So, you having fun yet?

Ralph Nader Speaks

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:50:00 +0000

We just got back from hearing Ralph Nader talk at the West Hartford public library. He's on a book tour, promoting Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us. I'd already bought it for B for the holidays, and we had it signed. We read the first few pages in lines and waiting for the event to start. All in all, it was a good event. It was cool to meet Mr. Nader and hear him talk. It was pretty much what you'd expect if you've heard him talk in recent years.

The talk was free, but open only to the first 100 people, so we got in line for tickets about an hour before they started handing them out. (The line was inside the library, so it's not like there wasn't anything to do. It was probably much better than any other Black Friday line.) Once armed with our tickets, we got in another line for the book-signing, to which Nader was late because of traffic coming over Talcott Mountain. In the meantime, we posed for the cameras and thought of questions to ask him. B asked if he would run for president again. He didn't seem too interested in that. Others asked if he would run for Dodd's CT senate seat, but he was decidedly non-committal.

His talk focused on the book, which is neither fact nor fiction. It's his imaginary tale of what would happen if 17 super-rich Americans (Ted Turner, Warren Buffet, Bill Cosby, etc.) got together and decided to use their money, power, and knowledge for the greater good. I haven't gotten very far and it's a long book, but it sounds like Nader has fleshed out an outline of all the changes that need to be made to the country (and the world) to solve all the problems. He truly believes this would work, and he talks about this book as "proof" of this. (Of course, the book takes place in his imaginary world, so it's only really proof that it would work in his imagination.) I'll report on the content of the book after I've read it.

When they opened for questions, somebody needed to get the ball rolling and I've had plenty of experience listening to talks and trying to think of a good question, so I asked, "Have you talk to any of your characters? Do they see this as a sort of challenge?" He said he sent them each a copy when it came out, but he doesn't think they've read it yet. Yoko Ono wanted to know if he portrayed her as a "little dragon," whatever that means. He didn't seem to think of it as a challenge to the rich, which is how I saw it. I mean, there are all these super-rich people who want to do good (Bill Gates, for example, made his fortune with the express purpose of philanthropy), and Nader has laid out a step-by-step plan for changing the world. But to him, I think, it's more of a challenge on a smaller scale. After all, he's in West Hartford, and though there aren't a lot of super-rich people, there are some regular-rich people who could probably do a good deal if they tried. He seemed to be speaking to that purpose, to get the rich organized.

And of course, he had that hint of disorganization in his speech that makes him a little less personable than, say, Bill Clinton. You know, how he's always a touch stand-offish and know-it-allish. He spouts off numbers and statistics in a way that makes you think maybe he's making it all up. Because how can all that be true and people aren't up in arms about it? Well, that's his point.

The most entertaining part was when he did a lengthy stand-up routine outlining the modern evening news schedule, focusing on the suspense they try to inject into the weather report.

Health Care Reform?

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

My health insurance pays for 4 doctor's visits a year, with a $20 co-pay for each. After those 4 visits, I'm supposed to pay the whole cost (until I meet my deductible, which will never happen).

In February, I had a routine physical. In April, I had a lady-parts annual exam. In June I went to a dermatologist for a mole-check (also routine for someone with fair skin and a family history of skin cancer). And in October I had my annual eye exam.

My calculations are that since I don't need a physical every year, I should have one "free" doctor's visit each year, in case I get sick, except the years when I get a physical. Also, if I space them out strategically (like going for an annual exam every 15 months), I might be able to work in physical without sacrificing my "free" appointment.

By the way, I had an issue with my eye exam. I went to my eye doctor in CA, the one who knows me and asks about my life and treats my parents and is listed in one of the many optometrist listings on my insurance website. But when I got there her assistant said they don't take my insurance, and so I have to pay up front and send in the claim to be reimbursed. I called my insurance company, whose representative said I was using the wrong online listing, and I probably wouldn't be reimbursed, but that it would be subject to my deductible. So I sent the claim in, along with a letter explaining the situation, and how miffed I was. I also sent the whole packet to my state and federal representatives, just so they know how dumb health insurance is. (I don't by any means think this is the worst the insurance company could do. One of my greatest fears is that I will get cancer and my health insurance will drop my coverage. And I said so in the letter.) By the time I got back to CT, there was a check waiting for me. Surprise! My insurance company had reimbursed me all but the $20 co-pay. I also got a letter from Lieberman about how dedicated he is to health care reform, but not the public option. Douchebag.

