So the National Review is saying that Kerry/Edwards are using the lowest form of politics to win the election: by using the personal life of Mary Cheney!!

Since Bush/Cheney is counting on the socially conservative and religious vote - by mentioning her in the debate, supposedly these groups will now be discouraged from going to vote at all (since they won't vote for Kerry either).

But no one is taking into account the way the debate question was presented: 'Do you think that homosexuality is a choice?' Bush's great great answer: "I don't know. I just don't know." At least Kerry humanized his response by mentioning Cheney. Dick(head) Cheney even thanked Edwards during the VP debate about kind words he said regarding his daughter.

Going further Bush mentioned that he thought marriage should not be decided by the courts - but I guess the gov't providing a constitutional amendment is ok.

Oddly enough - as long as it goes Bush's way the courts should be allowed to decide a woman's right to choose - oh, and who won a presidential election.

L-rd, she's gonna kill me....

....Kris Leatherberry Royer Henninger (I do believe I'm missing a name here somewhere too) has finally (!) given me something of use for this blog. :)

It's funny. Had the right idea anyway.

Could This Be Correct????

Becky (geesh!) sent me this yesterday. It'd be great if it were true. I don't know the accuracy of the data or from where it's being pulled. I don't even know if it's being updated - let alone the frequency IF they are indeed doing so. But believe you me - I will be watching.

If accurate, Shrub could come might close to evening things up if he takes the 3 tied states (NH, MN, AR). He'd have to win one other state to take the 270.

G-d, it's gonna be a looooooooong three weeks.

And does it matter? .....w/Electronic Voting and questionable realignment of Electoral Votes (Colorado), is there anyway this won't be another election determined by the courts????

G-d, it's gonna be a looooooooong two mos. after the election.

Funny Funny Funny

Thanks to Andrew for supplying this link (though it still kills me he found it while staying @ my house, but never even passed *my* laptop to show me!)

Fox News: Unfair and Un/In blanced

For all of CBS' and Dan Rather's fuck-ups over Bush and the TX Nat'l Guard, at least they didn't make up the story.

Did they verify it correctly? No. But unlike Fox, they didn't make it up start to finish.


from foxnews.com

The Metrosexual and the Cowboy (Oct 1, 2004)
Rallying supporters in Tampa Friday, Kerry played up his performance in Thursday night's debate, in which many observers agreed the Massachusetts senator outperformed the president.

"Didn't my nails and cuticles look great? What a good debate!" Kerry said Friday.
With the foreign-policy debate in the history books, Kerry hopes to keep the pressure on and the sense of traction going.

Aides say he will step up attacks on the president in the next few days, and pivot somewhat to the domestic agenda, with a focus on women and abortion rights.
"It's about the Supreme Court. Women should like me! I do manicures," Kerry said.
Kerry still trails in actual horse-race polls, but aides say his performance was strong enough to rally his base and further appeal to voters ready for a change.



Editor's Note (Oct 2)
Earlier Friday, FOXNews.com posted an item purporting to contain quotations from Kerry. The item was based on a reporter’s partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been posted or broadcast. We regret the error, which occurred because of fatigue and bad judgment, not malice.

Fatigue? Give me a fuckin' break. Let me tell you - had any other news organization done this about Bush - Fox News would have been alllllllllll over it. For weeks.

Canonize Him

Buy here. Buy Often. (personally, I like some of the bumper stickers)

Good Sign?

The NYT is reporting that in Ohio there is a 250% increase on new Democratic registrations!! They performed a county-by-county analysis on registrations since January '04. Republicans have increased 25%. (Florida is showing similar patterns, though no data on other swing states was in the article.)

Is it possible that the polls putting Bush ahead in Ohio are off? I'm not sure what polls are considering 'likely voters' - but you have to figure a 250% increase in Democratic registration could give Kerry a huge bump. I mean, these folks have to be unhappy w/the job Georgie-Porgie is doing.....and Shrub barely eeked out a win in Ohio in 2000 (and we all know he didn't win @ all in FL).

...and I swear to g-d, Kerry better get down to bwass tacks (as Lily Von Schtup would say). Get over Vietnam. Get over Bush's service record. HAMMER on the issues. Today's issues. Bush has got this inordinate amount of luck where fuck-ups from others take the heat off him.

FOCUS PEOPLE!!!!!

Andrew Sullivan on why Kerry is Losing

I don't care that much for Andrew Sullivan - but every once in awhile he hits the mark, as he does with this Sunday Times article.

I subscribe to the idea of Anybody But Bush - but I as I've said before, I have never warmed up to Kerry (even though at this point he has 100s of my dollars).

Someone might have to watch the debates for me and spoon feed me how it went.

The U.N. says up to 10,000 people are dying per month in the Sudan. The U.S. has said the violence amounts to genocide and accuses their gov't of not doing enough to stop Arab militia attacks.

For g-d's sake - these people have oil!!!! Why aren't our bombers in the air? Why is Shrub not 'liberating' the Sudanese? What is the big deal of losing 1,000+ more U.S. lives?

I've Been Gallop'd

For those who've wondered if there actually ARE Gallop polls - there are!

Saturday morning my phone rings and caller id reads 'Gallop Poll'. Of course, I answer. And answer all their election-type questions.

All about Kerry v Bush. Though a few 'what ifs' - like throwing in Nader's name into the mix. A lot of questions about my voting habits and what I thought would be biggest issue of November. I only got to chose between Terrorism, Economy and Iraq. "I think Bush is a flaming asshole" apparently was not one of the choices.

