Samantha Pierce

Today I am thankful for/that: All of the new words coming out of Isaiah's mouth. Sunshine. Sophia, garden helper extraordinaire. Flowers in the garden. I can buy fillo dough in the store and make all the baklava I want. What are you thankful for?

As I was securing Sophia in her car-seat earlier this week she felt the need to inform me, "Mommy I'm too evil to drive! I'm too evil to drive! I'm too evil to drive mommy!" Trying not to laugh in her face I asked, "Uh, do you mean you're too little to drive?" This is what I tell her whenever I find her sitting in the driver's seat happily playing with the steering wheel. "Yeah mommy. I'm too evil to drive." I don't know how she got from "little" to "evil." Yesterday she confessed to plotting world domination. Me: "Do you want a snack?" Sophia: "No!" Me (relying the question asked by Sis2): "Are you plotting world domination?" Sophia: "Yeah!" Isaiah has been doing a lot more talking now that he has got a PECS binder at home to help facilitate him telling us what he wants. The other day I was really excited about his progress. I picked him up, gave him a big hug and ki...

This sound like the opening shots of a new cold war. Especially considering that Russia tested some new missiles yesterday. U.S., Russia Divided Over Missile Defense . President Bush says a missile defense radar system in the Czech Republic and Poland is meant to protect the West from a nuclear attack by Iran. But Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling it an expansion of NATO and a threat. One person interviewd for this story complained that Iran and North Korea don't have nuclear weapons so we don't need a missile defense system. That attitude strikes me as watching someone play with matches in your house and waiting until after they set it on fire to see about getting fire insurance.

(Cross posted at Say Anything: Reader Blogs .) LaShawn Barber has a post up about interracial relationships . Specifically white male/black female pairings (there's a whole blog dedicated to discussing interracial relationships involving black women). The comments stray into some discussion of persons of group X who will only date inside/outside of their group for whatever reason. I've been lurking for several days now watching people make the usual arguments for and against (mostly for) interracial relationships. I've finally managed to put into words some of my thoughts on the matter. First with the divorce rate in this country alone through the roof I don't see why people single out interracial relationships as being especially challenging or worrying. Worrying about a *perceived dilution of culture due to interracial relationships is suspect. Especially so when people of the same race/culture can't seem to maintain stable life long relationships. It is a bit ...

For those of you who are interested, I've got some new pictures up at the Picture Blog .

There are all kinds of challenges in raising autistic children. One is trying to do right by your typical children while you try to help your autistic children. The stakes are so high for both sets of children. The story below hit rather close to home for me. I don't want my daughter to tell a story like the one below. Siblings of the Mentally Ill Often Feel Forgotten The devastating effects of mental illness have been well documented in films, books and academia. But until recently there has been little said about the sisters and brothers of the mentally ill. Now, researchers are starting to look at what they're calling the "well sibling" syndrome.

I know it's just a song but I have to ask, if he's so not irreplaceable what was she doing wasting time with him in the first place? Why is she going to waste even more time with another one just like him?

Today I am thankful for/that: Sunshine. Space to plant flowers. My little garden helpers, Sophia who plants things fairly well and Ethan who waters everything to within an inch to its life. I got up at 6:00 AM to go for a walk yesterday. We lost power this morning so I didn't make it out for a walk. I did yard work instead. I got to spend most of yesterday working playing in the garden. The neighbours think the yard is pretty despite its obviously unmowed state. Isaiah and I got to take a nice after dinner walk. He's got a bit more get up and go than I do. Isaiah got a PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) binder home this week and he's actually talking! He has been happily consuming the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and juice boxes that he has been asking for with his pictures. Today I got him to ask for something with words without using PECS to facilitate. Hubby's brother sent us his old digital camera. I've been snapping lots of pictures for Isaiah...

Today I am thankful for/that: Chewing gum. It helps keep me awake during long drives in the car and it helps me get at the annoying food particles that get stuck in the places where my wisdom teeth used to be. Little voices loudly singing out of tune completely oblivious to any who might be listtening. Me: Here's a car for you. Isaiah: Car! Rain. What are you thankful for?

