Awake

Storm Troopers, Skywalker Spotted from Skyscraper

Thanks for taking the pics, Mike!

Difficult Times for Harry, Good Times for Us

It's the nature of the entertainment industry, I suppose: excitement and anticipation about dramatic hardship of fictional characters. Is it wrong to be excited about the difficult times that lie ahead for Harry? Well, right or wrong, I am excited about the movies coming up this fall.

I got thinking about this because last night I went and saw Batman Begins at the new theatre in Tualatin and spotted the movie poster for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (based on book 4 of the series). This book plunges deeper into the more serious aspects of the story and its characters and I liked how this poster captured that mood. The movie will be in theatres in no time (this coming November). And with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe coming this fall as well (December 9), I'm looking forward to the holiday movie season this year. No post-Lord-of-the-Rings-depression here (although a extended-DVD marathon of all three movies is in order for the near future, I think). It's a good time to love the fantastical.

Links:

• The Official Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Website
• Official Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Website

It's also a good time to get cracking on reading up on the series of both Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia, at the very least reading the books of the upcoming movies. Maybe I need to move farther away so that I would have more time on the train to read. =)

Happy blockbuster movie anticipating.

in everything, give thanks

on monday
i was grateful
for greasy hair
and
sunburned arms
because
outside
in the sun
camping
with family
i am happy

on tuesday
i was grateful
for a hot shower
and
aloe vera
because
hot shower
after a long drive
and
aloe vera
on sunburned skin
feels so good

A 2005 Buffalo Nickel

A few minutes ago I found something completely new in an ordinary everyday object: a newly designed U.S. nickel.

Study suggests that U.S. reduce poverty to improve nationwide school achievement

"The data presented in this study suggest that the most powerful policy for improving our nations' [U.S.] school achievement is a reduction in family and youth poverty." —Read Our Impoverished View of Educational Reform, by David C. Berliner (August 2, 2005)

Words of Peace from Brother Roger of Taizé

This is a letter from Brother Roger of Taizé who was stabbed by a deranged woman at a evening service in his community in France and died this week on Tuesday, August 16, 2005:

Brother Roger and the more than 100 brothers who have joined his ecumenical Christian community since 1940 have devoted their lives to working for peace, reconciliation and Christian unity. During World War II they harbored Jewish refugees, just one of many ways they have actively expressed their love for the downtrodden. —From Bruderhof Community's Intro to A Future of Peace

Also, the BBC just published an article, How Taize Changed the Church.

Shameless Afternoon Distraction of the Week

What's My Pirate Name?

Don't take your Mini Cooper on Safari

Hey Dad--Not that a drive through the wildlife safari is in your future, but if it ever is, beware of lions who may mistake your Mini Cooper for prey!

Update on furnishings for refugee friends

I have neglected to post an update to the "Bunk Beds for Famo and Isha" campaign. Allow me to do so now. Through the wonders and many times "delayed clarity" of cross-cultural communication, I discovered the actual sleeping arrangment of the 6 refugee kids living in this apartment near Ruth (the Somali Bantu refugee I tutor every week). Famo and Isha do have their own bedroom and did have beds. The beds however were not assembled properly and thus had been deemed "broken". Several twists of a screwdriver later, that problem was rectified.

There was a bit of a mattress spectacle, however, as I had understood (not entirely accurately) that the mattresses were "broken" and in need of replacement. (In actuality, the bed frame was the problem, not the mattresses—although they were old and a little, ok, quite, stained.) Due to my misunderstanding of the mattress/bed situation, I had procured mattresses from a family from church whose daughter is in my 4s class. When I brought the mattresses and boxspring over to the apartment to replace the "broken" ones (which weren't really broken, just kinda gross), they decided they wanted to keep them and actually I only ended up with one icky mattress to take away. This produced another problem: what was I going to do with this icky mattress? I ended up taking the icky mattress to the dump out in Hillsboro where they graciously allowed me to dump it for free. (Usually, the minimum charge there is $29!)

So, bunk beds would have been nice, but that would have produced another problem, what to do with the existing beds? So it all worked out in the end.

