In December of 1985, the husband and I were beginning a move back to my beloved Deep South. Finally. We were living in south/central Indiana and I was more than ready for him to find a position that would bring him back into the oil drilling biz and, thanks to an old friend in New Orleans, he did. The friend sent a classified ad from the Times-picayune to him with a note that it looked to fit his experience.
The husband set up an interview with the HR woman of the drilling company at the office in Lafayette, LA. We were excited and drove down to check things out. He signed on the dotted line and we were moving to Cajun country and into our first house at the end of the month. We decided to move to Lafayette and not back to New Orleans as Lafayette we deemed to be better to raise a future family.
I drove from Indiana to Cameron, LA to send the husband off to his first hitch offshore for this company. Then I went back up to Indiana to finish moving preparations while he was gone.
Cameron was a tiny, rural community in the very southwestern tip of the coast of Louisiana. It is almost to the Texas border. The community was able to enjoy the financial rewards of oilfield workers going in and out of the town, back and forth to the Gulf of Mexico. It was a community of enthusiastic hunters. All along a two lane stretch of highway that ended at the Gulf were handmade signs advertising services of cleaning and dressing the rewards of hunting trips, as well as taxidermy services.
The people were friendly and we spent the night upon our arrival at a small motel. Nothing fancy by any stretch of the imagination but comfortable. We enjoyed a wonderful, fresh seafood dinner that night at a restaurant along a pier right on the water. It was very romantic after dark as it lit up in the darkness and the sound of the waves breaking on the beach.
Hurricane Rita, making landfall at the southwestern Louisiana coast, including the upper southeastern coast of Texas, just two weeks after Hurricane Katrina, destroyed Cameron. Wiped it out. Very little remained standing.
Most of the towns and communities devastated by Hurricane Rita are still struggling to re-build, just like those affected by Hurricane Katrina on the east coast of Louisiana and the Mississippi coast. It is a shame the victims of Hurricane Rita never got the publicity that the others did. Devastated communities are a tragedy whether it is a city like New Orleans or a rural community. At least New Orleans had most of it's city still standing except for parts directly hit. Even the homes completely underwater are still standing after the water left.
Fast forward to two days ago. As part of the monetary outreach of the Bush/Clinton Katrina Fund, the one former Presidents Bush and Clinton have raised millions to support, a hospital is on it's way to being re-built for the people in the area of Cameron. Since the hurricane hit, the people have been driving an hour for medical emergencies. The tiny, 25 bed South Cameron Memorial Hospital served as a first stop for injured offshore workers as well as community members. The donation made recently will be used along with other donations and FEMA money to re-open the hospital this spring.
Karen, why is Kuwait in the heading of this post, you might be thinking? Well, the Bush/Clinton Fund made its first contribution to victims of Hurricane Rita with this expenditure. Cameron's story was weighing on the heart of the former President Bush, as he had fond memories of the area from his days in the oilpatch. Bush cleared it with Clinton and the IRS, then asked one benefactor to the fund for permission to direct $2 million to Cameron. Who's the benefactor? The government of Kuwait, that's who. You may remember former President Bush has a bit to do with the fact they are free from Iraqi rule today.
And this leads me to George Clooney. Just stay with me here. George Clooney was invited by Bush to come along to Cameron and present the people with the check. Why George Clooney? "For the record, inviting Clooney was my idea, who better to help than arguably the best-known ER doctor in America.", Bush said. People came from as far away as Arkansas upon hearing rumors of the donation.
Clooney seems to be learning to use his celebrity for good purposes in his middle age. Instead of being known as just another liberal celebrity throwing word bombs and showing disrespect to the President overseas, he is finally getting a clue. Maybe. His father asked for his notoriety to get the word out about the genocide in Darfur and now a former president, named Bush, I might add, has given him the opportunity to be a good guy again. It was reported Clooney was generous with autographs and pictures among the crowd gathered to witness the check presentation.
Cameron received a much needed Christmas gift. The reason for the season. Neighbors helping neighbors.
It is finally feeling like the Christmas season when I hear an especially moving rendition of "O Holy Night". That happened this morning, warming my heart.
The new title for the upcoming 7th and final Harry Potter book? "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". Son was not impressed with that title. He'll look forward to it as he has all the others though.
"I'd rather pop popcorn than look at George Clooney," said Lloyd Woodcock, 33. "I came here for Bush."
Woodcock was among the crowd in Cameron.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Who's A Cowboy Now?
I'm checking out a movie from 1945 titled "The Clock" starring Judy Garland and Robert Walker. I need the diversion.
Seems recent news accounts of traveling politicians confirm my suspicions. There is no shortage of clueless bloviators willing to make laughingstocks of themselves to muscle their way onto the world stage. Actors all.
First Senator Bill Nelson, former astronaut from Florida, goes to Syria for a little tete a tete with Bashir. His jet barely back into the skies and the Iranian press is mocking him and his great adventure into the diplomatic abyss. He thought it was a good way to stick a finger into the eye of President Bush, whose administration asked him not to go in the first place. I'm sure he didn't count on the reaction of the region. They thought he was a very foolish man.
Not to be outdone, John Kerry traipses off to Syria, and to raise the stakes a bit announces he would be happy to go to Iran to talk with the madman there, if he was needed. Thanks, John. I'm sure the people of Israel, next on the itinerary, were really excited with the prospects of his visit.
Evan Bayh went to the region, too. He's out of the presidential race now, though, so who cares?
Brings to mind the old joke about every senator waking up and seeing a future president in the mirror.
When President Bush does things that raise eyebrows, he's called a cowboy. That would be an insult to the uppity elites, you know.
Now it's the pilgrimage to Cuba. Both parties are guilty of this. Can't we just talk to the brutal dictator and solve all the problems? Can't we just allow free trade and make money there?
The answer is no.
Did the latest congressional delegation to travel to Cuba ask about the political prisoners or the imprisoned journalists or the people guilty of practicing their religions? No word on that but lots about remarks from silly, no-nothings like Congressman Meeks from New York that brags now that the democrats are in charge it's time to take advantage and change policy towards Cuba. Or Congressman Flake from Arizona who thinks the atmosphere is ripe for business investment with the Cuban leadership.
Lord help us.
And Joy Behar continues not to disappoint. Her latest easy, cheap shot at conservatives was concerning Fox News and their coverage of the Hitler/Rumsfeld remark: "Fox News is all over my ass. I consider it an honor, like being on Nixon's enemies list." She's one classy broad, that one.
If it weren't for easy cheap shots she'd have no schtick at all. Maybe Santa will bring her some original thoughts for Christmas this year.
Seems recent news accounts of traveling politicians confirm my suspicions. There is no shortage of clueless bloviators willing to make laughingstocks of themselves to muscle their way onto the world stage. Actors all.
First Senator Bill Nelson, former astronaut from Florida, goes to Syria for a little tete a tete with Bashir. His jet barely back into the skies and the Iranian press is mocking him and his great adventure into the diplomatic abyss. He thought it was a good way to stick a finger into the eye of President Bush, whose administration asked him not to go in the first place. I'm sure he didn't count on the reaction of the region. They thought he was a very foolish man.
Not to be outdone, John Kerry traipses off to Syria, and to raise the stakes a bit announces he would be happy to go to Iran to talk with the madman there, if he was needed. Thanks, John. I'm sure the people of Israel, next on the itinerary, were really excited with the prospects of his visit.
Evan Bayh went to the region, too. He's out of the presidential race now, though, so who cares?
Brings to mind the old joke about every senator waking up and seeing a future president in the mirror.
When President Bush does things that raise eyebrows, he's called a cowboy. That would be an insult to the uppity elites, you know.
Now it's the pilgrimage to Cuba. Both parties are guilty of this. Can't we just talk to the brutal dictator and solve all the problems? Can't we just allow free trade and make money there?
The answer is no.
Did the latest congressional delegation to travel to Cuba ask about the political prisoners or the imprisoned journalists or the people guilty of practicing their religions? No word on that but lots about remarks from silly, no-nothings like Congressman Meeks from New York that brags now that the democrats are in charge it's time to take advantage and change policy towards Cuba. Or Congressman Flake from Arizona who thinks the atmosphere is ripe for business investment with the Cuban leadership.
Lord help us.
And Joy Behar continues not to disappoint. Her latest easy, cheap shot at conservatives was concerning Fox News and their coverage of the Hitler/Rumsfeld remark: "Fox News is all over my ass. I consider it an honor, like being on Nixon's enemies list." She's one classy broad, that one.
If it weren't for easy cheap shots she'd have no schtick at all. Maybe Santa will bring her some original thoughts for Christmas this year.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Just Not Worthy
Sometimes people prove unworthy of serious consideration.
Yesterday, during a regular press briefing with Tony Snow, the journalists (loosely speaking) of the national press and radio were all but fainting in the aisles upon the news of Laura Bush's recent cancer scare. This wasn't concern for the First Lady and her health, oh no. This was due to the fact that Mrs. Bush had a cancerous spot, the size of a nickel, removed from her right leg's shin in November. How dare no one notify the press of this procedure immediately, maybe even as it was being done at her doctor's office.
Better yet, since she "only" had local anesthesia, maybe the press was expecting a personal phone call from her during the procedure.
It was quite the feeding frenzy aimed at Tony Snow. Everyone from The New York Times, CNN, network news, CBS Radio, et.al. was demanding to know more. Why didn't Mrs. Bush disclose this immediately, will she now do advocacy work encouraging Americans to be regularly checked for skin cancer? Well, doesn't she think this is important?
The fact is, as I see it, Laura Bush is a private citizen with national recognition. She is an unelected,unpaid public servant doing good works around the globe and a huge advocate for women and children everywhere. Which, I might add, that includes all the world's women and children, unlike the "feminists" in this country. Where was their support of women in countries living with true oppression and misery? Where is the celebrating from the feminist crowd over the fact that little girls in Afghanistan are going to school for the first time?
There is also the matter of medical privacy. This is not something her doctor or a medical facility could announce. The only person allowed to disclose this kind of information was Laura Bush herself. She answered a reporter's question during a White House holiday reception concerning the bandage on her leg. She was in a skirt and it was visible.
Her press secretary was asked why the press didn't know about this and the press secretary answered that no one had asked about it and Mrs. Bush said it was no big deal. The tumor was caught early and removed. Mrs. Bush continued on with her normal schedule, traveled with the President overseas and oversaw the holiday preparations at the White House.
Where was all this questioning and distress during the Clinton administration when the President didn't disclose medical records as is normally done annually? What was he hiding? How about Hillary Clinton? Chelsea?
Ridiculous.
A slow news day.
Yesterday, during a regular press briefing with Tony Snow, the journalists (loosely speaking) of the national press and radio were all but fainting in the aisles upon the news of Laura Bush's recent cancer scare. This wasn't concern for the First Lady and her health, oh no. This was due to the fact that Mrs. Bush had a cancerous spot, the size of a nickel, removed from her right leg's shin in November. How dare no one notify the press of this procedure immediately, maybe even as it was being done at her doctor's office.
Better yet, since she "only" had local anesthesia, maybe the press was expecting a personal phone call from her during the procedure.
It was quite the feeding frenzy aimed at Tony Snow. Everyone from The New York Times, CNN, network news, CBS Radio, et.al. was demanding to know more. Why didn't Mrs. Bush disclose this immediately, will she now do advocacy work encouraging Americans to be regularly checked for skin cancer? Well, doesn't she think this is important?
The fact is, as I see it, Laura Bush is a private citizen with national recognition. She is an unelected,unpaid public servant doing good works around the globe and a huge advocate for women and children everywhere. Which, I might add, that includes all the world's women and children, unlike the "feminists" in this country. Where was their support of women in countries living with true oppression and misery? Where is the celebrating from the feminist crowd over the fact that little girls in Afghanistan are going to school for the first time?
There is also the matter of medical privacy. This is not something her doctor or a medical facility could announce. The only person allowed to disclose this kind of information was Laura Bush herself. She answered a reporter's question during a White House holiday reception concerning the bandage on her leg. She was in a skirt and it was visible.
Her press secretary was asked why the press didn't know about this and the press secretary answered that no one had asked about it and Mrs. Bush said it was no big deal. The tumor was caught early and removed. Mrs. Bush continued on with her normal schedule, traveled with the President overseas and oversaw the holiday preparations at the White House.
Where was all this questioning and distress during the Clinton administration when the President didn't disclose medical records as is normally done annually? What was he hiding? How about Hillary Clinton? Chelsea?
Ridiculous.
A slow news day.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
One For The Road
Is it just me, or did you find it odd to hear a British accent coming out of the mouth of the CEO of Taco Bell, talking about the recent e-Coli scare?
Bono is upset with the new Democratic leadership of the incoming Congress. My man, Bono, was promised a bunch of money for his programs in Africa, a pleasant surprise to him after Clinton left office and those mean old Republicans took over the White House. So, after meetings on Capitol Hill in recent days, Senator Harry Reid has refused to guarantee to work with Republicans to ok the President's request for monies. I know, according to Kenye West, President Bush hates black people. But, alas, his administration has done more for the continent of Africa than any other previous administraton. And one of the President's twin daughters is working there, personally, and Laura Bush has been there to support projects more than any other first lady has been. Hmm.
Seems we have substance over symbolism with this administration instead of the reverse from the old Clinton days. They were all about the symbolism and nothing much else. Remember the trip to Africa Hillary and Chelsea took and a big photo op was made of native Africans doing tribal dancing for them. Performing for the big shots.
I know it's fun to go to the old canards in arguments but the dinosaur liberal thinking and talking points just don't play in modern times. Joy Behar, the "comedian" on The View, equated Donald Rumsfeld with Hitler yesterday on the show. Wow, how original to put Hitler and a Republican in the same sentence. Even Jon Stewart says only Hitler was Hitler. Maybe she was just sucking up to Rosie.
This is Kofi Annan's last week of officially presiding over the U.N. Finally. Alas, we have one more scandal trickling out as he departs. Seems Kofi and his wife, the tall, attractive blonde at his side have been living in another apartment than the one they are on paper as occupying. They are on the lease for an apartment that is subsidized by the taxpayers of the City of New York but they live in another place. Kofi's brother lives in the subsidized place. And why was he given the break for housing anyway? His wife is a member of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden and they are not in need. Just greedy, of course. Like all of his corrupt, pocket-lining deals through the U.N.
One more for the road.
I have been watching the NASA channel the past couple of days when I need distraction. It is so incredible to think of watching an astronaut working on the space station in real time on tv.
The tickets to "Spamalot" have been purchased. The traveling company from Broadway will be here at the end of May for a couple of weeks. My guys, especially, are huge Monty Python fans so we are all looking forward to treat.
Bono is upset with the new Democratic leadership of the incoming Congress. My man, Bono, was promised a bunch of money for his programs in Africa, a pleasant surprise to him after Clinton left office and those mean old Republicans took over the White House. So, after meetings on Capitol Hill in recent days, Senator Harry Reid has refused to guarantee to work with Republicans to ok the President's request for monies. I know, according to Kenye West, President Bush hates black people. But, alas, his administration has done more for the continent of Africa than any other previous administraton. And one of the President's twin daughters is working there, personally, and Laura Bush has been there to support projects more than any other first lady has been. Hmm.
Seems we have substance over symbolism with this administration instead of the reverse from the old Clinton days. They were all about the symbolism and nothing much else. Remember the trip to Africa Hillary and Chelsea took and a big photo op was made of native Africans doing tribal dancing for them. Performing for the big shots.
I know it's fun to go to the old canards in arguments but the dinosaur liberal thinking and talking points just don't play in modern times. Joy Behar, the "comedian" on The View, equated Donald Rumsfeld with Hitler yesterday on the show. Wow, how original to put Hitler and a Republican in the same sentence. Even Jon Stewart says only Hitler was Hitler. Maybe she was just sucking up to Rosie.
This is Kofi Annan's last week of officially presiding over the U.N. Finally. Alas, we have one more scandal trickling out as he departs. Seems Kofi and his wife, the tall, attractive blonde at his side have been living in another apartment than the one they are on paper as occupying. They are on the lease for an apartment that is subsidized by the taxpayers of the City of New York but they live in another place. Kofi's brother lives in the subsidized place. And why was he given the break for housing anyway? His wife is a member of one of the wealthiest families in Sweden and they are not in need. Just greedy, of course. Like all of his corrupt, pocket-lining deals through the U.N.
One more for the road.
I have been watching the NASA channel the past couple of days when I need distraction. It is so incredible to think of watching an astronaut working on the space station in real time on tv.
The tickets to "Spamalot" have been purchased. The traveling company from Broadway will be here at the end of May for a couple of weeks. My guys, especially, are huge Monty Python fans so we are all looking forward to treat.
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Simple Song
Good Monday morning, y'all! I'm enjoying a bit of early morning quiet as Max patrols the backyard and the son is still asleep. Hubby is off to the office. All is well. So far so good.
Yesterday I read an article in the newspaper that told of a parent singing an old Shaker song with her child. This brought many memories flooding back for me of the days when our son was small.
I read to our son every night at bedtime and it was our routine. I started this before he was even born, believing he could hear my voice and this pattern would be familiar to him when he was born. I'm not a scientist but I read obsessively. Somewhere along the line when I was pregnant, I read something confirming this belief of mine.
The husband was not home every night due to work in the real world for him. He has always been gone for varying lengths of time for work purposes and this is a normal way of life, even for our son. When the husband was home, he wanted to do something special with son as part of the bedtime routine that would just be theirs. The male bonding thing. So, he and the boy would recite the Lord's Prayer together then they would sing The Simple Song.
Son learned the Lord's Prayer at a very early age, thanks to his dad. The song I referenced is not really named the Simple Song, but it is a part of the verse - "Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free". It is so lovely and good advice, too. It is a Shaker song. I don't know the song's real name.
I love hearing their voices wafting down the hall.
Several years ago the husband was doing an extended assignment in the State of Maine. He was on site at a shipyard in Portland as a rig was being built and he was in charge of making sure it was commissioned. Son and I joined him for about a month that summer.
One of the most memorable sites we saw in Maine was a Shaker village. We visited the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, on Route 26, in New Gloucester. This village is the only functioning Shaker community in the world.
