i think...

Senator Reid and, especially, Speaker of the House Pelosi need to keep their freakin' mouths shut about the primary campaigns...

they have yet to keep the promises and pledges they made in November 2006 to rein in the Bush/Cheney administration and reinstate all the freedoms of the Constitution and have added to the economic disasters due to this never-ending Iraq mess. they're all talk and no action.

and they want us to tell Hillary it's time to put up and shut up? i would hope that should it happen that Sen. Clinton does get the nomination, she sets them straight and pulls her support. as a matter of fact, Obama should do it too. they are a large part of the problem. no one should be listening to them.

maybe Cindy Sheehan should be given the chance to replace Pelosi. in Cindy's own words:

It's time to send our own statement to the Speaker: Nancy, you're fired! The American people elected a new Congress to bring the troops home and instead all they've given us are excuses.

even Newsweek added their two cents.

The War at Home:
Cindy Sheehan's uphill battle.

i certainly would vote for Cindy Sheehan over Pelosi. i just don't live in SF...

no comment...

i love metaphor...

because it is intended to provide imagery about something or someone to provoke emphasis and add color. Sometimes it is used as a double entendre - having a couched meaning.

In today's Chicago Sun-Times, Neil Steinberg wrote about a trip he and his family took over spring break to the capitol of Illinois - Springfield. While looking for a hotel in the area to stay, he called an acquaintance at the local newspaper to inquire about lodgings. The person spoke of the main hotel in the city - the Hilton in metaphor -

"The Hilton is the most horrific piece of Freudian architecture you'll ever witness,..."

It is an apt description. Judge for yourself. Here is a photo.



Having stayed at the hotel quite a number of times in working for the state education department and attending conferences and conventions, I can, with great enthusiasm, tell you that the locals and those of us who have been to Springfield have a different metaphor for it. We refer to it as -



The Penis on the Prairie


needless to say, i prefer the local methaphor...

monday morning mayhem...

species identity confusion?




painted nails...





can you remember...

it's beginning...

A number of posts ago, I mentioned that the dollar was starting to lose its shine as the currency of choice in the world economy. With the Euro so far ahead of the dollar it was inevitable.

Today in the Financial Times UK there is an article entitled Chinese exporters shun flagging US dollar in favour of stronger rivals.

Rising numbers of Chinese exporters are shunning the US dollar or devising ways to offset the impact of the falling currency as they confront rising labour and raw material costs at home.

According to Alibaba.com, the online company that matches Chinese suppliers with international buyers, the vast majority of their almost 700,000 Chinese suppliers no longer use dollars to settle non-US transactions in order to minimise foreign exchange risk.

Though it may be a backdoor move using it only for non-US sales, it's a big deal. The confidence in the dollar is waining vastly and quickly.

Today, the Euro is worth $1.5759. That means that if something in Europe costs €1 we actually have to pay $1.58 or almost 50% more. What company wants to spend that much more for anything? Considering that, using a non-specific rule-of-thumb, the typical margin on merchandise is usually around 33% in order make a profit, everyone starts in the hole. Of course, someone has to pay for it. Guess who?

You got it. You and me...

So, is there blame in this. How about a hint? At the end of 2000 the United States budget had a a surplus of $230 Billion. Today, as of 2:25:13 AM GMT, the US deficit was $9,414,329,649,218.93 according to the US National Debt Clock!

Three guesses as to who gets the blame.

oh, the first two guesses don't count...

weekender...

Two English businessmen in London were sitting down for a break in their soon-to-be new store. As yet, the store wasn't ready, with only a few shelves set up.

One said to the other, "I bet any minute now some idiot tourist is going to walk by, put his face to the window, and ask what we're selling."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious Irishman walked to the window, had a peek, and in a thick Irish accent asked "What might ye be sellin' here?"

One of them replied sarcastically, "We're selling ass-holes."

Without skipping a beat, the Irishman said, "You are doing well... only two left!"








sorry, i couldn't control myself.
sometimes these things just come over me and i can't help it...

hee... hee... hee...

truth in advertising...

There are federal and state laws about truth in advertising in order to protect consumers. Just recently the courts ordered a company to stop pushing a product that promises to stop the common cold* or at least make its symptoms last shorter than normal to stop making claims and fined them $23 million. So the government takes these things seriously.

There is one company in particular that uses a gecko as its main spokes, umm, animal. I'm not going to mention the name of the company, but I know for certain everyone who has seen the commercials knows of which I'm speaking.

Well, here's the problem. The gecko used in the commercial is male. This gecko has an Australian or New Zealand accent. The problem is that almost ALL south Pacific geckos are female!

They reproduce asexually almost as a clone of themselves. Neat and clean. Every several generations they produce males to prevent genetic contamination and impurities. It's an automatic built-in safeguard created by evolution.

So, next time you see the company's commercial, just remember that they may not be telling the entire truth about other things either.



If you're interested in more of this, look into Joan Roughgarden's book Evolution's Rainbow. There are lots of amazing facts in her book about gender identity and sexuality in different species that blow holes into the christianist's beliefs.

Oh, by the way, Professor Roughgarden's name was originally Jonathan. She has taught at Stanford University since 1972 doing research on links between ecology with economic theory. She has also written on the relationship between Christianity and science.



*on colds, there is no cure for them. one just has to ride them out. the general thinking is that it takes three days to get the cold, three days with the cold, and three days to get rid of the cold. the only promising thing that may lessen a cold's symptoms is the use of zinc. i mean even my doctor, whom I respect greatly, has told me to use it.

so, how do you talk?

