Activist. Vegan. Cyclist. Parent. (Almost) Criminal defense attorney.

Courageous

I just wanted to share with everyone this incredibly brave and well-written column by a Mike Penner, a sports writer for the LA Times. He announced in his column that he would be transitioning from a man to a woman, because his brain was "wired female."

It leaves me speechless.

Via feministing.

(But really, this shouldn't be courageous. This should be normal. This should be something we are all open to talk about. No one should ever be afraid to have a discussion like this with anyone. This is what our society needs--not mere tolerance, but a celebration of diversity. We should celebrate the fact that we have different people in our communities and simply want to live and love and be loved in return. Our world has become so atomized and individualized that we no longer view ourselves as a part of community with differences and similarities. Please, let's all do our best to be a safe space for our friends and loved ones to come to us when they want to say, "I can't live my life this way anymore.")

Habeas Now!

Unfortunately, our sit-in/stand-in did not get organized in time. However, today is a day of action calling for the government to return the habeas corpus rights of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

(Click for larger.)

BS

In light of the Supreme Court's recent asinine decision, I am posting some lyrics to one of my favorite songs by Strike Anywhere called Prisoner Echoes. Download prisoner_echoes.mp3

Take this banner
Hang it upside down
this country's in distress
from the schools to the factories
on the dead edge of town
this dream's a fucking mess
Our sisters’ and mothers’ rights to choose
and powers determined to fake the news
this poison undertow
the bigot's power grows

when we put our will to sleep
in the radiation of
rioting pictures
we let them
jail and murder our sisters

break out

Up on the hill where the road is red
if you look close enough
Down in the valley we're the living dead
while our hands are cracked and rough
for every deception that the papers print
to fortify their lie
Our creativity always wins
from now to the day we die

I see the young revolutionaries changing clothes
living in condition while the third world grows
weary of supporting all the costume changes
all right
Anthems for New World Disorder
hammers to the bricks and mortar
consciousness in crisis
it’s up to you
So what are you gonna do?

When we put our will to sleep
under the blankets of
patriot colors
we let them jail and murder our brothers

break out

Up on the hill where the road is red
if you look close enough
Down in the valley we're the living dead
while our hands are cracked and rough
for every deception that the papers print
to fortify their lie
Our creativity always wins
from now to the day we die

Take this banner
Hang it upside down
this country's in distress

Climate Change

From a friend of mine who is living in Lubbock:

Crazy ass hail storm from earlier today. See all the white rooftops? Hail. See the little stuff floating down the gutter? Hail.

All that happened in about 10 minutes.

(Click each for larger.)

Know when to say when

WHEW! Finally a(nother) new starbucks is coming to downtown Portland!

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Seriously.

Please don't talk on your phone on the bus. If you must please do so quietly.

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The Brilliant Dry Wit of my friend Matt

Matt: what's the status of your drive?
jake: it has a dvd stuck in it.
Matt: what have you tried?
jake: draggin it to the trash/eject
jake: pushing the eject button
jake: that's it cause it makes a horrible noise when i try to eject it
Matt: try turning the machine upside down and ejecting it
jake: it sounds like this: kkrrkkrkrkrrgggggdddd
jake: interesting. okay
Matt: wait...there are five G's in the sound? that's trouble.
_____________________________________________
Matt used to work for Apple, so he is my "go to" person on all things Mac.


Update: You will all be relieved to know that he did, in fact, get the DVD out and it was rather painless.

Last one today, I promise

Yesterday, while I was running around downtown I stopped by my favorite Thai food cart. The food cart is, for me, a uniquely Portland thing. While other cities may have the occasional food cart, Portland has the pleasure of having lots and lots of food carts--burritos, Thai, Indian, more burritos, burgers...and on and on. There are lots of carts, and everyone has one that's their favorite. Everyone has a Thai or Indian cart they swear is the best.

But I really do have the best Thai cart.

It's called Thai Basil. It is at SW 2nd and SW Oak. For $5 you get a whole container of your favorite Thai dish (mine happens to be Pumpkin Curry), a drink, an appetizer (a salad roll). If its cold, she'll give you a cup of green tea, or if its raining maybe an umbrella while you wait. Additionally, when I walk up, she knows what I like, which if you saw the post below, you know I love.

Because I know they don't advertise and because I want them to do well, if ever you're in town, please, visit this cart. I assure you, it really is that good.

Media

Today, I get up and am checking the headlines on my RSS feeds, including BBC News, the New York Times, and CNN. The bombing in Algeria was leading much of the news for a time but I was struck by the way these different agencies chose to report on it.

BBC at 8:55 am: Explosions rock Algerian capital

NYTimes at 9:57 am: Islamists Bring Fight to Capital of Algeria

CNN at 9:52 am: Report: Al Qaeda behind Algeria bombings

As if we needed no other reason to distrust the corporate and so-called liberal media it's this glaring example of sensationalism. Any opportunity to invoke the War on Terror is seized upon by news outlets to sell a story.

Racism in America.

Last Friday, I participated in an on-going project called OJO! which provides legal observers for day laborers at the corner where they wait for work. We are doing it to ensure that if any police harassment or anti-immigration protesters show up, that we have people there to document it. We also are there to show solidarity with the workers and let them and everyone know there is a community supporting them.

While we were out there, one of the workers came and told us about what happened to him the day before. He and 2 others were hired to do a job for an amount of money. If it took them 2 hours or 8 hours, they would get paid a flat fee, rather than an hourly rate. The guy who picked them up told them someone would come and pay them later. The guy who came later, told them the first guy should have paid them and left it at that. Land of opportunity indeed.

This saddens me.
Frustrates me.
Angers me.

But it also reminds me of something Malcolm X said in the speech that Mos Def read in the video I posted below. "...America has a very serious problem...Our people have a serious problem. The only reason [America] has a problem is because she doesn't want us here."

Years later, and it still rings true.