Liberal Kudos Corner

A Note

2007-11-18T21:54:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for new blog entries of the non-political variety, I've been blogging in my other space here. I'm just not feeling very political lately but I still have lots to say! Hope you stop by.

They're All Together Ooky...The Adams Family

2007-10-31T22:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween...blah, blah, blah.

Two things happened this week that make me wonder if I'm living in some backwoods, one stoplight town and not one that I pay outrageous property tax for (seriously, you'd weep). I'm going to try to keep things as anonymous as is possible since I have to live near these people, but suffice it to say there is one house on this street that is quickly becoming "those neighbors". First, they've taken to parking on their lawn. At first I thought maybe it was a mistake or that they just had to run in the house really fast to retrieve some item that they had to have so badly that they just didn't have the wherewithal to park in their actual driveway. In fact, it looked like one of them had driven home under the influence and crashed into the tree, except the car was unscathed. Alas, no. They came and went several times over the course of as many days, parking the car in their new, albeit strange, spot. These are also the neighbors that have no less than 6 different cars at any given time parked hither and yon amongst the street, so it goes without saying that there is precious little space in their actual driveway. They finally stopped parking on the lawn, so I guess that's good.

"What about their garage", you ask?

"It's full of crap", I reply.

"What kind of crap", you inquire?

"All the shit they couldn't bear to part with from their old house, the one that was so much badasser and bigger than this current one that they often remind us how they had to downsize to live in our neighborhood; the poor dears", I say absolutely dripping with sarcasm complete with great big eye rolling.

When they decided to clear out the scraggly rose bushes and other unidentifiable overgrown brush that they call a garden, I figured "Hey! Finally!". So what if they did it not with a shovel and shears, but a strong rope and a pick up truck with a really kick ass bumper (who wants to be bothered with gardening tools anyway?); at least it was finally getting some attention. Imagine my surprise when it was discovered that they had done so, not to enhance curbside appeal, but to set up their Halloween graveyard. Sigh.

If this wasn't enough to just gal the hell out of me, what really chaps my hide is that their immediate next door neighbors have been trying to sell their house since midsummer. Now I don't know about you, but if I were a prospective home buyer and pulled up in front of this dilly, spotting the lawn parking and their questionable shrub removal tactics; I'd seriously reconsider plopping down my life savings to live next door to such a spectacle.

The Post Dawn Cacaphony of Leaf Blowers in E Minor

2007-10-27T07:50:00.001-07:00

Just how long DOES it take to blow the leaves out of a Southern California yard the size of a postage stamp? Apparently just as long as it takes to rake that of it's acre and a half, tree infested east coast counterpart. Like countless others, my weekdays start at the crack of dawn; in some cases pre-dawn. I look forward to the weekend. I like to sleep in even if "sleeping in" means 8:30am. Not today my friends. Not today. This lovely, peaceful Saturday morning was interrupted by the grinding, whining hum (screech) of the ever popular, and equally annoying gardening tool...the leaf blower.

Stay out of my way today. I'll be at Costco and I'm bitchy. You've been warned.

You Don't Want to Know Where I Was Keeping That Plane Ticket

2007-10-18T23:48:00.000-07:00

Sweet molasses on a cracker! I swear to freakin' God that it will not be too far off in the future that if you wish to travel by plane, you will have to do it naked as a jay-fuckin'-bird! Sans shoes, no carry-on luggage whatsoever, body cavity searches all around and infants will have to ride in the baggage compartment. It was reported in the news today that security at 3 of the nation's airports (LAX amongst them) failed miserably at detecting bomb making materials. Please stand by for security to kick it up a notch. This just HAD to come out right before the holiday season, didn't it.

And doesn't this tid-bit just scream bullshit to you?

Terrorists bringing a homemade bomb on an airplane, or bringing on bomb parts and assembling them in the cabin, is the top threat against aviation. "Their focus is on using items easily available off grocery and hardware store shelves," Hawley said.

Really? That is the top threat against aviation? Funny how a moderate Google search turns up quite a different statistic. It would seem that human error, pilot error, design flaw, fuel starvation, and yes, BIRDS are a greater threat to aviation than terrorists and their bomb making materials. And didn't the security for air travel reach hysterical levels AFTER September 11th? It would appear, at least to me, that people hijacking a plane and flying it into a building with their own two hands would be a greater threat. Will we have to start leaving our hands at home?

There are horrid people in the world and they're going to do despicable things, it cannot be obliterated. You just have to live life and be aware. I expect the airline that I'm paying for service from to provide a safe plane and a capable crew...and not send my luggage to an alternate destination. I don't expect to be kept safe from another person's actions totally unrelated to the airline. I feel more threatened by the woman driving beside me who is chatting on her cell phone while she simultaneously applies her lipstick and mascara, drinking her latte at mock 5 on the freeway. If I choose to pay for and use public transportation then I am taking the risk that I just may be flying along side someone who is not playing with a full deck.

Please don't make it so that we all have to fly in the nude. It is way too cold on that plane.

USA TODAY

Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys...

2007-10-15T22:30:00.001-07:00

...Or soldiers, or rock stars. Okay, the rock star part I can get on board with; it just ain't that easy to achieve. In March of 2003, when this war in Iraq began, I remember voicing my concerns about my oldest son who was six at the time, at some point having to go off and fight. People laughed at me, belittled me and verbally pat me on the head..."He's six!" they scoffed. "You're being ridiculous" they're eyes read. Yet, here we are over four years later, and my son is now eleven; and no end in sight when it comes to the war in Iraq. President Bush won't be calling it quits; he's already admitted to leaving that to future administrations. Why should he clean up the mess he started? Seven years from now my son will be eighteen. Is there anyone out there who can say with absolute certainty that my fears are unfounded?

The recruitment commercials to join the armed forces that air on my television illustrate quite a rosy picture of what it means to be a soldier. They're dressed in their finest, travel to exotic lands, go to college, and apply their learned skills to their military branch of choice. Yeah, sure, that all goes on during a time of peace. They should also affirm the reality (one that I took upon myself to explain to my son) that you will have to kill someone at some point and is that something you are willing to do? You may be killed yourself, are you cool with that?

My thoughts are often about the mothers of our soldiers. The wives too, but there is a love and bond that is unique to the parent/child relationship. If my husband were a soldier and were to die, I would be devastated, yes but eventually I'd be able to pick up the shattered pieces of my life and persevere. There isn't enough Prozac in Beverly Hills to get me through seeing my son(s) off to war. If a child of mine were to die in that war, it would completely and utterly destroy me; I would spiral into an abyss and never return. I think of these mothers that are currently sinking further into this abyss and how torturous the pain must be.

It's easy to be a cheerleader for this war when it isn't your children that are sacrificed. And you need to be "rah-rah-rah" when it IS your child on the front line because you NEED them to LIVE.

It's 4 1/2 years later; am I still being a hand-wringing hysterical ninny?

Bring their children home.

Now.

Which Way the Political Wind Leans

2007-10-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

Was June really the last time I posted anything to this blog? Egads! That's shameful. I have to admit that my lack of attention to my space here has more to do with my complete and utter frustration with the status quo with regards to politics than it does with what might be perceived as laziness or disinterest. Let's touch on a couple of things here before I get to the meat of my entry...
My choice for the Democrat Presidential candidate:
~ The jury is mostly out on this but I lean towards Senator Obama
~ This would change in an instant if Al Gore were to toss his hat into the ring

With that said, my mind has been hard at work trying to make sense of the hypocrisy that spews forth from the mouths of republicans whenever a celebrity (aka "Liberal Hollywood") voices their political opinion...unless of course said celebrity is a republican. With the emergence of Fred Thompson into the Republican presidential side of the race, I was all set to update my blog with a well researched "article" (for lack of a better word) about the aforementioned hypocrisy surrounding Democrats v. Republicans and politics. While compiling my list of celebrities turned politician whose opinions were/are considered acceptable by the right wing media machine (because they're republicans) I came across an article at TMZ (of all places) that sums it up quite nicely.

Obviously, celebrities aren't limited to disagreements with the right wing. Some see eye to eye on many issues. Charlton Heston and Ted Nugent (despite being the author of such "family friendly" lyrics as "Wang Dang Sweet Poon Tang") are darlings of the right for their stance on guns. And, it is interesting to note that over the years movie actor Ronald Reagan, singer/tv star Sonny Bono, and sports stars: Steve Largent, JC Watts, Jim Bunning and Tom Osborne all used their fame to win office as Republicans. These people actually made official government policy so you would think that those who say celebrities aren't qualified to speak out on issues would be outraged, right? But, consistency has never been a hallmark of the right wing's chattering class.

The article does go on to say (and I disagree with):

So, even though there is little substance or logical consistency behind the "celebrities aren't qualified to speak out" argument, I do agree with the general notion that they should stay out of politics. However, as I alluded above, it's for different reasons. After all, I hope these same celeb bashers wouldn't tell a plumber to stick to plumbing and stay away from political discourse. Indeed, by their logic, everyone but politicians and the self-appointed political elite would be disqualified from having a "valid opinion." You only need to flip through the Sunday political talk shows for the briefest of glimpses to see the irony and absurdity of that proposition. No, I think musicians and other celebs should shut up for a different reason. When these stars speak out, via some crafty public relations work, the stars themselves become the debate instead of the issues. All we hear is" the Dixie Chicks hate America" or "Hollywood wants the terrorists to win." The real issues get swept under the rug and the focus is on bashing the celeb for speaking out.

I don't agree that celebrities should quit speaking out. I believe everyone has the right too and shouldn't be silenced because issues get swept under the rug BECAUSE they're celebrities. The issue isn't the celebrities but rather, what's under that rug...don't let the pundits wield such a hefty broom.
TMZ

Charity Run Amok

2007-06-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

Being asked for charitable contriubtions for needy causes is getting out of hand. I prefer the old fashioned approach of being contacted via the United States postal service. It's unintrusive, I have time to peruse the literature, and then give if and when and how much I can. No pressure. I loath the dinner time phone calls, or worse, the Christmastime hardcore press (via phone).

Nowadays you can't go about your daily errands without being accosted by volunteers who've set up camp outside retail establishments. The tactic that grates on my nerves the most is when you're actually paying for your goods at some retail store and you're asked by the cashier if you'd like to contribute whatever amount to the cause du jour that they are sponsoring. In return you get to write your name on a slip of paper that they will prominently display on the wall of their store. Big woo.

Friday night, however, I witnessed a new low. Sitting in the movie theater, in excited anticipation for the movie that was about to start in 0.2 seconds; we (the audience) were greeted by two fresh faced teens, employees of the Edwards Grand Twelve Cinema. Clipboard in hand they proceeded to present to us how Regal Theaters is once again taking and matching contributions for the Starlight Foundation. A worthy cause, yes. Once finished with their spiel, the two then walked the ailes to gather any cash or loose change we movie goers were willing to part with. Apparently Regal Theaters decided that simply (and annoyingly) asking to donate a dollar when you are purchasing your tickets isn't intrusive enough. They are now delaying the start time of the movie and forcing you to sit through a presentation. As if having to watch commercials now isn't bad enough. Are they TRYING to repel folks from going out to the movies? If that is their goal, they're on the right track. It's like going out to dinner at your favorite restaurant only to have some waiter stand up and try to sell you a time share...you'd leave except that you've already ordered your food and it will be at your table any second.

I'm all for giving to charities and I do. If I wanted to learn about the Starlight Foundation I would have looked 'em up on the web; certainly not at the theater on MY dime. All they've done is repel me from wanting to give to the charity because their tactic is too "in your face".

Outrageous Quote of the Day

2007-05-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

...Comes from our own Commander in Chief:

"Either we'll succeed, or we won't succeed," he said. "And the definition of success as I described is sectarian violence down. Success is not no violence. ... But success is a level of violence where the people feel comfortable about living their daily lives."

Well no wonder we Iraq war naysayers were baffled by his insistance that success was being made there. That's not the definition of success, sir...that's deliberately misleading.

Link

Lakadaisical Parents

2007-05-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

Note to parents of small children: I'm not interested in keeping an eye on your kids while I try to enjoy time with my own. If you bring your kids to the park (or any other public place for that matter), here's a tip: watch them. While trying to spend happy family time with *my* family this past weekend, cheering on my son and his softball team, I had to play offense with a little "tweener" (not quite a toddler but not yet a preschooler) from hurling water bottles at my daughter. "I made a weapon!" he declared...super. His own mother was peacefully enjoying the game, ocassionally tossing a disinterested "stop that" over her shoulder, which had no effect whatsoever on her little darling. I had to supress the urge to pick him up and shout to his mother "go long" before hurling a hail mary in her direction.

These are the same kids who firmly plant themselves at the base of a slide and declare themselves king (or queen) of the castle, refusing to let others pass. They're the same ones that confiscate my children's toys in the sand box...my daughter came to build a sand castle, she needs her "tools"...bring your own. My daughter would happily share if sharing were something your child were interested in; they're not. Get off your phone, stop chatting with your girlfriend, take a look around once in a while. You're raising little bullies that are going to spend a great deal of time in the principal's office come school time; so don't be surprised when you find yourself there. I'm not your babysitter, nor do I want to be. Do YOUR job!

Rant over.

Bedside Manner Escapes Henry Mayo

2007-04-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

I know that judging by my posts here on my blog you'd find it hard to believe that I'm really not one to complain. I do, in fact, try to give people and situations the benefit of the doubt, but I have to say that I'm very disappointed in Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. I understand that they are the only emergency room in a valley consisting of 200+ thousand people and they have limited staff and funding to contend with, but that's no excuse for an attitude with your patients.

On Tuesday evening I prepared pork chops for my family and 20 minutes after dinner, my youngest son began gagging and heaving as if he were sick to his stomach. This went on periodically throughout the night and into the morning. We assumed he had some kind of stomach virus since the rest of us were fine. It wasn't until morning that he informed us that it felt like something was stuck in his throat. Immediately alarmed and considering that perhaps he had a fragment of a pork chop bone lodged in his throat, but knowing it wasn't an "emergency" situation since he could breath and swallow, I took him to the walk in doctor's office to investigate. They were wonderful and patient and did what they could... two hours later xrays didn't reveal any bone fragments, it could just be a scratch, however, it could be such a small bone fragment that it wouldn't show up in xrays and they suggested that I take him to the emergency room where they had a greater variety of intruments to use to detect the problem.

