Down The Hatch

I've been on vacation. So I haven't been vocal about anything. But I'm on the plane home right now, and I'm watching a "debate" about "marriage equality" on a little show called "Meet the Press."

I never curse on Facebook, nor do I curse in my blog. If I were ever to make a singular exception to that self-imposed rule of mine, however - it would be right now. And by golly, would it be big. 

It would be the typewritten equivalent of a "scream" at the top of my lungs, with whatever is analogous to all of the breath that I could muster - from within the finite anatomy of my infinite being-  and in all the most giant of caps. Letters - emboldened to the greatest extent possible, and rendered in the chunkiest, or heftiest of fonts - would spell out my  proclamation that this insane debate is G&D D^#N M{•£*RF&)@ING DISGUSTING! And, that I am outraged to a transformative extent - sparing me what would otherwise manifest as deep, horrific shame. 

Who in the sam heck are these monsters? ....emerging from subtle shadows still cast by the specter of Jim Crow. What grand gall hath inspired them to claim the right of conjure? ....for these wicked potions of state sanctioned oppression. And what ostentatious, ludicrous audacity permitted them to extinguish their collective conscience to allow for the revisionist relabeling of their vile bigotry as "proposition 8," or "DOMA," et al.  

Such dark souls: To embrace what we already know is evil, in the void which was their hearts. To harness its power within the span of their wings, buffeting the recently inspired - though formerly meek & socially weak, & recently in-hiding: With vicious flaps, and striking slaps, with violence that robs its victims of their very identity as perceived by the State, and of their hard earned fiduciary bonds, and of their veracity as beloveds. 

Yes, I'd curse like mad, and say "F&;K you" to these Adolf Hitlers, masquerading in a pie dish filled with rotten, putrid apples. F*#K these little Stalins - pretending their violence is virtue - just like good old Uncle Joe. F+#K these Jeffrey Dahmers in dresses and suits - eating human souls instead of flesh. And F¥€K these pathetic unhorned devils, claiming Christ as their own. The real, historical Jesus would have millstones with every one of their names engraved - just waiting to send them to the depths of the ocean - and the very depths of hell. They have certainly harmed many of his little children: They failed to listen - and failed to heed. He warned, but they ignored - and they are not Christ's children. They are murderers and thieves and selfish little serpents who ought be cast out and made to slither on the ground. 

Rise up, my grunge generation. Rise up and prove your worth. We have scholars and saints among us too - now write the definitive work. Define discrimination - in irrefutable legalese once and for God dang all - for liberty - and for justice. THIS is with what our constitution needs to be mended - patches for dangerous loopholes. This moth-eaten ban on discrimination.... Sew it up and ban it all.

These are not opinions. This is right and wrong. When so many homosexuals realized they were not sinners and that they were not sick, when so many became unafraid of the world without the closet, and when so many of the best and the brightest agreed...when derogatory phrases about homosexuals became taboo, when gay bashing became a hate crime.... Jesus, people - the conclusion had already become foregone! Those milestones are what should have been a simple moment of official "oh duh." The realization of a procedural hiccup that could be amended with the creation of a single GPO form (Government Printing Office). It should have become available to every town clerk and city hall. A bleeping non-issue. The politicization of the apolitical human right of union with another: It is unamerican, anti-freedom, and inhumane. 

So, whether you were my fellow grungy 90ians, or more hip-hoppy, or whatever else there was -maybe goth? - at the time - u r now of age to really do something about it - especially if you went to law school, or if u made much money, or have access to big media power. Do it. Fix it. This amounts to our Bob Dylan moment. This is where we say "ok we have really had enough of this BS. We are in charge now. We are the grown ups and you are the senile old folk. Here's a shuffle, and a board, now have fun and shut up. But most importantly - go away." 

Normally, I avoid being divisive. I hate offending people who have different views than I do. But, if equality offends anyone, then truly, it is they who have committed the offense in this shared universe of ours. Their "views" are not opinions, but pathogens. They, and the universe we share - that they have polluted with this pathos - are in dire need of much strong medicine. 

So here ya go. 

Biomedical Librarianship

CV

Beth Wolpert's CV

When Editors Don't Edit they Malign

The Washington Post prints something in this article about how citizens didn't flood the streets in Poland to protest to their government about the Nazi's treatment of the Jews. 

Well, Washington Post, the Polish government was in exile in London. Poland was under occupation, and therefore they were too busy dying with their fellow Jewish countrymen in those very same NAZI death camps. 