(Cross posted as Say Anything: Reader Blogs .) I'm not a fan of the mega-church movement but I found this interview with T.D. Jakes particularly refreshing. Considering the way that the intersection of faith and politics is usually treated in America (that is, not well) Jakes' comments on religion and politics are like the voice of reason crying out in the darkness. I think Jakes' approach is much more appropriate than that of other popular religious and political leaders. T.D. Jakes Seeks Leadership, Not Faith, in President One of the most influential black leaders today, Jakes has the ear of President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton. He says the black clergy faces big challenges as the 2008 presidential election draws near, as they weigh competing strategies on how to work effectively for the betterment of their community. But the challenges extend beyond the black community, Jakes says. "I think really religion in general is struggling with politi...

(Cross posted at Say Anything: Reader Blogs .) I think the best thing that I can say about Jerry Falwell is that he reminded all Christians that they had a responsibility to take part in American society, particularly in the political arena. He reminded America that all Christians were still part of its society. Christians have as much of a right and responsibility to shape American culture as anyone else.

(Cross posted at Say Anything: Reader Blogs .) Newt Gingrich was on the Dianne Rehm show this morning. I listened while I was on the road from Utica to Syracuse. I thought the interview was going well up until I lost the station. I didn't get back until the show was almost over. I caught the tail end of Dianne Rehm saying how upset she was that Gingrich had cut short the interview and a rather nasty comment from a caller about Gingrich leaving his first wife on her death bed for another woman. My first thought was, who the heck is screening their calls and why did they let something like that through? My second thought was, what happened to make them/him cut the interview short? Turns out that after all his years in Washington Mr. Gingrich and his crew don't seem to know that Dianne Rehm's show format is two one hour interviews, A Possible First: Newt Gingrich Zinged for Not Talking Enough . This isn't the first time that I've heard someone bail in the middle of one...

(Cross posted at Say Anything: Reader Blogs .) Televangelist, Christian Leader Jerry Falwell Dies The Rev. Jerry Falwell, a pioneer among televangelists who later became a leading voice in the national debate over Christian values, has died at the age of 73. Falwell was found unconscious Tuesday in his office at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. I didn't realise he was that old. I've had a hectic today so I really haven't got much to say about this yet. Maybe I'll take a stab at it later.

(Cross posted at Say Anything: Reader Blogs .) Never saw this one coming did you? Below are two examples of just what "green" ethanol fuel is going to cost us. Ethanol and the Price for Milk New York dairy farmers are seeing higher prices for raw milk. The finding comes from the New York State Dairy Foods, a trade group that represents dairy product producers. As WRVO's Chris Ulanowski finds out, the demand for corn to produce ethanol, is driving up consumer prices for dairy products. Ethanol byproduct can hurt pork quality: U.S. experts Demand for distillers grain as a feed alternative has picked up following the rise in corn prices to 10-year highs this year, which has been fueled by the ethanol industry's voracious appetite for the grain. Dry distillers' grains with solubles, or DDGS, can be used as livestock feed and has been touted as a potentially inexpensive option for producers who are being priced out of the corn market by companies that use corn to make ...

Today I am thankful for/that: Isaiah is making some progress in toileting. I've cheered myself hoarse a few times now when we got him to use the toilet rather than the floor. A job opportunity for me. A short term job opportunity for hubby. Sunshine. The dawn chorus. The yellow green and red green fuzz on the trees has turned into ever growing leaves. Colourful spring flowers. The marauding flower stealing horde has been held at bay so far this spring. What are you thankful for?

(Cross posted at Say Anything: Reader Blogs .) Warning! There be spoilers here! I saw Spider-Man 3 yesterday. I thought the incorporation of an up and coming young journalist who gets canned for doctoring someone else's photograph and passing it off as his own was a nice touch. It was particularly potent given all of the scandals we've had lately involving people altering images and reporting "fake but accurate" news stories. Brock presents as unctuous and over confident character. His reaction to being caught in his deception reveals a serious lack of integrity. First he pleads for mercy hoping to play on the goodness of Peter Parker not to reveal his deception. (One wonders if the appeal would have worked had Parker not been under the influence of the symbiote at the time.) Once Brock's deception is revealed he is immediately, and rightly, fired by the always volatile Jameson. Rather than accept responsibility for his actions Brock seeks to avenge himself again...

Today I am thankful for/that: The bright yellow green fuzz sprouting on the tree branches. Baby birds cheeping. Ethan (at the zoo): I'm a mammal. I have fur. Me: It's called hair. Sunshine. Bright colours. A good night's sleep. What are you thankful for?