Women running for State House & statewide

This year there are a good number of women from SW PA running for the state house. Two are running for statewide offices. Unfortunately I don’t have contact info. for their campaigns, if any of you do, please forward to me & I’ll add that info to this list.

For more information on both the PA senate & house districts go to: http://www.pasen.gov/

STATEWIDE

STATE TREASURER

State Rep. Jennifer Mann, D-Lehigh

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Marakay Rogers, Green

STATE SENATE

37^th District – (Pippy incumbent)

Amy Jude Schmutzer, R

STATE HOUSE

12^TH District – (Metcalfe incumbent)

Robin Noel Redding, R

17^th District

Michelle Brooks, R – incumbent.

21st District

Brenda Frazier, D

22^nd District

Chelsa Wagner, D – incumbent

24^th District – (Preston incumbent)

Lucille Prater-Holliday, D

44^th District – (Mustio incumbent)

Ayanna Lee, D

49^th District – Washington & Fayette Counties

Barbara Reis, D

52^nd District

Deberah Kula, D – incumbent

56^th District – Westmoreland County

Susanna Lisotto, R

Women's Voices Making History (on the Blogosphere)

This came through my email today ...

During Women’s History Month, help make women’s voices heard.
WVWV is honoring those women that have utilized the internet to amplify their
voices. Nominate your favorite blogger by March 21, then check back to vote
for your favorite among our top 10 women bloggers.
Remember to visit WVWV.org later in the month to vote for your favorite in the first round.

You nominate now, vote later and voila!

Hillary Meet-Up

I just got an e-mail about this from the Run, Baby, Run listserve.

Are you a Democrat? Are you still undecided who to vote for in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary? Would you like a chance to talk to someone who has worked closely with Hillary Clinton to learn more about her as a person and as a Presidential candidate?

If you answered yes please join Sally Katzen, former deputy assistant to the President for Economic Policy in the Clinton Administration, for a discussion about Senator Clinton. In Sally's own words: "I want to talk about the choices the people of Pennsylvania have -- the first time in many years where they have a real voice in the selection of the Democratic nominee for President. I can talk about [Senator Clinton's] position on the issues, her real solutions to the problems facing the country, her character and values, her electability and anything else anyone wants to talk about."

RSVP: Please let us know if you plan to attend by emailing: hhnorman@verizon.net

What: A conversation about Hillary Clinton with Sally Katzen

Where: The Juring Home at 2223 Beechwood Blvd, Pittsburgh PA 15217

When: Sunday March 2 at 11am

Please pass this invite onto your lists! Also, please encourage 10 of your friends to join our volunteer database by contact Stephanie Rex at 814.873.1203 or westernpa.4hillary@gmail.com. P.S. even if you are not undecided, please plan to attend this event!

Thank you!

Stephanie Rex

MY COUSIN KRIS

hey, go see MY cousin kris if you are in the area and support a great cause and have a good time watching kris! we are, for the most part, a talented (ahem) tho eclectic and delightfully mad family.

http://www.personalevolucao.com/vdaywestorange.html

THIS WAS HER E-MAIL TO ME:


Join Evolucao and the Center for Conscious Living as we celebrate V-Day's 10 Year Anniversary, raise awareness and end violence against women:


V-Day West Orange: A Production of Eve Ensler's
The Vagina Monologues
Directed and Produced by Donniee Barnes
Featuring: LIVE ORIGINAL MUSIC by Catherine Moon and Lorraine Baucum, moving performances, silent auction, and a multimedia presentation!


Saturday, March 29th at 8pm and Sunday, March 30th at 3pm
(Silent auction starts 1 hour before each showtime....cash and checks only please.)

Center for Conscious Living
662 Eagle Rock Avenue (at Pleasant Valley Way), West Orange, NJ

Tickets: $20 with all proceeds to benefit Oasis-A Haven for Women and Children

For more information, call 973-863-2370 or check out the website.

If you are unable to attend, there are still many ways you can help:

1. Donate a ticket for someone unable to afford it.

2. Donate goods (art, new items, or say a car) or services (massage, tax service, counseling, Spanish lessons, drum instruction, etc.) for the silent auction. Email Tracy: trayhappygirl@hotmail.com if interested.

3. Forward this email to anyone you think could be interested in attending or donating.

4. Print the attached flyer (pdf) and distribute or post.

5. Make a financial donation.

Any questions? Email me or the event home office at: vday@personalevolucao.com

Hope to see you all there!
KRISTEN FERRARO, Vagina Warrior


Hosted and co-sponsored by
The Center for Conscious Living
located at
located 662 Eagle Rock Ave.
West Orange, NJ 07052

V-Day West Orange 2008
A Production of Eve Ensler's
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

• • • •
Join us as we celebrate V-Day’s Ten Year Anniversary,
raise awareness and end violence
against women
• •
March 29, 2008 at 8pm
&
March 30, 2008 at 3pm

Silent Auction 1 Hour Before Each Performance
Directed by Donniee Barnes
Produced by Lynette Sheard and Donniee Barnes

This is a benefit production of The Vagina Monologues, raising funds for
Oasis - A Haven for Women and Children in Paterson NJ

Admission: $20 per person
For group tickets call at 973 863 2370, you can order tickets by mail at
Evolução, PO Box 726, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076-9998, or
You can prepay right here by clicking on the paypal button.