With a father and mother who love history, the son was pre-destined for this visit. Fortunately he is not as bored by this sort of field trip as some young people are. I see him as a budding history buff.
This village is so interesting. There are 18 structures in the village and 6 are open to the public. It is a look into the life of a Shaker village. The museum was started in 1931 by two of the women members of the community. As I said, it is still functioning so tours and such are worked around daily life there.
The community is known for its herb gardening skills. We bought packages of salad herbs, herbal teas and potpourri from a recipe developed in 1858. The gift shop provides income for the community and they also have a mail order catalog for their goods. We purchased a couple of books about the Shaker history and a frameable poster of an arrangement of Shaker chairs. The beauty is in the simple starkness of the chair construction.
Tis a gift to be simple.
Yesterday I read an article in the newspaper that told of a parent singing an old Shaker song with her child. This brought many memories flooding back for me of the days when our son was small.
I read to our son every night at bedtime and it was our routine. I started this before he was even born, believing he could hear my voice and this pattern would be familiar to him when he was born. I'm not a scientist but I read obsessively. Somewhere along the line when I was pregnant, I read something confirming this belief of mine.
The husband was not home every night due to work in the real world for him. He has always been gone for varying lengths of time for work purposes and this is a normal way of life, even for our son. When the husband was home, he wanted to do something special with son as part of the bedtime routine that would just be theirs. The male bonding thing. So, he and the boy would recite the Lord's Prayer together then they would sing The Simple Song.
Son learned the Lord's Prayer at a very early age, thanks to his dad. The song I referenced is not really named the Simple Song, but it is a part of the verse - "Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free". It is so lovely and good advice, too. It is a Shaker song. I don't know the song's real name.
I love hearing their voices wafting down the hall.
Several years ago the husband was doing an extended assignment in the State of Maine. He was on site at a shipyard in Portland as a rig was being built and he was in charge of making sure it was commissioned. Son and I joined him for about a month that summer.
One of the most memorable sites we saw in Maine was a Shaker village. We visited the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, on Route 26, in New Gloucester. This village is the only functioning Shaker community in the world.
With a father and mother who love history, the son was pre-destined for this visit. Fortunately he is not as bored by this sort of field trip as some young people are. I see him as a budding history buff.
This village is so interesting. There are 18 structures in the village and 6 are open to the public. It is a look into the life of a Shaker village. The museum was started in 1931 by two of the women members of the community. As I said, it is still functioning so tours and such are worked around daily life there.
The community is known for its herb gardening skills. We bought packages of salad herbs, herbal teas and potpourri from a recipe developed in 1858. The gift shop provides income for the community and they also have a mail order catalog for their goods. We purchased a couple of books about the Shaker history and a frameable poster of an arrangement of Shaker chairs. The beauty is in the simple starkness of the chair construction.
Tis a gift to be simple.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Let the Games Begin
Today I had lunch with my lifelong girlfriend. Well, since second grade when her family moved to town. It was our once a month lunch. The seafood alfredo was yummy.
Son's Senior Class ring arrived today. So wierd.
The attempts to rescue the three mountain climbers in Oregon is compelling. I pray the weather cooperates tomorrow. The statements from the families are heartbreaking.
I see Senator Evan Bayh is not running for President after all. Wonder if he was too skittish about his lifestyle in college getting out to haunt him now that he has a wife and children. I lived in Indiana, in Bloomington, when he was a student at Indiana University and knew a couple of Bayh's friends. He used to be Senator Birch Bayh's son before the sr. Bayh was defeated and Evan was old enough to go into the political scene himself. Needless to say the news of his marriage was surprising to most.
Wonder what Evan will do with the reported $10 million he has in his PAC established as an exploratory committee?
I finally sent out our Christmas cards yesterday. It was late for me, I like to get them out towards the first of December as a rule. Just didn't happen this year.
With $14 million dollars in the bank for her presidential run and all the former consultants and aides from President Clinton's days in the White House on the payroll, does anyone still have any doubts Hillary is running for 2008? Obama is putting a scare into her, though, so she'll have to stop the cat and mouse games in fairly short order. Already there are commercials running in New Hampshire for a draft Obama initiative.
Gonna be interesting.
Son's Senior Class ring arrived today. So wierd.
The attempts to rescue the three mountain climbers in Oregon is compelling. I pray the weather cooperates tomorrow. The statements from the families are heartbreaking.
I see Senator Evan Bayh is not running for President after all. Wonder if he was too skittish about his lifestyle in college getting out to haunt him now that he has a wife and children. I lived in Indiana, in Bloomington, when he was a student at Indiana University and knew a couple of Bayh's friends. He used to be Senator Birch Bayh's son before the sr. Bayh was defeated and Evan was old enough to go into the political scene himself. Needless to say the news of his marriage was surprising to most.
Wonder what Evan will do with the reported $10 million he has in his PAC established as an exploratory committee?
I finally sent out our Christmas cards yesterday. It was late for me, I like to get them out towards the first of December as a rule. Just didn't happen this year.
With $14 million dollars in the bank for her presidential run and all the former consultants and aides from President Clinton's days in the White House on the payroll, does anyone still have any doubts Hillary is running for 2008? Obama is putting a scare into her, though, so she'll have to stop the cat and mouse games in fairly short order. Already there are commercials running in New Hampshire for a draft Obama initiative.
Gonna be interesting.
The Logan Act
Happy Hanukkah!
Winter break from school began at 11:30 yesterday morning as son was then finished with finals week. The air-conditioning is still running. I killed two mosquitoes yesterday in my house.
Tonight the husband, son and I went to a play at the Country Playhouse using our season tickets. The current offering is "A Christmas Story" and it was pretty good. A little draggy at times and felt a bit drawn out but overall a good play for the season. It was a nice change of pace from the endless showing of it in movie form on tv. It's gotten to be like "It's A Wonderful Life" in overkill.
Anyone paying attention to the growing stream of U.S. Senators going over to terror-sponsoring countries and "talking" to their murderous, thug leaders? Well, the list is growing. So far, I have noted the trips of John Kerry to Egypt and Syria before he goes to Israel and Palestine. Israel being the only friend of the U.S. in the region, and oh yeah, he'll go to Iran if he needs to. Thanks Senator Kerry. Also, Senator Bill Nelson, and Senator Evan Bayh have been to Syria with Arlen Spector announcing he's going, too. N.M. Governor Bill Richardson visited North Korea. You may remember him from his days in the Clinton administration and his previous failings with North Korea with Maddie Allbright.
In light of the fact that the Bush administration has asked them not to go and they have voiced disapproval of their tactics, it is time to dust off the Logan Act.
According to www.historycentral.com, "Dr. George Logan of Pennsylvania attempted to normalize relations with France. He entered into negotiations with France, without authorization, in hopes of resuming normal relations. In 1799, Congress passed legislation outlawing such contacts between foreign governments and private individuals. The law remains on the books to this day."
I know the Dems are all giddy that they have a two vote majority in the Senate now, and Arlen Spector has been a disgrace for many years to the Republicans, but this arrogance is breathtaking, to say the least.
Senators are not authorized to commune with foreign leaders on policy. Especially after they have been asked not to go by the administration. We have a very capable State Department, thank you, and the Senators are showing weakness and conflict with the administration, at a time of war.
At a time of war.
I don't care if you don't like how President Bush is conducting policy or how Secretary Rice is handling diplomatic matters. The Senators have clearly crossed over the line.
America has to speak with one voice.
The balance of power has changed in Congress but the same man is president. The leaders of other countries see a sign of weakness in this hijacking of diplomacy.
The terrorists love the Democrats. They want the old days back. Just like they applaud old and foolish dinosaur politicians like Patrick Leahy as he comes back to being Judiciary Chair and says he'll try to eliminate the tools used to monitor and hunt down terrorists. Leahy was kicked off the Senate Intelligence Committee a few years back after he was caught leaking classified info to the press.
Leahy is a prime example of why Democrats can't be trusted with national security. The times are too dangerous for unserious people.
Just as I have called for the reinstatement of The Sedition Act, I think the Logan Act must be used. We are a nation at war. If the president's overall approval ratings were not so low now, there is no way these Senators would be pulling off these shenanigans. When Clinton was turning a blind eye to attack after attack to our military and facilities, the Republicans didn't take it upon themselves to travel the world and try to do the work of the State Department.
The European Socialist Democrats told Howard Dean last week, as he was at their meeting, that they were so happy the Democrats were back in power.
No wonder.
Winter break from school began at 11:30 yesterday morning as son was then finished with finals week. The air-conditioning is still running. I killed two mosquitoes yesterday in my house.
Tonight the husband, son and I went to a play at the Country Playhouse using our season tickets. The current offering is "A Christmas Story" and it was pretty good. A little draggy at times and felt a bit drawn out but overall a good play for the season. It was a nice change of pace from the endless showing of it in movie form on tv. It's gotten to be like "It's A Wonderful Life" in overkill.
Anyone paying attention to the growing stream of U.S. Senators going over to terror-sponsoring countries and "talking" to their murderous, thug leaders? Well, the list is growing. So far, I have noted the trips of John Kerry to Egypt and Syria before he goes to Israel and Palestine. Israel being the only friend of the U.S. in the region, and oh yeah, he'll go to Iran if he needs to. Thanks Senator Kerry. Also, Senator Bill Nelson, and Senator Evan Bayh have been to Syria with Arlen Spector announcing he's going, too. N.M. Governor Bill Richardson visited North Korea. You may remember him from his days in the Clinton administration and his previous failings with North Korea with Maddie Allbright.
In light of the fact that the Bush administration has asked them not to go and they have voiced disapproval of their tactics, it is time to dust off the Logan Act.
According to www.historycentral.com, "Dr. George Logan of Pennsylvania attempted to normalize relations with France. He entered into negotiations with France, without authorization, in hopes of resuming normal relations. In 1799, Congress passed legislation outlawing such contacts between foreign governments and private individuals. The law remains on the books to this day."
I know the Dems are all giddy that they have a two vote majority in the Senate now, and Arlen Spector has been a disgrace for many years to the Republicans, but this arrogance is breathtaking, to say the least.
Senators are not authorized to commune with foreign leaders on policy. Especially after they have been asked not to go by the administration. We have a very capable State Department, thank you, and the Senators are showing weakness and conflict with the administration, at a time of war.
At a time of war.
I don't care if you don't like how President Bush is conducting policy or how Secretary Rice is handling diplomatic matters. The Senators have clearly crossed over the line.
America has to speak with one voice.
The balance of power has changed in Congress but the same man is president. The leaders of other countries see a sign of weakness in this hijacking of diplomacy.
The terrorists love the Democrats. They want the old days back. Just like they applaud old and foolish dinosaur politicians like Patrick Leahy as he comes back to being Judiciary Chair and says he'll try to eliminate the tools used to monitor and hunt down terrorists. Leahy was kicked off the Senate Intelligence Committee a few years back after he was caught leaking classified info to the press.
Leahy is a prime example of why Democrats can't be trusted with national security. The times are too dangerous for unserious people.
Just as I have called for the reinstatement of The Sedition Act, I think the Logan Act must be used. We are a nation at war. If the president's overall approval ratings were not so low now, there is no way these Senators would be pulling off these shenanigans. When Clinton was turning a blind eye to attack after attack to our military and facilities, the Republicans didn't take it upon themselves to travel the world and try to do the work of the State Department.
The European Socialist Democrats told Howard Dean last week, as he was at their meeting, that they were so happy the Democrats were back in power.
No wonder.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Balance of Power
I feel good. I spent 2 1/2 hours at the salon this afternoon and my hair looks marvelous, darling. It's short, it's quite blonde and I'm feeling frisky. See, I was born with red hair, then it turned brunette as I grew older. I have always enjoyed coloring it for kicks, beginning as a college freshman. Mostly I went red and auburn. I am very fair complexioned so it was a no brainer. Now that I am a woman of substance, I am going blonde in a big way. It's fun to see where all the highlights lead me. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
The health crisis of Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota troubles me. The poor man. He is 59 years old and in a stressful job. He has stroke-like symtoms while on a conference call with reporters and is rushed to the hospital after he hangs up and collaspes on the way back to his office. This is serious stuff, folks.
What is reported? The first sentence or two is about the actual condition of the senator. Then we immediately jump into the fragile balance of power in the Senate. Yes, if the man should die, then the governor of the great state of South Dakota will appoint someone to serve out Senator Johnson's term, which ends in 2008. But do we really have to go there right this second?
Can't we let the man recover from his surgery and let the doctors make their judgments? It is the holiday break anyway. Let his family and friends have the respect they deserve and leave them alone. I hope the tv in his hospital room is not on, as that is all he'll hear from everyone - what will happen if he is not able to carry out his duties and fulfill his term.
Good Lord.
Frankly, it doesn't matter that much. Politically speaking, he is a conservative sort of Democrat on most issues. Yes, it effects the votes if VP Cheney gets to make tie-breaking votes but not to the extent that this circus implies. The media is disgraceful and sound like hovering buzzards.
Shame on them.
I am a Republican. I would like nothing more than for my peeps to be in the driver's seat. But, please.
This turns my stomach.
The health crisis of Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota troubles me. The poor man. He is 59 years old and in a stressful job. He has stroke-like symtoms while on a conference call with reporters and is rushed to the hospital after he hangs up and collaspes on the way back to his office. This is serious stuff, folks.
What is reported? The first sentence or two is about the actual condition of the senator. Then we immediately jump into the fragile balance of power in the Senate. Yes, if the man should die, then the governor of the great state of South Dakota will appoint someone to serve out Senator Johnson's term, which ends in 2008. But do we really have to go there right this second?
Can't we let the man recover from his surgery and let the doctors make their judgments? It is the holiday break anyway. Let his family and friends have the respect they deserve and leave them alone. I hope the tv in his hospital room is not on, as that is all he'll hear from everyone - what will happen if he is not able to carry out his duties and fulfill his term.
Good Lord.
Frankly, it doesn't matter that much. Politically speaking, he is a conservative sort of Democrat on most issues. Yes, it effects the votes if VP Cheney gets to make tie-breaking votes but not to the extent that this circus implies. The media is disgraceful and sound like hovering buzzards.
Shame on them.
I am a Republican. I would like nothing more than for my peeps to be in the driver's seat. But, please.
This turns my stomach.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A Different World
Today is the one year anniversary of the capture of Saddam. Not much said about on the news. Yawn, yeah, big deal.
When I recently purchased a new automobile, the salesman of my deal was a top seller at the dealership. He was very friendly and chatty, as successful salespeople are and he seemed to feel comfortable telling his stories to my husband and me. I suppose his tension faded a bit as he learned of my husband's travels in the part of the world from where he came.
The salesman, when asked his original home, said he was from the holy land. He was Palestinian and his family lived in Gaza after being run out of Iraq due to survival concerns as Saddam took over the country.
This man said he has 7 children. Some are from a previous marriage. His first wife was not a "good wife" as he put it, so his mother chose another woman for him. He is, as it turns out, a big believer in arranged marriage.
He also told us he butchers his own lamb as he doesn't really trust the butchers who claim to butcher according to the Muslim laws.
I learned of this belief of arranged marriage when he mentioned he would be traveling to Jordan toward the end of December. Oh, visiting friends and family, I asked? Well, some, but the main purpose of the visit was to find a wife for his eldest son.
OK.
What's good for the father is good for the son.
The son is 24 years old, owns his own condo, and wants a "good wife". He wants his father to handle it for him.
It struck me at the time how odd this conversation was for me, as an American woman, with no frame of reference of these traditions. The old feminist in me automatically rises in contempt over terms like "good wife". Yet, the son found comfort and strength from this tradition.
Seems to me this is a good example with the problem we, as Americans, have with relating to life in the middle east, even in the year 2006. In many ways, they remain in a different time, a different century.
When we lived in Lafayette, and I was helping open a Childrens Museum, a young mother who we could always count on to help us with fundraisers suddenly was widowed. She was in her early 30's and had 3 young children, the youngest two children were twins only a year old. She and her husband were of middle eastern descent. The husband's family was full of men. The husband had no sisters but 3 or 4 brothers. I remember talking to another woman at the museum about what a tragedy it was. I wondered outloud how she would survive raising the children on her own, as she like us was a stay at home mom. I inquired if the friend knew if she at least had life insurance money coming to help, since my friend's husband was the couple's financial advisor. My friend didn't have an answer. Then she said something I thought back to while speaking to my salesman. She said, don't worry for her, the brothers will take care of her.
What? She said it is traditional for the husband's family to take care of the widow and help raise the children. They simply take over for the deceased husband. As the husband was first generation American, the old ways were still common within this family and their community of friends and relatives.
It's a different world.
When I recently purchased a new automobile, the salesman of my deal was a top seller at the dealership. He was very friendly and chatty, as successful salespeople are and he seemed to feel comfortable telling his stories to my husband and me. I suppose his tension faded a bit as he learned of my husband's travels in the part of the world from where he came.
The salesman, when asked his original home, said he was from the holy land. He was Palestinian and his family lived in Gaza after being run out of Iraq due to survival concerns as Saddam took over the country.
This man said he has 7 children. Some are from a previous marriage. His first wife was not a "good wife" as he put it, so his mother chose another woman for him. He is, as it turns out, a big believer in arranged marriage.
He also told us he butchers his own lamb as he doesn't really trust the butchers who claim to butcher according to the Muslim laws.
I learned of this belief of arranged marriage when he mentioned he would be traveling to Jordan toward the end of December. Oh, visiting friends and family, I asked? Well, some, but the main purpose of the visit was to find a wife for his eldest son.
OK.
What's good for the father is good for the son.
The son is 24 years old, owns his own condo, and wants a "good wife". He wants his father to handle it for him.
It struck me at the time how odd this conversation was for me, as an American woman, with no frame of reference of these traditions. The old feminist in me automatically rises in contempt over terms like "good wife". Yet, the son found comfort and strength from this tradition.
Seems to me this is a good example with the problem we, as Americans, have with relating to life in the middle east, even in the year 2006. In many ways, they remain in a different time, a different century.