Now to deal with some other little things...filing a complaint to DHS for the interpreter they provided who didn't speak Ruth's dialect and caused the discontinuation of desparately needed TANF grant money; getting a $10 plastic toilet set at Lowe's to replace the cracked one in Ruth's apartment (the manager wants to charge $50!). (Thanks for the tip, Drew, property manager extraordinaire.) And, finally, the tedious task of getting the phone wiring repaired in Ruth's apartment, the failing of which has deprived Ruth of a phone line. (Oy. What next?)

Thus I continue my foray into the tangled webs of social services, public utilities, and landlord-tenant agreements...for single illiterate moms recently relocated to a new continent with refugee status.

Learn to Filter Form Data with the PHP Security Guide

On of the highlights of my vacation to southern Oregon this past (extended) weekend was a spontaneously-planned dinner (featuring BBQ'd rainbow trout!) at my cousin Drew and his wife Kelly's house. Grandpa and I went over Monday night (which is their day off) and enjoyed wonderful food and long-overdue conversation. Drew and I fell into the abyss of tech-talk toward the end of the night, so as a sort-of follow-up, I thought I'd post this valuable intro to PHP Security. (This is where I got all my ideas for filtering form data and implementing security on my web forms and apps.) I've heard Chris (the author of this doc) speak on a couple of occasions; the guy really knows his stuff (and is passionate about it too).

He and some others recently organized the PHP Security Consortium and on their site, you can find the
PHP Security Guide and learn all about "filtering all foreign data!"

Happy foreign data filtering.

Founder of Taize Stabbed to Death

On the BBC: Brother Roger, the "90-year-old founder of the French-based Taize Christian ecumenical community has been stabbed to death at a prayer service."

My brother Brant visited a Taize prayer service while he was in Europe which seemed to have a profound impact on his view of worship, prayer, and community. I, too, am shocked and saddened to hear of this news.

{hat tip: tsk}

It's the Muppet Show!

I am now the proud owner of season one of The Muppet Show on DVD! 604 minutes of childhood memories! What more could a girl ask for?

Rainbow Trout Tremble In Fear As Himes' Envoy Prepares to Descend On the Rogue River

Rainbow Trout up and down the upper Rogue River trembled in fear as rumors of a fishing expedition planned by members of the Himes' family reached the wild and scenic waters of the Rogue River and its tributaries. Thankfully only two of them actually fish, while the third prefers the leisurely hikes, a hammock, and the latest issue of Sunset magazine to pass the time. But Dale and his daughter Amber are widely feared especially along the stretch of the Rogue known as the Windy River Canyon. Fish along this route have only to be thankful that other members of the Himes' clan, including those who have married into the family, are otherwise engaged this fateful weekend.

Mixed Messages

A woman meets with a welfare case worker to sign forms to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant money. Several weeks ago she lost her job at a hotel doing laundry and has had several people helping her to get an appointment with her caseworker. But she walks out of the meeting bewildered and with no money to pay rent and no food stamps to get money for her and her 3-year-old daughter. How could this have happened? Was the caseworker cruel and unfeeling? Did the system fail miserably? No. The caseworker was probably as confused as the woman. The problem was pure miscommunication. The problem was the interpreter.

It wasn't the interpreter's fault that he didn't know the particular dialect of Somali that the woman speaks. But he might have known that he was missing something. He might have known that he didn't understand enough of what was being said. He might have understood enough to understand that through his faulty interpretation, an injustice was sorely felt by a desperate refugee longing to assimilate in American suburbia.

If you pray for the refugees that live in our midst, remember also to pray for their advocates, interpreters, and caseworkers. The circumstances of their lives are in many cases dictated by the choices and actions of these people.

McLaren Offers Wisdom to "Bridge Builders"

Brian McLaren, author of several books, the latest of which is The Last Word and the Word After That, writes the cover story, A Bridge Far Enough?, in the latest issue of Sojourners magazine. In it, he uses Jesus and Paul to suggest several principles of "counterpart communication"—how to respond to someone from an opposing point-of-view gently and respectfully. I found his article excellent and timely; but, to put McLaren's advice into practice may be easier said than done. :)

A Smile to Brighten the Afternoon

Well the sun finally came out and if the sunshine didn't cheer you up, maybe my niece's bright smile will help. (And yes, she is reading Lemons Are Not Red.)