Event also co-sponsored by Evolução- Personal Evolution in Action
www.personalevolucao.com

______________________________________________________________________
About V-Day V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and
awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina
Monologues. 2008 marks V-Day’s 10 year anniversary. In 2007, more than 3000 V-Day events took place in the
U.S. and around the world. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $50 million and educated millions
about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media
and PSA campaigns, launched the Karama program in the Middle East, reopened shelters, and funded over
5000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq. The
'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
http://www.vday.org

What is a V-Day Campaign?
A V-Day Campaign is a catalyst for mobilizing women and men to heighten awareness about violence against
women and girls. By creating this global community, V-Day strives to empower women to find their collective
voices and demand an end to the violence that affects one in three women in the US and around the world.

Directed
by
Donniee Barnes

WAR IS HELL

He wrote the letter on top tomorrow -- in 1945.


My almost-14-year-old son has been working on a project about Iwo Jima for his social sciences class. Last night, he asked me to help him with his project by transcribing some letters to make them look somewhat genuine "because he doesn't have the greatest handwriting in the world." I argued back that the letters he asked me to write were by a 19-year-old man who also didn't have the greatest penmanship in the world. Not to mention, he was writing from a foxhole. I imagine that doesn't bode so well for a smooth stroke of the pen, either.

I decided that it might do me good to write them, so I tried to make the penmanship "tighter," in the style of a man, and with more pressure, because most men I know write with a more solid hand than I do. I didn't have time to study the cursive of the day -- so I tried to keep my own flourishes to a minimum (many people mistake my handwriting for calligraphy; I actually modeled it, sometime in my impressionable middle school youth -- after, um, what's it called --oh yeah, the Declaration of Independence).

Hebert Taylor enlisted in World War II at the age of 17 and skipped his senior year of high school to serve his country.

So, after shoveling my sidewalk for the umpteenth time, I came in and did my homework, which I was beginning to see more as paying homage to this brave young man. There's something that happens between the reading and the writing. Not the typing. The actually, deliberate spelling out of each word with your hand, gripping a writing instrument.

This is the fruit of my labor. The fruit of his, actually, for which there isn't enough thanks in the world to give. Practically written under candlelight, as my lamp is pretty but doesn't throw much light. Check out the link above (courtesy of my son) to find out about Hebert (who made it back from the war) and to read what he's actually writing.

"War is hell." I imagined, as I wrote, that this could very well be one of my sons writing to me. I had experienced this feeling once, for real, though. My sister served in Panama and I would send her care packages and cry each time I mailed them off, wondering if she'd make it back alive, given the letters I received from her. (I should print those, huh? Letters from Panama from a woman soldier.)

History repeats itself. Moms and Dads and Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents and Brothers and Sisters and Lovers and Spouses and Children are still receiving these letters. Different time, different war.

I'm posting this video as an "added value." Watching Forensic Files one night took me back to high school, where I'd watch Nova in science class. After years and years, I decided it was time I knew who the man behind the voice was a few months ago, who has narrated so many things that I remember so well.

This is a video which features his voice -- which came out in the '80s and was a political statement on the Vietnam War. From what I've read, he had his reservations about doing the voice over, but ultimately, he decided to. I'm glad he did. Please read about the remarkable Peter Thomas, too.

What's in an Acronym?

Courtesy of Pam's House Blend:

This sort of mind-numbing "He-Man Woman Haters Club" frat boy crotch-grabbing has been out of control this cycle. The fact is they want to run against Hillary
Clinton precisely because this sort of misogyny can get a laugh with few repercussions.

Hmmm.... Does this sort of misogyny get a laugh without repercussions here in Pittsburgh? The "funny" thing is how often the purveyors of the laughs are often the true believers.

Here's the Citizens United Not Timid agenda:

It's this simple: it's all about the group's acronym, which, used in
conjunction with Hillary Clinton, is supposed to be irresistibly humorous. That
is the beginning and the end of it. The group will not be running ads in any
form and will not be making any robocalls. They'll be making T-shirts. That's
it. You can buy them for $25 on their website:
...Stone is counting on
T-shirt sales to further serve as "billboard education." He figures the whole
thing will end up taking on a viral nature, thanks to the yuks factor....
"The more people go to the site, the more people buy the T-shirts," Stone
explains.... "The more people buy the T-shirts, the more people wear the
T-shirts. The more people wear the T-shirts, the more people are educated.
Consequently, our mission has been achieved." Though neither the word itself nor
even the acronym is ever mentioned, "it's one-word education. That's our
mission. No issues. No policy groups. No position papers. This is a simple
committee with an unfortunate acronym...."

