http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss elisa_camahort@mac.com Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:20:20 -0700 Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:20:27 -0700 iBlog 1.4.6 Elisa Camahort Elisa Camahort's Personal Weblog Default Dot Mac Weblog Elisa Camahort elisa_camahort@mac.com Elisa Camahort's Personal Weblog http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090712212003/index.html See what I mean:Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/3713868068/From the Official White House PhotostreamI'm just sayin' ]]> Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:20:03 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090712212003/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C788295036/E20090712103138/index.html Supposedly the hosting for this blog has been discontinued.

Testing to see if I really can't post a new post anymore.

Um, OK, this post was published just fine.

Could they have been yanking my chain? Forgotten about iBlog?

I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled, since I somehow let the entire two months of warning they gave me fly by and did NOTHING about exporting this blog to another platform. Well, except google instructions about it that made it sound iffy, difficult and time-consuming.

So, now the question is: How long will this reprieve last?

I like living on the edge!

]]> Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:31:38 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C788295036/E20090712103138/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C967470971/E20090702072233/index.html Why do people always ask me to explain veganism at the dinner table?

This month's Silicon Veggie is some philosophical musing about the chicken and the egg.

And yet somehow I manage to work in the concept of cannibalism and menstruation.

Good thing the Metro isn't a "family" newspaper :)

]]> Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:22:33 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C967470971/E20090702072233/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C967470971/E20090701164307/index.html You have to see some of these ads to believe them. They are all way cool and some of them are just visuall stunning. Check them all out here. Here's just one sample, but they're all cool: ]]> Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:43:07 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C967470971/E20090701164307/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090701163918/index.html Here's your chance to vote (by July 6th) for an LGBTQ non-profit that has made a difference to you, to your family, to your community, to someone or anyone you know!

In honor of June which is LGBTQ Pride Month, the 2009 GreatNonprofits Pride Choice Awards (www.greatnonprofits.org/pride) will recognize the top-rated LGBTQ nonprofits. GreatNonprofits is a nonprofit Web site where people can post reviews of nonprofit organizations, similar to "Yelp" or "TripAdvisor." The contest asks people to write reviews of LGBTQ nonprofits they have had an experience with. Nonprofits can also encourage their volunteers, clients served, donors and board members to post reviews. All reviews will be automatically visible on GuideStar.org, the leading site for philanthropic research.

Nonprofits with the most positive reviews in their category will be announced as winners and receive national media coverage as well as promotion on GuideStar.org.  Awards will be given out of 8 categories (5 geographic US regions and 3 budget size - small, medium and large). Contest Deadline: July 6th.

Everyone who writes a review is eligible to win fun prizes such as delicious Alter Eco fair trade chocolate, a subscription to Stanford Social Innovation Review, a getaway at Kimpton hotels (thanks Academic Ambassadors!) and more.

Submit reviews by July 6^th at www.greatnonprofits.org/pride.

Here is a sample review for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (http://www.greatnonprofits.org/reviews/national-center-for-lesbian-rights):

"NCLR came to the rescue 8 years ago. My partner and I were kicked out of the San Mateo Community Center Ballroom Dance class for being gay. I never imagined being discriminated in one of the most openly gay place in the world. I realized then you are never safe from discrimination. A friend told me to call NCLR. They provided me with several options. We decided to write the Mayor of San Mateo and the Director of the Community Center of this horrific experience and requested sensitivity training to their staff going forward. To my delight, the Mayor, Director and facilitators sent us letters of apology and informed us they are conducting sensitivity training going forward. From that day on, I have been supporting NCLR with time and money."   - Kristina Militante, review on GreatNonprofits

For more info contact: Shari Ilsen Shari [dot] Ilsen [at] greatnonprofits.org

So, who would you (or will you) nominate?

]]> Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:39:18 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090701163918/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C1830689790/E20090621225316/index.html Not sure it's just fair use, but it's totally a fair fight!

Loved this mash-up of Buffy (of Buffy fame, of course) vs. Edward (of Twilight fame.)