Anyway, that's not the point. This is the point: After my October eye exam, I had to go until February without needing to see the doctor, but then I got sick. I went to the doctor, paid my $20 co-pay got my prescription, and got better. I expected to get a bill from the doctor saying my insurance wouldn't pay the rest of the bill (since it was my 5th visit in a year).

Instead, I got a check for $20 from a different doctor. WTF? They say I overpaid. They didn't say who or when, or for what, just, "Here's $20." Whatever. I'm not asking questions. I'm just cashing the check.

Joey Pigza Loses Control

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Joey Pigza has ADD (or something that makes him hyper), and usually he has a patch that keeps him grounded. But when visiting his father (who has a similar condition, but has always self-medicated with nicotine and alcohol), his father pressures Joey to go off his meds. Joey loses control.

There isn't much to say about this book except that I feel like I have a better understanding of what kids may feel like with unmedicated ADD (or whatever it is). I understand that for some kids this really is a hormonal imbalance that leads to a disability, and for Joey that really seems to be the case. (He likes himself better when he's on his meds, he's able to sleep, he makes better decisions, etc.) But for some kids it's not, and this book gives no context or explanation or balance to that side of the argument, even though I think Joey's dad may believe the medication is preventing Joey from being who he "really is". I think this is a series and maybe there was a book that came before in which Joey was diagnosed and this was discussed. But it's not in this one.

So yes, this book gives a pretty good idea of what it's like to need medication to be able to focus. But I think there's more to the issue than what's presented here.

Savvy

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:07:00 +0000

Savvy by Ingrid Law

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For some reason, I couldn't focus on this book. I think it's more external factors than it is the writing style, but I found myself daydreaming and missing things like a change in scenery. It was therefore a little hard to follow the action.

Still, the story is pretty good. Mibs is about to turn 13, the age at which people in her family become aware of a particular ability, which they call a savvy. I won't tell you what it is, but a series of events and decisions lands her and four other kids on a roundabout journey in a bible-delivery bus. It was a little distracting that it took 50 pages to get on the bus. For those 50 pages I kept wondering where the story was going. But the book is less about their journey, and more about Mibs coming to terms with her new ability and, metaphorically, with growing up. So yeah, it's one of those.

One other thing I want to mention: this ability stuff reminds me so much of the TV show Heroes, which I recently started watching. Only in this book, the abilities are less geared toward fighting and more quirky.

Life of Pi

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:11:00 +0000

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It seems like it should be long and boring, the story of a boy shipwrecked on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. Then I started reading it and realized that part of the story doesn't begin until 100 pages into the book, and then it goes on for another 200 pages. What could possibly be said? But it was a good story and entertaining in its detail.

I bought an illustrated version as a gift and thought it would have been nice to be reading that version.

In the middle of it, I mentioned the book to M, who said she's avoided it because she doesn't like didactic books. After looking up didactic, I thought this one isn't trying to teach a lesson, it's just an adventure/survival story, like Hatchet. But upon further reflection I decided she was right. The book draws a parallel between Pi's story and religious stories, and makes a point that to me, speaks to religious tolerance. But read it for yourself and make your own decision.

Ella Enchanted

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:15:00 +0000

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's certainly nothing wrong with this story. It's as if the author read Cinderella and thought, "what kind of idiot would put up with all those orders from her stepfamily?!" The author then added a little twist and a lot of exposition to the classic fairy tale. It's a good story. It makes sense and it's well written. It's less of a fairy tale because of the understandable motivations. But there's also quite a bit of elves, ogres, and giants. I could have done without that bit. But good story.

World Famous Pumpkin Race

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:02:00 +0000

It's funny that they call it the World Famous Pumpkin Race, because although it's been happening annually three blocks from my parents' house (where I grew up) since 1990, I had no idea it existed until a year ago. How had I lived here fore 8 years completely oblivious?