Crystal (that was my pollster's name) was very nice and appreciative that I stayed w/the survey. I'm assuming many hang-up. I thanked her for letting me participate. Then we did lots of demographic info - age, political leanings, household income.....blah blah blah.

I feel like I got to vote for President twice this year!!

OHIO GOVERNOR PROBABLY HITS NAIL ON HEAD (and doesn't know it)

A soft groan ran through a breakfast crowd of Ohio delegates when Gov. Bob Taft said, "Ohio will be the Florida of 2004." His aides explained that the governor was referring to Florida putting the president over the top in Electoral College votes - not to the long battle over ballots that left the election's results in doubt for weeks. "We're talking until just before the recount," said chief of staff Jon Allison, "not for the six months afterward." (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

John Dean

....no no...not Howard's brother. At least I don't think so.

Nixon's one-time lackey was in Cleveland, promoting his new book about the Bush and his administration ("Worse Than Watergate" - ouch!) and speaking at City Club. But he had one of the funniest quotes I have seen in a while:

"I think Cheney has been very clever in letting George Bush wake up every morning and believe he is president."

Look! Look! It's me!!!!

1,037th from the front. 18th from the left.

So - what do you do when your 5 yo niece says (in a group of people) "can I see your penis?"

Of course, I said, 'no'. But somehow I feel like the dirty one in the conversation. I mean, it's not like I'm a priest.

I think the best part of the conversation was when her mother said, "you've seen one - and they all look alike." And without missing a beat, my niece says, "so, then what's the big deal......can I see it?"

One Little, Two Little, Three Little Senators

So - here's an interesting tidbit I didn't know. Only TWO U.S. Senators have ever been elected president! TWO!! ....and those would be Garfield and Kennedy. Statistically, this does not look good for Kerry. But at some point the odds have got to change - right? RIGHT? Ok people, just agree w/me already.

And in last week's New York, Norman Mailer (whom I can take - or not) had an interesting take on John McCain. He thinks regardless of what McCain says, that he wants to be president and it comes down to this: If he aligned himself as Kerry and became his VP, he'd have been a lame-duck VP b/c the Dems would never elect him - nor would the GOP. But if he aligned himself w/Shrub, he'd have a chance to be the GOP nominee in 2008 - regardless if Shrub won or lost in 2004. Certainly makes sense to me.

Dennis Hasert is a putz.  Mr. Speaker clearly assess blame on the previous administration for lack of action on terrorist threats.

"The (9/11 commission) report covers eight years of the Clinton administration and eight months of the Bush administration," Mr. Hastert said, insisting at the same time that he did not want to see the report turned into a "political football" during an election year.

Now, doesn't he just act like he lost the coin toss and kicked off for the 'football' game?   Putz.

Two points of internet interest (at least I think):

Fundrace is a completely voyueristic tool (he he...I said 'tool')to see who has contributed to political campaigns - and how much they have given. I am not sure of it's accuracy - as I had given more than $150 to Howard Dean. And they are at least a month behind in posting results. You can also search by zip code to see where your neighborhood lies. And there are detailed maps of some cities and their contribution trends. On another note: of all the people listed w/my last name - 83.3% gave to democratic candidates! YAY!


Outfoxed is available on DVD and VHS (VHS?? Isn't tape dead?)for less than $10. It will not have theatrical distribution ala Michael Moore's films - but still proves to be very interesting. ....that is, IF you can stomach it.

VP Selection

So Edwards it is. I can live with that. Some say that Edwards was the safe choice, but I think Gephardt would have been the safe, if not fatal, selection.

Bill Frist was prattling on and on about how Edwards has no foreign relations and national security experience. I won't argue that point - but except for Saudis, what experience did our dickhead president have as Governor of Texas? What experience does a doctor turned senator from Tennessee have? Just SHUT THE FUCK UP already!

NPR had someone going on about how both Kerry and Edwards are millionaires and they aren't that far from where the GOP candidates are - monetarily or ideologically. Ok. Then how does the GOP make the argument on the Kerry/Edwards being liberal?

I'm still a tad bit scared. I cannot warm up to Kerry. Edwards might help a little. Of course I will vote democratic in Nov 2004. But will enough others do the same?

On Posing Nude

There’s nothing quite like waking at 3:15 to go pose in a group nude installation project.

Me & 2,753 of my closest and nekkidest friends met down behind the Rock N Roll Hall o’Fame this morning @ 4:15. That is A.M. Though I told Tom Green that: “….naked in downtown at 4:00 a.m. – eh, it wouldn’t be the first time.” But this time it was for Spencer Tunick. Famous for his mass nude installation projects (and cousin of one of my brothers-in-law).

It was amazing the amount of folks who participated. 4,300 had signed-up, but usually only 50% show (do the math – we had a 64% show-rate). A fairly good cross-section of people. It really was the great equalizer. No one body type. No one colour. Tan folks. People with lesions all over their body. Fat. Skinny. Hairy. Smooth. …and those were the women! (kidding!) Couples in their 60s and 70s. A lot of pierced/tattooed 20-somethings. And the rest of us between the two groups.

Yet another event attended where I’ve decided I must be one of the last few tattooed folks on earth. I venture to guess the guy who had the four South Park boys inked into him (twice, I might add!!) will end up regretting that at some point.

The temperature was a tad bit chilly. 57 was the high (and that didn't account for the breeze off the lake). Welcome to summer in Cleveland! It was cold when clothed. Colder being naked, laying on brick pavers. And even colder on dewy grass. (A number of different poses @ each setting.) But what a fuckin’ great experience. Most everyone was well behaved. The younger the participants – the more immature, though I’m guessing most had not been to bed and still drunk from the night before. Some had alcohol seeping from their pores. Nice for the neighbours.

