Iraq

This was too funny. I think it says it all.

Florida

I can't believe the hurricane season this year. Mostly, it's been keeping me at work late because of the updates at night. I hope it's over soon, because Florida has been through too much.

Hoboken

We took Rocky to the Hoboken Arts and Music Festival on Sunday. It was his first outing around a really big crowd, and he was really good. He made lots of friends who thought he was very cute.

 

Underwater

I finally figured out how to use my digital camera. Here's some evidence.

Apollo Theater

Last night, Randi and I went to V-Day: Chicks Rock at the Apollo. It was an amazing night featuring speeches and performances by incredible women. That list would include: Eve Ensler, Marissa Tormei, Vanessa Carlton, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Marie Wilson of the White House Project, reps. from Rock the Vote, Hazel Goodman, Isabella Rosaline, Charlotte Martin, Toni Childs, Kate Clinon and We Got Issues.

What's incredible is that in this country where women fought to win the right to vote and we pride ourselves on democracy, 22 million women didn't vote in 2000 and 16 million eligible women aren't even registered, according to V-Day.

There are plenty of reasons I can give why women should vote, but perhaps, the three who said it best were Yanar Mohammed, founder of the Organisation for Women's Freedom in Iraq, and Zoya, a member of The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, and Malalai Joya, who was a delegate to Afghanistan's constitutional council and received death threats for speaking out. (find out more about them at: www.rawa.org, www.equalityiniraq.com, www.geocities.com/malalaijoya/ )
They detailed how women in their countries, which we supposedly attacked to bring freedom to them, are still living in fear and under oppression, fighting for their rights and for their lives.  (See Laura Bush's lies on this very subject in her GOP convention speech at wWw.gopconvention.org)

So please make plans to be at the polls on Nov. 2. And bring along other women you know. And if you're not registered, there's still time. Visit rockthevote.com or vday.org to get help. 

Be heard.

National Museum of Women Artists

I've wanted to visit the National Museum of Women Artists since I heard about it, covering a lecture on Douglass for the Targum.  But when I was in DC, I only had time to visit the gift shop and pick up these souveniers.

Statue of Liberty

"And in conclusion may I please remind you it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty. Thank you very much." Cher, "Clueless"

Well in 1995 this statement was true. But not anymore. Randi and Khoder went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island last week. It wasn't until they got to the Statue that they were informed they could not enter the statue with out an RSVP. Now, it didn't say this anywhere at the ferry terminal, Liberty State Park or Ellis Island. They could only go to the STORE and park outside the statue.

Even the liberty to visit the Statue of Liberty has been taken away from us.

I think this was true, too, once upon a time...

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."