Friendship and Blogs

I've recently called into question many people I am friends with. I realized that many people I am friends with on Facebook are not people that I'd tell I was getting married on a specific date... or eventually... if I got pregnant. So I deleted a lot of them. I don't need them in my life, at least not until we reconnect at some point. Why become a statistic when you don't need to have _ _ _ _ # of friends? Facebook is for real, true friends. People I'd run up to in a bar elated to see, people who would CALL me on the phone, reply to my texts and email me back. True friends say hey back. Even if they are busy. Say "hey I am busy, can we talk later?" End of story! Simple!

I have also called into question many of the people I follow on Twitter, the people whose blogs I comment on. If you don't comment on my blog (when I comment on yours regularly), or you never bother to reply to something I said to you on Twitter - I delete you.

There are many people who blog who are not who they say they are. I get privacy and not showing pictures of their face - those people I respect. The people I do not respect are the people who blatantly lie about facets of their life. Lie about jobs, social opportunities and friends. Lying to advance your followers and build yourself up is fake. Acting like a show pony.... sad. Those who do not even understand that their social climbing methods are just ridiculous need to figure that out. I bet those people that, not even kidding, their life is still much better and more interesting than Jane Doe up the street. People should be themselves and not care! Privacy, again, doesn't count. Lying... it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You can be yourself and gain a following. You see people like that all the time in the real world. But some people think they can make up their own world and no one will notice.

I hope people are happy with what I put on here. I am a person with varying tastes. I do not stick to one subject or write about things I do not find interesting or valid. I write for me. But I chose to make this blog public and share my thoughts with you. Thoughts. Not lies. I frequently tell you about my life, because my life has been public for years.

I had a blog in 2000. That is how long I haven't been afraid to write about myself. I challenge anyone to find issue with that. My boarding school did at one point, and made me delete that blog. I did. Some stupid reason like you could vaguely interpret where the school was. Right. It was stupid of me to let them control my life like that. Then a week or two later I formed another one and gave the school the finger, because I lost four years of deep thoughts and shared interests with friends and all of those interesting melancholic moments you have as a teenager by deleting that first blog. I have continued to maintain that second blog. I love it because it is incredibly raw and intense because points of my life have been that way.

Another way I have had a public life? I've been in the press. My family has been in the press. It isn't like you know my address or SSN. So, my life has been public and that isn't something I really care to hide about. I am not a billionaire or a celebrity. But I have interesting stories and have had an above-average upbringing with good moments.

I really plan on making this blog special in the coming months. I graduate in May and more time will be available to do things like my blog and other plans I have for myself. I really hope people continue to follow me on my journey --- because I want you to see where things take me.

Do I want to be a Litigator?

Do I want to be a litigator? I was asked this question on Friday by my boss at my internship. She is a fantastic attorney, with a family life and is from a similar background as me (same congressional district, grew up on a farm in rural VA). She went to a small liberal arts college, and went to a great law school. Not a top 15, not a major player with BigLaw, but a great law school nonetheless. I honestly didn't know how to answer her question. I have not had a lot of opportunities to really figure it all out. I know where I don't want to work. I don't want to work in BigLaw, and I don't want to work for the Federal Government. I do want to work in Environmental Law, and I don't want to do Policy and having to be an ass-kisser and push policy in DC. I want to work where I am currently interning, or someplace similar to it. And I do ideally want to stay in Virginia, at least for the next five years. I don't really have a choice in that matter, anyway.

But I do not have experience, or a lot of it anyway, of speaking in public. I used to perform in public, when I still sang, but that isn't the same thing. I used to act, but I really don't find that to be the same either. You are given a script then, and when you are practicing law you have to be quick with words or you lose the attention of the jury, judges, whomever you are speaking to. I think those qualities are important.

"There's very little difference in the way great men and great women lawyers conduct themselves in the courtroom, U.S. District Judge Norma L. Shapiro told a group of about 500 women at the ABA's Women in Law Leadership Academy in Philadelphia Thursday afternoon.

But there are some things women could do better, the three judges on the panel agreed.

"Women in general lack the confidence that men seem to have in the courtroom," said Shapiro, who sits on the federal court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

And that's a problem. If the attorney doesn't have confidence in herself, neither will the judge or jury, she said. The trick is to exude confidence -- something Shapiro and the other panelists agreed was difficult to do without first some successes under their belt.

So what to do if a lawyer is new to the courtroom and doesn't have the confidence in her skills?

"You pretend. You fake it," Shapiro said, adding that being prepared helps."