Most everyone was nice and chatty. Most of them where there for the sake of the art – since there didn’t seem anything overtly exhibitionistic or arousing about the situation. With the time of day and temp, it was more misery loves company than anything else. I met one guy who looked horribly familiar to me – and me to him - who came up to me and asked if we knew each other. He said that I looked familiar. My response back was “you mean the face…..right?” We could not place how (or if) we actually knew each other.

Afterward I introduced myself to Spencer and Kristy (his wife) as Jon’s brother-in-law. That got a really nice reaction from both of them. Spencer said he’d make sure I got an additional print of the installation. Cool!

As queer as it sounds (and Morty and Jon can shut right now!) – as I stood there, either posing or in between shots, I kept coming back to an episode of ‘My So-Called Life’ voice over:

Sometimes it seems like we're all living in, like, some kind of prison. And the crime is how much we hate ourselves. It's good to get really dressed up, once in a while. And admit the truth. That when you really look closely, people are so strange and so complicated that they're actually...beautiful. Possibly even me.

Rebecca's piece appeared on Friday's All Things Considered. It was a great great piece.

Go listen to it. And email the link. Let's make her #1 in emailed NPR story links.

Sometimes I cannot listen to NPR on my drive to or from work (but really, what are my alternatives?). My blood just boils.

Tonite (6/16) Fresh Air had Robert Bryce, author of Cronies: Oil, The Bushes, and the Rise of Texas -- America's Superstate. Shrub's friends just get scarier and scarier.

James Baker, GHWB's Secretary of State, also happens to belong to/owns a law firm (Baker Bott) who happens to represent Haliburton. Same law firm who happened to represent Shrub in the Florida recount. Same law firm who has a partner who happened to be the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (appointed by Shrub himself).

I'm sure it's allllllll a coincidence.

GREAT link to a funny media display - provided by my sister Adrienne and Spencer Tunick.

Funny posting from gawker.com

Ronald Reagan, Still Dead: Party Like It's 1988?

We've heard rumors that an East Village bar is planning a party to celebrate the death of former President Ronald Reagan. Now, that's just in bad taste, people! How could you? And why haven't we gotten an invite yet? Please inform.

Since celebrity death comes in threes, maybe they'll hold off on the party until the "ailing" Margaret Thatcher and the apparently still-living Pope John Paul II meet up with Ronnie in hell?

[UPDATE: Eh, lighten the fuck up, people. I'll see you in hell, too.]

FINALLY!

Coming Friday June 18 on NPR All Things Considered :

"Take Five" by Rebecca Flowers
Going in and out of cool, in syncopated time. A daughter and dad's ever-changing relationship moves to the beat of a jazz standard. A Father's Day ditty.

Finally I gave to the Kerry campaign. I was mentioning to some folks the other day that I just wasn't feelin' the love w/him. He's no Howard Dean. Gov & M.D.!

But Becky took me (and Jon too)to task for not contributing to the ousting Bush. Jon wanted to wait until he knew who Kerry's running mate would be. Becky's response?

JON!!!!!

That's unconscienable! (Spelling?!) Why don't you just go ahead and VOTE for Bush, too???!!

Really, what are you waiting for? To see if HITLER is going run w/Kerry? I'd still vote for them, frankly.

Shame, shame on you.



Yes. Shame Shame on us. I did notice Morty never mentioned whether he's given or not. HE wasn't spanked!

But why should we hear about body bags, and deaths, and how many, what day it's gonna happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it's, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that? And watch him suffer."— Barbara Bush on "Good Morning America,"
March 18, 2003

Thus begins Frank Rich's article on 5/23 in the NYT.

The 'him' is her son.

Is it *any* wonder GW is not only uncaring, but stupid? Ferchrissakes - this is a professional political family!!

I want her to go to each family of a service man that died and say their deaths were not relevant.

81% Disapproval Rating

I don't know anyone @ George Mason University - but I love them. A recent informal, unscientific survey of historians conducted their History News Network found that eight in ten historians responding rate the current presidency an overall failure. Even Nixon was rated @ 65% failure rating. You can find full article here.

I'd say I'm SHOCKED, but this administration is just a tad bit worse than Darth Vader and the Empire! I was gonna edit it - but decided not to. And as Becky pointed out - they probably didn't pay their mini-bar tab either!


STONEWALLING ON BIN LADEN/SAUDI FLIGHTS AFTER 9/11

With questions swirling about who authorized allowing relatives of Osama bin
Laden to fly out of the country immediately after 9/11, The Hill newspaper
is reporting that President Bush is "refusing to answer repeated requests by
the September 11 commission" about the matter [1].

Last year, Secretary of State Colin Powell acknowledged that, even as all
foreign and domestic flights were grounded after 9/11, the bin Ladens and
other wealthy Saudis were allowed to fly out of the United States. He said
that "the flights were well-known and it was coordinated within the
government" [2].

Yet now, even as White House officials claim that "the [P]resident has fully
cooperated with this commission in an unprecedented way" [3], the panel vice
chairman Lee Hamilton disclosed that the Administration is refusing to
answer any questions on the subject -- even in closed-door meetings with
Senators [4]. The President is also still refusing to release 28 pages of
the bipartisan 9/11 congressional report about the Saudi Government. That
report is known to "depict a Saudi government that not only provided
significant money and aid to the suicide hijackers but also allowed
potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to flow to Al Qaeda" [5]. Some
of that money may have even flowed through Riggs Bank [6], where the
President's uncle [7] (and major fundraiser [8]) is a top executive.
Nonetheless, the President continues to refer to the Saudi government as
"our friend" [9].