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North   You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
The Midland
The Northeast
Philadelphia
The South
The West
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

absolutely, positively true!


and soda is what you add to whisky...

by the way: whiskey is Irish Gaelic; whisky is Scottish Gaelic.

so, when you order Black Bush, ask for whiskey, and when you order Johnnie Walker Black Label order whisky.

i hope that clears up any confusion for you.

on this, unlike other times, i am NOT confused!


hmmm... i haven't had a Perfect Black Bush* in a long time and the bottle is staring me in the face from across the room..........




*Year's ago, the owner of Old Bushmills Distillery taught me himself how to make a Perfect Black Bush - it is a double jigger of Black Bush poured over a couple of ice cubes in a mixing glass; using the mixing spoon twirl it three times to the right, three time to the left and three times up and down; strain into a snifter.

it also has magical powers...

trust me.

addicted to bubble wrap?

click


HERE





and make sure to try manic mode...

monday morning mayhem...

1. work ethic...



2. sex education...



3. World's Greatest Ass finalists...

it's down to three, folks:
















man, that's a hard one!


groannnnnnnnnnnnnn...

weekender...

and if you're having the traditional Easter dinner this Sunday...


What disease did cured ham actually have?

think about it...

Blogswarm: Blog Against Theocracy...

One of the cornerstones of the U.S. Constitution insisted by the Founding Fathers was Freedom of Religion. They were aware that the New World was made up of many peoples from many lands who had a myriad of beliefs. Jefferson, Franklin, Adams, et al lived in an empire that had little tolerance for other beliefs and religions with a state sanctioned religion - The Church of England. The Church of England was founded purely for political expediency - Henry VIII's hunger for an heir.

Over the course of history, there have been many examples of theocratic governments and it is obvious that they all had one thing in common - repression of anyone or any belief that did not fit into their world view. Most often this repression was violent.

Today, we see perfect examples of theocracy's rule in the Muslim world by extremists who have highjacked the religion of Mohammed to meet their own thirst for power and control. Countless citizens are maimed, murdered, exiled and tortured simply because they do not believe as others think they should.

The guarantee of the Constitution by Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

was written into the document to prevent the abuses so often foisted by theocratic governments.

Sadly, in the U.S. today we have been bombarded by rhetoric and innuendo by certain political forces that believe we should be subjected to a form of christianist sharia. They believe, wrongly, that the country was founded on christianist principles when the Founding Fathers overwhelming in personal writings warned of christianist inequities. In fact, most all of them viewed themselves simply as deists - "the belief that the existence and nature of God comes from reason and personal experience."

Inherent in "freedom of religion" is the idea "freedom from religion. There are people who, through the use of reason and personal experience, have come to the conclusion that there is no god. This is as unique a conviction as choosing a denomination or sect with which to identify for others. During this current presidential campaign it has been invoked time after time that the one type of person who could never be elected president would be an atheist or agnostic, and nearly 100% of people believe it.

The logo at the beginning of this post was created for a blogswarm addressing the support of Freedom of Religion. The purpose of this tactic is to make as many people aware of a certain issue as possible, to bring focus on a problem or possible injustice, and to foster understanding and acceptance.

I find it interesting that the group initiating Blog Against Theocracy 2008 chose Easter weekend for this action, a time of rebirth and reaffirmation. It is appropriate to remind people that their right and freedom to believe as they choose is written into law, that it is under attack at all times, and that there is always a demagogue right around the corner believing they have the answer to everything - no questions allowed.

You can find out more about the blogswarm by clicking Here

MSNBC: State Department says Obama's passport records have been preached...

I can't wait to read and hear the spin and conspiracy theories that are going to come out of this one.

we'll just have to wait and see. the wagging tongues are still trying to decide how they are going to cover this.

Right now they are saying it's the bush/cheney administration's dirty works. soon it will be McCain. then it will be Hillary. what about bin Laden? what about the pope?

hey, it's as a good start as any...

i finally understand the Florida and Michigan primary mess...

makes sense to me. thank the gods for Jackie and Dunlap. without them, i don't know what i'd do.

well. except the Applebee's part. i don't like their riblets.

actually, i don't like anything at Applebee's.

i'm confused.

no, wait. maybe i'm not.

yes.... i'm confused...


[i think i have a crush on Dunlap. no. wait. maybe Jackie... i told you i was confused.]

three things to ponder today...

1. Cows

2. The Constitution

3. The Ten Commandments


Cows: Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a single cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. OR, even worse, Osama bin Laden! Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

The Constitution: They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore.

The Ten Commandments: The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this: You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery', and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.



that's enough pondering for today...

what i'm listening to that's new...

Longview
Lea Delaria

not bad for big hairy dyke...



ummm, i guess i should have mentioned it's a song by Green Day and it's about masturbation. oh, well...

no comment...

Kabul: 19 March 2008
Usama bin Ladin

it's a conspiracy...

you know how when a commercial comes on when you're watching a show and the first thing you do, because you don't want to watch the commercial, is hit the remote to go to another station? have you also noticed how when you do there is a commercial on the other station, and if you go to a third, a fourth, a fifth... channel, they ALL have commercials on at the same time?

i think they've outsmarted us.

Big Brother of television has caught on and all the airheads running the stations got together and have made an agreement to air commercials at the same times during any half-hour period.

HOW UN-AMERICAN!

if the commercials were entertaining or even a public service you wouldn't mind, but all those Viagra and Cialis and that smiling freaky guy with the constant erection on the natural supplement that turns your eyes and skin blue if you keep taking it are driving me nuts. i also don't want to know which sanitary napkin keeps me driest either.

at least in Europe you see, well, interesting things. as a matter of fact, the commercial below was voted the best commercial in Europe.

watch it; you'll get my drift...

