Denim decision

Brother in Black has bought his very first pair of loose jeans!! Wowzer! I think he's found a girl that he wants to impress. There's no other reason why he asked me for money to buy new clothes. He has put his gothic outfits neatly in the closet. I told him, once he goes denim trousers, there's no turning back. The fabric is so comfortable and fashionable. On a good day, I love to wear a pair of my Diesel jeans. And I wear them until they are worn out with mud stains or ripped, but I would often sew them back and wear them again for a few more months. It's so hard for me to find a well fitting pair of hip-huggers. I don't enjoy shopping much, so when I find a pair, I keep them for as long as I can. If they're flattering and comfortable, I'd buy the same two pairs. I don't go for trendy because they'll soon be obsolete. Being petite, it's tough to find a pair that fits well. Also, call me cheap, but I don't buy jeans that are more than $100, like the ones on the runway, Tsubi and Acne skinny jeans -- too expensive!

I bought my nephews jeans for school, and they look so cute on little people. With a graphic t-shirt, it's an automatic fashion on the school grounds. I'm so proud that Brother in Black has turned denim. Next to go is his long hair, I hope. These days, I can't seem to relax. I keep picking battles with myself and with close friends and family. I'm pretty sure this internal turmoil will put in a rut. I can't seem to learn my lessons. Before you know it, Brother in Black will have his hair in cornrows, and then I'll have to threaten him to put them in dreadlocks, or else! I dunno what to do with myself these days. Until I figure that out, I'm gonna enjoy tomorrow's NCAA game: Buckeyes Vs. Hoyas. Go Hoyas!! I'm doing so well on my brackets this year. Go G'town!!

A row of Narcissus and watershed clean up fun

It is beautiful here in the District of Columbia metropolitan 'burbs. We've had some rain but our average today was the late 60's. I attended an all-day clean up with some colleagues and members of the World Bank volunteers. We accomplished some storm drain marker installations, mulching, grading and trash pick-ups at Watts Branch Park. Very successful considering the dangers surround the DC parks. I saw a couple of hypodermic syringes. I took pleasure at the sight of the beautiful yellow trumpet-shaped bulbs. Beautiful indeed. However, daffodils could kill you if ingested. So my tree-hugger and destroyers of spring flowers friends, leave the daffodils alone.

I'm attending a citizen's summit tomorrow. Enjoy the weekend weather, folks.

First day of Spring

My all-time favorite Spring poem by William Wordsworth:

Daffodils (1804)

I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Go check out the 15th annual Environmental Film Festival. Some colleagues and I are checking out the American Elm: Majestic Imperiled Renewed tonight. Most screenings and discussions are FREE! Ya know I luv free stuff ;-)

I checked out this Hurricane on the Bayou film in Boston, MA at the IMax theatre. Two words: wicked awesome! The message to save the wetland was riveting and empowering. The filmatography is excellent. I highly recommend this documentary at the Enviro Film Festival.

Omigosh, Jake is touring my town!

I'm a huge fan of this uke master. Hot-cute-Japanese-hot-hotness Jake Shimabukuro is playing at the Rams Head in Annapolis tomorrow, on Saint Patty's Day. Oh.my.gosh! I just heard the news today. Friend is calling me at midnight to see if we can get tickets. Oh please gawd almighty, I'm a fan. I have his CD that is waiting for an autograph. I'm in love with the four-stringed ukulele, honest.



Up-to-date (3/17/07) damn. did not get tix to the show; instead, i've been sniffing dimethyl ketone all day :-( On the brighter side, G'town, baby!! Road to the National Championship! Woo wee! Happy St. Pat's Day!!

Uh oh, Mr. President is crying.

I read this article at the newstand. Beware the ides of march. I'm not sure what I'm trying to say. Time Mag did a good job. Never knew or liked Reagan anyways. The Republicans are tumbling, no big surprise. The Dubya administration let Reagan down, shame on you. On the top right corner of the Time cover page, it says: "Why Will Ferrel Can't Keep his Clothes On". Haha. I'm renting "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" this weekend!

Warbler rediscovered

Spring is near, this rediscovery is great news.

Science Daily — Ornithologists across the world are celebrating with the news that a wetland bird that has eluded scientists ever since its discovery in India in 1867 has been refound. Twice.

Large-billed Reed-warbler: the world's least known bird. (Credit: Philip Round/The Wetland Trust)
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The Large-billed Reed-warbler is the world’s least known bird. A single bird was collected in the Sutlej Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India, in 1867, but many had questioned whether it was indeed represented a true species and wasn’t just an aberrant individual of a common species.[...]

But, in a further twist to this remarkable tale, six months after the rediscovery, another Large-billed Reed-warbler specimen was discovered in the collection of the Natural History Museum at Tring, in a drawer of Blyth’s Reed-warblers (Acrocephalus dumetorum) collected in India during the 19th Century. Once again, Professor Staffan Bensch confirmed the identification using DNA.

“Finding one Large-billed Reed-warbler after 139 years was remarkable, finding a second—right under ornithologists’ noses for that length of time—is nothing short of a miracle,” said Butchart.