I brought him home and waited until dinner time, figuring it would be a less hectic hour for the emergency room. The waiting room wasn't terribly crowded and they brought us in to a curtained bed area within 45 minutes. After a brief consultation with the doctor, he ordered a barium xray. While we waited in the large, open "fast track" area, consisting of several occupied beds separated by curtains, I couldn't help but hear the converstaions amongst the staff. One nurse had a burrito she was willing to share with her co-worker. How sweet. One nurse had consistent complaints ranging from something (didn't hear what) that she agreed "just ain't right" with another co-worker, to some closet being improperly stocked...apparently "it didn't have shit". This same nurse was the go-to gal for the xray technician who came to collect my son. I can tell by the bemused expressions on their faces (how does one "hear" a bemused expression you ask? By the tone of their voice silly!) that because my son can breath and swallow, I'm just a overreactive mother wasting their precious time. The sound of their eyes rolling and their smirking mouths was deafening. Nevermind that I was at the emergency room on a doctor's suggestion; let's not let facts get in the way.

The tech was lacking in any smiles, impatient, and I think he figured it might have killed him to try even just a little bit to put my scared son's fears at ease. He was short and quick to threaten my son that if he didn't drink the barium properly that he was just going to have to do it all over again. Finally satisfied that he had the films he needed we were sent back to our curtained bed. An hour or so later, my son in a deep sleep, it was time to clear out the "fast track" area because at a certain time in the evening the staff is reduced and they put all of the patients in one area. I listened from our little corner of the room, patients being informed of their move and beds being wheeled off to somewhere unknown by me. I waited. And waited. Waited some more. I waited nearly 30 minutes. Long gone were voices, rustlings, or the sound of soft soled shoes on the floor. No beeping machines...not even a cough to clear one's throat. Zip. Dead silence. Fearing we'd somehow been forgotten (I mean, that couldn't be!), but hesitant to leave my sleeping son, worried that he might wake up alone in one wing of the hospital, I finally took a few steps out to investigate. We were, in fact, alone. I took one more look at my son and decided to try to find someone as quickly as possible. This forced me to leave the room entirely, through another room, and finally into an area that had some staff.

I asked the nurse sitting at the desk if we were also being moved. Luckily, I didn't blink when I asked her this question because I would have surely missed the extremely brief look of shock that flashed across her face when I told her where my son was. She resorted to her pat answer and informed me that they were getting a bed ready for him and someone would be there shortly.

We never did move. The doctor finally came in to discuss the results of the barium xray with me. The diagnosis? No obstruction shows up in the xray and my son can swallow. Gee...thanks. I already knew he could swallow which is probably why I said as much during my initial consultation with the doctor. What I want to know is, what is causing my son to gag and heave when he DOES swallow? "It could be a scratch on his cartledge or it could be a bone fragment so small that it doesn't show up in the xray"... well, here we are back to square one. This I already know, I tell him. He recommends an ear, nose, and throat specialist and gives me the number of a doctor to call because they have a fiberoptic camera they can snake down his throat. Henry Mayo doesn't have one of those in the entire facility? Couldn't they have done that while we were there? Well, I guess they've done all they're gonna do.

After a combined total of 7 hours in medical facilities, I still don't know what is going on in my son's throat and it doesn't seem to concern any of the medical proffessionals, so why should I be worried? Because I'm a mother and I can tell you right now that there is something wrong with my son. I'm not a nervous overreative mother. Aside from being born this was the first time my 7 year old son had ever even seen the inside of a hospital, let alone an emergency room. And they should take a lesson in bedside manner. It would serve them well not to treat scared worried parents and patients with belittling condesention. Give us the benefit of the doubt that we aren't there to waste your time...we're there because something just ain't right.

Bill O'Reilly With Extra Foam at the Mouth

2007-04-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

It's must see tv and only a matter of time before this man's head literally explodes.

Taking A Spring "Break"

2007-03-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hello all and happy spring break to you! Just a note to inform you that I'm heading back east for a 10 day vacation so there won't be any updates until I return. Have fun and stay safe...I know I will!

Peace.

Here Comes the Broke Bride

2007-03-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

According to a recent article, the national average cost of a basic wedding is $20,000. That's national folks. Here in Los Angeles the average cost is $32,400 according to the handy little site, Costofwedding.com. Yeah right! Dream on kids cuz Mama ain't gonna foot that bill. I don't care if it is supposed to be the happiest day of your life; that is a colossal waste of cash. Giving birth to all three of my children were the happiest days of my life, and all three of their hospital bills didn't total that amount...and I got babies out of the deal! Actual human beings. True story, honest.

What a racket! Brainwash our daughters from the time they're old enough to hold Dream Wedding Barbie in their little dimpled fists, that walking down an aisle sprinkled with rose petals in a glorious ball gown to marry your Prince Charming-Ken is THE only way to go. Screw that. I'm giving my daughter Practical Barbie to play with. I'm going to not-so-subtley hint that 1960's retro weddings are making a comeback; that of tying the knot at city hall with your parents and closest family members and friends present, ONLY, and everyone will come back to our house afterwards for finger sandwiches, homemade potato salad and a suitable cake from the corner bakery.

Or better yet: elope. Call me after. I won't be mad, I promise. As a matter of fact I'll be so happy that I may help you with that down payment on your little starter home. Thirty two thousand four hundred dollars for a party...utter squandering. You might as well crumple up $32,400 and set it on fire.

Hurry Up and Get Married

Trust Us...We've Got Nothing To Hide

2007-03-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

It figures. President Bush has made his "reasonable in his mind" offer to agree to let Karl Rove and Harriet Miers meet (secretly, and no transcript) with congress (and not under oath). Oh well, that settles it! Clearly they've nothing to hide, whatsoever! Seriously, if there was no wrongdoing regarding the firing of several United States Attorneys, then why all the hush-hush? From the Associated Press:

Bush, in a late-afternoon statement at the White House, said, "We will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants. ... I proposed a reasonable way to avoid an impasse."

He added: "There's no indication ... that anybody did anything improper."

If a sitting president can be questioned, under oath, about his sexual escapades, then why can't White House officials be questioned about alleged wrong doing, under oath? And if everything is on the up and up why has Bush vowed to "aggressively fight in court any attempt to subpoena White House aides"?

This administration is channeling that of Nixon's. They feel they are above the law. This administration is hiding something and Congress better not back down from his threat of aggressive fighting to keep his aides from having to tell the truth.

Bush Warns Dems to Take Offer in Firings

You Got Served!

2007-03-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

Jury duty. We're all entitled to a trial by jury, so somebody has got to do it. I, apparently, am on a short list of the only potential jurors in Los Angeles county. I have received four summons in as many months and I'm beginning to feel harrassed. The first one came in the form of a threatening post card informing me that I'd failed to register for jury duty when they supposedly sent my summons some time prior. I'm pretty diligent when it comes to my responsibilities and keeping myself from breaking the law, paying fines, or spending time in jail. So I called and spoke to a pleasant woman who went through the registration process with me, and my subsequent request for an excuse because I'm a full time mother to 3 small children between the hours of 8am and 5pm. She gave me simple instructions: to fill out my children's names and ages in the area she so helpfully highlighted for me. Because I'm not a total idiot, I was able to do this with no trouble whatsoever.

At the end of the following month I received an actual notice to appear summons. Once again I called, only to find out that my request for an excuse was under review and would be decided in 30 t 60 days. My dilemma was that my date to appear was before that 30 day timeframe. When I called again a week later I was told that my request for an excuse had been denied and waited for an additional 27 minutes before I could speak to an actual human being to plead my case. When I finally reached an oh-so-helpful employee she asked if I had indicated that my youngest child was under the age of 5; to which I answered, yep. She postponed my date for 60 days while she sent me yet another registration form to request my excuse, which I promptly completed and returned the same day I received it.

TWO days later I opened my mailbox to find ANOTHER request to register for jury duty! Good grief! And once again I had to go through the automated process and hold for several minutes to request my excuse. Apparently I'm holding up the entire legal system because I must be the only potential juror out there.

The kicker is, if I were to serve, it would cost me $15 dollars an hour to hire a babysitter for my children, for as much as a week (maybe more). I'm also stymied by their estimation that only children under the age of 5 are worthy enough for their parents to be excused from jury duty. Even if they're in school, they will still need a ride home and supervision afterwards, and it will still cost me $15 dollars an hour for that necessity. Even if I'm not the sole caregiver between the hours of 8am and 5pm in that case, I certainly am between the hours of 12pm and 5pm, what with all three of my children dismissed from school at noon, 2pm, and 3pm respectively.

I'm a tax paying, law abiding citizen who's just trying to live her life and it seems as if they're just trying to get me into trouble! Give me five years, please! I promise I'll happily serve my time when all 3 of my children are able to care for themselves while I'm away temporarily. There has got to be someone else on that damn list!

Vaginas Unite

2007-03-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

Three girls in New York were suspended from their high school for using the word "vagina" during an open mic night when they read an excerpt from...wait for it... The Vagina Monologues. The principal of the school claims that the girls agreed to omit the apparently offensive word from their reading and went ahead and used it anyway. If the principal was so concerned about the content of their material don't you think he should have asked them to choose an alternate reading altogether? Even if they were to omit the word, wouldn't they still have to credit the original source: "My Short Skirt: The Vagina Monologues"? It isn't their work; it's Eve Ensler's. Wouldn't the dreaded "V" word be uttered regardless?

When did the word "vagina" become so taboo? More than half the human population comes equipped with one. You either have one or you don't. We all came out of one. We were all created with one, one way or another. It's as common a thing as an arm or a leg. The human mouth has more germs in it than your average vagina. It's a body part and it's the technical term for it. Your doctor doesn't refer to it as your "business", your "po-po", or your "Va-jay-jay" does (s)he? I hope not.

I love my vagina. I love the word and try to work it into a conversation whenever possible. It's entertaining to see how such a common word can still take people off guard.

Girls Suspension Postponed

Ann Coulter: Classless

2007-03-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

We've all heard by now that Ann Coulter used the term "faggot" when discussing John Edwards recently, and of course she's already claiming it was all in good fun...a joke. However, it isn't the first time the couthless bitch has used the derogatory term. In 2006 she used it to describe Al Gore. Only she didn't just call him a plain ol' "faggot"; she labeled him a "total fag".

~On the July 27 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews asked right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, "How do you know that [former President] Bill Clinton is gay?" -- referring to her comment the night before on CNBC's The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch that Clinton "show[s] some level of latent homosexuality." Coulterresponded, "I don't know if he's gay. But [former Vice President] Al Gore --total fag." She went on to defend her theory about Clinton's sexuality by stating that"everyone has always known, widely promiscuous heterosexual men have, as I say, a whiff of the bathhouse about them." Coulter claimed she was "just kidding" about Gore, but said of her theory about Clinton, "It's not only not a joke, it's not even surprising."~

What is it with Coulter and "fag" jokes (although she wasn't joking when she stated that Bill Clinton had a "whiff of the bathhouse" about him)? Is she not aware that the term is just as offensive to the gay community as the "N" word is to the African American community? She's probably aware but most likely doesn't care. It's disgusting that news organizations continue to fawn over her and provide her with a platform to spew her hate speech. I don't see them providing the same platform to the leader of the Klu Klux Klan...as they shouldn't, nor should they provide one to any espouser of hate.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200607280001

Life Lesson

2007-02-26T22:17:00.000-08:00

Life is all about choices. I’m not talking about those random instances in life when you are robbed of your choices; I specifically mean your everyday, average life. If you find that you’re happy, cool; if you’re decidedly dissatisfied, well that sucks. I imagine that if you set aside some time to thoroughly reflect on your current state of dissatisfaction, you’ll more than likely find that you made a choice or a set of choices along the way that have put you exactly where you didn’t really wish to be. That is always a disheartening revelation. Trust me. I’ve so been there done that. If you are troubled by having to live with the consequences that were created by your own behavior; at some point you're going to have to accept that you've made the bed you are lying in and no amount of wishing it to be otherwise will make it so. If you consciously make a choice that creates a negative consequence you cannot label it a "mistake". It was a choice, plain and simple. You're just unhappy that it turned out the way it did. Sorry Charlie.

If the people whom you've scorned in the past do not wish to forgive you or have chosen to forget you...accept it. Move on with your life. And choose carefully to treat those whom you claim to care for with the utmost respect, henceforth. Consider it a lesson learned. When you repeatedly insinuate yourself into the lives of those you've wronged, uninvited, you're only making a pest of yourself AND reinforce that the decision they made to cut their ties with you was absolutely the right one.

That Goes in the Potty

2007-02-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

The following is totally non-political, but hey, it's my blog and I'll talk about whatever I feel like. Potty training, toilet learning, whatever you want to call it, has got to be one of the most frustrating aspects of raising a toddler. My daughter knows how to work the DVD player and can point and click her way through games on the computer, but for some reason cannot grasp the concept of getting her tinkle and nuggets into her magical, musical toilet. She'd much rather carry her waste around with her in her diaper like some precious treasure than take the time to make her deposit in the pot.

She was actually successful yesterday. Three times, in fact! We celebrated! We had popsicles! But today was a brand new day, and after 30 minutes on her own pint-sized potty this morning, and not producing any results I decided to give her a ten minute break and she promptly went upstairs and pissed herself. WHY!!!?!??

And whatever happened to the grandmothers of yesteryear who took over this seemingly hopeless duty for the parents, because afterall, they do brag that they had us out of diapers by the time we were a year old, before we could speak, and did it all in just one day! Either their memory is faulty or they're a bunch of big fat liars. To this I say, it is not possible. I'm no ameteur. This is my third bout with the toddler's will against the potty and I'm here to tell you that you cannot break a mustang in just one day. Fooey.

Potty training a toddler sucks hard. It is the one parental duty that I'd gladly pay huge amounts of cash for someone to do it for me. Please excuse me while I pull the rest of my hair out.

Who's Your Daddy?

2007-02-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated in a while, and really, what's the point? What's to say? The world is going to hell in a handbasket. Our Feckwit in Chief has been banging his chest and flinging his pooh about maybe, possibly, could be, might, perhaps..."do something" about Iran. In other words, building a case (no matter how weak said case may be) for war with Iran. Nevermind that GWB was able to negotiate with North Korea, but when it comes to the middle east, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck; drop a bomb on it. Ala, crispy duck. Are you scared yet? You should be. For some reason the system of checks and balances has been non existent during his presidency. King George has been free to do whatever it is pleases his highness.

