running out of gas

As gasoline prices shoot through the roof, both Republicans and Democrats have nothing useful to say. True to type, Republicans are using this as an excuse to relax environmental regulations and open up ANWAR for drilling.  But the Democrats aren't contributing anything valuable to the party either, as they cast all the blame on the oil companies and all the emphasis on lowering prices at the pump. Oil companies are maximizing their profit at the public's expense.  But all the corporate malfeasance in the world can't obscure the fact that we are inexorably running out of oil.  Gas isn't going to be cheap again, ever. Cushioning the impact of high prices only delays an inevitable day of reckoning.  Better to view this "oil crisis" as a blessing in disguise and an opportunity to change our ways before the situation becomes critical. it's a mistake to cast this as primarily a matter of consumer choice.  Fine as it is to buy hybrid cars and turn down the heat, actions such as these are only bandaids on an unsustainable system.  Energy waste is embedded in our industrialized,globalized, free trade world and will only worsen as people in Third World nations gain American amenities such as cars, computers, and packaged, processed food. Take those hybrid cars, for instance.  They are still going to be driven way too much.  Our communities are set up in such a fashion that people live long distances from where they work,  and require a car for most other aspects of their daily life, such as shopping, recreation, and shlepping children fifty miles for a one hour soccer game. We need to revitalize center cities and close in suburbs and generally speaking promote denser development so that there is less need to drive a car, no matter how much fuel they use. Or take food.  The average meal travels 1500 miles before it gets to the dinner plate.  Think of all the shipping and refrigeration involved, not to mention the excess packaging and petroleum based pesticides–this is a huge waste of energy.  We need to support local food production and processing. Take our entire system of globalized free trade.  In this system, the entire emphasis is on low end-point price to the consumer.  The energy cost of production and shipping is completely discounted.  All those cheap polo shirts you're buying at Target or the Gap have already travelled halfway around the world, using up an awful lot of fuel in the process.  WE cannot afford to continue operating our economy on this faulty, unsustainable model.  We need to support local industry. Consider all the items other than gasoline that are manufactured from petroleum.  Plastic packaging and toys.  Synthetic carpets.  Polyester clothing and its admittedly more attractive descendants.  Even some food additives.  More than being addicted to oil, we are a society addicted to stuff.  Endless, cheap, constantly accumulating and nonbiodegradable stuff.  As a nation, we can no longer afford to live this way.  We  need to turn back the clock and live a more locally based, less frenzied lifestyle where material goods are items to be treasured, not bought on credit and endlessly replaced.  Either we make this choice ourselves in a rational and controlled way or all to soon world circumstances will leave us no choice. 

too sexy for his badge?

Forgive my lack of political correctness, but “sexual harrassment” has become one of those buzzwords, like “terrorism”, that inspire witch hunts. Say the magic phrase, and all sense of fair play goes out the window.

the current furor over Portland police chief Derrick Foxworth is a prime example. Foxworth has been forced onto administrative leave, but what exactly is he accused of? He admits to a consensual affair, six years ago, with a forty year old coworker, who was not under his immediate supervision. It wasn’t even an extramarital affair. During the course of this relationship, he allegedly generated a lot of tacky email about ripping off lace teddys, wearing nothing but stiletto heels, etc. He also wanted his girlfriend to keep the relationship secret, and did not intervene, when (after the end of the relationship) other coworkers in the police bureau teased her about it.

OK, Foxworth (and his former girlfriend) didn’t show the best judgement. its not a good idea to get romantically involved with your coworkers, but since work is most people’s main source of social interaction, it does happen. It’s also not a great idea to inscribe your private fantasies onto your office computers hard drive, but people are foolish. The quesstion is, when does private foolishness become a public crime?

The obvious question raised by these allegations, is, why, if Foxworth’s behavior was so egregious, did she wait six years before threatening a lawsuit? And again, sorry for my lack of political correctness, but this hardly seems like a rape. No one made this woman put on those lace teddies. After breaking off the relationship, she was not demoted or fired. She is still in her same job at the police department. If the relationship caused her some personal pain, if Foxworth turned out to be a major jerk, if she was teased by coworkers about it,,,sorry, that’s life.