I wonder if local female candidates face any of this crap here in Western PA?

A PHOTO ONE OF MY HEROES

Saw this online this morning in a feature about the greatest sports rivalries ever. There are so many great photos of Ali, but I love this one especially.

Had to laugh

I saw this Carbolic Smoke Blog Post and I had to laugh. Repeatedly.

Hehe, thank you carbolic. You made my night.

Agent Ska

BET censures Aaron McGruder

Here is the banned clip of the Boondocks.

BANNED BOONDOCKS CLIP - HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST BET from Blnd I on Vimeo.

WATCH MORE TV

WHAT I DROVE IN AN ICE/SNOW/RAIN/HELL STORM TO DO THIS MORNING

Note: Not actually me. I looked a lot worse than this lady.

Women in Film and Media Event

WOMEN IN FILM AND MEDIA TO HOST THE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM SHOWCASE TO SCREEN IN TWENTY CITIES WORLDWIDE!

Women in Film and Media (WIFM) is proud to announce the screeningof the International Short Film Showcase Celebrating InternationalWomen’s Day. For one night only –Saturday, March 8, 2008– anexceptional compilation of nine short films directed by some of theworld’s best female directors will be presented in twenty citiesacross the Women In Film network of Chapters worldwide. Together,the nine short films finalists in the Showcase have garnered overfifty international awards.

On Saturday, March 8, 2008 at One Oxford Centre, Women In Film andMedia will be showcasing these films beginning with a reception at6:00 pm and the showcase screening at 7:00. Raffle prizes,delicious bites and beverages will be available.
In addition, WIFM will screen the Public Service Announcement theyproduced for the Women and Girls Foundation. WIFM produced the PSAfor them at no cost after a lengthy screening process.

WIFM is currently working on a Public Service Announcement for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) – Cribs for Kids Program. Theprogram provides Pack and Play cribs for families who cannot affordto purchase one. The Program instructs the parents on how tosafely put their baby to sleep in the crib and encourages them toput them to sleep in a safe sleep environment. The PSA will shooton March 1st and once completed, will be distributed to 155 SIDSchapters at the National Convention being held in Pittsburgh inApril.
International Women’s Day commemorates achievements, acts ofcourage and determination by ordinary women. What better way forWIFT members and the film loving public to celebrate than with ascreening of the world’s best short films by and about women?”comments Paulina Abarca-Cantin, Founding Producer of Women in Filmand Television International’s Short Film Showcase.
Tickets are $10.00 for Women In Film and Media members and students with a prepaid ticket and $15.00 for non-members with a pre-paid ticket and $20.00 at the door.

For tickets go to www.proartstickets.org or call 412-394-3353Monday thru Saturday noon to 5:30 pm.

Visit www.wifmpit.com for more information about Women In Film andMedia and their programs.

The Last Time in Three Years

Tonight will be the last Pittsburgh visible lunar eclipse for three years. So, get yourselves out there between 10 and midnight and enjoy the view. That is all.

WALK A MILE IN MY BOOTS, BABY

I'm exhausted. And it has nothing to do with walking around in these boots. (I got them from Nordstrom. No, they don't have one here in Pittsburgh.)

I have been touched by Sue and her posts lately, and her commitment to do what she can to effect change in the world, working to achieve what seems so simple in principle but has been complicated by greed and power and lust and ego -- that all people, who are created equal, die equal.

(Somewhere, a funeral director is thinking, "James, I think we've found our new advertising slogan.")

Meantime, politics seems little more than a Fellini movie to me anymore. Except without the popcorn. When I think about it though, that's a blow to the great Federico -- so I'm going to take that back. But I think you get my point.

Yet, even as these thoughts suck the hope out of me like a cranial Roto-Rooter, I keep coming back to this.



As as for my colleague Jabber Jaws -- you may be right. You may be crazy. But ...



(Flashback --cue Dream Weaver and add a few shots of rum to the memory -- A musician from Gloria Estefan's Miami Sound Machine that I partied with back in the early 90s was impressed with the up-and-coming Seal and was excited that he was going to be working on a project with him. Incidentally, have you ever been on a concert tour bus? Wa-oh-o. And oh yes, way, Garth. Way.)

As much as I feel like this, though (press play, please):



The signs haunt me everywhere I go. (Taken with my camera phone of suck last night.) So I scratch my weary head and ask, Faith, if you are going to plague me with your presence, could you at least try to get your message across, you know, a little more creatively?