When we lived in Lafayette, and I was helping open a Childrens Museum, a young mother who we could always count on to help us with fundraisers suddenly was widowed. She was in her early 30's and had 3 young children, the youngest two children were twins only a year old. She and her husband were of middle eastern descent. The husband's family was full of men. The husband had no sisters but 3 or 4 brothers. I remember talking to another woman at the museum about what a tragedy it was. I wondered outloud how she would survive raising the children on her own, as she like us was a stay at home mom. I inquired if the friend knew if she at least had life insurance money coming to help, since my friend's husband was the couple's financial advisor. My friend didn't have an answer. Then she said something I thought back to while speaking to my salesman. She said, don't worry for her, the brothers will take care of her.
What? She said it is traditional for the husband's family to take care of the widow and help raise the children. They simply take over for the deceased husband. As the husband was first generation American, the old ways were still common within this family and their community of friends and relatives.
It's a different world.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The Rest of the Story
An update of the posting yesterday about the rabbi and the officials at Sea-Tac airport is in order. My blogging friend Karen, at Thoughts by Seawitch, does a good post today about the rest of the story. She rightly feels those blogging about it should finish the story.
I saw the rabbi on tv last night and cynic that I am, thought he was getting the publicity he sought after all. I tried to listen with an open mind, though, and turns out I think he didn't have the motivation I accused him of after listening to him.
I think the American public's reaction to this story is justifiable, given the way it was reported in the media. The problem is we were listening to the story from the media.
From what I have pieced together at this point, the rabbi was in talks with the airport officials about a display for an 8 foot mennorah, to be provided free of charge by his group. He offered for it to be placed wherever the airport saw fit to place it.
I don't know when the lawyer came into the story but it may have been due to the rabbi's frustration in not reaching an agreement with the officials. The airport officials totally wimped out and claimed they took everything down so as not to have to do displays for other religions, too. The airport claims it didn't have staff and time to do more decorating.
Now, we hear today that the trees are back up and talks will begin after the first of the new year concerning holiday displays for next year.
My heritage includes a paternal grandfather who was Jewish. I love the religion and the history of the people of Israel. I thought this story, according to how it was reported, to be another one for the ACLU loons out there constantly chipping away at our American culture and celebrations.
I was wrong.
My guard is back up towards the media. Again.
I saw the rabbi on tv last night and cynic that I am, thought he was getting the publicity he sought after all. I tried to listen with an open mind, though, and turns out I think he didn't have the motivation I accused him of after listening to him.
I think the American public's reaction to this story is justifiable, given the way it was reported in the media. The problem is we were listening to the story from the media.
From what I have pieced together at this point, the rabbi was in talks with the airport officials about a display for an 8 foot mennorah, to be provided free of charge by his group. He offered for it to be placed wherever the airport saw fit to place it.
I don't know when the lawyer came into the story but it may have been due to the rabbi's frustration in not reaching an agreement with the officials. The airport officials totally wimped out and claimed they took everything down so as not to have to do displays for other religions, too. The airport claims it didn't have staff and time to do more decorating.
Now, we hear today that the trees are back up and talks will begin after the first of the new year concerning holiday displays for next year.
My heritage includes a paternal grandfather who was Jewish. I love the religion and the history of the people of Israel. I thought this story, according to how it was reported, to be another one for the ACLU loons out there constantly chipping away at our American culture and celebrations.
I was wrong.
My guard is back up towards the media. Again.
An Ego the Size of the World
Here comes the sun, nuh a nuh nuh. Here comes the sun and I say, It's alright. The Beatles.
So yesterday at the Truman Presidental Museum and Library, of all places, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan gave his big farewell speech. This corrupt, pompous man can not be out of the door fast enough for me, I'll say that right off the bat. Kofi is the poster boy for surrender monkeys everywhere and those thinking that dialogue will solve the world's problems.
Kofi took the opportunity to bash America, his host and sponsor of his lavish lifestyle as we are the biggest contributor to the U.N. in money and amenities, and then claims not to be doing so during the question and answer session after the speech. This man lies directly into the eyes of questioners and does so effortlessly.
At one point in my life the U.N. held a reputation of successful peacekeeping and for distributing aid after disasters to poor nations. No longer. Now we hear nothing but stories filled with shameful accounts of bribes, payoffs, sexual assaults of young girls and women, peacekeepers fleeing instead of carrying out their missions, and the usual America bashing.
What exactly has been accomplished during Annan's 10 year reign at the helm of the U.N.? I am unable to come up with even one source of success. Under his watch, the largest scandal began and continued with his blessings, including a large piece of the payoff pie going to his own son. While Saddam was building palaces and Kofi and his cohorts were lining their pockets, the Iraqi people were suffering under the oil for food program. The very nations Kofi scolds America for not building concensus with for the war in Iraq efforts, France, Russia, and Germany, are the ones benefitting from the favors of Kofi. And Saddam.
What comes to mind when the record of Kofi is brought forward? Ruwanda, Sudan, Kosovo, Bosnia, all dire situations of which Kofi turned a blind eye and wanted "dialogues" to solve the situations. Peacekeeping stations in Lebanon were exposed on the Israeli borders recently to be complacent while Hezbollah built up an arsenal of weapons, only to use them during the last conflict over the past summer.
The American armed forces are the ones stationed, still to this day, in Kosovo, Bosnia, and for that matter, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and 160 bases overseas. These are the peacekeepers. Their helmuts are not blue.
Emboldened by the fact that his term is up, Kofi has been more strident in his bad mouthing of the U.S. Now we hear in his speech that he thinks the world's only remaining superpower is not building enough coalitions of support in the world, in his opinion. We have to talk more, use force less.
Beam him up, Scottie.
Kofi's idea of talking has given the world continued diaster, not peace or freedom and liberty to the oppressed. He continues to be an anti-Semite and encourages the resolutions against the nation of Israel as they try to defend themselves in a completely hostile environment. I have yet to hear his condemnation of Iran or Hamas for stating their goal of the elimination of Israel. Elimination.
Gosh, elimination doesn't sound too peaceful to me.
His pal Jan Eglund will be leaving, too. You remember Jan, don't you? He's the one who said the U.S. is stingy and doesn't contribute it's fair share in monetary pledges around the world. Nevermind we are the most generous nation on the face of the earth; our people give more individually to causes all over the world, too.
Kofi and Co. have successfully blocked needed reform to the U.N. in recent days. They've got a good thing going, why rock the boat?
"Mr. Carter, thank you for making me a Republican, because of your incompetent handling of the Iranians, the stagnation and your cozying up with every dictator, thug and Islamic terrorist there is. But more importantly, I find it to be vile, you know, because you're black at heart. It's hard because you're an anti-Semite, and let me explain why I think you're a bigot, a racist and an anti-Semite." - A C-SPAN caller to Jimma Carter, promoting his recently published book. The book has come under fire for being full of lies, plagarism and without proper documentation while he claims it is a history of events in the middle east.
So yesterday at the Truman Presidental Museum and Library, of all places, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan gave his big farewell speech. This corrupt, pompous man can not be out of the door fast enough for me, I'll say that right off the bat. Kofi is the poster boy for surrender monkeys everywhere and those thinking that dialogue will solve the world's problems.
Kofi took the opportunity to bash America, his host and sponsor of his lavish lifestyle as we are the biggest contributor to the U.N. in money and amenities, and then claims not to be doing so during the question and answer session after the speech. This man lies directly into the eyes of questioners and does so effortlessly.
At one point in my life the U.N. held a reputation of successful peacekeeping and for distributing aid after disasters to poor nations. No longer. Now we hear nothing but stories filled with shameful accounts of bribes, payoffs, sexual assaults of young girls and women, peacekeepers fleeing instead of carrying out their missions, and the usual America bashing.
What exactly has been accomplished during Annan's 10 year reign at the helm of the U.N.? I am unable to come up with even one source of success. Under his watch, the largest scandal began and continued with his blessings, including a large piece of the payoff pie going to his own son. While Saddam was building palaces and Kofi and his cohorts were lining their pockets, the Iraqi people were suffering under the oil for food program. The very nations Kofi scolds America for not building concensus with for the war in Iraq efforts, France, Russia, and Germany, are the ones benefitting from the favors of Kofi. And Saddam.
What comes to mind when the record of Kofi is brought forward? Ruwanda, Sudan, Kosovo, Bosnia, all dire situations of which Kofi turned a blind eye and wanted "dialogues" to solve the situations. Peacekeeping stations in Lebanon were exposed on the Israeli borders recently to be complacent while Hezbollah built up an arsenal of weapons, only to use them during the last conflict over the past summer.
The American armed forces are the ones stationed, still to this day, in Kosovo, Bosnia, and for that matter, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and 160 bases overseas. These are the peacekeepers. Their helmuts are not blue.
Emboldened by the fact that his term is up, Kofi has been more strident in his bad mouthing of the U.S. Now we hear in his speech that he thinks the world's only remaining superpower is not building enough coalitions of support in the world, in his opinion. We have to talk more, use force less.
Beam him up, Scottie.
Kofi's idea of talking has given the world continued diaster, not peace or freedom and liberty to the oppressed. He continues to be an anti-Semite and encourages the resolutions against the nation of Israel as they try to defend themselves in a completely hostile environment. I have yet to hear his condemnation of Iran or Hamas for stating their goal of the elimination of Israel. Elimination.
Gosh, elimination doesn't sound too peaceful to me.
His pal Jan Eglund will be leaving, too. You remember Jan, don't you? He's the one who said the U.S. is stingy and doesn't contribute it's fair share in monetary pledges around the world. Nevermind we are the most generous nation on the face of the earth; our people give more individually to causes all over the world, too.
Kofi and Co. have successfully blocked needed reform to the U.N. in recent days. They've got a good thing going, why rock the boat?
"Mr. Carter, thank you for making me a Republican, because of your incompetent handling of the Iranians, the stagnation and your cozying up with every dictator, thug and Islamic terrorist there is. But more importantly, I find it to be vile, you know, because you're black at heart. It's hard because you're an anti-Semite, and let me explain why I think you're a bigot, a racist and an anti-Semite." - A C-SPAN caller to Jimma Carter, promoting his recently published book. The book has come under fire for being full of lies, plagarism and without proper documentation while he claims it is a history of events in the middle east.
Monday, December 11, 2006
We Don't Need No Stinkin' Christmas Tree
Starting a dark and dreary, rainy Monday morning with Starbuck's Christmas blend. I buy it every year.
The news today brings an odd story out of Seattle. Seems a rabbi complained to the SeaTac airport officials about the Christmas trees on display inside the building. He wanted a menorah displayed, too and informed the officials that he was lawyered up and ready to go if his demand wasn't met.
Mind you, this is just one person complaining.
The airport officials decide to simply remove all eight of the decorated trees instead of putting up a menorah or dealing with the rabbi through the legal system. Bah humbug.
Now the rabbi is quoted in the newspaper this morning that he is "appalled" by the airport's decision. What's to be appalled about? If all he wanted was equal space for his religion's symbol, he got it. Neither symbols will be there. The trees, by the way, were very simply decorated with red ribbons and bows, it's not as if crosses and creches were on display.
A Christmas tree is not a religious symbol. A menorah is a religious symbol. The Christmas tree began as a pagan symbol and is used as a seasonal reference today. Christmas day is a federal holiday, put into law by our government. More than 90% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas.
So, congrats, Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky. For trying to take advantage of political correctness in today's society and complaining about trees with ribbons on them, you stole the holiday decorations from travelers this holiday season.
You also denied yourself the attention through publicity in the tv interviews, had your case begun the legal process. I suspect that was your goal all along.
Another strange story comes out of England about the fact that when Princess Diana was killed in the automobile crash, she was under surveillance by American intelligence without permission from the British government. She had a relationship with an American billionaire, Teddy Forstmann, at the time and intelligence reports alerted the British intelligence agency that her safety and her sons' safety could not be guaranteed during a planned visit to the States.
Diana's telephones were bugged, allegedly, by the CIA. President Clinton was in the White House then. She went on to vacation with Dodi Fayad instead and the rest is history.
Interesting.
The news today brings an odd story out of Seattle. Seems a rabbi complained to the SeaTac airport officials about the Christmas trees on display inside the building. He wanted a menorah displayed, too and informed the officials that he was lawyered up and ready to go if his demand wasn't met.
Mind you, this is just one person complaining.
The airport officials decide to simply remove all eight of the decorated trees instead of putting up a menorah or dealing with the rabbi through the legal system. Bah humbug.
Now the rabbi is quoted in the newspaper this morning that he is "appalled" by the airport's decision. What's to be appalled about? If all he wanted was equal space for his religion's symbol, he got it. Neither symbols will be there. The trees, by the way, were very simply decorated with red ribbons and bows, it's not as if crosses and creches were on display.
A Christmas tree is not a religious symbol. A menorah is a religious symbol. The Christmas tree began as a pagan symbol and is used as a seasonal reference today. Christmas day is a federal holiday, put into law by our government. More than 90% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas.
So, congrats, Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky. For trying to take advantage of political correctness in today's society and complaining about trees with ribbons on them, you stole the holiday decorations from travelers this holiday season.
You also denied yourself the attention through publicity in the tv interviews, had your case begun the legal process. I suspect that was your goal all along.
Another strange story comes out of England about the fact that when Princess Diana was killed in the automobile crash, she was under surveillance by American intelligence without permission from the British government. She had a relationship with an American billionaire, Teddy Forstmann, at the time and intelligence reports alerted the British intelligence agency that her safety and her sons' safety could not be guaranteed during a planned visit to the States.
Diana's telephones were bugged, allegedly, by the CIA. President Clinton was in the White House then. She went on to vacation with Dodi Fayad instead and the rest is history.
Interesting.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Hope Springs Eternal
It's pleasant on the inside but on the outside it is rather dreary and slightly rainy. Still cold but should be back into the 70's by midweek. Bleech.
I read this afternoon on a community board from our subdivision for the internet that the dinner theatre we were to go to for our Christmas Eve's entertainment burned to the ground in the early morning hours. Apparently it was a 3 alarm fire around 5:30 this morning. Bummer. The owners are a sweet couple with a child in our son's former private school. I hope the insurance premiums were paid up and they can re-build. We enjoy that place.
All weekend it has been impossible to check in with the news and not find a story of Senator Barack Obama's pilgrimage to the great state of New Hampshire, disguised as a book signing event. Obama is the flavor of the season for Democrats looking to the 2008 presidential election.
Barack Hussein Obama, son of a Kenyon Muslim father who left him at the age of 2, and a mother who raised him in Hawaii and Indonesia along with his grandparents. He's a little of everyone - half black, half white, Muslim, Christian, while practicing neither religion. He's the whole package. The political machine behind his ascension into national political life is determined for him to be the anti-Hillary candidate. The Daly machine out of Chicago hearts him.
Senator Dick (gulags) Durbin, the senior senator from the great state of Illinois, waxes poetically about the junior senator from the great state of Illinois. Since Hillary is a native of the great state of Illinois, it could be all about Illinois. Hillary grew up Republican and was a Goldwater girl, though. And she is strictly a WASP.
Obama appeals to voters with his pleasant public personality and words indicating his willingness to work with people of both parties. His voting record shows the opposite, though. He talks middle of the road and votes as a liberal. He is ranked the 18th most liberal in the Senate, ahead of 60% of fellow Democrats. He gets 100% rating from Planned Parenthood, The AFL-CIO loves that he votes 9 out of 10 times with them and the ACLU agrees with him, too.
Barack's recently published book, "The Audacity of Hope" is rumored to have been ghostwritten. That isn't so unusual, Hillary's book was, too. But it shows a bit too much naivete for a potential President. He speaks, in Chapter 5, of airline travel. This chapter is getting a lot of play for his remarks of how great it is to fly on private jets instead of coach on commercial airlines. Duh. What I suppose we are to not notice is that this is a Senator and the private jets are owned by lobbyists. He made 23 reported trips in his two short years in the Senate and then stopped when he was made the point man for the ethics rules legislation in the Senate. Hmm.
Barack is accomplished for a man of 44 years. He was a student in the Ivy League. He was a professor of constitutional law, a state legislator and now a Senator in D.C.
People like Barack. No one liked Al Gore or John Kerry. Not their personalities, anyway. Being a personable human being is always an asset in the professional world. He will need, however, more than easy slogans and the Democrats' bumper sticker speeches to get to that big White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.
He's young yet, there's time.
Now is not his time.
Perhaps a Clinton/Obama ticket. Covers all the bases.
I read this afternoon on a community board from our subdivision for the internet that the dinner theatre we were to go to for our Christmas Eve's entertainment burned to the ground in the early morning hours. Apparently it was a 3 alarm fire around 5:30 this morning. Bummer. The owners are a sweet couple with a child in our son's former private school. I hope the insurance premiums were paid up and they can re-build. We enjoy that place.
All weekend it has been impossible to check in with the news and not find a story of Senator Barack Obama's pilgrimage to the great state of New Hampshire, disguised as a book signing event. Obama is the flavor of the season for Democrats looking to the 2008 presidential election.
Barack Hussein Obama, son of a Kenyon Muslim father who left him at the age of 2, and a mother who raised him in Hawaii and Indonesia along with his grandparents. He's a little of everyone - half black, half white, Muslim, Christian, while practicing neither religion. He's the whole package. The political machine behind his ascension into national political life is determined for him to be the anti-Hillary candidate. The Daly machine out of Chicago hearts him.
Senator Dick (gulags) Durbin, the senior senator from the great state of Illinois, waxes poetically about the junior senator from the great state of Illinois. Since Hillary is a native of the great state of Illinois, it could be all about Illinois. Hillary grew up Republican and was a Goldwater girl, though. And she is strictly a WASP.
Obama appeals to voters with his pleasant public personality and words indicating his willingness to work with people of both parties. His voting record shows the opposite, though. He talks middle of the road and votes as a liberal. He is ranked the 18th most liberal in the Senate, ahead of 60% of fellow Democrats. He gets 100% rating from Planned Parenthood, The AFL-CIO loves that he votes 9 out of 10 times with them and the ACLU agrees with him, too.
