Dinner was to be at 6pm, at L’Albatros. This was to allow ourselves a good 2 hours of gal talk before going to see Ariadne Auf Naxos.

Well, at least we thought 2 hours would be enough.

Maybe I should tell you my thoughts on L’Albatros first. I’ve been there waaaay too many times, imo. Everytime has been a disaster. The food was always, always, mind-bogglingly good. But the service has always been atrocious. Not the bread guys; they never left you bread-less. But the other serve staff. If you could get them to come to take your drink/food order. Then, when they finally did, if you asked them any questions about the food, I was prepared to be met w/ a blank stare. I even asked if she would go ask in the kitchen about what something was.

I ordered a goat-cheese tart once, & it came w/ something on the side that wasn’t on the menu. It looked like what I know as athāṇũ. When I asked her to check in the kitchen what it was, she seemed shocked. Not surprisingly, I never did see her again. No response to my inquiry. What if a vegetarian who’s never seen that stuff before had asked, or someone w/ food allergies; b/c of their dietary restrictions? Should I mention that it was a random Thursday happy hour, & the restaurant was pretty empty?

The food & drinks were always great there though, so everytime someone suggested it, I would just heave a sigh (silently), & be prepared for the atrocious service.

Weeeellll…. This time was different! We had the most delightful server, Tiffany. She was AMAZING. She knew everything there was to know, & was so incredibly sweet to us. Not b/c it was her job, but she really was just sweet, & kind, & nice, & smiley. Just a breath of fresh air. She would appear at the exact right moment w/ the exact right thing to say or ask! It was like she was in our heads!

She completely changed my view of L’Albatros, & I now can’t wait til the next time I go there!

Well, by the time we were done w/ dinner, we were no where near done talking. We don’t get a chance to get together as much now as before. Stupid lives got in the way.

We also made the mistake of eying the dessert menu.

By the time we were done w/ dessert, it was 7:50 pm. We took a vote & decided to ditch the opera in favor of martinis & wine elsewhere. Elsewhere ended up being The Bistro.

Now, just a few words about my thoughts on The Bistro before I ever stepped foot in there…..

1. Naming a bistro “The Bistro” is akin to naming your dog, “Dog”. Really? You guys want me to think you’re going to have a creative atmosphere & cuisine, but you can’t be bothered to come up w/ a name?

2. I had high hopes despite the name, b/c it used to be Sage, one of the most delish bistros I’d ever discovered. It didn’t get a lot of traffic, unfortunately, & closed.

So, we went to The Bistro (wow, that even feels weird saying that!). & I can’t comment on the food, b/c we only went there to sit at the bar & continue our chats.

But, of the 3 martinis I tried, I didn’t like a single one! They were horrible. The all had awesome names. I wish I could remember their names! I had some sort of a pear martini, I think, w/ some ginger syrup. But it really shoulda been called a pear-ginger syrup w/ some vodka. B/c it was too sweet, & I just couldn’t drink it. I tried my friend’s Smashing Pumpkin (for obvs reasons), but didn’t like that either.

So, I asked for ole faithful, an espresso martini. I’ve never had a bad espresso martini until that night. Ugh.

Anyway, this post was really supposed to be about bathtubs, but as you can see, I got off track.

But, I do think I’ll try to take more pics when I’m out of food & stuff, so I can share the experience here too. Also, so that I can remember it more; for my own benefit!

I’ve been thinking that maybe I shouldn’t be saying “Whoop Whoop” as much as I do. But, c’mon, that’s not gonna happen.

We know they need to be realistic.

I need to think about what I want to do more of this year. I think it’s important that resolutions ADD to life, not detract. So, a proper resolution can never be something you want to do less of, it’s gotta be something you want more of.

Like, you don’t want to lose weight. You want to add years & vitality to your life.

It’s gotta be a positive.

So, I thought I’d look back at the resolutions I’ve posted before to inspire a new one.

I started this weblog in Oct. 2005, so 2006 was the 1st year I have documented.

2006 – I decided to use “yo” more. Specifically, ending sentences in yo.

2007 – It was to use “chill” as an adjective or noun more often. Not just as a boring verb.

2008 – It was to be a sparklier person. On the outside.

I don’t really know what happened in 2009. In general really. I didn’t have a new year’s resolution, & I didn’t blog much at all either.

So, obvs., I’m gonna be blogging more. But now, I’ve gotta come up w/ some slammin way to improve my daily life in the twenty-ten.

Well, when you move to a new place, you need to buy essentials. No matter how sick you are. So, I made a really quick trip to the Target nearby, in the middle of a weekday, so as avoid infecting large groups of ppl. Grabbed my stuff & went out.

This was before I went to the doc, so I didn’t know how serious it was just yet. I was a little loopy on some dayquil though.

Well, being loopy & still being frugal, does not a good combination make.

I needed toilet paper.

Went to the paper area, & they had “premium toilet paper” on sale for $5.79. Well, next to it, they had “ULTRA premium toilet paper”, same # of rolls, ALSO for $5.79.

Well, mamma didn’t raise no fool.

Who buys regular premium, when you can get the same thing, ultra-premiumized, for the same price?!?!

Well, it’s been a bit over a month that I’ve had this toilet paper in my house, & it’s driving me CRAZY! Now that I’m well again, I have no idea what to do about it.

Turns out ultra-premium toilet paper means that it’s 3-ply, instead of 2. I felt guilty enough when I had 2-ply paper. So, now I find myself separating the plys!! Yes, seriously!

Why don’t they warn you about that? They should put the “3-ply” part in large bold letters so ppl know.

& who are these ppl? The ones that thought that an extra ply was needed on toilet paper in this day & age? Don’t they realize how wasteful that is? Who thought that would be a good idea? & how is Target, a store that promotes their Earth-friendly products, even carrying this stuff? I hope that buyer for Target’s been fired, that they will stop carrying this wasteful crap.

Meanwhile, I’m having issues every time I have to go to the bathroom. & spending my time separating plys, which is only making this stuff last longer, so I’m reminded it’s in my house that much longer.

I’ve been so excited this past month. Randomly, one night about a month ago, I found a place. An awesome place. The top half of a house across from the lake. Half a front porch, other half is a sunroom. Working fireplace. Real wood everywhere (that hasn’t been painted over a million times). Beveled glass. Built-in sideboard & shelving, framing a sitting area in the dining room w/ windows. Just gorgeous. Plus, room in the basement for a treadmill.

The day we moved, on Sat, I started coughing. Well, on Sunday, the coughing became non-stop. & painful. Oh so painful.

It got to be way too much on Monday, & I went to see a doctor. They tested me for the regular flu & did a chest x-ray cause they thought I had pneumonia. I waited 5 days for the results; turned out to be bronchitis. Oh, it was so horrible though.

I was barely semi-covered, when I had to travel the next week.

The doc gave me meds, cough syrup w/ codeine & a z-pack (antibiotics), that he said should have me better in 5 days. Well, that Monday coming up, I was supposed to speak to dozens of ppl in Boston, & on Tuesday, to hundreds in NYC.

I knew I was still too sick to actually do this trip, so I tried calling the airline. I told them how sick I’d been & that the doc thought I might have the flu &/or pneumonia (we hadn’t gotten the results back yet then). I just wanted to change the name on the ticket I paid $360 dollars for to that of my co-worker. They wouldn’t have it. They offered me a voucher for travel in the coming year. I checked prices, & it woulda cost over $700 if we re-booked new tix for the same flights in her name. So, that was no consolation.

I told the airlines that Barack would def NOT approve of their basically telling a very sick person that they would have to be in a contained space w/ hundreds of other Americans.

They didn’t seem worried about it.

They could hear me wheezing & coughing. I spoke w/ about 4 or 5 different ppl in their customer service. Customer Service. HA!

Well, I ended up going. I downed tea like a champ the whole time. It was the only thing keeping me from coughing. In NYC, the guy at the corner pizza place looked at me weird when I asked for some hot water in a to-go cup. I told him to just charge me for tea or coffee, & he seemed to have such a prob comprehending that I just wanted to use my own decaf green tea instead of their stuff. I balanced 3 to-go cups of tea on the subway, w/ my work bag & my purse. Got shot dirty looks from others on the train everytime I coughed. Like I was some deviant.

Ugh. I can’t believe how difficult ppl make it to be sick. It’s not like anyone wants to be sick. & EVERYONE’s been sick. So, shouldn’t they empathize & maybe cut others some slack?!?

Really, US Airways? You couldn’t just change the name on the ticket so I didn’t have to go through all that?

Why am I back? What has driven me to post? I think we all know. Kanye.

C’mon Kanye. I just got an email letting me know about an upcoming presale for Kanye’s Cleve show in Dec. It’s gonna be a Christmas time show. Dec. 23rd.

Aw man, Kanye. How do you expect me to find ANYONE left here in the land of Cleve that’s willing to shell out at least $50 now?!?!?!

Yes, I’m coming. But whoooo with?

C’mon man, I’m ok w/ you being your jerky self, but the rest of the US doesn’t like it. & it’s not a prob if you’re a jerk unless, say, your LIVELIHOOD depends on other ppl’s money. The masses. Which… um.. it does.

Now, we all know I couldn’t care less. So what if you took the mic out of some 17-yr old millionaire’s hand when she was getting an MTV VMA award. It’s not like it was the Nobel Peace Prize. Add to that the fact that you were all over the place swigging a bottle of Hennessy before the show. Anyone on stage who sees you coming at them while they have a mic in their hands (ESP at the VMA’s, b/c it’s not like you haven’t pulled this like 5 out of the last 7 VMA’s you’ve been to) totally has that coming.

Who cares? She lived & she learned. & she got some publicity out of it. I couldn’t care less about all that.

The only thing I care about now is, who’s gonna come w/ me to see you at freakin CHRISTMASTIME?!?!?!! Thanks, Kanye.

Anyway, I was thinking about debris/trash/clutter. & in my new positive frame of mind, I was reminded of Louise Nevelson. She’s an artist that uses “found objects” to create her sculptures. Which instantly reminded me of Isaiah Zagar.

This is his studio on South Street in Philly. He finds things & creates these textured murals out of them. I have tons of pictures, but you can also go to his site to see more of his work.

I know I had posted a Photo Friday submission about Isaiah Zagar before. So, I did a search through my site to see where it was, & turns out it was July 2006, my very 1st Photo Friday!! That was kinda cool to see that.

You know I’m gonna tell you to check out everyone else’s Photo Friday submissions in the linkviewer.

Here’s my submission this week:

It’s a factory at E. 37th & St. Clair. & it’s blue. It’s blue-blue-blue-blue-blue. But I love that’s there’s a bright orange ‘Detour’ sign in the shot! & blue & orange are complementary colors, so it’s like meant to be. Gotta like that

As always, go to Photo Friday’s linkviewer to check out everyone else’s submissions.

Good afternoon. I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has had stood as a beacon of Islamic learning. And for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt’s advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress.

I’m grateful for your hospitality and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. And I’m also proud to carry with me the good will of the American people and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalamu-alaikum.

(APPLAUSE)

We meet at a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world, tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation but also conflict and religious wars.

More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims and a Cold War in which Muslim majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11, 2001, and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and western countries but also to human rights.

All this has bred more fear and more mistrust. So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. And this cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

I’ve come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. I know there’s been a lot of publicity about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust nor can I answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point.

But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground.

As the Holy Quran tells us, Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.

(APPLAUSE)

That is what I will try to do today, to speak the truth as best I can. Humbled by the task before us and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.

Now, part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I’m a Christian. But my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and at the fall of dusk.

As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith. As a student of history, I also know civilization’s debt to Islam. It was Islam at places like Al-Azhar that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s renaissance and enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities…

(APPLAUSE)

It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra, our magnetic compass and tools of navigation, our mastery of pens and printing, our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires, timeless poetry and cherished music, elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

(APPLAUSE)

I also know that Islam has always been a part of America’s story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second president, John Adams, wrote,

The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims. And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States.

They have fought in our wars. They have served in our government. They have stood for civil rights. They have started businesses. They have taught at our universities. They’ve excelled in our sports arenas. They’ve won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building and lit the Olympic torch. And when the first Muslim American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same holy Quran that one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, kept in his personal library.

(APPLAUSE)

So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn’t. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

(APPLAUSE)

But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as…

(APPLAUSE)

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak greets his US counterpart Barack Obama at the presidential palace in Cairo.

Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire.

We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal. And we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words, within our borders and around the world.

We are shaped by every culture. Drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one.

Now much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected president.

(APPLAUSE)

But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores. And that includes nearly 7 million American Muslims in our country today who, by the way, enjoy incomes and educational levels that are higher than the American average.

Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one’s religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state in our union and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That’s why the United States government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.

So let there be no doubt…

(APPLAUSE)

… let there be no doubt, Islam is a part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations: to live in peace and security, to get an education and to work with dignity, to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.

Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead. And if we understand that the challenges we face are shared and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.

For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations.

When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. When innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience.

(APPLAUSE)

That is what it means to share this world in the 21st Century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings. This is a difficult responsibility to embrace, for human history has often been a record of nations and tribes, and, yes, religions subjugating one another in pursuit of their own interests.

Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners to it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership, our progress must be shared.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, that does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite. We must face these tensions squarely. And so, in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and as plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.

The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all its forms. In Ankara, I made clear that America is not and never will be at war with Islam.

(APPLAUSE)

We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject, the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as president to protect the American people.

The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America’s goals and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued Al Qaida and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice. We went because of necessity. I’m aware that there’s still some who would question or even justify the offense of 9/11. But let us be clear. Al Qaida killed nearly 3,000 people on that day.

The victims were innocent men, women, and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet Al Qaida chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach.

These are not opinions to be debated. These are facts to be dealt with. Make no mistake, we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We see no military — we seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict.

We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and now Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

And that’s why we’re partnering with a coalition of 46 countries. And despite the costs involved, America’s commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths but, more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam.

The Holy Quran teaches that whoever kills an innocent is as — it is as it if has killed all mankind.

(APPLAUSE)

And the Holy Quran also says whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.

(APPLAUSE)

The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism; it is an important part of promoting peace.

Now, we also know that military power alone is not going solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That’s why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who’ve been displaced.

That’s why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend on.

Now, let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible.

(APPLAUSE)

Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said, I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power and teach us that the less we use our power, the greater it will be. Today America has a dual responsibility to help Iraq forge a better future and to leave Iraq to Iraqis.

I have made it clear to the Iraqi people…

(APPLAUSE)

I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no basis and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq’s sovereignty is its own. And that’s why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq’s democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July and to remove all of our troops from Iraq by 2012.

(APPLAUSE)

We will help Iraq train its security forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner and never as a patron.

And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter or forget our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable. But in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our traditions and our ideals.

We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States. And I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.

(APPLAUSE)

So America will defend itself, respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities, which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.

Now, the second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world. America’s strong bonds with Israel are well-known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.

Around the world the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries. And anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented holocaust. Tomorrow I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich.

Six million Jews were killed, more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless. It is ignorant, and it is hateful.

It’s about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.

Now, I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nations should pick and choose which nation holds nuclear weapons. And that’s why I strongly reaffirmed America’s commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons.

(APPLAUSE)

And any nation, including Iran, should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the treaty. And it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.

The fourth issue that I will address is democracy.

(APPLAUSE)

I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years. And much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear. No system of government can or should be imposed by one nation by any other. That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people.

Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election.

But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed, confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people, the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas. They are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, there is no straight line to realize this promise. But this much is clear. Governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments, provided they govern with respect for all their people.

This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they’re out of power. Once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others.

(APPLAUSE)

So no matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who would hold power. You must maintain your power through consent, not coercion. You must respect the rights of minorities and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise. You must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party.

Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.

(AUDIENCE MEMBER SHOUTS)

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom. Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia where devote Christians worshipped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country.

That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind and the heart and the soul.

This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive. But it’s being challenged in many different ways. Among some Muslims, there’s a disturbing tendency to measure one’s own faith by the rejection of somebody else’s faith.

The richness of religious diversity must be upheld, whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt.

(APPLAUSE)

And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which people protect it. For instance, in the United States, rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation.

That’s why I’m committed to work with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat. Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit, for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear.