I'm not a Twilight fan, but you may have noticed I'm a massive Buffy fan. So, I particularly enjoy the Buffy dressing down of what appears to me to be the melodramatic stylings of Twilight.

That whole stalking-as-expression-of-love thing is a leitmotif that needs to die. And Buffy stakes it pretty nicely in this mash-up :)

]]> Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:53:16 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C1830689790/E20090621225316/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090616161605/index.html See this girl:She adorable right? Hard to imagine she'd violate the clothing store Abercrombie's "Look Policy", isn't it? (Yes, it's a whole other conversation to talk about why they have a Look Policy, and how they get away with it, but let's carry on, shall we?)But no. According to this story on Jezebel, she violates it. She was told she could only work in the store room (after having been hired to be on the floor).Why? Well, check out more of the photo (Photo by David Crump):Do you see it? Yes, her left arm is prosthetic. Apparently, despite having one of those new-fangled arm-like arms, and not an oh-so-scary 19th-century hook, it does not look whatever enough to please the powers-that-be at Abercrombie.I almost wish I did shop at the store, just so I could withhold my shopping now. Sadly, I was never their demographic :)But if you are? Isn't this just one more reason you shouldn't be? ]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:16:05 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090616161605/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090607213212/index.html Not much else yet, and no speculation on what we'll do about it

You can read what little there is at the New York Times.

]]> Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:32:12 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090607213212/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C2110181576/E20090603194853/index.html Dandelion in downtown San Jose

A new restaurant on my go-to list of veggie haunts.

Check out why.

]]> Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:48:53 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C2110181576/E20090603194853/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090525104736/index.html I bet the rest of the country doesn't want to say "As California goes, so goes the nation" anymore

We had a little election here in California recently. And we soundly rejected an attempt to fix our state budget by cutting spending on a whole bunch of programs, deferring those dollars to a general fund to help California get itself out of its current nearly-bankrupt state, and vaguely promising to pay the money back later.

This was Governor Schwarzenegger's whole idea about how to break gridlock and paralysis in the legislature, and like every other big electoral push he has made, it failed.

Of course one might think that the messages being sent by the voting public were:

1. We don't want to make those spending cuts...children's education, mental health...going after the welfare of the most powerless among us sucks.
2. We don't want you to toss this to us with your confusing language and vague promises. We are not experts, and we are busy trying to figure out our own budgets. We want you, our elected officials, to do the hard work, figure it out and face the consequences. Maybe, just maybe, we are SICK of the initiative process in California, particularly spurred on by the ridiculous 2/3 majority requirement to do some basic stuff.
3. We don't trust you when you say you'll repay the money to the services you're going to cut.

Of course, that's not what Schwarzenegger decided to learn from his defeat at the polls. No, he decided the message was:

"I think the message was clear from the people: Go all out and make those cuts and live within your means."

Um, no.

Anyway, it's getting ugly around here, and Paul Krugman's latest Op-Ed, State of Paralysis, won't make you feel any better about it.

"What’s really alarming about California, however, is the political system’s inability to rise to the occasion.

Despite the economic slump, despite irresponsible policies that have doubled the state’s debt burden since Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, California has immense human and financial resources. It should not be in fiscal crisis; it should not be on the verge of cutting essential public services and denying health coverage to almost a million children. But it is — and you have to wonder if California’s political paralysis foreshadows the future of the nation as a whole."
Say it ain't so, Paul, say it ain't so.

]]> Mon, 25 May 2009 10:47:36 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090525104736/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C2110181576/E20090523162726/index.html Not to be confused with the vegan Japanese place, also named Cha Ya, with outposts in SF and Berkeley

So good I'm headed back there tonight, you can read all about Chaya Brasserie in my guest post for the SF Bay Style blog.

