Apt. 11D

Republican Convention Run Down

I'm suffering some convention sleep deficits right now. I've been staying up far too late reading twitter posts and watching CNN coverage of the convention.

And then the kids are home, along with cousins and friendies. So, when Romney says that Ann's job was harder than his, HE'S RIGHT. Five boys. Can you imagine? Just the thought of five kids makes me want to triple up on the birth control. 

Alright, I have 30 minutes before Ian and I skip off to Fairway. We're having a party tomorrow and I need to buy olives and beer. With that 30 minutes, let's talk about the convention.

The superstars of the week were Marco Rubio and Condi. Christie gave his stump speech for 2016, but Rubio was much better. He's only 41, so now I feel like a total loser.

The Mormons did a very good job talking about all the service that Romney did over the years. Their speeches made me think about Walter Kirn's essay for the New Republic, which talked about the good deeds of Mormons. 

Other speakers talked about Mormonism and urged Evangelical voters to vote for Romney. I'm not plugged into that community, so I'm not sure if conservative Protestants are cool with Romney now that they don't have any other choice. 

I polled my own focus group of conservatives about the convention. My folks gave a "meh" to Christie, but loved Ryan. Mom thought he seemed like a nice boy with good ties to his family. She wasn't terribly concerned that he wasn't terribly logical or truthful. 

And of course there was Clint's Invisible Obama speech. He just killed his career. 

Romney says that he will create 12 million jobs when he takes office and pulled out some warmed over conservative chestnuts. I was actually sporting some warm feelings to the guy, after watching home videos and listening to testimonies by friends. Then he undid all that good stuff by being boring. Boring and wrong. 

So, what did Republicans do well? What messages should Democrats steal? 

Many of the Republicans speeches featured the themes of family and community. My mom's demographic especially loves that stuff. Couldn't Democrats do the same thing?

The economy is going to be Obama's weakness in this election. It still sucks and will suck for a long time. He's not to blame, but the state of the economy often tips an election. I think he should talk about how things have improved and what his new plans are. 

The Republicans took the student loan debt issue and ran with it. The Democrats should not let them have it. They have take that issue back. 

My blogging window has shut. Back later.

Women and Politics

The kids are asleep. I have a glass of mediocre red wine next to the computer. Condi is on the TV behind me. In the morning, I have to drive my mom to visit a sick relative. It's somewhat fitting that I'm writing this post in the patches of free time that fall between care giving responsibilities. 

Last night, Ann Romney gave a speech that had three purposes. No pressure, Ann! First, she had to tell little anecdotes about her life with Mitt to humanize him. Secondly, she had to show how her life was similar to everyone else's life. Pasta and tuna stories. Thirdly, she had to try to bring in the chick vote. 

Ann has a warm personality that came through on campaign trail as she gave cute, little intros for her husband. People are sympathetic to her health struggles. She's camera ready. Her warmth came through for the most part on the stage last night. She did dish out the tuna and pasta stories well, but the pundits today responded that she failed to acknowlege the role that privilege shaped her family's fortune. 

The chick vote. Let's talk about it. For the most part, women don't vote as a unit. Other variables shape a woman's vote - geography, SES, religion - more than their gender. That's why we have a Sarah Palin and a Hillary Clinton. I would like to see women vote as a block more than they do. All women have certain commonalities in policy interests and needs, and if the right candidate came along who tackled those issues, I think women would line up. 

On my Twitterfeed right now, Condi and Susana Martinez kicked ass. 

Ryan is coming up... Need to check this out. 

Making Money By Being Smart

(I'm just a terrible blogger this week. Kids, a side venture that needs attention, lack of sleep because I was up until 2am reading commentary about RNC. Things should normalize very, very soon.) 

I am such a bad blogger than I am only catching up on the Niall Ferguson debate. Best posts come from Henry Farrell and Dan Drezner. If you have even a passing interest in commercial non-fiction, then you should read these posts. 

The quick takeaway -- If you are able to successfully brand yourself as a "smart person," then your real money is in speaking fees, not book royalties or Ivy League salaries. 

Punch and Kick

The Return of the Print Dress

Thanks to Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton, print dress are big, big, big. Throw out your grey separates. Black pants are so Hillary. Get something with a big loud pattern and add a cardigan and flats. 

Shoulder Blades

You could cut yourself on this boy's shoulder blades. 

Camp Home

I am totally in news junkie mode. I could easily sit at the computer with CNN in the background all day. I haven't done any real writing for a month now, and I'm jonsing to get back to it. But the kids are home, so some responsible parenting must occur. 

Today is Museum in the City day, which is much better than tomorrow's Renew Mom's Licence at DMV day. Thursday is Breakfast at IKEA day, always a favorite.

Yesterday was Spend $30 on a movie + $12 on Popcorn day. School, please start again. Entertaining the masses is expensive! 

Some interesting links:

Norway is very, very expensive. 

The Winklevii's new house. 

Investors love online education. Too bad employers don't. 

Eggplant!!

Best Response to the Autism/Inflammation Theory

The best response to the New York Times' article about the autism-inflammation theory comes from Emily Willingham. She writes,

What we have here is an argument that relies on shaky and shifting hypotheses of autism and autoimmune epidemics and hygiene, built using sparse data and scientific hints, a poor understanding of basic evolution and ecology, and a paradox of calling for a return to a more infectious past to “cure” autism while blaming immune-dysregulated, occasionally infected mothers of the present for …  autism. In his closing, Velasquez-Manoff argues that evolution provided us with a roadmap of the original microbial and parasitic ecosystems we once were, one that, presumably, if we follow it, will guide us out of the “insanity” and “affliction” that is autism. If it’s possible, that’s where he’s most wrong. Evolution isn’t something that happens with a plan. To describe it in those terms is to have a profound failure of understanding of what evolution is. Where we’re going, evolutionarily speaking, there are no roads.  And it would be better for most of us if there weren’t any parasitic worms, either. 

Direct Hit?

Are we going to get another Katerina? 

Spreadin' Love 512

This polka dot shirt from the GAP is nicer than the picture. Light material, generous cut. Would work great with skinny jeans and flats. Don't buy it without their 50% off coupon though. 

Kakutani gives a so-so review to Zadie Smith's new book. 

I now follow Maude Apatow. 

Here's a cute Selby video about mushroom hunting.