I pray for Congress to grow a brass pair and stop the madness. Amen.

With all that is going on in the world, the media has one burning question..."Who is the father of Anna Nicole's baby?". WTF people?!?!?!? Who cares! Are we really, collectively as a nation, on the edge of our seats wondering who this drugged out, gold digging, ex-stripper, former playboy model, incoherent babbling, psuedo-celebrity, self-exploiting, loopy chick (God rest her soul...RIP Anna) was swapping bodily fluids with?

The media is much more interested in psychoanylizing what was in Anna Nicole's refrigerator than they are in getting the president to answer a direct question about Iran....or Iraq...or Afghanistan...or anything remotely pertinent.

My current mood is a mixture of pessimism and frustration. But you already knew that.

Obama For Prez

2007-02-03T11:21:00.000-08:00

I am sick to death of the assertion that Barack Obama would make a fine candidate AFTER he's gained a few more years experience, that he's too wet behind the ears. No where in our Constitution does it require that a presidential candidate have an abundance of experience in the political arena. It doesn't even require that the candidate BE a politician. In case we've forgotten, here are the requirements:

The President must be a natural born citizen of the United States (or a citizen of the United States at the time the U.S. Constitution was adopted), at least 35 years of age, and a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years.

Perhaps "experience" has been the problem with many of our past (and of course current...who says 8 years of governorship makes for an effective president?) presidents. Years of learning how to compromise at our disadvantage, time to learn how to efficiently corrupt...

Time alone does not create a great leader. Time alone does not mold political savvy. Sometimes you either have it or you don't. People seem to have forgotten that 45 year old Barack Obama served 8 years as an Illinois state senator. Combine that with the 2 years he's served thus far as senator in the United States Senate, he's far surpassed Hillary Clinton in the experience category. You could say that his political career kicks Hillary's ass. I've yet to hear anyone make the same assertion about inexperience with regards to Hillary Clinton, that has been made about Barack Obama.

And another thing...Obama's hands are squeaky clean when it comes to the Iraq war. Are Hillary's?

A Little Less Terror in Your Tank

2007-02-02T22:33:00.000-08:00

If any of you were frustrated because you were unable to find your "terror free" gasoline, look no further. It's in Nebraska.

Claiming U.S. dollars used to purchase gasoline made from Middle East oil funds terrorism, a group called the Terror-Free Oil Initiative opened the nation's first "terror-free" gas station.

The Coral Springs, Fla.-based group opened its first station Thursday in west Omaha, seeking to sell only gas that originates from countries that do not support terrorism and from oil companies that don't do business in the Middle East.

Let's set aside that last statement that essentially implies that the entire middle east is comprised of terrorists and address this other problemo...

Dalton Kehlbeck, a regional manager for Salt Lake City-based Sinclair, said most of the company's oil comes from the U.S. or Canada, but some is bought on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where oil from all over the world is traded.

"It's a basket of crude oil," he said of the exchange oil. "We cannot be sure where the conglomeration of the product comes from."

The same is true of most oil products sold in the United States.

According to the Energy Information Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Energy, oil refineries often mix oil from different sources and companies during refinement and shipping.

Oops. Perhaps it isn't 100% terror free. More like "terror diluted". The entire thing is a sham and misleading. Not to mention, insulting...not only to the entire middle east, but that they're exploiting people's fears. The way to ween ourselves off the middle east teet o' oil, is to come up with alternative fuel and become less dependent on crude oil. At the moment, the U.S. is a giant energy hog.

Now when will they open a Terror Free Falafel stand? Falafel made from Terror Free chick peas and fava beans. Serve them with Freedom Fries?

Group opens 'terror-free' gas station

Shame on the Media

2007-01-08T15:35:00.000-08:00

Troop surge. You've heard the president use this term, various politicians...hell, even Nancy Pelosi. Surge. It's vague. It's ambiguous. It's used purposefully. It's more pleasing to John Q. Public's ear. What it is, is intentionally misleading, which I've sadly come to expect from our elected officials, because let's face it...to expect a politician to use direct language is like expecting to honestly find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Not gonna happen folks. Surge. It sounds like "moving forward" and that sounds positive. Surge=INCREASE, and this is exactly what the media should be saying when reporting on the subject. Let the politicians call it whatever the public relations committe deemed acceptable for the day. The media should NOT be parroting the talking points. Period. Troop INCREASE should be in bright bold letters in the chyron generated text on the television under anyone's face who's spouting the word "surge".

Three Hour Tour

2006-12-29T11:55:00.000-08:00

President Bush spent a whole 3 hours at his Crawford "ranch" working on a new Iraq strategy. Wow. A whole 3 hours. Ya know, I spent more time than that preparing my Christmas dinner... which pretty much came off without a hitch except for my meat thermometer that straight up lied to me about the internal temperature of my prime rib roast. He stated that more time needed to be spent before announcing his plans to the American people. Really? Ya really think some more time spent planning might be essential? Well, no flippin' duh!

He claims to always have the troops in mind while planning. That's a relief considering they are the people making the ultimate sacrifice for the president's initial and contiunuous lack of planning to begin with.

Bush Taking More Time to Craft Iraq Plan

Frist a No Go in '08

2006-11-29T15:59:00.000-08:00

And the world breaths a collective sigh of relief. Did he even have a chance to begin with? Who knows. I never imagined that GW Bush would have beat out McCain in 2000, let alone get re-elected in '04 after the destruction the first 4 years brought. So anything is possible. What I don't understand is Bill Frist's reasoning for not running for POTUS in 2008.

"Twelve years ago, I pledged to the people of Tennessee that I would serve two terms in the Senate - to serve as a true citizen legislator - and then return home. I said I'd come to the Senate with 20 years experience in healing, spend 12 years serving in Washington, then go right back to Tennessee to live where I grew up. I've never deviated from that commitment. And I will do just that."

Awwww...doesn't that sound like a stand up guy? Keeping his pledge to the people of Tennesse. He even states that he's "never deviated from that commitment". That sounds nice, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it rings quite hollow. Why?

Frist becomes the most high profile campaign dropout. Earlier this fall, former Democratic Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia also announced he will not run for the presidency in 2008. Warner, like Frist, had begun putting in place a campaign organization to raise money and line up supporters in early caucus and primary states, as well as nationally.

It would seem to me that Frist didn't give a rat's fig about his commitment to the people of Tennesse and most definetly intended to spend more than "12 years serving in Washington". I think he just realized he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning, and decided to go home and resume his life as Doc Frist.

Frist Won't Run

Christmas Comes Early This Year

2006-11-08T17:44:00.000-08:00

Did you feel the earth shake this afternoon? That was me hitting the floor because I didn't have the good fortune to be sitting when I heard the news that Donald Rumsfeld resigned. This coming after the voters decided that the republicans had done enough damage, and gave the House to the Dems. And if that wasn't enough to make you just lose your shit because you're so damn excited; the AP just called Dem. Jim Webb of VA the winner in the race for Senate, which means (if you've been paying any attention) that the Dems will now have control of the House and the Senate! Oh, lawdy, lawdy! Today is a good day!

Pardon me. I have to go tell some people "I told you so"...la..la...lalalalaaaa...

Giddiness

2006-11-07T21:54:00.000-08:00

Oh boy! I am REALLY looking forward to posting an entry tomorrow!

Limbaugh Suggests

2006-10-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

Prescription drug addict, Rush Limbaugh, had this to say about Republican congressman, Mark Foley's pedophelia:

From the October 2 broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: I'm just thinking out loud here. What if somebody got to the page and said, you know, we want you to set Foley up. We need to do a little titillating thing here. Keep it and save it and so forth. How would you get a kid to do that? Yeah, who knows? You threaten him or pay him. There's any number of ways given the kind of people that we're dealing with and talking about here.

Now, folks, I don't want to be misunderstood here. I'm not trying to mount any kind of a defense. That's a bad word. I'm not trying to get into a defense of what Mark Foley did. Please don't misunderstand. I'm just telling you that the -- the -- the orgy and the orgasm that has been taking place in the media since Friday and with the Democrats is -- it's all coordinated, and it's all -- it's all oriented toward the election. There's no concern about the kid -- no concern about the children.

There is -- there is -- there's not even any real problem with what Foley did, as we've discussed. In their hearts and minds and their crotches, they don't have any problem with what Foley did. They've defended it over the -- over the years.

Let's just go with Limbaugh's asinine assertion here for just a fraction of a second. The teenager was convinced by "somebody" to set Mark Foley up. Well...the creepy bastard took the bait, did he not? You know what Rush? Dateline does that too with sick and twisted fucks who prey on teenage girls on MySpace. It's called To Catch a Predator Their staff pretends to be underage prey, convincing the stalker to meet them for sex, and then Dateline lies in wait, along with the authorities, for the ambush when the criminal shows up. Where's your outrage for Dateline, Rush? Huh? Hmmmmmm? Fat bastard.

Media Matters~Rush Limbaugh

A Rose by Any Other Name

2006-10-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed the term that Republican lawmakers and Republican spokespersons alike have used to describe the current criminal behavior by Republican Mark Foley? Sex scandal. Yes, that's what they're calling it. A sex scandal.

No, you dolts. It's not a sex scandal. If the victim(s) had been 18 and older, THEN it would be a sex scandal. What it is, is a crime. It's pedophelia. Soliciting adolescents for any kind of sexual gratification is a crime. What it is not, is a sex scandal. Why are they shying away from what it is? Why are they afraid to call it by it's appropriate name? Why deflect by comparing it to real sex scandals such as extramarital affairs or homosexual liasons between conscenting ADULTS conducted by our elected officials? White House spokesperson, Tony Snow, even referred to it as "simply naughty emails". Really Tony? What if it had been your son who had received those graphic emails and IM's?

One question concerned Snow's statement on CNN this morning, referring to the graphic emails to "simply naughty emails." Snow tried to explain that a bit, admitting that he may have sounded "a little bit too glib."

Is "glib" the proper response to such a heinous action? For a Republican it seems to be.

It just goes to show how low the Republicans will sink in order to protect their own in the name of politics. It proves that they are only interested in serving their own self interests and not concerned one iota with protecting the citizens and the citizens children from preditors. Why don't they give Mark Foley's criminal actions the same consideration that is given to hot, female teachers who molest their adolescent male students?

Tony Snow Quote

M.I.A.

2006-09-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my absence of late. I've been busy makin' movies for y'all to enjoy next summer! I'm just too worn out from the 14 hour days (and missing my family) to take the time to post. I shall return in October. Don't cry. Check my other blog (link to your right-----> over there) for updates on my super stardom (wink).

The Real Slim Katie

2006-08-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

Why is an airbrushed, slimmed down photo of Katie Couric the top news story for 2 days now? Is it some kind of secret that magazines use digital technology to make celebrities appear picture perfect? It isn't already known that blemishes are removed, faces are contoured, eyes are brightened up, cleavage is shaded to appear more ample? So they slimmed her down. BFD. It's just a news anchor for Chrissake. It's not as if they used their technology to make the Pope look like he's expecting.

Give us the real news people and skip the gossip. Moving on.

CBS Magazine Slims Down Couric in Photo

Paris Hilton's CD Labeled "Certified Flop"

2006-08-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm shocked. Considering how talented she is and all.

HILTON'S CD IS
INSTANT TANKER

When (Not Necessarily) Great Leaders Speak

2006-08-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or does it seem that President Bush isn't even trying anymore when he speaks? Okay. It wasn't as if he were really trying in the first place, so I guess what I mean to say is...trying less than not trying. It used to be the ocassional mispronunciation of a word. Can I get a "nucular" or "misunderestimate" up in here? Now it is complete phrases that come out in a jumbled, tangled mess. A clip aired on Meet the Press this morning was terribly painful to watch through squinted and covered eyes, and left me wondering, "THIS man is president of the United States? THIS?"...(from the transcript)

MR. RUSSERT: And welcome, all. Some very good news this morning. Olaf Wiig and Steve Centanni, two FOX journalists who had been kept in captivity in Gaza, are free. They have been released. Welcome home, guys, and we hope you’re safe, and your families are certainly thrilled and excited, and your news organization, to have you back. Good luck to both of them.

Let’s turn to the midterm elections. This was George W. Bush on Monday throwing down the gauntlet on the issue of Iraq for the upcoming elections. Let’s watch.

(Videotape, August 21, 2006):

PRES. BUSH: Any sign that says we’re going to leave before the job is done simply emboldens terrorists and creates a certain amount of doubt for people so they won’t take the risk necessary to help a civil society evolve in the country. And this is the campaign; I’m sure they’re watching the campaign carefully. There are a lot of good, decent people saying, “Get out now! Vote for me, I will do everything I can” to, I guess cut off money, is how, is what they’ll try to do to get our troops out. It’s a big mistake. (Bold emphasis mine, and what the flippin' frick is he trying to say??)
(End videotape)

Honestly, the written transcript does not do it justice. You really had to have seen it rather than read it. The written word here does not stutter, search for the right word, pause, and spit out unintelligible garble. He gives "C" students a bad name and "D" students plenty of hope that they too can someday become POTUS.

Meet the Press Transcript

Survivor - Battle of the Races

2006-08-24T22:52:00.000-07:00

I admit I haven't watched Survivor in quite a few years. I honestly don't remember which season was the last that I saw, but I think it was the "Drake" v "Morgan" tribes, featuring a burly, pirate-like man named Rupert. I was once an avid Survivor watcher, I even wanted to be a contestant because, dammit, I knew I could do it! It was the leaving my family for such a great deal of time that held me back. That I couldn't survive. Eventually though, I got Survivor burn out. The newest installment of the reality tv game show (and that's all it is, an elaborate game show) will have the contestants divided into teams by race. This seems to be causing quite a stir. I can't imagine why though. First of all, I have to believe that the contestants are consenting to this format. They ARE there of their own free will. If they aren't then they are being held against their will and are battling it out in challenges in exchange for their freedom off the island. Probably not. Most likely they are there because they want to be, and auditioned and were chosen out of thousands to do so. And anyone who's ever watched Survivor knows that at some point the tribes will merge. Anyone who hasn't figured out the format of this show (this loss of spontenaety is the main reason I no longer watch) by now hasn't been paying attention. Some folks have a big problem with the race categorizing theme of this season's show:

For the first portion of the 13th season of "Survivor," which premieres Sept. 14, the contestants competing for the $1 million prize while stranded on the Cook Islands in the South Pacific will be divided into four teams - blacks, Asians, Latinos and whites.

