Edit: Jill updated the post with some clarifications, and admitted questions.

This post from Feministe kind of pissed me off.

Being told that the major industry that drives my state (or should), my city (or should), my family (or should), should be allowed to fall completely to pieces makes me angry. Really fucking angry.

Yes, I understand that the system is fucking up; the Big 3 made mistakes, ran things badly, let everything spiral out of control. That's one reason Michigan's been in recession. But even I know that that if Ford, GM, Chrysler were to fail completely, Michigan would go down, as would other states in the region.
But Michigan, as much as I bitch about the weather and long to leave for a time, is my home. My history. My life. I won't let it go that easily.

If I remember correctly, my mom's company is pretty fucking reliant on the continuation of the auto industry. It provides parts and supplies to Ford (at the very least), and is only one part of the manufacturing chain that culminates in the creation of automobiles. If the auto industry were to go down, my mom would likely lose her job.
And you know what? We would be fucked. And I include myself in that equation, because I rely on her job for my health insurance, part of my college expenses, and for keeping my parents afloat right now.
And that's just my parents. Want to hear how much the rest of my family relies on the Big 3, or at least Ford? I can think of at least five or six members who work for or get pensions/retirement from Ford. And on top of that, most of my family lives in the Metro Detroit area.

While the post really got me angry, the comments were a great read. It was about 50/50 in response to the poster, and there was a strong response from Michigan readers. I really think the discussion will be productive, even if it doesn't change anyone's minds.
And, I will give Jill credit - she admitted that she came off wrong in her initial post. In a comment further down, she clarified that she was against the current bailout plan, not against a plan entirely. And there, she brought up some good points.

It's been argued that the Big 3 are failing because they've been making bad decisions and choices about auto designs and manufacturing. Instead of building fuel efficient or cars running on alternative energies (i.e., the fuel cell. Dude, companies were forced to put research and plans on the shelf. How fucking ridiculous is that?), and other greener options, they've been building SUVs and gas hogs. Hmm, yeah, that's a pretty good reason for a bit of a failure there. Suggestions for a better bailout plan have been to loan or bailout the companies with massive stipulations and requirements, such as more focus on green technologies and efficiencies. And I agree - that's a much better plan than simply giving or loaning the money (which is really the taxpayers' money, by the way!), and letting them keep doing what they've been doing.
At least, it's a hell of a lot better action than doing nothing.

This response from BrownFemiPower is fantastic. And she really hits on the issues and privileges inherent in the debate that others haven't. Read that too.

Now, as my "clarification," I'm still thinking and learning about all this as well. I hope that a good plan of action really comes out of this, and that we don't simply give the Big 3 a blank check...or worse, do nothing at all.

i'm tired, and don't want to be up much longer, since i need to finish packing for tomorrow.

but i just had to say: i've had one of the most fantastic nights in a long time. i went to the Night of Noise/Andrea Gibson concert tonight, to listen to one of the best slam poets i've ever heard.
and i got meet her, and ate dinner with her and everyone else. it was great. jasmine really set up a nice event. :-)
and her grandfather was awesome. really made me think tonight.

hahahahaha.
gotta love it when your Culture and the Holocaust profs recommend a video to you.

this is possibly the funniest injury thread i've read in my life.
go, read! be amused, grossed out, and full of giggle.
Click Here, Click Here!

ugh, tired.
i had class today, then played pool and went to the leadershape reunion thingy a while after that.
lol.
and when that was done, i went to bobby's house, and we wii'd it up. and "indulged," to use his terminology. haha.
of course, i'm totally skipping over the amusing drive down to southfield, the awkward experience of ordering pizza while on I-94 west, and banter with greg and bobby.

oh, and we watched the season finale of House.
O_O
holy fuck. haha.

in a moment of reflection while walking back to the student center from class today, i was thinking about how everything's gone so far this spring/summer.
i feel like i've changed more in the past month than i have in the past semester or year. odd, i know, but true. that, or all the change has just been compressed into a shorter amount of time. lol.
but i honestly feel like a different kayla than i was at the end of april. insane.

so many things have happened, it seems.
i hate saying it, but it feels like this past month has been enchanted in a way. in a way that previous summer never have been. i mean, the past several summers always left me feeling stagnant, or boring/bored. this one as been the complete opposite. just... full of things and crazy and experiential.
haha.
like one of those feelings of being infinite, to quote The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
yes: in these moments, i swear i am infinite.
has a nice ring to it.

i was in the car with bobby on the way back to the dorm, and we had the windows down, wind blowing through - the temperature was perfect, the wind felt amazing, and i had my arm out the window, feeling the air slide over my fingers and arm, flowing back to my face and body.
i felt like i could have been anyone, anywhere. and with bobby at my side, it was great.
one of those rare, perfect "in the moment" moments.
lol.

of course... this could all be the pot talking.
you never know.
haha.

dramaticsinner's Interview Questions.

