Tuesday: 5-21-02 ~ Goodies...

I'm clearing some things out from my collection, partially for space, partially for upgrades, partially for money. I have a variety of anime tapes (domestic releases), shitajiki (including Fushigi Yuugi), yaoi doujinshi, and original production animation cels for sale. Please look around and give me your money :)

I was actually up before sunrise today, did the dishes, power cooked some sweet and sour chicken, did those dishes, took out the trash, did my laundry, and picked up the place somewhat. You can actually see both my desk and my floor again. Which only happens between semesters at school! Graduate school keeps me *SO* busy.

I'm not attending Project A-kon this year, partially because of my finances, partially because the con just doens't hold the magic it once did for me. I love that small con feel, and A-kon hasn't had that since it's 8th convention. Not to mention I'm not having any friends come up for it this year I usually don't get to see. The only reason I loved to attend A-kon was the Video rooms, and Dealers Room after the small convention feeling was lost. I can get cheaper and better deals on the net for my anime goodies, and the A-kon video rooms rarely show the latest stuff anymore. The last few years I had already seen it all. Fortunately, it works out. I've always meant to attend the Texas Scottish Festival, which has always been held that same weekend, and this year there is nothing preventing me from attending. If anyone knows more about this than I do please feel free to tell me which artists I'd love to see/hear.





Friday: 5-17-02 ~ In a galaxy far, far away...

Yes, you may envy me. I have now seen Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. Most of you are probably aware of the large number of bad reviews the film has been receiving, I certainly do concur... however it's worth paying full price for one feature: YODA FIGHT. That scene is the best! He fights better than even Darth Maul! Are you scared? I was! It was great the entire theatre howled and some guy yelled out "BRING IT ON!" from the audience.

The biggest problem with the film is the hodgepodged plot. Kenobi is attempting to discover who is behind the assasination attempts on Senator Amadala (she's no longer Queen). Althouigh they show how he comes across the "trail" of the information, it's too quaint, far too easy, and is very lacking in credibility or believability. In fact that was the greatest problem with the film.

This problem is most evident in the problematic love story-line so essential to the Star Wars plot as we know it. Annakin is behaving like such an angsty rebelling teen, and this mature woman falls for him? The love arc was just rushed and horridly done. The majority of the dialogue for these related scenes were horribly trite, unoriginal, and were cheesey corn-chipped flavored words.

Annakin turning dark, was beautifully done. Sadly the movie did feature Jar Jar, and although he has a critical role in the film, he has at most 5 minutes of the 2 hours and 15 minutes screen time. It's bearable.

There's lot of amusing R2D2 and C3PO action in the film. Watch out for the bad and appropro puns. In fact the most prophetic pun of all time appears in this film, Kenobi remarks to other Jedi in regards to Annakin that "I have a feeling he'll be the death of me." Yes, the audience howled at that line.

One should not watch this movie for plot or believability, one should watch it for the action sequences, the glimpses of humor, and for more character background of characters who appear in the original Star Wars trilogy (such as Bobba Fett, and Luke's aunt & uncle who raise him).

Little known, fun fact. Samuel L. Jackson, approached Lucas and asked if he could have a light saber that wasn't blue or green (colored assigned to the good guys) like purple. Lucas eventually gave it to him. Why did he have such a request? So he could find himself on the long panel action shots! *ROFLMAO* I think it's great to see such an avid fan, loving every minute of making Star Wars. So his character is the only jedi or sith with a purple saber.





Thursday: 5-16-02 ~ Star Wars: The Musical?

Ever since taking my roomie to the Emergency Room on Monday evening, my sleeping schedule has been even more erratic than usual. As a result I awoke after 2AM and eventually went into the living room to watch the early news programs. One of the network channels (it was either World News Now on ABC, or CBS's Up to the Minute) had a segment on the Star Wars: Art of the Myth (I think) exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. At the exhibit are original models, costumes, props, etc. The interesting factoid I learned, is that the original star destroyer was made from hundred of airplane model kits, and was glued and constructed together on someone's kitchen table. At the end of the segment, were some fans (or so I presume) in full costume, who previewed "Star Wars: The Musical" They sung to the tune Frank Sinatra made famous and is a song from Guys and Dolls "Luck Be a Lady, Tonight." Their rendition, however, was "Luke, be a Jedi, Tonight...."