Liu, who is Asian-American, said he was launching a campaign urging CBS to pull the show because it could encourage racial division and promote negative typecasts. He and a coalition of officials, including the council's black, Latino and Asian caucus, planned to rally at City Hall on Friday.

I hadn't realized that a game show would have such an impact as to "encourage racial division and promote negative typecasts" in the real world. Ya know, when I watch The Price is Right, I don't walk into a store expecting an item to cost what a contestant incorrectly bid. Is there racial division in society? Certainly. Was it there before the 13th season of Survivor? Yes. Is it because of the 13th season of Survivor? No. Will it be there long after Survivor is forgotten? Unfortunately, probably.

If the dynamics of a game show consisting of consenting adults offends you, then don't watch it.

NYC Officials Want New 'Survivor' Pulled

Just Put That on My Tab

2006-08-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

Ya know, hubby and I put family vacation plans on hold this summer because the cost of an airline ticket more than doubled by May, and we would have had to pony up more than a couple thousand just to GET to our destination. But apparently, if you claim to be the murderer in a ten year old case involving a child, then you get the royal treatment!

Karr was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on a warrant from Boulder County, Colo., after getting off a Thai Airways flight, where he feasted on champagne toasts and roast duck. A helicopter then whisked him to the Twin Towers jail shortly before midnight.

The 41-year-old school teacher's return to the United States was voluntary, and he wasn't handcuffed before or during the 15-hour Thai Airways flight from Bankok.

Dressed in a red, short-sleeve, button-down shirt and black tie, Karr was whisked through Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok. He chatted with fellow passengers at the departure gate.

Aboard the jet he took a window seat next to Mark Spray, an investigator with the Boulder County district attorney's office. The escort also included a U.S. Embassy official and an agent with "Homeland Security" on his shirt.

Before takeoff, Karr took a glass of champagne from a flight attendant and clinked glasses with Spray, who sipped orange juice.

Karr first dined on pate, salad, fried king prawn, steamed rice, broccoli and chocolate cake. He also had a beer — crushing the empty can with his hands — and then had a glass of chardonnay.
Karr appeared to order the drinks himself.

He later dined on roast duck with soy sauce and yellow noodles, and for his third meal had pizza, chocolates and a bottle of Evian.

He sometimes conversed with Spray, who took notes on some of the remarks. Karr told an AP reporter that it was "small talk."

Also during the flight, Karr flipped through movie channels, watched "The Last Samurai," dozed and made several trips to the restroom accompanied by two guards. Each time the door was left slightly ajar.

Patsy Ramsey must be rolling over in her grave. Imagine having to hear about a man who claims to have murdered your child, clinking his champaigne glass with the investigator assigned to escort him, chatting it up, and eating a feast fit for a king. AND on your (tax dollar) dime!

Fox New Link

Like a Wet Match in a Dark Cave

2006-08-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

What happens when airport security detects explosives residue found in common household products? Why, shut down and evacuate the entire airport terminal, of course!

A West Virginia airport terminal was evacuated Thursday after two bottles of liquid found in a woman's carry-on luggage twice tested positive for explosives residue, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said.

Chemical tests later Thursday turned up no explosives in the bottles, said Capt. Jack Chambers, head of the State Police Special Operations unit. The airport was reopened after nearly 10 hours.

"It looks like there were four items containing liquids," said TSA spokeswoman Amy von Walter. A machine that security checkpoint screeners use to test for explosives registered positive results for two containers, and a canine team also got a positive hit, she said.

The TSA screening looks for a range of explosives residue, some of which can be found on common household items, said TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser.

Airport manager Larry Salyers said he was told the woman was a 28-year-old of Pakistani descent who had moved to Huntington from Jackson, Mich. He did not know how long she had lived in Huntington.

No charges were filed against the woman, who was taken from the airport by federal authorities at 5 p.m., Salyers said.

The woman was very cooperative, officials said.

Commercial airline service was suspended, and about 100 passengers and airport employees were ordered to leave the terminal, said Tri-State Airport Authority President Jim Booton.

Two airlines - Comair and US Airways Express - serve the airport.

A screener noticed a bottle in a woman's carry-on bag as she was going through security before her 9:15 a.m. flight to Charlotte, N.C., Booton said.

One bottle contained a gel-type facial cleanser, FBI spokesman Jeff Killeen said.

I'm sure she was very cooperative. Can you imagine being a woman of Pakistani descent being caught with facial cleanser in your carry-on? I can imagine the horror! Thank goodness no charges were filed against her. Although, I can't imagine what those charges might be since thousands of travelers have had to part with equally "explosive residue containing" facial products in the nearest receptacle during the course of their security screening upon boarding their flights. And these people just slay me:

"This is such a small airport. I never imagined something like this happening here," said Shannon Bloss, who was traveling to Orlando, Fla., for a wedding.

Joy and John Cloutre of Ulysses, Ky., were waiting to begin the first leg of their trip to the southeast Asian country of Brunei when the evacuation order came.

Joy Cloutre told the Herald Dispatch of Huntington that her family didn't want her to leave because of terrorism in the region. "And then we don't even get out of Huntington without something like this happening."

I hate to burst your precious bubble Shannon and Joy, but gross stupidity does not discriminate when it comes to geographical location. Obviously.

Suspicious Liquid Found at W.Va. Airport

Other Casualties of War

2006-08-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

While some citizens of Lebanon are not in direct danger of the war that is taking place, their livelihood is in jeopardy. Business has been so severely disrupted by the violence that they are forced to leave their jobs and abandon their once thriving businesses, and consequently their homes (not having any source of income), to live as refugees with family, friends, and strangers that will take them in, or live in poverty. Of course, if you're the type of person who isn't at all bothered by "collateral damage" in war then I wouldn't expect you to worry your pretty little head about people having to leave all that they know to escape poverty. You just go on with your mantra that war is good and necessary since that seems to help you sleep at night (in your own bed, in your own home, waking up to go to your job in the morning).

The "Hoverer" and Other Pet Peeves

2006-08-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

I gotta get this pet peeve off my chest. The "Hoverer". That would be the person at Starbucks in line behind you, who orders their drink after you, and takes up residence on the pick up bar when there is clearly 8 to 10 people ahead of them waiting for their own orders; orders placed before the person currently hovering (and blocking) over the station where completed coffee orders await. This person seems to not have any concept that their own drink will be at least the eighth coming up. They're oblivious to the folks who are performing amazing feats of contortionism to reach the drink clearly marked for them and not the "hoverer". There is also the "Hoverer" who takes it that one step further, who manhandles each drink to check the name on it. To the Queen Hoverer from last evening: If you ordered a HOT Latte, then clearly my FROZEN Frappucino is not your drink. Keep your mitts off...and do us all a favor and back the heck up.

And furthermore, to the parents who let their children roam free on the patio adjacent to Starbucks: If you don't want your own child sitting at your table spending time with you, what makes you think that I do? If I wanted to enjoy the company of children while enjoying my coffee I would bring my own.

There...I'm better.

It's a Free Country...Wait

2006-08-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

In this "land of the free, home of the brave" country, where we are no longer allowed to travel by plane with our toothpaste, infant formula, contact lens solution, or hand lotion; I have some handy tips for expediting your security clearance at the airport.

Contact Lens Solution~ Banned. Wear your glasses.
Infant Formula~ Banned. Back to breastfeeding. Whip out the breast (often, to make a point you know) or get that child on some solids, pronto.
Toothpaste~ Banned. Bring Tic Tacs (lots of them please).
Hand Lotion~ Banned. Spit works in a pinch.
Hairspray~ Banned. Bring a hat.
Hair Gel~ Banned. Ever see There's Something About Mary?

Or just put it all in your checked luggage since only less than 10% of that is screened. Quick! Raid the dumpsters at the airport! You could score some really choice products!

**infant formula is not banned, just subject to inspection, but it was funnier my way**

Make it Count

2006-08-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

I have a solution to raise the low standardized test scores in our public school system. It isn't that other countries students are smarter than ours. It isn't that our teachers are unqualified and they don't need to further their own degrees. It is the fact that standardized tests do not count as part of the child's grade. They don't care about the test. Not enough of them at least. Period. Some of them are even thrilled when test week rolls around because it means that they don't have to actually do any real work. Some of them are so overwhelmed with the workload that actually does count and has the potential to hold them back if they fail, that they welcome the reprieve that standardized tests bring. Homework is curtailed or not assigned at all. Regularly scheduled classroom curriculum is put on a shelf for the following week. We are a nation that has drilled it into the minds of it's citizens that hard work will be rewarded. We reward our youth with good grades when they do well. Why would we expect them to exert the same amount of effort they would on a test that counts towards their grade, on one that doesn't, and get nothing for it?

You want to motivate the youth of America when it comes to standardized tests? Tell them that a signifigant percentage of their grade depends on it. They'll study their pimply asses off and not use their #2 pencils to bubble in cool patterns that spell out their name. Just a thought.

The Gibson Files

2006-08-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

It is my opinion that Mel Gibson and his PR crew should just shut up already. His publicity campaign to make him appear as if he is a lover of all things Jewish is a classic example of "the gentleman doth protest too much, methinks". Yeah, yeah we get it Mel. You didn't mean what you said while loaded with the truth potion. Yeah, right...it was the booze talking. Wink.

A Message From Robert Rodriguez

2006-07-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Pass it on...

Rodriguez Attacks McKeon for Playing Politics With People’s Lives

While McKeon Grins on House Floor, American

Workers of the 25th District are Duped by Their Own Congressman.

Palmdale, CA – At nearly midnight on Congress’s last day in session this weekend, Howard “Buck” McKeon sponsored a bill to fool the American public. After repeatedly stating his opposition to increasing the minimum wage, McKeon, who is Chairman of the House committee that oversees such legislation, pushed a wage increase through the House that Democrats have sought for nearly a decade.

Why McKeon’s sudden sympathy for the American worker? Because McKeon, like everyone on Capitol Hill, knows that the last-minute wage increase stands almost no chance of becoming law in the Senate because McKeon attached the increase to a batch of tax cuts that excludes nearly every American worker. It is common knowledge that the Republican House only passed the minimum wage measure so they could pretend they did something for the American worker before they face the voters this November.

“When I was growing up, my parents taught me to take pride in America as a land of opportunity. As gas prices and education costs rise, it is wrong for this Congress to play politics with people’s lives,” said Robert Rodriguez.

Rather than proudly proclaiming that he is suddenly on the side of the American worker, McKeon introduced the wage-increase bill while most Americans were asleep late Friday night. His office did not even post a press release stating that McKeon had pushed through a wage increase – the first in almost a decade.

“I don’t know if McKeon has ever had to live pay check to pay check, but many of the people of the 25h district do. It may just be politics to McKeon, but it is people’s lives he is playing with and it is nothing for him to be smiling about,” said Rodriguez.

McKeon and the Republicans had ample opportunity to push through a minimum wage increase that was free of exclusive tax breaks, but they chose to reject alternative legislation that would have stood a much stronger chance of passing the Senate.

While McKeon has opposed a minimum wage increase throughout his career, he has voted to increase his own pay every year for the past seven years. He has also taken $1.7 million in special interest corporate PAC money since becoming a Congressman from groups that traditionally oppose a minimum wage increase.

“This ploy to pretend to fight for the average American is not the first time McKeon has shown that he uses his position in Congress to serve himself. Just as the truth eventually caught up to Tom Delay and Duke Cunningham, McKeon will soon learn that people are not as oblivious to his attempts to fool them as he thinks,” said Rodriguez.

This latest act of self-dealing by McKeon is part of larger trend of McKeon placing himself ahead of his constituents. McKeon’s car lease is the second most expensive in all of Congress; at $1,200 per month in taxpayer dollars, it is more expensive than many of his constituents’ monthly rent or home mortgage payments. McKeon’s Office also received some of the most expensive lobbyist-paid vacations in all of Congress – a $28,000 trip to Australia and a $17,000 trip to Turkey to help secure foreign government contracts for General Atomics.

Boobies

2006-07-28T23:18:00.000-07:00

Heaven help those who can't handle catching a glimpse of a woman's breast in public. In a country where we don't blink an eye at women who flash their breasts for cheap, plastic Mardi Gras beads, or give spring break vacationers a show on London Bridge in Arizona (and even film the events for "Girls Gone Wild", and the commercials shown for it every 10 minutes on Comedy Central), American society's reaction to women who breastfeed in public is quite negative. The fact that it is a controversy at all is bewildering to say the least. As if we're some kind of savages for choosing to use the breast for their intended purpose. There's an uproar over the "Baby Talk" magazine cover that features a close up photo of an infant nursing at an exposed breast. Big flippin' woo! Do you really think the mother is trying to seduce you with her exposed lactating boobie? We're such hypocticial prudes. Society has classified and objectified breasts as sexual and forgotten their designed primary function. If a woman feeding her child at her breast in public offends you so greatly, then I suggest some therapy may be in order. Perhaps you'll get to the root of your discomfort that the sight of breasts gives you...like maybe you didn't spend enough time at your own mother's breast. If that doesn't work then I have another suggestion for you. Don't look.

Magazine Cover Stirs Debate Over Breastfeeding

Military Homophobia Strikes Again

2006-07-27T22:49:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Army discharged Sergent Bleu Copas, an Arabic specialist (I think we need those right now, don't you?) because he's gay. We should really be ashamed of this policy. Here we have Americans who want to serve their country, and as is the case with Mr. Copas, who were inspired post September 11th, and he's being discharged because...he's incompetent? A danger? A threat? Revealing military secrets? No, no, no, and no. Because he prefers other males in his personal relationships. Apparently the military's top priority is investigating gay people serving in our military over obtaining necessary intelligence in fighting the war on terror.

Army Dismisses Gay Arabic Linguist

Another Chink in the Armor

2006-07-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

The Senate passed a bill today making it illegal to transport a minor across state lines to receive an abortion without parental consent. This applies even to clergy, siblings, and grandparents. What happens when that daughter is a victim of incestual rape and impregnated with her own father or guardian's child? Or is the victim of physical abuse and would surely suffer at the hands of her abusive parents if it is discovered that their daughter is pregnant? Like this guy:

Opponents said the Senate measure could threaten the safety of girls, saying parents might beat their daughters if they find out about plans for an abortion. The proponents' approach "is not to deal with the reality of young people" in troubled families, said Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.). He cited the case of an Idaho man who impregnated his 13-year-old daughter and then killed her when he learned she had scheduled an abortion.