We went to see the race yesterday. Manhattan Beach is blessed (by geologic forces) with steep hills that meet up with the beach, so that virtually every house for a couple blocks in gets a view. It is on these hills the pumpkins are raced. Two tracks are outlined with hay bales on the main street heading to the pier. Kids stand in line with their decorated pumpkins on rollerblade wheels (with two independent axles inserted into the pumpkin, no pre-fabricated chassis allowed), and three or five pumpkins race at a time. Referees stand at the bottom of the track with cushions to catch the winning pumpkins. They smash cheaters (watermelons with paint can sometimes pass for a pumpkin, but go faster because of greater density and increased momentum).

It's a big deal. Fun for the whole family. And it's fun to watch.

Things Fall Apart

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First of all, I like the writing style. It's characterized as "uniquely African", which I take to mean that it's straightforward and uses parables to teach lessons. Okonkwe has spent his life rejecting all things soft, and striving to be brave and stoic. Again and again, his unwillingness to compromise or concede turns out badly. It's tragic because you want to like him, but he comes off as such a jerk to the other characters.

Fun with Wikipedia

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Many of you may have heard that Tom Steitz, a professor at my alma mater, was awarded 1/3 of this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for his work on solving the structure of the ribosome.

Although I did my PhD work on a small part of how the ribosome is made (it's very complicated), I never really met Tom Steitz (though I did sit in the same room with him more than once). I did, however, often interact with his wife, Joan Steitz: I took her class, then TA'd it for two semesters, and she was an important member of my thesis committee. She is an excellent mentor and a outstanding scientist. I'm still waiting for the announcement of her Nobel.

Often when I'm going through photos of outstanding scientists, it looks like photos of US presidents: old white men. Occasionally, there's a non-whitey. Admittedly, there are more women scientists than women presidents, but they're few and far between. I am lucky to have had an abundance female mentors in my lifetime.

So the whole point of this is that I happened upon Joan's Wikipedia entry, and was amused to find how much longer it is than Tom's.

Reader Poll

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:24:00 +0000

Should I separate my blog into two blogs, one for book reviews, one for other posts (personal or political musings, etc.)?

A while ago I stopped using this blog for interesting links (they're in my Google Reader Feed, see the orange box to the left). I also resumed posting my book reviews, and recently noticed that there are a lot of book reviews (see below). Would anyone prefer the book reviews to be separate?

If you have a preference, please leave a comment or send an email. If nobody cares, I'll leave it as it is.

Franny and Zooey

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Two rich and smart siblings struggle with their obvious superiority. Salinger's excessive style makes the first 206 pages feel like endless chatter, with meaningless details, but it sets the stage for the last two pages. Here's what I got from it (spoiler!): Zooey's message to Franny is that even if you smarter, richer, and in any other way better than someone else, you have to treat everyone else as if they are divine. In other words, every person is important and worth your respect. And I like that.

Feathers

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:49:00 +0000

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Frannie's life isn't anything special. She has issues to deal with, just like any other kid, but at the time of the story she's thinking about hope. She'd like to have hope, that thing that makes you happy for how things are now, instead of worry about what the future might hold.

This book is less about plot and more about character development. The following paragraph is a spoiler about the character development, and reveals a tiny bit of the plot.

There's a fuzzy line here between faith and hope. Around the middle of the book, when Frannie is trying to understand hope, she goes to church with her very devout friend because she sees her friend's optimism and hope. We never find out what happened at church or how Frannie felt about it. It's kind of a dead end in the story. Maybe we're supposed to draw our own conclusion. My take (which is undoubtedly shaped by my own feelings about religion) is that she probably saw that religion is how Samantha finds hope, but that it's not the only source. In the end, I think she finds it for herself.

The Willoughbys

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:35:00 +0000

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

FYI, this book has nothing to do with Jane Austen. It's an absurd satire in the vein of Polly Horvath or Edward Gorey, an unusual change for Lois Lowry. Four children who aren't very fond of their parents (and the feeling is mutual) decide they ought to be orphans, like in all the "old-fashioned stories" of which this is a parody. The plot is rather predictable (because it is a parody of these classic tales), but entertaining nonetheless. If it had been any longer or drawn out, it would have been too long. But it's not. And the best part, in my opinion, is the glossary at the end, includes clever but true definitions of difficult words.