]]> Sat, 23 May 2009 16:27:26 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C2110181576/E20090523162726/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C1967314106/E20090523080327/index.html And the NY Times is here to help

This is one of those posts that is really mostly about saving info for my own use, some time in the future. Truly a "note to self". But, you know, if t's helpful to any of you out there I will be very happy :)

I've always wanted to go to Prague. Besides the fact that my grandmother grew up in Czechosolvakia, I have a feeling would love Prague. I certainly loved Budapest the one weekend I spent there, more than I loved Paris, if you can believe it. Prague sounds a bit like it has the old-Europe charm and beauty with a bit of Parisian sophistication thrown in.

So, for future reference for you and me both, here's the New York Times' 36 hours in Prague.

And if you ever have been to Prague: I'd love to hear your recommendations too.

]]> Sat, 23 May 2009 08:03:27 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C1967314106/E20090523080327/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C967470971/E20090522185938/index.html No, I'm not talking about the editorial board, silly!

My family's very first pet was a white rat named Judy. We only probably had her until I was 7 or so, but I remember her pretty well. Including when she died of cancer :(

Most people seem pretty shocked by the idea of pet rats, but really they're not that different form a guinea pig, gerbil or hamster (all of which we cared for in my family, at one point or another.) Judy seemed like a perfectly reasonable pet to me.

Most rats, however, don't have the life Judy had. Apparently 90% of the animals being used in vivisection are rats. It may be more heart-tugging to show you the monkeys or bunnies, but it's mostly rats.

I know this because last week the Wall Street Journal actually featured a story on activists trying to help lab rats on its front page!

Any my favorite animal rights blogger, Stephanie Ernst, was quoted to kick the article off. She shares a little more about it here.

The article doesn't dig very deep at all, it's true, and if I were you, I'd heed the advice of Stephanie's commenters telling you to only read the comments on the article if you feel like being depressed about humanity. I read about the first 10 and moved on with my life. Life is too short to give my attention to people who think the best response is to talk about how they kill rats or that rats are probably tasty.

So, skimming the surface of the issue aside, I do think that at the very least the article didn't summarily dismiss Stephanie and the others. It gave serious credence to the former animal experimenter now working for PCRM, and I would have expected a lot less from the WSJ, so you know. baby steps.

]]> Fri, 22 May 2009 18:59:38 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C967470971/E20090522185938/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090522123637/index.html Call me a naive blogger who was shocked to read their stories

I wrote about it on my healthcare blog. And I'm feeling a bit haunted by these stories. Two women kept from their partners as they died. In one case, children kept from their dying mother.

Michael Steele can blather on about how much it will cost us to enact gay marriage (in that case why have marriage at all? I mean, seriously.) But what do these stories cost us? There is a reason the majority of Americans think we're heading in the wrong direction. I don't think it's because of the ways we are trying to be more open, inclusive, generous etc.

Bah! Read it and weep.

]]> Fri, 22 May 2009 12:36:37 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C787600738/E20090522123637/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C597745786/E20090520161335/index.html Like Dancing with the Stars, a bit anti-climactic. Mostly because that original song was atrocious...for both contestants!

Adam vs. Kris. I saw one commentator call it Elvis vs. Pat Boone, but i think I'll call it the battle of the brunettes with big puppy dog eyes. Granted one of those guys wears a lot more guyliner than the other, but basically they're both sweet boys, don't you think? Underneath that goth facade, Adam's so polite, even after he gets done wailing some rock anthem. Kris is so humble, with a gosh-darn-it, lopsided grin. Seriously, wouldn't you take either of these boys on a church picnic?

What I wouldn't do, however, is make either of these nice, sweet boys sing a typical, atrocious, cliched American Idol "original" single for the finale. It's time for them to lay the originals to rest. (Unless they make the contestants write them, which at least would be interesting.) And because 3rd wheel 4th judge Kara DioGuardio co-wrote the damn thing, everyone had to pretend to like it (except Simon...who i really wish HAD judged the song!)

Is it possible that the memory of one of the best American Idol seasons ever, featuring loads of talented people, could really be forever tarnished by just how bad "No Boundaries" (the song from hell in question) was? I'm thinking, yeah, pretty much.

But it didn't start that way. It started with so much promise. Each finalist was going to sing one song of their choosing, one song chosen by the producer and the aformentioned dreck. Sadly, it has also become typical for finalists to reprise big performances from previous weeks at the final, instead of singing all new songs. At least the both made good choices for that.