These witch hunts harm society in multiple ways. They can destroy the careers of decent and highly competent people. They scare off decent and competent people from entering public life. the scandalous headlines they create distract the public from more serious issues that truly require attention.

Personally, I’ve been pretty impressed with the Portland police, but there are certain aspects of their operation that could use improvement, such as their over-fascination with tasers Isn’t it more important to investigate why two cops repeatedly tasered a mentally disturbed man on Sandy Blvd, triggering a fatal heart attack, than investigating emails Derrick Foxworth may or may not have sent six years ago?

Look at what’s going on in this country. Our President leaks the name of a CIA agent, in order to support his fallacious case for war. Our government conducts secret tribunals using classified “evidence”. Donald Rumsfelds conduct as Secretary of Defense is so irresponsible that six retired generals are calling for his resignation. Bush is plotting to drop nuclear bombs on Iran. Two-thirds of the fish in our oceans may disappear in thirty years due to global warming.

So let’s get some persepective. As long as he’s doing a good job as police chief, I don’t care if Derrick Foxworth likes to dress up in women’s underwear and dance on the table with a lampshade on his head. Leave him alone.

(by the way, I apologize for any typos in this article. For some reason the computer is not letting me revise anything! Out of my head, directly into cyberspace).

too sexy for his badge?

Forgive my lack of political correctness, but “sexual harrassment” has become one of those buzzwords, like “terrorism”, that inspire witch hunts. Say the magic phrase, and all sense of fair play goes out the window.

the current furor over Portland police chief Derrick Foxworth is a prime example. Foxworth has been forced onto administrative leave, but what exactly is he accused of? He admits to a consensual affair, six years ago, with a forty year old coworker, who was not under his immediate supervision. It wasn’t even an extramarital affair. During the course of this relationship, he allegedly generated a lot of tacky email about ripping off lace teddys, wearing nothing but stiletto heels, etc. He also wanted his girlfriend to keep the relationship secret, and did not intervene, when (after the end of the relationship) other coworkers in the police bureau teased her about it.

OK, Foxworth (and his former girlfriend) didn’t show the best judgement. its not a good idea to get romantically involved with your coworkers, but since work is most people’s main source of social interaction, it does happen. It’s also not a great idea to inscribe your private fantasies onto your office computers hard drive, but people are foolish. The quesstion is, when does private foolishness become a public crime?

The obvious question raised by these allegations, is, why, if Foxworth’s behavior was so egregious, did she wait six years before threatening a lawsuit? And again, sorry for my lack of political correctness, but this hardly seems like a rape. No one made this woman put on those lace teddies. After breaking off the relationship, she was not demoted or fired. She is still in her same job at the police department. If the relationship caused her some personal pain, if Foxworth turned out to be a major jerk, if she was teased by coworkers about it,,,sorry, that’s life.

These witch hunts harm society in multiple ways. They can destroy the careers of decent and highly competent people. They scare off decent and competent people from entering public life. the scandalous headlines they create distract the public from more serious issues that truly require attention.

Personally, I’ve been pretty impressed with the Portland police, but there are certain aspects of their operation that could use improvement, such as their over-fascination with tasers Isn’t it more important to investigate why two cops repeatedly tasered a mentally disturbed man on Sandy Blvd, triggering a fatal heart attack, than investigating emails Derrick Foxworth may or may not have sent six years ago?

Look at what’s going on in this country. Our President leaks the name of a CIA agent, in order to support his fallacious case for war. Our government conducts secret tribunals using classified “evidence”. Donald Rumsfelds conduct as Secretary of Defense is so irresponsible that six retired generals are calling for his resignation. Bush is plotting to drop nuclear bombs on Iran. Two-thirds of the fish in our oceans may disappear in thirty years due to global warming.

So let’s get some persepective. As long as he’s doing a good job as police chief, I don’t care if Derrick Foxworth likes to dress up in women’s underwear and dance on the table with a lampshade on his head. Leave him alone.

(by the way, I apologize for any typos in this article. For some reason the computer is not letting me revise anything! Out of my head, directly into cyberspace).

crunchy cons

I just read a review of a book by Rob Dreher entitled "Crunchy Cons:  How Birkenstocked Burkeans, Gun-Loving Organic Gardeners, Evangelical Free Range Farmers, Hip Homeschooling Mamas, Right Wing Nature Lovers, and Their Diverse Tribe of Countercultural Conservatives Plan to Save America (or at least the Republican Party).