Markers!

What *could* it be?

Violence in Haiti wears on medical ministry

Judy Dohner, a Humility of Mary Sister who works as a hospital administrator at St. Damien Children's Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, sent an update to the National Catholic Reporter in July on how the violence in Haiti is affecting lives of Haitians and ministers alike. Link: Global Perspective: August 9, 2005 Violence ripples through Haitian lives.

Hmmm...what is it?

Kylia vs. The Bunny Cake

Pictures from Kylia's first birthday at Mom and Dad's (The Homeplace) are now posted at The Gallery at Sleepyhead City (finally!).

Mediocre Parenting: All Are Welcome

Whining Ahead. (You have been warned.)

Today, I came upon a disturbing scene: the sight of a young couple with babies, who didn't look much like they were embracing their roles as parents.

This is the second time I have come across this particular type of scene at my local Subway. (Subway, the gathering place for couples not ready for parenthood?!?) There was a fussy toddler on the table, not more than 2 years old, a hungry infant in the stroller probably 3 or 4 months and a bun in the oven, probably 5 or 6 months along. The woman (with the bun in the oven) was ordering food and deciding (without much success) on a bag of chips. ("There's a jalapeno one here. That could be interesting.") The man had the toddler on the table with one hand and was making use of his remaining upper-torso-appendage by feeding the infant a bottle.

I just rolled my eyes. Honey, if you had been breastfeeding these babies in the first place, you wouldn't have had them so close in age and overwhelming you into chip-indecision-zombiehood.

I just don't understand why I, a young woman quite capable of caring for and communicating with a wide variety of children, am without children, and this overwhelmed couple entrusted have two babies and one on the way.

It just makes me feel sad and helpless when I see families like this. I wish I could do something productive about it instead of just whining about it on my blog.

Bleh.

Pray for child survivors of flood-affected areas in India

To reiterate Leah's comment, the poor are always the hardest hit by these disasters. This week, pray for peace and comfort for the kids who are living in this midst of this disaster right now and witnessing frightening and horrible things.

Unnikrishnan said the emotional fallout of this year's floods would be felt for many years to come.

"We met with children in the slums who saw dead bodies float in the river. Their parents say they scream in their sleep," he said.

"And as always happens in a disaster, it is the poorest — the slum dwellers, the daily wage earners — who suffer the most, and their recovery is going to be a long nightmare." [emphasis mine]

Reuters AlertNet - India counts financial toll as floods recede

How Niger Famine Came to This

TIMELINE: How Niger’s food crisis unfolded

Tip: Delete Bad E-mail Suggestions from Outlook's Auto-Complete

With the bad e-mail highlighted, I now hit "Delete" and the suggestion will be gone!

I've always wondered how to delete an old outdated e-mail address from Outlook's sometimes helpful auto-complete function that kicks in when typing a name or e-mail into "To:".

It's actually maddeningly simple:

In Outlook, compose a new message. Start typing a name into the To: area. When an outdated/bad e-mail comes up, use the arrow keys to highlight the bad e-mail, then hit "Delete". That's it!

If you're dying to know more, here's the article where I got the info: Where do Outlook's auto-complete suggestions come from? - Ask Leo!

Thank you, Leo. Whoever you are.

Emergency Food for Niger

Mike at the One Year Bible Blog sent out a special e-mail about the famine in Niger and included a link to World Vision where you can donate money now. World Vision is a highly reputable organization and they have people in Niger right now responding. World Vision has a dedicated history and committment to children around the world and I know that money given to them will go straight to attending to the severe medical and nutritional needs of the children suffering right now.

Here's the link to give: World Vision Online Donations: Basic Needs

Blogging classes postponed

We've decided to pull the blogging classes from the summer schedule at Three Rivers Tutoring.