I'm just curious. What DOES one have to do in the Bush administration to actually lose their job???? Not that any soldier involved in the Iraq abuses shouldn't be punished - but I do not see where any DOD folks are paying any price. Either they ordered this shit or they have no control of their troops. Either way I see huge violations. No where in this administration believes the buck stops w/them. And who the fuck believes that Shrub knows what the word "abhorrent" means? And how many hours do you think he spent practicing the pronunciation of the word? I'm guessing 2.

So, we're in NYC and we decide to take in a play. Not TONS to see, so we opt for Steven Sondeim's 'The Assassins'. As critic Eileen Flowers would say, 'AWFUL!' Doogie Howser was the best thing in it. DOOGIE HOSWER!!! Honest, he was.

The absolute highlight was being behind Jeff Goldblum in the line to the restroom after the show. Big bug-eye glasses he had on. The guy behing me laughed and said - 'he's got 'The Fly' thing going on!'. I replied, 'I'm not sure he can help it.'

Let's hope 'Wonder Town' is better on Friday. It almost HAS to be.

A Completely F*cked Up Site!

Tell him/her to "hokey pokey", "get a book from the case", "prepare a tax return" or my favourite "strip"!!! CREEPY.


Thank to Jon for pointing out the site, via Becky's blog link to Nadig's blog. Oh, the wonderful world of the internet.

I love this. The 10 Worst Album Covers of All Time. Each one better than the next!!! I think my favourite is #3 John Bult - Julie's Sixteenth Birthday!

Which is your favourite????

Here's some words of wisdom: Don't ever drop a banana on black suit pants.

It doesn't clean up very well - and it makes you look like....well.....you had a banana on your pants (if you know what I mean!).

A fairly informative site that Becky found as we were IM'ing looking for ways the new electronic voting machines are going to send every known election through the court systems.

What Would Jesus Do? Maybe Shrub should read this. It couldn't hurt for him to refresh his memory and get his staff going on some pat answers for the campaign trail and debates. Hint John Kerry: you might want to grill him on some of this stuff to. Jesus would.

Now THIS is funny!

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul says Sunday should be a day for God, not for secular diversions like entertainment and sports.

The 83-year-old pope also encouraged Christians, especially young people, to remain faithful to Sunday Mass, saying the secular culture was undermining family life.


Apparently, sodomizing altar boys doesn't undermine family life.

This man is so feeble, you know this is cannot be coming from him. He can barely get his drool into a cup. Can cardinals draft these things? And last I checked the 'church' doesn't deem cardinals to be infallible.

Wow - I just noticed....I got a recurring catholic thing running in this blog.

(AP) BOSTON - Opening Day ticket holders at Boston's Fenway Park this year who are Catholic face a dilemma: the Boston Archdiocese said since the afternoon game against the Toronto Blue Jays (news) falls on Good Friday, they must refrain from eating meat, including hot dogs, sausages and pepperoni pizza.


Is this really the biggest thing plaguing the catholic church? Will offenders be turned away from the Pearly Gates (Heaven, not Fenway) if they eat a hot dog? Is there any *real* meat in those hot dogs to begin with?

And should *any* catholic be taking direction with what the church deems to be correct - especially in Boston? If Cardinal Law were still around - he'd just move those meat-eating offenders to another parrish, wouldn't he?

This is so incredibly depressing - yet well done. I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Tom Green for sending my way.

Purim

So, today Israel celebrates Purim, the most festive of Jewish holidays, a time of prizes, noisemakers, costumes and treats. Kind of like our Halloween. And damn if Denton didn't leave his Wonder Woman costume here in the States

As w/any holiday in Israel, it's also a time where they prepare for attacks. So again, you can see how the Golden Lasso and bullet-deflecting bracelets could have helped him.

Anna Quindlen has a great article in the current issue of Newsweek. She really nails how religion is probably more for the Left, not necessarily the Right. "Loving your neighbor as yourself, giving your cloak to the man who had none, blessed are the peacemakers.."

Hmmmmm......doesn't quite sound like the current administration or their friends. It's more like what she implies (?) of the Right: "I get uncomfortable feeling he's doing what Mel Gibson has done w/his movie: trading on G-d for personal gain."

A-fucking-men.

Ok, Howard Dean is like the bad break-up of politicians. You just want it to be over. You NEED to move on. But he keeps emailing me daily. You know, I don't want to be reminded that the relationship failed. He's just to needy. And like all bad break-ups, now he wants money. My money. I gave and gave for that man, and what did I get?

But I'll give him this - he seems to be worried about any debt incurred from his campaign. That's more than you can say for many politicians (John Glenn *still* owes more than $20 MILLION for a run some 20 years ago!!!!!).

2,425 Same-Sex weddings performed in San Francisco in 4 days
4,450 Catholic priests accused of abusing youths since 1950
11,500 *Reported* (not actual) instances of abuse by Catholic priests

as Buddy Cole would say: "Makes you think..."

Two funny (unrelated) things I heard over the weekend:

1. Jason Alexander (on Bill Maher's HBO show) regarding the movie "50 First Dates": "If Adam Sandler beats out Mel Gibson's new movie, it will be the second time a jew killed Christ."

2. The Plain Dealer review of Norah Jones' new disk: "...people say she's understated. That is an understatement."

Joe McCarthy where are you? Who knew you'd be so much better a role model than anyone currently in the Dept. of Justice (which lately is an oxymoron)?

Subpoenaed records on abortion (which last time I checked, was legal....aborition that is, not the access to records)!

