Is that a shrub in your pocket...
Friday, June 05, 2009
Mmmmm.... Donuts
The lo-cal news twit just informed me that today is National Donut Day, reigniting the eternal controversy: “donuts” or “doughnuts.” I’ll go with ‘donuts,’ since it’s almost 35% easier to type (and ‘doenuts’ would be a contradiction in terms). Plus I’m pretty sure it’s how Homer would spell it. But, even without Donut Day, this would still be a big weekend up here in the hinterland.
For one thing, it’s the annual “Taste of Syracuse” celebration, with this year’s big ticket item (well, it’s actually free, so there aren’t any tickets, but anyways…) being the Saturday evening performance by the band “Modern West,” led by Kevin Costner. I have no idea what kind of music they play (I’m thinking some sort of Country/Western thing, based on the name), but, as you may have heard, Kevin Costner is a very famous person, so lots of folks will no doubt be going out to look at him (plus, did I mention, it’s free).
As part of TOS, tonight is the annual Syracuse Area Music (aka SAMMY) Awards, and this year’s SAMMY Hall of Fame inductees are Donna Colton, The Dean Brothers, Otis Smith, Mike Greenstein and Carrie Pardee. Never heard of them? Well, too bad for you. Besides, Libba Cotten was inducted years ago, and they had to pick somebody.
As if that wasn’t enough, party girl and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will be coming to nearby Auburn to participate in the annual Founders’ Day celebration. Lock up your sons (and maybe your daughters, too 
), CNY’ers, Sarah’s comin’!
The esteemed Governor and wolf murderer will be meetin’ and greetin’ and paradin’ and stuff. And if you’ve got $250 (seems kind of cheap - not unlike the Governor herself - don’t it?), on Saturday afternoon you can have your pitcher takin’ with her at the William H Seward House library, and then go and set a spell with her at a garden party reception. Well, except you better already have your ticket, ‘cuz they’re all sold out (to be fair, there were only 125 of them to begin with, so that wasn’t too tough). But the event is raising $31 grand for the Seward museum, so I reckon that’s a good thing.
But wait, there’s more! It’s also “Oz-Stravaganza!” weekend in Chittenango, birthplace of L. Frank Baum (women’s suffrage advocate, supporter of ‘Redskin’ extirmination [sic] - at least in two editorials he wrote for the Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer - and author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - the first of something like 40 ‘Oz’ books, and possibly one of the 12,853 books Dubya read - or had read to him - while pretending to be president). It’s also the 70th anniversary of the release of the movie, and the 100th anniversary of the publication of the fifth book in the series, “The Road to Oz” (where Dorothy meets the Shaggy Man, and while trying to find the road to Butterfield, they get lost on an enchanted road) so this should be quite an affair. Oh, there’ll be parades (we love our parades, here in the provinces) and munchkins (well, the widow of a munchkin, anyway; I don’t know if the others will make the trip this year. Sadly, our favorite munchkin - Clarence Swensen - passed away in February, leaving us with only 8 of the original 124) and all sorts of yellow brick road type of stuff, and the whole darn town of Chittenango will be abuzz.
Oh, go ahead and make fun of us yokels, but I guarantee this would never happen here. They’d have towed the sucker after the first couple tickets.
Denise Richards has apparently fessed up to have three boob jobs. I didn’t actually read the story (and I’m not real clear on who she is, though I gather she’s famous), so I don’t know if she had her boobs done three times, or if she has three boobs. Is this her?
Time to make the donuts.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Twofer
So, pretty much as expected, President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to be the next Supreme Court Justice. Republicans, of course, are overjoyed to have an actual person to express their rage (in the same way that dogs express their anal glands, only not as pretty) over. They’re calling her a “Harriet Miers” pick, and Pat Buchanan says she’s “not very bright” (I suspect the actual quote was more like “dumb spic”). This, despite the fact that she graduated Summa Cum Laude (and #2 in her class) from Princeton, and received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1979 (where she was an editor at the Yale Law Journal).
She worked as an Assistant DA in New York City (I think she was the one between Jill Hennessey and Angie Harmon - which conjures up an interesting image in my brain), and was nominated to the U.S. District Court by that bleeding heart liberal, George H. W. Bush, and then by Bill Clinton to the U.S. Court of Appeals (and was under consideration for the Supreme Court in 2005, when dubya eventually picked Sammy Alito).