Barack's recently published book, "The Audacity of Hope" is rumored to have been ghostwritten. That isn't so unusual, Hillary's book was, too. But it shows a bit too much naivete for a potential President. He speaks, in Chapter 5, of airline travel. This chapter is getting a lot of play for his remarks of how great it is to fly on private jets instead of coach on commercial airlines. Duh. What I suppose we are to not notice is that this is a Senator and the private jets are owned by lobbyists. He made 23 reported trips in his two short years in the Senate and then stopped when he was made the point man for the ethics rules legislation in the Senate. Hmm.
Barack is accomplished for a man of 44 years. He was a student in the Ivy League. He was a professor of constitutional law, a state legislator and now a Senator in D.C.
People like Barack. No one liked Al Gore or John Kerry. Not their personalities, anyway. Being a personable human being is always an asset in the professional world. He will need, however, more than easy slogans and the Democrats' bumper sticker speeches to get to that big White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.
He's young yet, there's time.
Now is not his time.
Perhaps a Clinton/Obama ticket. Covers all the bases.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
"Discovery is in space tonight"
That's what a local newsman reported on the late night newscast tonight. The rare night launch was successful after the scrub earlier in the week.
Building the international space station.
Awesome.
Building the international space station.
Awesome.
With Whom Do You Stand?
A little tidbit from the news Thursday, not reported that I heard of, only read about from a Reuters news account, is Howard Dean's little trip off to Portugal for the conference held by the European Socialist Party. It was a two day soiree for the leaders of the leftist governments and the president of the group, Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, told the audience "We are not anti-American, we want the real America, your America" as he looked over to Dean. The Portuguese Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates, chimed in with "Europe needs an America that is back on track."
Nice.
I suppose we are to want to strive to imitate Europe, with its high unemployment rates, high cost of living, lesser home ownerships, socialist medicine and nanny state mentality.
Socrates assured Dean that the Democrats "should know that they can count on European Socialists" for support.
O.K.
I feel much better now.
In stark contrast, President Bush and Tony Blair held a joint press conference Thursday. As I watched the two leaders of the free world speak and answer questions, all I could think was how fortunate that we are to have these two strong men at this time in history.
I was reminded of President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. An earlier team who were committed to keeping their countries free and spreading the concept of freedom and liberty for all.
In today's dangerous times, no less is needed. One of the key facts from the Iraq Study Group's report was the need for a unified American people. Senator Joe Lieberman said, "Too much of our discussions on Iraq have been carried out in partisan press conferences. That's got to end." He is right. Again. It is a shame more of his party is so committed to our failure in Iraq and humilating President Bush that they cannot see beyond the next election cycle. They are not serious people and command no respect.
I have very little in the way of common political beliefs with Senator Lieberman. However, on the most important issue of the day, the pursuit of the war on terrorism, we are on the same page. That is bi-partisan.
That is rising to the occasion.
Are you Chamberlain or Churchill?
With whom do you stand?
"You don't accept that you ever give up." - Tony Blair
Nice.
I suppose we are to want to strive to imitate Europe, with its high unemployment rates, high cost of living, lesser home ownerships, socialist medicine and nanny state mentality.
Socrates assured Dean that the Democrats "should know that they can count on European Socialists" for support.
O.K.
I feel much better now.
In stark contrast, President Bush and Tony Blair held a joint press conference Thursday. As I watched the two leaders of the free world speak and answer questions, all I could think was how fortunate that we are to have these two strong men at this time in history.
I was reminded of President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. An earlier team who were committed to keeping their countries free and spreading the concept of freedom and liberty for all.
In today's dangerous times, no less is needed. One of the key facts from the Iraq Study Group's report was the need for a unified American people. Senator Joe Lieberman said, "Too much of our discussions on Iraq have been carried out in partisan press conferences. That's got to end." He is right. Again. It is a shame more of his party is so committed to our failure in Iraq and humilating President Bush that they cannot see beyond the next election cycle. They are not serious people and command no respect.
I have very little in the way of common political beliefs with Senator Lieberman. However, on the most important issue of the day, the pursuit of the war on terrorism, we are on the same page. That is bi-partisan.
That is rising to the occasion.
Are you Chamberlain or Churchill?
With whom do you stand?
"You don't accept that you ever give up." - Tony Blair
Friday, December 08, 2006
Jeane J. Kirkpatrick
This morning came an announcement that yesterday Jeane J. Kirkpatrick passed away at her home in Maryland. She was 80.
Ms. Kirkpatrick, originally a Democrat and later a Republican, was appointed at the first woman to be the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. She was yet another "first" woman in a powerful position appointed by a Republican president, despite the bashing of Republicans as not supportive of women.
Yeah.
Ms. Kirkpatrick was a woman with a brilliant mind and a stiff backbone. When ridiculed during a speech, she would continue on and her words were heard. She did not suffer fools lightly.
She served at the U.N. from 1981 to 1985. She was a member of the president's cabinet and the National Security Council.
Ms. Kirkpatrick, a member of the American Enterprise Institute since 1978, was remembered by the organization including the following statement: "The United States has lost a great patriot and champion of freedom."
Rest In Peace.
Ms. Kirkpatrick, originally a Democrat and later a Republican, was appointed at the first woman to be the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. She was yet another "first" woman in a powerful position appointed by a Republican president, despite the bashing of Republicans as not supportive of women.
Yeah.
Ms. Kirkpatrick was a woman with a brilliant mind and a stiff backbone. When ridiculed during a speech, she would continue on and her words were heard. She did not suffer fools lightly.
She served at the U.N. from 1981 to 1985. She was a member of the president's cabinet and the National Security Council.
Ms. Kirkpatrick, a member of the American Enterprise Institute since 1978, was remembered by the organization including the following statement: "The United States has lost a great patriot and champion of freedom."
Rest In Peace.
Jimma Still Hates the Jews
The Iranian ambassador to the U.N. spoke recently at Columbia University in New York. During a question and answer session with the audience, he was confronted about the problem of Hizbollah doing its best to cause a collapse of the Lebanese government. When the ambassador's approval of the terrorist organization was not accepted by the young people, he told them not to "consume" what is told by Fox News. Yeah, that's the problem with the state of the world, Fox News. You'd think he was a Democrat in the last election, making Fox News the enemy. Some just don't want to hear both sides. For that, there is a lot of other options for news in this country. Most don't even bother to pretend a non-bias anymore.
I was pleasantly surprised by the reaction of the audience. Usually, when Fox News is bashed, like the bashing of the current administration, the young sheep (or the audiences of The View and Oprah) erupt into applause and laughter. This Columbia University audience was a bit different though. Only a smattering of applause and a bit of laughter was heard in the auditiorium.
Kenneth Stein, up until earlier in the week was an aide to former President Jimma Carter. Mr. Stein, a historian of 30 plus years, has worked with Carter in Georgia at the Carter Center and co-authored a book with him. He has now resigned from working with Carter. The recently published book of the former president put Mr. Stein over the top.
Seems Mr. Carter still hates the Jews. According to Mr. Stein, there are many factual errors in the new book concerning past historical events and policies. Carter doesn't reference sources or other works. Mr. Stein claims Carter just recalled from his own memory the events.
Jimma Carter receives no respect from me. He was a failed president and before that a lousy governor of the state of Georgia. I lived in the state at that time and was absolutely amazed that the American public would vote the man into the presidency.
Jimma Carter travels the world bashing the current president with glee. He finds himself quite amusing. He blames the current administration for not working harder on the Israeli/Palestine conflict. He knows President Bush is the first president to support a two state solution. He also knows that Secretary Rice has devoted much of her time on working for solutions. Yesterday Tony Blair said publicly that President Bush is the first international leader to commit to a two state solution.
When Carter was in office, he traveled to Israel and chastised Golda Meir that Israel was not religious enough. Can you imagine?
Jimma Carter is a bitter old man. At one time he was at least respected for humanitarian works. No longer. There comes a point when good works are overshadowed by the bad. In the past, when he embraced terrorist leaders like Arafat, the world looked away in silence. Times are different. With madmen in Iran and Syria continuing to state the elimination of Israel as their objectives, then on to America, the stakes are too high to remain silent.
The Palestinian leadership continues to allow the people of Palestine to live in unspeakable poverty and ignorance. Israel is not to blame. Former Prime Minister Sharon conceded more land to the people of Palestine and was rewarded with rockets launched into Israel and the resurgance of suicide bombers.
It is past time for Jimma Carter to go off into the sunset, sit on the front porch and gaze out at the peanuts.
I was pleasantly surprised by the reaction of the audience. Usually, when Fox News is bashed, like the bashing of the current administration, the young sheep (or the audiences of The View and Oprah) erupt into applause and laughter. This Columbia University audience was a bit different though. Only a smattering of applause and a bit of laughter was heard in the auditiorium.
Kenneth Stein, up until earlier in the week was an aide to former President Jimma Carter. Mr. Stein, a historian of 30 plus years, has worked with Carter in Georgia at the Carter Center and co-authored a book with him. He has now resigned from working with Carter. The recently published book of the former president put Mr. Stein over the top.
Seems Mr. Carter still hates the Jews. According to Mr. Stein, there are many factual errors in the new book concerning past historical events and policies. Carter doesn't reference sources or other works. Mr. Stein claims Carter just recalled from his own memory the events.
Jimma Carter receives no respect from me. He was a failed president and before that a lousy governor of the state of Georgia. I lived in the state at that time and was absolutely amazed that the American public would vote the man into the presidency.
Jimma Carter travels the world bashing the current president with glee. He finds himself quite amusing. He blames the current administration for not working harder on the Israeli/Palestine conflict. He knows President Bush is the first president to support a two state solution. He also knows that Secretary Rice has devoted much of her time on working for solutions. Yesterday Tony Blair said publicly that President Bush is the first international leader to commit to a two state solution.
When Carter was in office, he traveled to Israel and chastised Golda Meir that Israel was not religious enough. Can you imagine?
Jimma Carter is a bitter old man. At one time he was at least respected for humanitarian works. No longer. There comes a point when good works are overshadowed by the bad. In the past, when he embraced terrorist leaders like Arafat, the world looked away in silence. Times are different. With madmen in Iran and Syria continuing to state the elimination of Israel as their objectives, then on to America, the stakes are too high to remain silent.
The Palestinian leadership continues to allow the people of Palestine to live in unspeakable poverty and ignorance. Israel is not to blame. Former Prime Minister Sharon conceded more land to the people of Palestine and was rewarded with rockets launched into Israel and the resurgance of suicide bombers.
It is past time for Jimma Carter to go off into the sunset, sit on the front porch and gaze out at the peanuts.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
"Fat, Dumb and Happy"
This morning I am trying a new blend of my Boca Java. A seasonal blend, Merry Mistletoe, has been opened and I stirred in a bit of peppermint mocha creamer. Interesting taste. The coffee has light notes of roasted pecans and a hint of cinnamon. Not too overwhelming to be too flavored for a morning cup of coffee, I am relieved to say. Flavored coffee is no way to begin a day, if you are pouring a cup for me.
Last night for dinner I prepared enchiladas for son and me. We love them and it is one of the entrees we enjoy when hubby is out of town. We have several items on the list that hubby doesn't particularly care for yet the two of us enjoy them. So, this morning I am awakened by son asking the dreaded question, "Mom, did those enchiladas make you sick last night?" Apparently I have poisoned my son, as he was sick during the night and I have the comforter from his bed in the washer to prove it as I type. I feel fine. The boy normally has a cast iron stomach so I feel sorry for him. He's home from school, resting, as he assures me that he has the study guides from today's classes for next week's final exams.
Today is the 65th anniversary of the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. It's hard to believe the passage of time and that a whole generation of war heroes are leaving us so quickly. Husband, son and I visited Hawaii the spring break following the second attack on our soil, 9/11. Pearl Harbor was on the list of must-see activities. Unfortunately it was not to be. I knew we would regret it and I know I do. As I said, it was a few short months after 9/11 and new security measures were in place for the memorial. Absolutely no bags, including women's handbags, were allowed on the boat over to the memorial. Well, as our vacation had been spent on the Big Island, we were only flying in and out of Honolulu. This was on our departing day and we had all of our luggage with us. We had nowhere to store it since we didn't have a hotel room there. We understand the new rules, of course, but it was a disappointment. We walked along Waikiki Beach instead and enjoyed a lunch at a little local diner there.
Another remembrance surrounding Pearl Harbor is the following: When I was a college student in Atlanta, in the mid 70's, I was a taking a required Philosophy class. The professor was Japanese. I remember having to listen carefully to his lectures due to his still thick accent. For Pearl Harbor day's remembrance, he invited students to come by his residence and served sake to us. Don't be alarmed, the legal drinking age in Georgia at the time was 18 years so he wasn't breaking any laws.
This morning on the news I listened as a reporter interviewed some of the World War II veterans who made the pilgramage to the memorial, as many do every year. One gentleman told the reporter America has to remember to stay alert and beware of looming threats. He said we can never again be "fat, dumb and happy" as we were as a nation pre-9/11.
Something to remember.
Last night for dinner I prepared enchiladas for son and me. We love them and it is one of the entrees we enjoy when hubby is out of town. We have several items on the list that hubby doesn't particularly care for yet the two of us enjoy them. So, this morning I am awakened by son asking the dreaded question, "Mom, did those enchiladas make you sick last night?" Apparently I have poisoned my son, as he was sick during the night and I have the comforter from his bed in the washer to prove it as I type. I feel fine. The boy normally has a cast iron stomach so I feel sorry for him. He's home from school, resting, as he assures me that he has the study guides from today's classes for next week's final exams.
Today is the 65th anniversary of the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. It's hard to believe the passage of time and that a whole generation of war heroes are leaving us so quickly. Husband, son and I visited Hawaii the spring break following the second attack on our soil, 9/11. Pearl Harbor was on the list of must-see activities. Unfortunately it was not to be. I knew we would regret it and I know I do. As I said, it was a few short months after 9/11 and new security measures were in place for the memorial. Absolutely no bags, including women's handbags, were allowed on the boat over to the memorial. Well, as our vacation had been spent on the Big Island, we were only flying in and out of Honolulu. This was on our departing day and we had all of our luggage with us. We had nowhere to store it since we didn't have a hotel room there. We understand the new rules, of course, but it was a disappointment. We walked along Waikiki Beach instead and enjoyed a lunch at a little local diner there.
Another remembrance surrounding Pearl Harbor is the following: When I was a college student in Atlanta, in the mid 70's, I was a taking a required Philosophy class. The professor was Japanese. I remember having to listen carefully to his lectures due to his still thick accent. For Pearl Harbor day's remembrance, he invited students to come by his residence and served sake to us. Don't be alarmed, the legal drinking age in Georgia at the time was 18 years so he wasn't breaking any laws.
This morning on the news I listened as a reporter interviewed some of the World War II veterans who made the pilgramage to the memorial, as many do every year. One gentleman told the reporter America has to remember to stay alert and beware of looming threats. He said we can never again be "fat, dumb and happy" as we were as a nation pre-9/11.
Something to remember.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
I'll Try It Again
This is my second attempt at posting today. I don't know what happened to the first one. I guess the dog ate it.
All the buzz today is the Iraq Study Group report, presented to the President and then to Congress. I have two words for the finished product:
Big deal.
No, I haven't read it. From what I have taken from it so far is the same stuff that has been leaked to the press for the past two weeks. It goes something like this:
l. Iraq is a mess and not currently going very well.
2. Almost 3,000 of our nation's treasure have lost lives.
3. Almost 25,000 heroes have been wounded.
4. Serious corrections must be made in training the Iraqi police and military forces.
5. The battle in Iraq needs a political solution, not a military one.
6. The immediate withdrawal, or a withdrawal made too soon will result in catastrophe in the region.
7. Dividing the country into three regions is not the answer.
8. Success can still be met.
9. We may need to "negotiate" with Iran and Syria for help in the region.
See anything new there? The group laid it all out in 79 points. The negotiating with Iran and Syria is lunacy. Whom do you think is fueling the insurgency anyway? Oh, please Mr. Amajinidad, please stop sending weapons and money to the fanatics fighting the Americans and coalition soldiers. And, please acknowledge the Holocaust, while we're talking, ok?
The Democratic leadership ran to the cameras and had their say to the reporters. The administration is all wrong, the war is lost, Bush is the devil, etc. The usual pap.
Tony Snow held the regular news conference with reporters around lunch time. This was the best exchange I heard:
David Gregory: "Are you suggesting I'm trying to frame the report in a partisan way?"
Tony Snow: "Yes."
This exchange was after Gregory did his usual filibustering of the press conference with 20 questions and all negative and accusatory. He is truly disgusting. It's all about him.
So, now we are told the House of Representatives is going on a true 5 day a week schedule. Again. They were on one when Newt Gingrich was in charge, you may remember, and the Dems screamed bloody murder. And we are told there is to be one investigation after another, under the heading of "oversight". Um-huh.
Nancy Pelosi, after claiming the Dems could win without any concrete plans for the nation, has relied on her 100 hour plan. When the new Congress comes in, her 6 points to clean the swamp, as she so elegantly put it, will be enacted in 100 hours. What she doesn't say is, it will be 100 legislative hours, not actual hours. 100 legislative hours could take weeks. Ah, well. Bumper sticker slogans are more fun, aren't they?
Already the earmark reform, the pork projects, are not looking like this really will be reformed after all. Seems the Dems do it, too, and expect to keep on doing it. Shocking.
The Dems were not given a mandate, only a chance. Even the head Dem, Bill Clinton, admits this fact from the recent elections. The American public didn't necessarily want the Dems in charge, but they do want a change of policy.
We'll soon see what happens.
All the buzz today is the Iraq Study Group report, presented to the President and then to Congress. I have two words for the finished product:
Big deal.
No, I haven't read it. From what I have taken from it so far is the same stuff that has been leaked to the press for the past two weeks. It goes something like this:
l. Iraq is a mess and not currently going very well.
