I Speak of Dreams

Dancing Fool

Last night was the engagement party for Drummer Man and La Novia, in which a fabulous time was had by all, including Laughing  Girl.  I met La Novia's mother and sister for the first time, and we all danced until our feet fell off.  I have to find the name of the band -- they were terrific.

More House Blathering

No photos yet, but the loathed acoustic ceiling treatment ("cottage cheese") is off.  It became obvious why it was put up -- the original drywallers were not very competent. 

The fans are staying off, too.  The ceiling is relatively low and having fans hanging the middle of each room didn't add to the appeal.

Steve The Painter will be repainting Jumper Girl's room in shades of lilac, to be done on Friday.

So I guess we'll finally move in next week some time.

Sears Says It Doesn't Advertise on Savage's Show

In addition to Radio Shack, I also wrote to Sears, complaining about their sponsorship of the Michael Savage show and Savage's attack on children with autism.

The Sears response was not as strong as Radio Shack's:

Dear Ms. Ditz,

Thank you for contacting sears.com. 

We appreciate you taking the time to share your opinion about our involvement with The Michael Savage Show.  Sears Corporate Offices have contacted the Autism Action Network to let them know that we do not advertise on the show.  We apologize for any concern that this has caused you.

[boilerplate advertising verbiage removed]

Mark U.

Sears Customer Care

webcenter@customerservice.sears.com

1-800-349-4358

 

Radio Shack Does Not Advertise on the Michael Savage Show

It appears that Radio Shack has refused to have their ads aired on Michael Savage's show for some time, but through an network error, the company's ads did appear on Savage's heinous attack on children with autism.

Best Take-away from BlogHer

I still owe y'all an update of who I had a chance to talk with (and hug) at BlogHer, but for now, you'll have to settle for this:

I had two glancing visits with Lisa Williams, who put my moving woes into perspective:

Zeno's Refrigerator.

It made me laugh and to rejoice that I have such clever friends.

Autism and Vaccines: Quick Tour Through The Blogosphere

Very quickly:

• Roy Richard Grinker is interviewed on autism prevalence world-wide on an ABC News segment: 1/150 isn't an "epidemic" -- it is the appropriate prevalence, given correct diagnosis & removing confounding diagnoses such as childhood schizophrenia, mental retardation, and including lack of diagnoses leading to lack of services.
• Orac took Jay Gordon, M.D. to task for being a vaccine rejectionist, anti-science, and promulgating woo.  Dr. Jay shows up in the comments and mutters something to the effect that "Orac, you are being mean to me".  That is it--not even a flutter toward addressing Orac's substantive criticisms.  Orac responds with some his trademarked Respectful Insolence:  "Do you think being "nicer" than me somehow renders you magically immune from being expected to produce data to defend your assertions?"  -- it gets better and more pointed after that, so you should go read the whole comment.
• Kristina Chew, Ph.D., on David Kirby: "Kirby’s use of innuendo and hyperbole in this latest piece are masterful, from the viewpoint of rhetoric. If I had to teach a class on echoes of classical rhetorical techniques in contemporary culture, I would offer up many (if not most) of his pieces..."
• Kevin Leitch takes on David Kirby's mis-statements of fact.
• Steven Novella, M.D., takes on David Kirby's rhetorical flourishes and embellishments
• Autism News Beat has Michael Savage's obscene rant on autism covered, and the New York Times reports that Afleck has withdrawn their advertising.

BlogHer 08 in San Francisco--Special Needs Mommy

Updated 7/23/08 --Now with Katie's Liveblogging -- thanks Katie!

Introduction

• Susan Etlinger (The Family Room)--Moderator
• Shannon Des Roches Rosa (The Adventures of Leelo and His Potty Mouth Mom)
• Kristina Chew (Autism Vox),
• Jennifer Graf Gronsberg (Pinwheels)
• Vicki Forman (Speak Softly...and Carry The Proverbial Baton Grande)

I took notes, but they ended up illegible.  I was trying too hard for actual quotes, instead of paraphrasing.

Vicki Forman has a good wrap-up of the panel.  Here's Shannon's photo record and post.  Here's Kristina's weekend report.

Here's the link to the list of live-blogging all of BlogHer 08

And here's HappieKatie's liveblog account

Brief summary: community, support, and working to improve our children's lives.

BlogHer 08 in San Francisco--Can You Pull Back from Naked Blogging?

Mina Trott--been blogging seven years.  Vox Blog.  Mina plugs "Can I Sit With You?" -- I haven't read it, so I don't know if it is good, but I want to read it."

Tracey Graughren Perez -- Sweetney

Koan--following the BlogHer come out, some problems.

This is an interesting panel, including the discussion about LiveJournal (which I've never used) -- but I think I'm not going to blog it because of the privacy issues.

Beautiful Blogging and Positive Posting

Dial down judgment & dial up acceptance.

• Lucrecer Braxton
• Kyran Pittman
• Krystyn Heide
• Alyssa Royse
• jen Lemen

"We need to know why we are posting.  Think about how you can add to the positive energy of the world instead of bringing,  adding to the" confusion, disarray.

What is the attraction (gravity) of snark, of being bitchy?

Suddenly I am reminded of several cycles of anti-internet-snark

• Are "Nice" and "Honest" Mutually Exclusive? (Kathy Sierra's post from December 5, 2008); Identity and Heinous Behavior (my post from March 29, 2008)

Liveblogging this session  at Wannabe Hippie

From Oakland to Pacific Grove to BlogHer 08

So Thursday I went to class in Oakland, spent the night in Redwood City, drove down to Pacific Grove where Jumper Girl is doing well at a horse show, got up at 5:30 am & drove back up to San Francisco where I'm attending BlogHer '08.

I'm trying to Twitter but the site is down.  I've located Liz Henry, Lisa Williams, Mocha Momma & Squid.  Looting for more later.

Stand by for details