This Memorial Day weekend I am unplugging. I intend on having three days free of blogging, stress, and the Stallings Collection. Why? Not because I am going anywhere for the three-day weekend. Not because I have a whole list of things to do. Not because I'll have company over or anything else. Because I need three days off! In baseball it is was major league managers call a "mental health day." Three days for me. Three days to sit on the bench and watch the game as a fan, not as a player. Or to sit in the clubhouse and not watch the game at all. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
I need three days to clear my head; three days to get to a point where I stop second guessing myself on everything; I need three days to get the damn Colbie Caillat "Realize" song out of my head; and, three days to hopefully catch up on the sleep I've been missing desperately this week. I can count the number of hours of sleep I've had this week on both hands and I don't think that is a good thing. Less than ten hours of sleep total over the last four days. I could use three days of sleep, but that just isn't going to happen. I'd settle for a good solid four hours in one night. It's pathetic, really.
When I return late Monday night or Tuesday morning to the world of the blogging, you can look forward to posts on the Ted Kennedy situation, the Robert Dallek lecture I attended Thursday night at the Colonial Theater in Idaho Falls, an update on the holding (or withholding) of the Kempthorne papers by our former governor, and maybe even a note on the status of the Stallings papers that are readily available to the public unlike Mr. Kempthorne's papers.
Sounds like a decent slate of planned posts. I can assure you all that if I were to stay online and "plugged in" for the next three days the most informative post I could come up with would have to do with Lou Pearlman and Making the Band. Yes, I need a break!!
Here's hoping a "mental health day" (or three) doesn't cause me to make myself sick the way Braves right fielder Jeff Francouer did earlier this week when Bobby Cox gave him the day off. While sitting on the bench cheering on his teammates, he ate everything available to him. Between the bubble gum, sunflower seeds, and chew, he was so sick by the end of the night that he didn't know if he was going to be able to play the next day! Nine innings of consecutive eating of junk. I think I'll be just fine, I did quit chewing bubble gum after all...
Friday, May 23, 2008
Unplugging
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Kennedy Who Lives...
Go read this now:
The Kennedy Who Lives, Stays and Fights
I'm serious, go now.
SM3 @ The Garden in Lewiston
(Seven Mary Three in studio performing "Southwestern State" from their 1998 release Orange Ave.)
Tickets for Seven Mary Three's July concert at the Garden in Lewiston, Idaho, are on sale now. The kid brother and I are making a road trip of it--one last summer visit to our friend in Moscow and a final road trip before my inevitable relocation after fall semester and a Seven Mary Three concert--doesn't get much better than that. Oh yes, it does. The kid brother can drive part of the way to Moscow!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Kennedy News
Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass) has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
A beautiful and moving tribute by the longest-sitting U.S. senator, Senator Robert Byrd, from the floor of the Senate today is available at NECN.com--view it here.
From Senator Obama's victory speech tonight in Iowa:
From Senator Hillary Clinton's victory speech tonight in Kentucky:You know, there is a spirit that brought us here tonight, a spirit of change, and hope, and possibility. And there are few people in this country who embody that spirit more than our friend and our champion, Senator Edward Kennedy.
He has spent his life in service to this country, not for the sake of glory or recognition, but because he cares, deeply in his gut, about the causes of justice, and equality, and opportunity.
So many of us here have benefited in some way or another because of the battles he’s waged and some of us are here because of them. And we know he’s not well right now, but we also know that he’s a fighter.
And as he takes on this fight, let us lift his spirits tonight by letting Ted Kennedy know that we are thinking of him, that we are praying for him, that we are standing with him and Vicky, and that we will be fighting with him every step of the way.
I want to say a special word this evening about someone who has spent his whole life dedicated to realizing the promise of America. Senator Ted Kennedy is one of the greatest progressive leaders in our party's history, and one of the most effective senators in our country's history. He’s my friend, and he’s my inspiration. More than that, he is a hero to millions of Americans whose lives he has fought to better.
I am proud to have stood side-by-side with Ted Kennedy to increase the minimum wage, to extend health insurance to millions of children, to help stop insurance companies from discriminating against the sick. But the privileges that I have had and so many others have had because of the battles we have fought side-by-side with him are just a mere handful of what he has done during his entire public service; five extraordinary decades devoted to America.
