Dear Harvey,   

Thanks for giving my voice an ear and a pair of eyes! Otherwise, I'd explode from the frustration of not being able to write daily due to my carpel tunnel. Funny you should write about the acupuncturist, after calling around I found one who will see me Friday. Yes, I'm in that much pain. Simon, how do you say Uncle [phonetically] in chinese? Yes, I'm willing to submit to the needles. The pain they'll inflict on me is probably less than what I'm experiencing now. 

About my handwritten letter, as you read it, remember that I'm mouthing off at the idiots that are trying to hold my city hostage by saying publicly that they will disrupt business and traffic in order to protest and have their views aired on TV, when and how they want to and not as the NYPD has negotiated.  

I need to say that I'm enraged over the threats these protesters are making. When our founding fathers put that little adjective ‘peacefulÂ’ in front of our right to assemble, they saw that right as an integral part of being a free citizen, to ensure the survival of our tenuous democracy [at that time]. Under British rule we were not allowed to exchange opinions or even discuss in public our differing views on any given topic, let alone be critical of the King and his representative.  

These protestors don't wish to engage in a discussion, they don't wish to educate the public by putting out position papers or informational flyers. Instead, they're main goal is to show "what a fascist society we live in, as a result of our Homeland Security policies and the Patriot Act".

How do they do that? By provoking the police through various subtle but systematic means. I've seen this done time and again in NYC, and then when the police have had enough and move in, they fight police. .  Anyone who's ever engaged in an act of civil disobedience knows that the police will tell you as they put their hands on you that you are "under arrest". If you resist, then you are choosing to do physical battle with the police and you become a potential threat not only to them, but to those around you, protestors and bystanders alike.

Anarchist organizations like, Love and Rage, teach protestors how to incite police action with methods of provocation, etc. Often they are staged and set up so that someone will video tape it. Indepundit's Citizen Smash has been a witness to this in the protests he covered a few months ago. He's now reporting on who actually is behind the violence at the democratic convention. Thanks for these reports Smash.  

The bottom line is that these tactics are meant to do nothing more than to disrupt and to portray our government and law enforcement officials as.... dare I say it - "The SS" [their words not mine]. This is NOT peaceful assembly, this is NOT an exchange or discussion of ideas, this is just a tactic "to try and push [the police's] buttons so that when the 30 sec. video comes on the news people WILL believe that the police have gone too far". The actions ARE their arguments.  

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who engages in duplicitous action, hostile or violent means, to express their views, or who puts the safety of innocent bystanders in danger through these means, do not deserve to be protesting in Times Square or across from Madison Square Garden. Let them assemble where they can be heard and seen without any danger or inconvenience to the general public. If you have problems with that, there are plenty of mainstream democratic means to have your opinions known, such as: petitions, letter writing, lobbying your representatives by paying them a visit, passing out flyers, attending your community board meetings to begin a movement on a grass roots level.  

People who don't participate in the political process don't have any right to come in at the eleventh hour to express their opinion in a way that threatens my safety or my civil liberties. If they wanted to express their disenchantment with either, our gov't, our political system and/or the way the business of this country is conducted, they should use more effective means to change public opinion, instead of disenfranchising citizens. If they want to be listened to they should go to the voting booths, not occassionally but regularly.  

To do otherwise means that you distinctly feel that the democratic process doesn't work; then the discussion becomes one about political ideology and not democracy!

[originally posted on blogspot on 7/28/04]

Posted by: Michele at 03:59 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I've been bored and very frustrated over not being able to do much, including blogging, due to my ongoing battle with carpel tunnel. During my convalescing period I began to clean out the closets and began to re-read some of my old college notebooks. In one of them I came across a project I had to do for a Psychology class. The essence of the assignment was to develop a scientific survey where people would subconsciously reveal something about themselves without realizing it. Half of it is posted below.

I would love for you guys to keep me amused and out of trouble, by participating in this quasi-scientific experiment. Now in order for this to work online I need all your answers to be posted via the comments link. On Wednesday [change] IÂ’ll post the answers I originally gave on the quiz, along with the keys/answers to the questions. So come back so you can determine for yourselves how you faired in the quiz. This was a riot on campus when we did this and the most fun I had in getting an A+. Hope you have fun and thanks for playing.

1. What is your horoscope sign (either Chinese or astrological)?

2. If you could be any creature in the animal kingdom, which one would you be?
Now write down 2 adjectives to describe the qualities you like most about this animal

3. What is your favorite body of water (either by name or by indicating whether itÂ’s a pond, lake, river or ocean)?
Now write down 2 adjectives to describe the characteristics of it that you like the most.

4. If you could paint your favorite room any color, what color would it be?
Now write down 2 words to describe how that color makes you feel.

5. Now write down the first few words you can remember saying during a recent shocking or surprising event in your life?

[Originally posted in blogspot on 7-8-04]

Update 4-10-05: I will be posting the keys or answers to this quiz on my entry of 4-16-05. So please join in on the fun.

Update 7-11-04: If you're home this weekend and on the prowl for some laughs then please go visit my new dear adopted Blog Father, Harvey of Bad Example who has a really funny post on Glenn Reynolds' personal profile. It's the best medicine I've had all day! If you want to know about how I came into his family then go visit here and you'll get all the dirt. Thanks Bladdy [Blog daddy] for bringing me into your wonderful new family!

And now for some unrelated news: Happy Belated Birthday to Frank J. who has an award winning new weapon called S.M.I.T.E. This weapon is currenlty being reviewed by Cassandra Porter at the DOD for a grant (courtesy of moi in lieu of a present). From what I understand, Frank uses emerging technology that puts nanotechnology scientists to shame. Because of the advanced nature and complexity of this technology, Frank's provided really great schematics and graphics for non-technologists like me to learn and understand this new weapons system. It's really a very funny piece that is a must read!

Posted by: Michele at 03:55 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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David Brooks, Op Ed columnist for the NY Times has been writing recently about the polarization of America. I agree with him on many points [imagine that, me agreeing with a conservative], especially with his statement that “To a large degree, polarization in America is a cultural consequence of the information age.”
more...

Posted by: Michele at 03:43 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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