I'm assuming it was a joke, but I am strangely intrigued at the concept of a Star Wars musical. I'd buy tickets. The entire notion reminds me of the episode from Batman Beyond, where Terry bring Bruce Wayne to the Batman musical... *snerks* Quite hilarous.

In case any of you are living under a rock, Star Wars (at least in the US) premiered at just after midnight early this morning. I already have my tickets to see it later this evening. I have _not_ been anticipating it the way I did the Lord of the Rings films... however, I am looking forward to it. I'll review the film later. But we know regardless of what I say, you'll be going to see it anyway!





Wednesday: 5-15-02 ~ Good News

I had the fun job of spending 10 hours with my roomie in the Emergency Room earlier in the week. She's fine now that she's properly medicated. *SIGHS* She's lucky to have a roomie like me. :P

Grades were posted today, I got straight A's, WOOHOO!

And I got the verdict today from the doctor... the lump I detected in my breast is benign.

So all in all, it has been a very good day for me. Now if only my back wasn't killing me from being triggered by the uncomfortable chairs in the ER earlier in the week, and I had bish waiting on me hand and foot, life would be perfect.





Friday: 5-10-02 ~ Thank Goodness it's Friday

I'm Free! Free! *flits like a birdy* Today is the last day of the semester, and I turned in my last assignment yesterday. No more teachers, no more books, no more teachers dirty looks! MWAHAHAHAHA. I'll be working this summer, catching up on reading, trying to finish Final Fantasy 9... and other such goodness.

Work has been *SO* boring today. I've been bored out of my mind. Spent the morning making the new anime club member cards for the summer. We have a Fruits Basket theme this summer. Spent the afternoon catching up on e-mail, doing some webcoding, catching up on my online comic reading... speaking of online comics, check out the current Seekers comic. The adventures of the Priestess of Da (modeled after me by my friend SailorDot. Send her your comments ^=^).

I feel like aprtying, but there's no one around to party with! Pooh. Want to play. Want to gallavant, want to boogie. Want to *FLOOF*

*poouts*

I suppose this is incentive to clean off my desk of all the grad school cr@p I won't be needing anylonger. Maybe scrub the tub out and take a ncie soaking bath... hmmm.

Odd Search Engine Hits: apoxy garage floors & Scary Moonlight Sonata. Um since when has the Moonlight Sonata been _scary_.



Wednesday: 5-8-02 ~ Of Darkness...

I've been having some truly out there dreams lately. Let's see I was destroying alien crystalized eggs last night in caves.... I've been at my current place of work, and it was a cover and front for an in the field base for a collection of CIA operatives... men and women coming into my partment to transport by pulling the string to the light in my closet to a hidden room next door... I know weird -_-

In some ways I can see the light at the end of both my illness, and this semester of graduate school. I'll finish up my last bit of work today and turn it in tomorrow. And all that's left of my bronchitis is a lingering cough and some mild congestion.

But like Seimei, I've been in my own funk lately, which is always amplified by me feeling sick. I get quite whiney and needy when I don't physically feel good. there's something about feeling like hell which just makes you wish there was someone around you could cuddle, and who would hold you. So I have to make do with my new Chichiri sd manga figurine that came in. And my Legolas poster, pinned on my wall so his lips are at the perfect kissing height for me ^_~ (yes I have kissed them too, just to freak Sophie out).

My bed seems quite lonely in the wake of a friend's upcoming nuptials, and a married friends giggling insanity of husband pouncing. Patience is a virtue I lack, and it seems to be one I'm being forced to learn. Bleh.



Friday: 5-3-02 ~ Yatta!

... This has to be *SEEN* to be believed. A Japanese band's music video. They're dancing around stage, and the streets wearing little more than white underpants with a huge figleaf on the front... You heard me right. I highly recommend not drinking any beverage or eating food while watching this video, it's just too silly!

For your viewing pleasure I've uploaded the 7.7 M file to my site. It will be deleted on Sunday, May 5th. Sorry, but the file is only compatible with PC's.