2. Almost 3,000 of our nation's treasure have lost lives.
3. Almost 25,000 heroes have been wounded.
4. Serious corrections must be made in training the Iraqi police and military forces.
5. The battle in Iraq needs a political solution, not a military one.
6. The immediate withdrawal, or a withdrawal made too soon will result in catastrophe in the region.
7. Dividing the country into three regions is not the answer.
8. Success can still be met.
9. We may need to "negotiate" with Iran and Syria for help in the region.
See anything new there? The group laid it all out in 79 points. The negotiating with Iran and Syria is lunacy. Whom do you think is fueling the insurgency anyway? Oh, please Mr. Amajinidad, please stop sending weapons and money to the fanatics fighting the Americans and coalition soldiers. And, please acknowledge the Holocaust, while we're talking, ok?
The Democratic leadership ran to the cameras and had their say to the reporters. The administration is all wrong, the war is lost, Bush is the devil, etc. The usual pap.
Tony Snow held the regular news conference with reporters around lunch time. This was the best exchange I heard:
David Gregory: "Are you suggesting I'm trying to frame the report in a partisan way?"
Tony Snow: "Yes."
This exchange was after Gregory did his usual filibustering of the press conference with 20 questions and all negative and accusatory. He is truly disgusting. It's all about him.
So, now we are told the House of Representatives is going on a true 5 day a week schedule. Again. They were on one when Newt Gingrich was in charge, you may remember, and the Dems screamed bloody murder. And we are told there is to be one investigation after another, under the heading of "oversight". Um-huh.
Nancy Pelosi, after claiming the Dems could win without any concrete plans for the nation, has relied on her 100 hour plan. When the new Congress comes in, her 6 points to clean the swamp, as she so elegantly put it, will be enacted in 100 hours. What she doesn't say is, it will be 100 legislative hours, not actual hours. 100 legislative hours could take weeks. Ah, well. Bumper sticker slogans are more fun, aren't they?
Already the earmark reform, the pork projects, are not looking like this really will be reformed after all. Seems the Dems do it, too, and expect to keep on doing it. Shocking.
The Dems were not given a mandate, only a chance. Even the head Dem, Bill Clinton, admits this fact from the recent elections. The American public didn't necessarily want the Dems in charge, but they do want a change of policy.
We'll soon see what happens.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Good Bye and Good Luck
Frost on the automobile this morning. Warmed up the machine again before we headed out. Needed the defroster. I'm happy to say it all works well. I'm enjoying a second cup of Boca Java Boca Villa now as I only had time for one before we left.
I'll be watching the Robert Gates hearing this morning. I hope it all goes quickly as I don't think a Secretary of Defense is a postition we want in limbo while we are at war. Texas A&M's loss is the country's gain.
The Dems, continuing to show their true partisan colors, refused to allow John Bolton's nomination to get out of committee for a vote on the Senate floor, where he would have be voted in, so he has resigned. It's a shame that political gamesmanship overrides the best interests of the country. John Bolton was quite successful and he was respected in the position. I am disappointed the administration didn't fight harder for him. He has devoted his career to serving the country with honor, in short supply for many.
Add another celebrity to the list of those who will never get any of my ticket money anymore. Gwyneth Paltrow, pulling the spoiled American trick overseas, claimed to a Porteguese newspaper that Americans are not intelligent and are too materialistic to be interesting. Seems she thinks dinner conversations center around work too much in this country.
Poor Gwynnie. She claims she was misunderstood in the interview, now that she realizes what an ass she was. She claims she was speaking in Spanish to the reporter and she blames her mastery of the language on the comments and their interpretation.
Where does she think she made all the money to allow her the freedom to move around and live where she pleases? Those boring Americans have provided her with a very comfortable lifestyle. She lives next to Madonna and claims Madonna is her mentor.
Quite the role model, Madonna. And both are sorely lacking in talent. Madonna has at least mastered the art of public relations. Maybe it was Madonna's advise to Gwennie to be an idiot for publicity.
Advice to Gwyn: remember the Dixie Chicks.
I'll be watching the Robert Gates hearing this morning. I hope it all goes quickly as I don't think a Secretary of Defense is a postition we want in limbo while we are at war. Texas A&M's loss is the country's gain.
The Dems, continuing to show their true partisan colors, refused to allow John Bolton's nomination to get out of committee for a vote on the Senate floor, where he would have be voted in, so he has resigned. It's a shame that political gamesmanship overrides the best interests of the country. John Bolton was quite successful and he was respected in the position. I am disappointed the administration didn't fight harder for him. He has devoted his career to serving the country with honor, in short supply for many.
Add another celebrity to the list of those who will never get any of my ticket money anymore. Gwyneth Paltrow, pulling the spoiled American trick overseas, claimed to a Porteguese newspaper that Americans are not intelligent and are too materialistic to be interesting. Seems she thinks dinner conversations center around work too much in this country.
Poor Gwynnie. She claims she was misunderstood in the interview, now that she realizes what an ass she was. She claims she was speaking in Spanish to the reporter and she blames her mastery of the language on the comments and their interpretation.
Where does she think she made all the money to allow her the freedom to move around and live where she pleases? Those boring Americans have provided her with a very comfortable lifestyle. She lives next to Madonna and claims Madonna is her mentor.
Quite the role model, Madonna. And both are sorely lacking in talent. Madonna has at least mastered the art of public relations. Maybe it was Madonna's advise to Gwennie to be an idiot for publicity.
Advice to Gwyn: remember the Dixie Chicks.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Beware the Christmas Decorations
I had to run out and start the car a bit before we headed out this morning as I thought Mondays are icky enough without dealing with a cold car, too.
I have had the mother in law on my mind with her broken kneecap here at Christmas time. Her accident is further evidence to me that this is a perilous time of year.
Mother in law fractured the kneecap of her right leg. She was out in her garage gathering boxes of Christmas decorations. She was trying to get the seasonal decorating done with on her free day. A very common accident happened. Her heel of her shoe caught an upturned corner of a throw rug and she went down. She landed directly on both knees. Just visualizing this sends a jolt up my spine. She is lucky it was only one kneecap fractured. She is lucky it isn't an entire leg or hip, for that matter. She is in a brace, removable for showers and dressing, so she does have a bit of leeway there.
This brings me to my own Christmas decoration accident. In 1998, we moved to a suburb of Houston. We rented a house for a year so that we weren't rushed into buying a house right away, as we weren't familar enough with the city to know where we wanted to live. This rented house was carpeted throughout. The Christmas tree was displayed in the living room of this house in front of the big picture window. It was a real tree, brought home by husband and son and decorated by son and me on afternoon. Husband supervised after getting the thing into the stand.
A real tree, of course, must be watered. On Sunday evening, after dinner but before bedtime, I went into the living room to check to see if the tree needed water. I brought the watering can and placed in on the floor as I plopped down on the floor. I stretched out and checked. Upon rising, I somehow managed to get my feet tangled up and went down. My tibia was fractured rather badly, as it turned out.
I couldn't move. The pain was so intense I couldn't even yell loudly for the husband. He heard me and instructed son to dial 911 for help. The ambulance came and I went out on a stretcher into the cold night in my flannel nightgown and a blanket over me. The next door neighbors were kindly inquiring if son would like to pack a little bag and spend the night at their house but he stayed with his dad. They followed the ambulance to the hospital.
My ankle was swollen and x-rays were taken. They told me to take Advil, a remedy they say helps swelling better than regular aspirin. They gave me the business card of an Orthopedic surgeon after making an appointment with him for the next morning. Remember, this was Sunday night. I was sent home on crutches.
I am not the most coordinated humans on a good day, so the crutches were quite a challenge. Husband took son and me back to the house and went out to the drugstore for a jumbo bottle of Advil.
Next morning it was determined surgery was in order. That night I had surgery - a steel rod was placed into my leg with bolts. Lovely scar, too, from the ankle bone halfway up my calf (?). You know what I mean.
I was in a cast for 6 weeks, a walking cast 6 weeks, and then physical therapy. Yeah, good times.
I threw out that flannel nightgown. Bad karma. Three months later I had my gall bladder removed. I was relieved when the lease was up and we moved into the city into a new (to us) house of our own.
We now have artificial trees. The latest is a three foot tall tree, placed on the large, wide hearth in the great room and it is lit with fiber optics. Quite fun to watch.
And much safer for me, too!
I have had the mother in law on my mind with her broken kneecap here at Christmas time. Her accident is further evidence to me that this is a perilous time of year.
Mother in law fractured the kneecap of her right leg. She was out in her garage gathering boxes of Christmas decorations. She was trying to get the seasonal decorating done with on her free day. A very common accident happened. Her heel of her shoe caught an upturned corner of a throw rug and she went down. She landed directly on both knees. Just visualizing this sends a jolt up my spine. She is lucky it was only one kneecap fractured. She is lucky it isn't an entire leg or hip, for that matter. She is in a brace, removable for showers and dressing, so she does have a bit of leeway there.
This brings me to my own Christmas decoration accident. In 1998, we moved to a suburb of Houston. We rented a house for a year so that we weren't rushed into buying a house right away, as we weren't familar enough with the city to know where we wanted to live. This rented house was carpeted throughout. The Christmas tree was displayed in the living room of this house in front of the big picture window. It was a real tree, brought home by husband and son and decorated by son and me on afternoon. Husband supervised after getting the thing into the stand.
A real tree, of course, must be watered. On Sunday evening, after dinner but before bedtime, I went into the living room to check to see if the tree needed water. I brought the watering can and placed in on the floor as I plopped down on the floor. I stretched out and checked. Upon rising, I somehow managed to get my feet tangled up and went down. My tibia was fractured rather badly, as it turned out.
I couldn't move. The pain was so intense I couldn't even yell loudly for the husband. He heard me and instructed son to dial 911 for help. The ambulance came and I went out on a stretcher into the cold night in my flannel nightgown and a blanket over me. The next door neighbors were kindly inquiring if son would like to pack a little bag and spend the night at their house but he stayed with his dad. They followed the ambulance to the hospital.
My ankle was swollen and x-rays were taken. They told me to take Advil, a remedy they say helps swelling better than regular aspirin. They gave me the business card of an Orthopedic surgeon after making an appointment with him for the next morning. Remember, this was Sunday night. I was sent home on crutches.
I am not the most coordinated humans on a good day, so the crutches were quite a challenge. Husband took son and me back to the house and went out to the drugstore for a jumbo bottle of Advil.
Next morning it was determined surgery was in order. That night I had surgery - a steel rod was placed into my leg with bolts. Lovely scar, too, from the ankle bone halfway up my calf (?). You know what I mean.
I was in a cast for 6 weeks, a walking cast 6 weeks, and then physical therapy. Yeah, good times.
I threw out that flannel nightgown. Bad karma. Three months later I had my gall bladder removed. I was relieved when the lease was up and we moved into the city into a new (to us) house of our own.
We now have artificial trees. The latest is a three foot tall tree, placed on the large, wide hearth in the great room and it is lit with fiber optics. Quite fun to watch.
And much safer for me, too!
Saturday, December 02, 2006
A Woman's Work Is Never Done
Awaking this morning was normal. Max and I went back to lay down a while after I switched on the coffee and he went outside to patrol the parameter of the backyard and water somewhere. I turned on the tv to check and see if the world was still rotating on its axis and drifted back to sleep.
Next thing I knew the telephone was ringing. I reached over to the nightstand and cleared my throat. "Hello?", I say, trying to sound like I wasn't asleep. It was my mother in law, chirping hello and telling me to ask her how she is. Ok, I say. "How are you?". Her leg is in a brace, thank you and her kneecap has suffered a fracture. The doctor put her in a full leg brace to keep the kneecap secure to mend. It won't be in a cast so she can still shower and change clothes comfortably, with the help of medication. Her friends are all stopping by and bringing her meals and helping around her place.
She is a lucky woman. Not the broken kneecap thing, of course, but the fact that she has lived in the same town for more than 60 years and has so many old friends who automatically kick into gear and take care of her. She is extremely healthy, especially for a woman of 84 years, but all the women rally around each other with support and care when needed.
We should all be so lucky.
As luck would have it, I had just made the final reservations for her air travel here for a Christmas visit last night, online, as I usually do. Since it was less than 24 hours ago, and since I took out the ticket insurance plan, I got a full refund on the ticket and the insurance charges. That was a relief.
I told her that a couple of books were to be Christmas gifts for her so I'd get them on out to her Monday. She is a voracious reader and will be wanting books to read. The ladies all pass around books to each other, too.
So, we'll have a Christmas celebration in the spring this coming new year with her.
Today I've been running around picking up things for the boy for his Winter Dance tonight, as guest of his date. I picked up his new suit that had been altered and then the date's corsage. I went by the ATM to get cash for his dinner tonight at the restaurant before the dance. Geez.
He did help me put up the large lighted candy canes in the front yard so that's worth something.
His date's parents are arriving with her in 45 minutes to pick him up and he's just going upstairs to get ready. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. As a teenage girl I'd have devoted the entire afternoon to getting ready.
Boys.
Next thing I knew the telephone was ringing. I reached over to the nightstand and cleared my throat. "Hello?", I say, trying to sound like I wasn't asleep. It was my mother in law, chirping hello and telling me to ask her how she is. Ok, I say. "How are you?". Her leg is in a brace, thank you and her kneecap has suffered a fracture. The doctor put her in a full leg brace to keep the kneecap secure to mend. It won't be in a cast so she can still shower and change clothes comfortably, with the help of medication. Her friends are all stopping by and bringing her meals and helping around her place.
She is a lucky woman. Not the broken kneecap thing, of course, but the fact that she has lived in the same town for more than 60 years and has so many old friends who automatically kick into gear and take care of her. She is extremely healthy, especially for a woman of 84 years, but all the women rally around each other with support and care when needed.
We should all be so lucky.
As luck would have it, I had just made the final reservations for her air travel here for a Christmas visit last night, online, as I usually do. Since it was less than 24 hours ago, and since I took out the ticket insurance plan, I got a full refund on the ticket and the insurance charges. That was a relief.
I told her that a couple of books were to be Christmas gifts for her so I'd get them on out to her Monday. She is a voracious reader and will be wanting books to read. The ladies all pass around books to each other, too.
So, we'll have a Christmas celebration in the spring this coming new year with her.
Today I've been running around picking up things for the boy for his Winter Dance tonight, as guest of his date. I picked up his new suit that had been altered and then the date's corsage. I went by the ATM to get cash for his dinner tonight at the restaurant before the dance. Geez.
He did help me put up the large lighted candy canes in the front yard so that's worth something.
His date's parents are arriving with her in 45 minutes to pick him up and he's just going upstairs to get ready. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. As a teenage girl I'd have devoted the entire afternoon to getting ready.
Boys.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Do You Hear What I Hear?
The story of the 6 Imams who were taken off the U.S. Airways flight in Minneapolis is a strange one. The continuing trickle of facts coming out is interesting.
Last night a woman going by the name of "Pauline" told the story from her perspective as a passenger on the flight. She is afraid to use her full name, her hometown or any personal information at all. She fears retribution. It's the times in which we live.
Six Muslim men bring out the prayer mats and pray in the waiting area before boarding the flight. Some other passengers say that they hear disparaging comments about President Bush, the U.S., the war in Iraq and praises of bin Laden. Another Muslim man, not in this group of Imams, translates some of the Arabic into English for other passengers.
Once onboard the Imams change from their assigned seats. In twos, they move to seats by exits. One goes up to first class. Some request seat extenders but don't use them or are heavy enough to require them, for that matter. They put them on the floor of the plane.
This pattern of behavior alarms some of the nearby, alert passengers. This pattern of behavior is known to have been used on 9/11 so the alarm is understandable.
Flight attendants call the authorities and FBI led them off the plane. Bomb sniffer dogs were dispatched. The passengers applauded when the Imams were led off the plane.
The curious part is how it was all reported. Most of us knew nothing about it until the following morning when the attorneys and "victims" were making the rounds on tv telling their version of the story. All of a sudden we had racial, ethnic profiling and misbehavior by the employees of U.S. Airways. They complain they were lead off in handcuffs. "Pauline" says they were not. She said the whole process was quiet and professional.
I applaud the alert passengers for reporting suspicious behavior of fellow passengers. In a post 9/11 world, this is the single most important lesson to learn - do not be afraid of possible embarrassment, speak up. We are all in this together and have to look out for each other.
Turns out one of the Imams squawking the loudest has previous ties to Hamas and money transactions with the group. Turns out the mosque they were traveling to meet at in Arizona is under investigation by the Feds.
Other Muslims were on the flight. None of them had any problems at all. Just these 6 Imams. Why? Well, in today's world if you are Arab speaking Muslims, you have to make adjustments in this country. Flying is not a right, it is a priviledge. The airline is a private company and you should be smart enough to know how to properly behave. These Imams were not unworldly men. They knew exactly how they would be perceived.
Was it all a stunt for publicity? Was it meant to intimidate future flyers from speaking up? Was this meant to pave the way for a future tragedy in the air?
The right call was made. If they want to boycott U.S. Airways, so be it. Who cares? They are victims only of inconvenience and they brought it on themselves. Too bad.
The number in the arrests of the terrorists in training here in Houston has risen to three now. The two arrested earlier in the week had others involved. No surprise. There are more out there.
I hope they are all inconvenienced as soon as possible.
Last night a woman going by the name of "Pauline" told the story from her perspective as a passenger on the flight. She is afraid to use her full name, her hometown or any personal information at all. She fears retribution. It's the times in which we live.
Six Muslim men bring out the prayer mats and pray in the waiting area before boarding the flight. Some other passengers say that they hear disparaging comments about President Bush, the U.S., the war in Iraq and praises of bin Laden. Another Muslim man, not in this group of Imams, translates some of the Arabic into English for other passengers.
Once onboard the Imams change from their assigned seats. In twos, they move to seats by exits. One goes up to first class. Some request seat extenders but don't use them or are heavy enough to require them, for that matter. They put them on the floor of the plane.
This pattern of behavior alarms some of the nearby, alert passengers. This pattern of behavior is known to have been used on 9/11 so the alarm is understandable.
Flight attendants call the authorities and FBI led them off the plane. Bomb sniffer dogs were dispatched. The passengers applauded when the Imams were led off the plane.
