saw the matrix 3 tonite.

i liked it just fine. it was about 1000x better than part 2. it had virtually none of the stuff i hated from part 2 and that's a damn good start. it was MUCH more of sci fi movie than a kung fu, shoot em up, mind bender like before. it seemed to lack a lot of what made the 1st one unique, a lot of what made the 2nd one suck, and still wasn't too bad.

what was too bad was the freezing cold theatre we were in. my nose and ears were cold and the door handle was cold to the touch. despite my complaints, it never got better.

strangely, Neo (Reeves) seemed to be barely in 1/2 the movie. Trinity in less than that. gorjus complained that the lines were like a book of cliches, but i thought they were at least delivered well. it was fun to watch and i'll likely not see it again, but i had a good time.

NEW MOVIES
Lately, i've been wanting to see the new Lord of the Rings and wanna see the Two Towers again on DVD.

anyone see the runaway jury? TX Chainsaw Massacre? Bad Santa?

it seems that there were a ton of movies i wanted to see 3 weeks ago. now there are 3. i missed the sneak preview of The Last Samurai tonite (one showing) we were one of a few hundred theatres across the nation that got the sneak preview. this coming after the opening date was brought back 1 week earlier (12/5) b/c of the RAVE reviews it got. i guess they smelled a winner.

OH, one last question. anyone know when the Oscar dates are? meaning when must your movie have been released to be in contention for the oscar? is it w/in the calendar year being considered?

PILL BILL

the main complaint is that it's very expensive and pays for very little, BUT helps Drug companies on every step of the way. they do need government handouts, don't they?

The real problem? it pads the bill for anyone, no matter how rich they are. its not just a payment for those that cannot afford it. that's where the big cost jumps...oh well, gotta pay those drug companies back for the campaign dough i guess. the actual cost of drugs does not go down PLUS...

we get a ban on drugs from Canada by requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to guarantee the drugs are safe...something i guarantee will not happen. Drug companines wouldn't like that, now would they?

Oddly enough, Trent Lott and i agree about disliking this bill for the same reasons. hmm....

In an Odd Turn of Events, the vote was held open for an amazing 3+ hours, as the count was 218 to 216, defeating the bill. the house leadership wouldn't close the vote on the bill until they could twist some arms to get the votes switched.

OK, Here's your crib notes on the new bill, courtesy of the NYTimes. the $$ we're spending roughly on Rx drugs for our elderly is roughly 1/2 of what we are spending yearly on Iraq.

Under "standard prescription drug coverage," defined in the Medicare bill, a beneficiary would be responsible for the first $250 in drug costs each year. Of the next $2,000, Medicare would cover 75 percent and the beneficiary would pay 25 percent, or $500. The beneficiary would then be responsible for all of the next $2,850 in drug costs.

The beneficiary would thus pay $3,600 for the first $5,100 worth of medicine in a year, and that does not include the premiums, estimated at $420 a year. Beyond that, Medicare would cover 95 percent of the cost of each prescription, after the patient had spent $3,600.

CNN.com - Schwarzenegger paroles another Murderer

Tough on crime! i read that this is the second murderer he's paroled in the last month. yay.

Woman Knocked Unconscious By Wal-Mart Shoppers

Ummm. its Wal-Mart. their sales aren't THAT good.

I'm serious.

They aren't.

The GOP's Richard Perle Problem -or- The Truth Comes Out...again

Well, looks like War Profiteer/Pentagon hawk(er) Richard Perle's been talking more than he should. he's been talking about how the war was set in motion on illegal grounds AND a little bit on how iraq made and offer to avert war, but we kept it secret and tossed it. great. i hope this GOP crap finally starts to catch up with them.

ORRIN HATCH staffer hacks Senator's Computers

Seems his staff is hacking into confidential Dem. Senators' computers. when questioned about it previously, he made a joke that some 'conscious stricken' dem probably leaked the secret files.

uh huh.

MOVIE NEWS...

ASTRO CITY will become a movie.

Michael Caine is in talks with Warner Bros to play Alfred in the new BATMAN movie.