Animal Cruelty Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:35:00 +0000

The supreme court is (probably) about to strike down a ban on videos that feature animal cruelty such as dog fights. It sounds like their decision is based on free speech, and the particular case is about a video that was made by piecing together other videos shot in countries where dogfighting is legal. The question is whether the production and sale of these videos should be legal.

It's always fun to listen to Nina Totenberg recite the conversations among supreme court justices. But in this case, I think they're missing an important comparison (though they're making the right decision). They're comparing videos depicting animal cruelty to videos depicting child pornography (on which there is a ban), trying to decide if there's a way the animal videos could be considered educational or artsy. (By the way, this reminds me of The Jerk.)

But I think there's a line between doing something illegal (dogfighting, abusing children, killing people, etc.) and watching it. What if any of these videos were made using computer graphics only, and no children or animals were involved? What if it were just some person with a computer who didn't affect anyone else in the process? Should that be illegal? And if he sold it to another adult who was interested in watching, should that be illegal? Nobody's getting hurt. I don't see anything wrong with it.

By no means am I advocating animal cruelty. It is rightly illegal. But I don't think it's any worse than cruelty to humans (violence, murder, genocide), and we watch that in movies all the time. Most of us are able to draw a line between watching something and doing it.

Catalyst

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:08:00 +0000

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There's actually very little in this book that has to do with science. Kate, the protagonist, is a chem geek who's left her fate in the hands of the MIT admissions committee. But the real story is of the school bully/outcast, Teri. She's suddenly thrown into Kate's life, and Kate has to figure out how to understand the girl.

I don't know. I don't find Kate that endearing, and by the end of the book I don't feel like I understand either of the girls any better.

I'm also a little disappointed that there isn't any science in the book, unless you count the chapter title. It's kind of false advertising.

Accidental Sightings, Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:15:00 +0000

I've been in CA a week now, and I've gotten out of the house enough to have some accidental sightings of people I know. Or knew. They're people from my past, people I haven't thought about in a long time, people with whom I'm not in touch, and I'd like to keep it that way, if only because that's how many relationships are-- you know each other, then you don't. (This is one reason Facebook is bad. Some people are better in memories.) But I still recognized them. I didn't talk to any of them. Here they are:

Jeff N, from VP. On the strand/bike path near 1st street. I was rollerblading, he was running/jogging. I doubt he recognized me, and I'm not 100% sure it was him. But it probably was.

Eileen(?) E, Danny's mom from VP. At the hometown fair. She looked exactly the same as she did when we were 10: bright red hair (clearly dyed) and rounded shoulders. I think she was even wearing a tie-dyed shirt.

Mrs. F, from middle school (math and science teacher). Walking on the strand. She looked at me with a kind of squinty glare, which I interpreted as, "Do I know you?" Then her mouth twitched, like a tentative smile, so I smiled back, and then (this is how I know it was her) it turned into a scowl/smile. So Mrs. F! Mr. F wasn't with her; I wonder if there is any significance to that. Probably not. A quick Google search says he's teaching a fitness course at the high school.

Replay

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:47:00 +0000

Replay by Sharon Creech

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Eh. Leo is one of four children in a chaotic family, but escapes to his imagination to feel like a star.

There are several meaningful components to the story: a friend who lost a brother, a missing aunt, a role in the school play, and a secret autobiography by Leo's father at age 13. These components float around in the story and it seems like they're all supposed to connect or send some sort of message, but I didn't get it.

The Time Traveler's Wife

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:15:00 +0000

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be older. Not older like 16 so I could drive or 21 so I could drink (though I did want to be 21 so I could get into bars and listen to live music). When I was 12 I wrote a poem about what it's like to be a parent. I still don't know whether it's accurate, but I like to think that it's at least close.

When I was 13 I wrote a poem looking forward to being rocking chair old. I still feel that way. The idea is that when I'm old and my life is behind me, I'll be left with the memories, and I could think back and say to myself, "See, I did that." I realized that many experiences are more fun or exciting in retrospect, and you don't have to worry about how they turn out. I can even use selective memory to weed out the bad parts and reminisce about the good ones.

In The Time Traveler's Wife, Henry has no control over when or where he will travel. There are hazards to this, mostly because when time traveling, he appears at his destination naked. But there are benefits, too. He gets to meet his wife in her childhood. He gets to know the future. He gets to visit times before his birth and after his death. He gets to experience his memories. This isn't really what the book is about, but it made me think.