The curious part is how it was all reported. Most of us knew nothing about it until the following morning when the attorneys and "victims" were making the rounds on tv telling their version of the story. All of a sudden we had racial, ethnic profiling and misbehavior by the employees of U.S. Airways. They complain they were lead off in handcuffs. "Pauline" says they were not. She said the whole process was quiet and professional.
I applaud the alert passengers for reporting suspicious behavior of fellow passengers. In a post 9/11 world, this is the single most important lesson to learn - do not be afraid of possible embarrassment, speak up. We are all in this together and have to look out for each other.
Turns out one of the Imams squawking the loudest has previous ties to Hamas and money transactions with the group. Turns out the mosque they were traveling to meet at in Arizona is under investigation by the Feds.
Other Muslims were on the flight. None of them had any problems at all. Just these 6 Imams. Why? Well, in today's world if you are Arab speaking Muslims, you have to make adjustments in this country. Flying is not a right, it is a priviledge. The airline is a private company and you should be smart enough to know how to properly behave. These Imams were not unworldly men. They knew exactly how they would be perceived.
Was it all a stunt for publicity? Was it meant to intimidate future flyers from speaking up? Was this meant to pave the way for a future tragedy in the air?
The right call was made. If they want to boycott U.S. Airways, so be it. Who cares? They are victims only of inconvenience and they brought it on themselves. Too bad.
The number in the arrests of the terrorists in training here in Houston has risen to three now. The two arrested earlier in the week had others involved. No surprise. There are more out there.
I hope they are all inconvenienced as soon as possible.
Boring Boorish Behavior
I do so love alliteration! It's Friday, what the heck. I'm sipping a little Pinot Grigio and smelling the enticing aroma of the beef stew in the slow cooker. We have some fresh French bread to warm up when it's time to serve the stew. I'm good.
The wind that blew in the frigid air yesterday is gone and clothing is not flying about any longer. It is Dec. 1, which means hurricane season is officially history for another year. It is feeling like the holiday season now. I have broken out the Christmas cds and am getting into the swing of things. I treasure the vast array of Christmas music in this house. Every kind of music is covered and something can be found to get even the grinchiest human in the mood.
Politicans behaving badly is nothing new. Yesterday brought out two examples of men obviously compensating for something in their lives. Seems to me when men feel the need to be all macho and big guy sounding, they are covering for something inadequate in their lives, if you know what I mean, and I think you do.
Not even sworn into office yet, the incoming Senator-elect from Virginia, James Webb, is well known from boorish behavior. He was let go from the Reagan administration as the Secretary of the Navy after 7 months on the job and has been trying to prove what a man he is ever since. He has no love of women, as proven by his behavior during the whole Tailhook scandal and then in his later novels. So, he decided to run for the Senate. He changed over to the Democratic party and put on his son's military boots to strut his stuff. At a reception at the White House with the President for incoming freshmen, he tried to avoid President Bush. He didn't go thru the reception line. He said he didn't want a picture of him and the President on his office wall. He said he is showing his leadership by his actions. Ok. His actions are boorish, juvenile and not in the best interests of his bosses, the people whom he represents. The President inquired about his son in the military when he saw him and Webb was an ass. "That's between me and my boy", he said. Nice. Then he tells the reporter he looks forward to working with the President to get work done. Good luck.
"Leaders do symbolic things to try to convey who they are and what the message is", he told a Washington Post reporter. Yeah, we know exactly who he is now, don't we? Such delusions of grandeur. The whole symbolic thing came to a head during the Clinton days. They were masters at it. Covers up the fact that only little things are done, not the big issues of the day. Webb will learn the hard way, I suppose.
Last night I saw a report that Howard Dean was the invited keynote speaker of the Canadian Liberal party's convention. His speech, spoken partly in French, was the usual stuff until he made a remark and then said "Fox News wouldn't like that." Yeah, that's a funny line, Howard. Then it was noted by the reporter of the piece that Fox News was the only news coverage of the speech. And then the reporter spoke in French to wrap up the piece. Priceless. Howard continues to prove why he is so not an important person anymore.
And lastly, I finish with a quote from Dana Priest, Washington Post National Security Correspondent: "Publishing secrets is essential in a democracy". She calls is essential, I call it sedition during a time of war.
C'est la vie, mes amis.
The wind that blew in the frigid air yesterday is gone and clothing is not flying about any longer. It is Dec. 1, which means hurricane season is officially history for another year. It is feeling like the holiday season now. I have broken out the Christmas cds and am getting into the swing of things. I treasure the vast array of Christmas music in this house. Every kind of music is covered and something can be found to get even the grinchiest human in the mood.
Politicans behaving badly is nothing new. Yesterday brought out two examples of men obviously compensating for something in their lives. Seems to me when men feel the need to be all macho and big guy sounding, they are covering for something inadequate in their lives, if you know what I mean, and I think you do.
Not even sworn into office yet, the incoming Senator-elect from Virginia, James Webb, is well known from boorish behavior. He was let go from the Reagan administration as the Secretary of the Navy after 7 months on the job and has been trying to prove what a man he is ever since. He has no love of women, as proven by his behavior during the whole Tailhook scandal and then in his later novels. So, he decided to run for the Senate. He changed over to the Democratic party and put on his son's military boots to strut his stuff. At a reception at the White House with the President for incoming freshmen, he tried to avoid President Bush. He didn't go thru the reception line. He said he didn't want a picture of him and the President on his office wall. He said he is showing his leadership by his actions. Ok. His actions are boorish, juvenile and not in the best interests of his bosses, the people whom he represents. The President inquired about his son in the military when he saw him and Webb was an ass. "That's between me and my boy", he said. Nice. Then he tells the reporter he looks forward to working with the President to get work done. Good luck.
"Leaders do symbolic things to try to convey who they are and what the message is", he told a Washington Post reporter. Yeah, we know exactly who he is now, don't we? Such delusions of grandeur. The whole symbolic thing came to a head during the Clinton days. They were masters at it. Covers up the fact that only little things are done, not the big issues of the day. Webb will learn the hard way, I suppose.
Last night I saw a report that Howard Dean was the invited keynote speaker of the Canadian Liberal party's convention. His speech, spoken partly in French, was the usual stuff until he made a remark and then said "Fox News wouldn't like that." Yeah, that's a funny line, Howard. Then it was noted by the reporter of the piece that Fox News was the only news coverage of the speech. And then the reporter spoke in French to wrap up the piece. Priceless. Howard continues to prove why he is so not an important person anymore.
And lastly, I finish with a quote from Dana Priest, Washington Post National Security Correspondent: "Publishing secrets is essential in a democracy". She calls is essential, I call it sedition during a time of war.
C'est la vie, mes amis.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Thursday Thoughts
As promised, finally, the temperature has been dropping all day. Some light rain with it so it is a damp cold. Tonight I'll have to turn on the heater. It'll be in the 30's. Crazy stuff.
May I just comment on the cost of a nice suit, shirt, silk tie, belt, and lace up dress shoes for a 17 year old young man? Holy cow. I hope he enjoys the Winter Dance, that's all I can say. Plus the tickets and wrist corsage for his date. And dinner before the dance at a nice Italian restaurant. You'd think it was prom.
I used the heater in my new car today for the first time. Works great. Did I mention I have a new vehicle? For the first time in over 20 years I have a new, used car. Yeah, that's right. It is a 2006 so with the 2007 models out now, my car becomes used. It had 96 miles on it at delivery. But most importantly, it has the new car smell. What a luxury for this girl. When I married the husband, we became perennial used car buyers. We have had some great ones, at great deals. My first real adult working experience was at a automobile dealership so I am well aware of the instant depreciation of autos once they leave the dealership's lot.
This car is a Chevy Impala with the bigger engine in it. Maroon with biege cloth seats. I christened the cd player yesterday with my Il Divo Christmas album. I love my Il Divo boys. They're so pretty and have glorious voices.
The car I drove the longest period of time was a Mercedes 300D. It was a great car. Lasted forever. I've had good luck with Mazda's, too. I have had two different models of them. Both of those I bought new as a single woman. I worked for the dealership.
Anyway, I guess the old adage of everything comes in three's is true in Hollywood, huh. First Mel Gibson, then Michael Richards and now Danny DeVito having a meltdown. DeVito was on the View yesterday and according to the clips I saw, was drunk and obnoxious. He fell into the standard cheap laughs with the Bush is stupid crowd. Too bad. I liked him. No more. He was on Fox and Friends earlier and I saw him on that before starting the day and he appeared sober and was fine. Of course I wasn't terribly alert myself at that hour. Doesn't say much for his comedic skills when he does the same pap that Letterman and Jon Stewart do. Not to mention it is just not true. Bush isn't a great speaker but his intelligence is greater than his critics. I guess they still prefer a haughty French looking Boston accent to a Texas twang. It's one of the last accepted prejudices, isn't it, that a slower accent means you lack intelligence.
Bless his heart.
May I just comment on the cost of a nice suit, shirt, silk tie, belt, and lace up dress shoes for a 17 year old young man? Holy cow. I hope he enjoys the Winter Dance, that's all I can say. Plus the tickets and wrist corsage for his date. And dinner before the dance at a nice Italian restaurant. You'd think it was prom.
I used the heater in my new car today for the first time. Works great. Did I mention I have a new vehicle? For the first time in over 20 years I have a new, used car. Yeah, that's right. It is a 2006 so with the 2007 models out now, my car becomes used. It had 96 miles on it at delivery. But most importantly, it has the new car smell. What a luxury for this girl. When I married the husband, we became perennial used car buyers. We have had some great ones, at great deals. My first real adult working experience was at a automobile dealership so I am well aware of the instant depreciation of autos once they leave the dealership's lot.
This car is a Chevy Impala with the bigger engine in it. Maroon with biege cloth seats. I christened the cd player yesterday with my Il Divo Christmas album. I love my Il Divo boys. They're so pretty and have glorious voices.
The car I drove the longest period of time was a Mercedes 300D. It was a great car. Lasted forever. I've had good luck with Mazda's, too. I have had two different models of them. Both of those I bought new as a single woman. I worked for the dealership.
Anyway, I guess the old adage of everything comes in three's is true in Hollywood, huh. First Mel Gibson, then Michael Richards and now Danny DeVito having a meltdown. DeVito was on the View yesterday and according to the clips I saw, was drunk and obnoxious. He fell into the standard cheap laughs with the Bush is stupid crowd. Too bad. I liked him. No more. He was on Fox and Friends earlier and I saw him on that before starting the day and he appeared sober and was fine. Of course I wasn't terribly alert myself at that hour. Doesn't say much for his comedic skills when he does the same pap that Letterman and Jon Stewart do. Not to mention it is just not true. Bush isn't a great speaker but his intelligence is greater than his critics. I guess they still prefer a haughty French looking Boston accent to a Texas twang. It's one of the last accepted prejudices, isn't it, that a slower accent means you lack intelligence.
Bless his heart.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
It's a New Day
Feeling more like myself today, it's a new day. Coffee drinking worked its magic and into the world I went. Stopped by the grocery store after dropping off the son at school in case we get any rainshowers this afternoon. I like going to early in the morning while the store is still quiet and not crowded.
Two disquieting local stories in the news yesterday and continuing on into today. A local high school was on lockdown yesterday after a teen was shot, drive-by style, in front of the school. More news is coming out this morning and seems to be a gang thing. This school has had its problems, beginning to come to a head after the Katrina evacuees came to town. As many schools suffered from turf wars between the locals and the New Orleans kids, this school in particular had a lot of problems including violence between the groups. Now they seem to have a growing gang problem. Earlier in the school year there was a report of a violent sexual assault in a restroom on school grounds. Sounds like the school needs new administrative leadership.
The second story of concern this morning is the arrest of two men in cahoots with the Taliban. As you may know, this area has a huge Muslim population, especially in comparison to other metro areas around the country, except Detroit. These two young men, one mid-twenties, one early thirties, were arrested and charged with training to fight American and coalition forces in the middle east. They were trained just outside Houston and I hope the authorities are handling all that this entails. Shut the operations down and get rid of these enemies of our country. One, by the way, is an illegal Pakistani.
I'm still waiting for the cold snap we have been promised for the past few days. It is suppose to be here tomorrow. I would like to stop running the a/c around here, thank you. The electric company has gotten enough of our family budget this year.
Two disquieting local stories in the news yesterday and continuing on into today. A local high school was on lockdown yesterday after a teen was shot, drive-by style, in front of the school. More news is coming out this morning and seems to be a gang thing. This school has had its problems, beginning to come to a head after the Katrina evacuees came to town. As many schools suffered from turf wars between the locals and the New Orleans kids, this school in particular had a lot of problems including violence between the groups. Now they seem to have a growing gang problem. Earlier in the school year there was a report of a violent sexual assault in a restroom on school grounds. Sounds like the school needs new administrative leadership.
The second story of concern this morning is the arrest of two men in cahoots with the Taliban. As you may know, this area has a huge Muslim population, especially in comparison to other metro areas around the country, except Detroit. These two young men, one mid-twenties, one early thirties, were arrested and charged with training to fight American and coalition forces in the middle east. They were trained just outside Houston and I hope the authorities are handling all that this entails. Shut the operations down and get rid of these enemies of our country. One, by the way, is an illegal Pakistani.
I'm still waiting for the cold snap we have been promised for the past few days. It is suppose to be here tomorrow. I would like to stop running the a/c around here, thank you. The electric company has gotten enough of our family budget this year.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Tuesday's Tidings
I got about 3 hours sleep last night and I am feeling it today. I took a nap this morning to try to feel better, with not much in the way of success. Hubby left about 2:30 to drive over to Louisiana so he can get out into the Gulf. I only had a day and a half to get used to the Croatian haircut. It's not pretty, that's the truth. It is really short, Jarhead style, on the top and the back at the neckline goes too far down. The sides and sideburns aren't right either. It's just not good.
As I frequently mention the coffee waking me up each morning, I often mention Boca Java. I signed on to a plan where they ship an order to me every couple of months and then they ship coffee to the troops overseas earned from my order. Combined with lots of customer orders, it adds up. I got a notice, via e-mail yesterday that my coffee donation from the last order went to 950th Maintenance CO, 352nd CBS APO,AE 09334. Interesting. They ship coffee to the troops every Friday. Coffee is a basic need for me so I think it is a great program and the very least I can do.
Our Westside Wolves came to the end of the road in the District playoffs Saturday at beautiful, huge, Reliant Stadium. The team had a great year. For such a young school they have been quite remarkable. This year, on the All-District Team the Wolves' quarterback was named District MPV and the coach was named Coach of the Year. Maybe they'll win it all next year for son's senior year. He isn't much for sports but would be something to remember.
As I frequently mention the coffee waking me up each morning, I often mention Boca Java. I signed on to a plan where they ship an order to me every couple of months and then they ship coffee to the troops overseas earned from my order. Combined with lots of customer orders, it adds up. I got a notice, via e-mail yesterday that my coffee donation from the last order went to 950th Maintenance CO, 352nd CBS APO,AE 09334. Interesting. They ship coffee to the troops every Friday. Coffee is a basic need for me so I think it is a great program and the very least I can do.
Our Westside Wolves came to the end of the road in the District playoffs Saturday at beautiful, huge, Reliant Stadium. The team had a great year. For such a young school they have been quite remarkable. This year, on the All-District Team the Wolves' quarterback was named District MPV and the coach was named Coach of the Year. Maybe they'll win it all next year for son's senior year. He isn't much for sports but would be something to remember.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Monday Musings
Just back from taking son to school and fighting traffics snarls and drizzling rain. Back to the routine we were taking a break from last week. Finishing up a cup of Boca Java Boca Villa and getting ready to pick up my new automobile when the dealership opens this morning.
Hubby is back from his travels to Africa. One word of advice - never let a Croatian near your hair with scissors. That's all I'm saying.
Making preparations for the coming Christmas holiday. Have to take son to purchase a new suit for a Winter Dance this weekend. It's semi-formal and the girl who invited him says a nice suit is fine so that's what it'll be. He outgrew his suit from a year and a half ago. I'll order her wrist corsage later today. The girl goes to a Catholic girls school so it's girls inviting boys.
Making reservations for air travel for the mother in law to come here for Christmas. I'm looking at a 4 day visit. Maybe 5, tops. Hopefully husband will be home this year. I'll be making our dinner theatre reservations again for Christmas Eve, as it was a hit last year. My childhood girlfriend and her son will join us again. Her husband, too, if he is visiting from his work in Iraq.
Speaking of Iraq, did you hear Charlie Rangel, (D-NY) channeling John Kerry by saying on Fox's Sunday morning show that if a young man had an option of a "decent" career or on enlisting to serve the country, he'd not pick serving. Yeah, they just keep on proving the Dems are not worthy of the nation's trust when it comes to national defense.
The standard line by the foolish military bashers is that it's only those young people who are poor, rural, and without any other options in life that are in the armed forces. He's a Korean War vet so he feels entitled to spout nonsense and not be held accountable for it. The Hertitage Foundation has published a through paper on who comprises our military today and the answer is disturbing to charlatans like Rangel. The study shows our military is comprised of people who are better educated, from middle to higher income families, and a huge sense of service to country.
Rangel is in line to become the chair of the appropriations committee in the House so I am sure while he is trying to rescind the Bush tax cuts, which have brought about a boom in the economy at all levels, he'll be working on cutting funding to the military, too. He's a disgrace. I hope he continues with his nonsense loud and clear the next two years.
Hubby is back from his travels to Africa. One word of advice - never let a Croatian near your hair with scissors. That's all I'm saying.
Making preparations for the coming Christmas holiday. Have to take son to purchase a new suit for a Winter Dance this weekend. It's semi-formal and the girl who invited him says a nice suit is fine so that's what it'll be. He outgrew his suit from a year and a half ago. I'll order her wrist corsage later today. The girl goes to a Catholic girls school so it's girls inviting boys.
Making reservations for air travel for the mother in law to come here for Christmas. I'm looking at a 4 day visit. Maybe 5, tops. Hopefully husband will be home this year. I'll be making our dinner theatre reservations again for Christmas Eve, as it was a hit last year. My childhood girlfriend and her son will join us again. Her husband, too, if he is visiting from his work in Iraq.