Taken from: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202457596418
Title: Judges Provide Tips for Female Litigators
Author: Gina Passarella
Publication: The Legal Intelligencer
Publisher: ALM Media, Inc.
Date: May 4, 2010
Copyright © 2010, ALM Properties, Inc

I've always been able to "fake it til I make it". I have always done that pretty well. But what we are talking about here is still faking some kind of confidance. I was born with a pretty decent attitude about myself, but not a great ability in hiding my fears. I have a circulatory issue that makes my voice shake and limbs tremble, a lot. I have a splotchy skin on my chest and neck problem that shows up pretty well when I have a problem with someone, whether when I am angry/upset/hurt. Obviously, in a court room I would be covered up pretty well, but it isn't like I can go to court in a turtleneck.

Over the next several months, a year, really, while I prepare for taking the LSAT after graduating... I will eventually need to figure out what I want to do. And maybe it will be me as a "litigatrix".

Is there no Aristocracy in America?

I am deeply intrigued by a statement made in the October 2010 issue of Vanity Fair. Within the text of a story about the bitter rivalry of Rupert Murdoch and Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. – titled “Two Men and a Newsstand”- author Sarah Ellison writes, “In America, there is no aristocracy or upper class in the British sense of those terms.” To be honest, I do not really agree with her at all.

America is a young country, so you may not necessarily have an established family tradition “in the British sense” (as Ellison puts it) unless your family came to America with wealth. That is just a simple fact. America is a success story in so many ways, if you think about it. We were supposed to be a colonial empire to pad the pockets and provide supplementary income to those ‘across the pond’, however, as a nation we decided to rebel. Obviously, that did not turn out the way the English had intended. We did not put up with it for as long as so many other places have in modern history and that is why we are such an incredible patriotic country. We are a great nation. Clearly, like any other country in the world, there are the haves and the have nots. We occasionally have had to fight to keep our place (wherever we are) due to certain events in history, and there are many people who have become wealthy since America became the United States of America less than 250 years ago. So you do not have to have come to America with wealth. Not obligatory at all.

But to claim that we have no upper class or aristocracy is completely false. I recently had a professor (who was born in West Germany mind you) tell my class that “there are no upper class students attending this school because why would they go here when there are all those Ivies up north”. Those who read my blog and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/worthystyle) know I sat there in class bristling for the remaining hour of the course because I was sincerely pissed off. Most of you agreed with me that he was making an assumption only an individual not born in the U.S. would make. If you arrive in the U.S. when you are 16, you certainly miss out on developing many opinions and perceptions that could be considered more accurate. I wonder if Ms. Ellison has a similar background as this professor. Only someone with that level of education must have a high social naïveté to not get it, as in get why I attend where I am at. Clearly.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines ‘upper class’ as: “The highest socioeconomic class in a society.” This same text defines ‘aristocracy’ as: “1. A hereditary ruling class. 2. Government by the nobility or by a privileged upper class.” Can you really tell me that we have neither of these features in America? We most certainly have an upper class and I think socially and politically there is definitely a level of aristocracy which exists. I find Ms. Ellison’s clearly uninformed opinion “the British sense” to be hysterical. Does she know anyone who is British and is in the upper class? Many long-standing family friends who live in England still have sold off their family manors and priceless antiques due to taxes and expense of land upkeep. A number of others have sold off portions of land to the government as conservation easements and started organic farms on their lands to “make do”. Many other British aristocracy peers have told me stories about allowances being cut short. Are you really going to tell me that we do not have something similar going on in the U.S.? We have plenty of wealthy people in the U.S. who are members of our government or control major corporations that are essential to this nation’s well-being– Kennedy, Bush, Chase, Steves, Bradford, Winthrop, Jones, and at the turn of the 20th century we still had others including the Adams, Paley, Roosevelt, Rockefeller and Vanderbilt families as well. There are those who are FFV and those whose ancestors were sent to Texas to settle those wild lands of America. We most certainly have large manors, incredible antique collections and elite representatives in our government. We have old families with large fortunes controlling the interests in their regions with skill, a high level of education and fantastic networking connections. They may be controlling things, but most all give back in one way or another – regardless of party affiliation.

There are many people in the U.S. with great fortunes and incredible family stories who do not stick out in the public forum. Many have Twitter accounts and blogs you read every day, with the average person assuming they are simply well-travelled and possibly exaggerate a good bit. No readers, while there are many who do falsify information, there are a small number of bloggers who are from old families who have chosen to remain “upper class”… or merely first class in the way they portray themselves in this global forum of blogging. They do not over share, they wish to broaden the perspectives of their readers (educate them a bit, if you will), and they choose to remain relatively anonymous. They have money, but it is not about money, it is about quality. Quality of writing, quality of entries, quality of life. Ironically, Lisa Birnbach touches on the way in which to stay classy in her latest book, True Prep, she writes, “We prefer modest discretion to the outward manifestations of wealth that are the signs of the new hordes. [….] your money has just always been there… if it is a fact of your family’s life… if you take regular vacations but stay in rooms, not in suites [….] We do not engage in stretch limousines. We spend our money in more covert ways” (page 43). She may be writing about “preps” but she could easily be writing of anyone with responsible yet affluent means.

