Hamster Pies and Lots of Jam

Happy Birthday, Krissy.

This is the first time I've stayed out so late with work folks, and also the first time having so much fun in quite a while. Here's to this news.

News!

Colleen

The US has the highest incarceration rate and the largest number of persons behind bars.

Ugh.

I am eating an amazing, decadent Rocky Road cupcake from Citizen Cake/Orson courtesy of the beautiful Julie and Rachel. There has, in fact, never been anything that I wanted to moblog more than this cupcake. In my life. Ever.

Who knew?

It's almost Friday, which means the (work) week is almost over. I've been listening and reading the news a lot this week, and I'd just like to point out that I feel like this week has been one of the more exciting weeks in recent world history. There are a great many things going on in places that are not the US - not great things, but a great many. These things could turn out to be amazing victories for values like justice, fair representation, human rights, and peace. To review just a few:

• Hu Jia, a human rights activist in China was arrested, and in an epic 20 minute hearing, sentenced to 3 years in prison for subversion. In the run up to the Summer 2008 Olympics, this incident is being closely scrutinized by the global community, and is putting the spotlight on human rights infringements in China. This ludicrous miscarriage of justice really highlights the unfairness of the Chinese legal system, and the vehemence with which they are going after people who even remotely go against the will of the state. With any hope there will be some real action from this attention, after decades of a truly heinous human rights record.
• Bhaichung Bhutia, the captain of the Indian National Soccer Team has declined an opportunity to run in the Olympic torch relay, in solidarity with the Tibetan people, and in objection to recent crackdowns on protesters in and about Tibet. With support like this, I'm hoping that pressure will be applied, and yielded to. The Olympics in Beijing this summer really offers an opportunity to make a point to the Chinese, and I am glad that Bhaichung Bhutia is happy to be part of the vanguard of this effort.
  
• Almost a week after elections in Zimbabwe to elect members of parliament as well as the president, Robert Mugabe's hold over the country seems to be weakening. After 28 years of rule, Zimbabwe has never seen another head of state, and it is likely that there will at least be a run-off election between him and Morgan Tsvangirai. With inflation somewhere around 100,000%, Zimbabwe is facing many problems, including lines for bread, colossal unemployment, and many infringements on human rights and the democratic process. At the very least, a new leader and new majority in parliament will provide an opportunity for change and general straightening out. Since independence, countries like Zimbabwe have suffered growing pains and a hard struggle against forces such as corruption, resource shortages, HIV/AIDS,  in addition to the usual stresses of coming out from under colonialism and European domination. I don't know much about Tsvangirai, but maybe Zimbabwe's time has come.
• The NATO summit taking place this week in Bucharest, Romania is President Bush's last NATO summit, and one where NATO member states are facing life in a post-Soviet world. I was listening to an NPR story about it the other day and the absurdity of a body like NATO really struck me in a laugh-out-loud way. The heads of state are maintaining that NATO is important in fighting the global war on terror, maintaining safety and security, blah blah blah. What a strange thing we have, NATO! I feel like this is a great chance for Europe and North America to really confront the obsolescence here, even though I know they won't. However, it is an interesting global event that will have ramifications felt worldwide, and is an interesting event to watch.

These surely aren't the only things going on, of course, but of the top of my head, it seems we've got a big week on our hands, friends. Keep reading and watching.

Okay, seriously.

Someone should pick up novelties.typepad.com or novelties.vox.com and start a book blog.

That is all. 

Do you like baked goods? Do you like my baked goods? Do you like The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence? I know I do. Since I like both of these things, I am going to be helping to bake cakes for this event on Saturday:

Benefitfortheboob

To my accountant. Which means that someday soon, I will get a refund.And a bill from said accountant. Hopefully the former will help pay for the latter.

At least I've done my taxly duty and it's now out of my hands. Till next year.

Yay!

So, you'll be happy to know that I finally got a replacement for my stolen phone, only it's the wrong color. I feel a bit like a 16 year old on My Super Sweet 16... But I bought the white phone because I wanted an ironic white hipster phone, you guys. I know, it only cost me $50 to replace it, instead of the full cost of the phone, but I just got that phone less than 2 months ago, and I better get a white one to replace the white one that got jacked, or I WILL HAVE A CONNIPTION FIT!

So anyway, I called Sprint and yelled at the woman who was on the other end (my mother said, "I'm sure you didn't yell, you were probably terse. You only yell at me, the dogs, your stepdad, and your boyfriend." This is probably true), and I finally got the account services department at Sprint (read: the woman they transfer you to when they know you're going to take your business elsewhere) and she hooked me up.

So now, I will have a new, white phone delivered to me at work on Monday, instead of it taking 2 weeks to get me the stupid, not cute black and blue one that I have right this second.

I also feel a little phone racist, after extolling the virtues of my white phone, and fully shunning the black one. But it's not that, I promise!

I have it on good authority that these are going to be released soon. Flavors like brownie batter, smores, pudding, caramel...

Discuss.

I just have to apologize. I have driven to work two days in a row, and that's no good. The muni is pretty easy for me to take, and doesn't take that much longer, either. But I've just not been feeling well the last few days, and dealing with my co-muni riders just makes me feel worse. I can't handle it! I just couldn't take it with the onset of illness. Hopefully soon, I will feel well, and I will take better care of you in the process. Thanks for your understanding, even though I know this is a pretty flimsy excuse.

Love,

Colleen