10.27.2004
10.26.2004
I guess they were missing before they were missing.
About the 350 (or 380, or whatever) tons of explosives . . .
Apparently, they've been missing since April 10, 2003. That, for those of us keeping score, was ONE DAY after we rode into the center of Baghdad and the jubilant people took down the Big Bad Dictator statue.
On Monday night, NBC reported that its embedded crew said U.S. troops did discover significant stockpiles of bombs, but no sign of the missing HMX and RDX explosives.
To me, this changes things. If looters (read: terrorists) went in over the course of a couple of days before we could get our troops into Al-Qaqaa, at the very start of the invasion, that's a lot different than leaving the whole thing unguarded for the 18 months between then and now.
The sin of omission is not so glaring.
It also says to me that the insurgents (again, read: terrorists) were planning to go after the good stuff all along - and had a small window of opportunity to do it. If you were to rob a jewelry store, and you knew the cops were coming, you'd pass up the gold charms and go straight for the diamonds, wouldn't you?
We've made a lot of mistakes over there, and completely underestimated the evil of the people we're fighting against. But in this case, I'm willing to cut our guys a little slack.
Apparently, they've been missing since April 10, 2003. That, for those of us keeping score, was ONE DAY after we rode into the center of Baghdad and the jubilant people took down the Big Bad Dictator statue.
On Monday night, NBC reported that its embedded crew said U.S. troops did discover significant stockpiles of bombs, but no sign of the missing HMX and RDX explosives.
To me, this changes things. If looters (read: terrorists) went in over the course of a couple of days before we could get our troops into Al-Qaqaa, at the very start of the invasion, that's a lot different than leaving the whole thing unguarded for the 18 months between then and now.
The sin of omission is not so glaring.
It also says to me that the insurgents (again, read: terrorists) were planning to go after the good stuff all along - and had a small window of opportunity to do it. If you were to rob a jewelry store, and you knew the cops were coming, you'd pass up the gold charms and go straight for the diamonds, wouldn't you?
We've made a lot of mistakes over there, and completely underestimated the evil of the people we're fighting against. But in this case, I'm willing to cut our guys a little slack.
10.25.2004
Really, how much damage can 350 tons of explosives do?
Yahoo! News - Tons of Explosives Missing in Iraq
Several hundred tons of conventional explosives are missing from a former Iraqi military facility that once played a key role in Saddam Hussein's efforts to build a nuclear bomb, the U.N. nuclear agency confirmed Monday.
The U.N. knew Saddam had this crap lying around and still didn't consider the guy to be any meaningful threat?
"The most immediate concern here is that these explosives could have fallen into the wrong hands."
No shit. I can't imagine it being stolen by the RIGHT hands. Still, how much damage can conventional explosives do?
The explosives included HMX and RDX, which can be used to demolish buildings, down jetliners, produce warheads for missiles and detonate nuclear weapons. HMX and RDX are key ingredients in plastic explosives such as C-4 and Semtex — substances so powerful that Libyan terrorists needed just 1 pound to blow up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing 170 people.
And this isn't considered a Weapon of Mass Destruction?
So wait. There was no reason to invade, but they had all this bomb-making and -detonating material, and the U.N. knew that, but inspections were working, and we were looking everywhere for them even though we didn't secure the plant like we should have right from the beginning and we're just now figuring out that the shit was stolen, and . . . and . . .
The number of fuckups is impossible to tally.
350 tons. That's a whole lot of car bombs.
10.24.2004
Sacrifice in the service of his country
Navy approves first ever Satanist
The British Navy, that is.
Naval technician Chris Cranmer, 24, has been allowed to register by the captain of HMS Cumberland. The move will mean that he will now be allowed to perform Satanic rituals on board the vessel.
What about his bunkmate? You know that poor bastard's going to wake up one night and see this guy standing over him with a knife and a goat head.
I didn't really know what Satanism was about until I read this article, though, and my eyes were certainly opened:
Followers live by the Nine Satanic Statements, which include "Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence", "Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek" and "Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification".
If you screw up as a Satanist, is Heaven your eternal punishment?
"THE WINGS! GET THEM OFF! AAAAAAAAAA!"
Just wondering.
The British Navy, that is.
Naval technician Chris Cranmer, 24, has been allowed to register by the captain of HMS Cumberland. The move will mean that he will now be allowed to perform Satanic rituals on board the vessel.
What about his bunkmate? You know that poor bastard's going to wake up one night and see this guy standing over him with a knife and a goat head.
I didn't really know what Satanism was about until I read this article, though, and my eyes were certainly opened:
Followers live by the Nine Satanic Statements, which include "Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence", "Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek" and "Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification".
If you screw up as a Satanist, is Heaven your eternal punishment?
"THE WINGS! GET THEM OFF! AAAAAAAAAA!"
Just wondering.
10.23.2004
I've done my duty as an American
Today, I voted. I love early voting in Nevada. We have spiffy new electronic voting machines that are even spiffier than our old electronic voting machines. And we get swag. Both Boy and I got "I Voted" stickers, and he got an "I Voted" pencil which he wants to use at school. The love affair with the sticker has already ended, though. I found it plastered to the top of my alarm clock.
Best of all, I don't have to listen to those hideous ads anymore. I don't have to pay attention to the increasingly shrill attacks and counterattacks. I'm done. Nothing can change my mind.