If you subscribe to Town and Country, you know that in the social affairs sections and occasional featured stories you hear several of the same names mentioned. You may see the same family name pop up or see the same two or three faces appear in the photographs next to the dedication of a garden, a new museum wing or a fine arts performance center. I know in a recent issue, I saw a lovely photograph of a specific dowager of an old Texas family, surrounded by her family at an event held in her honor. This “Yellow Rose of Texas” has been incredibly generous and philanthropic throughout her lifetime and fully deserved the red carpet treatment. She is a Texas woman, but she is not a woman out to have a big show or big top trumpeting her achievements. She remains understated and kind to all who cross her path. There are many people like that in America, who may have the upper class means of living, but do not forget who they can help. Her family is of the “highest socioeconomic class is a society” and they certainly rule the opinions of many in Texas.

Ellison states in her contributor’s paragraph at the front of Vanity Fair (page 100) that Murdoch’s mission with the WSJ is, “the culmination of a lifelong grudge against the elites, and he wants to win” – I wonder if she shares the same opinion?

Letter to President Obama

Dear Mr. President,

Please stop blaming the media so much. I want you to LIVE down there until this problem is solved. I want you to throw crude oil all over the Executive Management Board of BP and the Board of Directors homes in BP - in Europe - so they can understand what the smell, the heat, and the ugliness that this spill is doing to the mental, emotional, and physical livelihoods of millions of people on the Gulf Coast from West Cote Blanche Bay, Louisiana to Tavernier, Florida. I want you to YELL and be unprofessional because this IS the WORST ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER that this country has even been through, and it may be the WORST the WORLD has ever been through, because it hasn't ENDED YET! I am pretty sure that by August, which is SO optimistic of BP by the way, who wants to sit on their asses and look professional and clean and neat as a pin in their coordinated outfits - not covered in slop and muck and waste like those they employ and DO NOT PAY, this spill will be much worse than any other man-made disaster that I can wrap my head around, excluding maybe Agent Orange ecocide in Vietnam, Chernobyl, Bhopal, or Minimata Bay.

I am an environmentalist. I am a economic conservative. This is not a time to be conservative financially. I want a Gulf Coast again. This is not the La Brea Tar Pits - but they WILL BE if we do not do EVERYTHING we can to fix this problem. Right now, we are not doing everything.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mr. President, I am disappointed in you. I am disappointed that you are not being emotional over the devastation, you are being emotional over the 24 hour news cycle that is this world today. We are a country, a world, of technology, so you need to get over that. You are supposed to represent our people, but you continue to appear unattached and distant. "I feel for you" isn't going to cut it in meetings anymore. You need to make things happen, and you need to GET RID OF YOUR SLACKS AND OXFORD SHIRTS. Put on some jeans, some coveralls from the Tractor Supply, and get your hands dirty. Connect with the Gulf Coast. Please.


How to help:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/04/bp-oil-spill-aftermath-help/

Numerous organizations are mobilizing to lend a hand in the devastating aftermath of BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

For simple, safe ways to donate or volunteer to help affected areas contact one of the following well-established charities and beware of online scammers.

• Greater New Orleans Foundation: In response to the recent disaster, the foundation is opening the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund to make emergency grants to nonprofit organizations helping the victims of the oil spill and help address the long-term economic, environmental, cultural effects of the disaster, and strengthen coastal communities against future environmental catastrophes by investing in solutions.

• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is joining with partners at the local, state and federal level to begin registering volunteers to assist with spill recovery efforts and collect donations toward those efforts.

• National Park Foundation’s Disaster Recovery Fund: Give to the “National Parks Disaster Recovery Fund” online or by texting “PARKS” to 90999 on your mobile phone by July 1st. Your money will go directly to the parks impacted by the Gulf oil spill.

• Gulf of Mexico SeaGrant Programs is supplying the most current information about the disaster and for volunteer opportunities in the region.

• Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is a group of organizations with a history of on-the-ground work in Louisiana, and combining efforts and experience to implement an effective volunteer response and make a real difference in the BP Oil Spill recovery efforts.

• The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans is working with Matter of Trust to collect donations of nylons, hair and fur, which can be used in making booms for containing oil.

• Catholic Charities is providing food, rent and utilities aid and is currently in need of volunteers to help outreach to families who work in fishing-related industries affected by the oil spill.

• Second Harvest Food Bank: is working in concert with Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Louisiana Department of Social Services and others to ensure that men, women, children and seniors are afforded the meals they need during these trying times.

• The BP Volunteer Hotline has set up numbers if you need to report injured wildlife or damage related to the spill. You can also request volunteer information at 866-448-5816.