DAY-LEWIS AS AL GHUL?
-
According to Batman On Film, the name most often
being bandied about for the upcoming BATMAN 5 role
of Ra's Al Ghul is Daniel Day-Lewis, most recently
of GANGS OF NEW YORK.

THE SOPRANOS return March 7, 2004.

George Lucas is rumored to be messing with the original STAR WARS trilogy again, to bring it in line with the prequels.

Editor's Cut

This is an interesting article from The Nation which asks why people in Ala. (and elsewhere) will vote against their own intersts, as when the they will stick to the GOP when the clearly are not helping them. in response there are a few emails linked up top. i produce one here in its entirety because i think its warrants a read. I really believe this, and it does not matter if the democrats like this or not, they better understand it because underestimating this vote will not help us.

I am a white male born and bred in Leon County, Florida, eighteen miles from the Georgia line. I don't drive a pick-up truck with a gun rack in the back and I have never shown the Confederate flag but I wear a Seminole baseball hat, hoop and holler every fall for the FSU football team and would defend to the death the red clay foothills of the Appalachians that form this corner of what is known as the "South."

I just read "Alabama on my Mind" by Katrina vanden Heuvel in the November 10 edition of Editor's Cut. I do not have a direct answer for why people in Alabama voted against what vanden Heuvel considers their best interest but I hope to offer a clue as to why vanden Heuvel and others of her political persuasion remain perplexed by the voting ways of southerners, westerners, hunters and other residents of "red" America (Bush country).

After Howard Dean's recent reiteration of his aspiration to bring under the Democrat's tent the guys who drive pick-up trucks with confederate flags in the back windows, I heard vanden Heuvel on MSNBC's "Hardball."

She described the confederate flag with the same terminology as Mr. Dean as he tried to recover from what he called a clumsy attempt to appeal to voters. "The confederate flag is a loathsome symbol," she said.

Now, ain't that a sure fire cure for clumsiness?

This choice of words reveals a misunderstanding of white men in the South and of people in general, a misunderstanding that speaks volumes about why Democrats, the party of the people, have performed so abysmally since Nixon first adopted the Southern Strategy, in leading and maintaining the prominence in Presidential politics of Republicans, the party of the rich.

I do not dispute that the flag is justifiably rejected by many African-Americans whose ancestors suffered terribly under it and who encounter daily the legacy of slavery in their lives today. They stand on proven ground when they advocate that the Confederate flag not be flown over their state capitols. Nor will I argue that those who show the flag do not have tendencies, or worse, toward racism.

But southern white men do not normally put that flag in the back of their truck to recruit Ku Klux Klan members, advocate racist policies or proclaim that they are white supremacists.

They show the Confederate flag to make the statement "I am a man." "Look at me," they demand. "Look at my pick-up truck, my gun-rack, my flag that symbolizes as few symbols can: DEFIANCE."

"The South will rise again," they say. "And the federal government will never, ever be able to extinguish its spirit, a sprit worthy of honor because it is associated with being a god-fearing man who protects his wife, takes care of his children and makes sacrifices for the good of his family."

Conversely, that flag in the back window says of the truck owner you can tax my property, my income, charge me fees to hunt and drive my truck, educate me and mine poorly, deny me good jobs, regulate me to death, and demean me every which way but it will not work. Because you cannot rob me of my manhood."

That flag says something else, too. It says, "whenever a politician (or a pundit on television advocating for a group of politicians) tells me that my manhood is "loathsome", you can bet your bottom dollar, he'll never get my vote. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER."

Unfortunately for Democrats, George W. Bush and most of the Republicans have an intuitive grasp for what those who wave the Confederate flag intend to communicate.

And like it or not - no matter vanden Heuvel's intellectual or emotional take or Howard Dean's instinctive appeal compromised by offensive apology - their intuition will continue to attract votes.

Barring failed Bush economic policies or handling of Iraq to propel a Democrat into the Presidency, the office will remain an elusive goal for Democrats if they cannot read the obvious central message of a flag from a war that ended more than a century ago and refrain from labeling as loathsome its messenger.

Ain't it the truth?

Trent Malone, Tallahassee, FL

THIS IS IT!

If Dean wins the Nomination, you can expect this to be the campaign issue of the year. I don't know if we can win this kind of fight.

Mr. Mooch needs a lid.

