'Birthers' must be stopped

I thought I didn't have anything more to say until this came along. I try not to be overtly political but this was too good to pass up.

OPINION in today's LA Times

No matter how dumb, the people who are questioning whether Obama was born in the U.S. could eventually cause real problems.

By Bill Maher

Never underestimate the ability of a tiny fringe group of losers to ruin everything.

For the last couple of weeks, we've all been laughing heartily at the wacky antics of the "birthers" -- the far-right goofballs who claim Barack Obama wasn't really born in Hawaii and therefore the job of president goes to the runner-up, former Miss California Carrie Prejean.

Also, when Obama was sworn in as president, he forgot to give his answer in the form of a question.

And yet, every week, the chorus of conservatives demanding to see his birth certificate grows. It's like they're the Cambridge police, Obama's in his house -- the White House -- and they need to see some ID.

And there's nothing anyone can do to convince these folks. You could hand them, in person, the original birth certificate and have a video of Obama emerging from the womb with Don Ho singing in the background ... and they still wouldn't believe it.

So far, the reaction from Democrats is to laugh this off, and I understand why. If you seriously believe that President Obama is an African sleeper spy, get out of your chat room and have your house tested for lead.

But we live in America, and in America, if you don't immediately kill arrant nonsense, no matter how ridiculous, it can grow and thrive and eventually take over, like crab grass or reality shows about fat people.

This flap might be a deluded right-wing obsession that is a total waste of time, but so was Whitewater, and look where that ended up. A handful of Republican operatives, enraged at Bill Clinton's unprecedented economic growth and budget surpluses, found a woman named Paula Jones, which led to a woman named Monica Lewinsky, which gave me enough material to eventually be able to buy a big house in Bel-Air. Which I'm still conflicted about.

More recently we had the Swift Boat allegations against John Kerry, in which Kerry was accused of volunteering to serve in Vietnam so he could jump in front of a bullet so he could get a medal and then throw it away to satisfy his urge to insult real Americans. This was so stupid that Kerry refused to even discuss it.

And we all know how well that worked out.

And once these stories get out there, they're hard to stamp out because our media do such a lousy job of speaking truth to stupid. Vietnam, Iraq and the Spanish-American War were all sold on lies that were unchallenged or even abetted by the media. Clinton got impeached and Kerry got destroyed in large part because the media didn't have the guts to say, "This is nonsense."

Lou Dobbs has been saying recently that people are asking a lot of questions about the birth certificate. Yes, the same people who want to know where the sun goes at night.

And Lou, you're their new king.

That's why it's so important that we the few, the proud, the reality-based attack this stuff before it has a chance to fester and spread. This isn't a case of Democrats versus Republicans. It's sentient beings versus the lizard people, and it is to them I offer this deal: I'll show you Obama's birth certificate when you show me Sarah Palin's high school diploma.

Bill Maher is host of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."

play dead baillie

I have nothing more to say . . . for now!
Happy Friday!

love cats

someone, please get married so I can send you this card

available at buy olympia

sustainable or organic cut flowers

Finding a well-designed bouquet of eco-friendly flowers is easier than you think. And no, you don't have to hit up your own garden, or your neighbor's, to make it happen. Whether it's a dozen roses you're after or a full-scale event (green wedding, anyone?), there are a number of florists, markets and websites that are committed to working with sustainable buds.

In recent years, the green movement and exposés like Amy Stewart's book, Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers, have brought the behind-the-scenes of the commercial flower-growing industry, which includes heavy pesticide use and unfair labor practices, to light. In response, certifications are cropping up to ensure that flowers have been raised organically or by farms that practice sustainable methods that protect the well-being of both the environment and the workers. As growers reform, floral designers are following suit.

One such florist is Gardenia Organic in New York City, whose compelling business model is nothing if not ahead of the curve. Founded by Hannah Ling in 2007, Gardenia Organic takes claim to being the city's first "green" florist, and they approach sustainability from the inside out: Ling uses biodegradable cellophane, composts her flower waste and makes deliveries by way of man-powered rickshaws. Central to Ling's business are her sustainable flowers (including Organic blooms), which she sources from farms (both local and international) whose plants and practices meet the certification standards of organizations like USDA Organic and VeriFlora. VeriFlora is particularly close to Ling's heart for encompassing a broad range of issues, such as conserving water, minimizing agrochemicals, building soil fertility and fair wages for workers.