New Hampshire broke the rules too...

I didn't realize that the controversy surrounding the Florida and Michigan primaries was a little more convoluted than people have let us to believe. Either that, or I didn't read things as closely as I thought.

In an OpEd in today's New York Times - New Hampshire Cheated, Too - U.S. Senator Carl Levin from Michigan and DNC member Debbie Dingell state how New Hampshire was told, as part of the reorganization of primaries and caucuses, to not hold an early primary but chose to do so anyway. The purpose behind this was to even out the field with more representative states to be first rather than New Hampshire that does not have a large cross-section of Democratic voters.

Michigan and Florida, as has been reported, will not be seated unless the Credentials Committee at the convention allows it. Florida has already said that they would not redo the primary election because of logistics and cost. Michigan is more than likely to do the same.

The OpEd by Levin and Dingell asks why New Hampshire isn't being punished because they didn't follow the rules either.

Even though I support Senator Clinton, I say, if they don't seat Florida an d Michigan, they shouldn't seat New Hampshire either. Make it fair all the way around.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke, 1917 - 2008

In 1945 Sir Arthur C. Clarke developed a revolutionary way, for which he was paid £15, to improve communications as well as many other things that are now common every day workings to which we pay no attention. He conceptualized geosynchronous orbits [now known as Clarke Orbits] as a way of allowing satellites to remain in a stationary orbit around the earth to improve communications, cable and satellite television, GPS, spying, and weather reporting, among many other things, that became easier and more precise. Of course, the first satellite, Sputnik, did not go into orbit until 1957, twelve years later. Forward thinking, no dreaming, is such an important part of life and Sir Arthur was a genius at it.

He was asked of which of the three main accomplishments in his life, writer, undersea explorer and space promoter, he would best liked to be remembered, he responded, writer. I spent hours reading his words over the years. Rendezvous with Rama is by far my favorite of his works, though 2001: A Space Odyssey is probably his most noted.

Sir Arthur died yesterday at the age of 90 in his adopted home of Sri Lanka with the hope that the ongoing civil war there would come to a peaceful end. His latest novel, The Last Theorem, co-written with Frederik Pohl, will be released later this year. I can't wait to read it.

the "race" speech...

I waited until I had time to mull it over before commenting. I listened to it live.

First, I was struck by the lack of applause. It was almost eerie. Then when the applause came it wasn't over race; it was when Obama mentioned the economy. The applause was tacit at best throughout the Senator's remarks.

Second, there was very little inflection or modulation in his voice. It was almost monotony in tone. It aroused very little response.

Third, everything the Senator said has been said before. There was actually nothing new in it.

Fourth, I cringed at the beginning when he started using the Constitution and Founding Fathers as an intro. Almost all of them were slave owners and they emphasized that citizenship was based on property ownership, not equal rights.

Last, the comments in reaction around the blogosphere are not very excited. I've read Good Speech in more than one. A couple of blogs even used the word safe in their description.

I was also reminded how the Age of Aquarius in the 1960's was based on the sense of fairness and inclusiveness for all people, but it was fought with fervor and passion. It was sidetracked, however, by a dirty little war that became an obsession with those both for and against it. The peace it sought was put on hold and then diverted. Race became a consequence of the inequity that resulted from the war. In many ways the country is still fighting Vietnam.

I agree that a speech regarding race needs to be made. Race needs to be moved to the front burner, if anything else is be accomplished. It is the core complication that shades real progress. The conflict of differences needs to have a new focus.

I don't know if this speech was the one to make change or was effective in bringing to the fore the significance of confronting the distrust and the fear that surrounds it. Sometimes, I think I will never see it in my lifetime.


one other thing that would have helped me is if it was a a policy statement and not a political speech...

how to clean your house...

1. Open a new file in your PC
2. Name it "HOUSEWORK"
3. Send it to the RECYCLE BIN.
4. Empty the RECYCLE BIN.
5. Your PC will ask you, "Are you sure you want to delete Housework permanently?"
6. Calmly answer, "Yes," and press mouse button firmly
7. Feel better?

Works for me!

monday morning mayhem...

Irish Lent

An Irishman moves into a tiny hamlet in County Kerry walks into the pub and promptly orders three beers. The bartender raises his eyebrows, but serves the man three beers, which he drinks quietly at a table, alone.

An hour later, the man has finished the three beers and orders three more. This happens yet again. The next evening the man again orders and drinks three beers at a time, several times. Soon the entire town is whispering about the Man Who Orders Three Beers.

Finally, a week later, the bartender broaches the subject on behalf of the town. 'I don't mean to pry, but folks around here are wondering why you always order three beers?'

'Tis odd, isn't it?' the man replies. 'You see, I have two brothers, and one went to America , and the other to Australia . We promised each other that we would always order an extra two beers whenever we drank as a way of keeping up the family bond.'

The bartender and the whole town were pleased with this answer, and soon the Man Who Orders Three Beers be came a local celebrity and source of pride to the hamlet, even to the extent that out-of-towners would come to watch him drink.

Then, one day, the man comes in and orders only two beers. The barten der pours them with a heavy heart. This continues for the rest of the evening. He orders only two beers. The word flies around town. Prayers are offered for the soul of one of the brothers.

The next day, the bartender says to the man, 'Folks around here, me first of all, want to offer condolences to you for the death of your brother. You know-the two beers and all.

The man ponders this for a moment, then replies, 'Ahh! You'll be happy to hear that my two brothers are alive and well. It's just that I, meself, have decided to give up drinking for Lent.'