Let's face it. Not every family are the perfect 1950's Leave it to Beaver, Cleavers. This bill is no victory. It's a damn shame.

Interstate Abortion Bill Clears Senate

Can't Get Through

2006-07-24T23:14:00.000-07:00

On Friday afternoon, as I was traveling at a snail's pace along the northbound I-5, I spotted a plume of black smoke make its appearance over the top of the hill. I thought to myself, "Ruh-Roh". Brush fire. And not a fire truck in sight. When I found myself side by side with the flames quickly making their way up the mountainside, I reached for my cell phone (which I only use for emergencies while driving, I swear), I dialed 911. Busy. I tried again. Busy. I kept at it. Still busy. I continued until I reached my exit and spotted the fire trucks racing to the scene. Obviously someone had made it through to 911. Then I started thinking, what if I had some other extreme emergency and my call went unanswered? Not even unanswered so much as it was unknown. Never making it to the unanswered part because I never got through. What if one of my children were choking? Or face down in a pool? What if an ax-weilding homocidal maniac was making his way up the stairs to my bedroom where I lay trembling under my bed frantically, and oh-so-quietly trying to get help? What if I'd severed a limb in some kind of freak home improvement project gone horribly awry? Guess what kids? You're on your own. Learn CPR. Learn how to pack body parts on ice and fashion a tourniquet. And for heaven's sake learn how to successfully fend off crazed lunatics because sometimes the only thing between you and saving the life of a loved one or your own butt...is you.

Mandatory Trauma and Inconvenience

2006-07-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles county has made it mandatory that all dogs have a microchip implanted in them to be able to identify their owner if they happen to get loose. Now why should my dog have to pay for other's carelessness? I'm a responsible pet owner. My dog hates being outside. Period. She's an indoor dog. She wears a collar complete with all pertinent information, just in case. She's never left our house unsupervised in the 11 years we've had her in our care. So unless an earthquake comes along and levels our house, I doubt she'll leave. Even then the earthquake would also have to knock her collar and tag off from around her neck making it impossible to locate us.

Not only does she dislike being outside for any great length of time, she dislikes intensely traveling in the car, particularly somewhere that a needle awaits her. She trembles violently. All 100 pounds of her try to jump into my arms like a lap dog, throwing her paws around my neck as if we're doing the tango together. Needless to say it is a traumatic experience for her that takes hours for her to calm down from. I only force her into the car when a health related issue necessitates it. So why should I have to put my poor old lady through all of that rigamarole just because other people don't properly care for their pets? It seems cruel to foist this upon her and completely unnecessary.

The Castaic shelter is offering the microchipping service free of charge during the grace period, Tuesday through Thursday this week. Let's not forget that it has been over 100 degrees everyday, I have 3 kids and a petrified 100 pound dog to wrangle...inconvenienced? Brother, that ain't the half of it.

Head For the Hills

2006-07-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

A study conducted by scientists at the Center for Climate Systems Research shows the following:

The number of people living within 60 miles of a coastline is expected to increase by 35 percent over 1995 population levels, exposing 2.75 billion people worldwide to coastal threats posed by global warming.

They go on to speculate that their data might have a positive impact on the policies that would reduce the hazards in those parts of the world. I say, not bloody likely so long as the world is ruled by the iron fist of oil.

Research projects 2025 world population

A Tale of Two Blogs

2006-07-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday to you! I wanted to invite you to check out my new, separate blog Some Ladies Blog. I know, I know the word "Ladies" is used in the wrong context. It should be "Lady's"...oh well. Look beyond my grammatical shortcomings and enjoy reading about my thoughts on various personal issues and not so personal that aren't politically related. I'll do my level best to keep both updated as often as possible.

Enjoy them both!!!

Can You Hear Me Now?

2006-07-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

It's just a phone. I just want to make or receive a call. Is that too much to ask? Cell phones these days...good gosh! I'm not tech savvy in the least. It's a miracle in itself that I was at all able to get this blog up and running...still not quite sure how I did it. Parents everywhere are scratching their heads every month upon receiving their cellular provider statement, wondering just what in the heck their teenager did to ring up that bill. I'll tell ya what they didn't do...talk. They're too busy taking advantage of all the super-uber cool features this "phone" has to offer. They're downloading music, matching ringtones with their personality, taking pictures, text-messaging, playing games, slicing and dicing, and baking potatoes. Okay, they don't do the last two. Yet.

I've still not managed to set up my voicemail on my cell phone because I don't even get reception in my own dang house! I had to have my teenage sister activate the blasted contraption because I didn't have faith that I'd be able to do it. And that was after consulting the useless manual that you have to be seventeen to understand anyway. And do you know just how many pages are dedicated to all the extra features these "phones" have? I don't know. I do know that the "phone" part of the manual is less than 4 pages. Out of approximately 30.

But hey, it's just a phone, right? My advice to parents everywhere? Prepaid phone cards.

Arrrrgh!

2006-07-12T00:53:00.000-07:00

Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest set an opening weekend box office record pulling in a whopping 132 million, and I just gotta ask...why? I mean, other than the glaringly obvious yummy eye-candy, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. The first one was good and all, and Lord knows I saw it more than once (Johnny was marvelous, okay..."pirate" was never so sexy!), but what is it that is bringing the movie-goers out in droves? Is it that there is finally a movie out for adults to enjoy after the beginning of summer onslaught of children's movies that we had to endure? Or could it be that more people have decided to forego their summer vacations this year because of the ridiculous hike in airfares? Not to mention that they could cough up the bucks a dozen times over to see Pirates and still spend significantly less than they would on that gas guzzling road trip? Perhaps it is just a combination of all of the above.

Disney has got it goin' with the marketing of this flick as well. Although I was a bit perplexed when taking stock of all the Pirate paraphernalia cluttering The Disney Store while shopping yesterday. This isn't exactly a movie geared towards the youngest crowd but you wouldn't know that by glancing around their store.

Nuevo café helado

2006-07-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Ignorance continues to run rampant and this time it's sprinting through New Jersey. Mayor Steve Lonegan is calling for a boycott of McDonald's if they do not remove their Spanish language billboard that advertises a new coffee drink that is available.

Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan said the advertisement is "offensive" and "divisive" because it sends a message that Hispanic immigrants do not need to learn English.

"The true things that bind us together as neighbors and community is our belief in the American flag and our common language," Lonegan said. "And when McDonald's sends a different message, that we're going to be different now, that causes resentment."

Resentment amongst whom? White good ol' boys who don't like no far-a-nars speakin' the Es-pan-yol-ay? I'm sure that the residents that the billboard was intended for are grateful. Considering the coffee drink is available now, unless McDonald's Hispanic customers (who don't already speak English) learn to speak the English language in the next 24 hours, what is so "offensive" and "divisive" about advertising what the franchise offers currently to their Spanish speaking patrons? It appears to me that Mayor Lonegan (a.k.a. Mr. Couth and Culture) has never been to the big city, where billboards advertise in various languages to appeal to the rich mix of the cities inhabitants. The U.S. government's agencies themselves offer literature and dialing options in various languages to cater to those who either don't speak or aren't proficient in the English language. Does the mayor propose a boycott in those respects as well? Well go-oo-lly and shazam!

Spanish McDonald's ad prompts talk of a boycott

Robert Rodriguez for U.S. Congress

2006-07-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

When I was invited to participate in a conference call to discuss local and national issues with Robert Rodriguez, along with other California bloggers, I went into it expecting to be conversing with his campaign staff. I was pleasantly surprised to be speaking directly with Mr. Rodriguez himself. Overall, I was impressed with Mr. Rodriguez's genuine passion for the issues that were discussed. He spoke from the heart and didn't resort to canned party line responses when he discussed in great detail the tragic circumstances that were the catalyst for his decision to run for Congress and unseat the current multi-term incumbent, Howard "Buck" McKeon, who has by and large taken his position for granted along with the constituents he has sworn to represent.

We agreed on the issues that were discussed; namely Iraq, the misappropriation of funds, the plight of the working man (i.e. Republican Congress's veto on raising the minimum wage while simoltaneously increasing their own salary), outsourcing jobs, education, and the healthcare dilemma. He recognizes the wedge issues and calls them as he sees them...wedge issues; something shiny to dangle in front of the partisan voters to distract them from issues that affect us all.

So in my official capacity as Blogmistress, Liberal Kudos Corner is officially endorsing Mr. Rodriguez's bid for Congress. I'm unoffical in that I'm not an official on anything. I'm just a housewife, and I'm just talkin'. While Congressman Buck McKeon (chairman of the House Committee on Education) is busy endorsing legislation that raises the interest rates on student loans, driving a luxury Acura paid for by taxpayers that he uses when he's in town, and contributing to Tom DeLay's defense fund, Robert Rodriguez is familiar with the issues that plague our district and our nation.

Past, Present, and the Inevitable Future

2006-07-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

New York Court of Appeals Judge Robert Smith said that because same-sex marriage was not deeply rooted in history and tradition, barring it did not violate fundamental rights and liberties. The problem with this way of thinking is that the "history and tradition" of marriage is one that is malleable and has evolved over the centuries. It used to be tradition that two people married to protect property and bloodlines. It was once tradition for the bride to offer a dowrey or for the groom's family to pay a "bride price", essentially buying the woman/girl from her family. It was a tradition once upon a time for the brother of the deceased husband to marry the widowed sister in law. It wasn't all that long ago that marriage between two races was forbidden. Arranged marriages are still tradition to this day in some cultures, and those have more to do with economics and nothing whatsoever to do with love.

Where is the static definition of the history and tradition of marriage? It is continuously evolving because society's notion of marriage changes. If marriage represents the responsibility, commitment, and the foundation for family, why are there those who wish to keep it an exlusive, heterosexual institution? Why do they feel so personally threatened? Is their own marriage so weak that it cannot withstand two people of the same sex getting hitched? The evolution of marriage is upon us and there will come a day when our children or our grandchildren reflect on the struggles of our generation and wonder, "what was all the fuss about?" while enroute to Mr.& Mr. Smith's wedding. Oh, it will be a fabulous event, no doubt.

What to Do, What to Do...

2006-07-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

It seems that the Bush administration may have broken the law by not keeping the House Intelligence Committee aprised of its activities. And Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Michigan, is a might peeved about it, dander up and all:

"We can't be briefed on every little thing that they are doing," Hoekstra said. "But in this case, there was at least one major - what I consider significant activity that we have not been briefed on. I want to set the standard there that it is not optional for this president or any president or people in the executive community not to keep the intelligence committees fully informed of what they are doing," he said on "Fox News Sunday."

Hoekstra complained to President Bush in a letter dated May 18 that was disclosed in Sunday's New York Times.

In the letter, Hoekstra said the failure to brief the intelligence committees "may represent a breach of responsibility by the administration, a violation of law and, just as importantly, a direct affront to me and the members of this committee who have so ardently supported efforts to collect information on our enemies."

So the next logical question is....whatchya gonna do 'bout it, beeyatch? Would someone please grow a pair and hold this administration accountable for their actions?

Lawmaker Questions Bush Intel Programs

A Question of Priorities

2006-07-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

President Bush has decided to forego his traditional summer vacation of clearing brush on the Crawford ranch and spend it trying to regain some of his previous popularity.

With Republicans nervous about keeping control of Congress and worries about the future of Iraq, Iran and North Korea, White House officials have decided too much is at stake this year for Bush to spend so much time on vacation. He'll spend some time at the ranch, but it will be less than previous summers and interrupted by more time on the road.

Too bad he didn't feel that way in the summer of 2001 after reading the PBD entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack in the United States". Perhaps the last 6 years would have played out significatly different if he had decided that too much was at stake then.

Bush Takes to Road to Boost His Standing

Lessons I Learned When I Was Twelve

2006-07-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

The California Supreme Court has ruled that people can be sued for not disclosing their sexual history before unknowingly transmitting AIDS. What does that mean, exactly? Does that mean you can be sued if you don't tell your partner you've been promiscuous? How does each person define promiscuity? One man's promiscuity is another man's prude behavior. In other words, it is subjective. And just because a person has had a busy sex life doesn't mean they have AIDS. If they had unprotected sex even once they could be at risk. So doesn't that mean that the person who has now decided to have unprotected sex with this person, is now behaving recklessly themselves? Where is the line between recklessness and personal responsibility?

I have always maintained that each individual is responsible for their own sexual health (with the exception of rape victims obviously). If you don't want to become pregnant or get a woman pregnant, the responsibility lies with that person to make sure that doesn't happen. If you don't want a sexually transmitted disease, the burden of responsibility is upon you to take all of the appropriate precautions. If you choose to have unprotected sex then you have just exposed your sexual health to whatever consequences may present themselves.

Court affirms AIDS liability

Two Quotes = Answer

2006-07-05T23:41:00.000-07:00

Two quotes from two different women regarding George W. Bush turning 60... it seems as if one answers the other's question. The first, from Doris Kearns Goodwin on her perception of the lack of aging:

"He does seem a little less full-faced and a little less wide-eyed than at the beginning, but not dramatically like you see with these other guys," said Doris Kearns Goodwin, the historian and aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson. "You don't see a drawn look. It's as if somehow he has psychologically not allowed the burdens to fully get to him. Maybe it's the exercise, maybe it's his sureness about his own decisions."

The second, from Laura Bush seems to answer that hypothesis:

"George is not an overly introspective person," his wife, Laura, once said with dry understatement.

By George, I think she's got it!

Link to quotes

Voters Stay Home

2006-07-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

I don't normally comment on local events, but it seems that there was low voter turn out for the West Ranch Town Council elections (as reported at The West Ranch Beacon) yesterday. In my opinion, holding the elections on the Fourth of July was not a wise option. Many families go out of town for the holiday. Or they spend the day away from home attending parties at friends homes (as was our case). And many Stevenson Ranch residents, who can see the fireworks display from their own backyard, avoid the 5,000+ crowd at the park (as we've done every year since 1999). And judging by the heavy traffic (we noted upon our return) leaving Stevenson Ranch last night, I would imagine that many spectators weren't even West Ranch residents, making many of those who attended the festivities ineligible to vote. Our opportunity to review the candidates was available at the park before the election. I think the residents of West Ranch were significantly short changed by this decision.