Best of all, I don't have to listen to those hideous ads anymore. I don't have to pay attention to the increasingly shrill attacks and counterattacks. I'm done. Nothing can change my mind.
10.22.2004
There he sat, all brokenhearted . . .
. . . nothing shat, but a religion started.
Archaeologists in Germany say they may have found a lavatory where Martin Luther launched the Reformation of the Christian church in the 16th Century.
Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?
Archaeologists in Germany say they may have found a lavatory where Martin Luther launched the Reformation of the Christian church in the 16th Century.
Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?
10.20.2004
The other Clark County battle
When you get ruled against in a court of law, there's always the court of public opinion:
Adair ruled Friday that she would not reopen voter registration to accommodate Democrats whose forms might have been tossed by Voter's Outreach of America, a voter registration organization working for the Republican Party.
Eric Russell, a former member of Voter's Outreach, told KLAS-TV, Channel 8 last week that he witnessed supervisors tearing up Democratic registration forms.
Adair said under Nevada law those who believe they've been wrongfully denied the right to vote can file individual lawsuits against the Clark County registrar asking to be included on the voter rolls.
Democrats angered by her decision questioned the process and Adair's connections to the Republican Party.
Adair's live-in boyfriend, Thomas Lozzi, is a former executive board member for the Clark County Republican Central Committee. Lozzi said his last stint on the committee's 40-member executive board was in 2002.
Channel 8 aired the couple's home address on Monday evening's newscast. Tuesday morning, liberal radio host Al Franken spoke about Adair's decision and publicized her county office phone number.
Channel 8, by the way, is our local CBS affiliate.
Adair ''was getting phone calls from people who heard his show, calling and telling her she needed to resign," said [District Court spokesman] Sommermeyer, who did not hear Franken's show. "The allegations are that they gave out her office number and had given out her home address."
Republican Party officials held a news conference Tuesday denouncing Channel 8's decision to air Adair's home address. Bob Stoldal, vice president of news operations at Channel 8, did not return a phone message left Tuesday.
"Judge Adair is doing an honorable job," said Brian Scroggins, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party. "Her decision was based on the facts."
And the fact is, even if there were shenanigans, opening voter registration would extend the expired deadline. In these last two weeks, with new ads and polls almost hourly, even those who weren't affected by Voter Outreach's action could register, which is unfair to many more people than those who think their forms were shredded. Asking those people to file individual lawsuits is the only way to have any oversight in the process.
Aside from all that, Channel 8 is populated by assclowns. If Franken wants to air the story and give Valerie Adair's office number to his (admittedly few) listeners, fine. But for a 'news organization' to report the home address of a District Judge is not only stupid, it's possibly dangerous. Ms. Adair could be overseeing criminal trials, or civil trials where defendants would be very interested in where she lived.
Maybe Her Honor should sue them.
Adair ruled Friday that she would not reopen voter registration to accommodate Democrats whose forms might have been tossed by Voter's Outreach of America, a voter registration organization working for the Republican Party.
Eric Russell, a former member of Voter's Outreach, told KLAS-TV, Channel 8 last week that he witnessed supervisors tearing up Democratic registration forms.
Adair said under Nevada law those who believe they've been wrongfully denied the right to vote can file individual lawsuits against the Clark County registrar asking to be included on the voter rolls.
Democrats angered by her decision questioned the process and Adair's connections to the Republican Party.
Adair's live-in boyfriend, Thomas Lozzi, is a former executive board member for the Clark County Republican Central Committee. Lozzi said his last stint on the committee's 40-member executive board was in 2002.
Channel 8 aired the couple's home address on Monday evening's newscast. Tuesday morning, liberal radio host Al Franken spoke about Adair's decision and publicized her county office phone number.
Channel 8, by the way, is our local CBS affiliate.
Adair ''was getting phone calls from people who heard his show, calling and telling her she needed to resign," said [District Court spokesman] Sommermeyer, who did not hear Franken's show. "The allegations are that they gave out her office number and had given out her home address."
Republican Party officials held a news conference Tuesday denouncing Channel 8's decision to air Adair's home address. Bob Stoldal, vice president of news operations at Channel 8, did not return a phone message left Tuesday.
"Judge Adair is doing an honorable job," said Brian Scroggins, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party. "Her decision was based on the facts."
And the fact is, even if there were shenanigans, opening voter registration would extend the expired deadline. In these last two weeks, with new ads and polls almost hourly, even those who weren't affected by Voter Outreach's action could register, which is unfair to many more people than those who think their forms were shredded. Asking those people to file individual lawsuits is the only way to have any oversight in the process.
Aside from all that, Channel 8 is populated by assclowns. If Franken wants to air the story and give Valerie Adair's office number to his (admittedly few) listeners, fine. But for a 'news organization' to report the home address of a District Judge is not only stupid, it's possibly dangerous. Ms. Adair could be overseeing criminal trials, or civil trials where defendants would be very interested in where she lived.
Maybe Her Honor should sue them.
Parent-Child Conversations
Fifteen minutes ago:
"Mom, I'm done with dinner. Can I have dessert?"
"Sure, what do you want?"
"Potato chips."
"Potato chips aren't dessert."
"So?"
"Don't you want a yogurt?"
"No."
"How about a fruit cup?"
"What kind?"
"Uh, the one with lots of cherries."
"No."