Meantime, I have gone to the great, bald wise oracle and asked him a question three times. (It's not strength, it's persistence, right?) My answer to his nonanswer is the most bizarre Three Dog Night video I could find. I laughed so hard when I watched this I think I gave myself a hernia. (I know, serves me right.) Though, it really could use a little more COWBELL, DON'T YOU THINK?

And as for you, George the Dragonslayer -- I will see you same time, same channel this week. For the love of God, don't forget your damn sword this time. If I get burned by the breath of the beast again, I may have to give up this whole slaying business stuff.

EVEN MY E-MAIL FRIENDS KNOW

Blog and you're an expert!

It may sound a little cocky, but somehow a little post I wrote months ago has ended up getting me some decent press! While I was still in the "What does this blog want to be?" phase of Burghilicious, I wrote a silly little post about how to stop being a picky eater. Now six months later, a journalist at the Tribune-Review finds my Pollyanna post when he googles "Picky Eaters Anonymous." And wha-bam! I'm a practical expert for his article - the enlightened, open-minded philosopher who has reformed her picky ways! (please see the tongue-in-cheek on that one :)

Many thanks to blogging for giving me that opportunity. I'm certainly not the only person to overcome stubborn, stupid food aversions in this town, but I was the only one who wrote about it. It's great encouragement for keeping this little food blog project going, and I hope all of my fellow Pittsburgh women bloggers find similar encouragement!

Now time for some cookies...

I get the jab against Fourbucks in this Dunkin Donuts commercial, really I do. But something about it just makes me cringe a little. Is it really too much to ask Americans to pronounce foreign words? The "order it in English" tagline just seems a little crass. Especially when they're talking about a latte... which is not an English word in the first place- of course, in Italy a latte would just be milk.

PA "Marriage Protection" Amendment Resurrected by 17 men

I blogged extensively about this over at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents earlier today. However, somewhere in the middle of Costco, it dawned on me that none of the names I had scrutinized for party affiliation were female. I just double-checked at the PA Senate website, but it appears that 17 men have prioritized gay marriage as the issue of the moment. Not the economy, healthcare, or collapsing bridges. Nope.

Last time around, Jane Orie was part of the crowd, but she's turned her attention to assisting victims of sexual assualt and monitoring fiscally distressed municipalities. Is it possible that a financially unsound Pittsburgh might have a more negative impact on local families than my relationship with Ledcat? Heavens to Betsy! As a City resident, I say go get 'em Jane.

Seriously, is there anything to interpret from the absence of any woman on this effort to write discrimination into the Pennsylvania constitution? Should I withhold judgement until we see if a similar movement emerges from the House, sans female cosponsors? Are the men in our state legislature more concerned with preserving family values than the women?

Just some Sunday night thoughts. By the way, please call your State Senator and let him or her know what you think about the issue. Especially if you live in the districts of Orie, Fontana and Costa --- they are part of the committee that can put this nonsense aside to focus on issues that might actually effect your family.

Spinning ourselves down the toilet

Rather than investigating our presidential candidates' policies & vision for America's future, we're sinking to taking pundits' spin for substance.

Where's the analysis of the candidates' records? These are factual indicators of initiatives they're likely to pursue and of their ability to implement them.

Sally Kalson's column in today's P-G got me riled up & got me thinking that we, the American public, have only ourselves to blame for the base nature of the conversation the media's only too willingly giving us.

I swear the theme for this year's presidential campaign season oughta be Ebony & Ovary, as that's all that's being considered in the race for the most important elected position in the world.

Chelsea Clinton Steps into the Ring

This article about Chelsea Clinton campaigning for her mom is really interesting.

"Clinton has proven to be an effective campaigner for her mother, according to a campaign source, saying there's a strong correlation between her visits and improved performance. At this point, the campaign has become a fight for delegates, and even narrowing a loss has a big impact, a source said.

This election cycle, Clinton campaigned for her mother in California, the first state where the senator won the youth vote. A rural congressional district in Nebraska where she campaigned reportedly outperformed others in the state."

Agent Ska

Aaron McGruder is my hero.

I have what can only be described as an addiction to pretty much anything Aaron McGruder makes.

Someone sent me this strip today.

I just had to share it.

Agent Ska

MY ONCE A MONTH (NO, NOT MY PERIOD, OK!?)

(My face, and Noreen's killer abs, smudged to maintain our top secret identity.)

I try to make a point of meeting with the girls once a month for pure, adulterated mayhem. No, we don't do any of that silly "Girls Gone Wild" stuff. But we would like to slap the girls who do. We don't, though, because you know, we're a peace-loving bunch. And speaking of my Gandhi-inspired lifestyle, I am posting this photo here for now (with a story to come later) because I know Bram from The Pittsburgh Comet digs chicks who can kick ass. He may change his mind after I kick his. ;-)

Since Noreen, in the middle, is my friend, I merely lifted her above the pool table and didn't do anything crazy like throw her out of the window. I told her I was going to shoot her out of a cannon next, but we couldn't seem to find one, even with the help of our friends George and Michael at The Large Hotel, where a group I kept calling the Vibrators or the Sperminators (but are really called the Jaminators) were playing. (Make peace George Michael?)