• Oxfam America is working to help affected communities with financial assistance, as well as protect local wetlands and marshes. Oxfam also has an online form to "Ask your Senator to make BP clean up their mess"

• Louisiana Serve Commission is helping mobilize and train volunteers in response to the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

• Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service: All oil and oil-contaminated materials will only be handled by trained, paid workers and not by volunteers. To apply for these jobs, go to the MS Department of Employment Security website and click on Oil Spill Jobs. Registered volunteers will also be contacted as needed.

• Volunteer Florida encourages everyone to get connected with a local organization. Volunteers can support these organizations throughout the oil spill and beyond through appropriate activities such as Coast Watch, pre-oil landfall beach cleanups, fundraising, and meeting other needs of responding organizations.

• Alabama Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives provides information on volunteer and donation opportunities.

Spring Breakers Headed to Mexico

Over 100,000 American teenagers and young adults travel to resort areas throughout Mexico over Spring Break each year. While the vast majority enjoys their vacation without incident, several may die, hundreds will be arrested, and still more will make mistakes that could affect them for the rest of their lives. Using some common sense will help travelers avoid these unpleasant and dangerous situations.

We encourage all U.S. citizens to phone home periodically to assure family members of your safety and inform them of your whereabouts. Remember, whether you travel to Mexico by land, air, or sea, you are entering a foreign country and are subject to the laws and customs regulations of Mexico.

Entry Requirements

Effective January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air to the United States from Mexico, Canada, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, (or if applicable, an Alien Registration Card, form I-551, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document), to enter or re-enter the United States. American citizens can visit http://travel.state.gov or call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on applying for a U.S. passport. Please see Mexico’s Country Specific Information for complete entry requirements.

Mexican Law

While traveling in Mexico, American citizens are subject to Mexican law. An arrest or accident in Mexico can result in a difficult legal or medical situation, sometimes at a great expense to the traveler. Mexican law can impose harsh penalties for violations that would be considered minor in the United States, and U.S. citizenship in no way exempts one from full prosecution under the Mexican criminal justice system. If U.S. citizens find themselves in legal trouble, they should contact the closest U.S. Consulate, U.S. Consular Agency, or the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. (see "Contact Information" below). U.S. consular officials in Mexico can visit detained American citizens in prison, provide information about the Mexican legal system, and furnish a list of Mexican attorneys, among other assistance. U.S. Consular officials cannot arrange for Mexican officials to release detained American citizens.

Alcohol and Drugs

Excessive alcohol consumption and unruly behavior can lead to serious problems with Mexican authorities. Alcohol is involved in the vast majority of arrests, accidents, violent crimes, rapes, and deaths suffered by American students on Spring Break. Disturbing the peace, lewd or indecent behavior, littering, driving under the influence, drinking on the street or on public transportation, using public transportation without payment, or making obscene or insulting remarks are all considered criminal activities by Mexican authorities. The importation, purchase, possession or use of drugs can incur severe penalties, including imprisonment without bail for up to a year before a case is tried, and imprisonment of several years following a conviction. All individuals 16 years of age or older are tried as adults.

Safety and Security

Standards of security, safety, and supervision may not reach the levels expected in the United States. This has contributed to the deaths of U.S. citizens in automobile accidents, after falls from balconies or into unmarked ditches, by drowning in the ocean as well as in hotel pools, and in water-sports mishaps, among others.

Warning flags on beaches should be taken seriously. If black or red flags are up, do not enter the water. Strong undertow and rough surf are common along beaches throughout Mexico, especially on the Pacific coast, and drownings have occurred when swimmers have been overwhelmed by conditions. Swimming pool drain systems may not comply with U.S. safety standards and swimmers should exercise caution. Do not swim in pools or at beaches without lifeguards. Do not dive into unknown bodies of water, because hidden rocks or shallow depths can cause serious injury or death. If you choose to swim, always exercise extreme caution.

Use only the licensed and regulated "sitio" (SEE-tee-oh) taxis. Some illegitimate taxi drivers are, in fact, criminals in search of victims; users of these taxis have been robbed, kidnapped, and/or raped. Hotels, clubs and restaurants will summon a sitio taxi upon request.

Firearms and Knives

It is best not to carry even a pocketknife into Mexico as this can result in a weapons charge if a knife is found on a traveler who is arrested for a separate offense. Visitors driving across the border should ensure that their vehicles contain no firearms or ammunition. Mexico imposes harsh penalties for bringing as little as one bullet across its borders.

Renting and Operating Vehicles and other Equipment

Visitors should exercise caution when renting vehicles, including jet skis and mopeds. Many are not serviced and in poor condition, and many are uninsured or under-insured. Read rental contracts carefully to be sure your own insurance will cover you in the event of an accident, if the rental company's insurance is not adequate. Drivers of any vehicle, including jet skis and mopeds, should exercise extreme caution and ask the rental agency about local laws and procedures before operating the vehicle. The Department of State has received reports of equipment rental operators using locals to form a “mob” to intimidate customers into paying exorbitant amounts for damage to rented equipment.