"Chocolate pudding?"
"No."
"What about those cocoa cookies with the funny icing faces on them?"
"I want potato chips."
"How about that donut?"
"I don't like donuts."
. . .
"You're not my child."
"What?"
"Never mind."
Potato chips for dessert, plastic swords in the middle of the living room floor, and "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy" on the TV.
Another normal night at home.
"Mom, I'm done with dinner. Can I have dessert?"
"Sure, what do you want?"
"Potato chips."
"Potato chips aren't dessert."
"So?"
"Don't you want a yogurt?"
"No."
"How about a fruit cup?"
"What kind?"
"Uh, the one with lots of cherries."
"No."
"Chocolate pudding?"
"No."
"What about those cocoa cookies with the funny icing faces on them?"
"I want potato chips."
"How about that donut?"
"I don't like donuts."
. . .
"You're not my child."
"What?"
"Never mind."
Potato chips for dessert, plastic swords in the middle of the living room floor, and "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy" on the TV.
Another normal night at home.
Things You Don't Say In Public
"Well, there was no sex for 14 days."
Never mind that he's the governor of California. If any husband says that for a laugh, then his dry spell should be extended.
Never mind that he's the governor of California. If any husband says that for a laugh, then his dry spell should be extended.
Thoughts on returning from the break room
If you get yourself coffee, don't leave three millimeters in the bottom of the pot for the next person. If someone is going for coffee in our break room, it's because that person NEEDS it, not because she WANTS it. After all, who would want something that tastes like burnt gauze bandages steeped in twig and bark water?
If you take flavored creamer out of the refrigerator and you didn't buy it, then maybe you should just put it back. Unless, of course, you plan on buying some to share. Which you never do.
If you spill water on the floor, then maybe you should clean it up. Because some people in the office are wearing shoes that don't grip wet floors. Some people are wearing mules with three inch heels and aren't mentally prepared to hydroplane into the Coke machine.
That is all.
If you take flavored creamer out of the refrigerator and you didn't buy it, then maybe you should just put it back. Unless, of course, you plan on buying some to share. Which you never do.
If you spill water on the floor, then maybe you should clean it up. Because some people in the office are wearing shoes that don't grip wet floors. Some people are wearing mules with three inch heels and aren't mentally prepared to hydroplane into the Coke machine.
That is all.
10.19.2004
Where HAS the time gone?
Where it all goes. What a question.
This isn't a return. Rather, it's a guilt post. I'm fighting my "start something and move the hell on" personality trait by doing this.
Last Thursday was my last time here, so here's a quick recap of the days between then and now:
Friday - Boy Day. My poor little guy was fighting a cold, so the evening was spent cuddling and coddling.
Saturday - More cuddling and coddling.
Sunday - Boy went to his dad for a couple of days. I spent Sunday on the couch, watching sports and knitting. Yes, knitting. Sunday night, Miles came over and we made heroic ribeyes and spinach salad. Everything after 8:00 pm was lost to vodka.
Monday - Too much work. I hate Too Much Work. That means I have to actually do personal business on personal time. Last night was baseball, which takes priority over everything else, including laundry and blogs.
Today - Too much work. Also, too much dizziness. The temperature here dropped, the wind picked up, and my autumn allergy season has slapped me upside the head. Therefore, I'm waiting for the Claritin Speedball to kick in. The Claritin Speedball is one 24-hour Claritin, two Extra-Strength Excedrin, and two drops of Vasocon in each eye. As soon as I can move my head without waiting for my eyesight to catch up, I'll go back to work.
On second thought, I'd better go back to work now. Time's slipping away again.
This isn't a return. Rather, it's a guilt post. I'm fighting my "start something and move the hell on" personality trait by doing this.
Last Thursday was my last time here, so here's a quick recap of the days between then and now:
Friday - Boy Day. My poor little guy was fighting a cold, so the evening was spent cuddling and coddling.
Saturday - More cuddling and coddling.
Sunday - Boy went to his dad for a couple of days. I spent Sunday on the couch, watching sports and knitting. Yes, knitting. Sunday night, Miles came over and we made heroic ribeyes and spinach salad. Everything after 8:00 pm was lost to vodka.
Monday - Too much work. I hate Too Much Work. That means I have to actually do personal business on personal time. Last night was baseball, which takes priority over everything else, including laundry and blogs.
Today - Too much work. Also, too much dizziness. The temperature here dropped, the wind picked up, and my autumn allergy season has slapped me upside the head. Therefore, I'm waiting for the Claritin Speedball to kick in. The Claritin Speedball is one 24-hour Claritin, two Extra-Strength Excedrin, and two drops of Vasocon in each eye. As soon as I can move my head without waiting for my eyesight to catch up, I'll go back to work.
On second thought, I'd better go back to work now. Time's slipping away again.
10.14.2004
Animal Abuse
Over at Emily and Ken's joint, we were talking about animal rights. And then I received this.
Horrifying. Disturbing. How could they do this to poor, defenseless animals? The expressions in their deep, brown eyes tell of unspeakable suffering.
Either that, or they need to piddle.
Chicago of the West
It's things like this that make me wish I didn't live in a battleground state:
Voter fraud alleged
Group accused of trashing Democrats' registration forms
Federal and state authorities are looking into Democratic Party allegations that a voter registration group hired by the Republican Party tossed out registration forms signed by Democrats.
