Author: Ruby Sinreich

No editing necessary. This picture says it all.

Landover Baptist Church once again brings us the best in religious right thought with it’s essay on why We Need Dick [Cheney]. I hope to join my neighbors to welcome him to our fair state this afternoon.

From Democracy N.C.:

**FAT CAT ALERT**

“Hey, Hey, ho, ho, political bribes have got to go”
“Elections that are for $ale are not FREE”

Did you know that the Bush-Cheney campaign has already
raised over $35 million for their re-election bid?
BIG CORPORATE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS ARE BUYING
AMERICA… WHILE THE REST OF US PAY.

If you’re sick and tired of the big-money,
corporate-driven political agenda that our country’s
current regime…um…er…I mean… administration
has imposed upon the country, then come out and make
your voice heard by protesting Vice-President Dick
Cheney’s appearance at a big-money fundraiser this
Friday, September 12, 4:30 – 6:00pm, in Raleigh!

Rest in reace, Johnny (February 26, 1932 – September 11, 2003).

Please pardon the website, it’s probably overloaded right now.

In case you’re getting sick of Friendster (and who isn’t?) there are now more and more opportunitites to reduce yourself to a one-page profile. Today I discovered Choicester, NARAL Pro-Choice America’s attempt to recruit young activists. Never one to miss the online bandwagon, the Dean for President Campaign set up DeanLink, for volunteeers to, um, find each other.

I honestly don’t know what the point of this stuff is. Yes, Friendster is still moderately entertaining in small doses, but do I really need another one? Both of these are recruitment tools masquerading as community-builders.

I just stumbled across this
presentation on infrastructure
by Doc Searls. “Why geeks build it, why Hollywood doesn’t understand it, how businesses can take advantage of it.” I think I learned something. Pretty neat.

If tonight’s Town Council candidate forum at Hargraves is any indication, it will be a minor miracle if anyone is still awake to vote on November 4. This was partially the fault of the lightweight questions being asked. But there are so damn many candidates, most of them with so little of import to say, it’s hard for me to keep my attenytion focused long enough to hear the rare substantive answers.

I usually try to avoid endorsements for political purposes, but for some reason I don’t feel the need to do that this year. Therefore here are my favorites, in order: Sally Greene, Bill Strom, Cam Hill. If you tell me you voted for Doug Schworer or Diane Bachman, I will try real not to bop you upside the head, but I’m not making any promises. I will provide more on this race in the coming month including links to all the candidates and advance notice of candidate forums.

Thanks so much to the folks who have sent the kind e-mails and nice words of condolence. The memorial service was excellent. It was officiated by my grandparents’ neighbor and longtime friend, and members of every generation spoke of what a good man my grandfather was. I appreciated that no-one felt the need to sugarcoat their remarks since there was so much honestly good stuff to say. Generous even in death, my grandfather donated his entire body to scientific research (which is a violation of Jewish tradition, but as was pointed out at the service, he was not an overly religious man).

I really want to thank the DoRightMan, who has provided deep emotional support and comfort to me before during and after the memorial. I also want to thank my hosts and good friends Giles and Suzie, who lost her grandfather on Monday morning. My heart goes out to her and her wonderful family.

Allan Rakoff (my grandfather): July 7, 1918 – September 1, 2003.
A very strong, generous, and loving man. I’m so thankful that I matured enough to appreciate his life before it ended. No more blogging until after the memorial.

Photos, clockwise from top: doing a traditional Russian/Jewish dance, which is way harder than he makes it look; dancing with my mother, Sherrie; showing off in 1976; with his wife of over 60 years, my Grandma Vickie. The top 3 photos were taken at my parents’ wedding in 1967.

It’s nice to see the locals get riled up about something. Even if it is just a bar.

“The current ordinance is so narrowly focused that it is obviously a token gesture and will not materially affect fire safety in town …
This ordinance is really a move to push the landlord to sell the building, presumably to a town-favored developer with visions of mixed use boutique retail and high-priced student condominiums.”

As if they could have prevented the tragic fire in Rhode Island last year, the Chapel Hill Town Council is creating legislation to require sprinklers in some bars in town. In fact it would only affect three bars (including Hell), all in one building on Rosemary Street. Personally, I think the problem in the Ocean State was a lot more about inadequate emergency exits and pyrotechnics. Why isn’t legislation addressing those?