VeriFlora flowers are also popular with floral designer Christine Saunders of the Spiraled Stem Floral Design in Anaheim, CA, who specializes in big events and weddings. "It can be challenging to get every element of an arrangement organic," Saunders admits. "On a large scale, it's much easier to find quality and consistency in color and shape in VeriFlora flowers." According to Saunders, two good retail sources for VeriFlora flowers are Whole Foods Market and Organicbouquet.com (the latter's flowers are also Fair Trade certified). And Whole Foods uses the Whole Trade Guarantee seal on many of its flowers, stocks some Oranic and some Fair Trade flowers. Saunders notes that Costco carries Rainforest Alliance roses, and even 1-800-FLOWERS.com has a selection (albeit limited) of Fair Trade Certified bouquets.

At this point, perception might be the biggest hurdle florists face. "When people hear organic flowers they think they have to compromise," Ling says. "There is a huge variety, but it is seasonal. I can't get organic peonies in November. On the flip side, I can get local tulips and anemones; roses year-round; and, from New Jersey, some of the silkiest calla lilies you've ever seen." — Damaris Colhoun

More tips:

LOOK FOR LABELS

All the experts agree that consumers need to look for labels. Whole Foods stocks VeriFlora, Organic and Whole Trade Certified flowers; Costco recently committed to stocking Rainforest Alliance certified roses. wholefoods.com, costco.com.

Certifications to look for:

Fair Trade Certified. transfairusa.org

FlorVerde. florverde.org

Rainforest Alliance. rainforestalliance.org

USDA Organic. usda.gov

VeriFlora. veriflora.org

FOR BIG EVENTS, GO VERIFLORA

Christine Saunders, who has designed arrangements for blue-chip events, including the Oscars and the Grammys, suggests using VeriFlora certified flowers instead of organic ones for large-scale events. "It's hard to get a large crop of organic flowers to be consistent in color and size. There tend to be imperfections. VeriFlora certified flowers are much more available on a large scale."

To learn more about planning an eco-friendly wedding, turn to Green Wedding by Mireya Navarro.

mireyanavarro.com

Gray Organschi Storage Barn

New Haven architectural firm Gray Organschi has designed an innovative and energy-efficient storage barn. Writing in The Architect’s Newspaper, Julie Iovine says, “A storage barn for a landscape contractor turns a simple shed into a thing of beauty by simply stacking materials—with dimensions derived from the size of a pallet—around a void determined by the turnaround space needed for a loading tractor. Ground-source heat pumps and electricity are powered by rooftop photovoltaic panels, with surplus energy to spare."

backyard shipping container

The idea of living in an old shipping container is fascinating, especially if it looks like one of these structures from IC Green, Inc. From 320 square foot studios to 2400 square foot homes, these container dwellings are excellently designed and score major points in sustainability. Aside from the recycled shipping container bones, the insides boast their own green features: radiant flooring, green (living) roof, dual flush toilets, etc. I have to say it: ingenuity at its best!

About:
IC Green is the next breakthrough in housing and sustainable green structures. Designed to be architecturally pleasing yet affordable, IC Green manufactures and pre-assembles a wide-range of structures from small backyard cabanas and office space to expansive residences.

IC Green combines the skills and design excellence from our in-house architects and builders to deliver you a fully engineered, affordable and high-quality product that exceeds most finishes of many high-end custom homes.

Learn more at icgreen.net.

diy :: solar sun jar

Solar sunjars are a really fun way to romantically light up an outdoor evening wedding. Less cheesy than LED candles and more eco-friendly than petroleum based wax candles, they're pretty widely available on the net. For $55.00 you can get one at the MoMa Store. However, for those looking to save a little and test their DIY skills, thanks to LifeHacker, you can also make your own!

via earth friendly weddings

Palin's resignation speech :: edited

Vanity Fair magazine took the liberty to edit Sarah Palin's resignation speech because as they put it "her high-priced speechwriters moved back to the Beltway long ago".