Seimei: Actually I stand corrected. Having just read this morning's paper (it never gets delivered until I've already been at work for a while on Friday's) someone wrote in a response letter for an editorial that had run which rightly shot down the pro-Palestinian editorial. They beat me to it.

BTW, I have that money order for you, and an installment payment of $100 from Tamyris for the sword.



Friday: 5-3-02 ~ The End Times...

Ok so maybe I'm being just a wee bit melodramatic. But it is the end of the semester--finals and all the ~fun~ *sarcasm* that entails. The only schoolwork I have left is to make revisions to my oral history transcript, and I cannot make those until the assignment is returned to me. The upside to this, means all summer long (besides working) I can goof off and finish my Final Fantasy 9 game, and potentially play either another game in the FF series, or play Valkyrie Profile. (My friend Calvin keeps hyping this game.. so....)

The problem, and the reason why many of you have *NOT* heard from me in the last week or so, is I've been trying to finish my final projects while being sicker than a dog. Trying to complete a 20 page anthropolgy paper while sneezing, coughing, going through 3 boxes of kleenex in one day, running a high fever, coughing, and dealing with ribs that are bruised from coughing, while being heaviloy congested and having a sinus migraine, is *NOT* my idea of fun. By some miracle I finished that paper, and in fact did so in record time for a paper of that length.

The paper ended up being written on an analysis of the treatment of magic-workers in the ancient eddic lore. It's interesting to consider that within the Norse religion/mythology that the Goddesses had the most predominant power. Frigga knew all things and would not even tell them to her husband Odin. She gave the Nornir's (3 fates of: Verdande, Skuld, and Urd) the raw material from which they three wove. I was using Eliade's definition of shamanism, and explored certain instances within the lore and treated them as initiation rites. I found it interesting how whenever Odin endured such a test, such as hanging on the world tree Yggdrasil in the Havamal, or by being tortured betwenn two fires in the Griminsmal... that he was always submitting to a dominant power of the Goddess.

As he hung on Yggdrasil, he submitted to the Goddesses Urd & Hella. Hella reins supreme over the world of Hel--the dead. (This should not be confused with the Christian treatment of Hell. The Norse Hel was just where the dead went, it had no connotations of being the realm of the wicked/evil). The world tree Yggdrasil, has three roots, one of these goes into Urd's well. urd's well nourishes and sustains (think waters of life) the Tree. As such, Urd becomes a Goddess of life. Yggdrasil is also rooted in the realm of Hel. So as Odin hung on the tree, he was submitting to the initiation rite of life/death under the guise of these two Goddesses. In the Grimnismal, he was tortured by events set into motion by Frigga.

It was interesting food for thought, and I may eventually expand this out. I think it would be a great paper that I would not be ashamed of in the community.

Seimei: First off, I like the new design. You have that spring and frolicky look going on. Let me guess, you can't frolic in real life, so your alter-ego will on the Web? ^+^ Reading that link, of that little miracle at work, was really nifty. The Rick mentioned, wouldn't happen to be our old boss Rick, would it? Also... I'm getting a bit fed up at the one sided reports by the school newspaper in regards to current events in Israel. I can't fault them, however. There isn't any counter voice to the large Arab/pro-Palenstinian voice on campus. The various Arab student associations are having booths set up, showing photographs, talking about it at their meetings, etc. There is no Jewish voice speaking up at all. There are opinion editorials by guest writers who *are* muslim. But there's been no Jewish voice that has contacted the paper to counter that view. And of course, now the semester has ended, the paper isn't running again for several weeks. *sighs*

Somehow this silence (and you and I both know there are Jews on this campus) reminds me of what happened during World War II. Even as Jews attempted to immigrate to the US to escape the Nazi's, they were delayed intentionally by the US State Department. I forget the name of the rabbi, but he was a rabbi at a synagogue near the DC area. He spoke of what was happening over seas. Then he spoke that if 'we' (both the American Jews, but specifically those at his synagogue) drove down to the White House and picketed/protested/demanded to be heard, we could help those fleeing the Nazi's. Instead he noted, "but you won't. Too many of your sons and daughters have government jobs and you wouldn't jeopardize their financial welfare for the lives of your people." (the previous was *NOT* a direct quote, but rather the gist of what he said). He was then promptly fired. (The story I refer to can be found in the PBS series: The American Experience).

Granted, I don't think it's for the same reasons at all... but I can't help but wonder. Where's the jewish voice on this campus? I know it exists. I know it is there. How can they be so complacent when the sole voice being heard for lack of their own involvement is painting such a biased, one-sided, and seemingly inhumane view of the Israeli's/Jews.





Friday: 4-19-02 ~ Become a creator of a new anime.

NOOOO!!!!!! The only thing stopping me from applying (and do I ever have a couple of really good ideas) is the freaking language barrier. >_< All entries *MUST* be in Japanese. Toei animation is agreeing to animate a 30 minute episode for whoever wins the Animaxis Gran Prix Contest award for that purpose. What I wouldn't *KILL* to have someone who could translate for me. *SOBS*





Friday: 4-19-02 ~ Number 5 Alive


take free enneagram test



Friday: 4-19-02 ~ Bleargh, Bleh, and Ick

My knee with the cartilage damage has been acting up the last couple of weeks. As a result the associate muscle groups going through the knee are now making the arch of my foot hurt, and my entire lower back. My arm is now hurting as well because of how I've had to adapt my usual sleeping positions. BLEH.

Some newspaper stuff, firstly, the student paper "THE SHORTHORN" had a glaringly obvious headline snafu. "Ralliers attempt to show bias on Isreali conflicts". It is simply inexcusable. I used to work for this very paper. Not only do you spell check every article, the journalist checks it over, but then your sectional editor checks it over, as does at least one other editor. So where in that entire process did someone not notice such a blatant mispelling in text with a minimum font size of 26? Hmmm? It was on the front page no less!

Oh and poor Seimei you'll just _love_ this. The group (non-affiliated with the campus) went through proper channels to use the fress speech area. They were complaining that the media always shows an Israeli bias... so they were trying to educate people onto the Palestinian side... by shock value. Showing *graphic* pictures of children and others dying. Gee like that isn't BIASED. *snorts* I don't mean to demean those who have died, the sad fact is on both sides there have been civilian casualties.

It's odd how the PLO always points to the Six day war (where Israel claimed the West Bank and Gaza fully as theirs) as the instigator of the madness. The problem is the PLO wants to see Israel as an enemy since it is far more tangible. If only the United Nations *hadn't* broke their word. They tell the Palestinians, yes we will create a Palestinian State as well as a Jewish one. The problem was, Jordan took over the territory of the Palestinian state. So, no state called Palestine was created. You shouldn't tell people you're going to do something, like give them a homeland with their name on it, and then not deliver up. But instead of the PLO picking their beef with Jordan--they would not want to turn on fellow Arabs--they turn on Israel who has become _voila_ an instant enemy.

There was an interesting documentary in the American Experience series on PBS this weekend detailing how the US government (specifically both FDR & the State Department) systematically refused to aid in rescue efforts or immigration requests of Jews fleeing Nazi Europe. Even three months after they had confirmed reports of *WHAT* the Nazi's were doing to the Jews. If not for the US Treasury Department... what Jews the nation did save (eventually around 250,000 If I recall correctly) ... who uncovered the State Departments memo's that spoke of the "danger" [as in now it's our problem, we don't want them] of what would happen if the Nazi's did in fact release Jews for immigration. At the time the Treasury head was Jewish himself, and a long time friend of FDR. He had to step forth and face the President/his friend concerning this very real issue.

Eventually he, and his top assistants who had uncovered the State Department conspiracy were appointed as leaders of the War Time board dedicated to rescuing Jews. The problem with this poor board is it was poorly funded, was not enabled to act fully, and received *NO* cooperation from other US branches of the Federal Government. They requested bombing runs at Aushcwitz, the military said it was beyond their range from England. That is true. What they didn't say is they were bombing from Italy a community 50 miles away from the concentration camp because it had oil refineries. There was a very telling photograph of bombs that were dropped above Auschwitz (spelling?) to hit the target 50 miles away. You can clearly see the camp below.