She’s no Clarence Thomas, that’s for sure.
But never mind all that. The reason I’m backing Sonia is because her brother the doctor, Juan, lives here. And when she visits, she takes his kids out for a bite to eat and a movie a Carousel Mall. Case closed. I just hope I can manage to avoid hearing most of the hate and venom that’s going to be spewed forth over the next few months. It’s so tiresome. You really can’t get a more middle of the road pick. Republicans want another Fat Tony Scalia, but tough shit. Personally, I want another Ruth Bader Ginsburg (or Maxine Waters).
I watched the Marc Maron/Colin Firth (I don’t actually know who he is, but I gather he’s famous) interview yesterday, and was shamed into ordering a couple pounds of Fair Trade coffee. Sure, it’s more than twice as expensive (not counting the $7 shipping) as what I buy locally, but it helps assuage my liberal guilt. And if an apparently famous person tells me I should do something, I try and do it. Hopefully the coffee at least won’t suck.
Speaking of famous people, Brooke Shields has announced that she lost her virginity at 22 (and regrets not doing it sooner). Really? Is this information we’re supposed to feel entitled to (or care about)? Brooke, please. No offense, but unless you have video, I don’t really care. And, as long as we’re sharing, I regret not losing mine when I was in third grade. I’m not quite sure I actually had all the details down at that time (I pretty much had had my side of things worked out though), but I sure did lust after our student teacher, Miss Le Freight 
(talk about summa cum loudly). It’s a shame that hot teachers having sex with minors wasn’t fashionable back in my day.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
We're #1
If you don’t follow lacrosse, well, you missed one hell of a game yesterday. Otherwise, not much else going on, other than trying to reconcile myself to the idea of going back to work again today. Not that I really mind going to work, but there’s something about a three-day weekend that makes it tough to go back again (especially when you haven’t had an “extra” day off in, well, in longer than I can remember; not since New Years Day, I think).
A court decision on Prop 8 is expected in California today. That won’t end things, of course. If the homo-haters don’t get their way, they’ll take it all the way to the Supreme Court. And gay rights supporters will put a proposition on the ballot in 2010 or 2012. I’m hopeful that the gay marriage legislation introduced in NY will make it though the State Senate. It’s already passed the Assembly, but it’ll need a east a few Republican votes in the Senate. It’d be nice to see the NY State legislature do something I can be proud of for a change. Their cowardice goes all the way back to 1776 when they abstained (twice) from the vote for independence. Way to take a stand.
Speaking of taking a stand, SEIU is taking one against CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Barack Obama, as a new series of ads are set to run Wednesday. This is because the Obama Administration, in what is becoming a rather frequent occurrence, has decided to cave in to pressure from the right.
When Schwarzenegger decided to cut pay for home health care workers and cut $750 billion healthcare programs for the poor, the Obama administration threatened to withhold $6.8 billion in federal stimulus funds unless the California legislature revoked the wage cut. But then the right got all pissy, and Obama caved in. I wonder if this is the same strategy Obama will use in dealing with the North Koreans? Not that that would necessarily a bad thing.
Turns out that North Koreans saber rattling and missile launching has caused the value of the Japanese Yen and US dollar to increase. Go figure. If a World War breaks out, we could be back in black in no time. Or at least on a permanent 3-day weekend.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Day
Ah, Memorial Day, when politicians pretend to honor the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, and then continue to treat them like the disposable pawns of global corporate interests. Never mind not sending them to their deaths halfway around the world for no good reason, and forget about giving them the proper equipment to keep them as safe as possible. We aren’t even willing to give them shower facilities that won’t electrocute them (note to the no-bid contractors out there: electricity and water is not a good mix).
Memorial Day is also the day when those of us who haven’t lost any loved ones in the military have barbecues, plant flowers, maybe visit the graves of our parents, catch a fighter jet flyover or two (this will be the last year for that here, as our National Guard unit will soon be trading in its F-16s for unmanned drones), and basically kick back and enjoy a day off. Oh, and watch the NCAA Division I lacrosse championship game, of course.