Operators of any vehicle that causes damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people may be arrested and held in custody until full payment is made, either in cash or through insurance.

Driving in Mexico

American citizens planning on driving to Mexico should carry a valid driver’s license at all times. U.S. driver’s licenses are valid in Mexico. Mexican law requires that vehicles be driven only by their owners, or that the owner be inside the vehicle. If not, the car may be seized by Mexican customs and will not be returned under any circumstances. We strongly recommend that you purchase a full coverage insurance policy that will cover the cost of bail. Please be aware that if you are involved in an automobile accident, you will be taken into police custody until it is determined who is at fault and whether you have the ability to pay any penalty.

Know Before You Go

The following cities and areas are some traditional destinations in Mexico for travelers on Spring Break. While other resort areas may not be as well-known for this type of travel, the advice contained here still applies:

Acapulco: Drug-related violence has been increasing in Acapulco. Although this violence is not targeted at foreign residents or tourists, U.S. citizens in these areas should be vigilant in their personal safety.

Avoid swimming outside the bay area. Several American citizens have died while swimming in rough surf at the Revolcadero Beach near Acapulco.

Cabo San Lucas: Beaches on the Pacific side of the Baja California Peninsula at Cabo San Lucas are dangerous due to rip tides and rogue waves; hazardous beaches in this area are clearly marked in English and Spanish.

Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel: Cancun is a fairly large city, approaching 500,000 inhabitants, with increasing reports of crime. Crimes against the person, such as rape, commonly but not exclusively occur at night or in the early morning hours, and often involve alcohol and the nightclub environment. Therefore, it is important to travel in pairs or groups, be aware of surroundings, and take general precautions. To protect against property crimes, valuables should be left in a safe place or not brought at all. If you are a victim of a crime, immediately notify the U.S. Consular Agency in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Cozumel or the U.S. Consulate in Merida at the telephone numbers provided below.

If you rent a moped or other vehicle in Cancun, it is advisable to purchase third-party insurance, as the insurance offered on some credit cards will not cover you in Mexico. Should you have an accident or cause damage to the vehicle, you may be required to pay the full amount of any repairs, in cash, as determined by the rental agency, or face arrest.

In Cancun, there is often a very strong undertow along the beach from the Hyatt Regency all the way south to Club Med. Already this season, several U.S. citizens have drowned when overwhelmed by ocean conditions. In Cozumel, several drownings and near-drownings have been reported on the east coast, particularly in the Playa San Martin-Chen Rio area.

Matamoros/South Padre Island: The Mexican border cities of Matamoros and Nuevo Progresso are located 30 to 45 minutes south of the major Spring Break destination of South Padre Island, Texas. Travelers to the Mexican border should be especially aware of safety and security concerns due to increased violence in recent years between rival drug trafficking gangs competing for control of narcotics smuggling routes. While it is unlikely that American visitors would get caught up in this violence, travelers should exercise common-sense precautions such as visiting only the well-traveled business and tourism areas of border towns during daylight and early-evening hours.

Mazatlan: While the beach town of Mazatlan is a relatively safe place to visit, travelers should use common sense and exercise normal precautions when visiting an unfamiliar location. Avoid walking the streets alone after dark, when petty crimes are much more common. Beaches can have very strong undertows and rogue waves. Swimmers should obey warning signs placed along the beaches which indicate dangerous ocean conditions.

Nogales/Sonora: Puerto Peñasco, a.k.a. “Rocky Point,” is located in northern Sonora, 60 miles from the U.S. border, and is accessible by car. The majority of accidents that occur at this Spring Break destination are caused by individuals driving under the influence of alcohol. Travelers should exercise particular caution on unpaved roads, especially in beach areas.

Oaxaca City: There have been ongoing demonstrations and protests in Oaxaca City due to civil unrest since June 2006. Several groups have engaged in violent demonstrations in Oaxaca City, which resulted in the death of an American citizen in October 2006. Prior to traveling to Oaxaca City, U.S. citizens should monitor the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City’s web site, http://mexico.usembassy.gov/mexico/citizen_services.html, as well as http://travel.state.gov for the most up to date Safety and Security information. U.S. citizens should avoid participating in demonstrations and other activities that might be deemed political by the Mexican authorities. The Mexican Constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners, and such actions may result in detention and/or deportation.

Oaxaca (coastal): There have been a number of drownings along the beaches of the southern coast of Oaxaca, namely Zipolite Beach. Professional lifeguard training has contributed to a drop in fatalities, but swimmers are advised that currents can quickly become treacherous, even for accomplished swimmers.