I do want to still put together some class material. If any of you acquainted with me and in the Portland area have ideas or suggestions for what you'd like to learn (related to blogging or other Internet-related stuff), please leave a comment to let me know! I'd love to hear your ideas!

I may also post some information here on Awake as well as put together some classes. Stay tuned.

Economic Research Firm Offers Housing Cost Calculator

My favorite group of economic researchers, the folks at the D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) have just released the web-based The CEPR Housing Cost Calculator. I discovered that right now, I'm better off renting. Until I think I'm going to be settled somewhere for more than 10 years, it's more expensive for me to buy than to rent in Portland, Beaverton, or Vancouver. This is good news since I just signed another 1-year lease on my apartment. According to CEPR,

This calculator compares the cost of owning a home relative to renting for a potential new homeowner. The Housing Cost Calculator reports the "Net Cost of Owning" -- the expected amount of additional cash available to a renter compared to the amount available to a homebuyer who buys a home today and sells the home at a specified time in the future. The calculator takes into account the unprecedented run-up in real home prices since 1997.

The Rain in Bombay

The rain in Bombay falls on the righteous and the wrong
And there is no way for me to understand

—Caedmon's Call, "Bombay Rain"

Floods and landslides in Bombay last week have brought the city, whose airport has been my first taste of India for the last two years, to a standstill. According to this Reuters article, blame is being placed on civic authorities, who have monumentally failed in the task of urban planning for this city of seven islands, stiched together by "reclaimed land."

"Reclaimed land", according to our Singaporean tour guide, who, on our tour of the city during our layover in February, pointed out reclaimed land in Singapore, is soil brought from somewhere else and dumped into the ocean, then allowed to settle for a number years until it is determined to be stable for urban building. In Singapore's case, the soil is brought from Indonesia.

But in the case of Bombay, which is not blessed with the ingenious urban planning apparent in Singapore, hundreds died in a city of myriad urban problems, including slums and housing projects with no drainage, water-logging along the coastlines of reclaimed land, and destroyed trees and wetlands that could have dissipated waves and naturally drained the torrential rainfall.

But on a personal note, I have some friends flying out of Bombay at the end of this week. The flooding caused the airport to close nearly all of last week, so please pray that the airport's schedule will normalize this week for all the people trying to fly out.

Lax security on Interior computers contributes to ongoing injustice toward Native Americans

WASHINGTON, July 30 — One of the longest evidentiary hearings in the recent history of U.S. District Court here has ended with strong calls for increased controls over government computers holding information on individual Indian Trust accounts.

Citing the ease with which computer consultants hacked into the computers, lawyers for Indians in a class action lawsuit over the government's acknowledged mismanagement of the accounts finished 59 days of hearings Friday afternoon with a plea to disconnect the computers from the Internet.

"It is not just a matter of computer security," said the lawyers. "It is a matter of the security of the Indian's trust accounts, the only money that many of the nation's poorest citizens have," they said.

— Cobell v. Norton 7/30/2005 Press Release: Lengthy Hearing Ends with Pleas for Controls on Interior Computers

Death of a leader strains peace process in Sudan

After reading the article I blogged yesterday, Sudan's Darfur crisis and the American Media, I googled Emily Wax on washingtonpost.com; indeed her reports have consistently made the pages of the Post. In today's Washington Post, Wax reports on the implications of the death of John Garang, a newly installed leader and key mover of a peace process that is still very young and fragile. Included in the article is good summary background information on the peace process and the situation in Darfur. Here's the link:

Sudan's Fledgling Peace Now in Peril

Eleven charities unite to make appeal for Niger

Thirteen of the UK's major aid agencies, including Action Aid, the British Red Cross, World Vision, Oxfam and Save the Children who come together in the DEC to respond to major disasters overseas, hope the public will respond to their appeal. —BBC NEWS | UK | Disaster group makes Niger appeal

Heros reporting on Darfur

In the U.S., where reports of genocide seldom reach the eyes and ears of military families, voters, and readers of People, an article about those who do prioritize Sudan is worth a read. Read about the heros reporting on Sudan.

'Awake' in North Portland

Photo credit: VJ

Thanks VJ!