And sorry, Lori, on the right, your boobs took up way to much of the photo so I cropped them out. Sheesh. We need to get you a minimizer for crying out loud. Do you know how much memory your mammaries eat on my card? Whoa.

This concludes my Saturday morning bedroom dispatch. Keep the faith.

WARM OFF THE PRESSES ...

Since I'm just now getting to posting this

My favorite local Irishman -- let's just call him "D-Rod" -- sent me this. I thought it was apropos to hold off on posting this until Valentine's Day grew nigh.*

(Set-up courtesy of D-Rod.)

Overheard at the local Democratic Headquarters:

FIRST GUY: "Jeez, I haven't had a date in six months!"

SECOND GUY: "I know what you mean. It's just so hard to meet unmarried women around this place."

FIRST GUY: "Yeah. If we just had, I dunno, like some kind of list."

(SLOWLY THEY TURN TOWARD EACH OTHER, EACH SUDDENLY STRUCK WITH THE SAME IDEA)

SECOND GUY: "And I know just how to get someone elseto pay for it!"

sarah@wvwv.org wrote:

Subject: IMMED RELEASE Reaching Unmarried Women in Pennsylvania

Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 09:11:29 -0500

From: sarah@wvwv.org

To: XXX

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2008

Sarah Johnson

mailto:sarah@wvwv.org

Communications Director (202) 659-9570

WOMEN'S VOICES WOMEN VOTE LAUNCHES NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE

Unprecedented mailing aims at Unmarried Women

20 million now unregistered, not voting

With the power to decide elections

WASHINGTON, DC - An unprecedented voter registration drive aimed at the 15 million unmarried women who are not registered to vote will hit mailboxes in 22 states beginning today, as Women's Voices Women Vote launches its largest voter registration drive ever aimed at the nation's largest group of unregistered citizens. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 245,878 citizens will receive voter registration forms in the mail.

Women's Voices Women Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to increasing the number of unmarried women participating in our democracy, is mailing voter registration forms to more than 4.1 million homes in 22 states: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington state, and Wisconsin.

"In 2008, a new America will be going to the polls. For the first time in history, a majority of households are headed by an unmarried person, and the number of women who are single, separated divorced or widowed is equal to the number of married women," said Page Gardner, President of Women's Voices Women Vote. "But the voices of 20 million unmarried women are not being heard because they are not registered and not voting. Yet, they have enormous power in every election this year."

U.S. Census data shows unmarried women now represent more than 26 percent of the eligible voting age population. In the last presidential election in 2004, of the 20 million who did not participate, nearly 15 million were not registered and another 5 million were registered but did not vote. Compared to married women, single women are 9 percentage points less likely to register and 13 percentage points less likely to vote.

"These are our grandmothers, our mothers, our aunts; our sisters and our friends - across all ages, all races and income levels. These are women facing real challenges in their lives, whether making ends meet, managing a health care crisis without insurance, or worrying about the cost of war," said Gardner. "Unmarried women have already had a profound impact and high participation rates in the 2008 primaries and caucuses. Making it as easy as possible to register to vote will ensure more single women make their voices are heard in our democracy."

From 1960 to 2006, the percentage of the voting age population which is unmarried grew from 27 to 47 percent, according to U.S. Census data. Between the 2002 and 2006 election, the growth rate of unmarried Americans doubled that of married Americans, a trend, that if it continues, means unmarried people will be the majority of the U.S. population within 15 years.

In addition to mailing voter registration forms, WVWV is also encouraging unmarried women to register and vote through innovative online efforts, and is sponsoring the Public Service Announcement campaign, "20 Million Reasons to Vote." The PSAs feature stars such as Christine Lahti and Julia Louis Dreyfus, and are set in the Oval Office, evoking the importance of having women's voices heard and their power felt in electing candidates to every office. The PSAs are visible at wvwv.org.

Women's Voice Women Vote, 1707 L Street, NW 750, Washington, DC 20036 United States

Um, OK.

*For the record, I do not like Valentine's Day. No one is going to tell me when to show my love for someone.

Dolly Busts Up My Concert Plans

OK, so that was really obvious. But, seriously, Dolly was coming to Pittsburgh in early March and I have been excited for months. She's the greatest, just the greatest. Our friend was flying in to see the show with us. You must understand that I hate concerts. I napped during Bruce Springsteen that's how bored I was. But a concert in the Cultural District is usually pretty good.