The FBI and state officials are reviewing comments by Eric Russell, a former employee of Voter Outreach of America, who claims to have witnessed supervisors throwing away Democrats' voter registration forms.
Destruction of the forms is a federal crime, according to Clark County attorneys.
This news came out yesterday. One day after the county's voter registration deadline.
Is it just me, or is this an incredibly dirty campaign season? We have disgusting Democratic campaign posters (and as always, beautifully articulated outrage by Michele), British moonbats trying to influence voters in Ohio, partisan playbooks that encourage spin over substance, and Michael Moore.
The list is much bigger than this, and the black marks are tallying up on both sides. In these last three weeks, expect the worst. Of everyone.
Already, both parties are adopting the "Chicken Little" platform: IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR ME, YOU WILL DIE!
Well, your rhetoric doesn't scare me. What scares me is the depths you will plumb for a win. Whether the race is for my district's County Commission seat or the Presidency, no candidate nor his supporters are beyond reproach.
I'm tired and disgusted by all of them. But I'll get my ballot, carefully weigh my options, and vote. Because I also believe that's the only way I get to complain.
Which is what we all do best, in the end.
Voter fraud alleged
Group accused of trashing Democrats' registration forms
Federal and state authorities are looking into Democratic Party allegations that a voter registration group hired by the Republican Party tossed out registration forms signed by Democrats.
The FBI and state officials are reviewing comments by Eric Russell, a former employee of Voter Outreach of America, who claims to have witnessed supervisors throwing away Democrats' voter registration forms.
Destruction of the forms is a federal crime, according to Clark County attorneys.
This news came out yesterday. One day after the county's voter registration deadline.
Is it just me, or is this an incredibly dirty campaign season? We have disgusting Democratic campaign posters (and as always, beautifully articulated outrage by Michele), British moonbats trying to influence voters in Ohio, partisan playbooks that encourage spin over substance, and Michael Moore.
The list is much bigger than this, and the black marks are tallying up on both sides. In these last three weeks, expect the worst. Of everyone.
Already, both parties are adopting the "Chicken Little" platform: IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR ME, YOU WILL DIE!
Well, your rhetoric doesn't scare me. What scares me is the depths you will plumb for a win. Whether the race is for my district's County Commission seat or the Presidency, no candidate nor his supporters are beyond reproach.
I'm tired and disgusted by all of them. But I'll get my ballot, carefully weigh my options, and vote. Because I also believe that's the only way I get to complain.
Which is what we all do best, in the end.
10.13.2004
The Post-Debate Opinion
It would be forthcoming - unfortunately, Miles and I consumed a couple of vodka tonics apiece and I have this feeling that nobody's mind is going to be changed either way. Mine isn't.
The media is, near as I can tell, calling it a draw which is, in effect, a win for W. The media loves a good, even horse race and we're not even to the homestretch yet. I suspect it'll be "too close to call" until 9:00 PST on November 2.
Neither talked environment or energy policy - I call "bullshit" on Sheiffer for not getting to that. Overall, though, I thought he asked good questions - made Charlie Gibson look like Junior Varsity.
In other news, the Red Sox are fucking losing. 3 - 0. God-fucking-dammit.
I need more vodka. By the way, there's this awesomely cheap brand at Trader Joe's that's made in Russia (from potatoes, no less), distilled in Ohio (where voter fraud just doesn't fuckin' fly) and cheerfully swilled at my home in Las Vegas (hic).
Cheers, all.
The media is, near as I can tell, calling it a draw which is, in effect, a win for W. The media loves a good, even horse race and we're not even to the homestretch yet. I suspect it'll be "too close to call" until 9:00 PST on November 2.
Neither talked environment or energy policy - I call "bullshit" on Sheiffer for not getting to that. Overall, though, I thought he asked good questions - made Charlie Gibson look like Junior Varsity.
In other news, the Red Sox are fucking losing. 3 - 0. God-fucking-dammit.
I need more vodka. By the way, there's this awesomely cheap brand at Trader Joe's that's made in Russia (from potatoes, no less), distilled in Ohio (where voter fraud just doesn't fuckin' fly) and cheerfully swilled at my home in Las Vegas (hic).
Cheers, all.
10.12.2004
Tomorrow night
I'll be watching the debate, along with the rest of the country. And I'll be waiting for energy policy to come up. That may be the only opportunity I have to see what each candidate has to say - really say - about Yucca Mountain.
I'm not about to go into all the wrangling that's been going on for the last 20 years over this project. Let's just say that Nevadans (or at least the Nevadans in Las Vegas and Reno) aren't happy about the entire country's high-level nuclear waste being shipped to a location less than 100 miles from the outskirts of Las Vegas.
In 2000, Bush said he'd base the decision to finalize Yucca on "sound science." In 2002, the DOE gave Bush some studies, he said "sounds good to me," and signed the go-ahead for Yucca to get it's license, finish construction and start accepting shipments by 2010.
A couple of months ago, Kerry, eyeing our 5 electoral votes, told us that there was "NO WAY" nuclear waste would come here.
How nice of him. Thing is, I don't think that's his decision to make. I wish it were.
First of all, Bush, as the president, signed the recommendation from the DOE. It's now held up in the courts. If the courts decide against Nevada, Yucca would happen no matter who the president is.
Kerry's a lawyer - you'd think he knows that.