Mr. Mooch told me that he wants to get a fez for the swinging parties we hope to be having soon. I hope to have some photos up here...i'm hoping to have a few done in somewhat of a "Blue Note" style. We'll see. As some of you know, i'd like to put together a Flash Animation of the 'opening credits' for POLLY & THE MOOCH. If you know someone that would help on that project, please feel free to buzz me.

Three U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq

I don't think its all rosey in Iraq when children are dragging american soldiers through the streets and pummeling their bloody bodies with concrete. these were KIDS, not organized soldiers for saddam. If Bush thought we were going to be loved by the basic citizens in Iraq when we started the occupation...well, maybe he should explain it more completely to these boys' parents. Sickening.

ORRIN HATCH IS A JERK

Discussing the recent GOP Protest filibuster, Orrin Hatch argued that the democrats, in blocking 4 of bush's judicial nominees, were playing politics in a way that was unheard of and unconstitutional. except....(from the Wash. Post):

(In 1980) Senate Republicans mounted a filibuster against President Carter's nominee for general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board -- a man who had served as a career attorney at the board for 27 years.

The senator leading the filibuster said it was his "unfortunate duty to challenge the nomination" because, although he "personally liked" the nominee, he was "too pro-labor" and other qualified nominees would be "acceptable to business."

That senator was Orrin Hatch. does that mean he now hates himself, thinks he was out of line, and should be ashamed!? don't hold your breath.

U.S. General Says Bin Laden 'Out of the Picture'

THE BALL HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY DROPPED

After the "sideshow" of iraq (Wesley Clark's words), diverting our time, ability, and emphasis away from the Afganistan-based terror organization that attacked our country--we get this.

It seems a Senior US General has stated that finding bin laden is not a top priority anymore. It fills me with a great anger to think that we are searching for Saddam with such zeal, and we are dropping the one terrorist that actually attacked us and promised to do it again. Is this what we are to expect from a Bush Administration? Before we started the job in Afganistan (let alone finish it), we find a deversionary war in Iraq. All the while, our President plays a shell game with our soldiers and the good will this nation has built over generations in order to put aside two facts--This administration has hardly completed its task in either country and had not the planning to properly succeed in the first place.

We can only be told to look elsewhere, or told that things are better than the reality bares out, for so long. We are clearly no safer now than before invading Iraq. The risk Iraq was made of as much fabrication and truth stretching as it was weapons of mass destruction. Never in the last century has this nation been held in lower regard. I am curious to know when, in the history of our nation, has a president and an administration been held so low in world opinion.

This contempt is no mystery. it is born out of our own actions, which have over and over been shown to be the product of medacity. There were no credible ties between the Taliban and Iraq. There was no imminent threat of attack from WMD's in Iraq. And, finally, we have this article here. Richard Perle, has served as the chairman of the Defense Policy Board, an advisory panel to the Pentagon. Here he puts it in simple words. when the Bush administration (the administration he advised to go to war) said that we had the Authorization of the UN to attack Iraq, he was lying. it was widely claimed by Bush, Rumsfeld, Powell, Rice, and a host of my republican friends that we had all the authorization we needed in previously passed UN Resolutions. he states, "international law ... would have required us to leave Saddam Hussein alone."

SO WHY DID WE DO IT?

Partly due to the paranoia of Dick Cheney. our VP that has spent the bulk of his time in office (since 9/11) in hiding. He hides from public view and scrutiny, consumed by 2 issues--his fear that the twin towers attack was a preamble and the need to 'complete' the job of the first gulf war. Our own President has the conviction to do what is right--stay the course--but not the mental compass to set the course himself. Enter our cabal of Hacks. men culled from the GOP administrations past. hand picked unilateralists that need no assistance from anyone on earth...that would mean that decisions and spotlights and victories would have to be shared.

Shared victories are not savored by a party that courts the isolationist. War profiteering is not as lucrative if there are other nations in on the action. In every instance the president has wanted as little oversight or input as possible at every juncture. To his suprise, the presidential will did not find acquiescence, and this clearly seemed to shock him. it was as if the mode and tone of international relations, as developed over the last 50 years, was lost on him. It has always been the case that you can act without approval, but there is a cost. Bush's minders did not care because they held these institutions in contempt. Bush was left wondering, clearly wondering why there was no rush to agreement.