Then, last night we got the call. It was 10:05 PM and Ledcat sighs "Oh no!" into the phone. Is it her grandma? My grandma? Our friend's dog? What? Who? Why? Tell me!

Dolly postponed the tour. She injured her back and has to take an eight week rest. So. There. You. Have. It. She's planning to resume her tour and reschedule the missed dates so I guess I'll get to see her in early summer. Sigh. But I need a date now. I am not good with delayed gratification.

Leave it to Dolly to try to comfort me with humor:

"I know I have been breaking my neck and bending over backwards trying to
get my new Backwoods Barbie CD and world tour together, but I didn't mean to
hurt myself doing it," Parton said in the statement.

"But hey, you try wagging these puppies around a while and see if you don't have back problems," she quipped.

I am not a girly girl by any stretch, but as a child I thought Dolly Parton was the prettiest woman in the whole world. I loved the hair, the clothes and her boobs. Plus, she could sing. And she always seemed so nice. I wanted her to be my long-lost aunt that would take me to Tennessee which I really thought was the promised land (we went on vacation once and it was really cool).

I've also always thought of her as the poster-girl for being proud of your boobs because YOU like 'em, not because your lover likes 'em. She doesn't let people lose sight of the woman (and the brains) above the breasts. She makes powerful, earthy music in high heels seem the most natural thing in the world. And even though I would never ascend to those heels, I can appreciate the strength it takes to walk in them.

Dolly taught me a lot about being a woman. And walking gracefully. Puppies and all.

Amen.

A LITTLE ADDITION TO SUE'S POST

Photo by the uncomparable Annie Leibowitz

Science Debate '08

A group has formed to push for science and technology topics to be introduced into the presidential debates. Recently, the group has been gaining steam. According to an e-mail I just received:

"Over the last several days heavy hitters like Intel Chairman Craig Barrett and former HHS Secretary Donna Shalala have signed on, as have numerous universities, including Stanford, Georgia Tech, Cornell, and several others." *snip*

"The debate is set for April 18 at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. That's four days before the Pennsylvania Primary. The New York Times, MSNBC, and others have picked up the story."

www.sciencedebate2008.com

I think it's a pretty cool idea.

-Agent Ska-

Relationship Obit website

Web address: www.relationshipobit.com

The site is an obituary page for “dead” relationships…The obits are posted by everyone from the heartbroken to the fully recovered. Feel free to add your sob story.

The site’s creator is holding a “Wake for Love”, in NYC, (6:30-9:30 pm, Brecht Forum: 451 West St.), on February 13th, the last day to break up before Valentines Day… at this party you can:

-Listen to the most heart wrenching breakup songs…

-Slurp the bittersweet new beverage called “the breakup”

-Posthumously deposit old mementos from your failed love affairs in the coffin

The Laptop Butcher Shop Is Open

Get your local meat now through Slow Food Pittsburgh's Laptop Butcher Shop. I just received my order forms via email, and thought I should share the opportunity with all of Pittsburgh's women bloggers.

Here's how it works: Slow Food's Laptop Butcher Shop connects Pittsburgh with organic and/or carefully-raised, local meats and poultry. Place your orders direct to local producers whose products are not found in grocery stores, then pick everything up at once on March 8 at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Highland Park. At the Winter Market that day, you can also purchase locally-produced craft goods, yarns, cheeses, honey and more.

The talented, very-small-scale producers who offer their wares through this innovative program care about the health of their animals, their customers and the planet. Animals are fed nutritionally-appropriate diets - i.e., grass for cows, pecking for chickens, etc. - and raised outdoors, the way nature intended. All meats available are raised without prophylactic antibiotics or hormones, and are more nutritionally valuable than their factory-raised counterparts (FYI, even the stuff available at Whole Foods is generally factory raised.) Additionally, because these producers are from southwest PA, their products aren't shipped cross-country, saving a load of greenhouse gas emissions.

For instructions and order forms, drop me an email. You can find my contact information at www.Burghilicious.com. And to get regular updates directly from Slow Food Pittsburgh, drop them a line at the email address on this page. And don't forget - it's also CSA season!

Competing Blogger Conferences

The DailyKos 2008 Conference is at the same time as the Blogher 2008 Conference.

I'm decidedly going to Blogher. I'm applying for a "bloghership". Here's how it works:

*BlogHerships and volunteerism:
"For each conference we provide blogherships (free conference registrations) in exchange for being an official conference live-blogger. This is a great option for bloggers who could not otherwise afford to attend. Other volunteer opportunities have included graphic design, IT consulting, audio production, sponsor, speaker or volunteer "wrangling" and so on. Some people were able to add their efforts to their CV; some people were able to learn or improve their skills; some people were able to meet a posse of people they would not have connected to on their own. Everyone was able to feel like they were a part of making BlogHer happen."

I just thought I'd share this fact.