And as a lifelong champion for social justice and equality, his work has made the path easier for me, for Senator Obama, and for countless others. He has been with us for our fights and we're with him now in his. And I know he is going to fight with all of his legendary might, supported by his wonderful wife Vicki and his entire family against this latest challenge. And we wish him well and send our thoughts and prayers to him.
The Four-Eyed Club
Huckleberries Online has an interesting comment on those belonging to the four-eyed club, i.e. those of us who require vision correction.
The discussion was brought about by an image of Senator Hillary Clinton trying on a pair of specs at a cafe in Louisville.
Now, I haven't the slightest idea as to whether or not Senator Clinton requires contact lenses (since she isn't often seen sporting glasses), but I suspect age and strain have left her in the fairly common position of requiring the assistance of reading glasses from time to time. I don't know if this is an attempt at saying Hillary Clinton is no longer a young woman, requiring reading glasses is not necessarily specific to age (I am twenty-three and wear regular spectacles, reading glasses, contacts, or any combination of the three every day of my life), or if it was just a brainless conversation to have about our first serious female candidate for the presidency. Regardless, I am annoyed.
My first question is, why should I care? Secondly, why does Senator Clinton trying on a pair of readers conjure up the question of if glasses make a man or woman any more or less attractive?
Are there not more important things in this campaign we can discuss?
New Music Tuesday
The new 3 Doors Down CD dropped today. Also today, Scarlett Johansson, the actress-turned-singer, has the full Tom Waits tribute (?) out. Not sure what to think of it, but I do enjoy her voice.
All in all, it is looking more and more like it will be a great, long summer of new music.
Last week I failed to mention the new Death Cab for Cutie release, Narrow Stairs, which was recommended to me by Chris over at Unequivocal Notion, and it is fabulous!
Next week John Hiatt has a release, too.
However, my three most-anticipated summer releases drop on the 3rd and 10th of June: the long awaited solo album from Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale, Wanderlust (6.3.08); the solo album of Wallflowers lead singer and son of Bob Dylan, Jakob Dylan's Seeing Things (6.10.08); and, the Canadian, Alanis Morissette's release Flavors of Entanglement (6.10.08).
Despite the fact that I've purchased Gavin DeGraw's sophomore album, Seven Mary Three's Day & Nightdriving, Augustana's Can't Love, Can't Hurt, the Missy Higgins album that came out in February, R.E.M.'s Accelerate and now Death Cab, all within a few months, I have five songs in a playlist on a loop and none of them were released this year. "Blinded by Rainbows" (Rolling Stones), "Far Away" (Nickelback), "Southwestern State" (Seven Mary Three), "Promise" (Eve 6), and "Lonelily" (Damien Rice).
Sometimes new isn't perfect right now.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Still Disgusted
The conviction of Raymond Ortiz III was mentioned here in March with the question of which was more disgusting, Ortiz' despicable actions or the comments being left by Statesman readers following the story. Ortiz is back, this time as he awaits sentencing, and the moronic comments have returned as well. This comment struck me:
Not At All (in response to the question 'thought you were pro-life?')
Submitted by Idahoan_by_choice on Mon, 05/19/2008 - 11:48am.
"I am anti-[hypocrisy]. I do not believe human life is sacred. I believe a woman has a right to abort her [fetus]. I believe murderers should be executed. I believe we should wage war if needed to protect our interests, even if it means we kill innocents. Polls suggest most people believe as I do, but they don't view it so starkly, and certainly what I believe has been the status quo in the US for 35 years. In any case, no one is really pro-life, because everyone will claim an [exception]. Yet the moral high ground is addictive, so everyone climbs on it, making them [hypocrites]."
On Friday, Ortiz will be sentenced for second degree murder (a plea agreement arranged by the Ada County prosecutor over the original sentence of first degree murder for killing his infant son).
At what point are the powers that be over at the Statesman going to get the hint that most of us are fed up with the uncontrolled comments being attached to the most extreme of stories?
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Smorgasbord Saturday
I am keeping tabs on the status of Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) who was hospitalized this morning after what appears to be a seizure--at first reported as stroke-like symptoms. This morning felt unusually like the July morning I awoke to news that John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s plane had gone missing. I wonder if I, and other Americans, will always get this weird feeling whenever bad news comes across the wire having to do with any one of the Kennedys. Regardless of political philosophy, it is hard to ignore the political status and superiority of Teddy Kennedy. Updates as they come.