I had known that the US government was slow to act, I thought it was because it was slow to believe... but I never realized to the degree. What made matters worse, was the British government had the same opinion of matters! The British and US governments held summits and conferences fully intending not to do a damn thing, except get the citizenry to shut up at home by showing "action"

Motherwas telling me how earlier in the day they spoke about the Jewish forces fighting under the British during World War II and Ben-Gurion. They knew that if they were going to get a homeland, they better be damn well prepared to defend it, since they were surrounded by enemies. Ben-Gurion urged his fellows to get the combat experience and training for they would need it later. Meanwhile these troops robbed the allied forces blind. Taking tanks, artillery, etc. It was beautiful. :) And if I was in the same situation,you better believe I'd take what I needed! They'd steal a truck, turn in a requisition form, fill up the truck, and then drive off with their goodies. They hid the supplies quite well.I guess PBS was doing all the Jewish related documentaries over the weekend because of Israel's Independence Day.

It seems most of my friends are away at A-Cen this weekend. My lists and inboxes are *SO* quiet. It is sorta sad. Oh another article in the Thursday edition of the school paper from the Associated Press, a video store is vandalized by a turkey. The turkey seemed to wreck the most havoc with the hunting videos. Gee, I guess it is true: Everybody's a critic.





Wednesday: 4-17-02 ~ Fear the Evil

Looking at my hits for the week of April 1. I received a sum total of 666 unique visitors to my pita. MWAHAHAHA I am truly evil. Granted my figures were nearly 200-250 above average for that week. Most likely because of the April Fool's day prank... I'm just chuckling over the 666 hits. FEAR MY EVIL.

*floofs while she da's* My search engine keyword queries... are interesting... lots of anime and manga related "hentai", or "slash" fiction string queries... and another for "Japanese rape movies"... >_< The oddest one perhaps was "my fuzzy slippers fetish" and another that just made me sad... "seki tomokazu crying" Why is Chichiri's seiyuu crying?! *wails*



Wednesday: 4-17-02 ~ It's Independence Day...

To Seimei: Happy Israel Independence Day. I didn't go to the art sale... I realized I had no money to spend since I used my last paycheck for bills, and do not get paid again until next week. Da... I felt it better not to torment or tempt myself. Not to mention my bed was really comfy this morning. It would *NOT* let me leave... so cuddly.

Usagi... I got something you're gonna LOVE... it's the Frodo bookmark you haven't been able to find! I'll mail it along when I get my backed up correspondance in gear!

OOOh the next installment of my friend's comic, Seekers is up. With more of my character, the Priestess of Da. Give her feedback!

MM: How do you like your new hamster, Booboo?





Tuesday: 4-16-02 ~ Them there's a twister... I reck

Yes, I survived through yet another Tornado. This was the closest one yet. I felt like I was in that scene from Jurassic Park, things would be still then there'd be a strong shaking/vibration, where I could see the water shaking in the commode, as I was hunkered down in the tub with a large couch cushion over me.

Reports have roughly 7 confirmed touchdowns throughout Arlington & Ft. Worth, and some possible others in the Dallas area. There were touch downs really close to me, just southwest, west, and north of me. Reports have it that there were several funnel clouds attempting to touchdown (remember it's not a tornado unless it touches down) trying to achieve land contact as it swept directly overhead on the campus.

When the storm finished here, it headed north right to my parents house (about half an hour away by car). MY mother called me after she came out of shelter... she was quite shaken up, because the house was REALLY shaking. And it sounded like a prolonged trainwreck. (Everyone always says that they heard something like a train wreck, a few mere seconds before they get struck by a Tornado).

I know that Seimei, my roomie, and I are ok. Seimei got to witness a great deal of it forming where she works. Ah... the joys of living where we live. I had to call my roomie up at her job to tell her to evacuate the upstairs of the Fine Arts building *NOW*. She informed me later, some people were stupid enough that instead of seeking shelter at the shelter downstairs, they went into the parking lots to go home. I swear some people are *SUCH* idiots.





Friday: 4-12-02 ~ Rolos... and Rhymes...

OOOH ROLOS, they are a truly wonderful candy. For those of you who don't know me well... forget chocolate, I would rather have caramel any day of the week. It's why I go nearly orgasmic during Easter season when I can buy up lots of the yummy Cadbury Caramel Eggs... (oooooh shudders with pleasure at the thought) I can be quite... expressive of my love of them... I've had friends leave the room so we could be 'alone.' Rolos, though not as good as the Cadbury Caramel eggs, are still a treat. All that gooey caramel goodness! OOOH... ahhhh... *slurps* yum yum.