Sure and Begorah!

Into a Belfast pub comes Paddy Murphy, looking like he'd just been run over by a train. His arm is in a sling, his nose is broken, his face is cut and bruised and he's walking with a limp.

"What happened to ye?" asks Sian, the bartender.

"Jamie O'Conner and me had a fight," says Paddy.

"That little shit, O'Conner," says Sian, "He couldn't do that to ye, he must have had something in his hand."

"Aye. That he did," says Paddy, "a shovel is what he had, and a terrible lickin' he gi' me with it."

"Well," says Sian, "Ye should have defended yourself, didn't ye have something in yer hand?"

"That I did," says Paddy. "Mrs. O'Conner's breast, and a thing of beauty it was, but useless in a fight."



Tippin' a few...

An Irishman who had a little too much to drink is driving home from the city one night and, of course, his car's weaving violently all over the road.

A cop pulls him over. "So," says the cop to the driver, where have ya been?"

"Why, I've been to the pub of course," slurs the drunk.

"Well," says the cop, "it looks like you've had quite a few to drink this evening."

"I did all right," the drunk says with a smile.

"Did you know," says the cop, standing straight and folding his arms across his chest, "that a few intersections back, your wife fell out of your car?"

"Oh, thank heavens," sighs the drunk. "For a minute there, I thought I'd gone deaf."

*************************************************

May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour
before the devil knows you're dead.

weekender...

think you had a bad week?

things can always get worse...

is there a race issue?

He's black.

She's white.

There is a race issue.

He's a man.

She's a woman.

There is also a sexism issue...


or......... is the media making it an issue?

just asking...

where's my rebate check?

For the first time ever I have to pay the IRS this year. It's because of all the refunds I got when I retired last year. Seems that the government agencies had me putting money into things for a number of years that I didn't have to pay into. Figures....

Since they were pensionable items there were no taxes taken out at the time. So, now, I have to pay the taxes on them.

My questions then are, if I'm paying taxes this year, do I get this economic stimulus package or not? Can I just deduct the $600 from what I have to pay? Do I get the entire $600 or a percentage because I made so much with the refunds? Do I have to file additional paperwork? Or am I just being stimulated where the sun don't shine?

i'm confused.

wait..., maybe i'm not.

no, i'm definitely confused...

'splain me, Lucy...

some of you can still remember...

i hope...



i still have my typewriter in the back room. it cost over $600 when i bought it back in the 80's! i'm hoping that some day it will be worth more as an antique.

i have some typing habits that i just can't get rid of from using it. for example, if i make a typing error, i will hit delete all the way back to the error instead of just putting the cursor next to the incorrect letter, and i've been using a computer from the time of the Apple II.

some habits are just too hard to beat. like the clock in the kitchen. it was on the same wall for 47 years. when i remodeled the kitchen 5 years ago, i had to move it. to this day, if i'm in the kitchen and want to see what time it is, i still look first at that wall.

Habits are like submarines. They run silent and deep. – Denis Waitley

life should be a musical...

at the Baldwin Hills Mall Food Court
Los Angeles, Californis

maybe if people broke into song more often there would be more happiness and less anxiety...

the video is from the people at Improv Everywhere who did the Freeze at Grand Central Station. If you haven't seen it, click on the Freeze link to watch something incredible.

the fear of democracy...

One of the things that the writers of the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, feared greatly was pure democracy. Pure democracy would be direct rule by the people with no representation and no expert delineation. They understood that this form of democracy had a very serious drawback. With no checks and no balances, a motivated force of people could foist their beliefs, good and bad, on everyone with serious repercussions. This group would be the only one to have freedoms. Hence, the concept of Majority Rule, Minority Rights.

The framers of the Constitution were proven correct two years after the U.S. Constitution was ratified in Convention Monday, September 17th, 1787. The proof of this? The French Revolution of 1789 that installed the Reign of Terror in France - an experiment in pure democracy.

I fear that I am viewing shades (if albeit lighter) of this in Obama's campaign. Too many of his followers may be caught up in the moment with their enthusiasm and may have blind trust. Obama may be imperceptive by his notoriety and sudden surge in popularity. He may also be immersed in a rhetoric of change that is not realistic.

Change, as an agent, has a very jaded history. People do not trust change when it happens too quickly. They fear the worst always.

I just finished reading the Bette Midler interview in The Advocate - Winning Bette. Being that this is a political post, it may seem strange to bring this up but Bette has the same basic take that I have on change:

People don’t like change. People have to get used to it. They have to process it. They have to weigh it.

. Her comment was in reference to same-sex marriage but it echoes what goes on when change is about to happen.

When I talk to friends who support Obama, when I listen to people being interviewed leaving the polling places, who are asked why they voted for Sen. Obama they invariably have one answer - "I like him."

When they are asked about things Obama stands for and postulates or what his record has been they answer, "I don't know, but I like him."

I guess, no - I know, that this type of uninformed decision making is personally anathema to me. It is difficult for me to not gather as much information as possible before making a decision. I, literally, have pulled up both Clinton's and Obama's record in the Senate and gone through each resolution, law and amendment that they have proposed, their votes in the Senate, and past accomplishments and foibles. I have tried to make an informed decision about each. I realize that to some I may have gone to the extreme, but that is the way I do things, and with the internet it is so much easier than it used to be.

Remember that I support Senator Clinton and that I previously was an Obama supporter. I have mentioned what the turning point was for me - his promise to not run for any other office and completing his term as the junior senator from Illinois. (At the time the fear was that he would run for governor of Illinois, and no one foresaw this.) I was there and heard the promise. It wasn't even a full year later when he began his campaign.