"Why did the world not see Iraq in such clear black and white?" "Do we need proof in the form of a mushroom cloud?"

The evidence was not convincing because it did not exist. the exaggerations place before the world were believable to leaders that wore blinders, or sought American aid or acceptance into NATO. Bush called them the "Coalition of the Willing". None of this mattered much because most every party involved needed Iraq. One needed the massaging eyes that military power provides the ego (Rumsfeld). One needed to sooth his paranoia over this terrorism blunder (Cheney, see previous writing on this matter). Finally, one needed to be a leader in action, not just talk. He needed to strap on his holster and show he wasn't just in the fight, like he said at ground zero, but prove he'd WON the fight. He needed the military fortitude he did not himself have in Vietnam when he used his father's strings for safety--stateside. The problem is that he hasn't truly won a war that we did not have to fight in the first place. we have not been made safer. our very nation is held in contempt by former allies. Our President needed to stand tall, but he could only do that on the backs of our dead soldiers, fighting not for truth, but rather his mendacity. Our soldiers swore to fight for our nation and our freedom. they did not pledge themselves to our president's mendacity. I am tired of watching our president spit on our soldiers and tell me i am not patriotic for agreeing with it.

My nation needs protecting, Iraq needs direction, and my president is sorely unqualified for the job.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | War critics astonished as US hawk admits invasion was illegal

wow.

Here Is the Breakdown

...of how the Michael Jackson story developed.

Russian dies after winning vodka-drinking contest

Poor guy, he wins the contest and what does he get? A Coffin! several runners up had to go to the ER.

"The competition lasted 30, perhaps 40 minutes and the winner downed three half-litre bottles. He was taken home by taxi but died within 20 minutes,"

YEESH! i usually avoid vodka myself.

Listening to ATLANTIC CITY tonite

This is probably my favorite Springsteen song, but I really only listen to it when I'm in a very serious mood. It's powerful in many directions and pulls thoughts out of my head. It starts:

Well, they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night
Now, they blew up his house, too
Down on the boardwalk they're gettin' ready for a fight
Gonna see what them racket boys can do
Now, there's trouble bustin' in from outta state
And the d.a. can't get no relief
Gonna be a rumble out on the promenade
And the gamblin' commission's hangin' on by the skin of his teeth.

Its a vague talk about some sort of muscle (gangland?) getting out of hand. those lines are a strong pull to this song for me. the song often helps me focus on my work, which is often fighting people or fighting for people, in one way or another. i find the stark and serious nature of the words gripping.

Well, I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the central trust
And I bought us two tickets on that coast city bus.

I have no explanation for you. but there have been several times in my life when my whole world was literally up in the air. if a few things didn't fall just right--and much of it was down to luck as much as anything else--every inch of my life and the furture i'd planned for myself would have crashed. the hopelessness of those words are painfully clear. you have yourself behind the 8-ball and you've got to cling to the desperate chances you find. often it's the only one that you can find. Finally, the chours (in part):

Well now, ev’rything dies, baby, that’s a fact
But maybe ev’rything that dies someday comes back

perhaps the best string of words Springsteen ever strung together...at least if you felt like you were losing everything. always some hope, even if it sounds wrenchingly out of reach. what ever gets you through the nite, you know?

good song.

AS IF YOU DID NOT KNOW ALREADY...

There are already some polls out concerning former justice moore's possible run for governor. he'll likely challenge the sitting gov. in the primary which may leave an opening for the DEMS if they have anyone, particularly w/ how weak the gov. is at this point. After watching that film AGAIN of Moore pretending to install the 10 commandments monument and then praying before it like an alter, his face tight, as if in anguish...its sickening to this christian. the sad part is that people don't mind this man stepping on our freedoms AND our/my religion as a publicity stunt to get votes. what scum.

Poor Alabama, they get tricked into voting against shifting the tax burden off of backs most of the public, in favor of thestatus quo which can no longer pay for basic services like roads and schools. i'm anxious to see how all this pans out when the GOP types REALLY get what they want in hard times. lets see how it works out.