Tijuana: Tijuana has one of the busiest land border crossings in the world. The beach towns of Rosarito and Ensenada also attract a large number of tourists. Drinking alcoholic beverages excessively on a public street is prohibited.

Tijuana boasts a large number of pharmacies; to buy any controlled medication (e.g. Valium, Vicodin, Placidyl, Morphine, Demorol, and Ativan, etc), a prescription from a Mexican federally registered physician is required. Possession of controlled medications without a Mexican doctor's prescription is a serious crime and can lead to arrest. The prescription must have a seal and serial number. Under no other circumstances should an individual purchase prescription medicines.

Register with the Embassy or Consulates

Registration with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate (in the country you are visiting) makes your presence and whereabouts known, in case it is necessary for a consular officer to contact you in an emergency. During a disaster overseas, American consular officers can assist in evacuation were that to become necessary, but they cannot assist you if they do not know where you are. You can register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site.

Additional Information: Travelers going to Mexico over Spring Break should refer to the Department of State’s Country Specific Information for Mexico, the publication Tips for Student Travelers, and the publication Help for American Victims of Crime Overseas.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Travel Alert, Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts can be found. Up to date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Contact Information: In case of a serious emergency, travelers should immediately contact the closest U.S. Consulate, U.S. Consular Agency, or the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.

The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000. You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at: acsmexicocity@state.gov. The Embassy's Internet address is http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/main.html.

In addition to the Embassy, there are United States Consulates General, Consulates, and Consular Agencies located throughout Mexico:

Consulates General and Consulates:

Ciudad Juarez : Ciudad Juarez: Paseo de la Victoria #3650, telephone (52) (656) 227-3000. Flagged as violent
Guadalajara: Progreso 175, telephone (52)(333) 268-2100.
Monterrey: Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente, telephone (52)(818) 047-3100. Flagged as violent
Tijuana: Tapachula 96, telephone (52)(664) 622-7400. During non-work hours, an American official may be reached at: 011-619-692-2154 (from Mexico) or 619-692-2154 (from the U.S.). Flagged as violent
Hermosillo: Avenida Monterrey 141, telephone (52)(662) 289-3500.
Matamoros: Avenida Primera 2002, telephone (52)(868) 812-4402. Flagged as violent
Merida: 338-K Calle 60, Colonia Alcala Martin, telephone (52)(999) 942-5700.
Nogales: Calle San Jose, Nogales, Sonora, telephone (52)(631) 311-8150. Flagged as violent
Nuevo Laredo: Calle Allende 3330, Col. Jardin, telephone (52)(867) 714-0512.
Consular Agencies:

Acapulco: Hotel Continental Emporio, Costera Miguel Aleman 121 - Local 14, telephone (52)(744) 484-0300 or (52)(744) 469-0556.
Cabo San Lucas: Blvd. Marina Local C-4, Plaza Nautica, Col. Centro, telephone (52)(624) 143-3566.
Cancún: Plaza Caracol Two, Second Level, No. 320-323, Boulevard Kukulcan, Km. 8.5, Zona Hotelera, telephone (52)(998) 883-0272.
Ciudad Acuña, Ocampo # 305, Col. Centro, telephone (52)(877) 772-8661
Cozumel: Plaza Villa Mar en El Centro, Plaza Principal, (Parque Juárez between Melgar and 5th Ave.) 2nd floor, Locales #8 and 9, telephone (52)(987) 872-4574.
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, telephone (52)(755) 553-2100.
Mazatlán: Hotel Playa Mazatlán, Playa Gaviotas #202, Zona Dorada, telephone (52)(669) 916-5889.
Oaxaca: Macedonio Alcalá No. 407, Interior 20, telephone (52)(951) 514-3054 (52)(951) 516-2853.
Piedras Negras: Prol. General Cepeda No. 1900, Fraccionamiento Privada Blanca, telephone (52) (878) 785-1986.
Playa del Carmen: The Palapa, Calle 1 Sur, between Avenida 15 and Avenida 20.; telephone (52)(984) 873-0303.
Puerto Vallarta: Paseo de Los Cocoteros #85 Sur, Paradise Plaza - Local L-7, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit C.P. 63732, telephone (52)(322) 222-0069.
Reynosa: Calle Monterrey #390, Esq. Sinaloa, Colonia Rodríguez, telephone: (52)(899) 923 - 9331
San Luis Potosí: Edificio "Las Terrazas", Avenida Venustiano Carranza 2076-41, Col. Polanco, telephone: (52)(444) 811-7802/7803.
San Miguel de Allende: Dr. Hernandez Macias #72, telephone (52)(415) 152-2357 or (52)(415) 152-0068.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/spring_break_mexico/spring_break_mexico_2812.html

What a Betty!!!