Others were too busy risking their lives to save thousands upon thousands of Jews - despite the fact that Poland was the only country in which helping a Jew was an offense that was punishable by death. 

Others were too busy fighting the Nazis in the Warsaw uprising - in which 200,000 non-Jewish Poles were killed while the Nazis used the Polish Soldiers' fellow countrymen as human shields - strapped to the front of their Panzers. Children fought. Women fought. They all fought valiantly to the end. Only to fall prey to the other evil empire - the Soviet Union - with the blessing of the US and Great Britain. 

Others were too busy participating in one of the largest and most efficient underground organizations the world has known, to resist the illegal occupation of their country by the evil Nazis. 

Yeah. They were a little too busy to stage a sit in. 

This:

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-05-09/lifestyle/39131250_1_jacky-comforty-concentration-camps-jews

Plus this last year: 

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/obamas-polish-death-camp-gaffe/2012/05/30/gJQAJcAw1U_blog.html

Equals: Malice. Pure and simple. 

Ta Da!

Very random and quick smattering of thoughts

It's all in the user. Facebook can sometimes NOT be a waste of time and a brain sucker. Like today. I saw a post about the Girl Scouts. It was an attack ad by a neo-republican. The crazy psycho tea party kind that we can't get away from as of late. It was accusing the Girl Scouts of wonderful things. Well, things that they thought were heinous, but that I see as essential and inherently good. Such as, inclusion of those whom society deems as "freaks" and educating girls about their bodies and their rights. Anyway, it made me want to read my daughter's Girl Scout book, and when I did, the tears came tumbling down. It was thoroughly, intrinsically, and organically beautiful. A sublime surprise. Wondrous, really.

I think we are reaching that critical mass, finally. Where all this badness explodes and the shapes formed by the fallen debris somehow end up surprisingly friendly - easily approached and repurposed - willingly - into something new, yet already wise: A recycling of our humanity of sorts. I hope I hope I hope. I read somewhere that our nihilistic age of strict rationalism is ending and a re-enchantment of our world has begun. One can only hope, right? 

But one can also contribute. 

Death By US Corporations in Bangladesh

The triangle shirtwaist factory fire, et. al. was supposed to have changed things forever. We, as a society, were supposed to have learned some really hard lessons and changed. Apparently not. America, we have triangle shirtwaist factories all over the world. Do we think it doesn't count as long as it's far, far away? As long as we can buy our precious shirts and our other crap dirt cheap? Well that makes each of us a robber baron, now - doesn't it? Robber barons exploiting worker's lives to keep more money for ourselves - no matter what the dire consequences may be. 

LIFE ISN'T CHEAP, my friends. LIFE can not be bought, nor brought back, at any price. And for that matter, neither can one's soul. 

Shame on Benetton. Shame on Dress Barn. Shame on Joe Fresh, and Shame on The Children's Place. 

Our society may be morally bankrupt, but the universe itself is not. Goodness is still in abundant supply: We must learn to embrace it again. When we do, we'll have finally found our footing, and from there - we will rise up. 

America is meant for better, people. Heads out of the sand! Don't vote-in proponents of predatory business practices. Don't buy what's wrought through exploited lives and sweat. 

The sad fact is that what we accept for others we slowly pull down upon our heads. Now our salaries haven't grown and our benefits have been cut and our working conditions and quality of life have eroded. Leisure time barely exists. Sadly, this may be karma people. I see a tailfeather waddle. I hear a quack quack quacking. Pleased to meet you, Karma. What the duck. 

Overrun

Well, I know no one reads this blog, and that's fine with me, but I'm happy to have a place to write - especially on days in weeks like this - nonetheless. Does that make sense to anyone but me? I wonder.

I feel such utter confusion and the deepest sense of sadness about what has happened to this country in the last 20 years. I don't know if it can be rectified. But, I'm not willing to give up. This is my freaking country goddamn-it. Mine, and yours too. It does not belong to those corrupted senators, nor does it belong to the NRA. But how, HOW do we wrest it back out of their dirty, bloody, smelly-like-money hands? If it can't be done by a hero like Carolyn McCarthy, who did everything right - tirelessly - then who the hell can it be done by? I know that the answer is in numbers, but I just don't think that anyone cares enough anymore. Sure, we'll gather in a figurative sense and re post something on Facebook - or maybe even change our profile picture when asked or influenced to by our peers - but will any significant-enough number of people be willing to do more than touch a screen? 