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS NOW!!

HERE WE GO! i think this guy can win. General Wesley Clark goes OFF on the FOXNews anchor calling them on their conservitive slant--ON AIR!! AMAZING. now THAT is the sorta thing i've yet to see from ANYONE this high up in the game. kudos for Clark.

THIS CRACKS ME UP

OK, get this. Congressional slime, Tom Delay (R, TX) has this deal where he calls you in a recorded message saying YOU WON "a national leadership award." you are supposed to return his call ASAP to get the low down, but guess what? when you call you get a telemarketer hitting you up for a political DONATION, after which you get your award. MSNBC reports a convicted sex offender won the Delay leadership award. i guess he's proud to be on the Tom Delay team!

Got any other loathsome, criminal types you wanna recruit there Tommy?

SO TELL ME THIS...

Is Roy Moore breaking the 2nd Commandment when he places a giant stone monuments, and idolization of Moses' tablets, where people have gone to kneel (before it) and pray? just wondering.

CRIB NOTE:
2nd commandment--no graven idols/images

GOP Filibuster

the GOP recently filibustered to protest the fact that 4 of Bush's court nominees aren't getting an up/down vote (compared to 68 of Clintons, or that Bush has gotten more judges appointed--at this point in his term--than any president in a generation). the funny thing is that the Dems haven't filibustered ANY of these judges, the only filibusters done were by the GOP. and they say Dems are wasting time.

cry me a river. oh, in case you missed it--

Bush got mad at the Dems "playing politics" with his judicial nominations. But OOPS! Seems someone leaked a memo from Elizabeth Keys, a senior communications advisor for the Senate Republican Conference,showing that Senate Republicans were in with Fox News over this whole thing! The memo to the senate staffers says:

"It is important to double efforts to get your boss to S-230 on time ... Fox News Channel is really excited about this marathon and Brit Hume at 6 would love to open with all our 51 senators walking onto the floor - the producer wants to know will we walk in exactly at 6:02 when the show starts so they get it live to open Brit Hume's show? Or if not, can we give them an exact time for the walk-in start?"

FoxNews, you're the best!

Satan Causes Poor Mental Health, of God Does Not Like You

Well, look at good ole D. Nick Rerras. He's a state Senator from Virginia. it seems he drew some heat when he suggested that mental illnesses are caused by...get this...demons! According to the article, a conversation turned to the topic of mental illness, during which Rerras said "he believed mental illness was caused by demons," and, "God may be punishing families by giving children mental illnesses." Yeah. to corrupt a Dean Martin quote: Vote Republican and stamp out mental health!

FOX PRODUCER COMES CLEAN

Seems FOXNews producer Charles Reina published an open letter concerning the network after working there for the last 7 years. from the letter:

"Not once in the 20+ years I had worked in broadcast journalism prior to Fox - including lengthy stays at The Associated Press, CBS Radio and ABC/Good Morning America - did I feel any pressure to toe a management line. But at Fox, if my boss wasn't warning me to 'be careful' how I handled the writing of a special about Ronald Reagan ('You know how Roger [Fox News Chairman Ailes] feels about him.'), he was telling me how the environmental special I was to produce should lean ('You can give both sides, but make sure the pro-environmentalists don't get the last word.')"

Reina continues: "Editorially, the FNC newsroom is under the constant control and vigilance of management... the roots of FNC's day-to-day on-air bias are actual and direct. They come in the form of an executive memo distributed electronically each morning, addressing what stories will be covered and, often, suggesting how they should be covered....The Memo was born with the Bush administration, early in 2001, and, intentionally or not, has ensured that the administration's point of view consistently comes across on [Fox]."

NOW WAITAMINUTE! Bill O'Reilly promised us that we're in a "no spin zone" at foxNews? you mean he's lying?! i better go tell Al Franken about this.

Anybody in the University System out there? i have to wonder how communications departments look on FoxNews.

EVIDENTLY ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES, CALIFORNIA

Alright, get this. Gov. Gray Davis asks (personally) Bush to give up $430 Million from FEMA (Fed. Emergency Mgt. Agency) to prevent the Calf. wildfires disasters we have right now. answer? NO, he claims FEMA money is for AFTER the disaster. so guess what. we have the disaster and bush signs into law a $500 Million payment to calif to deal with the wildfires...now that they started. what a leader.

