There's an article in the New York Times today about the upcoming call to protest the backscatter x-ray machines at the security screenings in airports.

Joe Sharkey says at the end of his article "I'm getting a lot of questions about the new security regime, including some pointed ones from women. Do the imagers, for example, detect sanitary napkins? Yes. Does that then necessitate a pat-down? The T.S.A. couldn't say. Screeners, the T.S.A. has said, are expected to exercise some discretion." What the hell? What right does the TSA have to know that a woman is menstruating?

From the article it sounds like the pilots' union is making some headway at getting the TSA to exempt pilots from having to go through the screening. I like this quote "Pilots have long bristled at being subjected to intensive security when, as they point out, a pilot in control of an airplane does not need a Swiss Army knife to bring it down." Heh. But what can us non-union folks do to get a seat at the table with the TSA?

Some are calling to take the National Opt Out Day protest to the next level. They are asking men to wear kilts the traditional way, sans boxers, for the invasive pat down the opt out will require.

I kind of wish I were flying on Wednesday just so I could do my part to clog up the works. Not that I want the people traveling to be delayed. That sucks. But we have to make a stand. We can't let the government do this to us.

This Friday I was subjected yet again to the new TSA screening policies. I travel a lot, mostly for work, so I don't have the option of not flying. I have to "play" by the TSA rules. And it sucks. I don't know what we have to do to get these policies changed, but we need to figure it out.

This morning I wrote to the TSA themselves, my two senators, my congresswoman, and the president. Yes, I realize that if I didn't have an FBI file before I have one now. But you know what, I'm okay with that (I think). I want them to know that I'm mad. They need to know that you are mad too.

Most of the uproar right now is over the new X-ray scanning machines. The ones where the agents basically get to see you naked? And while they say they don't keep the images, do we really trust them? I don't. Luckily I have never had to go through one of those.

What I have had to endure is The Pat Down. Pretty much every time I go through security I get patted down. All of the agents I've dealt with so far have been courteous. I know it's their job and they are just following orders. I found out some interesting things on this last trip.

Did you know that a woman wearing a long skirt is now required to have her lower body pat down now? As a plus-size woman, almost all of my skirts are long. I feel this unfairly discriminates against me, not to mention what it does for women who wear long skirts for religious reasons. I do not believe this does anything to increase security.

I also object to the more intrusive pat downs that are now happening. I much preferred the wand that was used. My brassier usually sets off the alarm, so I get patted down almost every time I go through security (even if I am not wearing a skirt). I object to having total strangers touch my body in such an intimate way. They touch your boobs. They feel your butt and your inner thigh. No where else do you get this kind of treatment

These new policies treat law abiding citizens like criminals. This is not a police state. We should be able to travel freely from state to state and within a state without being felt up by law enforcement.

What can you do? Well, to start do what I did. Write to your congress-person. Write to your senators. (Both of them). Write to the president and to the TSA.

Some folks are holding a protest by opting out of the x-ray scanners on Wed, Nov 24, 2010.

Please re-post to boost the signal.

They had a fire this morning that destroyed most of their facility and killed several animals, including 12 cats. They need donations, volunteers to help with clean-up, and people to temporarily foster pets.

http://www.berkeleyhumane.org/

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_15125303?nclick_check=1

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

1994 Inaugural Speech - Nelson Mandela

I just StumbleUpon-ed this info graphic.

There's more detailed information at the ChildInfo site about women's attitudes towards domestic violence.

This brings tears to my eyes. The number of countries where 60% or more of the women think it's okay for their husbands to beat them is sickening. You know that where the stats are that high it's highly likely the women are getting beaten on a regular basis.

What is wrong with men that they think it's okay to beat their wives? How can we ever hope for peace when violence is so ingrained and systemic down to the core of the family unit? It makes me sick.

Late last night, E and I were sitting in the dining room, playing a computer game, when we heard a series of really loud bangs. I looked at E and I think both of us were doing the mental calculations... were they firecrackers? It's still close to 4th of July. There were so many in succession... it had to be fireworks. But they didn't sound like fireworks. Should we call the police, again? A knot in my stomach grew.

But then I saw people running across the courtyard of the apartment complex, aka the projects, across the street. And the sirens started. After a few minutes, we turned the lights out and went to the window.

A man was down in the street. Not just in the street, 50 feet from our driveway in the street. Neighbors were gathering along the sidewalk. I was amazed at how fast the police and firemen got to the scene. They blocked off each end of the block with cop cars, crime scene tape was strung between the utility poles. Cops were holding back women from running closer.

After what seemed like forever an ambulance arrived on the scene. So many cops, firemen and medics surrounded the man, it was hard to see. But they got him on a stretcher and into the ambulance, which was parked right in front of the house. My heart sank when it didn't immediately drive off. Through the open door I could see the rapid up-down-up-down shoulders of the medic giving CPR. Still the ambulance didn't move, but I could see men working around the injured man. That had to be a good sign, right?

The CSI team started working on the street. They were using chalk to circle things on the street and put up little numbered cards and take photos, just like you see on TV. (Though not one of the three uniformed officers looked like Melina Kanakaredes.) I heard one of them say "There's a bullet over here." Officers started asking neighbors what they had seen. Finally the ambulance took off. We watched the CSI team work a bit longer. E went out to talk with our next door neighbors.

I've been searching the intertubes this morning to see if I can learn more. We did see a camera man filming. So far there's only scant coverage. I don't know which boy it was who we saw. A search on the boy who died, Xavier Gillette, turned up this.

I'm filled with all kinds of emotions. I'm scared that this wonderful house we are in is unsafe and that E and I will get caught in the cross-fire. I'm mournful for my neighbors, for the people in this city, that more violence has led to a needless death. I'm proud of my public safety officers who handled the situation so quickly, professionally, and calmly (yes, I know that's their job, but it's still nice to see it wasn't Keystone Cops out there). I hope that the other boy will be okay, that he will recover and his life won't be scarred forever.

Mostly I have feelings of not understanding. Why was this the best course of action that the shooter felt they had? What were the events leading up to this point? And I feel like we, as a community, let Xavier and the other boy down. What could we have done to help insure this didn't happen? How can we end this cycle of violence?

I know that E and I are probably not targets. But what if next time a stray bullet goes through our window? What if it happens while I'm walking home from the bus stop? But I'm defiant to this line of thinking. Yes, it is a possibility. But I refuse to be held hostage of that fear. I can't limit my life because of something that might happen. I can only go about my life, and do what I can to make this place better and safer.

Just never got around to seeing it. And now everyone else has seen it. It's still embarrassing to admit around the water cooler.

Ever since Maggie came out with her life list, I've been mulling over what would be on mine. I thought now would be as good a time as any to start writing some of these down.

1. Establish a scholarship.
2. Be listed as a patron to a museum.
3. Go on safari in Africa.
4. Visit the town of Berlingo in Italy.
5. Take each of my brother's kids on a special vacation trip with just them.
6. Knit a sweater for E.
7. Visit every continent.
8. Visit Glacier National Park.
9. See the polar bears in Churchill, Canada.
10. Write a book.
11. Be asked to keynote a conference.
12. Spend at least a couple of months living in Europe.
13. Scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef.
14. Road trip across the USA.
15. Go skinny dipping.
16. Sleep outside, not in a tent.
17. Host an annual party that folks look forward to.
18. Read all 100 novels on the Modern Library's best list.
19. March on Washington (again).
20. Be a Girl Scout leader or Boy Scout Den Mother.
21. Meditate on a regular basis.
22. Cultivate a flower garden.
23. Pick berries and make jam.
24. Take a cake decorating class.
25. Visit every state in the Union.