nordstrom, and other online shoe retailers. They not only carry a huge selection in varying widths, but they feature generous shipping policies.
I started my shoe search with Zappos, since I've had good luck with them in the past. During an earlier shoe quest, I called a Zappos customer service rep with a question about a particular style and she suggested I simply order the shoes I wanted in the two sizes I thought might fit, then return the pair that didn't work, or both pairs, if neither fit properly. This time, I found a pair of sandals in just the metallic color I was looking for, so I ordered them in an 8 and an 8 1/2. When I chose standard shipping, I was informed there would be no charge. Pleased, I submitted my order.
A short while later, an email arrived telling me that Zappos valued my business so much they were upgrading my shipping status to priority. The shoes arrived the following day. So far, so good. Then I tried them on. The size 8 pair fit, in the sense that I could get my feet into them. But as far as actually walking, that was another story. The size 8 1/2 pair was altogether too big. Both pairs would have to go back. Zappos made it easy. I merely had to slap on a return label and drop the box off at my nearest UPS Store.
Next, I tried DSW online. I knew I could return the shoes to the nearest store if they didn't work out. They didn't. The clerk at the store couldn't have been nicer about the return. A petite young woman, she clearly loved shoes and enthusiastically told me there were some great styles available on clearance. She seemed totally mystified when I mentioned that I was hard to fit. Ah, innocence.
After that failure, I really intended to give the local mall a try. Maybe I would get lucky. But yesterday evening, too late for hitting the brick and mortar stores, I decided to go virtual once more and check out the Nordstrom online shoe site. I found a cute pair of sandals with a reasonably low heel, available in a C width. If I bought two pairs, the price would qualify me for free shipping! Since I would need to try both the 8 and 8 1/2, as usual, I couldn't resist the allure of one more online order.
If this doesn't work out, I'm not sure what I'll do next. The dress is floor-length. If worse comes to worst, I can always go barefoot and no one will be the wiser.
Those of you with adorable Carrie Bradshaw feet, just made for Manolo Blahnik shoes, will probably find this post incomprehensible or merely boring. Why, you might ask, do I not head to the nearest mall and buy myself a cute little pair of strappy sandals? The answer, sadly, is that my feet are not the Manolo Blahnik type. I've been blessed (or, some might say, cursed) with very narrow heels but wide forefeet. Basically, impossible to fit.
I'm not complaining, exactly. Despite their limitations, my feet have served me well. I love to walk and they've carried me for many a mile. But when it's time to shop for dressy shoes, I face a daunting challenge. Thankfully, the Internet exists to help me meet it. Enter Zappos, Nordstrom, and other online shoe retailers. They not only carry a huge selection in varying widths, but they feature generous shipping policies.
I started my shoe search with Zappos, since I've had good luck with them in the past. During an earlier shoe quest, I called a Zappos customer service rep with a question about a particular style and she suggested I simply order the shoes I wanted in the two sizes I thought might fit, then return the pair that didn't work, or both pairs, if neither fit properly. This time, I found a pair of sandals in just the metallic color I was looking for, so I ordered them in an 8 and an 8 1/2. When I chose standard shipping, I was informed there would be no charge. Pleased, I submitted my order.
A short while later, an email arrived telling me that Zappos valued my business so much they were upgrading my shipping status to priority. The shoes arrived the following day. So far, so good. Then I tried them on. The size 8 pair fit, in the sense that I could get my feet into them. But as far as actually walking, that was another story. The size 8 1/2 pair was altogether too big. Both pairs would have to go back. Zappos made it easy. I merely had to slap on a return label and drop the box off at my nearest UPS Store.
Next, I tried DSW online. I knew I could return the shoes to the nearest store if they didn't work out. They didn't. The clerk at the store couldn't have been nicer about the return. A petite young woman, she clearly loved shoes and enthusiastically told me there were some great styles available on clearance. She seemed totally mystified when I mentioned that I was hard to fit. Ah, innocence.
After that failure, I really intended to give the local mall a try. Maybe I would get lucky. But yesterday evening, too late for hitting the brick and mortar stores, I decided to go virtual once more and check out the Nordstrom online shoe site. I found a cute pair of sandals with a reasonably low heel, available in a C width. If I bought two pairs, the price would qualify me for free shipping! Since I would need to try both the 8 and 8 1/2, as usual, I couldn't resist the allure of one more online order.
If this doesn't work out, I'm not sure what I'll do next. The dress is floor-length. If worse comes to worst, I can always go barefoot and no one will be the wiser.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Organic, Sustainable . . . Walmart?
Sounds like an oxymoron, right? But Walmart has apparently made big changes in its produce department. Corby Kummer, food writer for The Atlantic Monthly, visited a Walmart for the first time in a decade and was amazed by the transformation. You can read about his impressions in an article in the current issue of The Atlantic, "The Great Grocery Smackdown." Make sure to check out the video that accompanies the article—if I didn't know better, I would have thought I was viewing a Whole Foods or other high-end market.
As Kummer points out, Walmart's new emphasis on sustainable agriculture and organic produce is good news for local farmers and consumers alike in areas which typically have poor produce choices. Kummer is not naive. He knows Walmart is not acting purely out of altruism. His point is that offering healthy fruits and vegetables may benefit both the company and the populations it serves. Kummer concludes his article with the following—"I’m convinced that if it wants to, a ruthlessly well-run mechanism can bring fruits and vegetables back to land where they once flourished, and deliver them to the people who need them most."
As Kummer points out, Walmart's new emphasis on sustainable agriculture and organic produce is good news for local farmers and consumers alike in areas which typically have poor produce choices. Kummer is not naive. He knows Walmart is not acting purely out of altruism. His point is that offering healthy fruits and vegetables may benefit both the company and the populations it serves. Kummer concludes his article with the following—"I’m convinced that if it wants to, a ruthlessly well-run mechanism can bring fruits and vegetables back to land where they once flourished, and deliver them to the people who need them most."
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