Boarding School

Photo owned by: Lisa Richmond

In this rough financial climate, everyone is certainly on their toes. However, this AM when I opened up my New York Times, I didn't necessarily plan on reading this article, which really tugged at my heart-strings and to be honest, made me quite upset!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/business/07conserve.html

The Conserve School basically just opened in 2002, and already has an endowment of 181 million dollars.

It was a non-profit started when the CEO of a Chicago steel company died, whole established a trust for 70% students to recieve financial aid, run the school, donated 1,200 acres for the school to be on (and I thought the almost 400 acres my boarding school had was a lot), and to maintain the school with a majority stake (59%) in this said Chicago steel company.

Unfortunately, the school earlier this semester, called the student body together to let students know at the end of this semester, the school will be no longer a boarding school 4-year program and will instead become a semester-long study program.

What? Excuse me?

I know.

Apparently, and I can only understand the financial gibberish in this article because I am on the Annual Fund for a couple of different non-profits (including my own alma mater), they didn't sell off 5% of their assets every year, and if not selling it, diversifying them. Basically, their portfolio wasn't adjusted to work with the climate of the market.

Ironically enough, the people who run the school? Trustees. Kind-of like the situation of The Greenbrier with CSX Railroad being it's owners. The Trustees of the school are board members at this Chicago Steel Company. So it's a situation of greed and nonchalance. And that upsets me.

I immediately emailed my boarding school Annual Fund coordinator to let her know how this article made me feel, and that I would love to do anything extra that I could to help my boarding school in this financial climate... if they needed my help outside of my regular donations. I have yet to hear from her, but I feel like it wouldn't hurt. At least I could then figure out how to do more letters to my classmates before June 30...

oh jeez

Was anyone else yesterday distracted by Lady Aretha Franklin's hat?

I mean, I know the gays and trans-gendereds love her so I am SUUUUURE this hat will be copy-catted all over the place!!!

My goodness!

So Many Things

Picture of the Day: Pissed off New Yorkers -

First off - Happy New Year! Late by over 2 weeks, I know, and don't hate me. I hope my readership hasn't completely given up on me! I hope all is well for everyone out there, I am trying to decide whether I will do one post or multiple posts just to save everyone from dealing with LENGTH!

As you all know, I LOOOOVE Gossip Girl - and I love Nikes - so, natch, this viral ad is so awesome!


I know I have some fellow post-Nsync tour days Britney Spears fans here - --- not sure if anyone heard about how her song "If You Seek Amy" could be submitted to radio stations after the FCC was done with it ...btw, anyone else think this is silly? She doesn't actually say F.U.C.K. M.E.? Are kids really this smart these days (that is the ones who aren't already taking sex ed classes?)


Haha. I love Jossip! "O Faces of National Anthem singers for the Super Bowl" ...I think the best one is JoJo, for one, because she must've been someone who used to exist in the pop world (i.e. 1997-2005) - and because I cannot even think of a song that she ever did. Anyone got any info on JoJo for me? Gracias chicas!



Picture caption: Gawker.com
Now, I don't talk politics a lot, but does anyone else feel insulted about all of the hootananny over this President-Elect? Does anyone even remember there previously being a President-Elect seal/sign on podiums? Does anyone remember there being so many special inaugural... whatevers... for all of the other great Presidents before our time and even to the present? Teddy, FDR, or whomever. Now, I think, Obama has even surpassed Kennedy - who had at least actually spent some time IN THE OFFICE - before people started fainting over his existance - and I find that offensive. However, let me conclude by saying, America spoke, and a majority of people found him to be the right candidate. I just am anticipating to see what it is he will do for all of us!

Check out my GF Jennifer from Calista Cove's Life in the Cove blog to see her post on car coats- I LOVE her taste, don't you?

Here are some more simple styles of what she was wearing:

from Bluefly.com, this Andrew Marc is delish:

It only comes in black, and the fur trim is raccoon, which I know sounds gross, but they are actually very soft!


This Nordstrom.com coat by Fleurette is a bit more luxurious:

I like the muted wing collar - this is trimmed in mink.

Please provide my girl Hopsy with some input on her jewelry case situation!! I told her I think her even wanting one is a great idea. It is such a tradition that has been forgotten. My Mom has several, one just for costume jewelry, and it is a big vanity - 3' tall! Yeesh! But def. fun for me to pick through when designers come up with accessories for the seasons. I "borrow" from MaMa!!

Does anyone else find it insane that Oprah, with all of her money, personal chefs, trainers, etc, cannot get the means to keep off at least most of her weight?

Is this legit:
If that is legit, then my brain just exploded. Just like it did in the middle of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade this past November!!!

Who wants to spend a Million on Barack Obama's old Chrysler (Barack Obama, 1Million $, and Chrysler in the same sentence just sounds wrong) ?