Jolie adopts Vietnamese child

In honor of International Women's Day, I'd like to post this news: Angelina Jolie is adopting again, this time, a Vietnamese boy. I wonder what made her decision for Vietnam?

Angelina Jolie nộp hồ sơ tới bộ Tư pháp VN xin con nuôi

Jolie và cậu con nuôi người Campuchia - Maddox
Nữ diễn viên Hollywood nổi tiếng hôm qua đã nộp hồ sơ tới Bộ Tư pháp VN, xin nhận bé trai khoảng 3-4 tuổi ở trung tâm bảo trợ trẻ em mồ côi Tam Bình tại TP HCM làm con nuôi. Tuần trước, cô bắt đầu làm thủ tục tại Sở Di trú và Nhập cư Mỹ. [...]

Thông tin "bà Smith" muốn nhận con nuôi Việt Nam dấy lên từ cuối năm 2006, khi cô và Brad bất ngờ tới TP HCM và tới thăm trung tâm bảo trợ trẻ em mồ côi Tam Bình như những du khách bình thường.

Ngày 19-1, Angelina Jolie trở lại để họp với tổ chức Hợp tác tài chính quốc tế tài trợ cho dự án tại các nước tiểu vùng sông Mekong (IFC-MPSDF) - cơ quan hợp tác với quỹ Maddox Jolie do cô thành lập. Nhân dịp này, hai phóng viên của báo Times (Anh) đã tới Trung tâm Tam Bình để thực hiện phóng sự về Angie. Họ đặc biệt chú ý tới các cậu bé khoảng 5 tuổi.

I'm all about saving the orphans. Not because of any special calling from the Man upstairs, but because it is a responsible duty to care for parent-less children. I'm more likely to adopt a child than to live alone. Would I qualify financially? Probably not right now, but if I can help avoid world overpopulation, I'd go for saving the orphans.

Happy International Women's Day, ladies. Make your man massage your feet, rub your bunions and corns, and love it!

It Ain't Easy

Just when I was inquiring about Congressional greening efforts, JP sent this short article to me from CQ Today. I can't find the online version, so here is the whole write-up:

March 2, 2007 – 9:01 p.m.
At the Capitol: It Ain’t Easy Being Green, But the Effort Has Begun
By Susan Ferrechio, CQ Staff

Not to be upstaged by the “green” advocacy work of former Vice President Al Gore, House Democratic leaders revealed last week that they are starting their own green program at the Capitol, a program aimed at improving energy conservation and efficiency.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced March 2 that she has asked the chamber’s newly appointed chief administrative officer, Daniel P. Beard,to come up with a plan to make the Capitol more environmentally friendly.

Beard has been asked to submit a preliminary report by April 30 on what kinds of improvements should be made, with final recommendations two months later.
A letter signed by Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., and House Administration Chairwoman Juanita Millender-Mcdonald, D-Calif., instructs Beard to take steps that reflect “the most up-to-date industry and government standards for green building and green operating procedures.”

The leaders’ “Green the Capitol” initiative could end up a bit lopsided, however. Beard’s authority extends only to the House side of the Capitol. There’s no word yet on whether the Senate intends to follow the House lead.

It is that easy, we just have too many stubborn knuckleheads in Congress. However, I do have faith that this effort will pull through.

Maryland Clean Car Act, success!

After all the steam and the heated debates between environmentalists and car dealers on this initiative, we are good to go on continuing the fight against global warming.

The state Senate approved the "clean cars" bill last night, making it nearly certain that Maryland will become the 11th state to follow California's lead in cutting smog and global warming gases.[...]

The measure is designed to force manufacturers to sell fewer gas-guzzling SUVs and other large vehicles and to instead market more hybrids and other cars with fuel-efficient engines.[...]

Brad Heavner, executive director of Environment Maryland, said the law will mean that vehicles in the state will emit 4.4 million fewer tons of global warming gases per year by 2020. This isn't enough to stop climate change, he said, but it's a step in the right direction because cars and trucks emit about a quarter of greenhouse gases.[...]

Among those voting in favor of the bill last night was Sen. J. Lowell Stoltzfus, an Eastern Shore Republican, who said his rating from an environmental organization "was about 16 percent" out of 100. But he said Maryland must reduce Chesapeake Bay pollution from all sources, including nitrogen from vehicle exhaust.[...]

What the bill will do

• Reduce global warming emissions from new cars sold in Maryland by, on average, 30 percent by 2016.
• Penalize automakers that don't meet the standard. They must offer customers incentives to buy hybrids and other efficient vehicles.
• Cost buyers about $1,000 more per vehicle, on average. Most of the cost will be for big vehicles that need engine upgrades to pollute less.
• Require all cars sold in Maryland to have about $150 in smog-control equipment not standard in most states.

The bottom line is emission needs to be cut. We need to reduce nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide in our air. It’s going to be a higher cost for consumers, but only for the SUV gas guzzlers. If California strict guidelines could do it, our dealerships can adjust. Woo hoo for Maryland. (How about you, DC?)

For more comments and debates, go here and the Q&A on the bill is here.