Subpoenas by federal prosecutors were issued for antiwar protesters to appear before a grand jury and ordering a university to turn over information about the protesters (which last time I checked, was legal...the protests, not the arrests or turning over of information)!

Gosh Mr. Ashcroft - whose actions are more un-American?

Howard Dean sent me what I'm guessing is an equivalent of a 'Dear John' letter - even though my name isn't John (!). Howie says regarding his upcoming primary in Wisconsin: Anything less will put us out of this race.

It's a shame, really. He had the most backbone of any of the current candidates. I guess that worked against him. I guess voters want someone as milquetoast, well, as all other democrats.......which is how we ended up w/Geo W. in the first place.

At least Dean will have some legacy for changing how political fundraising is done and for energizing younger voters - and unlike Kerry, he didn't have to put a 2nd or 3rd mortgage on his house (which undoubtedly will be paid off by his heiress wife) to keep a campaign afloat. Makes you wonder how Kerry will handle a budget.

Janet's boobie or Michael's 'Jesus Juice': These are my options for "news"? If I *have* to hear stories about a Jackson - can't it be Andrew, Reggie or Mahalia?

For all the media reporting of the implosion of Howard Dean's campaign - it's quite interesting that Kerry has 13 confirmed delegates to Dean's 9. All other candidates have zero. zip. nada. And only 3,498 undecided. Maybe Dean and all the others should just pack it in. They'll NEVER catch Kerry!


And I love how CBS will not run the moveon.org ad during the Uber Bowl, but has not issue running an ad from Shrub. Could it be that Viacom (which owns CBS) hopes that the FCC will ease regulations on multi-media ownership (which btw...moveon.org opposed)? NAH - that'd be too easy.

I was a tad bit surprised by Howard Dean's low the percentage in the Iowa caucuses. Everything polling as late as Sunday had Kerry, Edwards and Dean somewhat even.

Am I disheartened that Dean placed 3rd? A little. Keep in mind that Clinton also came in 3rd in 1992 and only got 2.8% of the vote to Tom Harkin's 76% (and we all know how well THAT turned out for Tom). Dean also has more than twice the money than Kerry.

Gephardt won in 1988 with 31% to Dukauksis' 22% (again, a 3rd place showing) - and see how well THAT turned out for Dick. I will say I am WAY more surprised that Gephardt was the one to drop-out....and so early. I thought he'd be there through S. Carolina.

Very few people seem to be factoring in that neither Clark nor Lieberman participated in Iowa. The vote would have been somewhat different - though maybe not giving Dean the win.

Oh well. ON TO NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Well Carmen Electra has won her case to obtain her domain name (which I could not bring myself to visit or even provide the link) from somone who had beat her to the purchase. She got it through 'intellectual property'. See, irony is NOT dead.


In other news the Cleveland Plain Dealer (also not worth linking to) posed the question: 'Should U.S. mount an out-of-this-world mission?'

One of the best answers: "Who would be so foolish as to leave this Earth, where Jesus lived and died, to travel to the moon or Mars where nothing exists? If Jesus wanted life there, he would have provided it."

Where does one even start to comment on this?? I could run on and on like Margaret Cho's blog - but I'm better than that.

View the moveon.org ads. There are a few that are really good - and most are just so-so. Desktop is my favourite. ...and nary a one equating Shrub w/Hitler.

"Return of the King" was by far the best movie of 2003. So incredible. The entire LOTR trilogy may have outdone the wildly popular Kurt Russell/Disney trifecta of the '70s!!!! Hard to believe - but true!!

Funny of the day: Mark Green (former NYC mayoral candidate) on Joe Lieberman: "He's like Bruce Willis in "The Sixth Sense" - he's dead, but he doesn't know it".

I do believe Howard Dean will be the Democratic candidate for 2004....but I fear there to be huge dissent w/in the party, to the point that none of the current candidates will be chosen as a running mate. Can Bob Graham as possible VP help Dean (or whatever nominee) win Florida??

I have been a supporter of Dean for a long time more for his passion and backbone (something almost the entire democratic party lacks) than his experience. The anti-Dean ads running in S.Carolina (by fellow democrats, mind you) saying he can't rival Shrub in foreign policy experience. Um - did I miss all the opportunities Bush had dealing in foreign policy as TX governor?

Strom Thurmond's entire family (old and new) are laughable. The revelation of a black child, according to his niece is "like a blight on the family." ...and "for the first time in my life, I felt shame." Of course, the 'daughter' says it's not about money, but was well compensated for over 40 years (i.e. hush money???).

But I love a columnist for 'The State' newspaper saying that "The Thurmonds are the closest thing we got to royalty." EEEEEK

The director of telecommunications where I work has been signing off his emails like this:
Have a Blessed CHRISTmas, jim

Rebecca suggested I should respond - signing off my emails w/this:
And a Happy HANUASSHOLEKAH, robert

What "naughty list" do you have to be on to deserve THIS as a present? I'd rather have coal.

"Angels in America" is one of the most amazingly acted shows I've seen in a long time. Mary-Louise Parker (along w/everyone else in the show) is incredible - and of course, as some of you know - I've made out w/her in my dreams. But seriously folks - if you have the opportunity to check it out on HBO, do it.

Best DVD news in a long long time. It's about time. Now when is the SCTV material coming out?

So, Denton thinks that I was overly tired and cranky at one (only one?!) when we were in Vegas last week. He found it a tad bit excessive, when we passed some pre-teens in full make-up, jewelry and heels and I mutter - 'whores!'. I did it w/a good sense of humour - and though I've been 'blessed w/a voice that carries' (as my mother has told me) - I'm sure they didn't hear me......the little tarts.