My switch was cemented when I met Mrs. Clinton and heard her in person at a small meeting. I knew she was bright, but I wasn't totally aware of how brilliant she is. That, and I got the impression that she did her homework, so to speak, when making decision.

Yes, I'm aware that Mr. Obama is known for being as precise as possible also, but he is missing one very important thing, and for this I have to go back to the change comments. If you believe, as I strongly do, that change happens slowly no matter what people say and do, then he doesn't have the inside experience of how the monster called Washington D.C. operates. A change program would have every member of Congress stalling and pushing back even worse that they did to Clinton or Carter.

As an example, during the last debate, Senator Clinton brought up that Obama's sub-committee had yet to meet. He agreed and indicated that he has been too busy running for president and that it has gotten in the way. That is unacceptable to me. I voted for him to represent Illinois (and me) in the U.S. Senate. How is that representing me? I'm certain that others would make the same argument about Sen. Clinton, but it would be a bit less. (Remember, I've studied the records.)

I've written other things that I've observed about Mr. Obama's tenure in the Illinois legislature that fit into what could be considered a pattern. His "present" votes, of which one was the sole dissenting vote on a pornography protection bill that passed 58-0 is one of the most striking, may be more telling of what would be to come. I'm not sure that he can deliver on his promises.

Samantha Power, the Obama staffer on foreign relations that resigned for calling Hillary a monster said more in an interview than is being reported. She put a giant hole in the Senator's biggest campaign promise to get the troops out of Iraq.

“He will of course not rely upon some plan he’s crafted as a Presidential candidate or a U.S. Senator, he will rely upon a plan, an operational plan that he pulls together in consolation with people that are on the ground to whom he doesn’t have daily access to now…”

So essentially in the matter of several minutes Obama’s foreign policy advisor managed to undermine one of the centerpieces of his campaign, which was to redeploy combat troops in Iraq in the first 16 months of this Presidency.

The federal system of government is in shambles when it comes to parity and checks/balances as a result of the last seven years with the Bush/Cheney administration. I'm not sure if anyone is capable of straightening out the constitutional mess we are in right now. The challenge is daunting.

I do not feel comfortable with promises only. I don't think that just because someone is liked is a reason to entrust my country and safety to him/her. I do not feel the least bit secure on rhetoric alone. I do not trust evangelism with any cause as a reason in making important decisions.

I lived through the Age of Aquarius with the Kennedy's Camelot. When I look back I wonder what exactly was accomplished. The promise of hope that was espoused never came about. The agents against change fought hard and they won. They are not lurking in the shadows any more; they have been in control for the last 7-20 years...

"bless me father for i have sinned...

it has been 39 years since my last confession. in that time i threw paper and cigarettes out the window of my car. i smoked hash. i would not put any money in the Salvation Army kettle.... but, oh, wait a minute, i don't have to worry because i have "Get outta Hell" free card that the Vatican gave me in 1976. so what am i doing this?

Reuters is reporting that the Vatican lists "new sins," including pollution.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of "new" sins such as causing environmental blight.

as if we didn't have enough to worry about?

When asked what the most important of the "new" sins are, Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti, number two in the Vatican "Apostolic Penitentiary," stated to L'Osservatore Romano

"(Within bioethics) there are areas where we absolutely must denounce some violations of the fundamental rights of human nature through experiments and genetic manipulation whose outcome is difficult to predict and control," he said.

whew, at least on that one, i'm okay. i haven't manipulated any genes in..., i don't know how long.... wait, i may never have done it.

But what about the moneylenders who are taking people's homes away from them? what about Tsar George who said torture was acceptable by his veto of the intelligence gathering bill? (wait again..., the church more or less invented moast "enhanced interrogation techniques during the Inquisition.) what about the terrors in Darfur?

i'm sorry. i forgot. the Catholic Church is God's presence on Earth and the pope is infallible.

you know... the Egyptian mythology, the Greek mythology, the Roman mythology were all much more fun than this current acceptable mythology of christianism. at least back then you could sacrifice a pig and eat it afterward, fighting hunger in the community. today they give you a piece of bread or a cracker and say it's the body of Christ.

ewww.... isn't that cannibalism? just asking...

whoa...

the site passed 10,000 visitors and i didn't even notice.

thanks everyone...


mike/

instead of a celebration, i decided to repost my favorite picture of all that i have used -


The Weather Project
16 October 2003 - 21 March 2004
Special exhibit at the Tate Modern
Turbine Hall
London, England

it was one of the most interesting and beautiful art exhibits to which i've ever been. overwhelming is the best way to describe it...

monday morning mayhem...

Results of recent research show
that there are 7 kinds of sex.

The 1st kind of sex is called: Smurf Sex.

* This kind of sex happens when you first meet someone, and you both have sex until you are blue in the face.

The 2nd kind of sex is called: Kitchen Sex.

* This is when you have been with your partner for a short time, and you are so needy you will have sex anywhere, even in the kitchen.

The 3rd kind of sex is called: Bedroom Sex.

* This is when you have been with your partner for a long time. Your sex has gotten routine, and you usually have sex only in your bedroom.

The 4th kind of sex is called: Hallway Sex.

* This is when you have been with your partner for too long. When you pass each other in the hallway you both say "screw you."

The 5th kind of sex is called: Religious Sex.

* Which means you get Nun in the morning, Nun in the afternoon and Nun at night. (Very Popular)

The 6th kind is called Courtroom Sex.

* This is when you cannot stand your wife any more. She takes you to court and screws you in front of everyone.