Just how poorly constructed was the governor’s holiday-weekend address? V.F. asked it’s red-pencil-wielding executive literary editor, together with representatives from the research (green) and copy (blue) departments, to whip it into publishable shape. Here is the colorful result.



You can read the rest on-line here. But that's only if you want to torture yourself!

way back when

I guess I'm in a nostalgic mood. Remember this "ride" at Disneyland? I think it became the "Carousel of the Future". It was one of my favorites. I've always wondered who got it when it was dismantled. Enjoy!

Happy Friday!

Walter Cronkite. Good night.

when journalism had poise

1916 - 2009

before scrolling headlines, a 24-hour news cycle and sensational ramblings of nothingness . . .

there was walter cronkite

he had a way with words, a backbone

one could say his unwavering eloquence, integrity and humanity saved lives

he was our dinner guest every week night when I was growing up

yesterday was his funeral

andy rooney was too emotional to complete his eulogy

to conclude, a clip for you

diy :: transfer letters

We finally have a door on the toilet room - it only took a year. But it has no way of locking. So John came up with the idea of writing "occupied" on the door that's only visible when the door is closed. I looked up the word in Italian and had the local sign shop make a vinyl stick-on version. It was really easy.

what a doll (house)!

Too good for product promotion and, come on if you were honest, too good for the little ones.

These irresistible dollhouses (or is that Bauhaus models ...wink, wink ... too good for the little ones remember) are the styling work of New Zealander Katie Lockhart.

Originally created as a promotion for Resene, showcasing their Karen Walker paint range, they reference the Bauhaus School of the 1920s. See you can tell the kids they're models, then close the door and play with them yourself. If only they were in production!

natural texture

Scotch-Brite's Greener Clean line. The sponge is made from natural fibers and also part recycled paper, so they're biodegradable. Available at Target.

life in topanga

It's so hot even Mezzo is having a tough time staying cool. High expected to reach 99 with relative humidity of 37%! It could be worse!

clever idea

MyDrap linen napkins :: made in Spain, the crisp linen napkins come perforated on a roll (like paper towels) and can be torn off as needed; they can also be washed and reused. All MyDrap products, including tea towels, drinks coasters, and placemats by the roll, can be ordered directly from RollDrapuk in the UK.

twenty seconds of culture

Twenty Seconds of Culture from Hattie Newman on Vimeo.

color inspiration :: coral + black

The combination of these colors creates such a glamorous intensity, don't you think? Not quite as harsh as black and red, a touch of coral with rich wood tones and black seems like a fabulous summer combo to me...

*images via house beautiful, unkown, saipua

clever idea

Help Remedies has some really clever packaging for some every day medicines. They come in these great little containers that you can throw in your purse or back pack.

You can buy them online here. They're only $4 each.

post-it love

happy friday!

diy :: vintage labels

Create an authentic vintage look with these DIY herb bottles which can be used for gifts, party or wedding favours or simply to decorate your own pantry!

Get the FREE downloadable labels here plus a tutorial. I think I'm going to try to make these myself.

a recycled retreat

NY Times :: A New Yorker built a West Texas vacation home made of five recycled shipping containers, rooted on a vast ranch.

Cinco Camp, Roger Black’s West Texas retreat, is made of five shipping containers on his 3,000-acre ranch. “I wanted something that blends into the landscape and could be installed and eventually removed with minimal disturbance to the environment,” he said.

Mr. Black, who was the art director at Rolling Stone in the 1970s, and at The New York Times and Newsweek in the 1980s, is now a publications consultant. He built this house, a nine-hour trip from his Manhattan apartment, last year.

The units, finished off site and set in place by cranes, retain their original exterior doors. When sealed, they keep out the elements, not to mention snakes.

The kitchen has custom cabinetry and furniture by Mr. Wellen. “It’s comfortable, but you get more than six people in here and you start to bump into each other,” Mr. Black said.

“Out here, I get back to reality ... whatever reality is," Mr. Black said.

See more photos here.

in the news

TOKYO (AFP) — Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, who survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, has urged US President Barack Obama to visit the city on the anniversary of the attack as part of his drive to rid the world of nuclear arms.

