Berni’s Neighborhood

Transcript of letter: Thomas Jefferson to Roger Weightman - Thomas Jefferson (Library of Congress Exhibition)
            Back to exhibition
            Thomas Jefferson to Roger Weightman
            Monticello June 24. 26
            Respected Sir
            The kind invitation I receive from you on the part of the citizens
            of the city of Washington, to be present with them at their
            celebration of the 50th. anniversary of American independance; as
            one of the surviving signers of an instrument pregnant with our own,
            and the fate of the world, is most flattering to myself, and
            heightened by the honorable accompaniment proposed for the comfort
            of such a journey. it adds sensibly to the sufferings of sickness,
            to be deprived by it of a personal participation in the rejoicings
            of that day. but acquiescence is a duty, under circumstances not
            placed among those we are permitted to controul. I should, indeed,
            with peculiar delight, have met and exchanged there congratulations
            personally with the small band, the remnant of that host of
            worthies, who joined with us on that day, in the bold and doubtful
            election we were to make for our country, between submission or the
            sword; and to have enjoyed with them the consolatory fact, that our
            fellow citizens, after half a century of experience and prosperity,
            continue to approve the choice we made. may it be to the world, what
            I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but
            finally to all,) the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains,
            under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to
            bind themselves, and to assume the blessings & security of
            self-government. that form which we have substituted, restores the
            free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of
            opinion. all eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. the
            general spread of the light of science has already laid open to
            every view. the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not
            been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and
            spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of god. these
            are grounds of hope for others. for ourselves, let the annual return
            of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and
            an undiminished devotion to them.
            I will ask permission here to express the pleasure with which I
            should have met my ancient neighbors of the City of Washington and
            of it's vicinities, with whom I passed so many years of a pleasing
            social intercourse; an intercourse which so much relieved the
            anxieties of the public cares, and left impressions so deeply
            engraved in my affections, as never to be forgotten. with my regret
            that ill health forbids me the gratification of an acceptance, be
            pleased to receive for yourself, and those for whom you write, the
            assurance of my highest respect and friendly attachments.
           

            Th. Jefferson
           

                  Library of Congress

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Scott Peterson

Scott Peterson

Scott Peterson was photographed by the California Department of Corrections in June 2007. Housed on death row at San Quentin State Prison, Peterson was found guilty in 2005 of killing his wife, Laci and their unborn son, Conner.  Notice "CONDEMNED" on his placard.

WANT!

The Fourth of July was always one of my favorite holidays in the US. Not that I'm terribly patriotic or anything, just...there are fireworks and BBQs and its an excuse to drink = HELLO PERFECT HOLIDAY.

Now, it of course means something else to me. It makes me miss home.

While I'll be having fun tonight celebrating Iain's birthday (it's tomorrow!) down by the Thames...there's a part of my heart that will be back home in my parents back yard, drinking Mike's Hard Lemonade and with a over excitable chihuahua at my feet. (Praying for crumbs.)

If I could fly back home today, even just for a couple hours and to see my parents and my sister, I would in a heart beat.

On the Fourth we'd always go to the same spot to watch fire works. My mom and my sister and I would lay on our backs and wait expectantly for the Sperm Fire Works.

If you don't know which ones I'm talking about, the you don't know what you're missing out.

They're the bright, white ones that look like tad-poles when they're first launched, but then go off in crazy directions...as if searching for a big, unfertilized egg in the sky.

It dawned on me a couple of years ago that they totally looked like gigantic sperm. I started laughing hysterically - only to notice that my sister was cackling to herself as well. Then my mom started laughing,

"OH MY GOD THEY LOOK LIKE SPERM!!!!"

Hopefully the Fourth of July Sperm Fireworks won't be nearly as fun without me this year...(If I can't have a fully complete Fourth of July THEN NOBODY SHOULD.)

Happy Independence Day, my fellow Americans.

May this recession end soon, may the gas prices go down, and may all of your BBQ's be fully cooked so you don't end up with the shits all weekend.

This song reminds me of home...

Today I encountered a relic of India's stereotypes.

Sapera 1

Sapera 2

I only got two pics, 'cause when he noticed I was taking them, he packed up and ran away.

He had a baby monkey who had to handle the snake as well. Wasn't able to get the monkey in the shot.

He's called a sapera, also the name of his caste. For centuries his ancestors would have entertained people in market squares and at fairs. Or they would have been called to extricate snakes from people's houses. They were revered as the men who had power over the serpent.

Not so much now. Snake charming and charmers are illegal in India. This guy is probably the last in his family to take up this profession.

There are many problems with this picture. For one, the element of animal cruelty that caused the act to be outlawed in the first place. The snakes barely last two weeks.They're defanged and denied food to keep them in a state akin to a drunken stupor. Which is why the monkey could play with it so easily. Then there's the monkey...

Two, when the law came in, the sapera community didn't really have other options of employment.This was all they knew. And while some managed to find alternatives and others were lucky enough to be recruited by snake protection and rehabilitation programmes, some like this old man still cling to an unsustainable way of life.

Three, people see his dilapidated state, feel the normal human feeling of pity and offer him money. And the problem continues. He always lives from meal to meal.

Circle of life and all that. Cruel, but perpetuated by pity. But is it really pity if he continues to live like this?

“Remember that a government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have.” –Barry Morris Goldwater

How long do you take in the shower?
Submitted by Strive2Be.

Gosh, I'm rather embarrassed now.  I'm the person who posted this question, and I did so because my friend was SHOCKED at how long I took.  Lol.  He wanted to know *exactly* what I could possibly be doing in the shower....take him step by step.  I thought he was being silly, but after reading the answers to this question.....wow, I must transform into a turtle or some such slow critter when the water hits me.  I spend about an hour....yes, you heard me world....one whole hour....sixty minutes.....in the rectangle of spraying water.  That includes wash/rinse hair, wash/rinse body (lol), and shaving BOTH my legs (don't forget that there are TWO of them), plus maybe a touch-up shave between................shhhhhhhhhh.  AND....this doesn't even include getting into the song, "Good, good, good...good vibrations!"  Lol.  You really don't want to know how long I'm in the shower if I get that song into my head!!  So......I'm a turtle......or a slug......or some primordial sludge.  And then don't even get me into what I do AFTER the shower...lotion on the legs and (shhhhhhh area) so the skin doesn't dry out, clip the nails (and remember, we have finger AND toe nails!  Lol), dry myself, pat my hair dry and then let it dry on its own after I've combed it, and get dressed.  I also, at some point during all this time, am cleaning out the shower and drying it.  And guess what, guess what??  I'm one of those people who doesn't use all those creams and lotions and make-up and gobbly gook.  Can you imagine how long I'd be in the bathroom????  Just bodywash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and lotion for the shaved areas.  How come I feel like I'm on the witness stand, defending myself desperately so as not to received the death penalty??  *smile*  I'll have to go into hyperactive speed next time and let you know the results.  Probably shampoo in the eye, legs with hair still visible in areas, a nick in a sensitive spot, and a major slip getting out of the shower as my feet are still slimy with bodywash.  Well...at least I can yell to the world...I'M UNIQUE!!!!!  WooHoo!!!!  Not so sure if I like this uniqueness, though.  It's more like "Super freak, she's a super freak!"  Lol.

• 21:03 setting up a gmail (well, googlemail these days) account for Peter so I can send him private emails when I'm away #
• 21:16 the rain clouds have swept away leaving a peaceful evening sky #
• 10:29 hand sore and swollen again after yesterday's treatment - there goes the writing - and the ironing - oh bother ;-) #

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