NEW POLL IN BRITIAN
(As published in the Sunday Times in London...not too shocking):

37% said Mr Bush was "stupid".
33% said he was "incoherent".

On his positives:
7% find him to be a good world leader.
6% find him articulate.
10% find him intelligent.

The Tabloids appear to be going nuts over the visit as well. THE DAILY MIRROR's headline: CHICKEN GEORGE!

haw haw haw!

I'm Ready for this to go away

It's a distraction for ONE and it give the GOP (controlling 3 branches of gvt) ideas. do you WANT this issue to be in the public forum again? do you think that the GOP couldn't DO this owning 3 branches of gvt AND the maj. of the governorships (ROCK ON LOUISIANA!--see below)? they are in better shape NOW to do it than in the past.

OK? got it? everybody quit talking about this! yeesh! don't give 'em ideas!

I Saw Love Actually

What a DAMN good movie. sweet but not too. totally not a cheese out love movie. so well done. go see it.

its better than ELF, (fyi)

DEMOCRAT Blanco elected Louisiana governor

LOUISIANA ELECTS ITS FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR! This race has been only semi-close. The GOP was expected to walk away with this one....THEY DIDN'T!

HELL YEAH!

How Bush betrayed Blair

Interesting. it seems that bush would stand up against Sharon if Blair backed him in Iraq. this seems to be a very convincing reason as to why Blair would go to war w/o the proof. the problem is that Bush welshed.

MY WIFE...

tho sometimes she makes me feel like i'm living an Andy Capp Strip (and i like that), she's pretty damn great. Tonite she made a special Lasagna for my mom's birthday. i told her i wish i weren't full so i could go eat more of it.

ALSO, Chocolate pie instead of B-day cake. a GOOD tradition! Happy Bday mom!

HAW! someone came to my site after putting "pathetic workers comp lawyer." into google. heh... HEY! should i be offended!?!

ANOTHER QUOTE

"'I think if you know what you believe, it makes it a lot easier to answer
questions. I can't answer your question.'
-George W. Bush, Reynoldburg, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2000."

10 Commandments Monument stands

As long as you are in the 5th Circuit. As a christian, i find it questionable that the court buys that the monument is more HISTORICAL than religious. Like the "no other gods before me" or "no idols" parts? historical? laughable.

SINCE IT’S AFTER 6pm...

Ode to My Sixth Martini

Rising high above the bar,
Your frosted stem reveals how chilled you are.
Clear and crisp and dry as dust,
I will, I must.
Oh perfect gin Martini,
No one shall e’er impeach you.
Now if I could just stand upright,
Just long enough to reach you.

From the THIN MAN movie:

See, in mixing , the important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan, you shake to fox trot time; a Bronx to two-step time. But a Martini, you always shake to waltz-time.
--Nick Charles, The Thin Man

Nora Charles: How many drinks have you had?
Nick Charles: This will make six Martinis.
Nora Charles (to the waiter): All right. Will you bring me 5 more Martinis, Leo? Line them up right here.

I never go jogging, it makes me spill my Martini.
–George Burns

Happiness is a dry Martini and a good woman...or a bad one.
–George Burns

I should have switched from Scotch to Martinis
–reputedly, Humphrey Bogart’s last words

A man must defend his wife, his children, and his Martini.
–Jackie Gleason

CHEERS!

National Guardsman May Face Court Martial

...For (while home on leave) saying the bush Admin. lied to us about the reasons to go to war in Iraq--Specifically the WMD's that have not been found. the guardsman claims that the WMD's would have been found now and that this issue is on the forefront of our soldiers' minds

One has to wonder if 'the truth' is a defense in court martials like it is in 1st amendment cases.

Rumsfeld: 'Success' is exit strategy

This is EXACTLY the kind of thing i'm tired of hearing from Rumsfeld. the press keeps cowering when they ask him the tough questions, because he responds so gruffly.