And, last, but not least:
The 7th kind of sex is called: Social Security Sex.

* You get a little each month. But not enough to enjoy yourself.

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO TELL ME WHAT STAGE YOU ARE IN.

I have enough problems of my own....

Einstein’s Proclivity…


Albert Einstein's birthday was March 14. He would now be 127. Few people remember that the Nobel Prize winner married his cousin, Elsa Lowenthal, after his first marriage dissolved in 1919.

He stated that he was attracted to Elsa because she was well endowed. He postulated that if you are attracted to women with large breasts, the attraction is stronger if there is a DNA connection.

This came to be known as Einstein's Theory of Relative Titty.


ummm... no comment

now this is a campaign i can totally support...

Support Harvey Dent

you can find out all about Harvey Dent and his campaign to rid Gotham of all the scum. Click here

I believe in Harvey Dent

to go directly to the campaign website.



[on a side note - i saw the trailer for Batman: The Dark Knight last night when i went to see 10,000 B.C. (special effects are phenomenal, story line shaky at best, some eye candy). i will definitely go to see Dark Knight. it was really hard to tell that Heath Ledger was playing The Joker. what little there was of him in the trailer was unbelievable.]

your song...

Your Song
Elton John &
Alessandro Safina
(Oh... and David Beckham)

bosom buddies...

Bosom Buddies
from Auntie Mame
Lucille Ball & Bea Arthur

they are few and far between. i have been blest with a group of buddies for 40 years. three of us began working together 40 years ago and have been closer than any family could be. we've been through the proverbial thick and thin with each other. we spend holidays together, vacationed together, been through births and deaths together, supported each other and loved each other. we've picked up husbands and boyfriends and fiances over the years, but we've stayed constant and close. i wish everyone had friendship like this. it would make the world a better place for all...

remember the frug, the swim, the twist...

there is a new dance craze...


it's called the
Lame Duck
with an emphasis on lame

weekender...

Bubba died in a fire and his body was burned pretty badly. The morgue needed someone to identify the body, so they sent for his two best friends, Cooter and Gomer. The three men had always done everything together.

Cooter arrived first, and when the mortician pulled back the sheet, Cooter said, "Yup, his face is burned up pretty bad. You better roll him over."

The mortician rolled him over and Cooter said, "Nope, ain't Bubba."

The mortician thought this was rather strange. So he brought Gomer in to confirm the identity of the body.

Gomer looked at the body and said, "Yup, he's pretty well burnt up. Roll him over." The mortician rolled him over and Gomer said, "Nope, it ain't Bubba."

The mortician asked, "How can you tell?"

Gomer said, "Well, Bubba had two assholes."

"What? He had two assholes?" asked the mortician.

Yup, we never seen 'em, but everybody used to say, "There's Bubba with them two assholes.


makes you wonder what people say about who you hang out with. don't it?

in the confessional...

A married Irishman went into the confessional and said to his priest, "I almost had an affair with another woman."

The priest said, "And what do you mean by almost?"

The Irishman said, "Well, we got undressed and rubbed together, but then I stopped."

The priest said, "Rubbing together is the same as putting it in. You're not to see that woman again. For your penance, say five Hail Mary's and put $50 in the poor box."

The Irishman left the confessional, said his prayers, and then walked over to the poor box. He paused for a moment and then started to leave.

The priest, who was watching, quickly ran over to him saying, "I saw that. You didn't put any money in the poor box!"

The Irishman replied, "Yeah, but I rubbed the $50 on the box, and according to you, that's the same as putting it in!"

Bugatti Veyron Fbg by Hermés...

As promised in a post last week, below is the first picture of the new Bugatti Veyron Fbg designed by Hermés.



no exact price was announced yet, but the release does indicate it will be over $2 million.

it still makes me moist...

today's primaries and pri-caucus...

It is now 30 minutes since the polls closed in Ohio. Senator Clinton, with 3% of the districts reporting, is about 500 votes over Senator Obama.

MSNBC has not called the race for Clinton.

In the previous primaries, MSNBC called the races for Obama with 0% of the precincts reporting within <1 to +17 minutes when he had less of a lead than Hillary has now.

interesting, don't you think?

just asking...

Texas primary election/causus disaster...

A lot of people are saying that the comples procedures used in Texas could be a disaster. As much as I can tell, and it is very confusing, anyone who votes in the regular primary then is allowed to join a caucus in the evening to vote again, so to speak. These caucuses choose ⅓ of the delegates to the convention.

The anticipated problems come from the planning that has gone on to navigate this bizarre system. Mayhill Fowler over at Huffpost calls it the 'Primacaucus'.

The Texas Two-Step is not a primary and a caucus. It is a primary and a "precinct convention." This terminology, alone, has Texans scratching their heads. As a questioner from Dallas TV said in a conference call with the Obama Campaign Friday, "we are getting calls into the station; people are confused. Is there going to be anything else on election night?" You'd think Texans would know by now. But ask anybody with the Iowa and Nevada Democratic parties, and they will tell you that voters have to be given instructions over and over again.

Beside the amount of time it takes to train the people running the caucuses, it will take time tonight to train the people involved in the actual voting.

In addition, there are reports that the sites of the actual caucuses have many problems. One report has a caucus located at a senior center that will only hold 350 when the district incorporates a university that has 10,000 eligible voters. Oh, and there are only 35 parking spaces at the senior center.

well, now. what can one say? this is Texas after all. the state that gave us you know who...

we just might have fun with this. it could go on well into the night, giving MSNBC's Chris Matthews enough fodder that he'll continuously have orgasm after orgasm...

one thing i can - i'm not going to stay up to watch the festivities. i can wait until morning for the instant replays...

eco-oxymoronic...