1. Adam led off the evening with a reprise of his best performance of the season Tears for Fears' "Mad World" (the Gary Jules version.) I'm not sure there was any way for him to recapture the sense of wonder and surprise of his first rendition. I think it was smart of him not to repeat sitting in a chair the whole time, instead coming down the center staircase and standing. This performance will stand with Fantasia's performance of "Summertime" as probably the best two marriage of American Idol contestant and material ever on the show. Not sure what Simon's bug up his butt was, nor am I sure how they could call the round for Kris, even though he did perfectly well, just because this didn't have all the amazing oomph of the first performance. It was still haunting, vocally perfect and incredibly well done.

The producer, Simon Fuller, chose Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" for Adam's second song. At first I was feeling a little wary of this choice of one of the civil rights movements' anthem from the 60s. Sung by a suburban white boy no less. But then I realized that Fuller is bloody brilliant. Adam's version of this song is destined to become the anthem of this century's civil rights movement: LGBT rights. And Fuller's company will own the recording, I'm sure. Brilliant. Oh, and by the way. Stellar vocal, deep connection to the song, moving rendition. You heard it here first: New life as an LGBT anthem.

Finally, Adam gamely attempted "No Boundaries"...and failed. First time, ever, that he's actually been pitchy. I don't even want to say much more. The song is insipid (as all the AI originals have been...and as Simon pointed out...but here's my question: Can't he fix that? I mean, seriously, is he the power behind AI or not?) The less said abot this, the better.

2. Kris's choice for himself was Bill Withers's "Ain't No Sunshine". Personally I would have gone with "Falling Slowly" or "Heartless" if he indeed was going to repeat something (as now seems requisite.) Last time he was forced to perform this on a little keyboard set out amongst the screaming girls, and it made for an akward rendition. being able to sit at the piano alone on stage was a much better choice. It seemed more heartfelt, more connected.

Producer Fuller chose Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" as his second song, and again I wondered about the choice for a nice white boy. Of course I also liked the anti-war political message here, and thought Kris did a decent job of making the song his own and appropriate for him. Two things helpd this back from being a great performance, though. Kris has his full-on Dave Matthews/Jason Mraz beatific (read: slightly high) smile on his face, which didn't really fit with the message at all. Also, the ending was dragged out, indulgent, and lame. Especially the big breath and pause before the final "on" in the final phrase "What's Going On". Don't do that. Ever. Nice arrangement, but nowhere near the connection Adam had going on.

Finally, Kris attempted "No Boundaries" and failed even more miserably than Adam did. The judges tried to say it was the wrong key, but no. It was the song. The awful, awful song.

So, what the bottom line here?

Um, Adam should win. I mean come on.

I'll say this again: It is totally true that it's a no-brainer that I would buy whatever album Kris might put out. I like his style and voice and song selection. It fits right into that DMB/Train portion of my record collection.

With Adam, I might by song by song. I have little interest in Aerosmith or other kinds of music he might do. I like his sensitive side far more than his wailing side...at least for my own music listening pleasure.

But from a pure talent and artistry perspective, Adam is the real deal and far more original and out-of-the-box than Kris, and he deserves to be rewarded.

Will he? I'm really not sure.

Big question: Who will Danny's fans vote for?

Last night Shawn Johnson won DWtS, and I believe it's because those who were voting for that good old boy, Ty, would rather vote for a spunky Olympic gymnast than the over-sexed Frenchman.

Will Danny's fans, especially the ones who love his church-choir-leading self, go for Adam or Kris.

It could easily be the latter. Which is why i think Kris has a slight edge.

Look, they'll both have careers, I'm not worried. I certainly hope Adam wins. I just easily see it going to Kris. And it's not such a big upset when you think it through.

but what did you think?

]]> Wed, 20 May 2009 16:13:35 -0700 http://homepage.mac.com/elisa_camahort/iblog/C597745786/E20090520161335/index.html