How long will we be in Iraq? UNTIL WE'RE FINISHED!
What's our exit strategy? SUCESS!

the question i have is WHERE IS THE FOLLOW UP to this crap. Rummy has this 'take no bull' rep because he won't be 'bullied' around by the press. well big deal if they become shrinking violets after they ask a real question.

So now its mid November and we finally get to see things like "because i said so" aren't plans for war. they aren't policies. they are the remarks of leaders without a single idea as to the direction in which they are leading us.

now it's Wednesday and DOZENS are already dead this week (of course, who knows how many Iraqis are dead. such info is OFF LIMITS).

So what's the point to all this? if you're the secretary of defense, you damn well better have a better idea how to fix this colossal blunder called iraq than the word 'success'. no one expected to hear you say 'utter failure' and we are not going to put up with the utter failure we are getting. if you cannot articulate your plan to your allies, your CITIZENS, you have no plan.

our soldiers are dying and Rumsfeld doesn't even have a fabricated plan of action in Iraq, let alone a real one for us. FIRE RUMSFELD.

Krazy Kat & Ignatz 1925-1926

I'm thinking of giving in and buying this, as i really like comic art. it seems that The Comics Journal named Krazy Kat "the greatest example of the artform in the history of the medium."

wow.

we'll see about that!

YOU CAN'T COVER A PIT WITH PR!

Despite administration reports to the contrary, it seems that the situation in iraq is worse than it appears (and it looks bad on my TV set). the CIA are fearful that US efforts to build democracy may collapse if policy isn't changed immediately.

A growing number of Iraqis are siding with the insurgents attacking U.S. Forces. Their ability to attack has grown each week. One has to wonder if the Rumsfeld, et al. plan to reduce troop stength in the region is a good idea...of if Rummy can keep his job.

To our ChickenHawk-in-Chief: Mission Accomplished, eh? you mean you brought this on purpose?

How George Bush will ban abortion

this is a facinating article about the round about ways abortion rights have come under siege during the bush administration. Here a telling passage shows what is going on at the state level:

Meanwhile, statewide restrictions on abortion keep multiplying. These include parental involvement laws, mandatory waiting periods and costly regulations governing everything from the landscaping on clinic lawns to the temperature air conditioners must be set to. When challenged, these laws are reviewed by Federal Appeals Courts, which Bush is stacking with zealously anti-abortion judges.

Alabama moves to oust "10 Commandments Judge"

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore caused some controversy by posting the 10 Commandments in his courtroom a few years ago. His actions stirred the hearts of many Alabama Fundamentalist Christians, and this ushered him into the state's Supreme Court. He ran for the position of Chief Justice and won, mostly on the notoriety around this issue.

As you probably know, in the past year, Justice Moore had a garishly large STONE version of the 10 Commandments installed in the capitol building. This is a man trying to make a political career out of political stunts, and most anyone with a pulse saw this as his newest stunt--presumedly to foreshadow a run for governor.

I saw the video of him "placing" the monument in the capitol (it was made to look like he alone placed the multi-ton object there) and of him kneeling by it, praying so hard his face krinkled tight. it was a disgusting sight, because this man clearly had a video made of him doing various things around this object to appear more pious. As a christian it disgusted. As a citizen i was ashamed.

In a challenge over The Federal Court upheld the constitution and Judge Moore fought it. He publicly ignored a superior, federal order to remove the monument, citing arguments similar to the ones used by racists a generation ago.

Today the attorney general filed a brief arguing for the removal of Judge Moore. Removal, not suspension (which he's on--with pay). this should

He didn't care about the constitution. he only wanted to pull his stunt. Now, if we have any justice he'll be tossed on his ear.

...and if the Alabama GOP follows true to form, they'll run him for governor.

NOTE: the Ala. Atty. Gen. noted above is a fairly controversial appointee to the Federal Bench by Pres. Bush. He has not been confirmed by the Senate and appears to face a tough road to confirmation. One has to wonder if his filing the brief here is done to show he's not as extreme as people think he is. hmm?

Alabama moves to oust "10 Commandments Judge"

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore caused some controversy by posting the 10 Commandments in his courtroom a few years ago. His actions stirred the hearts of many Alabama Fundamentalist Christians, and this ushered him into the state's Supreme Court. He ran for the position of Chief Justice and won, mostly on the notoriety around this issue.