Out in Washington State a group of eco-terrorists put five multi-million dollar homes to the flames that were under construction to protest their belief that the "green houses" were anything but that.

Ecoterrorism Suspected in House Fires in Seattle Suburb

MALTBY, Wash. — Five luxury homes in a subdivision marketed as “built green” near here were destroyed or severely damaged by fire early Monday, and evidence at the scene suggested the fires might have been started by radical environmentalists who viewed the homes as violating rather than complementing the wooded wetlands in which they were built.

“Built green?” read letters spray-painted onto a bedsheet found hanging on a fence at the site, about 25 miles northeast of Seattle. “Nope Black!

Seems like this group has been using actions like this since the 1990's.

Now, we shouldn't belittle this group, or any other, for standing up for their principles. It's a commendable thing to do when one feels so passionate about something. BUT isn't is a bit ironic that the act of burning down these houses is, in itself, pollution?

I mean, come on, they released fumes from what they believe are actually toxic materials into the air helping to further deplete the ozone layer; they flooded the ground with noxious chemicals released by the fire; they wasted thousands of gallons of water since the fire department had to put the flames out or the surrounding wooded areas would have been destroyed also; and they wasted fuel by using it as an accelerant.

isn't there something, ummm, self-defeating when you use the same tactics that emulate what you are protesting?


FYI: oxymoron comes from the Greek oxumōros that means pointedly foolish. i would use the word stupid instead of foolish.

real genius...

True story of Maestro Arturo Toscanini in his frustration during a rehearsal.

He screamed at the timpani (kettledrum) player, "You're fired."

The man left the stage going to pack up his stuff, nervous about how he was going to tell his family that he was no longer employed.

As he left the hall, the tympanist turned to Toscanini and yelled, "You're a son-of-a-bitch!"

To which Toscanini bellowed back, "It's too late to apologize...."




Beethoven's Symphony #9 - Finale
NBC Symphony Orchestra
Recorded 4 March 1948
Exactly 60 years ago today...

Comment: Democratic Party fears...

Many newspeople, pundits and Democratic Party members are saying that if Sen. Clinton keeps going and if she wins the nomination by hook or crook, it will tear the party apart and cause lots of internal conflicts.

I heard one of the governors supporting Obama actually say that should Obama not win there will be rioting in the streets.

talk about fear-mongering...

you know what? i'm not so sure that would be a bad thing in the long run.

The Dems took over Congress last fall and so far they have not really done much of what they promised. They have given in to Tsar George on almost everything he's wanted. They have used the excuse that the Republicans have blocked them at every step. Yet they have "compromised" in turn.

We know that the Republican Party is in dire straits after the disastrous past seven years - if not the last 30. Maybe, just maybe, the Dems need to be shaken up also. They have been enabling the Reps all the way with their inaction and whining.

Maybe Obama and Clinton or Gore or Richardson or any of the others are the answer.

Maybe what we need is to throw all the bums out or begin subversive activity maneuvers to wrest the country back from all of them. They all only represent their own special interests.

what about our interests?

Obama's record versus his "judgment"...

Joseph C. Wilson, yes, Valerie Plame's husband, has a great piece over at Huffpost on Obama's call that he is superior to Clinton in judgment over key issues:

Barack Obama argues that he deserves the Democratic nomination and Hillary Clinton doesn't because he possesses superior "judgment," as he calls it, on the key issues we face as a nation. As definitive proof he offers one speech he made in 2002 during a reelection campaign for an Illinois senate seat in the most liberal district in the state, so liberal that no other position would have been viable. When he made that speech, Obama was not privy to the briefings by, among others, Secretary of State Colin Powell, in support of the Authorization of Use of Military Force as a diplomatic tool to push the international community to impose intrusive inspections on Saddam Hussein.

Obama's Hollow "Judgment" and Empty Record

Wilson adds that

On July 27, 2004, he told the Chicago Tribune on Iraq: "There's not much of a difference between my position and George Bush's position at this stage." In his book, The Audacity of Hope, published in 2006, he wrote, "...on the merits I didn't consider the case against war to be cut-and- dried." And, in 2006, he clearly said, "I'm always careful to say that I was not in the Senate, so perhaps the reason I thought it was such a bad idea was that I didn't have the benefit of US intelligence. And for those who did, it might have led to a different set of choices."

This article has created a perspective for me that I was missing, or at the least had trouble putting into more precise words. The problem is one of substance over image and promise. I have repeatedly tried to point out what Mr. Obama has not done, over what he says he will do. The question then becomes what can he do. I have been maintaining that he can't. I believe that his message of hope is full of hollow promise.

The last time we had a person win the presidency who said that he was going to make great change in Washington and work to alter the "status quo" was a disaster - Jimmy Carter. He had little to no Washington experience.

The establishment has been in place for a very long time; since Eisenhower warned us about the military-industrial complex. The change, if it can happen, will be slow and will take more than one person spearheading it and too many years.

On a personal note, I supported Senator Obama when he ran for the Senate from Illinois. I thought that he had a message of action for the people of Illinois. I broke with that support after he fractured his promise that, if elected as the Senator from Illinois, he would not seek any other office but would fulfill his commitment to the state. It wasn't even a full year when he broke that pledge and began running for president. Consequently, I no longer believed that I could trust him.

I remember his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, as he was running for the Senate, and feeling uncomfortable with what was happening. At the time, there was a disguised rumor/fear that he would run for Governor of Illinois, as that position has always been a circus. President was nowhere in the scenario at the time. Quel surprise!

