a brief word on Israel

Very brief. So the one world leader whose feelings are unmixed on the subject of Egypt is Netanyahu. Obviously he'd like Mubarak's regime to continue. Egypt has a long-standing peace treaty with Israel, it helps keep the border stable, etc. Israel does not want a Devil It Doesn't Know. I understand that.

But I think Netanyahu is being a fool for going on and on about this in public, unless it's something he has to do for the Israeli public--is there an election about to happen or something? No one in Egypt wants to hear this. If you're interest is in keeping Mubarak in power, then the laaaaaaaast thing Mubarak needs is Israel dancing around saying KEEP MUBARAK IN POWER PLEEEEAAASE!!!!

I skim-read some other opinion piece right now that said what Netanyahu should be doing is not trying to prop up Mubarak, but talking to the Egyptian people, reminding them of the strategic reasons why peace with Israel is in their best interest. I agree there are good strategic interests to continue the peace--the same reasons they started the peace. Because Egypt is poor, they don't have any personal land they need to get back (unlike Syria or the Palestinians), they need to focus on their own problems. And of course, in return for supplying intelligence, and not tolerating rocket attacks from their borders, they get much needed aid from the US. Possibly any new govt will understand this.

But I do NOT agree that this is the time to be making appeals to the Egyptian people about this. Because Israel: IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU. For heaven's sake! I know international politics in self-centered by nature, but could we not paint on a slight veneer of nice-a-tude for the occasion? Just PRETEND to care about the Egyptian people? For five minutes? Because that would be in their own self-interest, and work better than all this "wah wah wah don't destabilize our authoritarian ally!" or "Appeal to them that their new govt continue a treaty!" What new government?

Oh for the love.

Okay, I just had to get that off my chesst.

this, that, everything and hair

Cut my hair today. Here's how it's been looking, as of last November.

Here I am showing my Harpo Fighting Technique:

And my Ready-for-my-closeup look. I had cut it asymmetrically in September. You can see the natural color coming in up top.

 

This shows the length is was--down to the middle of my back. I've just been waiting for enough of my natural color to come back, so I could then chop off the bleachee stuff.

  

Most of the totally-bleached is gone. The bangs are lightly bleached (they look more coppery.) And there are streaks, so that my hair isn't all-out too oily.

 

Slept too long today, but had a very good head day. Had to take two Tylenols when I got up, but then my head was in tiptop shape. Phew. I'm up to 50 mg of whatever-it's-called now.

In other news... Egypt!! Mubarak's said he won't run in the next elections, which had already been set for September. But it's not what people want now. Too late, Moo, too late. And so it continues.

In other other news... friend Vidal sent a Haley a good tip for dealing with Minion:

John Barry is dead! Oh noes!

Sadness. James Bond soundtracks have been a great delight in my life. Sooo much great music, I can;t pick faves. But I thought I'd at least post the slightly-lesser-known themes:

On Her Majesty's Secret Service


007 (From Russia With Love) - sounds like a cowboy song, so cool


My fave Bond movie, and Bond soundtrack, is A View to a Kill. The Duran Duran theme song was written by the boys and Barry, and I love it. Barry then played off it to great effect in the movie, such as in the love theme:



He also scored some other lovely soundtrack pieces, my fave being The Cotton Club.

I picked up the soundtrack to The Cotton Club when I was in my teens or early 20s, never having seen the movie, and LOVED it. Then... I saw the movie. Holy crap. With emphasis on the word "crap."

Cats do care about current events (when it concerns their revered ancestors)

When I'm working at my desk Haley likes to sit in the purple basket of the desk behind me, leaving the bed to Minion. I don't always hear Minion's attacks on Haley cause I have my headphones on, so I turned around just now to see/hear Haley growling out of the room, and Minion sitting in the box with a saucy look on her face.

Me: "Did you just take that box?"
Minion: "Certainly looks like it."


But she does have a softer side. Earlier today I was telling Minion about Egypt--cats care A LOT about Egypt, of course--and how we'd better say a little prayer that things don't turn violent, and I looked down and she was right on her prayer mat.

"Which way is FeliMecca?"

Best Blackadder line of all time

Living With Cats & a Meowee East update (Is there rioting in the litter boxes too??)

Living with cats is like living in a library. If you make a sudden noise everyone stops what they're doing and STARES pointedly at you. You apologize in a hushed voice and hunch your shoulders and continue your work as quietly as possible.

 

On thing I like about cats is that when you talk to them they usually twitch their tails in response. If there's a cat stretched out nearby, I say: "Who's a pretty girl?" And she will give a little tail thump that says: "Well obviously: Moi."

MEOWEE EAST: Now below is a little scene called Minion Wakes Up and Espies Her Best Friend...

Look at the way she's stretched out on her back, belly totally exposed.

You wouldn't think this was the dominant cat.

She's not attacking Haley, just stretching out towards her, and Haley is hitting her. "Don't touch me on my side of the bed!"

 And Haley moves away. I suspect it was a jackass move. Something your brother does that's calculated to drive you nuts, but not bad enough that you can get him in trouble for it. Well look at her. She does look obnoxious.

That's how things are in this Meowee East. If it'd modeled on the Middle East then Fernando and I are in trouble. Nibblet riots! "More Snappy Toms! More chin scratches! More Snappy Toms! More chin scratches!"

That guy, who killed that guy

So apparently the murder-ing guy already has a criminal record. And possibly the guy living in my building took him in, cause he didn't have a place to live at the moment, or something like that. So say certain papers.