I think if Jeb Bush insists on keeping someone on life support and goes to the state lawmakers to do so - he should be picking up the tab for the patient's care for as long as they need it. Maybe he should focus more on the 2000-3000 children in the state system who have gone missing. I guess the government can determine when life begins and when it should end - but if you're missing, exploited or abused inbetween those times, it's someone else's problem.

Vegas is fun...in a way. I was here first in 1992 and it was ok. I came back in 2000 and was really enthralled, but now I'm thinking that was b/c the huge change in the 8 years inbetween visits. It's fine now, but no huge changes in 3.5 yrs. I did, however, learn to play roulette - and that could be VERY dangerous.

Here was a revelation: while at a concert of Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin and Dar Williams I was looking around and noticed everyone seemed so old! Well, old for a concert that wasn't Steve & Edie. It turns out, I'm around the same age as the people (give or take 10 yrs) that were in attendance. I says to Denton, I says - "is this us?". He confirmed it was. You know - I just don't feel as old as they look.

Spam Email Subject of the Week: National Orgasm Month. Aren't they all? I mean, really......

Overheard at Borders the other day:

Clerk #1: 'Betty & Veronica'!? Did you know we sold 'Betty & Veronica'?
Clerk #2: Oh, yeah - definately!!

Clerk #1: How did you know that?
Clerk #2: Because they are SO HOT!!

You just have to believe that somewhere Maria Shriver is muttering ".....oh fuck!"

Oh no! Margaret Cho has a blog!!!! And she's more consistent about her entries than either Becky or myself !! It's not always as funny as it could/should be - but it has it's moments.

Here's hoping Al Franken writes Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Racist Drug Addicted Idiot.

Finally - some before/after pics of the kitchen. It's very tough to take pics in that kitchen, but it's what I got. Click here and go to 'my photos'

Website of the week: click here!!!! I'd love to take credit for finding this (or would I ???), but Denton saw this on Tech TV's, The Screen Savers. Hear Mel talk as you open her doors (that's literally, not metaphorically). She definately has the monosyllabic words down. Hear how she longs for you to sign her guest book!! Tom Green couldn't have developed this if he wanted to!

So my big sis was in the Mark Hotel preparing for a wedding and lo and behold, who does she see in the lobby? His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. He was on his way to give a performance in Central Park. I'm guessing it was better than, oh, Diana Ross, but not as good as say, Simon & Garfunkel. Just a hunch. In all the excitment what my sister missed was the other celebrity in the lobby - Dolly Llama or who you might know by his non-female impersonator stage name: Richard Gere.

....and while I don't disagree w/Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas for wanting to change the Fries name from "Freedom" back to "French" at the restaurants located in the House (since it was a completely asinine thing to change initially), I can't help wonder: Is this the best use of our elected representative's time? Is THIS what their constituents are wanting?

While many will be out fighting this good battle, will anyone notice that $87 Billion has been given to the president?

LIES LIES LIES (yeah....there gonna get ya)

Not just a Thompson Twins song ya know. Moveon.org tracks lies and/or misleading statements made by Shrub. These might be on their website, but you can also sign-up for a daily email lie here.

Dishwasher is in. Microwave got installed last night. We'll move the new range in tonite. Baseboards FINALLY get done on Friday. Is it possible we're close to completion of the kitchen???????

Boy - now I've been pressured by Meredity to be more consistent in writing my blog. Her's is so great, how can I even compete? You should check it out here.

I always joke (?) that I'm going straight to Hell. A number of people I work with say the same thing. Could we all be way off base and actually BE in Hell already? I guess that would be a bit too literal for the Hall of Irony - wouldn't it?

The Great Blackout of 2003 is over. Not the worst thing that could have happened. It wasn't terrorism. It wasn't winter! It was inconvenient - but eh - whatta gonna do? Of course, it coincided with us, due to renovation, having no sink/disposal to get rid of our rotten food. Of course, we had no stove to boil water during the 'boil alerts'. I think the cats liked getting bottled water.

My mother (jokingly, I think) says it's all due to Mars being the closest to Earth in 66,000 years. DAMN those little green men! What will Kang and Kodos be up to next????????

You would think that'd I'd have 'The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" in my head (even though I'm in Ohio) - but I woke up w/Adam Ant's 'Goody Two Shoes' in my head. I never realized how annoying that song really was. ....and it REALLY is.

Overheard @ dinner last night: "you pay peanuts, you get monkeys." But really, wouldn't it be elephants you'd get? I mean - if I paid bananas, I'd get monkeys.

TURNING 40!

I made it. I woke up this morning and had turned 40!! Not that I feel any different really. More mental stuff going about the big Four-O than I would have ever admitted to thinking would happen. ....of course, I never really thought I'd live to see 32 - so 40 is good.

So - the kitchen is still a mess. Though my anxiety attacks have decreased. I don't believe in NOT sweating the small stuff. I sweat everything.

Aimee Mann was a good distraction. A nice night - good music (well, the opening act was just downright annoying). No new songs - but lots of ones I like and NO Til Tuesday songs were covered. All is good w/the world........except for our kitchen.

So, I haven't been blogging - a fact that was pointed out to me by Tom Green just the other day. I stand guilty as charged. Certainly nothing fun to report. Not funny anyway. It's been work work work - either at the office or at home (and I don't even want to start discussing the office part).