Kenny Boy Meets His Maker

2006-07-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

Kenneth Lay, former Enron CEO and crook, is dead from an apparent heart attack. Something stinks and it smells fishy. I'll await further reports...and spin.

Enron Founder Ken Lay Dies of Heart Attack

Happy Birthday U.S.A.

2006-07-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

For our guest of honor on this Fourth of July, 2006; some patriotic quotes:

Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and excusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may. ~Mark Twain

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all!
By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall. ~John Dickinson

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America. ~William J. Clinton

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln

"Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." ~George W. Bush

Driver Beware

2006-07-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

You've heard it all before and perhaps even uttered the words, "Get off your F*#&$#& cell phone a$$&*##&"!! It's usually when your driving and it's because the person who just cut you off, swerved into your lane, or is driving 50mph in the fast lane is yapping away on their phone. I understand your frustration; been there, done that, and yelled at it myself. There have been calls and laws written for banning cellphone use while driving and a new study claims that it is just as risky as driving drunk.

My opinion? It doesn't matter what it is that you are doing that distracts you while driving, it's the "you" not paying attention and not the phone (or the burger and fries, or the lighting of the cigarette, or the shuffling of the cd's, locating a radio station, looking at a map, reading the paper, putting on your makeup, the stooping to pick up the pacifier your infant just spit out, or yelling at the kids, and even sex) that is the problem. You're being a reckless driver when you aren't paying attention to the road. When you aren't alert you are essentially a 65mph weapon hurling down the highway.

There are people capable of handling driving and talking at the same time. I imagine they're the same people who can walk and chew gum simultaneously, but that's just my hunch. Of course, it seems that too many people just aren't capable. If you're going to put the kibash on cellphone use, even the hands free kind, then so should eating, smoking, selecting audio preferences, and the like. Good God Almighty! What in the hell are we going to do on that drive to Vegas? Sleep?

Now if we could address the issue of cellphone use by women in the super market check out lane...I swear, if I get stuck behind one more of those gabby chicks I may just snatch some of their items (because Lord knows they aren't paying attention) off the conveyor belt and stick them with my own goods. I can always tell the checker I changed my mind and ask that the items be put back on the shelves. Then when those chatty broads get home they'll find they are sans items and have to return to the store. Inconvenient? You bet!

For drivers, danger on the phone

A Change of Plans

2006-06-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, kids. It's summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime, summertime-ahh-ah-ahhh-ahhhhh...and here's the thing: It's much too beautiful out there in sunny California to be held up with my face buried in my laptop, reading material that usually has my blood pressure dangerously high. There's a big, bad, beautiful world out there to explore and quality time to be spent with my children who seem to be growing faster than the average that time allows. So before they all leave for college or marriage, or whatever they plan to do with their lives when they leave my nest (yes, I'm being dramatic, they're young), I'm going to spend time with them while they're here with me fulltime on summer break.

The downside to this for you, my faithful readers and those who can't help but adore me, is that I'll be posting less. I'm gonna try to cut it down to every other day, and catch up on comments and the debates that ensue after the kids are in bed for the evening. Don't cry for me Argentina, and put that hanky away, I'll still be around, just not as often. My children need me, and let's face it, I need them. They're tugging at me, holloring for me, clammoring for my attention. And what am I doing? Sitting here reading CRAP! I swear when I looked up from my laptop just now the youngest was a year older and my oldest was sporting a goatee.

Have a great 4th of July weekend! I'll be celebrating my 10 year wedding anniversary on the 3rd (doing what I just don't know yet), so I may not be around until next Wednesday....unless something inspires me to rant and rave. So I guess what I'm saying is...stay tuned. XOXOXOXOXO

The Discreditors

2006-06-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing that the right wing IS good at, it's the art of completely discrediting those that dare oppose them. It doesn't matter who or what you are, you are not safe if you disagree. You could be a veteran and/or war hero (Murtha, Cleland, Kerry, even McCain wasn't safe from it in 2000), grieving mother or widow (Sheehan, 9/11 widows), the judicial system (those dang activist judges upholding the rule of law), liberal bloggers (we're all just blogging in our pajamas from our parent's basements anyway), a congressional panel (investigate 9/11? the nerve), and really...just God help you if you're in anyway affiliated with and/or support the ACLU or are an actor, director, producer, and live or work anywhere near Hollywood. Smear, smear, and smear.

The newspapers and television media have been a target for quite sometime now. Freedom of the press has been under seige since around September 2001. It's been somewhat relentless in its tenacity. You know what I'm talking about because we've all heard it nearly everyday for years now..."The liberal media", "The disturbing images you see on your t.v.", "reporting only bad news from Iraq", "where are the positive stories?", "Hard to imagine the positive because of what you read in the papers", "I think we know who the media want to win this election--and I don't think it's George Bush.", "printing classified information". <-----THAT. That one right there is the biggest one. Oh, that and that they threw Judith Miller in jail for not revealing her source (which we all know turned out to be Scooter Libby...any guess on his chances of a presidential pardon before Bush leaves office?). And when Geraldo Rivera drew a map of troop locations in the sand in Iraq, on the air for Fox News, and was asked to leave (either by Fox News itself or the military) he went on to smear, who? MSNBC for reporting that.

Bush went on a finger wagging tirade the other day in the Rose Garden about the recent NY Times article regarding SWIFT money tracking. VP Cheney had his back. New York Republican representative, Peter King is calling for a criminal investigation into the Times disclosure (nevermind that there's a mole in this administration that is doing the leaking). Bill O'Reilly (and really, Fox News in general) had to have gotten down on his knees and thanked the Lord for the fodder he can milk off of this for weeks to come. And Tony Snow had this to say:

"Traditionally in this country in a time of war, members of the press have acknowledged that the commander in chief, in the exercise of his powers, sometimes has to do things secretly in order to protect the public," Mr. Snow said. "This is a highly unusual departure."

Google me this, Tony. Two words, sounds like...Pentagon Papers.

No government ought to be without censors & where the press is free, no one ever will.
Thomas Jefferson, letter to George Washington, September 9, 1792

And Then The Supreme Court Said...

2006-06-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court seems to have remembered itself and its duty. Let's see if it will continue to hold this administration accountable for its actions. If the Bush administration continues to act outside of the law, it is they that are putting the safety of America at risk. By not following the rule of law, they risk putting those that would do us harm in the position of walking free, simply by not following the law. This administration fails to recognize that it is their own actions, and not those that hold them accountable or report those actions, that put our country at risk. For them it is much easier (and effective it seems) to shoot the messenger rather than take a long, hard look in the mirror.

WASHINGTON (June 29) - The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that President Bush overstepped his authority in ordering military war crimes trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees, saying in a strong rebuke that the trials were illegal under U.S. and international law.

The court declared 5-3 that the trials for 10 foreign terror suspects violate U.S. law and the Geneva conventions.

The ruling raises major questions about the legal status of the approximately 450 men still being held at the U.S. military prison in Cuba and exactly how, when and where the administration might pursue the charges against them.

Kudos to the United States Supreme Court.

What? No Python?

2006-06-29T08:06:00.001-07:00

A pregnant Britney Spears will grace the cover of the August issue of Harper's Bazaar...in the nude. Now I don't know 'bout y'all, but I was hesitant to prance around buck naked in front of my own husband let alone have myself photographed and distributed globally. My nakedness during pregnancy usually was synonymous with "turn out the light, Honey". Of course, our house doesn't contain professional lighting, filters, makeup; oh yeah, and one can't move about the privacy of their own bedroom while striking a pose and blocking the pertinent area's with one's knee and hands.

My own vanity aside, I say, "you go girl"!

Get Thee to a Theater

2006-06-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

You would think that with all of the undiscovered talent out there, and the fact that just about everyone in Los Angeles has written a screenplay that is sitting on a shelf collecting dust in their bedroom (myself included), that we wouldn't be bombarded relentlessly with movie sequels. Mission Impossible 3, Basic Instinct 2 (was the first really decent enough to allow for a second?), Big Mama's House 2, Ice Age 2, The Santa Clause 3, Superman Returns (again?), Police Academy 8 (eight??? really??? I guess Steve Guttenbergs gotta eat too), Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (end it already), Pirates of the Carribean 2 (actually, I'm kind of looking forward to that one), Saw 3 (no mystery there), I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (we get it, you know)...just to name a few off the top of my head, but you get the picture.

I know it is said that Shakespeare already wrote all of the stories that there are to be told, but come on. Would a little originality be too much to ask of my $10 price of admission? Not to mention the $50 spent on snacks for the family? After taking the kids to see Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties, please don't make me suffer through a Garfield 3: The Cat That Ate Italy.

Quote of the Day

2006-06-28T08:15:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Republican Senator, Arlen Specter for stating the simple and the obvious, and a statement that the American people deserve an answer to:

''Why does it take a newspaper investigation to get them to comply with the law?'' the senator asked. ''That's a big, important point.''

Spot on! Indeed.

Link to Quote

If Women Ruled the World

2006-06-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty much convinced that if women ruled the world there would be much less death and destruction. I'm not talking about the old days of centuries gone by when queens were exclaiming "off with their heads!"...we're past that. Put women in charge and things will start looking a little brighter. War? Feh! Too messy. We'll talk it out. If there is one thing that women can do, it's talk. We'll have group therapy (summits) and resolve our problems like civilized people. If someone (other countries) get out of line all we have to do is give them that look. You know the one. The one that says you better stop that right now and don't make me pull this car over. The budget crisis? What woman can't shop for a weeks worth of groceries for a family of 4 and still have money left over for that perfect pair of jeans? We can stretch a dollar so far you'd swear our currency was made of rubber. We're charitable, nurturing, strong (you try having a child ripped from your loins and get up and walk around the next day), and master negotiators (do you know of any women who aren't able to talk someone into giving them what they want?). And if we aren't able to get what we want, we'll just claim that whatever it was that we wanted wasn't what we really wanted anyway and that we're better off for not having it. We're fickle too.

Ponderings.

Death Doesn't Become Us

2006-06-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Kudos to the Philippines for abolishing the death penalty in their country. It's a shame I can't say the same for my own country...the only western super power to still impose this archaic form of punishment upon its people. Note the list of countries that still use this travesty (and those who don't):

Death Penalty Worldwide

Don't ya just love having our ideals lumped together with those of Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Riwanda, Sudan, North Korea, Cuba, and Libya? If you do, you just might not be a liberal.

A Personal Brag

2006-06-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

Today was our toddler daughter's debut on the stage. Although she's nearly 3 years old, so I guess technically she is considered a "pre-schooler". Gosh! You'd think after 3 kids I'd get the proper termanolgy down. Well, you'd think. But I digress. She was stunning. Nevermind that on Thursday she tripped over her big brother's shoe and broke her fall with her face, which resulted in a fat lip complete with blood blister. My poor little sugar. It figures, of course, her first stage presence and she's beat up. Kinda like when you're going to take that professional family photo and someone inevidably ends up with either a black eye or a bad haircut. I'm off track again. She was magnificent in her fluffy, cotton candy pink tutu, sequins, and ballet slippers...and her white tights that encased her thunder thighs. She was a beautiful angel standing up on that stage. And that's just what she did, mind you...stand there. No matter. She got up there like a trooper with the rest of her tutu clad gang. They were darling and the hit of the recital.

That's my mother's brag for the day.

Democracy Threatened By Comedy Central

2006-06-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow! Now I've seen everything folks! It appears as if Richard Morin (we'll just say Dick Moron for shits and giggles, cause sometimes I have the sense of humor of a ten year old), columnist for the Washington Post, believes that Jon Stewart's Daily Show is an enemy of democracy, as he states here:

This is not funny: Jon Stewart and his hit Comedy Central cable show may be poisoning democracy.

Two political scientists found that young people who watch Stewart's faux news program, "The Daily Show," develop cynical views about politics and politicians that could lead them to just say no to voting.

Oh brother. Let's put this into perspective, shall we? If people are cynical about politics, it's because there is so much to be cynical about. The Daily Show does what regular news programs do not...it manages to drudge up past, and often times contradictory statements made by those in power, and show them together one after the other. It has the huztpa to highlight the gaffs, missteps, and sometimes downright shocking elements the mainstream media tend to leave out because they're oh so sophisticated.

Democracy is being poisoned alright, but it ain't being done by Jon Stewart. It's being done by the very people Jon Stewart points too on his show. He just happens to make an issue out of what the real rabble rousers are doing and saying...and not doing, and saying that they're doing what they're not doing, and not doing what it is that they actually say they are doing. Or something.

What this moron is really saying is that he believes America's youth is so guillable, that it takes its cue from Comedy Central. Better Comedy Central than The O'Reilly Factor or Hannity and Colmes if you ask me. I think they're savvy enough to decipher fact from fiction. The youth, not those at Fox News.

War, Sans Strategy

2006-06-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

VP Cheney stands by his statement that the insurgency is "in its last throes". The Bush administration believes that "staying the course" and "we'll stand down when the Iraqi's stand up" are strategies. They're not. They're soundbites and they know it. They have no plan. Bush's exit plan for Iraq is to let the next president take care of it. That's not really a plan either, except that it is a plan to make it not his problem anymore. The Democrats have a strategy for troop withdrawl, but it will never make it out of the Republican controlled senate. We lost another 15 soldiers this week alone in Iraq. Hardly seems like the last throes of anything, if you ask me. Our troops deserve leadership, not soundbites.

Karl Rove has fired up the rumor mill with (paraphrasing)"Democrats familiar pattern with cutting and running". Nevermind that it was Republican president Gerald Ford who withdrew our troops from Vietnam. I wonder how many civilians will research that tidbit on their own instead of just taking that soundbite at face value?

Dean Repeats Call for Iraq Troop Drawdown

Big Man Keeping the Little Man Down

2006-06-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Some Republicans seem to have a problem with raising the minimum wage. Raising it from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour would help to raise the standard of living for many Americans, and helps to keep up with the cost of living. I'll note that these same Republicans didn't blink at Congress giving themselves a 2% ($3,300) increase just earlier this month, as I mentioned here. These Republicans believe that an increase that helps some keep up with the higher cost of living is giving the workers power over the employers. Is it that they believe employers should be able to pay their employees as low a wage as they determine is adequate? Is it their belief that there should never be an increase? In the 1960's the minimum wage was $1.00 per hour. Can your family survive on that? Could you survive on that even if you only had yourself to care for? Could you survive on $5.15 per hour? Just barely I'd imagine.