TV Guide has their hot summer movies list up--nothing surprising with all the sequels and superhero movies--and they have wisely listed the X-Files: I Want to Believe movie as one of the top films they are looking forward to. I am surely not the only X-Files fan on the edge of my seat awaiting the second feature release from Chris Carter and especially with the tight lid they've kept on the plot. Hopefully the film can answer some of the many questions I have about the nine season run. July 25th can't come soon enough!
An interesting apology ran by Lee Family Broadcasting in the Magic Valley caught my eye this morning, the regional radio powerhouse is apologizing for encouraging students at Minico High School to participate in a protest that included wearing the colors of the Mexican flag to school after a Minico High School teacher tossed out a Mexican flag being waved by a Hispanic student in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. I would be willing to bet my life savings that Lee Broadcasting took some heat from community leaders on this one...
There was a story that made the Idaho reader section of the Idaho Statesman this week that caught my eye:
What do you say to that? They have a monument to something that didn't happen, but they are keeping it around? Granted, Almo isn't a big place and the chance of this "tainted" history being wide-spread isn't huge, but what about all of us, students of Idaho history, who have believed the massacre story all this time?Author James Loewren's book called "Lies Across America" lists what he calls "The Top Ten Worst Historical Sites in the United States," and one of those sites is in the small south-central Idaho farm town of Almo.
Utah TV station ABC4 reports that historians say the massacre of 300 pioneers along the California-Oregon trail near Almo, for which there is a monument in town, never happened.
Residents say they are aware of what historians say, but the monument has "been in town so long, since 1938, that it is a part of their community."
While I'm on the topic of Idaho history (when am I not?) I thought I'd mention this post over at Red State Rebels that still has be wound tight--"Boneheaded Bush trips over Bill Borah's ghost." Minus me initially "tripping" over the concept of referring to William E. Borah, the Lion of Idaho, as Bill Borah, I was really happy to see Julie snag this story. And Joe Biden wins the prize for favorite person in the universe this week!
NewWest Boise has a new look--go check it out! I haven't spent tons of time on the site since it went down for the upgrade around lunchtime, but I think it looks really sharp. I still don't quite understand the in-house search engine or why when I use it I always get at least 300 results, usually unrelated to anything I've searched for, but I doubt that was part of the upgrade. Hey Jill and NewWest, could you give the Idaho State Journal some web design lessons?? Pretty please, with sugar on top?
Friday, May 16, 2008
Wheels Off the Wagons
This morning I walked right out of the house without my keys. Locked up the house, walked right out, no keys. Standing in the back yard admiring the mess that is our lawn after the first mowing of the year, I said a few expletives, got the extra key, opened the house, and started the whole process all over again.
The entire week has gone much like this morning.
What day of the week is it? What time is it? Where am I supposed to be right now? Five minutes from now?
Either this is a natural reaction to not knowing what the hell to do with myself now that I don't have a class schedule or I may be losing my mind. I'm hoping that it is just an off-balance week.
Yesterday I had an MRI that revealed I have a protruding disc (L5-S1, if that means anything to anybody) that has caused me to lose feeling in my left foot and calf. Given my health situation over the past year and a half, I wasn't particularly thrilled to know I had to go on steroids to get the inflammation down so that the nerve root could have some room to breath. I'm still not happy about it, but now that I'm nearly through with the tapered dosage what is the point in complaining? That plus physical therapy. I never had back pain or at least not any back pain that seemed unusual for me. I came home from the Frank Church Banquet a little out of whack, but I recovered. Or so I thought.
And just to think I thought I had a hamstring problem and the foot numbness was an added bonus...
It is funny how the body works. I've learned the hard way that a life must be balanced for a body to follow suit.
Health aside, weird doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about my routine these days. No classes. I haven't had a summer off from classes since I graduated from high school. No pressing business to attend to when I get home from my work at the library at the end of the day. No papers to write.
What have I done? Absolutely nothing. Not entirely true, I have updated my CD collection spreadsheet. I haven't even accomplished much in terms of work--the Stallings Collection is right where I left it before finals week--and I can't say I really care. Doing absolutely nothing isn't something I do well. However, everybody needs a break. I needed a break.