It's an incredibly engaging and surprisingly realistic-sounding account of a relationship shaped by time travel. The story follows actual time and Claire's life roughly, though Henry of course jumps around a bit. It's a love story. I loved it.

The Year They Burned the Books

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:51:00 +0000

The Year They Burned the Books by Nancy Garden

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Jamie is editor of the school paper. She and her cohorts become involved in an altercation when the newly conservative school board decides to dispose of health (sex) education and burn the "inappropriate" library books. The school board seems to be fighting against immorality, while Jamie and her newspaper friends are fighting against... something else... censorship? Discrimination? It's not exactly clear, and the author doesn't present both sides of the argument, which would be acceptable except that a big part of the story is how the school board suddenly requires the school paper to present both sides of the argument.

The story is confused by Jamie's sexuality issues-- she thinks she might be a lesbian, and gets bullied because other students think so too. This doesn't quite come together with the sex ed/free speech bit as well as it could.

Poor execution of what could have been an interesting story. The characters were more caricatures than lifelike, and their behavior seemed to be manufactured to forward the plot. And as I mentioned earlier, poor sentence structure.

Poor Sentence Structure

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:44:00 +0000

I'm reading this book in which the protagonist thinks she might be a lesbian, and I want to like it because I like to think that I'm open-minded, but it's full of sentences like this one:

"I think," Jamie said when the others, except for Nomi, who was eating with Clark at the next table, were all there, "that we need to do an opinion survey."

I also want to like it because it was loaned to me by a friend who I think should have good taste in books (meaning, I respect her and think she's smart and knows good writing). But now I'm not so sure about her taste in books and I don't know what to say when I give it back to her.

Blueberry Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Yeah, so I'm finally getting around to uploading photos off my camera. Sue me.

Back when it was blueberry season, I found blueberries at Stop and Shop on sale: 4 pints for $5. So we made a couple blueberry pies. The recipie is out of the Williams Sonoma baking book Bruce got me way back when he thought I liked cooking. (He also got me an apron, because he thought I cared about keeping my clothes clean. Hah!)

After pre-baking the pie shell (store-bought after a bad experience with really old Crisco), I mix the blueberries with some flour and sugar while Bruce makes the topping. It's sugar, sugar, flour, and butter. I make him do that part because it calls for using a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the dry mixture. It's physically demanding and boring. But he's good at it. The topping goes on and we bake it, then eat it. Yum!

We've since moved on to apple pie, and we've tweaked the recipie for that, because Bruce like pie crusts. We make the apple crisp with a pie shell underneath. The result is very similar to this blueberry thing, except that the topping has oats in it, and it's much easier to make because it calls for melted butter instead of cold, cut butter. Hopefully next summer we'll remember to try the apple crisp topping with the blueberry pie.

Cat on a hot something-or-other

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:51:00 +0000

Haven't seen too many cats lately, though I know this one was a mama recently. She was with three too-old-for-adoption kittens around the time this photo was taken (back in August).

Softy Loves Me

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Being an avid Wait Wait fan, I follow Paula Poundstone on Twitter. (I also follow Wait Wait, of course, but that doesn't have anything to do with this story. And yes, I'm on Twitter. I'm not going to post my handle, but if you want to follow me, it's my first name followed by my last name. I'm that creative.) So one night Paula tweets that she'll send a suitable-for-framing photo of her bunny Softy to anyone who gets her 10 followers by midnight. It's about 11:30pm, and I don't even know 10 people, but I responded by tweeting for everyone I know to follow Paula Poundstone so that I can have a photo of Softy. I failed, of course, but Paula decided to send me a photo anyway. Thanks, Paula!

In case you can't read it, it says, "Erica, Softy loves you. Love, Paula Poundstone."

Fever 1793

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:38:00 +0000

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A 14(?) year old girl's experience of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia of 1793. As you might expect, there's a lot of death and disease. It weaves the history in quite well.

It's good. It's well-written, exciting, and it's easy to relate to the characters. It didn't wow me, though. Not sure why. It's definitely worth reading.

The Shining

noreply@blogger.com (Erica) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 03:27:00 +0000

The Shining by Stephen King

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Creepy. More psychological and well-written than the movie. It makes a lot more sense.