-Agent Ska-

35th Anniversary of Roe V. Wade

JOIN US TO COMMEMORATE
THE 35^TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROE V. WADE

Roe v. Wade 35th Anniversary Celebration.

ALL INVITED! Join us as we celebrate 35 years of reproductive freedom and honor our local abortion providers, escorts, and clinic staff.

Tuesday, February 12
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Social Hall
East Liberty Presbyterian Church
116 S. Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
**Free**
Co-sponsored by Women's Law Project, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, National Council of Jewish Women Pittsburgh Section, and Squirrel Hill NOW
Refreshments served
Please see attached flyer for more information.

We hope to see you at this event.

Sincerely,

Pennsylvanians for Choice
Women's Law Project

Vince Vaughn Likes Men

He does. Have you read about his new movie?

Here.


Turns out, Vaughn only likes to promote young, male comedians. (Who according to the article, aren't very funny.) It's always nice to see someone with Vaughn's fame helping young artists, but I find it hard to believe that there weren't any qualified female comics who could have also been a part of this tour. As a female comedian I find this to be annoying, and I just wanted to share it with some other ladies. Thank you for your time.

Listen to Billy Bragg.

Hello all! I am so very very excited about being a part of this group. I will admit upfront that my blog is probably an acquired taste type of thing. I'm almost certain that I never make sense. :) You can read me at http://vaginalarmageddon.blogspot.com I have to type it out. Haha. I hope some of you can stomach my brand of pun-laden humor, weird rants, gushes about music, craft posts, and flighty thoughts.

xo

Nix

OH, THE E-MAILS I GET

WARNING FOR ALL WOMEN !


This is a heads up to those friends who haven't experienced it yet,

and an explanation to those friends and family who have. Most of you

have read the scare-mail about the person whose kidneys were stolen

while he was passed out. Well, read on. While the kidney story was an

urban legend, this one is not. It's happening every day.


My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago. It

was just that quick. I went to sleep in my bod y and woke up w ith

someone else's thighs. The new ones had the texture of cooked

oatmeal. Who would have done such a cruel thing to legs that had been

mine for years? Whose thighs were these and what happened to mine?

I spe nt the entire summer looking for my thighs. Finally, hurt and

angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in jeans and Sheer

Energy pantyhose.


Then, just when my guard was down, the thieves struck again. My butt

was next. I know it was the same gang, because they took pains to

match my new rear end (although badly attached at least three inches

lower than my original) to the thighs they stuck me with earlier.

Now, my rear end complimented my legs, lump for lump. Frantic, I

prayed that long skirts would stay in fashion.


It was two years ago when I realized my arms had been switched. One

morning I was fixing my hair and I watched horrified but fascinated

as the flesh of my upper arms swung to and fro with the motion of the

hairbrush. This was really getting scary. My body was being replaced

one section at a time. How clever and fiendish.


Age? Age had nothing to do with it. Age is supposed to creep up,

unnoticed, something like maturity. NO, I was being attacked

repeatedly and without warning. In despair I gave up my T-shirts.

What could they do to me next?


My poor neck disappeared more quickly than the Thanksgiving

turkey it now resembled. That's why I decided to tell my story. I

can't take on the medical profession by myself.


Women of the world, wake up and smell the coffee. That really isn't

plastic that those surgeons are using. You KNOW where they are

getting those replacemen t part, don't you? The next time you suspect

someone has had a face "lifted", look again. Was it lifted from you?

I think I finally found my thighs...and I hope Cindy Crawford paid a

really good price for them!


This is not a hoax. This is happening to women in every town every

night. WARN YOUR FRIENDS.


P. S. I must say that last year I thought someone had stolen my

breasts. I was lying in bed and they were gone! As I jumped out of

bed I was relieved to see that they had just been hiding in my

armpits as I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my waistband.






yep, just got this. it's funny because it's true and yet,now that i'm "there",
56 and heading towards 60, it doesn't matter as much as i thought it might when i did give it any thought way back when.
things have changed so drastically since the late 60's. i can't even count the ways.
it boggles my mind.
so, i will concentrate more on the fact that i am still, "becoming" who i am and less on the cottage cheese thighs that my blue jeans hide quite well(so far)
and tho i still hunt for the PERFECT lipstick and will die clutching an eyeliner in my fist, i'm glad i'm still learning and still here and that i have the chance in the upcoming election to vote for either a woman or a man of color.
i really never thought i'd live to see either option available.

EleanorsTrousers says Thanks for the Intro!

Hi gang-

I've been a little lax in taking the time to introduce myself (and my blog) to everyone, but I figure it's about time I make myself known:

I'm Eleanor (ok, I'm "Eleanor" online- I have a government job, give a girl a break). As my "About" page states, I'm "a redhead, a Southerner by birth, a Pittsburgher by choice, a feminist by nature, a writer by passion, a local food junkie by stomach, a liberal by vote, an oldest child by birth order, a Capricorn, a bourbon drinker at times," and obviously, a blogger.