After the wheels have fallen off the wagon, what do you do? Well, you take a breather, put the wheels back on, and continue plowing through.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Kempthorne Stronghold
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne is asking supporters to help him pay of his campaign debts—which campaign debts?—the very ones he racked up while running for re-election to Idaho’s top office in 2002. Today’s Statesman reports that Kempthorne still owes $15,000 from the 2002 gubernatorial race.
The $15,000 Kempthorne will be asking for next week at a “debt retirement” event is being asked for very carefully. Secretary Kempthorne does not want to violate the Hatch Act, but wants his campaign debt eliminated. Kempthorne’s carefully crafted “debt retirement” event is only one of several examples of the former governor’s contempt for the rules.
In addition to carefully skirting the Hatch Act, the rules outlining to what extent government employees can participate in political activities, former Governor Kempthorne has ignored one hundred years of tradition by retaining his gubernatorial papers rather than depositing them at the Idaho State Historical Society and has been the key component in the lifting of restrictions that have previously outlawed the carrying of concealed weapons in our national parks.
One has to wonder when the Kempthorne strong hold on Idaho will end. Like the unfortunate limelight forced on Idaho by our infamous senior senator, Idaho's image is being tainted by the blatant disregard for precedent being displayed by our former governor. As if bestowing on this state the most hideous of state quarters wasn't enough, we are now being credited as the home of the man who doesn't seem to mind if poachers are let in to our national parks or if the people who first elected him to office have access to whatever records, important or not, may have been retained from his tenure in the Idaho Statehouse.
Today the Idaho Statesman has an update on the situation with Governor Kempthorne's papers, an update that is as ambiguous as the original reporting that Governor Kempthorne is still holding tight to his records. Apparently, the state historical society, under the direction of Janet Gallimore, has been in "talks" with the former governor regarding his papers that have been under his control since he left Idaho to join the Bush administration two years ago. The startling truth behind the "talks" taking place is not that Kempthorne has waited two years to participate in these talks, it is that the talks are taking place, period. Every report regarding Kempthorne's papers has emphatically stated that state law requires all gubernatorial records to be turned over to the state historical society. However, the quote from today's article is, "if they reach a deal, the former governor's papers would join a historical record of Idaho used by scholars, lawyers, and curious citizens." If? If they reach a deal? There are laws about these things, but a former governor can decide if he wants to obey them?
Something that has been a bit troubling since the Statesman first broke the story last week is that nobody seems to be capable of citing the exact law that requires the governor's records to be retained at the state historical society. Again, in today's Statesman article, no citation exists. The article suggests that either the 1864 act of the Idaho territorial government regarding the binding of materials for housing at the state archive or the 1947 law creating the state archives may have given the state historical society authority to house the governor's papers.
For whatever reason, nobody dares cite the exact language under which we are all speculating the fate of Governor Kempthorne's papers. The language appearing in the territorial government documents does not and could not foresee the sheer mass of material a state government could produce. In 1864, the territorial government was trying to survive governing from afar and couldn't care less about the historical record of that very governance. Similarly, the 1907 act (House Bill 104) establishing the Idaho State Historical Society makes no specific mention of the records of the governor, stating that the historical society should be established and should provide for the acquisition, care, and exhibition of state property. I suspect whatever law those commenting on this story refer to is the 1947 act that gave state archival authority to the Idaho State Historical Society. From the Idaho Session Laws:
CHAPTER 161
(H.B. No. 206)
AN ACTAUTHORIZING AND EMPOWERING CUSTODIANS OF THE STATE, COUNTY, CITY, OR VILLAGE RECORDS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND NOT IN CURRENT USE TO DELIVER THEM TO THE IDAHO STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR PERMANENT PRESERVATION; PROVIDING FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF COPIES OF SUCH RECORDS BY THE IDAHO STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY; PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATE DISPOSAL OF OFFICIAL RECORDS WHICH POSSESS NO SIGNIFICANCE , IMPORTANCE NOR VALUE; AUTHORIZING THE IDAHO STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO REQUIRE AND SUPERVISE THE COLLECTION OF HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT STATE, COUNTY, OR VILLAGE ARCHIVES.