"I realized that I have, perhaps now more than ever, a personal and moral responsibility to speak out as one who survived what Mr. Obama called the 'flash of light,'" the designer wrote in an opinion piece published in the International Herald Tribune on Wednesday 15 July.

He said he hoped Obama would accept an invitation by the southern port city to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the bombing on August 6.

"If Mr. Obama could walk across the Peace Bridge in Hiroshima ... it would be both a real and a symbolic step toward creating a world that knows no fear of nuclear threat," the 71-year-old designer added.

Miyake, who witnessed the attack when he was seven years old, shared his memories for the first time -- something he said he had not done before because he "did not want to be labeled 'the designer who survived the atomic bomb.'"

"When I close my eyes, I still see things no one should ever experience: a bright red light, the black cloud soon after, people running in every direction trying desperately to escape -- I remember it all," he wrote.

His mother died from radiation exposure within three years of the attack.

The bombing killed an estimated 140,000 people by the end of 1945, either instantly or from radiation or horrific burns, and many more afterwards.

The US dropped a second nuclear bomb on Nagasaki three days later, killing more than 70,000 people. Japan surrendered less than a week later, ending World War II.

No sitting US president has visited the Hiroshima memorial, although Jimmy Carter visited after leaving office and Richard Nixon came as a private citizen between his stints as vice president and president.

Obama has pledged to eliminate nuclear arms and last week agreed with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on a roadmap to reduce their nuclear stockpiles.

via fashion mag

Tour de Chalk

The Lance Armstrong campaign, which provides support and assistance to cancer patients, has teamed up with Nike to create the Chalkbot. The robot will paint personalized text messages in yellow chalk along the route of the Tour de France. You can submit your own inspirational message by texting “LIVESTRONG,” followed by your message, to 36453, or by visiting the official site.

via twig & thistle

style [e]scapes :: modern color palletes

If you're a modern inspired guy or gal, just remember - there's no one way to do it! And, if you're wondering how to get this look, don't worry!

Take the colors already found in nature (greens and blues) and intensify them! Warm wood tones also help, as do using brighter plants and playful pieces like the oversized pot for the hydrangea bush, or the doubled up wicker stools.

If a neutral palette has you bored, there are plenty of ways to keep with a modern style that inject a bit more personality and color.

Of course, to really warm things up, adding yellows, oranges and bold reds are always an option. These spaces exhibit a more mod/trad sensibility with the white 'furniture' by Philippe Starck and chinoiserie inspired pieces in red.

Consider painting a wall, railing, or fencing in a soft accent color, or add a subtle touch of warmth with side tables or pots. Even a bold stripe pillow does the trick to add a bit of whimsy to modern, monochromatic furniture.

via coco + kelley

mother's nature

The Watershed is an off-the-grid writer’s retreat that architect Erin Moore designed for her mother, nature writer Kathleen Dean Moore.

“A lot of times the work of an architect civilizes a place,” says Erin Moore of Tucson, Arizona–based FLOAT Architectural Research and Design. “In this case, the attempt was to have the building amplify its wildness.” The case she refers to is the Watershed, a 70-square-foot writer’s retreat in Wren, Oregon, not far from her parents’ home.

Read more here.

style [e]scapes :: Bohemian color palletes

As summer kicks in to high gear, here are six Bohemian color palettes to rock your out-of-doors. The modern Bohemia look is laid-back, worldly, comfortable and eclectic. It's influenced by many cultures and surroundings - everything from the tropics and jungles to the beach. There aren't any rules here, and the color inspirations range from bright and bold to neutral and warm. Enjoy!

Neutrals get a boost from bright oranges and vibrant greens creating a gorgeous two-tone palette.

Bohemian doesn't have to mean bright. Sometimes the best palette is a base of warm neutrals and fresh white.

A colorful mix of blues and oranges is perfect for creating a festive space!

Shades of red, pink and orange make for a very different palette than you'll see in most gardens.

While indoors, this palette may seem a bit masculine or dull, in the outdoors, surrounded by lush greens, it's perfectly simple and soothing.

For something right in between netural and bright, select muted natural colors like eggplant, mustard, olive green, terra cotta, and clay.

via coco + kelley