Second, there's been billions of dollars spent on this facility already, plus years of research, years of digging and years of preparation. If it's stopped (which is improbable) could anyone imagine the fight to research more locations and prepare another site? Would it take another 25 years? More? Nobody in Congress could condone that waste of time and money.
Then there's the question of energy independence. If we raise our production of nuclear energy and build more plants, like Kerry has proposed, where will the waste go if Yucca's been stopped? It's already piling up all over the country, and that can't be sustained, either.
Here's the fun one: we already take waste shipments right through the center of town. They're stored 60 miles away at the Nevada Test Site. Remember the NTS? When I was a kid, the underground nuclear tests used to shake the table while I was eating my breakfast. The ground still has hotspots. But once we signed that moratorium on nuclear testing, the land had to be used for something else. Area 5 is where the big holes and containers are. The stuff is classified as low-level waste, but that doesn't mean it isn't nasty. This is waste from nuclear weapons, nuclear medicine, and some biohazards.
The truth is, Yucca's coming. I'm not happy about it. But there's a way to live with it. Instead of wasting money on the fight, put that money into safer alternate transportation routes away from cities. And then, for being the country's wasteland, Nevada should get some nice little perks. Learn something from Alaska and their Permanent Fund. Get something extra for healthcare. Get our hospitals more money for cancer research. Get more for our parks and roads.
I'm tired of the empty promises from everyone - not only Bush and Kerry, but from our own Senators, Congressmen, and our Mayor. It's time to make a decision, make the outcome as fair as possible, and stick with it.
I'm not about to go into all the wrangling that's been going on for the last 20 years over this project. Let's just say that Nevadans (or at least the Nevadans in Las Vegas and Reno) aren't happy about the entire country's high-level nuclear waste being shipped to a location less than 100 miles from the outskirts of Las Vegas.
In 2000, Bush said he'd base the decision to finalize Yucca on "sound science." In 2002, the DOE gave Bush some studies, he said "sounds good to me," and signed the go-ahead for Yucca to get it's license, finish construction and start accepting shipments by 2010.
A couple of months ago, Kerry, eyeing our 5 electoral votes, told us that there was "NO WAY" nuclear waste would come here.
How nice of him. Thing is, I don't think that's his decision to make. I wish it were.
First of all, Bush, as the president, signed the recommendation from the DOE. It's now held up in the courts. If the courts decide against Nevada, Yucca would happen no matter who the president is.
Kerry's a lawyer - you'd think he knows that.
Second, there's been billions of dollars spent on this facility already, plus years of research, years of digging and years of preparation. If it's stopped (which is improbable) could anyone imagine the fight to research more locations and prepare another site? Would it take another 25 years? More? Nobody in Congress could condone that waste of time and money.
Then there's the question of energy independence. If we raise our production of nuclear energy and build more plants, like Kerry has proposed, where will the waste go if Yucca's been stopped? It's already piling up all over the country, and that can't be sustained, either.
Here's the fun one: we already take waste shipments right through the center of town. They're stored 60 miles away at the Nevada Test Site. Remember the NTS? When I was a kid, the underground nuclear tests used to shake the table while I was eating my breakfast. The ground still has hotspots. But once we signed that moratorium on nuclear testing, the land had to be used for something else. Area 5 is where the big holes and containers are. The stuff is classified as low-level waste, but that doesn't mean it isn't nasty. This is waste from nuclear weapons, nuclear medicine, and some biohazards.
The truth is, Yucca's coming. I'm not happy about it. But there's a way to live with it. Instead of wasting money on the fight, put that money into safer alternate transportation routes away from cities. And then, for being the country's wasteland, Nevada should get some nice little perks. Learn something from Alaska and their Permanent Fund. Get something extra for healthcare. Get our hospitals more money for cancer research. Get more for our parks and roads.
I'm tired of the empty promises from everyone - not only Bush and Kerry, but from our own Senators, Congressmen, and our Mayor. It's time to make a decision, make the outcome as fair as possible, and stick with it.
It's funny what you learn . . .
. . . when you're researching Irish slang.
According to this site, "Circling over Shannon" is slang for being drunk. Apparently, Boris Yeltsin was arriving for a state visit to Ireland and his plane had to circle Shannon Airport six times while he sobered up.
Heh.
According to this site, "Circling over Shannon" is slang for being drunk. Apparently, Boris Yeltsin was arriving for a state visit to Ireland and his plane had to circle Shannon Airport six times while he sobered up.
Heh.
10.11.2004
Blink, blink
Whoa. It's almost 5 already.
I've had a numbing sort of day. I wish I had something intelligent to say about the world, but I don't.
So there.
I've had a numbing sort of day. I wish I had something intelligent to say about the world, but I don't.
So there.
10.10.2004
10.08.2004
Another short work observation
Friday is the wrong day to write neurosciences advertising.
I'm too punchy. All my headlines are tumbling into the world of Wrong.
"Don't have a conniption."
"Are you sick in the head?"
"Traffic may not be causing that headache."
"Confused? See a mind reader."
"Headaches? Oh, shit."
There's a meeting to present our work on Monday morning. Must. Be. Serious.
Oh, shit.
I'm too punchy. All my headlines are tumbling into the world of Wrong.
"Don't have a conniption."
"Are you sick in the head?"
"Traffic may not be causing that headache."