Just in case you didn’t think the “Democrats” suck, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson (a “Democrat”) threatened to join the Republicans in filibustering “Democratic” President Obama’s Supreme Court pick (uh, when he actually picks somebody). Pretty funny shit, huh?
I find it rather ironic, personally. You may recall that, during the Alito nomination process, Obama was pressured into voting against cloture, though before the vote he declared that it was a bad idea, wouldn’t work, and he would vote for cloture in any subsequent vote. Now his own party is threatening him with a filibuster to be certain he doesn’t nominate a progressive. Not that he will, of course. He’ll appoint some middle of the road “safe” pick that will be vilified by the Republicans and their media lackeys as a godless Communist, and then turn around and bit us all in the ass after her confirmation.
This is why Harry Reid has to go. He’s a worthless piece of crap, and needs to be replaced. The Democrats need a Majority Leader that will run the Senate with an iron fist. Ben Nelson’s office should be moved to a janitor’s closet in the basement of the Senate Office Building.
But, that won’t happen. Not with spineless Harry at the con.
Oh well, have a happy Memorial Day. And let’s go Orange!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Have a Cuppa Tea
If you didn’t catch Bill Moyers’ show on single-payer healthcare last night, you can view it online. One of my favorite parts was video of a 2003 speech by a certain Illinois State Senator who claimed to favor a single-payer healthcare system. We might not be able to do it right away, he said, because we had to do three things first: take back the White House, take back the US Senate, and take back the US House of Representatives.
Gee, if only we could do all that, single-payer advocates would at least get a seat at the table alongside the insurance industry lobbyists. Right?
I don’t know who that 2003 Illinois State Senator was, but I sure wish he was still around today. We could use him.
In the meantime, if you’re not feeling well, don’t fret. No need for healthcare or insurance. Just have a cuppa tea.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Sarah's Comin'!
We just need to get through today, and then the big Memorial Day weekend (celebrated big-time in Waterloo, NY, officially designated the “birthplace” of Memorial Day by LBJ in 1966, though it’s one of a couple dozen communities to claim the distinction), which seems like it’s coming a lot earlier than usual, will be upon us. Not that I’m complaining; it’s been a long time since I’ve had a day off.
Memorial Day weekend, of course, means the Lacrosse Final Four, which is a big deal to me, at least, and to the 100,000 or so folks who’ll be heading to Boston this weekend. Sunday is “Brews, Blues, and BBQ,” emceed by Dan “Elwood” Akroyd, with performers including John L. Hooker Jr., The Radiators, Edgar Winter, Roomful of Blues, and The Blind Boys of Alabama. Sadly missed will be local blues legend Roosevelt Dean, who lost a lengthy battle with cancer last month.
For those of you don’t know (and why would you), former Secretary of State William Seward (we’re going way back, here, to Abe Lincoln and Andrew Johnson) lived most of his adult life in Auburn, NY. Seward, you may recall (if you were paying attention in school), arranged for the purchase of Alaska from Russia (which you can still see from Alaska, from what I understand) in 1867. Seward’s Folly? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
This is somewhat convoluted, so try and stay with me here. Alaska became the 49th State 50 years ago, in January, 1959. Every year, Auburn has its Founder’s Day, and this year, they’re celebrating the Alaskan statehood anniversary (rather than celebrating Auburn’s founding in 1793; I guess once you’ve celebrated the Underground Railroad and the fake inventor of baseball a couple dozen times, you have to get creative). So, naturally, Sarah Palin is coming to Auburn on June 6th to take part in the celebration. Yes, the home of Harriet Tubman and Abner Doubleday will now be sullied by the presence of Sarah Palin.
Activities scheduled for the Governor no doubt include tours of the Bass Pro Shop and Auburn’s maximum security prison (a rather impressive looking fortress - complete with guard towers and gun turrets - right in the middle of the “city”). Attica gets all the publicity, but the Auburn Penn is really bad ass, so Sarah should love it. And perhaps they’ll cap the visit off with a trip to the Auburn zoo to shoot some wolves.
I’m kidding, of course; Auburn doesn’t have a zoo.
Anyways, not only does Barbara Boxer send me e-mails, now her son, Doug, is writing to me too. Yesterday he wrote,
It’s been an incredible few months since the progressive majority you helped deliver to President Obama last November has been in session.