So, what do I write about? A brief search of my tags suggests that I cover everything from living with a bipolar fiance to book writing, beauty to boredom. And many other things not beginning with the letter "b".

It's basically my life since age 30- drama, gay bars, friends & family, the Stillers, bad poetry, and a mighty fine 101 things about me, if I do say so myself.

Come visit. Sit a spell. Now, isn't that better?

Great to meet you all.

AND YET, HERE I AM...

and i had to guess at most of the questions!

Rachel's on TV AND YOUTUBE!

Oh, my...our little girl, all grown up!! oh, I need a hug. Where are the tissues?

If you missed it and have been sleeping under a rock, Rachel of thatnight.net, was nominated for a Bloggie. A Bloggie is a very, very big deal in the blog world. (Did we mention that it's a very big deal?)

You can watch The Amazing Rachel here, on Channel 11. Or here on youtube.

Congratulations, Rachel!!!

Part 2 of this fiesta:

Rachel needs to fly down to SXSW in March to hear the Bloggie winners be announced!

She's raising funds to go down there...and we're all gonna help this hottstuff get down there!

Click here to help a sista out.

Rachel...yeah, she's kind of a big deal...

(...and she's part of our society!)

Sincerely,

-Agent Ska and the Very Proud Pgh Women's Blogging Society at Large-

Welcome to our 29th and 30th bloggers!

Welcome to Eleanor, who writes the blog aptly named, "Eleanor's Trousers".

Welcome to Nix Sidhe of the blog, "Plight of the Living Dead".

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

We look forward to reading your posts!

Sincerely,

Agent Ska (and the Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society at large).

Interesante!

I decided to google, "Women's Blogger Groups", to see what else was out there. Were there groups similar to ours in other cities, states, regions, etc? I was curious as to where they were and what they were writing about.

You know what I found? Well, I'll tell you what I found. I found the Pittsburgh Women's Blogger Society at the bottom of the first page...and the middle of the second page on google.

We're pretty awesome.

What else did I find?

**I found a blog where a woman is aggreggating all of the political blogs written by women. She has 300 blogs listed, so far.

Check it out.

***Salon.com started their own women's blog named Broadsheet in 2005.

"Broadsheet: Introducing Salon's cheeky new women's blog"

"Broadsheet started, as many things at Salon do, over e-mail. A member of the staff would pick up on a piece of news about women that was funny or horrifying or exciting but was not getting
many column inches in the rest of the press. Sometimes those e-mails turned into stories, but often the item would be small enough that it wouldn't merit its own feature at Salon, either. Still, the staff comments -- hilarious, angry, shocked, pleased -- would zing back and forth by e-mail chain. Without realizing it, we'd begun our own internal blog, with a circulation of about a dozen people, that paid attention to the newsworthy triumphs and travails of what we used to call the fairer sex. "

Do you have others? List them here!

Agent Ska

Blogher goes Presidential

A couple of people around me have started to ask the same question: Why can't they go anywhere without hearing about politics--especially the presidential election?

Have you found yourself obsessed with this election? Find yourself talking about it at lunch, dinner, and any other opportune time (or inopportune time, for that matter) with other obsessed souls?

The Blogher Website has a section just for blogging about the presidential election.


Agent Ska

Be prepared. It's almost Super Tuesday! Bring your charger...it's gonna be a long one, kids.

Women Who Tech

I just saw this link on the blogher website and thought it was a really cool idea. Here is the quick explanation.

"Women Who Tech: A TeleSummit for Women in Technology in the non-profit and political world will bring together the most talented and renowned women breaking new ground in technology. The telesummit aims to create a supportive network for the vibrant and thriving community of women in technology professions by giving them an open platform to share their talents, experiences and insights via virtual workshops and panel discussions. Want more info or are interested in participating? Sign up for our mailing list. You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter.


Any woman with a telephone who works in technology at a non-profit, a political campaign or is interested in technology is invited to participate in this free, live event on March 31, 2008 from 11AM to 6:15 PM EST. Below is a list of some of the panel discussions that will be held at Women Who Tech: A TeleSummit For Women in Technology. "

To read more, click here.

Looks pretty neat to me. I wonder if I could skype in...?

Our 28th Blogger

Welcome to LBpgh, our newest blogger, and Burghilicious, our newest blog.

I love reading food blogs even though I am very much not a cook. LBpgh's description of Community Supported Agriculture makes me believe that I can consume enough fruits and veggies to make it a worthwhile investment. History says otherwise, so I'll stick with the Farmer's Market.

Maybe if I read Burghilicious and now that's good eatin for an entire year, I'll be properly motivated for next year.

What's kohlrabi, anyway?