Slumber

This is just one of the great pictures published on slate.com of people in various stages of sleep.

CAMPANIA, Italy—1960.
© Henri Cartier-Bresson / Magnum Photos

"Adam and Eve in the Land of Dinosaurs"

The creation museum opens on the 28th, and this article in the New York Times gives a look into what exactly a creation museum is and does. With exhibits designed by the guy who did the Jaws exhibit at Universal Studios, there is no doubt that the creation museum offers multiple sights and spectacles for visitors to behold. But what kind of sights and for what rhetorical purposes? Aren't they preaching to the choir, here? Will skeptical visitors come to the museum and be persuaded of the museum's message of creationism over evolution? What is the purpose of such a museum? To persuade non-believers? To strengthen and legitimize existing beliefs? Museums are tools of persuasion, but science, technology, and history usually lie at the foundation of the stories they tell through their exhibits. But we are fooling ourselves if we don't acknowledge the way museums 'fill the gaps' in scientific and historical knowledge, developing narratives in order to make exhibits more visually appealing, persuasive, and memorable to visitors. Maybe we should admire the creation museum for its unabashed attempt to mix biblical legends and "truths" with science and ethics.

As the author says: The Creation Museum offers an alternate world that has its fascinations, even for a skeptic wary of the effect of so many unanswered assertions. He leaves feeling a bit like Adam emerging from Eden, all the world before him, freshly amazed at its strangeness and extravagant peculiarities.

And, of course, it's in Kentucky.

Go Carter, it's your birthday...

'White House Says Carter Criticism of Bush is Sad'

Could modern medicine have saved Lincoln?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/20/AR2007052000873.html

This article from the Post describes what the doctors did for Lincoln in the 19th century and how treatment would be similar/different today. As the author points out, the doctors attending to Lincoln followed many of the same protocols as modern EMTs and doctors. And the author poses the question, how would our world have been different if Lincoln had lived? Even if Lincoln had lived with decreased motor function and a drastically decreased ability to communicate, inevitably his survival would have changed a great deal about the course that history has taken since the Civil War.

Michelle Obama's struggle with "opting-out"

"Michelle Obama's Sacrifice" http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/05/21/michelle_obama/index.html

This is an interesting article from Salon about Michelle Obama's decision to, for all intents and purposes, quit her high-powered job to be on the campaign trail. Although I disagree with the way the author reads into various comments by Michelle Obama (the author seems comfortable with putting words/thoughts/actions in Michelle Obama's mouth), the author poses interesting questions about the developing role of the wife on the campaign trail and the role of the first lady. I hope that Michelle Obama defines her own role and finds ways to put all of her talents to good use.

The issue (and Maureen Dowd's column about Michelle Obama) is discussed more on these blogs:

http://thelastplantation.com/search.aspx?q=maureen%20dowd

http://thehnic.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/the-white-lady-just-doesn’t-get-it-a-response-to-maureen-dowds-critique-of-michelle-obama/#more-72

Opt-in

To follow up on the articles I posted about women "opting out" of the workplace, here's an article about how companies are beginning to change their policies about mothers returning to the workplace. A step in the right direction, but just a small step as the author notes.

"After Baby, Boss Comes Calling" by Lisa Belkin

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/17/fashion/17work.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087%0A&em&en=b2cd8ac16c107463&ex=1179633600

narcissism anyone?

"My greatest competition is, well, me... I'm the Ali of today. I'm the Marvin Gaye of today. I'm the Bob Marley of today. I'm the Martin Luther King, or all the other greats that have come before us. And a lot of people are starting to realize that now." -- R. Kelly

Amy Winehouse - Rehab

I've been listening to this album over and over. I stole it from Mike who has yet to listen to it. She is kind of a mess in terms of her personal life and such, but I love her songs.

Clavicle?

What's a clavicle? If you know and you are obsessing over it, then you are apparently at the forefront of fashion's latest trend. Yes, the clavicle is the latest body part that the fashion world has decided women should start obsessing over. What kind of clavicle do you want? Well, definitely not a chubby one (is there such a thing?). Your clavicle should be pronounced with a nicely defined breastbone beneath it (read: you can count the ribs). How do you exercise a clavicle? Beats me. It looks like the only way to get one is to reduce your calorie intake. So, it's not enough to have a perfect body from the chest down; now women must also obsess about the upper chest/neck area. While it is nice that women's fashion is no longer pushing women to "bare it all," I find the obsession with the clavicle further proof of the fashion industry's hypocrisy. Yes, there have been fashion forums with distinguished panelists including Donna Karan and others talking about how models have gotten way too "skinny" and what fashion should do to remedy the problem. Apparently, the remedy is to find a new body part for women to obsess over. So now they are emphasizing a body part that is almost impossible to change unless you are underweight or naturally blessed with a "beautiful clavicle."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/fashion/10clavicle.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

The New Modern Woman, Ambitious and Feeble

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/05/arts/television/05grey.html?ex=1179028800&en=bdc5ad51ee23d031&ei=5070&emc=eta1

My Mom sent me this article review of the latest 2-hour episode of Grey's Anatomy. TV actresses, like their movie star counterparts, should start complaining about a lack of strong female leads. Although I admit to enjoying Grey's, I can't help but wonder why anyone would want to be with some of these women. They can't make up their minds, they complain constantly, and they seem to be highly susceptible to any and every hint of testosterone that crosses their paths. Why not let Addison remain a witch and see what happens? Why does her character have to become more ditzy and "vulnerable" (read - psychotic) to be likeable? It's a disturbing trend, but I don't imagine that it will change any time soon.

Naked man leads police on 40 minute chase

40 minutes? Thankfully, I don't have any pictures to accompany this article.

And to think that I just saw the naked-girlfriend Seinfeld episode yesterday :)

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KY_NAKED_POLICE_CHASE_KYOL-?SITE=KYLOU&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT