Whoever said shopping isn't a cure is craaazy.
My brother had a doctor's appointment in downtown Norfolk (VA, not the island off the coast of New Zealand), and afterward we went to Nordstrom at MacArthur Mall so my mum could get Bobbi Brown's "Beach", and a "Sand Bar". And her shimmer brick thing. There was an amazing pianist playing on the second floor, and all along we thought the music was over intercoms, but really it was drifting along the escalators to us. How cool! And their coffee is, dare I say it, even better than Starbuck's. I had a Mocha Bianco, it was dah-lisch. We also went to the Discovery Store, a sale at Bath and Body Works, and a sale at Express (that was rather disappointing). And my brother weedled an expansion pack for Halo II out of my mum.
At Nordstrom, there was an entire counter devoted to Smashbox. Not as much as at Sephora, but it was really nice.
I can't believe what happened in London this morning. Tony Blair was really upset when he gave his first statement at Gleneagles. I was really upset when after my first assumption of al-Qaeda the IRA came to mind. I was instantly angered by the ignorance of some Irish, because as nationalist as I am, slaughter is no way of achieving ends. I'll get back to the IRA in a minute. I heard that the group who claims to have done it gave warnings to Italy and Sweden to withdraw troops. Even if they were to comply with those extremist demands, attacks would still occur. America was attacked and we had done nothing to deserve it, and if England were to take a stance of Appeasement, al-Queda could grow to have the size and power that the same form of diplomacy won Hitler.
Now, one could blame this on a difference of cultures. But, really, the first blow was made by al-Queda. Americans can't be the terrorists if all we're doing is preventing more attacks on others as well as ourselves. Not only that, but we're protecting the rights of moderates over the extremists, who have been losing their own culture to the domineering radicals. What is the point of respecting a culture bent on destroying other cultures? Of protecting a religion that advocates and delights in death of members of its own faith just as much as members of others? And I'm not blind to my views, that can be easily misconstrued as equally destructive. But I don't endorse any form of genocide of a people according to how brainwashed they've become, but if they're not stopped, many more millions will be dead than necessary. Pacifism is necessary, but when dealing with a people of war, war is the only means of peace. If they were willing to confront a nation at peace by driving domestic planes into domestic buildings, then they need to be disbanded, and by force. And the sooner, the better.
I do think that since al-Queda seems coherent at this point, perhaps the US government has been sugar-coating the status of Iraq and Afghanistan, which is why troops haven't been withdrawn yet. And on the G8rally site (that I'm pretty disgusted with), I found a sign that said "Stop all subsidies to European farmers, in order to help Africa!" What the heck? Does this moron not realise that farmers depend on subsidies to keep food on their families' tables? How about we stop giving millions of dollars to movie stars who spend five hundred dollars on sunglasses, and use that to feed the children of Africa? And why doesn't anyone worry about the state of Siberia, with AIDs statistics to rival Africa, and prostitution and hunger rates as among the highest in the world? Nevermind the fact that the G8 has been summoned in the first place to deal with world poverty. Why sign a slightly malicious petition to a mourning Tony Blair to tell him to do the job he's already doing?
Just that one comment turned me off to the whole operation. You know, because farmers don't need food while they provide food to others, but Cameron Diaz needs $13 million a year. I want so desperately to have her position to make a difference, though she "makes a difference" by going globe-trotting on MTV and complaining about the destruction of the rainforests in her designer jeans (more than likely made in South American sweatshops by the hands of children at 2 cents an hour). The hypocrisy in this world is insane, and the ignorance even worse. She could use her money to cure diabetes, or make step against cancer, or feed Ethiopia for a year. But, you know, it should be at the expense of modest farmers.
Now my complaints about the IRA. I'm all for a complete Ireland of religious tolerance and celebrated culture. However, I'm a firm believer in the idea that the best way to reshape a country isn't by citizens killing other citizens. The oppression of Ireland has been terrible, but I get the impression from British Parliament meetings (and despite the overt and kinda scary anger from the side of Sinn F�in) that N. Ireland is free to go (but hopefully not under the rule of socialism... ick! Sorry, I'm in love wih capitalism). The conflict no longer lies with England, I believe, it lies in convincing N. Ireland of the benefits of one Ireland. For example, the Republic of Ireland is one of the richest countries of Europe! But I don't think I'd want to be part of a country that bombs the houses of my fellows, or robs my banks. As for the English, there may be a few Irish slurs still existing, but with the violence from the IRA, who can blame them? A hundred years ago, when the Irish were still slaves, four hundred years ago in the years of slaughter, eight hundred years ago when the invasions began, organisations that fought for national good like the old IRA were necessary for protection. But the modern English have done nothing against the Irish, so why continue attacking them? Is that not racism in itself? I think it's shameful that the first assumption of the cause of 30 deaths and 700 injuries of innocent souls was the Irish.
Ireland needs a Republican party that advocates pacifism, unity, and free (though somewhat regulated) commerce to keep foot with the EU. One that preserves the Irish culture in education by teaching Gaeilge as equally as English, and traditional Irish instruments, music, art, and literature.
Wow. That was a whole lotta nothing. Sl�n agat!
Title's from Fairly Odd Parents.
SILENCE, TRAITOR! - 2006-05-10
Irish History - 2006-05-02
Goodbye Bio! - 2006-05-01
DANCE, WATER! DANCE! - 2006-04-26
Gaaaaaah. - 2006-04-24