I was thinking about what a hero Rep. McCarthy is. I've said this many times, but over time the meaning deepens. In the face of this last pathetic legislative debacle, I am utterly in AWE that she has not thrown in the towel after 17 years or so. The patience, the perseverance, the humility, the dedication - it must come from something greater than plain old human "will." It must be love. She must rely on the memory of her husband and the strength of her love for her son in order to do what she does. To me, that is a stunning portrait of humanity. To not give up hope in this utterly disenchanting world, to remain true to your promise to those you love - no matter what: That is beauty.

I then wondered where Colin Ferguson got his gun. Was it at a gun show? Off the black market? was it stolen?
No.
It was purchased legally at a store in California. After a 15 day waiting period. Despite his history of mental instability. Despite records of his arrest in NYC. And despite being placed on a list of dangerous people by the NY State Workers Compensation board.

Because this happened before the government took bipartisan legislative action that resulted in national uniform gun licensing system that included background checks.

Which meant that no one like Colin Ferguson could ever just walk into a store and buy a gun again.

Unless, of course, he went to a gun show. It's like Christmas every day for criminals like him - when they make the gun show rounds.

So why - WHY were we able to work such wonders of legislative success then - and not now? It wasn't that long ago. It was passed the same year I graduated high school. I'm 36 now. That legislation even included an assault weapons ban. Unthinkable today. Apparently.

Witness the way things used to work. Notice the balance of representation from both major political parties. This is Wikipedia's description of the "reaction" to the LIRR shooting:

President Bill Clinton took notice of the Ferguson shooting, calling it a "terrible human tragedy".^[18] The day after the shooting, Clinton announced he asked Attorney General Janet Reno to review a proposal by New York City Mayor-elect Rudy Giuliani that would set up a national uniform licensing system for gun buyers. Clinton cited the Ferguson murders as a factor in his support of the program, which would include background checks, tests and required renewals every two years.^[18] About one week after the shooting, Clinton visited with O'Connor, Blum and McEntee.^[19] During his first major speech since his election as mayor, Giuliani cited the Ferguson murders while he repeated his previous calls for the death penalty and a uniform gun licensing law.^[20] During his monthly radio call-in show, Governor Mario Cuomo called the Ferguson shootings "a dramatic, spectacular slaughter",^[12] and called for stronger gun control measures.^[8] U.S. Senator Al D'Amato said the Ferguson case demonstrated the need for capital punishment in New York because "that is the only fitting punishment for this cold-blooded killer"

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Ferguson_%28mass_murderer%29#cite_note-Barron1209-12)

So, who stole America, people?

And in our age of information, why is this a mystery?

Why are Lobbyists, PACs, the NRA, and the power of their money so completely OUT OF CONTROL?

If we can't pass anything that mentions the word "gun," well then....

Can we outlaw the NRA like we did the KKK?

Or is allowing brutal murder after murder okay...
as long as they pay our senators well?
as long as it is generalized, rather than genocidal?
Or as long as they only victimize those pesky kids?

It's probably that last one, since apparently - kids don't even deserve parents anymore. That's why there's no more middle class salaries to be had. One working class salary per parent - for those who don't want to live in hell but aren't rich. Child rearing is a thing of the past - there's an app for that, I'm sure. A smartphone and an X Box is all you need - no moral teaching or behavioral modification necessary.

If you disagree with that last statement -
If you give a half of a crap about your kid(s) -
If you have an inkling of some kind of love for freedom or for your country left in that jaded heart of yours, then...

DO
SOMETHING
NOW.

I'm going to look into what it takes to run for senator - not what it takes to win - we all know that is $$$$. But what it officially takes to run, and how many people can run in one election, how many signatures necessary if any, and what-not.

When I find the answers, I'll let you know. And then I'll encourage everyone in a state with one of these moneyed NRA senator-traitors - to run and run and run. Or if carpet-bagging is plausible...hmm....

Flood the ticket if possible. If not we'll figure something else out. But something must be done.

I'm not talking about liking a post of a certain color ribbon. I'm not talking about adopting a symbol as your Facebook profile pic. I'm talking about doing something that has meaning. Or else, God help us all.

TBC

-beth

The Provost Rocks!

It's amazing to me, and a bit alarming as well, to see how much a few minutes of validation, encouragement, and honesty can improve my overall sense of well being and restore my confidence that all is right with the world.

It's a strange sensation, and antithetical to how independent and self-sufficient I've become in my personal life. It illustrates the gravity of my current situation, and the certainty of my need for change. No matter how unshakable I think I am - my humanity dictates that I can't work, on a daily basis, in an irrational, dishonest, and dysfunctional environment and remain unscathed.     

So, I'll trudge on in the tedious job search - but with a new point of reference for restoring my sense of purpose when in need.
    