"Confused? See a mind reader."
"Headaches? Oh, shit."
There's a meeting to present our work on Monday morning. Must. Be. Serious.
Oh, shit.
The Religion of Peace
How many beheadings do we need to see (or hear about) before we start calling these murdering fucks "terrorists" instead of "insurgents?"
My thoughts and prayers are with the Bigley family. And my sincere hopes for Tiwad and Jihad is that every one of them takes a bacon-wrapped cruise missle up the ass.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Bigley family. And my sincere hopes for Tiwad and Jihad is that every one of them takes a bacon-wrapped cruise missle up the ass.
10.07.2004
That giddy feeling's fading away.
I knew the Dodgers wouldn't go too much further.
Like I said when they won the division - no matter what they did in the playoffs, we had that one glorious half-inning.
That, to me, was the heart of baseball beating stronger than it ever had. For a moment there were no egos, no salaries, no unions and no owners. There was only the pure joy of a team winning for its adoring fans.
I'm still glad I was there to see it.
Like I said when they won the division - no matter what they did in the playoffs, we had that one glorious half-inning.
That, to me, was the heart of baseball beating stronger than it ever had. For a moment there were no egos, no salaries, no unions and no owners. There was only the pure joy of a team winning for its adoring fans.
I'm still glad I was there to see it.
Fall Fashion in Baghdad
It seems that women are donning the veil in the new Free Iraq.
Why?
One reason for this is increased reports of women being kidnapped and raped. Khitam Hekmet, 20, works in a fashion store in Al-Mansur and wears western clothes, but her family have urged her to dress in an Islamic fashion to not draw attention to herself.
So women who wear Western clothes are "asking for it?"
The rise in religious feeling has also added to the pressure women feel to cover up. In June, the BBC reported radical clerics had demanded women wear the veil, and that one Iraqi UN staff member had received a letter at home saying she would be killed unless she started covering her hair. There have been no recent reports of this, but many religious leaders have recently become leaders of political parties and believe the veil is integral to a woman’s morality.
Guess so.
“The veil is an Islamic law, Mohammad makes this clear to all women and girls,” said Said Al-Hawadi, leader of the Supreme Council for the Liberation of Iraq.
Al-Hawadi said he does not believe in enforcing the veil but warns of dire consequences for any Muslim woman foolhardy enough to shake it off.
“It is her problem if she refuses to wear it - in Islam the woman who doesn’t cover up is going to hell,” he said.
How about this: how about if YOU go to hell. No wonder your culture missed the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. You were all too busy putting your heads up your asses.
The veil has also become an important political statement for Al-Hawadi since the fall of the ex-regime.
“The abiya is a resistance against the occupation, it is your personal jihad,” he said.
No it's not. It's a way to control society under your own strangling rules. Don't pretend that nobility or 'struggle' has anything to do with it.
If a woman in Iraq wants to wear the abaya (full black robes) or hajib (head scarf), let her. But a country can't pretend at freedom if one-half of its citizens feel compelled, or are forced by law, to wear a certain type of clothing. The veil is a symbol of female inferiority and its opposite, male superiority; which means that Iraq is riding the rails to an Islamist state - like Iran or Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
I wonder, then, if the Muslim culture is capable of a Renaissance or Enlightenment? Since their religion is also civic law, that means their laws haven't changed since the Quran was written - in about the year 630.
Dark Ages, indeed. And no light in sight.
Why?
So women who wear Western clothes are "asking for it?"
Guess so.
Al-Hawadi said he does not believe in enforcing the veil but warns of dire consequences for any Muslim woman foolhardy enough to shake it off.
“It is her problem if she refuses to wear it - in Islam the woman who doesn’t cover up is going to hell,” he said.
How about this: how about if YOU go to hell. No wonder your culture missed the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. You were all too busy putting your heads up your asses.
“The abiya is a resistance against the occupation, it is your personal jihad,” he said.
No it's not. It's a way to control society under your own strangling rules. Don't pretend that nobility or 'struggle' has anything to do with it.
If a woman in Iraq wants to wear the abaya (full black robes) or hajib (head scarf), let her. But a country can't pretend at freedom if one-half of its citizens feel compelled, or are forced by law, to wear a certain type of clothing. The veil is a symbol of female inferiority and its opposite, male superiority; which means that Iraq is riding the rails to an Islamist state - like Iran or Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
I wonder, then, if the Muslim culture is capable of a Renaissance or Enlightenment? Since their religion is also civic law, that means their laws haven't changed since the Quran was written - in about the year 630.
Dark Ages, indeed. And no light in sight.
Light up, baby.
via planetdan:
My baby likes menthols.
Mine liked Citron & 7 with lime, but I didn't advertise that fact.
My baby likes menthols.
Mine liked Citron & 7 with lime, but I didn't advertise that fact.
A short work observation
It's very difficult to write smart, hard-hitting advertising for a neurosciences institute while you're listening to Oingo Boingo.
Just sayin'.
Just sayin'.
10.06.2004
Creative financing . . .
. . . has gone down the toilet.
Modernization to Speed Check Clearing
Because [checks] can be transferred electronically, they'll clear so fast that consumers will have to learn to live without "float." Float is the delay in check processing that has allowed consumers to write a check at the grocery store on Wednesday in hopes that it won't clear their account until their paycheck is deposited on Friday.