Speaking of Iraq, did you hear Charlie Rangel, (D-NY) channeling John Kerry by saying on Fox's Sunday morning show that if a young man had an option of a "decent" career or on enlisting to serve the country, he'd not pick serving. Yeah, they just keep on proving the Dems are not worthy of the nation's trust when it comes to national defense.
The standard line by the foolish military bashers is that it's only those young people who are poor, rural, and without any other options in life that are in the armed forces. He's a Korean War vet so he feels entitled to spout nonsense and not be held accountable for it. The Hertitage Foundation has published a through paper on who comprises our military today and the answer is disturbing to charlatans like Rangel. The study shows our military is comprised of people who are better educated, from middle to higher income families, and a huge sense of service to country.
Rangel is in line to become the chair of the appropriations committee in the House so I am sure while he is trying to rescind the Bush tax cuts, which have brought about a boom in the economy at all levels, he'll be working on cutting funding to the military, too. He's a disgrace. I hope he continues with his nonsense loud and clear the next two years.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Leftovers
Sipping my Boca Java and enjoying some quiet time. I am feeling relief that yesterday I didn't do the whole bird but just the parts we wanted. No fridge full of leftovers to worry about. Son enjoyed the turkey legs, one leftover, and the fresh turkey breast was really good. Enough leftover from that for some really good sandwiches.
Last night I was channel surfing and caught an interview on C-SPAN dating back to 1994. It was with Barbara Bush and the interviewer was Carl S. Anthony, an author of books on first ladies. Barbara Bush, such a class act. The interviewer asked a few questions with a certain tone in his voice but he was no match for her. She handled the predominantly liberal audience just fine.
Mrs. Bush reminded me of a few facts I had forgotten. She was the first first lady to hire a minority chief of staff for her office in the east wing of the White House. Anna Perez went on to a career in California. Also, the first Bush administration gave more money to the world population planning movement than previous administrations.
She and Bush 41 made a vow with each other not to criticize the Clintons as they took office. Shows the difference of class and none.
The Clintons are a look into the flip side of a former president. Bill Clinton won't let the spotlight go and is now openly going around the world telling folks how smart he is, when we know our foreign policy mess falls at his feet. I am reading Louis Freeh's book, "My FBI" and it is an eye-opener. The man openly dismissed helping the FBI bring to justice the Khobar Towers terrorists, yet felt free to hit up King Abdullah for million dollar donations for the Clinton Library being built in Little Rock. Freeh had to go to Bush 41 for assistance, behind the scenes.
Remember Hillary Clinton on the floor of the Senate a couple of days after 9/11 holding up the New York newspaper with the headlines "What did he know and When did he know it?" implying President Bush didn't do anything to stop the attack? I will never forget that moment. I thought at the time, what a political whore she is, showing all the world her true, raw ambitions while our nation grieves in shock after the attacks. The Pentagon was still burning yet there she was. And it all traced back to her husband's administration and the beginnings back to the Carter Administration.
After the Barbara Bush interview re-run, C-SPAN showed one with the same author with Hillary from the same week. He was fawning and gushing as you would expect. To listen to her now after 8 years of them in the White House just makes me shake my head. Her payoff after suffering massive humiliation during her White House days was the Senate seat in New York so she could have a coveted political office. Next we will endure her presidential campaign. She is hellbent to be the occupant in the big house again with Bill up to his old tricks. He'll be free for all kinds of hijinks this time around.
And more gift registries and million dollar book deals to make.
Their sense of entitlement is breathtaking.
Last night I was channel surfing and caught an interview on C-SPAN dating back to 1994. It was with Barbara Bush and the interviewer was Carl S. Anthony, an author of books on first ladies. Barbara Bush, such a class act. The interviewer asked a few questions with a certain tone in his voice but he was no match for her. She handled the predominantly liberal audience just fine.
Mrs. Bush reminded me of a few facts I had forgotten. She was the first first lady to hire a minority chief of staff for her office in the east wing of the White House. Anna Perez went on to a career in California. Also, the first Bush administration gave more money to the world population planning movement than previous administrations.
She and Bush 41 made a vow with each other not to criticize the Clintons as they took office. Shows the difference of class and none.
The Clintons are a look into the flip side of a former president. Bill Clinton won't let the spotlight go and is now openly going around the world telling folks how smart he is, when we know our foreign policy mess falls at his feet. I am reading Louis Freeh's book, "My FBI" and it is an eye-opener. The man openly dismissed helping the FBI bring to justice the Khobar Towers terrorists, yet felt free to hit up King Abdullah for million dollar donations for the Clinton Library being built in Little Rock. Freeh had to go to Bush 41 for assistance, behind the scenes.
Remember Hillary Clinton on the floor of the Senate a couple of days after 9/11 holding up the New York newspaper with the headlines "What did he know and When did he know it?" implying President Bush didn't do anything to stop the attack? I will never forget that moment. I thought at the time, what a political whore she is, showing all the world her true, raw ambitions while our nation grieves in shock after the attacks. The Pentagon was still burning yet there she was. And it all traced back to her husband's administration and the beginnings back to the Carter Administration.
After the Barbara Bush interview re-run, C-SPAN showed one with the same author with Hillary from the same week. He was fawning and gushing as you would expect. To listen to her now after 8 years of them in the White House just makes me shake my head. Her payoff after suffering massive humiliation during her White House days was the Senate seat in New York so she could have a coveted political office. Next we will endure her presidential campaign. She is hellbent to be the occupant in the big house again with Bill up to his old tricks. He'll be free for all kinds of hijinks this time around.
And more gift registries and million dollar book deals to make.
Their sense of entitlement is breathtaking.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Baby Penguins
Last summer some penguins from the Indianapolis Zoo were relocated to the aquarium at Moody Gardens on Galveston Island. The truck transporting the penguins was in an accident and some of the birds didn't make it to their destination. Others had to recover for a while to get well.
The good news is now there are baby penguins from this group! One chick hatched on Nov. 12 and there are 8 more chicks expected to hatch in the coming weeks.
"Their mating and parenting behavior is a positive sign that they are adjusting to their new environment", according to a news release from Moody Gardens.
A little something to smile about this morning.
And now I'm am getting back to my Boca Java Palm Beach Passion with almond toffee creamer.
I wish everyone a truly Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow.
Hug someone.
The good news is now there are baby penguins from this group! One chick hatched on Nov. 12 and there are 8 more chicks expected to hatch in the coming weeks.
"Their mating and parenting behavior is a positive sign that they are adjusting to their new environment", according to a news release from Moody Gardens.
A little something to smile about this morning.
And now I'm am getting back to my Boca Java Palm Beach Passion with almond toffee creamer.
I wish everyone a truly Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow.
Hug someone.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Cruel and Unusual Behavior
Still no end in sight for hubby's African assignment. Poor guy. But the up side is he gets lots of lamb to eat, which he dearly loves. Good thing.
It's one of those odd sort of days, for some reason. I'm not quite sure why, so I'll just go with it. While sipping the Boca Java Ocean Drive this morning I seriously considered a breakfast consisting of a 3 Musketeers candy bar. At the last moment common sense won out and I had the standard bowl of Cheerios.
This whole media buzz over Michael Richards, aka Kramer from Seinfeld, seems so bizarre to me. He is caught going off on some members of his audience during a stand up routine over the weekend at a LA comedy club and was screaming racial slurs and all that. So, he gets to go on Letterman last night, which I did not watch but saw clips of this morning, to be so sorry along with Dave's pal Jerry Seinfeld. By the way, next week a new set of Seinfeld dvd's are to hit the retail shelves.
Richards is given the big hug interview from Letterman. Richards was presumably sober during this act of his at the club. The racial epithats were spewed due to his irritation at hecklers.
Seems to me, when a person loses control and a person's temper takes over, a person's true nature surfaces. The guy's a bigot. He got caught.
Contrast this softness on Richards to the beating Mel Gibson took from Hollywood after his bigoted tirade. Gibson is hugely wealthy, successful, and not beholden to Hollywood anymore. He was skewered. He is conservative politically. I would imagine in Hollywood that would be the difference. Gibson's not one of the cool kids. He was drunk and foul mouthed. Hollywood elites took out full page ads blasting him and swearing to never work with him again.
Just an observation.
Human Rights Watch has proven once again why they are an organization not worthy of being taken seriously in today's times. They have issued a statement claiming Saddam's death sentence is "cruel and inhumane" treatment of the deposed dictator.
Wonder what those surviving families of all those murdered by Saddam think of that dribble?
It's one of those odd sort of days, for some reason. I'm not quite sure why, so I'll just go with it. While sipping the Boca Java Ocean Drive this morning I seriously considered a breakfast consisting of a 3 Musketeers candy bar. At the last moment common sense won out and I had the standard bowl of Cheerios.
This whole media buzz over Michael Richards, aka Kramer from Seinfeld, seems so bizarre to me. He is caught going off on some members of his audience during a stand up routine over the weekend at a LA comedy club and was screaming racial slurs and all that. So, he gets to go on Letterman last night, which I did not watch but saw clips of this morning, to be so sorry along with Dave's pal Jerry Seinfeld. By the way, next week a new set of Seinfeld dvd's are to hit the retail shelves.
Richards is given the big hug interview from Letterman. Richards was presumably sober during this act of his at the club. The racial epithats were spewed due to his irritation at hecklers.
Seems to me, when a person loses control and a person's temper takes over, a person's true nature surfaces. The guy's a bigot. He got caught.
Contrast this softness on Richards to the beating Mel Gibson took from Hollywood after his bigoted tirade. Gibson is hugely wealthy, successful, and not beholden to Hollywood anymore. He was skewered. He is conservative politically. I would imagine in Hollywood that would be the difference. Gibson's not one of the cool kids. He was drunk and foul mouthed. Hollywood elites took out full page ads blasting him and swearing to never work with him again.
Just an observation.
Human Rights Watch has proven once again why they are an organization not worthy of being taken seriously in today's times. They have issued a statement claiming Saddam's death sentence is "cruel and inhumane" treatment of the deposed dictator.
Wonder what those surviving families of all those murdered by Saddam think of that dribble?
Monday, November 20, 2006
So, What's It Gonna Be?
Well, as is our life, we are looking at a change in hubby's travel plans. He's been delayed at the job site so it's up in the air, no pun intended, for now. After 24 years with the man, it isn't anything but normal to not assume he'll be here for holidays.
So now there is a study out that says "dry" oil rigs are good artificial reefs. Some of us knew that many years ago. Those of us connected in the evil oil drilling business, anyway. The fishing is excellent off oil rigs, too, by the way.
The Baker/Hamiliton Commission is being bantered about in the media. Seems they will present three scenarios on how to continue on in Iraq. Go big, go long or go home. Send more troops, spend a longer amount of time there, or pack it in.
It's a mess. We aren't winning right now. Until the Iraqi police and military step up in a bolder way and in more numbers to grab hold of their country, we are doomed to continue on in this downward spiral. My friend's husband over there just last week was in Basrah and had a rocket land in their metal building where they sleep. His best pal's head was blown off his body, right next to my friend's husband.
My friend's husband is a vet, but over there as a non-military person. He is with the military. He is as protected as possible and he is totally frustrated with the Iraqi people. He understands being beaten down for 30 plus years and their reluctance to step up with the fear of Saddam or someone like him coming back into power and murdering his citizens again, willy nilly. This is why the sentencing of Saddam was so important to the ordinary Iraqi.
The Iraqis are terrified we will leave too soon and they will be stuck. The Kurds are still smarting about being hung out to dry after the last Gulf war. We have to get this right.
I saw John Kerry on a Sunday morning show. Such a clueless human being, blinded by his own ego and personal ambition. He takes ownership for his mistaken "joke" but still blames the "Republican attack machine" for his problems. And he still thinks he will run again for 2008's president nomination. I don't think even Theresa's money will help him this time.
"If they say leave in six months, we'll leave in six months. If they say six years, it's six years. I'm just an average soldier, and I'll do what they tell me to do. I'm proud to be a part of it, either way it goes, but I'd like to see it through." - Sgt. Jonathan Kirkendall, 23, of Falls City, Nebraska.
Sgt. Kirkendall is awaiting the birth of his first daughter, due this week. He is on his third deployment to Iraq. He celebrated his 21st and 23rd birthdays there.
There is nothing average about him.
Our military. All volunteer. Bless them.
So now there is a study out that says "dry" oil rigs are good artificial reefs. Some of us knew that many years ago. Those of us connected in the evil oil drilling business, anyway. The fishing is excellent off oil rigs, too, by the way.
The Baker/Hamiliton Commission is being bantered about in the media. Seems they will present three scenarios on how to continue on in Iraq. Go big, go long or go home. Send more troops, spend a longer amount of time there, or pack it in.
It's a mess. We aren't winning right now. Until the Iraqi police and military step up in a bolder way and in more numbers to grab hold of their country, we are doomed to continue on in this downward spiral. My friend's husband over there just last week was in Basrah and had a rocket land in their metal building where they sleep. His best pal's head was blown off his body, right next to my friend's husband.
My friend's husband is a vet, but over there as a non-military person. He is with the military. He is as protected as possible and he is totally frustrated with the Iraqi people. He understands being beaten down for 30 plus years and their reluctance to step up with the fear of Saddam or someone like him coming back into power and murdering his citizens again, willy nilly. This is why the sentencing of Saddam was so important to the ordinary Iraqi.
The Iraqis are terrified we will leave too soon and they will be stuck. The Kurds are still smarting about being hung out to dry after the last Gulf war. We have to get this right.
I saw John Kerry on a Sunday morning show. Such a clueless human being, blinded by his own ego and personal ambition. He takes ownership for his mistaken "joke" but still blames the "Republican attack machine" for his problems. And he still thinks he will run again for 2008's president nomination. I don't think even Theresa's money will help him this time.
"If they say leave in six months, we'll leave in six months. If they say six years, it's six years. I'm just an average soldier, and I'll do what they tell me to do. I'm proud to be a part of it, either way it goes, but I'd like to see it through." - Sgt. Jonathan Kirkendall, 23, of Falls City, Nebraska.
Sgt. Kirkendall is awaiting the birth of his first daughter, due this week. He is on his third deployment to Iraq. He celebrated his 21st and 23rd birthdays there.
There is nothing average about him.
Our military. All volunteer. Bless them.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Sunday
Got an e-mail from the husband last night and he should be winging in to town late Tuesday night. Looks like he'll be here for turkey, after all.
Our son has requested a sweet potato pie instead of the traditional pumpkin pie I normally serve. So, that's a change of pace. Neither of my guys are very fond of pumpkin pie, or turkey for that matter. They love all the side stuff, though, like the veggies and dressing. But usually just turkey legs are consumed by them.
My husband told me he had the best squid he's ever had, and this man has had tons of it in his lifetime, and maybe the biggest squid, too. But very tender. He loves the stuff.
The pearl is my birthstone. It symbolizes freedom from disease and grief, according to an article on gems I recently read.
Hubby is still taking his malaria pills and seems to feel ok. No side effects he sometimes feels from them.
Been reading about the problems with Angelina Jolie's bodyguards in India? Seems three of them were arrested and then released on bail after they allegedly roughed up some parents and students at a Bombay school where the U.N. goodwill ambassador is filming a movie. Angry parents said they were threatened when they tried to get into the school to pickup their children.
Not long ago I saw a photo of Brad Pitt working on a roof of a house in India. Seems he gave Habitat for Humanity a whooping 30 minutes, just enought for the feel good photo op. He spent his 30 minutes, according to the newspaper account, in the hot sun wielding a hammer and talking to other volunteers. Wow. What a guy.
At least Jimma and Rosalynn give a full week to Habitat for Humanity. And they're not spring chickens.
Our son has requested a sweet potato pie instead of the traditional pumpkin pie I normally serve. So, that's a change of pace. Neither of my guys are very fond of pumpkin pie, or turkey for that matter. They love all the side stuff, though, like the veggies and dressing. But usually just turkey legs are consumed by them.
My husband told me he had the best squid he's ever had, and this man has had tons of it in his lifetime, and maybe the biggest squid, too. But very tender. He loves the stuff.
The pearl is my birthstone. It symbolizes freedom from disease and grief, according to an article on gems I recently read.
Hubby is still taking his malaria pills and seems to feel ok. No side effects he sometimes feels from them.
Been reading about the problems with Angelina Jolie's bodyguards in India? Seems three of them were arrested and then released on bail after they allegedly roughed up some parents and students at a Bombay school where the U.N. goodwill ambassador is filming a movie. Angry parents said they were threatened when they tried to get into the school to pickup their children.
Not long ago I saw a photo of Brad Pitt working on a roof of a house in India. Seems he gave Habitat for Humanity a whooping 30 minutes, just enought for the feel good photo op. He spent his 30 minutes, according to the newspaper account, in the hot sun wielding a hammer and talking to other volunteers. Wow. What a guy.
At least Jimma and Rosalynn give a full week to Habitat for Humanity. And they're not spring chickens.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things
Today has been a day of favorite things. First, to start the day, I enjoyed opening a fresh bag of coffee beans. I sipped Boca Java's Ocean Drive and baked some chocolate chip muffins. Yummy stuff.
I leasurely read the morning papers, as we receive two. First I read the Houston Chronicle then the Wall Street Journal, weekend edition. After a shower I watched some cooking shows as I pulled myself together for a lunch date with my childhood friend. We meet once a month and today it was a terrific seafood lunch and visit. Our lunches last about two hours. I brought my son fried shrimp for his lunch and he was very pleased.
I called the bookstore and reserved a copy of "Huck Finn" for son's AP English class reading. I am somewhat disappointed in this choice as he read it in middle school and I think for an AP English class it is not much of a challenge but I won't complain as this is the first choice I have been disappointed with since he began high school and advanced English classes. Next they will read "The Great Gatsby".
My son was in a middle school production of "Huck Finn" and played that character.
According to www.earthweek.com :
Wildlife officials in southern Australia plan to deploy sheepdogs to protect the coast's dwindling population of fairy penguins. A pilot project will employ one dog on Middle Island, where the number of birds has dropped from about 5,000 five years ago to only 100 now because of attacks by wild dogs and foxes.
