Blog Round-Up

Lots and lots going on this week. Not the least of which is the death of my grandmother. It hasn't really sunk in for me yet, so my original thought of postponing blogging for a while, has been replaced by the effort to "keep busy." So, here I go, plunging right in!

[re: the image? I don't know where to start!]

* Europe expands maternity leave! Those lucky families!
* Some "good" videos which explain various and sundry parts of our US election process. I love the tag-line - "Love it or Fix It!"
* I'm new to this responsibility project. I haven't explored it too far yet, but it seems like it's right up my alley.
* Yikes! Homer tries to vote for Obama. JoeMyGod shares my concern about the likelihood of this happening. OY.
* A Lithuanian Haiku, thanks to Skepchick for the link. I probably feel differently about it than they do, but thanks all the same.
* Mrs. O. wears H&M. Thanks to the Budget Fashionista for the photo, by way of BlogHer.
* Speaking of pregnancy and maternity leave, apparently Angelina Jolie, is getting help for PPD, which is great news. This is a great help to us mere mortals who struggle(d). If you are feeling blue after a baby, my friend Moxie has some great tips. But the most important thing is - GET HELP. YOU and your baby and your family are worth it!
* Another Angie, my sister, may be going to Paris this winter. This planning guide might help, courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier, via the NYT.
* A former neighbor, Nancy Masters', art show is up.
* Barack and Spock - who knew?!
* If only I could knit! - Octopus knitting projects.
* In this season of birthdays, who doesn't love a muppet cake!?
* I couldn't manage watching this debate. (gawker article on Gwen Ifill)
* Hello!
* Salon book review on false autism/vaccine link - found on Bad Astronomy Blog.
* Uh oh, that's not good.
* September Madness in the bank mergers arena.
* Some nice religious art.
* In honor of Halloween coming up, a DIY "Planet of the Apes tunic"! Also, see the "splackolantern", below!
* This is "Banned Books Week." Don't tell Sarah Palin!
* My "Green Porno Role" is the Praying Mantis (the Giver). Who are you??
* You can donate to the "Hole in the Wall Camps" in memory of Paul Newman.
* Has McCain seen the light? I truly doubt it. (opinion piece from the NYT)
* Obama promises to cut emissions! That's my guy! Found on Bellona.
* I never knew there was a creation museum, nor that people actually believe that dinosaurs and humans cohabitated.
* The Great Schlep - what a great idea. I can proudly say that MY grandma knew all about Obama and was a huge supporter without my help. But I say more power to ya, and wouldn't it be great if we could swing Florida our way?!?
* "Riding Out the Credit Crisis" by Douglas Rushkoff - good stuff.
* Snip from a blog post by Rolling Stone contributor Matt Taibbi on the media phenomenon surrounding Republical vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin:

Sarah Palin is a symbol of everything that is wrong with the modern United States. As a representative of our political system, she's a new low in reptilian villainy, the ultimate cynical masterwork of puppeteers like Karl Rove. But more than that, she is a horrifying symbol of how little we ask for in return for the total surrender of our political power.

Not only is Sarah Palin a fraud, she's the tawdriest, most half-assed fraud imaginable, 20 floors below the lowest common denominator, a character too dumb even for daytime TV -and this country is going to eat her up, cheering her every step of the way. All because most Americans no longer have the energy to do anything but lie back and allow ourselves to be jacked off by the calculating thieves who run this grasping consumer paradise we call a nation.

(...) The great insight of the Palin VP choice is that huge chunks of American voters no longer even demand that their candidates actually have policy positions; they simply consume them as media entertainment, rooting for or against them according to the reflexive prejudices of their demographic, as they would for reality-show contestants or sitcom characters.

* This just in: Larry Flynt of Huslter has a spoof adult video of Palin. Here's the deets on the Veep!

Thanks to JoeMYGod for the splackolantern!