Damn - my whole financial well-being depended on "float." Because of that, coupled with direct deposit and overdraft protection, I've been living beyond my means for two years.
Leave it to the Man to force me to be financially responsible.
Farkin' Man.
Modernization to Speed Check Clearing
Because [checks] can be transferred electronically, they'll clear so fast that consumers will have to learn to live without "float." Float is the delay in check processing that has allowed consumers to write a check at the grocery store on Wednesday in hopes that it won't clear their account until their paycheck is deposited on Friday.
Damn - my whole financial well-being depended on "float." Because of that, coupled with direct deposit and overdraft protection, I've been living beyond my means for two years.
Leave it to the Man to force me to be financially responsible.
Farkin' Man.
And now, the burning questions.
Sex in a Bar Bathroom -- Is It Legal?
Woo. I hope so.
And if not, I hope the Statute of Limitations doesn't last more than a week.
And can you be extradited if you're an offender?
Woo. I hope so.
And if not, I hope the Statute of Limitations doesn't last more than a week.
And can you be extradited if you're an offender?
Muammar's gone round the bend.
Either that, or the Good Twin has taken over for a while.
Gaddafi asks for Bigley's release
"I launch an appeal to the hostage's kidnappers, because his family has turned to us. We ask them to free this poor Briton," Colonel Gaddafi said.
Of course, he's also asking us to release Iraqi prisoners - one must be fair, after all.
Wait a second - how, again, did he get involved?
On Tuesday, Colonel Gaddafi's son said he had been contacted by the Bigley family and asked for help.
Oh. Right. Well, sure. Libya would be the first country I'd call to help negotiate with terrorists.
I know Gaddafi has worked since the '90s to rebuild his relationships with Europe and the U.S. I realize he has resolved Lockerbie, and disclosed his nuclear program with an unprecedented offer to disarm. Still, you must forgive me if I don't trust so easily.
After all, some people have said that they've changed; some enough to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. And then they've gone back to their terrorist ways.
For Mr. Bigley's sake, I hope this works. I also hope we keep a close eye on the Colonel, no matter which twin is in charge.
Gaddafi asks for Bigley's release
"I launch an appeal to the hostage's kidnappers, because his family has turned to us. We ask them to free this poor Briton," Colonel Gaddafi said.
Of course, he's also asking us to release Iraqi prisoners - one must be fair, after all.
Wait a second - how, again, did he get involved?
On Tuesday, Colonel Gaddafi's son said he had been contacted by the Bigley family and asked for help.
Oh. Right. Well, sure. Libya would be the first country I'd call to help negotiate with terrorists.
I know Gaddafi has worked since the '90s to rebuild his relationships with Europe and the U.S. I realize he has resolved Lockerbie, and disclosed his nuclear program with an unprecedented offer to disarm. Still, you must forgive me if I don't trust so easily.
After all, some people have said that they've changed; some enough to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. And then they've gone back to their terrorist ways.
For Mr. Bigley's sake, I hope this works. I also hope we keep a close eye on the Colonel, no matter which twin is in charge.
10.05.2004
Another sad goodbye.
His work in "Caddyshack" alone assures him a place in heaven. After all, he's given so many people so much joy. Me included.
RIP, Mr. Dangerfield.
10.04.2004
Being Blue feels good, for once.
My house is the kind of wreck that can only happen when you've gone out of town and just returned. I'm talking about unfolded laundry, weirdness in the fridge, cameras and shopping bags and maps and magazines and makeup cases - all out of place. My dog is still adjusting to being home. Last night, she went out into the backyard, laid down on her grass, and let out a long-suffering Golden Retriever sigh. Today, she follows me as if I'm going to sneak away on her again.
Am I daunted? No. Am I even slightly depressed by the disorder in my home? No.
It was all for a good cause.
No matter what happens in the playoffs, we had that moment. Or rather, we had that impossible half-inning.
Being a Dodger fan, you become predisposed to pessimism. For every homestretch where all the plays went our way, there was its opposite: Reggie Jackson in '78 and '79. Jack Clark in '85. Every single Murdoch year. "Never bet on an L.A. team," was the advice of my Grandma. And she was right. You could never be sure of victory - or defeat. They always kept us guessing in a way that isn't felt by Braves or Yankees fans.
So Saturday afternoon, after eight and a half innings of pain, an entire stadium was looking at a half-empty glass. "Maybe tomorrow," I said to Miles (who, though he's a lifelong Giants fan, refused to openly gloat - God love him). And then, as soon as I was sure we'd lose, Things started happening.
With one out, the bases were loaded. Of course, we were thinking this was the perfect time for a double play. Still, 54,000 people were on their feet, hoping for the miracle.
Hee-Seop Choi came to the plate, and everyone started chanting his name. In unison.
"Hee-Seop Choi! Hee-Seop Choi! Hee-Seop Choi," over and over again, over the course of a painfully long at-bat. He drew a walk.
A walk? (Pardon me while I channel Wallace Shawn) In-con-theee-vable!
3 - 1.
Cesar Izturis was next. "Iz-tur-IS! Iz-tur-IS!" He hit a groaner to the shortstop who booted it. Everyone was safe. 3 - 2.
I thought I'd wet my pants.
Jayson Werth came next. "Jay-son Werth! Jay-son Werth!" Jayson went two strikes in the hole. A man one section over had ripped the bottom from a drink cup and was using it as a megaphone. "Jayson," he cried. "I believe in you!"