It is also plausible that the records management guidelines in place for state government in general and the governor's office specifically (67-802, 67-4126, 67-4129, 67-5725, and 67-5751a of the Idaho Code) have been interpreted to mean that the Idaho State Historical Society has supreme authority over all state documents as they are presumably property of the State of Idaho.
Regardless of which authority-granting law we point to in the case of placing Governor Kempthorne's papers, there are arguments to be suppressed and arguments to be supported.
First, as was mentioned by state archivist Rod House in today's Statesman piece, gubernatorial records are among the most viewed items at the state archive. House estimated 115 cubic feet of gubernatorial records have been viewed this year--a number I support fully as I alone have looked at the papers of former governors Gossett, Bottolfsen, Arnold, and Clark this year (Alexander, Ross, Evans, Batt, and Samuelson last year)--and this number should be the key here. Clearly, the state archive is capable of not only housing these materials, they are making them available to the public at every request. Whatever argument you hear to the contrary should be immediately dismissed.
Second, comments appearing on the Statesman's website and elsewhere that suggest Kempthorne's keeping of these records is the responsible thing to do because of the private nature of some of the documents (social security information, legal matters, etc.) is absolutely false. Ignoring one hundred years of precedent because you believe privacy is the number one concern of making gubernatorial records public is ridiculous. Archivists across the country deal with this on a daily basis. Information can be redacted. Privacy can be protected. This is what archivists do. Saying you are ignoring the law in an attempt to protect your constituency's privacy is admitting you have things to hide and don't value transparency.
The third, and most troubling aspect of this story is that the rules either no longer apply or hold little significance in this state that is caring less and less about the historical record it leaves behind. In the past two years it appears little conversation has taken place regarding Kempthorne's papers. Without sounding too cynical, in this post-Executive Order 13233 world, it is startling how little attention is being paid to the status of records of this magnitude.
A credible source with connections to the state archives has told me that the situation with the Kempthorne papers is not the first in terms of gubernatorial records falling through the cracks. Let's hope the Kempthorne papers are deposited, secured, and preserved for future generations interested in the history of our great state.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Sunday Tunes
This Evening's Great Excuse lyrics
by Seven Mary Three
Time will pack a bag on you, my love
organize, re-organize your luck
Pretty face, a pretty smile,
a pretty shame you can’t defile
The message you have made for them to see
And it will be
And it will be
Hypocrisy, hypocrisy
This evening’s great excuse is this:
To make your peace.
And make a list
of everything that’s trivial and wide
Handshake man, how could you be?
A sweeter, softer, gentler king
Spread out for every queen to see
And it will be
And it will be
Hypocrisy, hypocrisy
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Smorgasbord Saturday Snapshots
A fine collection of birthday gifts.
Me and the little bro before our yard work excursion.
An array of Philip Booth books--one of which was purchased with my economic stimulus check.
The little bro spends more time in front of the mirror than I do--here he is trying out new hairstyles with a half can of my mousse.
Here it is, my beautiful, new Philip Booth book in all its glory. Still trying to find a perfect home for it.Friday, May 9, 2008
Dinner Conversation
"Why is John F. Kennedy your favorite president?"
"He's not."
"He's not?!?"
"No, I like the 'what if' story. He isn't even in my top five."
"You have a top five?"
"Yes, and Kennedy isn't in it."
"Who is at the top?"
"Wilson."
"Wilson who?"
"Oh boy."
"Didn't you meet Kennedy's kids?"
"No! And only one is alive."
"Oops, I lied."
"His daughter is on the campaign trail with Obama."
"Bin Laden?"
"Oh dear God!"
"Why did you order rice? You don't even like rice."
"I like rice. Why did you order a baked potato?"
"Because I'm an Idahoan."
"Then why weren't you in FFA?"
"You don't have be in FFA to live in Idaho."
"Can you see yourself on a tractor?"
"Hell no."
"True. Or near the horses. That would be really bad."
"Did that really happen?"
"The ball getting past the first basemen?"
"No, the Mets winning the World Series!?!"
"That's my favorite actor!"
"Who is your favorite actor?"
"You know, that guy."
"What guy?"
"The sausage guy."
"Who?"
"You know who I'm talking about--him!"
"Kevin Bacon?!"
"Yeah, that guy."