( Follow the cut text here... )

if you want me to give you some questions, leave a comment on my original post

STEPS:
1. Take five (random!) books off your bookshelf.
2. Book #1 -- first sentence
3. Book #2 -- last sentence on page fifty
4. Book #3 -- second sentence on page one hundred
5. Book #4 -- next to the last sentence on page one hundred fifty
6. Book #5 -- final sentence of the book
7. Make the five sentences into a paragraph:

They do it with mirrors. There was one fly. She let him know that she considered him the best teacher at St. Procas, also the most understanding and the gentlest. Having done this, tell the meaning or function of each suffix. So far, efforts to deal with fundamentalism have not been very successful; what lessons can we learn from the past that will help us deal more creatively in the future with the fears that fundamentalism enshrines?

haha.
book one: Smoke and Mirrors, by neil gaiman.
book two: The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke
book three: The Drifters, by james michener
book four: Language Files, my ling textbook from last semester
book five: The Battle for God, by karen armstrong

i haven't finished the last one, but you've got to love the randomness.

post anonymously and tell me a secret.

then you should post this in your LJ and maybe i'll tell you a secret too.

the Vagina Monolouges were awsome last night. :-)
definitely glad i went.

and right now, i'm feeling pretty ok. even though i have to work tonight - i'll be out by 11 or so. i like most of the people i work with, which is good. same with saturday night. i have to study my ass off for the next few days, since i have 2 tests on thursday. hoo boy. i think i have this tuesday too. hmmm. fun.
i'm excited for sunday.

i'm feeling... kind of nothing right now. probably a good thing, lol. otherwise, i might just drown in myself again. i know i'll fall back to it again soon, so i'll enjoy this fair "lack" of emotion. it's relieving, you know?

i don't know what to say anymore.
i guess i'll just quote an earlier entry of mine:

i want... i want...
something. someone. to rip open my chest and bleed these emotions.
damn breastbone.
to feel like i'm alive. to breathe.
to kiss someone who means it. to lay in bed, curled up with another person.
to stop being fake. but how? fucking how?

i admire LGBT folks who come out and are true to themselves. nothing is hotter than a person who's comfortable with their queerness.
certainly doesn't describe me.

Get your own valentinr

idea stolen from kassi. :-)
awsome idea! lol.

ok, last one, i swear.
but they finally put up the Eatern Michigan University anagrams!
HI-LARIOUS!

corrie and i are in this!!!!
haha.
...words that have the "oi" sound in it. we show up at the end, lol.

and this is from the LNP's preformance on campus last night. they made fun of our fight song by taking phrases from our website.
lol.
starts at the very end of verse one.

hahahahahahaha.
<3.

ahhh! not only is it a nifty little camera, but it's a webcam too!!!!!
*giggles incessently*
hahaha.

lol. i'm having too much fun with this camera mom and kurt got me.

aww, i can't figure out how to set it up as a webcam for IMing. :-(

anyway, today was cool. the best part about it? i now have the ability to camera whore myself once again!!
haha.

fun. :-)

i'll give the official loot list later.

so, i walk into the bathroom after writing my final response paper for astronomy - logical, considering that i've downed a can of pop and over half a bottle of water since midnight - and realize that someone's taking a shower.
at 4:30 in the morning.

freaking awsome.

haha.

now, i think i'll sleep for another few (like, 3 or 4) hours before grabbing a shower myself, and finally tackling that last paper.

night!

one of my profs sent this link to our class a couple days ago, and then i found mention of it in a blog i read.
the link is to a NY Times article on "gender-varient" children, and the ideas/actions surrounding them these days. it was an interesting read, and i liked the thoughts presented on the subject.
Feministe (the blog i read) had some good comments on it as well.
click here to seem them.

what are everyone's thoughts/opinions/feelings on this? i'd like to see a good debate on my journal every now and then. :-D

WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

haha.
seriously!

..this is my first time ever being at a winning homecoming game. lol.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9163547/

amazing.

1. Reply with your name and I will write something I like about you.
2. I will then tell what song reminds me of you.
3. I'll tell you what flavor of ice cream you would be.
4. I will try to name a single word that best describes you.
5. I'll tell you the most memorable moment I've had with you.
6. I will tell you what color you remind me of.
7. If I were to apply an o'clock to you, I'll tell you what it would be.
8. Put this in your journal

hi.