...and nothing goes as you plan - does it? The kitchen renovation is coming along slowly...but nothing is turning out like we thought. Maybe they never do - but it's frustrating. Cracked pipes under the sink....the new sink that doesn't fit (who knew that all sinks are now 25"W and since our bottom cupboards are from the '40s only support a 19" one - which, btw, do not exist anymore. So now we're on to looking at new cupboards (bottom only) - which will work better w/the countertop too. Still - you get in a mindset to get this shit done, and it's setback after setback. ......and the floor guys are coming on Wed to put down the new hardwood floor. tick tick tick - or reschedule the flooring. UGH.

Whoa - it's been a coon's age since I've blogged. Holidays. Trip to Columbus. Visitors and family staying with us - it's been non-stop, but nice.

This weekend, back to work on the kitchen, while trying to keep up w/neglected yard work. Damn that show 'Curb Appeal'!

BTW...I suggest not taking a 2 and 4 yo to 'Finding Nemo'. It's not that it can't be distrubing for them - it can. But it's long. Not adult long - but it definately goes past their attention span. I missed parts of the movie (like how Nemo became missing), due to the up/down of the kids and trying to herd them. Now we'll have to see it as just adults either in the theatre or when it comes out on DVD. Ellen DeGeneres was great. I love Albert Brooks - but oy, was he annoying!

We also just got back from seeing Sheryl Crow @ Cain Park. It's nice to have a small-ish ampitheatre 1/2 mile from your house. She was pretty good - I must say (say in your best Ed Grimley voice).....though the place was overrun by lesbians. Who knew?

Ok. I did it. The 2004 Election process is officially underway (in my world, anyway). I contributed to my candidate of choice: Howard Dean. At least 16 mos from E-Day - he's the most electable Democrat out there. I swore I would not continue to contribute to the Democratic National Committee until the Dems got some backbone (and balls) and played hardball. I wrote them to that effect also, not that I have gotten any response. So, instead of giving to the DNC, I gave directly to Dean.

I cannot fathom having Shrub in office for a day longer than Jan 20, 2005, but until Dean, no democrat seems willing to take him on - except Dennis Kucinich, who has 0% chance of getting elected.

I know I've been lame about actually blogging lately. It's been an up and down few weeks....and I've felt that I've had nothing clever to say. Most of the people who read this know me and what's been going on - but for those lurkers out there....

One of my sister's was in town and a few times most, if not all, of us were together (5 siblings, their spouses, 8 of their kids and our parents) - which is a scary prospect for anyone who knows us. Most of the time we (as a family) were well behaved, but we had our moments. One said to me about another of my sisters - 'she looks just like Aunt Ginny', to which I replied, 'that's possibly the meanest thing you've ever said!'. But we laughed. Not a quiet moment for days. Last night was a good night on the couch w/beer and the Gilmore Girls....and peace and quiet.

I've been doing a casual (?) job search for awhile now - and have had some good offers that weren't right at the time, but I'm sorta regretting not taking some of them. A new offer, which I did take and I did want, was rescinded due to some political arm wrestling. They happened to be a big vendor for my current employer. The only one to get screwed, was (shock) ME.

But the highlight of the month will definately be heading to Columbus this weekend! Friends, Friends Friends....and beer. So excited. Unfortunately, Denton cannot join us which makes us all sad.

I just have to assume that the US Supreme Court ruling on sodomy killed Strom Thurmond. Literally.

Denton is on a business trip in NY. On a free evening, he dropped down to my sister's house to visit. He called first - he's not socially rude! So, when my sister gets off the phone with him, my 6yo niece, Maddie, goes - "who was that?". Adrienne tells her and that Denton is on his way. She freaked and goes, "Oh mom, you just broke my head!". Ade had to think about that for a minute and asks, "Do you mean - blew your mind?". Of course, Maddies is also the girl who decided to call EZ-Pass (NYs electronic toll device) EZ-Ass. Gotta love her.

Day #1 back at work and in my absence my staff decided to put up a board with everyone's pictures on it. I can live with that. When it came time for them to take my picture, before I could even react, I get the comment: "oh don't worry, ALL of them are ugly". Was I just called 'ugly' preemptively?

We had a great day in Lenox. We ate at a quaint little diner for b-fast - but they didn't seem to have 'James Taylor Special' plate today. Too bad - I would have gotten it w/a side of 'Carly Simon'. But after a trip to Great Barrington, Andrew, Rebecca, Denton and myself went out to a faboo restaurant for diner - Firefly. Afterward it was to a bar at a neighborhood inn. Live entertainment - which is always iffy at best. He started off w/some Beatles and swiftly went into some James Taylor: to which, a man at the bar audibly said, "well, THAT'S it, I'm outta here!". This had the four of us laughing - Becky and myself almost uncontrollably. I just chimed in - '....and I'm right behind you...'.

But we did have good conversation, great food, decent wine - and then beer. What more could we want? I hate to see the trip end - at least the Lenox portion.....but work does await. ....and so does Kylie and Tovah!

On the road again......

Ok, Boston is a nice city, but not one for me. DC, NYC, Portland, SF, San Diego...and yes, even L.A. I could live in. Boston is not one of these. I can't say why exactly. It just didn't work for me, whether it be the public transport system, the ease of getting around or the too frequent Dunkin Donut sites EVERYWHERE.

On the other hand, Lenox is a beautiful town and nice people. Denton and I have have been enjoying our time w/Rebecca, Andrew and Jane - along with the various other citizens we have met. The 1.5 bottles of wine I had at dinner alone, I'm sure, had little to do w/how much I liked people and things - but you never know.

I love my friends - truly. The ease, the fun, the everything. I am so looking forward to early July like you wouldn't believe.