I already know about FOUR weddings occurring this year - on my calendar. HOLY CRAP!!! For real? This is totally crazy. I cannot believe that I already have 1/2 as many as I did for the total of 2008. I am afraid! Gah!

Speaking of weddings, does anyone have any input for my GF Muffy Martini? She is going crazy dealing with her invitations issue!


Shoot me now? And doesn't the "Mom" in this ad look like Lady Ferguson?? LOL

Red, White, and Blue Christmas

The last Barney cam of the Bush Presidency! I loved these videos - they were fun to play for the kids who would come into our office. They always teached good lessons on national history and educate them on the Federal Government!:


"Thank you for joining us for “A Red, White and Blue Christmas” at the White House!

This year’s theme celebrates the patriotic spirit that unites us as Americans. During this hopeful season we are reminded of the blessings of freedom we enjoy, and we renew our sense of what is important in our lives. Family and friends gather to share old traditions and create new ones. Strangers exchange smiles and tidings of good cheer. Children happily sing along to the songs of the holidays and help bake holiday treats for their loved ones.

We are grateful to the White House Executive Residence staff, artists from around the country and many volunteers for decorating the White House red, white and blue! Thanks to their creativity and hard work, this year’s holiday decorations reflect the best of the American spirit.

May your holidays be filled with joy and happy memories.

George W. Bush | Laura Bush"

[http://www.whitehouse.gov/holiday/2008/]

Very Sad

It makes me very sad to know that other nations do not respect our position in the world anymore. We used to be a popular, well-liked country, and then something like this happens and our elected President (who is leaving in a month so why can't the haters just let it go?) has no respect whatsoever:



I just find that messed up. Regardless of political beliefs, this man is still the President of the United States, and to just be like that is not the nicest thing to do. What happened to etiquette and social graces?

McCain Phoenix pad up for sale

The outside of it is neat, but the inside is a good bit too much fancy for my taste. In my conservative preppy views, it looks a good bit too much 'New Money' to me...

Brr

Cold day today in VA! Yikes!



Breaking out my Nine West NASO bootie from last winter today to cover up my footsies! I am wearing my Donna Karen nude small fishnets for a fun sexy addition. Wearing my grey cashmere turtleneck sweater dress. I couldn't find the one I'm wearing- from J.Crew from last winter - anywhere on Polyvore - so this was the closestI could find. Mine actually has a 2" band around the bottom so it clings well a bit above the knee. It has no side buttons. It has a single brass button at the 3/4 sleeve. I am wearing my sanddollar necklace with it (I have to carry the beach with me everyday so that is why I wear it, either showing or under my clothes). My hair is in a mussy bun. I wore my Delias jacket again - should've worn a heavy scarf though, because I was a bit chilled on the walk from the lot to my office!!

This storm and this economy match my mood, worried. This 700B bailout seems bogus to me. I am worried we need to stop bailing other out, I know that sounds selfish, but shouldn't we just let what needs to happen, happen? We have plenty of protection - for the bad- and I hate us selling our souls and life to other countries... *sigh*

AND IT IS COLD! Brrr!

The Onion parodies Obama.

Obama Promises To Stop America's Shitty Jobs From Going Overseas


I thought this was very funny. It cracked me up.

That's hot

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Good for her! I would be pissed if my family gave thousands upon thousands of dollars to a candidate who then insulted me in an ad!

Happy Monday

An amazing clip mocking Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Willy Wonka being a drug kingpen:



Classic 1970s Monty Python and the Holy Grail - the French taunting scene:




A funny campaign ad from the McCain camp in relation to Obama...

NOT COOL

This is a great bike event in NYC. I am all about bike events in general. The cop is such a jerk!!! And I normally LOVE law enforcement people. No lame excuse could work here. Walking pedestrians have to YIELD to bikers! Come on, NYPD doesn't need bad press!!

Here is the NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/nyregion/29critical.html?ref=nyregion

I promise I will do a legit post soon!!!

But for now, watch this:

Awesome.

Life is good. Sure, it is hot outside, but that is what limeaid is for, right? We have a soda fountain/drug store called Timberlake's - they have great ice cream and icey cold drinks, as well as sandwiches, prescription filing, etc.

I've also been devouring cold mozarella/basil/tomato caprese-style sandwiches from Revolutionary Soup, as they buy local, so no poop-tainted tomatoes for me! Woohoo!

Also, it is Friday.

My Pappy, Mom's Dad, turns NINETY on Sunday which is also Father's Day and I think the day before Flag Day as well. His WWII war vet self is going to have fun. A lot of the direct family is going to be around, unfortch, not everyone - but it should be a good time. Plus he gets to meet Mike!

Who I am sure he is going to love. How could he not??

Politically-speaking, I love Meghan McCain's blog! She is too funny --- plus she has amazingly good taste in music. http://mccainblogette.com/