In the category of “Oh, for goodness sake!” comes this news out of Oklahoma: The State House has passed a resolution, HR1039 INT, trying to force libraries to restrict access to material “deemed harmful and inappropriate” or “arguably prurient” to adult-only access and distribution sections. And by this, they mean materials featuring gay people.

The entire text of the bill is below:

A Resolution memorializing Oklahoma libraries to confine books with subject matter inappropriate for children to adult-only sections; and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, the development of children requires certain guidance and protection by adults to ensure that their maturation is timely and results in a greater degree of personal responsibility and respect for their role in society; and
WHEREAS, such development should be at the discretion of a child’s parents free from interference from the distribution of inappropriate publicly cataloged materials; and
WHEREAS, libraries should remain public establishments free of exposure to children by material that may be deemed harmful and inappropriate; and
WHEREAS, materials concerning human sexuality and those of an arguably prurient nature are such that should not be readily available for consumption by children; nor should the distribution of such materials to children be supported by public finance; and
WHEREAS, a recent survey shows that 88% of Oklahomans favor restricting the availability of homosexually themed books and over 50% of those favor withholding funds from libraries that fail to do so; and
WHEREAS, Oklahomans approved by over 75% vote a State Constitutional amendment restricting marriage to that between one man and one woman and thus rendered materials promoting homosexual marriage inconsistent with current law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 50TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:
THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives memorializes Oklahoma libraries to confine homosexually themed books and other age-inappropriate material to areas exclusively for adult access and distribution.
THAT a copy of this Resolution be distributed to the American Library Association; the Oklahoma Library Association; the Mayor of Oklahoma City, Mick Cornett; the Oklahoma City Council; and the Metropolitan Library Commission.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine that Oklahoma libraries (or, for that matter, libraries pretty much anywhere) are stocking terribly many children’s books that describe actual sexual acts — of any orientation. So what we’re dealing with are references to gay people living in everyday life kind of situations — parenting, running businesses, grocery shopping. Yeah, I’d definitely like to protect children from seeing those kinds of “harmful” and “prurient” scenes.

Or, we’re dealing with books like, “How It Feels to Have a Gay or Lesbian Parent: A Book by Kids for Kids of All Ages,” the only book I found when I searched for “gay” in Powell’s online children’s section. Yes, I would hate it if a young adult (the reading level would preclude it appearing in the young children’s section) stumbled across that book. I mean, it might actually teach them coping skills or tolerance.

As this is only a House Resolution, it does not carry the impact of law. But it sets a negative precedent that is frustrating to those who believe in the First Amendment, freedom of information, education, or equality.

Check out Store Wars. Best parody of the season.

Today is Erica’s birthday. For those of you who don’t know her, she and I roomed together freshman and junior years at Conn College and I credit her with shortening the mouthful of a nickname my best friends gave me to “soe.” Plus, she always makes it look so lovely with her calligraphic handwriting.

I thought it cool when I found out I was going to have a roommate from Japan. I was thinking she’d actually be Japanese, but really she was an upstate New Yorker who’d just lived in Japan for a few years.

When I reminisce fondly about my alma mater, Eri one of the main reasons why. The owner of a glowing Julia Roberts smile, Eri is permanently associated with Milano cookies, my passing economics (twice) and a Bronte class, Depeche Mode, textbook sharing (a real challenge on nights papers were due!), tromps through the arbo, a stuffed aardvark (more scientific types might actually deem it an armadillo), playing Rummy, the loan of a phone line when mine had been shut off, sipping cocoa under quilts, flowery poetry, and L.M. Montgomery stories (she actually loves a whole variety of books, but the Anne books may have been what cemented our friendship).

In the decade since college ended, Eri and I have had fewer and fewer chances to see one another, and that is sad. But I hope we’ll be able to catch up (at least briefly) when Rudi and I head to the Big Apple next week. In the meantime, Eri, have a terrific birthday!

I’m disappointed to learn that the Pepe’s has decided to go the way of the chain restaurant — the family has hired a consultant to open a restaurant in Fairfield in November and with plans to open another in Stamford if the Fairfield one is successful. “We’re hoping it turns into something big,” says Frank Pepe’s grandson and co-owner, Gary Bimonte, in the New Haven Register article.

I have no doubt that the restaurant will be a success, at least in the beginning. People line up for hours to get the chance to eat in the New Haven restaurant. Who would blame Fairfield residents if they were curious about the experience?

While I can understand the family’s concern that the next generation is uninterested in managing the business, it does seem as if someone could be found who would manage just the New Haven location without bastardizing the concept. If, indeed, a Pepe’s chain were to take off, would we be assured that its essence would remain intact? Or would it instead be lowered to a generic style, instead, without adherence to the ingredient quality we’ve come to expect with a trip to Wooster Street.

Certainly anyone who has ever eaten at the restaurant chain Wooster Street Pizza and then at an actual Wooster Street eatery would agree there is little similarity between the two.

As someone who lives in a pizza vacuum, I would hate to see Pepe’s lose its identity to the sort of pizza that most people find acceptable. And I have my doubts that franchising the “expertise, recipes and family name” of Pepe’s would recreate the authentic New Haven experience. After all, if you dig a really deep hole and let people wander down on burros, you wouldn’t expect it to emulate the glory of the Grand Canyon. Why should we expect that to be true in this case, either?

Yesterday I managed to convince Rudi that he really wanted to head north to West Friendship, Maryland, with me so he could ride his bike while I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

It was a beautiful day — about 75 degrees with blue skies for a drive through the countryside. We arrived just after 3, leaving me with two hours to wander before the festival closed.

The festival is two-pronged. The first part is for producers — people who raise sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and angora rabbits. There are competitions and vendors who sell farm implements and things of that ilk. The other part is for consumers — those of us who use the producers’ goods.

I wandered first through some farmers’ booths, admiring walking sticks and handmade knitting needles, as well as a soft sheep and some humungous (and very friendly) angora bunnies.

Then past a competition of children with their sheep and woolen goods up to the alpacas and llamas. We strolled through a barn of sheep and into a couple of exhibit halls before Rudi decided to leave for his bike ride.

I strolled leisurely through the rest of the exhibition halls, feeling a vast variety of yarns and looking for something specific to finish a project I’m working on. I didn’t find it, but I did find:

Homemade lemonade

Giant eclairs (at a cutrate deal — 2 for $5)

A woolen ball for the cats to play with (it should be noted here that I debated this purchase for a while because I wasn’t sure whether it was good to encourage the cats to play with something made of the same material I make things out of, but clearly Posey (seen below) and Jeremiah feel I made the right decision.)

Size 35 needles for a shawl knit of the beautiful mohair Mum gave me for Christmas (The needles are 14″ long, I think, and wider than my fingers. They have fun lavender with polka dots balls on the top and are made by hand from poplar.)

500 yards of gorgeous apricot mohair/fine wool blend yarn (The current plan is to make a Christmas present from it, but I don’t swear I won’t keep it for myself.)

I headed south through rolling hills to Wheaton, where I finally caught up with Rudi after his bike ride. Both of us had a jolly time and the plan for next year is to bring both bikes and arrive earlier in order to make a day of it.

I understand the Yankee part and the Dixie part (“Y’all” and “blessed” seem to have crept into my vocabulary since moving to D.C.), but where in the world did the Upper Midwestern part come from?