Shame on Congress for deeming their own needs more pressing than those of their constituents.

Officials Response? Nope, Nope, and Nope

2006-06-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Before all you Bush supporters light those celebratory cigars, take a gander at what was really found in Iraq, two years ago. From the Washington Post:

Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), chairman of the House intelligence committee, and Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) told reporters yesterday that weapons of mass destruction had in fact been found in Iraq, despite acknowledgments by the White House and the insistence of the intelligence community that no such weapons had been discovered.

"We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons," Santorum said.

The lawmakers pointed to an unclassified summary from a report by the National Ground Intelligence Center regarding 500 chemical munitions shells that had been buried near the Iranian border, and then long forgotten, by Iraqi troops during their eight-year war with Iran, which ended in 1988.

The U.S. military announced in 2004 in Iraq that several crates of the old shells had been uncovered and that they contained a blister agent that was no longer active. Neither the military nor the White House nor the CIA considered the shells to be evidence of what was alleged by the Bush administration to be a current Iraqi program to make chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

Last night, intelligence officials reaffirmed that the shells were old and were not the suspected weapons of mass destruction sought in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.

I know you all find this titillating, but all it does is reaffirm the exaggeration by the Bush administration about the danger posed by Saddam.

Clothes that Tell You What You Want to Hear

2006-06-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

I'm a tall gal, and up until about 10 years ago it was nearly impossible to find a pair of jeans that passed my ankles. Prior to that it was a neverending quest, and daunting task, for me to find a pair of jeans that fit properly. The problem was, it wasn't the 80's anymore and, being a self proclaimed fashionista, I was no longer wearing my ankle length pants tucked into my boots. I wanted jeans that touched my toes and that I could still wear heels with. The dilemma was if I bought them long enough, they were swimming around my waist, and as you probably guessed, if I bought them to fit my waist I looked as if I were trapped in 1989. Finally designers caught on that there are tall, thin women out there who wear jeans.

Cut to 2006. Designers are now cutting styles larger and labeling them in smaller sizes. It's a marketing ploy and one that I don't think is such a bad thing. If it boosts a size 12 woman's self esteem to not have to shop in the plus size stores, where's the harm? If she is a size 10 in an average sized department store and it helps to make her feel good about herself, thus giving her a positive outlook, why not give her that bit of happiness?

Stores aren't just cutting sizes larger and labeling them smaller to make women feel good about themselves though (that's just a benefit to the women). The truth is, women are getting larger. It's no secret that obesity is on the rise and the average size American woman is overweight. If the stores don't cut their sizes larger, the majority of women won't be able to buy clothes in their stores because they simply won't fit. Thus leaving the stores no choice but to expand the waistlines of their merchandise, to keep up with the expanding waistlines of their clientele. A phenomena most likely brought on by ready-to-eat meals, an over indulgence of refined sugar, and this country's obsession with super sized fast food (with a giant diet Coke to wash it down). It is a necessary means in order to stay in business. The malleable sizing of garments are leaving petite women to shop in the junior's department, and probably quite literally...flapping in the breeze. What's next? Negative sizes, -01 perhaps?

Fox News calls it "vanity sizing". I prefer to think of it as good business sense.

Size 00: Sizes Shrink as Women Get Bigger

Fudging Media

2006-06-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

What I want to know is, when did it become the duty of the media to select our presidential nominees for the American people? CNN ran a poll asking those who responded who they would definetely vote for and who they would definetely not vote for. Of course they hand picked the politicians straight out of the republican talking points...wait, maybe I just answered my own question. The poll showed that nearly half would definetely not vote for Hillary Clinton. Well...duh! I haven't met a Dem yet who has endorsed her candidacy for presidency. In any event, the media is supposed to report the news. That's its job. A very important job. What it is not supposed to do, is create news. Some of the options on their poll are of people who haven't even announced or suggested that they'll run for office, and one of them, Al Gore, has straight up said he will not be running. So what is their point of finding out who will or won't be voting for him? Wow! What a scoop! They've finally discovered how many people won't vote for someone who isn't even running! What a feather in CNN's cap! Thank goodness they jumped on this because the elections are a whole 2 years away. Whew! They almost missed the boat on that one, those Johnny Come Latelys.

What I've also found is that ever since the 2000 election, there is no break from presidential election "what if" news. It's as if we're in one long election year from hell, with no end in sight. Now that we know, again for the millionth time, that Hillary won't make it out of the primaries IF she were to even run, can we get on to some of the more pressing issues that plague us? Do I really need to list them?

Poll: Clinton gets high 'no' vote for 2008

Deadly Trinkets Left Behind

2006-06-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Nick Clooney from the Cincinnati Post wrote an insightful article today about the deadly after effects of one country bringing war to another. It's worth a read and this segment will haunt me:

To me, the haunting quality of all this is trying to inventory all the places on earth where protracted wars have taken place. Armies have been very good at firing shells and planting mines. Much less thought was given to removing unexploded ordnance once the conflict was over.

Deaths of innocent people, most not even born when the war was fought, will still be paying the blood cost when all of us are gone.

The Bush administration and its supporters would probably say that it is Saddam's fault for not disarming...wait...there was nothing to disarm...

A Liberal Choice

2006-06-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Considering I write a liberal blog, I thought I'd go into a little detail about why I'm a liberal.

I'm a huge supporter of social programs that assist less advantaged citizens. Particularly citizens who have children. Whatever the adult's reasons for not supporting their children properly, I do not believe that children should have to suffer for the plight of their parents and/or guradians. I believe that in one of the richest countries of the world, society should help provide for those children whose parents can't or won't. A) Because they're kids, and B) Because it benefits society when they become contributing adults. The child born of welfare dependent adults could and should be able to grow to be the doctor that saves your life one day.

I believe in a woman's right to choose. And so long as a woman's body is the vehicle that delivers humans into this world, I don't see my stance changing anytime soon. It's not that I want women to have abortions or even think that they should. I would strongly advise any woman I know to consider other options. The right falsly labels "pro-choice" as "pro-abortion", and that simply isn't the case. I'm not pro-abortion nor do I know anybody who is. I don't, however, believe that it is my right to insist on making it my duty to make that choice for them. I think that forcing a woman, who desperately doesn't want to be pregnant, to carry a pregnancy to term is a recipe for disaster. Society erroneously believes that a mother's love for her unborn child will conquer whatever reasons they have for not wanting a child. That is not always the case. Carrying a pregnancy to term is an enormous responsibility and one that, if there were no abortion option, would be asked of a woman not willing to be responsible for it.

I'm against capital punishment for any reason. I do not believe that I or society should have the right to determine someone beyond redemption and better off dead. The pro-capital punishment argument regarding the financial cost to society for keeping dangerous criminals alive in their jail cell is, in my opinion, a despicable arguement. I do not think someone's life worth should be decided by the amount of money it costs to keep them alive. Just because the almighty dollar makes the world go 'round, doesn't mean that it should. The eye for an eye mentality never sat well with me. The whole, "you committed a heinous crime by killing someone so we are going to...um...kill you too" is saying two wrongs make it right. What it is, is revenge, and what it doesn't do is make the victim's families mourn their loss less. It just creates more victims (i.e. the criminal's family).

I believe in separation of church and state. Keep religion out of law. And that's really the long and short of that. And politicians who pander to the religious right lose my respect faster than you can say "supercalifragilisticexpealidocious"...okay, faster than that even. Both John McCain and Hillary Clinton now fall into that category. 'Nuff said about that.

I'm anti-war and believe that it should only happen as an absolute last resort. Even with today's technology and the almighty "smart bomb", too many innocent lives are lost. You may be more familiar with it's callous term, "collateral damage". Ugh!

For what it's worth, I do not choose my friends based on their political views (Jack at the West Ranch Beacon Blog). Although, my own mother is a republican, but ya don't choose your parents now do ya...kidding. In fact, the majority of my friends don't give a rat's fig about politics, period. At the moment, only 2 come to mind and they live out of state. That was one of the main reasons I stared my blog, because I was sure my friends didn't care much about what I was saying, politically.

This concludes today's glimpse into my mind. There is so much more...Perhaps I'll write a "part deux" in the future.

Enjoy your weekend!

Woulda Shoulda Coulda

2006-06-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

For the Bush supporters who think that taking out Al Zarqawi is a major victory in the Iraq war, let's take a little trip down memory lane.

In Colin Powell's famous February 2003 speech to the United Nations urging war against Iraq, Zarqawi was cited as an example of Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism. In his speech, Powell mistakenly referred to Zarqawi as a Palestinian, but Powell and the Bush administration continued to stand by statements that Zarqawi linked Saddam Hussein to al-Qaeda.

At the time, Zarqawi's group was a rival of bin Laden's. A CIA report in late 2004 concluded that it had no evidence Saddam's government was involved or aware of this medical treatment, and that "There’s no conclusive evidence the Saddam Hussein regime had harbored Zarqawi."[13] [14] One U.S. official summarized the report: "The evidence is that Saddam never gave Zarqawi anything."[15] However, Jordan's King Abdullah stated in an interview that Jordan had detailed information of where in Iraq Zarqawi lived. Jordan attempted to have Zarqawi extradited, "but our demands that the former regime [of Saddam Hussein] hand him over were in vain," King Abdullah said.[16]

According to NBC News [17] the Pentagon had pushed to "take out" Zarqawi's operation at least three times prior to the invasion of Iraq, but had been vetoed by the National Security Council. The council reportedly made its decision in an effort to convince other countries to join the US in a coalition against Iraq. "People were more obsessed with developing the coalition to overthrow Saddam than to execute the president’s policy of pre-emption against terrorists," said former National Security Council member Roger Cressey.

In May 2006, former CIA official Michael Scheuer, who headed the CIA's bin Laden unit for six years before resigning in 2004, corroborated this. Paraphrasing his remarks, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) stated Scheuer claimed that "the United States deliberately turned down several opportunities to kill terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the lead-up to the Iraq war." ABC added that "a plan to destroy Zarqawi's training camp in Kurdistan was abandoned for diplomatic reasons." Scheuer explaimed that "the reasons the intelligence service got for not shooting Zarqawi was simply that the President and the National Security Council decided it was more important not to give the Europeans the impression we were gunslingers" in an effort to win support for ousting Saddam Hussein.

It appears as if the Bush administration decided that it would be better to wait until we invaded Iraq, putting American troops in the position to be attacked, wounded, and slaughtered by this madman, only then to claim victory when he was finally taken out earlier this month (surrounded by women and children), than to eliminate him prior to his becoming a real threat to the troops. All in the name of politics. How many lives could have been spared if Bush hadn't put Al-Zarqawi on the back burner?

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi-Wikipedia

Dear People Magazine

2006-06-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

I have to ask you...what did you smoke? And I don't want any.

"American Idol" Taylor Hicks is ranked as the No. 1 "hottest bachelor" by People magazine — and he's looking for love.

Really?!?! I respectfully disagree.

Soul Patrol!

Hicks tops People's 'hot bachelor' list

Sinking to New Lows and Raising Themselves Up

2006-06-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

With their approval ratings in the gutter, an inability to prioritize legislation, the deficit at an all time high, corruption leaking out of it faster than they can stick their fingers in the holes of the dike, and lacking in any remedial accounting knowledge for allocating funds in an efficient manner, Congress decided they earned a much deserved....raise.

Despite record low approval ratings, House lawmakers Tuesday embraced a $3,300 pay raise that will increase their salaries to $168,500.

The 2 percent cost-of-living raise would be the seventh straight for members of the House and Senate.

It's good to be the king, eh kids?

House Lawmakers Accept $3,300 Pay Hike

Quaking in the Quaker State

2006-06-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

The women of Ohio should pack up their collective uterus's and leave the state, for yet another assult on what choices a woman can make about her body is about to get a can of whoopass opened on it in the Ohio state senate. It's outrageousness (a ban on abortion under any circumstance) assures that it will not pass. It's another "Quick! Look over here religious right! We're in your corner" bullcrap that is so ripe for the picking in an election year. More waste of tax payer's money that could go towards something useful. Sigh...

Ohio abortion bill hearing today

A Cause for Grief

2006-06-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

Ann Coulter's words regarding the widow's of September eleventh have been swimming around in my head like an angry jellyfish. Okay, I'm quoting Spongebob, but I have three kids, I don't get out much...cut me some slack. Her defense is that these women are using their grief as a platform for political reasons. But so do countless other victim's families. For instance, Natalie Holloway's family, Terri Shaivo's, Cindy Sheehan, and Mother's Against Drunk Drivers, just to name a few. Where are Ms. Coulter's scournful words for MAAD? Or does she just save her vitriol for those who dare speak out for change in the policies of the Bush administration (i.e. 9/11 widows and Sheehan)? I don't recall Ann stating that Terri Shaivo's parents were enjoying their daughter's death after their book was published, or when Laci Peterson's parent's book was published for that matter.

No. Coulter is only critical in the most despicable of ways when those that use their grief as a catalyst for change, oppose Bush. I wish that someone with the opportunity to do so, would challenge her on it.

Introducing...Me

2006-06-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

I've added my picture (above) to my profile...so now all you crazy wackos out there know what I look like. Don't make me sorry I did it.

Peace out.

Casualties of Divorce

2006-06-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

It really chaps my hide the way parents use their children as pawns in the game of divorce. As a child of divorced parents myself, I speak from experience that just the act of divorce itself is traumatic enough. The fact that your family, your security, is no longer what it always had been is frightening for a child (I was 4 years old at the time). So when I see adults using their children to inflict emotional pain on the other adult, I see red. It's rarely the adults who pay dearly in this scenario and it is usually the child(ren) that are burdened with the guilt of believing that the game of emotional mudslinging is all their fault. All because two adults aren't mature enough to manage their problems in a civilized manner. I can't and probably won't ever be able to understand that deplorable behavior...and the adults in question should be wholly ashamed of themselves.

Judge Wants Psychologist to Assess Baldwin

She With the Poison Pen

2006-06-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I would say that she sold her soul to the devil, but I don't believe that Ann Coulter ever possessed a soul to begin with. The deviant twat released her new book on Tuesday, 6/6/06...very appropriate for Nosferatu, with the catchy title, "Godless: The Church of Liberalism". She had some terribly cruel (even for her) and vicious things to say about the widows of September 11th.