Seimei: If you do manage to get a tape of Netanyahu's... swift verbal kick in the rear to the US Government, I'd *LOVE* to hear it. As to Golda Meir and women in office, of course women leaders are better. Look at Thatcher, Ghandi, Meir, and a slieu of others. Women in politics are far less squeamish than the men.

The Western media news (NBC Nightly News to be exact) actually had an interesting tidbit of news concerning the entire Arafat/Sharon confrontation I was not aware of. (Otherwise their broadcast was very... biased and going for the Israeli soldiers are not being humane motif.) Seems back in '82, when the PLO was firing on Israel from Lebanon, that Arafat as head honcho was firing on a Defense force led by current Israeli Prime Minister Sharon. One of the men (a sniper to be exact) under his command told Sharon that he had Arafat in sights and could take a shot. Sharon didn't want to make him a martyr. But has been reported to have said (fairly recently too) he should have made the order.

I'll have to agree with the Sharon of the past here; the last thing you want to do is give the people a martyr. However, I feel that's exactly what the more extremist PLO and Arab terrorist groups are very much willing to do. From my very brief encounter of the man... and my understanding of politically what is happening, he is a man without power... he merely saves face. He played at peace and lost the respect of many of the more extreme factions who view him as obsolete or an obstacle. I see much of his holding out around the Israeli seige as him being pressed into a position that if he leaves, he loses the reamining power or chance of control he has of the various PLO/Arab factions. I do believe the man enjoys his power and political clout and is far to attached to either.

Interestingly enough, I am wondering through all of this, just where is his wife? His wife is christian and quite a diplomat/politician herself. She is usually popping up all over the place. I haven't seen hide or tail of her in any of the media at all. Granted I've not been able to watch ITN (BBC produced broadcast that airs on PBS stateside) lately... but even she should show up on the main network national news programs, or at other sites I frequent... and I haven't seen even a mention of her after the Pope's plea to allow Arafat to attend Christmas mass back in (of course) December.

An addendum to a previous post, re: why Israel is reluctant to tell the US to shut up... Stephen said that it's what '3 billion dollars of US aid' to Israel that also makes it more difficult for Israel to tell off the US. The beauitiful thing about Netanyahu's discussion with Cheney yesterday, is he has no formal rank (that I'm aware of) in the Israeli government, so he can speak freely. At times rank has it priviledges, at other times, it pays NOT to have a rank.

On a side note, the city I live, work, and go to school in has been named one of the top 5 cities for women to live in (based on crime, education, politics, jobs, and child care) in the US by the Ladies Home Journal.

Usagi is coming up to visit me tonight. YEAH! We've been most silly the last few nights. I've been drugged out on Vicodin because of my knee and uanble to sleep well, and we've been making up silly hobbit and elf rhymes back and forth. For example:

Merry & Pippin, Frodo & Sam
Want to jump you dear
And go bam, bam, bam.

Are you scared?



Friday: 4-12-02 ~ Speaking Out

Seimei: WOOHOO! Rolos, I love these things ^_^ OOOH did you hear... Netanyahu on his way to a speaking engagement in Dallas yesterday, took a detour to Washington DC, met with Cheney, and pretty much told the US to shove it... (I'm sure in more polite terms than that). As to the timing of events, does the New Testament not say, there will be wars and rumors of wars... and that no one will know the time of the coming. ^_^

Squirt: See I told you that the hamster wouldn't be mean!



Wednesday: 4-10-02 ~ Malarchey

I love the above word. ^+^ I couldn't think of anything else to tile this entry... so there. :P

First off let me say to Seimei, thank you! The chibi is cute. But I didn't need any sort of reward or prize. The man was an idiot. >_< I would respect his perspective for African art and politics, but outside of it... he does not have the room for basis to state the moronic things he was.

Someone very cleverly pointed out in a discussion in my graduate Religion class, that the key to removing conflicts rarely comes over night. Because even while you work on something now, you have the current generations parents, and their grandparents telling them how it was... and continually bringing to service past differences. It's hard to move past things like that. There are a number of Palenstinians who don't agree with the violence, yet because of activism by some they are punished too which brings up resentment and a slieu of other emotions.