I just haven't been blogging, have I? It's been a busy week - and frustrating too. Not NYT editor or Martha Stewart frustrating - but just normal person/everyday frustrating. The kitchen re-do is underway and phase I of a seemingly successful job interview. But trying to get ready for Lenox/Boston is not happening easily. Laundry. Packing. Trying to recover an entire 40g hard drive. Oy. I need this time away. Denton does too. Of course, I'll obsess about the cats being alone. What to do? What to do?

I love (heavy sarcasm) the pictures of Mr. & Mrs. Shrub at the death camps in Poland. If only he looked half that concerned while at the death chambers in Huntsville. Whatta frickin' hyporcite.

The NYT reports some lame group (my description - not theirs) named Smile Mania is having an event calling the Great American Grump Out. Bite Me !!!! 'Negativity makes us sick and keeps us sick', says some member, possibly the founder. Fran Lebowitz says she prefers the term 'realist' - which made me laugh b/c that's the term I've been using for myself for years. Ask anyone who's interviewed me (and there have been plenty of those). It's not denial - it's the truth. The only thing I don't like about the idea of being a Grump is being lumped in with the likes of Andy Rooney, Dennis Miller and Gore Vidal (as Lisa Simpson says - he's already kissed more boys than I ever have). Surely there's better company than that. ...or maybe I'm just being grumpy.

Morrell Wine (and Morrell Wine Bar) has opened a new restaurant in the Flatiron district. The NYT has given it a favorable review. Oh - did I mention that it is owned by my brother-in-law and his family? I guess this is a shameless plug. Oh well....... it's my blog, I can do as I please.

A few interesting stories via NPR's Morning Edition in the last day. There are two sort of interconnected as the gov't piddles aways any real attempt a homeland security: one dealing with airport security (or the lack thereof) and the second about the missing Texas democrats. Scroll down to stories 11 & 12 respectively

Also Marketplace had a great news story on the breakdown of what the $350 billion dollar tax break won't get you (story #2)

I can't even bring myself to talk about yesterday's NPR story on the U.S. plans to manufacture small nuclear weapons that are detonated well below the earth's surface to blow up anyone hiding in a shelter of any kind. Who says the Cold War is over?

Denton and I went to go see A Mighty Wind last night. It was cute - but not as accessible as Best In Show. We decided it probably gets funnier w/each viewing ala Waiting For Guffman. I'm assuming one of the reasons the theatre was empty was b/c of The Matrix Reloaded opening weekend. Though, the only other two people in the theatre when we got there did think I was funny when I walked up to their aisle and asked if they could move down.

...and upcoming previews - oy! what a bunch of crap that's coming out!!! Kate Hudson. Luke Wilson. "When Harry Met Emma" - or such some sh*t. Who greenlights this stuff ?????

I said this when it happened a month or so ago - but Cox New Service is reporting that BBC Correspondents will report that the Jessica Lynch 'rescue' was more a staged Hollywood stunt. Even a doctor who treated her initially is saying though she had some broken bones - there was no evidence of any gunshot wound. I can't believe the Bush administration didn't insist on having her shot first before 'saving' her (on video, i might add) and parading the story to anyone and everyone who would carry it. ...and naturally, the story is buried on page 11A of the Plain Dealer - and I can only find it on-line in a Salt Lake City newspaper.

I've been reading a book called The Nose. I'm not too far into it, but I've already covered biblical references and some history of smells (did you know g-d had a favorite smell?). Right now I'm at the middle ages where we are going through the bubonic plague (or Becky, is it plaque?). Though we've all read about the plague being passed via fleas and rats, I surely would have remembered if more vivid descriptions of conditions were ever given. In The Nose, there are very vivid portraits of the times. I can't believe that it hasn't given me nightmares.

We had a disaster drill this morning. I won't say we failed miserably - but I wouldn't call it an overwhelming success. Of course, with this type of drill, there is no way of declaring successful - so I just have to get over that right now! Normal drills used to be tornadoes, bus or plane crashes. Now, they are bombs, bio-terror agents, and this time - a Smallpox or SARS like scenario. So you have multiple people presenting w/vague symptoms on-going during the day. Most symptoms are the same as colds, flu, etc - so by the time someone notices a pattern BOOM: you, your staff and your organization have been exposed. ....and the real sad thing is: the adrenaline rush of doing a drill w/multiple would victims just wasn't there.....

Thank g-d, the sunroom is pretty much done. Painting the ceiling and walls took only hours. Painting the trim and 156 window panes another two weeks. Even ordering the carpet in advance didn't speed things up since it took 3 wks for installation. But it's in now and we moved the furniture back in tonite. It looks so different, and so nice. And we have that new carpet smell. ...and the cats are happy. What more could we want? Now onto the deck, or living room, or kitchen.

It's been forever since I've been on here. Gotta get going on this - and updating my site, overall. But for the few who do access this page - I thought they might enjoy this Bizarro comic.

It's been a bit since I've blogged - but haven't had much to say. Well.....that's not true, but what I've wanted to say about one of my family members I couldn't put in print. Well...that's not true either. Anyway - here's an fun editorial from the NYT from Paul Krugman.

(AP) WASHINGTON, April 30 — Ten days before Timothy J. McVeigh was executed for the Oklahoma City bombing, lawyers for F.B.I. laboratory employees sent an urgent letter to the attention of Attorney General John Ashcroft, saying a crucial prosecution witness might have given false testimony about the security of forensic evidence

YIKES! Ok - do I think McVeigh was probably guilty as hell? Yes. Do I think it's probably one step closer for Ashcroft & Co to diminish any and all of our civil liberties? Abso-f*ckin-loutely!!!!