Really? There’s a progressive majority? So why the frack aren’t we closing Gitmo, ending military commissions, prosecuting torturers, enacting singlepayer healthcare (speaking of healthcare, tonight on Bill Moyers, Bill has “Heathcare NOT Warfare” co-chair Donna Smith (you may remember her from “Sicko;” she and her husband had to move into their daughter’s basement after - despite being fully insured - they lost everything due to illness and surgeries) of the California Nurses Association on to talk about how our broken system is hurting ordinary Americans, plus physicians Sidney Wolfe of Public Citizen and David Himmelstein of Physicians for a National Health Program are on to discuss the political and logistical feasibility of enacting a single-payer system during these economic times, and within a government bought and paid for by lobbyists. 9:00 EDT on PBS, check you local listings, or read more and join the discussion), and investigating the people who lied us into war (among other things)? Oh and why isn’t Al Franken the junior Senator from Minnesota?
Speaking of Al, his son wrote to me yesterday, too, asking me to wish his dad a happy 58th birthday, and donate $58 to his campaign (or whatever it is you call when you win an election but still have to keep campaigning in the courts). Happy Birthday, Al! Hey, one out of two aint bad.
OK, now let’s get this day over with.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Fooled Again?
Yesterday really blew, wind-wise. We didn’t lose power where I work, but when I came home for lunch, I found the clocks blinking, so I reckon the power was out there. Siggy doesn’t like storms, and even high winds scare the hell out of him. Power failures, too. Especially when the UPS in my office downstairs (where he hangs out during the day) and the one in Granny’s office upstairs start beeping. He must’ve been terrified yesterday, and when I got home at lunch, I found that he’d managed to lock himself in the tiny little bathroom off the kitchen (it’s literally too small for him to stand in if he keeps his tail straight). I don’t know how long he was trapped in there, but the whole room was full of dog slobber. Poor boy. Then, when I got home after work, I realized one of our circuit breakers had tripped, so my UPS was dead (and Sedition Radio was off the air). It’s always something.
Arkansas GOP cracker Kim Hendren has apologized for the way he referred to that Jew Senator of mine. Not that being a Jew Senator is a bad thing, of course. Just not something you see much in Arkansas, I guess, where they have good, Christian family values like Andy Griffith and whatnot. I wonder if Hendren knows Jesus was a Jew? Better not tell him - his head might explode. Jesus can tell him all about it come Judgment Day.
With the decision to not release the prisoner abuse photos, the revival of military commissions, the reluctance to prosecute torturers, and the removal of protections for polar bears and gray wolves, I’m experiencing a bit of déjà vu these days. I always thought it was a good thing that the Bushies were so stupid, or they could have been really dangerous. I hope the new boss isn’t just a smarter version of the old boss.
Speaking of the new boss, did anybody else find his comments at yesterday’s town hall meeting kind of condescending?
Now, this brings to the last principle, and so this touches on your point, and that is, why not do a single-payer system. (Applause.) Got the little single-payer advocates up here. (Applause.) All right.
Little single-payer advocates? Like, the cute little morons who just don’t understand how the big boys play? He did go on to say…
If I were starting a system from scratch, then I think that the idea of moving towards a single-payer system could very well make sense. That’s the kind of system that you have in most industrialized countries around the world.
But we just can’t have the audacity to hope for something like that in this country, I’m afraid - even if it “could very well make sense.” Or not. Oh, well, he still is supposedly going to insist on having a public component. Unless he changes his mind, of course (think, telecom immunity, torture photos, military commissions…).
Don’t worry, though, Dick Cheney isn’t running the White House again (honest). And Rush Limbaugh isn’t running the Republicans, either.
Speaking of brave American hero Rush Limbaugh - who has had the guts to take on tough foes like Parkinson's patients, the spectacularly impotent Michael Steele, and a pilonidal cyst that kept him from killin' gooks and winning the Vietnam War singlehandedly - has now found a new battle. He's taking on John McCain's 97-yr old mother. Go get her, Rush. Though I wouldn't take any bets on you outliving her, you piece of shit brainwashed Nazi coward.
Oh well, I’m running late, here. Have a good Friday.