We can’t disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretense of liberalism. In fact, faith should bring us together. And that’s why we’re forging service projects in America to bring together Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

That’s why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah’s interfaith dialogue and Turkey’s leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations.

Around the world, we can turn dialogue into interfaith service so bridges between peoples lead to action, whether it is combating malaria in Africa or providing relief after a natural disaster.

The sixth issue — the sixth issue that I want to address is women’s rights.

(APPLAUSE)

I know…

(APPLAUSE)

I know, and you can tell from this audience, that there is a healthy debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal. But I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.

(APPLAUSE)

And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well- educated are far more likely to be prosperous.

Now let me be clear, issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, we’ve seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead.

Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life and in countries around the world. I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons.

(APPLAUSE)

Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal. And I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice.

That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim- majority country to support expanded literacy for girls and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.

(APPLAUSE)

Finally, I want to discuss economic development and opportunity. I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory. The Internet and television can bring knowledge and information but also offensive sexuality and mindless violence into the home.

Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities but also huge disruptions and change in communities. In all nations, including America, this change can bring fear; fear that, because of modernity, we lose control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly, our identities, those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions, and our faith.

But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradictions between development and tradition. Countries like Japan and South Korea grew their economies enormously while maintaining distinct cultures. The same is true for the astonishing progress within Muslim majority countries from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai.

In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education. And this is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work.

Many Gulf States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence of oil, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century. And in too…

(APPLAUSE)

And in too many Muslim communities, there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investment within my own country. And while America, in the past, has focused on oil and gas when it comes to this part of the world, we new seek a broader engagement.

On education, we will expand change programs and increase scholarships like the one that brought my father to America.

(APPLAUSE)

At the same time, we will encourage more Americans to study in Muslim communities. And we will match promising Muslim students are internships in America, invest in online learning for teachers and children around the world and create a new, online network so a young person in Kansas can communicate instantly with a young person in Cairo.

On economic development, we will create a new core of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim majority countries. And I will host a summit on entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations, and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.

On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim majority country and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create more jobs. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia and appoint new science envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, grow new crops.

Today, I’m announcing a new global effort with the organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.

All these things must be done in partnership. Americans are ready to join with citizens and governments, community organizations, religious leaders, and businesses in Muslim communities around the world to help our people pursue a better life.

The issues that I have described will not be easy to address, but we have a responsibility to join together to behalf of the world that we seek, a world where extremists no longer threaten our people and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes, a world where governments serve their citizens and the rights of all God’s children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek.But we can only achieve it together. I know there are many, Muslim and non-Muslim, who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn’t worth the effort, that we are fated to disagree and civilizations are doomed to clash.

Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust that has built up over the years. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith in every country. You more than anyone have the ability to reimagine the world, the remake this world.

All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart or whether we commit ourselves to an effort, a sustained effort to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings.

It’s easier to start wars than to end them. It’s easier to blame others than to look inward. It’s easier to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is one rule that lies at the heart of every religion, that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

(APPLAUSE)

This truth transcends nations and peoples, a belief that isn’t new, that isn’t black or white or brown, that isn’t Christian or Muslim or Jew. It’s a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization and that still beats in the hearts of billions around the world. It’s a faith in other people. And it’s what brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written. The Holy Quran tells us, Mankind, we have created you male and a female. And we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.

The Talmud tells us, The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace.

The Holy Bible tells us, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

(APPLAUSE)

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God’s vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth.

Thank you. And may God’s peace be upon you. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

~END~

I can’t tell you how many dinner parties I’ve been to where ppl tell funny/quirky stories about their grandmas. Uh… their racist grandma. Not that I can’t tell a few too. I could give you anecdotes of grandmas of every race, from anywhere in the world, being racist. But I really don’t think that’s necessary.

Old ppl often use the excuse that they just didn’t know it was wrong, when they do something wrong. Recently, an older man hit me in my new car. He turned left in front of me, & said that he didn’t think that he was in the wrong. Why? B/c old ppl can do whatever they want, & we should just accommodate them?

Anyway, this post is really about the Retired Catholic Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, the louse. He’s selling a memoir about his life, including his time as Archbishop in Milwaukee.