Jayson hit a perfect single to right field. All were safe. All was well. 3 - 3.
I assumed the crash position and tried to keep my grilled Dodger dog down.
Meanwhile, here came the veteran, the ever-dangerous Steve Finley.
"Steve Fin-LEY! Steve Fin-LEY!" The crowd was in hysterics; we were screaming ourselves raw, cheering Finley with everything we had.
Just put it in the outfield, just put it in the outfield I thought. A sacrifice fly was good enough to win.
As he swung, as the ball soared in a high arc up, up, up over the right field fence, 54,000 people roared as one wild animal. Miles said later that the sound was so high-pitched, so loud, that it seemed unreal.
Somewhere in all the shouting and jumping up and down, I began to cry.
I'd been watching Dodger games since I was a tiny thing. Grandma was my guide, listening on her transistor when the games weren't televised. Vin Scully's voice is part of my childhood. His voice sounds like summer to me. And Grandma was the most devoted fan, cheering when they won, cussing when they lost. Through all her hard years, through sickness and through sadness, she still rooted for them. She bled blue. And I bled with her.
Back in January, she died of a massive heart attack. On Saturday, with tears in my eyes, I whispered: "oh, Grandma. They did it."
Then I called my mom so she could hear the celebration.
Everything after that is a little blurry. Jose Lima ran a victory lap around the field, pumping up the crowd. Players came out and talked to us, thanked us for our support. Their children ran across the perfect outfield grass, hurling themselves against the wall as if making highlight-reel catches. Outside, thousands of cars conga-lined out of the stadium parking lots, honking. People hung out of the windows, screaming with joy.
Now that I'm home, trying to reorganize my life, I can still feel that glow.
Am I blue?
Hell yeah.
Am I daunted? No. Am I even slightly depressed by the disorder in my home? No.
It was all for a good cause.
No matter what happens in the playoffs, we had that moment. Or rather, we had that impossible half-inning.
Being a Dodger fan, you become predisposed to pessimism. For every homestretch where all the plays went our way, there was its opposite: Reggie Jackson in '78 and '79. Jack Clark in '85. Every single Murdoch year. "Never bet on an L.A. team," was the advice of my Grandma. And she was right. You could never be sure of victory - or defeat. They always kept us guessing in a way that isn't felt by Braves or Yankees fans.
So Saturday afternoon, after eight and a half innings of pain, an entire stadium was looking at a half-empty glass. "Maybe tomorrow," I said to Miles (who, though he's a lifelong Giants fan, refused to openly gloat - God love him). And then, as soon as I was sure we'd lose, Things started happening.
With one out, the bases were loaded. Of course, we were thinking this was the perfect time for a double play. Still, 54,000 people were on their feet, hoping for the miracle.
Hee-Seop Choi came to the plate, and everyone started chanting his name. In unison.
"Hee-Seop Choi! Hee-Seop Choi! Hee-Seop Choi," over and over again, over the course of a painfully long at-bat. He drew a walk.
A walk? (Pardon me while I channel Wallace Shawn) In-con-theee-vable!
3 - 1.
Cesar Izturis was next. "Iz-tur-IS! Iz-tur-IS!" He hit a groaner to the shortstop who booted it. Everyone was safe. 3 - 2.
I thought I'd wet my pants.
Jayson Werth came next. "Jay-son Werth! Jay-son Werth!" Jayson went two strikes in the hole. A man one section over had ripped the bottom from a drink cup and was using it as a megaphone. "Jayson," he cried. "I believe in you!"
Jayson hit a perfect single to right field. All were safe. All was well. 3 - 3.
I assumed the crash position and tried to keep my grilled Dodger dog down.
Meanwhile, here came the veteran, the ever-dangerous Steve Finley.
"Steve Fin-LEY! Steve Fin-LEY!" The crowd was in hysterics; we were screaming ourselves raw, cheering Finley with everything we had.
Just put it in the outfield, just put it in the outfield I thought. A sacrifice fly was good enough to win.
As he swung, as the ball soared in a high arc up, up, up over the right field fence, 54,000 people roared as one wild animal. Miles said later that the sound was so high-pitched, so loud, that it seemed unreal.
Somewhere in all the shouting and jumping up and down, I began to cry.
I'd been watching Dodger games since I was a tiny thing. Grandma was my guide, listening on her transistor when the games weren't televised. Vin Scully's voice is part of my childhood. His voice sounds like summer to me. And Grandma was the most devoted fan, cheering when they won, cussing when they lost. Through all her hard years, through sickness and through sadness, she still rooted for them. She bled blue. And I bled with her.
Back in January, she died of a massive heart attack. On Saturday, with tears in my eyes, I whispered: "oh, Grandma. They did it."
Then I called my mom so she could hear the celebration.
Everything after that is a little blurry. Jose Lima ran a victory lap around the field, pumping up the crowd. Players came out and talked to us, thanked us for our support. Their children ran across the perfect outfield grass, hurling themselves against the wall as if making highlight-reel catches. Outside, thousands of cars conga-lined out of the stadium parking lots, honking. People hung out of the windows, screaming with joy.
Now that I'm home, trying to reorganize my life, I can still feel that glow.
Am I blue?
Hell yeah.
10.03.2004
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