I was unfamilar with fairy penguins.
And to come full circle on my beloved fancy birds, I see a story book for children is causing a ruckus in a town 20 miles east of St. Louis. It is a story of two male penguins raising a baby penguin called "And Tango Makes Three". It is a true story of two male penguins in NYC's Central Park Zoo that raised a chick from a fertilized egg as their own.
These parents at Shiloh Elementary School claim this raised the issue of same sex parents and they aren't happy with children asking questions on the subject.
Idiots.
Maybe before jumping off a cliff on this one the parents might educate themselves on penguins a bit. The male penguin cradles the egg under a flap above his feet and is the one to hatch the egg.
Education, people. Education.
And from this entry's title, yes, "The Sound of Music" is in my top 10 all time favorite movies. I love movies too much to scale down the all time favorites list any smaller!
I leasurely read the morning papers, as we receive two. First I read the Houston Chronicle then the Wall Street Journal, weekend edition. After a shower I watched some cooking shows as I pulled myself together for a lunch date with my childhood friend. We meet once a month and today it was a terrific seafood lunch and visit. Our lunches last about two hours. I brought my son fried shrimp for his lunch and he was very pleased.
I called the bookstore and reserved a copy of "Huck Finn" for son's AP English class reading. I am somewhat disappointed in this choice as he read it in middle school and I think for an AP English class it is not much of a challenge but I won't complain as this is the first choice I have been disappointed with since he began high school and advanced English classes. Next they will read "The Great Gatsby".
My son was in a middle school production of "Huck Finn" and played that character.
According to www.earthweek.com :
Wildlife officials in southern Australia plan to deploy sheepdogs to protect the coast's dwindling population of fairy penguins. A pilot project will employ one dog on Middle Island, where the number of birds has dropped from about 5,000 five years ago to only 100 now because of attacks by wild dogs and foxes.
I was unfamilar with fairy penguins.
And to come full circle on my beloved fancy birds, I see a story book for children is causing a ruckus in a town 20 miles east of St. Louis. It is a story of two male penguins raising a baby penguin called "And Tango Makes Three". It is a true story of two male penguins in NYC's Central Park Zoo that raised a chick from a fertilized egg as their own.
These parents at Shiloh Elementary School claim this raised the issue of same sex parents and they aren't happy with children asking questions on the subject.
Idiots.
Maybe before jumping off a cliff on this one the parents might educate themselves on penguins a bit. The male penguin cradles the egg under a flap above his feet and is the one to hatch the egg.
Education, people. Education.
And from this entry's title, yes, "The Sound of Music" is in my top 10 all time favorite movies. I love movies too much to scale down the all time favorites list any smaller!
Friday, November 17, 2006
A Little of This, A Little of That
Happy Feet, the movie, starts today. How wouldn't enjoy a tap-dancing penguin with an environmental message? That's entertainment.
The Easy Bake Oven was inducted into the Toy Hall Of Fame. I am quite pleased with this choice. The Easy Bake Oven was my all time favorite childhood toy. It replaced my Chatty Cathy, which is saying something.
Today's toy of choice, if you are to believe the news reports, is the PlayStation 3. So bizarre, the ruckus it causes. My son is asking for the other system coming out, the Nintendo Wii. This is not my area of expertise, I just purchase what I am told, and my son has been kind enough to tell me the prices to expect so I don't get ripped off.
I knew from an initial gut reaction to John Edwards as he jumped onto the national scene last presidential run, that he was not to be trusted. First clue, of course, is that he is a multimillionaire trial lawyer still claiming to be just one of the folks. Why he and Elizabeth go to Wendy's to celebrate their anniversary every year to remind them of their poor days as newlyweds. And, you heard his father was a factory worker, right?
Well, now he is on a tear against WalMart and seems this only applies when toys aren't involved. He sent a young, volunteer (read unpaid) off to find a PlayStation 3 for his younger children and the volunteer asked WalMart to help him out. Didn't want to wait in line like everyone else and not paying his flunkies but, that evil WalMart better shape up.
During his speech before the union upper eschelon Edwards brought out of story using his young son, Jack, who is about 6 years old now, I think. He claims Jack berated a young classmate for buying and wearing sneakers from WalMart. The moral of the story being if young Jack knew better than to shop at WalMart, then surely his classmates must learn the lesson, too.
Now, for those of us in the real world, I can say when my son was 6 years old he no more gave a flip about sneakers or stores than the man in the moon. I am proud to say my son to this days shuns name brands whenever possible and doesn't care what store things come from, whether it is Target or Neiman Marcus. I don't happen to shop at WalMart as it isn't as close by as Target and I prefer Target as it is a little more upscale for a bargain store.
My son is on the cynical side and thinks people blindly follow advertisers and all that. He has always been his own person, thank goodness.
Anyway, it is shameful to drag your own child into a speech for brownie points. Remember when Jimma Carter told a reporter that he was speaking with young Amy one day and she told him her biggest fear was nuclear proliferation?
They think we are idiots.
"There is no such thing as a free lunch". - Milton Friedman, Economist, Noble Prize recipient, brilliant thinker
The Easy Bake Oven was inducted into the Toy Hall Of Fame. I am quite pleased with this choice. The Easy Bake Oven was my all time favorite childhood toy. It replaced my Chatty Cathy, which is saying something.
Today's toy of choice, if you are to believe the news reports, is the PlayStation 3. So bizarre, the ruckus it causes. My son is asking for the other system coming out, the Nintendo Wii. This is not my area of expertise, I just purchase what I am told, and my son has been kind enough to tell me the prices to expect so I don't get ripped off.
I knew from an initial gut reaction to John Edwards as he jumped onto the national scene last presidential run, that he was not to be trusted. First clue, of course, is that he is a multimillionaire trial lawyer still claiming to be just one of the folks. Why he and Elizabeth go to Wendy's to celebrate their anniversary every year to remind them of their poor days as newlyweds. And, you heard his father was a factory worker, right?
Well, now he is on a tear against WalMart and seems this only applies when toys aren't involved. He sent a young, volunteer (read unpaid) off to find a PlayStation 3 for his younger children and the volunteer asked WalMart to help him out. Didn't want to wait in line like everyone else and not paying his flunkies but, that evil WalMart better shape up.
During his speech before the union upper eschelon Edwards brought out of story using his young son, Jack, who is about 6 years old now, I think. He claims Jack berated a young classmate for buying and wearing sneakers from WalMart. The moral of the story being if young Jack knew better than to shop at WalMart, then surely his classmates must learn the lesson, too.
Now, for those of us in the real world, I can say when my son was 6 years old he no more gave a flip about sneakers or stores than the man in the moon. I am proud to say my son to this days shuns name brands whenever possible and doesn't care what store things come from, whether it is Target or Neiman Marcus. I don't happen to shop at WalMart as it isn't as close by as Target and I prefer Target as it is a little more upscale for a bargain store.
My son is on the cynical side and thinks people blindly follow advertisers and all that. He has always been his own person, thank goodness.
Anyway, it is shameful to drag your own child into a speech for brownie points. Remember when Jimma Carter told a reporter that he was speaking with young Amy one day and she told him her biggest fear was nuclear proliferation?
They think we are idiots.
"There is no such thing as a free lunch". - Milton Friedman, Economist, Noble Prize recipient, brilliant thinker
Thursday, November 16, 2006
If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands
Enjoyed Boca Java South Beach Rhythm and a cherry turnover this morning. It was chilly, for here, and it felt good.
I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed Nancy Pelosi having her butt handed back to her by the overwhelming majority of her party as to their pick of Majority Leader. They had the sense to stick with Steny Hoyer and not poor John Murtha.
Am I the only person who thinks Nancy's belly button is moving when she smiles? She does so exaggerate her facial expression that she looks slightly deranged.
Hillary does that, too, sometimes, when she is trying to look like she's happy and her eyes bug out.
Something I found interesting during Pelosi's comments on John Murtha after he lost the vote this morning - she felt compelled to give some of his resume, for street cred, I suppose and mentioned he had been given the Kennedy Profile in Courage award. Somehow I don't think JFK was so pleased with Caroline's choice on that one. The far left that Pelosi and the war position of Murtha are not values JFK possessed. I know he is idolized due to being assassinated after barely being in the job and he had the young Jackie as his long suffering wife but he was quite conservative compared to where his party is today. He was a tax cutter and a smaller government kind of guy. Not to mention the dust up with Cuba and getting us into Vietnam in the first place.
And when he smiled it was relaxed and looked normal. Not to mention sincere.
I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed Nancy Pelosi having her butt handed back to her by the overwhelming majority of her party as to their pick of Majority Leader. They had the sense to stick with Steny Hoyer and not poor John Murtha.
Am I the only person who thinks Nancy's belly button is moving when she smiles? She does so exaggerate her facial expression that she looks slightly deranged.
Hillary does that, too, sometimes, when she is trying to look like she's happy and her eyes bug out.
Something I found interesting during Pelosi's comments on John Murtha after he lost the vote this morning - she felt compelled to give some of his resume, for street cred, I suppose and mentioned he had been given the Kennedy Profile in Courage award. Somehow I don't think JFK was so pleased with Caroline's choice on that one. The far left that Pelosi and the war position of Murtha are not values JFK possessed. I know he is idolized due to being assassinated after barely being in the job and he had the young Jackie as his long suffering wife but he was quite conservative compared to where his party is today. He was a tax cutter and a smaller government kind of guy. Not to mention the dust up with Cuba and getting us into Vietnam in the first place.
And when he smiled it was relaxed and looked normal. Not to mention sincere.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Blown Away
Today is blustery. The wind is fierce and a cold snap is promised. Again. We'll see if it comes to fruition this time. Max, the dog, loves the wind. He stands outside and sniffs to his heart's content. There are all kinds of scents in the air for a curious canine's snout.
Our son signed up for a French competition yesterday, which surprised me a bit. He will compete in March and will do so by reciting a poem, en francaise, that has been memorized. Then later in the day he tells me his English teacher from last year asked him to participate in a UIL competition in English later this year. He agreed so I congratulated him on taking on extra work. More stuff for the resume for applying to colleges next fall.
Our Houston Chronicle newsrag shows it level of accuracy once again. Saturday brought a parade downtown in honor of Veteran's Day. The Chronicle did a story and stated the crowd was about 1,000. Well, the police department estimates the crowd to have been 75,000. Makes a person wonder if anyone actually bothered to go to the event and look around.
The silence is deafening, isn't it, about the outcomes of close races in the country? Where's all the usual outrage of late about "disenfranchised" voters, rigged voting machines, police patrol cars too close to polling sites? Oh, that's right, that only happens when Republicans win big.
From an article in the Washington Post by Ellen Knickmeyer:
At Saddam's sentencing, at least 6 guards surrounded former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark, one of the defense lawyers, and hustled him out of the courtroom.
"Get him out! Get him out!" Chief Judge Abdul Rahman shouted in English, outraged at a court filing submitted by Clark that apparently referred to the trial as a travesty.
"He's coming from America to insult the Iraqi people and the court," the judge added in Arabic.
Ramsey Clark, still making us proud. Hey, I understand George McGovern is being brought in to advise the Dems on what their Iraq plans should be, I'm sure he'll save a seat at the conference table for Ramsey.
Our son signed up for a French competition yesterday, which surprised me a bit. He will compete in March and will do so by reciting a poem, en francaise, that has been memorized. Then later in the day he tells me his English teacher from last year asked him to participate in a UIL competition in English later this year. He agreed so I congratulated him on taking on extra work. More stuff for the resume for applying to colleges next fall.
Our Houston Chronicle newsrag shows it level of accuracy once again. Saturday brought a parade downtown in honor of Veteran's Day. The Chronicle did a story and stated the crowd was about 1,000. Well, the police department estimates the crowd to have been 75,000. Makes a person wonder if anyone actually bothered to go to the event and look around.
The silence is deafening, isn't it, about the outcomes of close races in the country? Where's all the usual outrage of late about "disenfranchised" voters, rigged voting machines, police patrol cars too close to polling sites? Oh, that's right, that only happens when Republicans win big.
From an article in the Washington Post by Ellen Knickmeyer:
At Saddam's sentencing, at least 6 guards surrounded former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark, one of the defense lawyers, and hustled him out of the courtroom.
"Get him out! Get him out!" Chief Judge Abdul Rahman shouted in English, outraged at a court filing submitted by Clark that apparently referred to the trial as a travesty.
"He's coming from America to insult the Iraqi people and the court," the judge added in Arabic.
Ramsey Clark, still making us proud. Hey, I understand George McGovern is being brought in to advise the Dems on what their Iraq plans should be, I'm sure he'll save a seat at the conference table for Ramsey.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Gambling in River City
The warm temps are back and so is the humidity. I was just over the sinus headache and now I feel it starting again. The air conditioning is running again. Bleek.
So, how long did the bi-partisanship mumbo jumbo last after last week's elections? Already it has been announced the Senate committee running the re-confirmation hearings on John Bolton's U.N. ambassadorship will not allow a vote out of committee, thus no vote on the Senate floor, so he's dead in the water. Bolton deserves better. He has done a stellar job and the dems know he would be confirmed with a good majority on the Senate floor, so they have to shut that down. There is a way for the president to get around the Senate approval but I don't know if he has it in him to do it.
The Dems are handing Chavez, Kofi Annan and Aminijahad a bouquet of flowers with that victory.
Maybe if Bolton would just promise to go to North Korea and do the Macarana and bring along more autographed basketballs.
Nancy Pelosi, incoming House leader, has thrown her support to her old buddy Jack Murtha for second in command. He is being rewarded for his orchestrating Pelosi's ascension to the top several years back over Steny Hoyer, the current number two guy. Plus, he was the darling of the press and the far left crowd with his cut and run and hide out in Okinawa. Well, he's a former Marine, he's above reproach, isn't he? Umm, no. He can be just as wrong as the next person.
In 1980, Murtha was caught on tape by the FBI in the ABSCAM scandal. He was offered $50,000 to help Arab sheikh get into this country. He didn't accept this particular offer of money but told the FBI undercover agent he wanted to do business with them. Murtha never called the FBI or police to report the attempted bribe and nailed his own coffin.
Pelosi has inserted herself into the race for the number two slot now underway in the House. This is rarely done by the Majority Leaders but that is Pelosi's nature. She is an uber control freak and insists on blind loyalty. She makes Tom DeLay look like a choirboy when it comes to running her caucus. It'll all start coming out now that the power has shifted.
You knew it was time to run for the hills when she pompously stated she'll have the most ethical leadership ever. Yeah, that's what Hill and Bill said when their co-presidency began and they turned out to be the most subpoenaed and indicted administration in recent history. It's always the misbehavers that feel they have to tell you how ethical they are.
It's kind of like when a couple tells you how blissfully happy they are after all these years and the next week they are filing for divorce.
Not that I'm cynical about it all.
And Harry Reid, the incoming Majority Leader in the Senate is coming under the spotlight over yet another land deal from which he profits in Nevada. He has quite the knack for it, being just a poor boy from Searchlight Nevada and all. Turns out he backed funding for a bridge between Nevada and Arizona that affects the value of property nearby that he owns.
Reid has pledged more openness on the practice of earmarking, funding pet projects for their districts, so time will tell as he continues to enrich himself. With all of his sons as lobbyists in D.C., I doubt any of them will go hungry.
The first big Christmas tree was lit Saturday night at the Galleria. It gets earlier and earlier.
It'll be in the 70's here today. Warmer later in the week.
So, how long did the bi-partisanship mumbo jumbo last after last week's elections? Already it has been announced the Senate committee running the re-confirmation hearings on John Bolton's U.N. ambassadorship will not allow a vote out of committee, thus no vote on the Senate floor, so he's dead in the water. Bolton deserves better. He has done a stellar job and the dems know he would be confirmed with a good majority on the Senate floor, so they have to shut that down. There is a way for the president to get around the Senate approval but I don't know if he has it in him to do it.
The Dems are handing Chavez, Kofi Annan and Aminijahad a bouquet of flowers with that victory.
Maybe if Bolton would just promise to go to North Korea and do the Macarana and bring along more autographed basketballs.
Nancy Pelosi, incoming House leader, has thrown her support to her old buddy Jack Murtha for second in command. He is being rewarded for his orchestrating Pelosi's ascension to the top several years back over Steny Hoyer, the current number two guy. Plus, he was the darling of the press and the far left crowd with his cut and run and hide out in Okinawa. Well, he's a former Marine, he's above reproach, isn't he? Umm, no. He can be just as wrong as the next person.
In 1980, Murtha was caught on tape by the FBI in the ABSCAM scandal. He was offered $50,000 to help Arab sheikh get into this country. He didn't accept this particular offer of money but told the FBI undercover agent he wanted to do business with them. Murtha never called the FBI or police to report the attempted bribe and nailed his own coffin.
Pelosi has inserted herself into the race for the number two slot now underway in the House. This is rarely done by the Majority Leaders but that is Pelosi's nature. She is an uber control freak and insists on blind loyalty. She makes Tom DeLay look like a choirboy when it comes to running her caucus. It'll all start coming out now that the power has shifted.
You knew it was time to run for the hills when she pompously stated she'll have the most ethical leadership ever. Yeah, that's what Hill and Bill said when their co-presidency began and they turned out to be the most subpoenaed and indicted administration in recent history. It's always the misbehavers that feel they have to tell you how ethical they are.
It's kind of like when a couple tells you how blissfully happy they are after all these years and the next week they are filing for divorce.
Not that I'm cynical about it all.
And Harry Reid, the incoming Majority Leader in the Senate is coming under the spotlight over yet another land deal from which he profits in Nevada. He has quite the knack for it, being just a poor boy from Searchlight Nevada and all. Turns out he backed funding for a bridge between Nevada and Arizona that affects the value of property nearby that he owns.
Reid has pledged more openness on the practice of earmarking, funding pet projects for their districts, so time will tell as he continues to enrich himself. With all of his sons as lobbyists in D.C., I doubt any of them will go hungry.
The first big Christmas tree was lit Saturday night at the Galleria. It gets earlier and earlier.
It'll be in the 70's here today. Warmer later in the week.
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