He allegedly covered up widespread child sexual abuse. In 1993, he oversaw the evaluation of Father Lawrence Murphy, who was being prosecuted at the time for abuse. Jump to 2003, when a report came out that made allegations of sexual abuse by 58 clergymen under the direct supervision of Archbishop Weakland.

As of 2009, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee spent about $26.5 million in legal fees & settlements for the victims.

Apparently, in his memoir, he contends that he didn’t realize that raping/abusing young children was a crime. Weakland retired in 2002, when it came out that he paid one of his victims $450,000 in 1998.

We all considered sexual abuse of minors as a moral evil, but had no understanding of its criminal nature.

Accepted naively the common view that it was not necessary to worry about the effects on the youngsters: either they would not remember or they would ‘grow out of it’.

I’m sorry, but isn’t knowing that something is wrong enough to keep you from doing it, esp if you’re, like, a man of God. How can you not know it’s wrong? I mean, we all have a sense of what’s appropriate behavior & what’s not. That’s why we feel guilt.

If anyone knows about guilt, it’s a Catholic. Just sayin.

I guess the sex scandal is just a chapter of the book. It also covers his childhood, his time as a Benedictine monk, his acknowledgment of his homosexuality, & his difficult relationship w/ the new Pope. Maybe his relationship w/ Pope John Paul II was so strained b/c he knew the new Pope won’t ignore this type of stuff.

He says proceeds from the book will go to the Catholic Community Foundation. I don’t know what that means; it’s so vague. What percentage of the proceeds will go there?

& is this supposed to make me feel better about ppl buying the book? I went to the Catholic Community Foundation’s website to try to find out where the money goes, but they just tell you all the diff ways you can give money, not what they do w/ it.

What I do know is that the almost half million he paid out to the victim came from the archdiocese, & he even concealed it from them at the time. & I also know that this summer, he’s moving to St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown, NJ. So, it’s prob more of a case of his having to re-pay the Catholic community. Financially, but also for the bad PR. Not that he’s the only one.

The books I read as a child were Indian stories; my grandfather would always ship or bring back books (written in English) of Indian tales.  We even had a subscription to Chandamama, an Indian magazine for kids.  It’s all hip now & online as an interactive website. It was similar to Highlights magazine; even had a good boy/bad boy page, Vikram & Vetal like Goofus & Gallant. It had some religious stories, & a serial fiction story that was to be continued every month. I looked forward to each magazine!

Then, I think around the time I turned 10, we started watching the news as a family. The local news & national. It was the Evening News w/ Dan Rather at first, then switched to World News Tonight w/ Peter Jennings in the early 90s.

Why is this important? I think b/c what’s going on in the world is important. I’ve always believed that any one person, & every one person should do what they should (not what they can, but what they should do, as in it is their duty to do it).

I’ve told y’all before that I was naturalized as a US citizen when I turned 18 so that I could vote.

But the whole point of this is that I was looking at pictures from a recent Indian election, & it made me proud of where I come from. India has the largest democracy in the world. The largest. & they take their responsibilities seriously.

Ppl make such a big deal of this last election here; w/ the highest voter turn-out. & that’s great. But it’s only great if the voter turn-out continues to increase election after election. I’m interested to see what this country does in Nov. 2010, & Nov. 2012.

129,446,455 showed up & voted in the Nov. 2008 election. That’s just under 43% of the population at the time (304,059,724 in July 2008).

Last week in India, about 714 million ppl voted (out of a population of 1.2 billion, that’s about 60%, folks). That’s good stuff.

Check out these pictures from the recent Indian election. Truly amazing. In #5, you’ve got an older woman who walked 68 miles to vote. And I know everyone’s aware of Hindu-Muslim tensions all over the world, but #25 & #35 say it all. We’re talking about tensions that go back thousands of years, yo!

You have to check out the pictures. They are amazing. Ppl hanging out on rooftops to attend an election rally. Ppl taking cable cars across valleys/rivers to get to the election site.

I really can’t imagine ever living in a non-democratic nation.

Ok, I made a collage of 4 of the pix to try to entice you to click on the link to view the pix. Also, if you click on the pic below, it’ll take you there. I did NOT take any of the pix, the credits are on the page when you click on the link!