Through all this, I have not been able to describe accurately in words what exactly could have changed my view and opinion of the man. Mr. Wilson, in the last paragraph of his essay, finally gave me the words for which I have been searching"

Obama's gyrations on Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran are not the actions of one imbued with superior intuitive judgment, but rather the machinations of a political opportunist looking to avoid having his fingerprints on any issue that might be controversial, and require real judgment, while preserving his freedom to bludgeon his adversary for actually taking positions as elected office demands. (emphasis is mine)

My point is that I see a dichotomy between his words and his actions. It raises a red flag on his integrity for me. He's been making larger promises in his presidential bid. I'm not certain that they can be trusted and I'm afraid that we might have anothere embattled presidency where nothing gets done.

I am also concerned what the possible consequences may be, if indeed this is an opportunistic move (whether conscious or unconscious). I have an inherent cynicism when people take the position that their actions are for the good of others. Even Mother Theresa did the things she did to satisfy an inner ego motivation. It's the nature of the human beast...

why is there a cavernous gap between the American people and our elected representatives in Congress?

Deal Close on Wiretap Law, a Top Democrat Tells CNN

and it contains immunity for the telecoms.

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee hinted Sunday that a battle over an expired eavesdropping law might be moving toward a conclusion that gave phone companies the retroactive legal protections long sought by President Bush.

New York Times, 3 March 2008

Is it because the telecoms have stopped making campaign contributions? or, at the least, may be threatening to do so?

just asking...

monday morning mayhem...

FIVE YEAR OLD'S FIRST JOB

Here's a truly heart warming story about the bond formed between a little 5-year-old girl and some construction workers that will make you believe that we all can make a difference when we give a child the gift of our time.

A young family moved into a house, next to a vacant lot. One day, a construction crew turned up to start building a house on the empty lot. The young family's 5-year-old daughter naturally took an interest in all the activity going on next door and spent much of each day observing the workers.

Eventually the construction crew, all of them "gems-in-the- rough," more or less, adopted her as a kind of project mascot. They chatted with her, let her sit with them while they had coffee and lunch breaks, and gave her little jobs to do here and there to make her feel important.

At the end of the first week, they even presented her with a pay envelope containing ten dollars. The little girl took this home to her mother who suggested that she take her ten dollars "pay" she'd received to the bank the next day to start a savings account.

When the girl and her mom got to the bank, the teller was equally impressed and asked the little girl how she had come by her very own pay check at such a young age. The little girl proudly replied, "I worked last week with a real construction crew building the new house next door to us."

"Oh my goodness gracious," said the teller, "and will you be working on the house again this week, too?"

The little girl replied, "I will, if those assholes at Home Depot ever deliver the ******* sheet rock."

Kind of brings a tear to the eye - doesn't it . . .




so, you think that things can't get any worse in your life?


well, at least it's a three-point landing...



sometimes ya just hafta have a smoke



step back.... just a little bit more...



oh, s***



umm, Honey, I had a little problem parking the car in the garage.



I, uh..., just how do some people get a driver's license?



so, who's gonna make the call to Children and Family Services?


see, your life ain't that bad after all...

no comment...

what do you know about Medvedev?

On the Tuesday Democratic debate, Tim Russert asked the candidates, Clinton first, what they knew about the new, hand-picked by Putin, Russian president. Hillary hesitate on pronouncing the name and people took it to mean she didn't even know who he was. Both she and Obama agreed that they didn't know much about the man.

On Thursday at the presidential news conference, Bush was asked the same question. He said the same thing. Of course pundits and newspeople are all over them for this, but should they be?

Today's Le Monde headline is

Qui est l'énigmatique Dimitri Medvedev?

Who is the enigmatic Dimitri Medvedev?

The website edition uses a different and more telling headline

Dmitri Medvedev, tsar ou vizir?

Dimitri Medvedev, czar or vizier? [note: a vizier was a very high ranking official in Muslim countries, Turkey most notably. Just as the czar's, their word was never questioned.]

Bush, Clinton, and Obama are not alone in not knowing anything about the man. No one else knows anything about the man either.

At the least, he's going to be the titular head of Russia while Putin intends to rule with a shadow government. Another headline in Le Monde is Dmitri Medvedev, un président dans l'ombre de Poutine pour la Russie [Dimitri Medvedev, a Russian president in the shadow of Putin]

Well, there are some facts that people know. He's 42, born in 1965; his parents were professors at the University of Leningrad [St. Petersburg]; he graduated at 25 with a degree in law; he's married to his childhood sweetheart with one son; he was the chairmen of the board for Gazprom, not just the largest gas utility company in Russia, but the largest company; he has never held elected office before now; he has been Putin's Chief of Staff since 1999; he became First Deputy Prime Minister in 2005; and since his appointment he has been spearheading Putin's program to improve social programs in Russia - health, education, housing and agriculture.

Le Monde also made a point of mentioning that he is short (1.62 m) and facially reminds people of the Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia, but it ends there. Oh, he also has said he's a fan of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Can't be all bad if he's into heavy metal!

Probably, the best and easiest thing to say about him is that he is handpicked by Putin, so his political views and stands have to be exactly the same as Putin's.

I've heard a number of newspeople and announcer's mangle his name, just as Hillary was unsure of it. It is very rare that a syllable is stressed in Russian. So each syllable is said with exact same stress with no emphasis. The pronunciation of his name would be Myed-vye-dyev. The "e" in Russian is pronounced "ye".

isn't it interesting that not only will the U.S. have a new leader, but so will Russia, if in name only? mmmm?