As you probably know, in the past year, Justice Moore had a garishly large STONE version of the 10 Commandments installed in the capitol building. This is a man trying to make a political career out of political stunts, and most anyone with a pulse saw this as his newest stunt--presumedly to foreshadow a run for governor.

I saw the video of him "placing" the monument in the capitol (it was made to look like he alone placed the multi-ton object there) and of him kneeling by it, praying so hard his face krinkled tight. it was a disgusting sight, because this man clearly had a video made of him doing various things around this object to appear more pious. As a christian it disgusted. As a citizen i was ashamed.

In a challenge over The Federal Court upheld the constitution and Judge Moore fought it. He publicly ignored a superior, federal order to remove the monument, citing arguments similar to the ones used by racists a generation ago.

Today the attorney general filed a brief arguing for the removal of Judge Moore. Removal, not suspension (which he's on--with pay). this should

He didn't care about the constitution. he only wanted to pull his stunt. Now, if we have any justice he'll be tossed on his ear.

...and if the Alabama GOP follows true to form, they'll run him for governor.

Democrats win a squeaker in the Senate!

It seems that we won this one after being in the air for a week. what we can learn from this:

1. GOP wins if fewer votes are cast.
2. Election law often turns on someone attempting to tamper with the ballot system, rather than mistakes by poll workers. the main point being that the vote, honestly cast, should be counted...and that's the most important principle.

THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH

Or at least this quote is the absoulte truth:
“It will be difficult for the Democratic Party to nominate a candidate capable of winning nationwide until it abandons the suicidal compulsion of allowing Iowa and New Hampshire to be the tail that always wags the Democratic donkey.”

While I'm gravely upset with Miller on many fronts, he does have the thing to which many of us here in the south defer--age. Meaning, once you are old enough you get to say what you want, with impunity (usually). I don't know what Zell Miller went through, but there must be a better way. maybe not.

maybe you have to burn a village to save it.

I'm back in the saddle again and will have various reports over the last week including my long withheld election recap. it'll be a doozy.

GOP Gov. Candidate Jindal (Louisiana)was reported to have Defeated Satan

holy smokes! this guy fought off satan! i wonder why he doesn't play this up?

ahem...
more later

THE CAMPAIGN STORY IS COMING. SORRY FOR THE WAIT

I've just had a lot on my plate and wanted to take a few days for myself to get my head straight.

Until then, you may notice a new link to my good friends' gallery. feel free to contact him if you would like to commission some work. his talent is more than evident. additionally, his wife Jerri does fine glass work and is a genuine talent as well.

FUNNY NOTE:

i love to see who comes to my page searching for stuff. the weirdest one so far was a guy searching google for "al franken dirty jew" while i've used all those words before, none of them together to make that sentence. i bet they were disappointed to hear i LIKE al franken, and i DON'T think he's a dirty jew. heh.

MUSGROVE LOSES.

I have more to say about this than i have time or will to type right now. i don't feel down one bit and there are TONS of things at play here. i have a lot to say, and i'll be talking with you soon.

ELECTION DAY!

HOW ARE WE GONNA DO?

i've heard that question every day for the last month.

the conventional wisdom says we lose or go to the house of representatives for the electorial vote to decide the election. everyone (even Sec. of State, Eric Clark at a press conf.) seems to think we are going to the house, so its true or we lose. i don't mind. it means we have every reason to work our ass off or we lose. it means we made this racist jerk, Haley Barbour, with more connections than anyone in the world work himself to the wire. it means this racist had to spend MULTIPLES of what the previous candidates spent (combined) for SIX MONTHS just to get NECK AND NECK with a Mississippi democrat that everyone thought was weak. i'd like to be wrong. i'd like to whip his ass, but i really just want to win.

I'm working all day tomorrow. 16 hours, at least.

i'm doing it because i don't know what else is more important in the next 24 hours.

I believe in the democrats.

I hate racists.

when we win, mississippi wins. if we lose, the state loses its heart. it's replaced by black, tainted oil.

i gave up turning my head from these things. if i play blind, i can hear. if i stuff my ears i know with my heart because it sees what these sorts of people will do to our lives and our world.

god, we have to win.