On the Israeli side they are protecting their citizens. It is a fight of survival. They are very understanding of the various religious practices that occur throughout their land. They endeavour not to deny the rights nor access of any group to their chosen religion. Yet, the Arab control of the Temple mount will not allow the Jews to enter up there.

Let me explain this to those not familiar with the area. The old Jewish Temple (noted in the Old Testament) was destroyed, walls built around it, and filled in with dirt (the walls might have come first... I can't recall). Most westerners are at least familiar with the walls, for the Western wall of the temple is called by non-Jews as the Wailing Wall. Eventually when the Arabs seized control of Jerusalem they built 2 of their holiest mosques on top of the old temple site. These two mosques are the Dome of the Rock, and the Al As'qa Mosque (spelling?).

When I was in Israel at this site in December of 1995, the Arabs were mocking the Jews who were below at the Western wall praying, while a small group of Jews were protesting the Arab control up on the gated path to the top of the temple complex. The Arabs deny the Jews access up there. Granted ultra-conservative Jews wouldn't go up there if you paid them. Why? Because to them you may inadvertingly tread over an extremely holy artifact/site (specifically areas associated as inside the innermost temple sanctum reserved for the Arc of the Covenant/God and on appointed days the High Priest. Because to tread over this, they believe they may be struck dead not from spite by God, but by his rpesence alone. Anyone remotely familiar with God's dealings with Moses can understand this. His hair turned white as snow by mermely conversing with him. There are instances throughout the Old Testament of the effects being before the Holiest of Holies had on you.

I think perhaps Israel's greatest misfortune is the founding of the country in modern times itself. Politically it was a way (primarily of Euro-Asian countries) to absolve themselves of any guilt of the Shoah (holocaust). In another way it was a way to 'encourage' the Jews to settle with their own kind rather than in their countries. (Gee, prejudices still abound *sarcasm*). In some cases it wasn't so much as a prejudicial thing, as it was a matter of economics. Many of the countries had been economically shattered by the war, and could not handle its own citizens well, let alone new emmigrants. As a result, Israel was carved out of the Middle East by the new founded United Nations. This history severly cripples Israel's ability and power.

They can't stand strong on their own, the World always wants to have a say in her affairs, since without the world it wouldn't exist in the modern day. So many of these world powers condemn Israel's activities there without a clue as to what it's like to live there. Israel is also precariously situated and surrounded by enemies both within and without, and does not want to tell some of the world powers (the United States especially) to shove it. They may need military aid if all their enemies decide to unite against them at the same time.

I couldn't understand from the horribly little the Western media gets of 'accurate" news reporting of world affairs, what all the fighting was for. My short time in Israel shockingly opened my eyes. I think all these world dignitaries and leaders and other loud voices about Israel's actions should have to live outside of the protection of an embassy there for a while in Israel.

People shouldn't give their advice when they have no relevant knowledge or experience to the situation at hand. This is especially true of African Nobel Prize winning laureates >_<

I think that the only way you're ever going to have these groups get along without purging people's from israel currently, is to bring in a truly neutral party to govern the place for a couple of generations hopefully making the past animosity seem far more bridgeable. And let's face it, I don't see that happening.

All of this above is only a barest fraction, a smallest iota of what the gnarled relations between the Jews, the Arabs, heck even the Christians (Arafat's wife is Christian (bet you didn't know that)) are like in Israel. Not only is it like twined so much knotted and snarled, but there's glue between the threads too. Nations are built on their pasts... so you can just try to straighten the threads out past the gnarled mess, you have to find a way to unravel them.

WHOO! That was a long rant for me @_@...

Hmmm... Oh the annual Student Glass Art Sale is next week, Wednesday, April 17 @ noon on the sidewalk behind the Fine Arts Building by the water fountain. I lvoe this sale. I always try to pick up a pretty vase or plate, or suncatcher, etc for my place. All the works are handblown glass, and handblown glass is *VERY* expensive!

Seekers has been updated. You can see the next comic installment of me as the priestess of Da. Don't miss out. And feed my friend SailorSpot with feedback! You should be able to find her contact ifnormation at the site.

