FRIDAY FAST ONES

1.)  We have read the salacious details, heard the re-enactments, gawked at the photos and seen, as usual,  that Gloria Allred found a way to get involved in the Wiener story.  Oh the puns and double entendres - the writers have had a field day.  Hurrah - another sex scandal so we can continue to avoid delving into the real, hard issues.  The media outlets are not even making an effort to seem like they care about anything but frivolity and titillation.  When Pelosi had her scheduled press conference on the day the congressman had announced he would resign, this is what happened per the Talking Points blog when she made her opening remark:

"As usual we're here to talk about jobs, about protecting Medicare and protecting the middle class. If you're here to ask a question about Congressman Weiner, I won't be answering any."


If you thought disappointed news networks decided then to make do with the other items on her agenda, you'd be wrong. All three of the major cable nets -- CNN, MSNBC, and Fox -- all cut away right then.

I continue to believe that the media is the biggest contributor to the stupidity of the country and the decay of our government.

2.)  Since we are on the subject...crusaders against male circumcision (intactivists)  want parents to choose not to circumcise their sons AND they want the government to prohibit circumcision including  punishment for adults involved in circumcisions. 

We did not circumcise our son shortly after birth because my husband is not circumcised and he preferred not to do it to our son.  I went along with his wishes.  However, our son had to be circumcised at age 10 because of urinary issues.  He suffered from a problem a small percentage of uncircumcised males have and it had nothing to do with not being clean (which is what everyone always says is all it takes to maintain an uncut penis.)

So if we are going to say parents can't choose to have this procedure performed for medical or religious reasons - then, as raised in an opinion piece on CNN - we should ban the piercing of baby girl's ears.  Ear piercing is painful and it carries MORE complications than circumcising.

And that is the problem with all this poking our noses in other people's business - if you don't like it, don't do it.  Please feel free to let us know your opinion, but it is not your place to legislate based on your beliefs.

3.)  One more highlight from our graduation celebration and then I promise I will stop.  I managed to snap this reaction when Ally opened her gift.

We had completely fooled her into thinking she was not going to get what she asked for - an iTouch.  She really wanted an iPhone which we said we couldn't do for her and the iTouch came up briefly as an alternative.  She is aware of our finances and so I think she had given up on the idea that she would get a gift beyond the grad party.

So fun to surprise our kids, isn't it!


4.)  On Monday Ally and I spend the day at San Francisco State for a new student orientation.  We will learn more about the campus, the programs and meet with her advisor.  She will register for her classes at the end of the session.  This sounds like a very helpful program for new students entering into the complicated morass of college.  I am looking forward to it - except that it starts at 8am and I work the night before...I'm not as young as I once was and leaving the house 6 hours after I get home will be tough!

Ally is nervous about the orientation, meeting people, looking right - but she is excited to purchase an official college sweatshirt and decals for our cars.