Whew!  If they save America, it won't be by using concise language.

Initially, this article struck a very positive chord with me.  Just like Dreher and his wife are tired of being the only Republicans shopping at the food coop, I've long been weary of being the only woman in my coming of age at the height of feminism demographic staying at home to raise my children. A lot of the politically and socially conservative women I've met through years and years of PTA work struck me as a lot better mothers than the more politically liberal ones who were far too busy to work on the school fair or take their turn on carpool day.  You know what Hillary Clinton said about baking cookies.  I've baked a lot of cookies in my time.  I didn't appreciate her disdain.  If conservatives have taken firm hold of the "family values" banner, its not fair to totally blame Karl Rove.  In (and I stress this limitation)  a very personal and day to day way, they are often doing a better job of living their values as opposed to negotiating for them in the abstract.

And then there's the religion issue.  There's no denying that religion can give some people a lot of strength.  I'm no advocate of blind faith in religion but neither am I an advocate in blind faith in psychotherapy or science, which often seems to all that liberals can proffer up in times of trouble. The growth of religious fundamentalism in recent times is to some degree a reaction to the spiritual vacuity of mainstream culture.

Most of all, I was pleased that Dreher finally connected the dots and realized that organic food is a sacramental thing (see my post "Is Monsanto on God's side?") and that changing the way we eat and produce food is probably the most revolutionary thing we can do. 

Upon a second reading, though, I found myself irriated by Dreher's sanctimoniousness. He seems to think Republicans (and religious Republicans in particular) corner the market on being decent human beings.  "Man cannot live by Viagra and the Dow Jones alone", he says.  I don't have any statistics on Viagra, but I know for sure that most of the folks poring over the Dow Jones are REpublicans.  Republicans build up just as much credit card debt, get divorced as often, shove their children in front of the TV screen just as frequently.  These are social and cultural issues.  They pertain to everyone living in these times.  They are not Republican or Democratic, liberal or conservative. Or for that matter, religious or agnostic. 

Dreher gets especially judgemental as regards religion.  I'm glad his religion (strict Catholicism) lends meaning and structure to his life, but that is not the way for everyone.  Like Bush, he experienced his religious conversion after a drinking binge.  Fine and dandy, but a lot of us find other, equally valid ways, to discipline ourselves and keep our lives on track.Dreher might do well to meet with some "liberals" and get to know them as human beings instead of stereotypes.  I once spent an evening drinking margaritas with one of my husbands, co-workers, a conservative Republican.  At the end of the evening he announced in surprise "You have family values!"  Wow.  Despite my political predilictions and my nose ring.

I've long felt there was a point where hippies and true conservatives (aka libertarians) meet.  Like Dreher, I believe that food is our most fundamental issue. Lots of other issues may remain up for discussion, but we cannot survive much longer on this planet without sustainably raising, distributing, and preparing our food.

If that remains our only point of connection, perhaps its enough.  Its time to move beyond labels of liberal and conservative, with all their emotionsl baggage, and recognize our common causes and common enemies.

Crunchy cons won't save the world, but crunchy people can.

if you find a brewery that doesn’t brew beer

If your life has seemed empty and boring without my opinions, I'm back.  My husband and I spent a lovely week in Mendocino, trading the rain and ruggedly beautiful coast of Oregon for the rain and ruggedly beautiful coast of California.  Opinions are coming in the next post, but for now, should you ever stop in Crescent City, California–a remarkably drab spot amid gorgeous redwood forests–here is a bad country song (or a restaurant review in verse) about the Crescent City Brewery and Grill:

If you find a brewery that brews no beer

Say "Give me my check

I'm out of here".

Don't trap yourself orderin bad Merlot

Get right in your truck and go

Or you might find yourself like me

Payin for food you shouldn't eat for free.

Down by Crescent City's docks

The fish is frozen, from a box

The cheese is plastic, the bread bleached white

The pasty chowder don't taste right

The mystery meat is charred and dry

To protect you from nasty e coli.

I'm a country girl, what can I say?

I like my food cooked nature's way.

So if you find a brewery that brews no beer

Say "Give me my check."

"I'm out of here."