Riba Rambles:
Musings of a Mental Magpie

Posted by Lis Riba at 8:02 AM

Tyra Banks is on the cover of the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar.

For the inside photo spread, the magazine decided to place Ms. Banks ("When I was a model, they called me Tyra; now it's Ms. Banks") in iconic First Lady poses.

The cover story itself is as much about politics and Barack Obama as it is about Ms. Banks.

I do wish they had gone the extra step to explore the notion of a woman president, but the photos and interview firmly keep the discussion to First Lady-land.

If Banks ever reached the highest office in the land, she would dress the part. "I'd wear a V-neck shift and a two-inch heel. Even if the president were taller, I would keep them low."

Still, I recognize the important symbolism this represented by this photo shoot. Considering the challenge Barack Obama faces because "he doesn't look like all of those other presidents on those dollar bills," this helps normalize that idea.

Not bad for a fashion magazine.

Posted by Lis Riba at 11:11 PM

For dinner, we went out for Chinese food.

My fortune cookie said:

Posted by Lis Riba at 9:56 PM

I'm aware that my commenting software has been down last week, but for those of you who sent me reading suggestions, thanks. I couldn't find those in time, but I'll keep my eye out for those titles.

Combining several books I've purchased but not had time to read with a last-minute dash to the library last night, here's my preliminary reading list for the trip, subject to further weeding based on space and weight (no, I haven't begun to pack yet):

• Fiction:
  • Ink and steel by Elizabeth Bear
  • Hell and earth by Elizabeth Bear
  • Hero by Perry Moore (a serendipitous find in the library)
• One or two of the following:
  • Drink: a social history of America by Andrew Barr
  • The Spirits of America: a social history of alcohol by Eric Burns
  • A History of the world in 6 glasses by Tom Standage
• Other nonfiction:
  • Slack by Tom DeMarco
  • The Scent of desire: discovering our enigmatic sense of smell by Rachel Herz
  • Banana: the fate of the fruit that changed the world by Dan Koeppel

At some future time, I'll have to read further in Dewey call number 391.6, after seeing these two titles nestled together on that shelf:

• A History of the breast by Marilyn Yalom
• A Mind of its own : a cultural history of the penis by David M. Friedman

Posted by Lis Riba at 9:30 PM

The McCain campaign has been creating 30-second spots and posting them to YouTube.

Most of them are merely fodder for the gasbags, but today's message is worth watching:

Posted by Lis Riba at 9:35 PM

Bill Clinton, August 27, 2008:

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

Posted by Lis Riba at 9:40 PM

I'm flying to Arizona this weekend for a family simcha, and need to choose some books to read on the flight.

Any suggestions?

I have a few titles in mind, but not sure that's enough for the nonstop crosscountry round-trip.

Here are some preliminary guidelines, off the top of my head:

• Needs to be something reasonably available -- I don't have time to wait for Amazon or an interlibrary loan to ship that rare out-of-print tome.
• Fiction preferably SF or Fantasy, and I love YA (though their relative brevity means more might be needed).
• In nonfiction I mostly read histories, and am rather fond of single-subject histories, such as Gin, Salt, Quinine, and Vitamania (to name but a few that I've read).
• Really not into or up for modern politics. And while I've been tempted by a number of business tomes, it's probably better to leave work at work.
• My brain has been relatively frotzed lately, so nothing with too scholarly a tone.
• Paperbacks would be nice, for both my wallet and shoulder

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Posted by Lis Riba at 8:49 PM

If you'll have access to a TV or to a high-speed internet connection, tune in to HSN (hsn.com).

One o'clock is their "Get Crafty" program, and my mother will be the lead-off second guest.

Update: Minor timeslot change; my mother will be on from approximately 1:10 - 1:20 pm.

Posted by Lis Riba at 11:10 AM

There exists both Cats for Obama and Yes We Can Has

Via Elayne Riggs

According to actual news reports, John McCain has a black-and-white cat named Oreo. He also owns four dogs: two Yorkshire terriers, Lucy and Desi; an English springer spaniel, Sam; and a mutt, Coco. He also reportedly owns two turtles (Cuff and Link), three parakeets, and thirteen saltwater fish. And in the past he's had guinea pigs, snakes, and "an iguana that Jack walked on a leash," according to Vogue, plus a ferret. The ferret recently died of cancer.

Barack Obama currently has no pets, but has promised his children that a dog will join the family at the conclusion of the election, win or lose. Michelle Obama has acknowledged that getting a dog was their major bargaining chip in winning their daughters support for the presidential run.