Coulter writes in a new book, "Godless: The Church of Liberalism," that a group of New Jersey widows whose husbands perished in the World Trade Center act "as if the terrorist attacks happened only to them."

She also wrote, "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much."

Coulter appeared Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show, and stuck by her stance, saying the women used their grief "to make a political point."

Her criticism was aimed at four New Jersey women whom she dubbed "The Witches of East Brunswick," after the town where two of them live.

They have spent the years since the 2001 terror attacks supporting an independent commission to examine government failures before the attack, and in the 2004 presidential campaign they endorsed Democrat John Kerry.

What is wrong with this person? And why in God's name am I giving her any attention at all? I should just put down the laptop right now and walk away, as should everyone, and let her rot from the inside out without a platform from which to do so.

Ann Coulter

A Week With Family

2006-06-07T18:33:00.000-07:00

I apologize for my lack of attention to my blog this week. I have family visiting from the east coast and am happily enjoying every moment of it. We seemed to pack as much activity in today as we could. The morning started out with a brisk hike through Fryman Canyon; carrying my two year old most of the way. That's gonna hurt tomorrow! We spent the rest of the day at Hurricane Harbor, and I gotta tell ya...I'm getting old. The slides are supposed to be fun, right? It isn't supposed to hurt, is it? After climbing a staircase that seemed to touch the heavens, I faced a steep drop off, complete with one woopdie doo after another. I assumed the position (arms clasped behind my neck, and feet crossed), pushed off, and flew gaining speed and momentum...except with each woopdie doo I would leave the slide momentarily and return with an extremely painful wallop. I was thrilled, scared, excited, and thinking, "this isn't supposed to hurt, is it?". The wollups were sucking my will to enjoy the fun of it. I finally reached the end, with my bathing suit bottoms wedged so far up my ass that I had to pull them out of my mouth (it seemed)! Which I'm sure was a great show for the young men who positioned themselves at the exit, probably lying in wait for such a sight. Good times. Although, I'm sure I'll have some bruises tomorrow!

I hope y'all continue to pop in and I'll try to post when I'm able!

Peace out!

Blinded By Science

2006-06-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

It would seem that President Bush and his baby brother, Jeb Bush, have no intention of viewing former Vice President, Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth". No sense in sullying their minds with that science business. It would interfere with their strong, core beliefs of....corporate fascism.

Georgie Boy:
But will he see Al Gore's new movie about global warming?

"Doubt it," Bush said on Monday when asked by a member of the audience during remarks in Chicago. "An Inconvenient Truth," the movie by Gore, who lost to Bush in the 2000 presidential election, opens in U.S. theaters this week.

Jebbie:
That led a reporter to ask Bush if he planned on seeing former Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore's movie on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth." "No, I'm not going to be doing that," he said, before offering a thumbnail review of "X-Men: The Last Stand," which he called "excellent."

Bush then noted that Gore's movie had about $500,000 in ticket sales compared to more than $130 million for X-Men. "So I was in the majority of opinion, apparently, on that," he said, before quickly adding, "in terms of entertainment. I respect Vice President Gore's advocacy. I think he's very sincere and I don't want to joke about that."

I suppose they're not interested in seeing their contribution to global warming.

Jeb Bush Quote

George Bush Quote

O'Reilly Re-writes History

2006-06-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Keith Olbermann for exposing Bill O'Reilly as the lying bastard that he is. O'Reilly got some very important facts backwards regarding American troops in Malmedy during WWII. From the Crooks and Liars site:

Olbermann: The bodies at Malmedy were not found until a month later. There were 84 of them, all, American soldiers. More than half showed gunshot wounds to their heads. Six had received fatal **blows** to the head. Nine were found with their arms still raised **above** their heads.

The fact that O'Reilly got these horrible facts completely backwards -- twice -- offended even his own usually compliant viewers. From his program **Wednesday** night...Wrong answer.

When you're **that** wrong -- when you're defending Nazi War Criminals and pinning their crimes on Americans, and you get **caught** doing so -- **twice** -- you're supposed to say 'I'm sorry, I was wrong'... and then you should shut up for a long time. Instead, Fox **washed** its transcript of O'Reilly's remarks Tuesday -- its website claims O'Reilly said "In **Normandy**..." when in fact he said "In **Malmedy**..."

The rewriting of past reporting -- worthy of Orwell -- has now carried over into such on-line transcription services as Burrell's and Factiva. Whatever did or did not happen **later**, in supposed or actual retribution... the victims at Malmedy, were **Americans**, gunned down while surrendering -- by **Nazis** in 1944 -- and again, Tuesday Night and Wednesday Night -- by a false patriot who would rather be loud than right.

"In Malmedy, as you know" Bill O'Reilly **said** Tuesday night, in some indecipherable attempt to defend the events of Haditha, "U.S. forces captured S.S. forces who had their hands in the air and were unarmed and they shot them dead, you know that. That's on the record. And documented."

The victims at Malmedy in December, 1944... were Americans. **Americans** with their hands in the air. **Americans** who were unarmed. That's on the record. And documented.

And their memory deserves better than Bill O'Reilly.

We **all** do.

Time to step out of your spin zone O'Reilly and drink a couple of glasses of water to wash down that humble pie. You're a miserable man and the fact that Fox News changed its trasncripts to cover his ass just shows what a fraud that "news" channel really is.

Crooks and Liars

Isolated Incidents

2006-06-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

1. Abu Ghraib
2. Gitmo
3. Presidential signing statement authorizing torture
4. Marines being charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder
5. Haditha

The next time Sean Hannity tells me that my vocal opposition and lack of support for the Iraq war are undermining the efforts being made by the troops, and undermining our President, I may just have to fly out to New York to the Fox News Studio just so he can personally kiss my ass.

Dysfunction Junction What's Your Function

2006-06-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Sweet fancy Moses! I've read about severely dysfunctional families, but these people are some kind of special brand o'psycho.

Two grandparents in Lake County, Fla., were arrested for allegedly offering a hit man $100 to kill their three grandchildren, daughter-in-law and the family's pet dog, according to Local 6 News.

{snip...}After an investigation, authorities said the couple's son, Jason Jackson, 31, concocted the alleged murder-for-hire plan from jail and asked his parents to seal the deal, Bolden said.

The 31-year-old is awaiting trial in a sexual molestation case, and his wife and children were scheduled to testify against him.

Investigators said the rest of the money was to be paid to the hit man after the family members were killed Tuesday night.

Now there's a lot of things I might do for my kids, but this ain't one of those things. I think they might deserve the "What Were They Thinking?" award. And their son is a molester? NO! Say it isn't so! Why am I not surprised? I can only imagine what morals and values were learned at his parent's knee. Sick, twisted, creeps that they are. Heaven's to Mergatroid, Stella!

Police: Couple Offered Hit Man $100 To Kill Grandkids

Update Darfur: Grim

2006-05-31T15:40:00.002-07:00

The human rights emergency that is taking place in Darfur has not changed since the peace accord was signed. Here is an excerpt from the Save Darfur website.

It's been more than three weeks since a Darfur peace accord was signed, bringing hope for an end to the genocide in Sudan's western territory. Since then the news has been terrible. The two rebel factions that refused to sign the peace deal have continued to snub it. Violence between rebel factions has generated blood-curdling attacks on civilians. Human Rights Watch has reported fresh evidence of atrocities committed by government-backed Janjaweed death squads across the border in Chad. The cash-strapped U.N. World Food Program has been forced to reduce the already meager rations it distributes to 6 million Sudanese, including 3 million in Darfur. And Sudan's government has waffled on the crucial question of whether it will allow in an expanded peacekeeping force, without which violence, hunger and mass death are likely to continue.

Please visit their site (link above or to your right under "Links")to read the article in its entirety.

Politically Speaking

2006-05-31T12:00:00.001-07:00

From the Think Progress website:

QUESTION: Can I just ask you one other follow-up on Karl about Secretary Snow? When the president was asked, when he was standing next to Prime Minister Blair and millions of people were watching, he’s telling the American people that: I have got no indication the secretary’s going to resign…

SNOW: No, He has not talked to me about resignation. I mean, it was very carefully worded. But again, what you didn’t want to have, I think, is at a period of time when you haven’t finished doing your clearances for the person you want to fill that position, you don’t want to have chaos in the markets. It was…

As I suspected, President Bush is very deliberate in his choice of vocabulary when misleading the American people. Thank you Mr. Snow for the confirmation. You're doing a heck of a job, Snowie.

If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say....

2006-05-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

To illustrate the obvious contempt that Bush has for the press, he hires this guy as his chief domestic adviser, who had this to say about reporters that are embedded in Iraq:

Karl Zinsmeister, the new chief domestic adviser to President Bush, while embedded as a reporter with the 82nd Airborne in Kuwait in 2003, declared that "many of the journalists observable in this war theater are bursting with knee-jerk suspicions and antagonisms for the warriors all around them. A significant number are whiny and appallingly soft."

Zinsmeister, editor-in-chief of the American Enterprise Institute's magazine, wrote the article for the National Review, and it appeared on March 28, 2003. He was appointed to the top adviser post last week.

In another article, this one at the American Enterprise Institute's Web site on June 20, 2005, Zinsmeister, after another period as an embed, wrote, "What the establishment media covering Iraq have utterly failed to make clear today is this central reality: With the exception of periodic flare-ups in isolated corners, our struggle in Iraq as warfare is over....Contrary to the impression given by most newspaper headlines, the United States has won the day in Iraq.... the battle of Iraq is no longer one of war fighting—but of policing and politics."

This guy's got some set of balls criticizing these reporters when they're literally dying by the dozens over there to get the story. What a huge prick!

Once again I have to give kudos to Helen Thomas for this mornings White House press briefing. Why? Cause she kicked Tony Snow's ass on this issue, that's why! Oh, Helen...I really do love ya lady! Please come to L.A. so I can buy you dinner.

The Constitution (A.K.A. The Punching Bag)

2006-05-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

The first amendment took another beating today when the Supreme Court delivered a one-two punch to government employees. It seems that their employers are justified in retaliatory actions against whistle blowers. Now when government employees discover wrongdoing at their place of employment, they have to choose between doing the right thing or face the wrath of the big cheese, which could include losing their job. Aside from the fact that the ruling sets up the scenario for corruption to run rampant, what would become of the would-be whistle blower if it is discovered through an investigation that they had prior knowledge of wrongdoing? Would they then be held accountable for not spilling the beans sooner? Should an employee have to make such a choice? That's a really crappy place to stick someone.

Kudos to Justices John Paul Stevens, David H. Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer for recognizing that.

Justices Set Limits on Public Employees' Speech Rights

Bringing News From the Front

2006-05-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

I was stunned today when my husband looked up from his laptop and informed me that 74 reporters have lost their lives since the start of the Iraq war (I refuse to call it the war on terror). So I did a little digging around on the net myself and found that 96 journalists and media assistants have been killed since March, 2003. My God! From what I could find, 63 journalists died during the Vietnam war.

So the next time you hear someone from this administration try to blame your lack of support for this war on your being too informed by what you see on TV, such as this quote from Bush:

" 'No question that the Iraq war has, you know, created a sense of consternation here in America,' Bush said. 'I mean, when you turn on your TV screen and see innocent people die day in and day out, it affects the mentality of our country.' He added: 'I can understand why the American people are troubled by the war in Iraq. I understand that. But I also believe the sacrifice is worth it and it's necessary.' "

Remember that journalists are dying, literally, to bring you the news.

96 journalists and media assistants killed

You Should Know Better By Now

2006-05-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

No amount of therapy is going to help erase the image that has been seared onto my brain after reading this:

Doctors said sexually transmitted diseases among senior citizens are running rampant at a popular Central Florida retirement community, according to a Local 6 News report.

..."All I can repeat are the things I have heard which are things like, 'Should I bring the little blue pills over tonight?'" community singles group president Richard Matwyshen said.

Let's put aside the horror of what ultimately is picturing your grandparents doing "it"; the story illustrates that wisdom does not always come with age. STD's do not discriminate and "no glove no love" should be your motto at 80 same as it is at 20 years old. The aging process does not eliminate those nasty little boogers that invade your bloodstream when you were a young verile young man or a smokin' hot young woman. Now they're just elderly virus's...come on now ya heathen's! Remember yourselves! Excuse me while I go beat my head against a rock.

Barbies, Bratz, and Pussycat Dolls...Oh My!

2006-05-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hasbro Inc. has pulled its idea to manufacture "Pussycat Doll" dolls. Now, as a woman and a mother, I agree that they are completely inappropriate for young girls, even teenage girls (but what teen plays with dolls?), but it is the parents responsibility to purchase appropriate toys for their children, period. Toy manufacturers can produce and market whatever toys they wish too; parents don't have to buy them. Apparently that is just too much for some parents, as I read in an article here:

Many parents still feel burdened by the task of shielding their children from such messages, but Monique Tilford, acting executive director of The Center for a New American Dream in Takoma Park, Md., says she expects more decisions like the Hasbro one. She says companies are lowering the bar so far that an outcry will follow, she says, and that groups like hers are coming together, on both the right and the left, to take collective action.

They feel burdened? Excuse me, but that is part of your job description as a parent. Just as it is your job to keep your children from eating fast food everday, or watching inappropriate programs on television. You hold the purse strings. If you feel that something, whatever it is, is inappropriate for your child, then don't supply them with it. Don't hold other people accountable for what you are responsible for. If your child pouts because (s)he can't have the latest gizmo or happy meal, tough. Let them pout. Yeah, it sucks to deal with it, but tough shit. Exert some parental control and, also, use it as an opportunity to educate your child on why a particular something isn't appropriate for children.

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

2006-05-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

Former Enron exec's Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted of fraud and conspiracy today.

HOUSTON (AP) - Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted of conspiracy and fraud Thursday by a federal jury that laid blame for one of the biggest business scandals in U.S. history squarely on Enron Corp.'s two former top executives.

Jurors found that the once-wealthy and powerful corporate chiefs repeatedly lied to cover up accounting tricks and business failures that led to its 2001 demise. The collapse wiped out more than $60 billion in market value, almost $2.1 billion in pension plans and 5,600 jobs.

They'll probably get a presidential pardon before Bush leaves office, but for today, they're convicted felons. G'night. Mwuah!

Lay, Skilling Convicted in Enron Collapse