I'm so sore this morning. I spent 3 hours cleaning the bathroom last night (and I havne't even got to the floor yet) I really hate the fact we have hard water. All the lime and calcium deposits make it a true chore to scrub away. The lime and calcium deposits make everything look really dirty, when it's not! UGH! I spent nearly 2 hours on hands and knees trying to scrub off the deposits from the tub. It hasn't looked this good since when we first moved in nearly 3 years ago.

I also finally got around to setting up my printer, and my Casio Palm. The Printer doesn't want to work (and I had to sacrifice my scanner for the printer, since I only had one input area that matched their cabling). And the Palm is well... a hassle. I havne't figured things out yet. I'm gonna let it charge up some more before I really tackle it though.





Tuesday: 4-9-02 ~ Eat This...

My morning began unusually early for me as I helped act like a mule horse for the anime club. I carted over our food stuffs for our bake sale, which is acting as both a regular fundraiser and to help offset the money stolen from us. During Spring Break, maintenance unlocked not only our doors, but other offices and rooms as well doing work on the ventilation system. Sometime when our door was opened and unattended someone helped themselves to the petty cash available. >_<

We're peeved for not being informed of the work, had we known we would ahve either sent someone up to watch our several thousand dollars worth of equipment, or moved the more valuable items out f the office for the holiday.

I'm also personally a bit annoyed over the events that transpired last night. My Religion class ended early, so that we could attend Noble laureate Wole Soyinka. He was speaking about the politics of art. About how there can be a state authorized art form, and yet resistance art or themes found within it. Anyone remotely familiar with Russian semioticians Lotman or Uspensky will recognize this concept. Afterall it was the founding of many of their semitoic theories within the context of Russian art or culture. I was following the lecture diligently, but ended up walking out after what I found to be an ignorant conclusion by Soyinka. He spoke of a recent trip to Israel, and compared Prime Minister Sharon to the Cyclops from Homer's Oddyssey while alikening the Palestinians to Ulysses and his men. Um... I don't think so. The entire political events in Israel can not be analogously classified so simplistically or inexcusably. The man should have stuck with what he knew from the inside of the culture out. The politics of art in Africa. He was a political activist and imprisoned for his beliefs. Whatever credibility he had in my opinion was undermined but such a truly moronic statement. It was obvious he doesn't understand the gnarled mess of issues from both sides of what is going on in Israel.

According to this morning's campus paper, The Shorthorn, during a question session (I was not present for), someone asked him who his hero was. His response included Mandela, Gandhi, and Fidel Castro... (that was not a misprint) -_- He is quoted to have said that "I admire his [Castro] tenacity. He is able to stick to a political vision." Granted I personally feel alot of the animosity between the US and Cuba is plain out silly. But it's easy to stick to your political vision when you're in charge and living a life of luxury while your people suffer.

Frankly, I'm glad I walked out when I did.





Monday: 4-8-02 ~ April Showers

It seems the rainy season has come to Texas. We can expect flash flooding, violent storms that usually spawn dangerous rotation (that may or may not develop into a tornado). Rain that comes down so thick it's like a wall, coupled with thunder that makes your house shake more so than the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park ever did that glass of water. In some ways it is beautiful to watch the electrical storms, even enjoy the damaging pounding of the hail.

I love the depth the green leaves of spring have in an overcast sky... I swear I can pipoint more shades and details. I probably can too. I probably get a washed out affect in the strong Texas sun. Regardless, I've enjoyed the weekend, comfortably holed up and dozing in my bed. Nothing like rain to make me extra sleepy.

On Friday night I went to see the movie The Rookie. It was quite good. Had me laughing a great deal. It's the best Disney live action film since Cool Runnings.

Seimei: First off, I love the new layout. I'm realy drawn to it. I just love trees ^_^ Second off I'm with you. I never trust the Western media reporting on International events. The US government opinion of Israel at the moment boils down to a conflict of interest. If Israel does get into a war, we are her protectorate. They don't want to have to fight a war on two fronts. Their focus is the Osama Bin Laden network. Sharon should be acting more forcibly, and sooner too. So bleh.

And my last words on the entire April Fool's Day joke. My philosophy is this, you have a problem with something I did, come to me. Don't talk about me behind my back. Even if you post so publicly. There's no need to have anything approaching a flame war in public.