January 27, 2005

The Preditors and Editors Annual Readers Poll has extended the voting deadline to Jan. 31. Take a moment and visit this site to share your opinions about the best books, writers, artists, editors, publishers, poems and stories published in 2004.

I'm currently nominated in five categories:

* Best Nonfiction Article
* Best Poem
* Best Poet
* Best Short Story
* Best Zine Editor

Anne Wayman covers the freelance writing profession for About.com. Several times a week, she posts links to how-to articles and job opportunities.
 

January 25, 2005

I'll be on the road until Jan. 29th so posting will be light this week. Thank you for your patience.

January 24, 2005

* The United Nations World Food Program reports that there are 6.4 million Afghan people who do not have enough to eat this year. (The New York Times)

* Despite the fact that more people are using libraries than ever before, the American Library Association says that more than $80 million has been cut from public library budgets in the past year, which has weakened or closed libraries in more than 40 states. (The Boston Globe)

* A 38-year-old woman in Brazil has given birth to a baby boy weighing 16.7 pounds. The infant was born by Cesarean section. (CNN)

* For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people exposed to AIDS from rapes, accidents, occasional drug use or unsafe sex receive drug cocktails that can keep them from becoming infected. These treatments should start no more than 72 hours after a person has been exposed to the virus. (Tallahassee Democrat)

* The 2004-2005 flu season has been extremely mild so far. As of mid-January, only 10 states have reported a widespread number of cases. (The New York Times)

* Denis Leary
* iced tea served in Mason jars
* watching "Mad About You" reruns
* Danny's pizza
* shiny hardwood floors

January 23, 2005

SpongeBob SquarePants is promoting homosexuality to your kids. Or at least that's what two Christian activist groups would have you believe.

The American Family Association and Focus on the Family released statements last week decrying a new music video by the We Are Family Foundation. The video, which features SpongeBob, Barney and a host of other children's characters, is meant to teach tolerance and diversity. It will be distributed to 61,000 U.S. schools in March.

These Christian groups also oppose the tolerance pledge posted on the We Are Family Website. Here it is, in its entirety:

"Tolerance is a personal decision that comes from a belief that every person is a treasure. I believe that America's diversity is its strength. I also recognize that ignorance, insensitivity and bigotry can turn that diversity into a source of prejudice and discrimination. To help keep diversity a wellspring of strength and make America a better place for all, I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own."

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
--Albert Einstein

Past Afterthoughts