And, I'll unabashedly share my opinions and ideas - as per the Provost's request - with a renewed sense of "me-ness." I am thankful to have received permission from this higher level of authority, to cast off the absurd set of pseudo-protocol/rules that were created by parasitic organisms -  masquerading as my superiors. I feel cleansed of the contagion that is their timidity and fear.

The truth is the truth, no matter who plagiarizes it and misuses it to further their agenda.
The truth always wins in the end.
The truth dispels all worry and fear.
The truth, indeed, does set you free.

Alannah's Big Show! Research project: All About Horses! 

I thought I was done with homework for a while - at least until the Spring 2014 semester, which is when I plan to take those two last classes for my MA in Urban Affairs - but apparently, I was not. For the last week and a half, my daughter and I have been working non-stop on her projects for school. The big one - her research project on horses - was due today. While I didn't particularly like the mad rush in the end when she had dutifully been taking her notes for months now (we didn't get any project instructions till the Fri. before it was due) and I didn't like having to be up till 4 and 3 AM again 2 nights in a row; and while I still haven't slept away those missed hours yet, and I am spacy and my eyes feel worse for the wear.... I have to say, I am more than content now. I am absolutely thrilled. Not only did she do an amazing job, and work hard to bring something great to fruition, but the frantic dash in the last hours ended up garnering her grandparents help. They held cue cards and glued strips of dialogue to them, and we all clipped said dialogue into strips to affix (which I had typed up and printed all day at work), and it really felt great to have a team working on something that was so important to my girl. Even at night when Nana and Poppy had gone home and Alannah went to sleep, and there were 29 clips to be made into one movie - with editing to be done on many of them - and the tempermental computer was giving me problems in the eleventh hour, as it threatened to prevent me from uploading a finished product to YouTube for her to present in class the next day: I wasn't alone. Having just arrived home from a double shift, my boyfriend/mate-for-life saw my pain, panic, and stress; and when IMovie repeatedly needed 20, 10, or 15 minutes to optimize, he came to my aid. He sent me to bed to "lie down" each time with a promise to wake me when done. He did. Every single time. And finally, the movie was done! And my daughter's smile in the morning was beautiful, and her pride in her work was art. And I know that whatever happens today in school - if the presentation goes well or not - we all had an amazing experience. And I feel wonderfully not alone, and unencumbered by any cursed burden. This was not just homework, this was familywork - this was work of the best kind. This was joy, this was creativity, this was helping each other; and that is what children bring out in people in the most unlikely and surprising times - their (very) beautiful best. So thank YOU, my Miss Alannah. The pleasure was all mine!

Actualization...Hope is Near

     I feel like Bob Dylan in Maggie’s Farm. Millions of ideas constantly bubble in my brain. They seem to be reaching a critical mass where they may boil over, and perhaps burst through the rigid sutures securing my cranium. But that's okay. There’s no need for alarm. "The better to PUBLISH with, my dears!" so sayeth this wolf, and I shall triumphantly embrace La Loba!

     Dare I imagine finding a job where, as a professional, I could freely engage my creativity and combine it with my fastidious attention to detail? Where I could proffer brave ideas and acquire new skills (coding, please!)? Where I could perform meaningful work, knowing that my devout self-measurement against Weberian ideal types – my unwavering striving for perfection - is actually appreciated? Where my original ideas may be encouraged and/or accepted, or may join a collective and collaborative brainstorm of organizational creativity and innovation, rather than constantly crashing into petrified elements (organic and other) of bureaucracy that are no longer responsive to stimuli? To me, this sounds like heaven - and it is what I am excited about today. I have been introduced to a company that desires strange and exceptional souls, as well as my (MLS) skill set. I have applied for an open position there, and am drunk with positivity as I imagine the enormous potential and the magnitude of possibilities for growth that may ensue, should I be hired.

     For the purpose of paying this good fortune forward to any potential reader(s), and back to the company as well: The company's name is “Knewton.” They rock in so many ways. More to come in coming days, I’m sure. - B

  

I think I have decided to resurrect this old blog! Mainly because I think it is adorable, but also because I feel I should have something to show potential employers, and a lot of stuff (Flash work for example) is on here that is otherwise too deep in the mess of moving back to "The Glendrick"/thesis writing/graduating/mommy-ing/working full time in the Bronx/generally having an incredibly busy life-ness rabble and rubble. So here it is, and when I find time I will update with wonderful posts! I have lots of interesting stories to tell. LOTS and VERY should be emphasized... :o) !!!!