Divided Loyalty

I am very very fond of my two schools. Mississippi State and Tulane University. Tulane often plays Ole Miss, but rarely State...so here i am, watching my 2 favorite schools play for the first time in recent memory. to be even handed, i didn't watch it at all and waited to see the score. while i tend to pull for state above all, i'm sympathetic to ole Tulane and i want them to do well...add that to the fact that Mississippi State is about to dip in the Rocky Felker (sp?) type era of losing...ugh...i don't even want to think about how hard this season is gonna be for the bulldogs. I AM hoping to go to starkville soon though. i'm way over due for a visit and i've been missing the ole sights.

Johnny Cash died today

very few artists affected me like Cash. his songs were often sung by a voice that had done wrong, accepted it, and then looked for a new place to go. his song "The Man in Black" is one of the most emotionally provocative songs i know. his integrity was unquestionable. he was one of the few celebrities where...well, i really just looked up to him. He will be sorely missed.

Is anyone having trouble posting or viewing this site? i have had one complaint but don't see the problem myself. thanks!

0 comments

Clark Set to Enter 2004 Presidential Race
YEAH!

I say this is win win. he either gets the nomination or becomes Dean's VP. the only other person with a chance is Edwards(D, NC), whom i still like a lot. Unfortunately the senator from N. Carolina has dropped the ball. his problem? too young. too inexperienced at running. i often think that doesn't matter if you are good enough. i thought he was. maybe i underestimate all around?

GO CLARK!

Gen. Clark Reportedly Is Asked to Join Dean

This is pretty extra-ordinary. in 1992 Clinton did not officially declare he was running until October 1991. now, sure, everyone knew he was running by that point, but this article shows just how sped up the whole process is today. 30 years ago the nomination wouldn't be settled until the SUMMER of the election year. we'll be done by early spring at this rate.

I like Wesley Clark, i'd go as far as to say he's my pick for president. However, if he could join with Dean, that would do MUCH to bring dean to the center. i dunno. Gen. Clark is so damn strong. i think Dean sees HIM as his biggest threat at this point and i think he'd be right. the more i see the other candidates, the more i see them as washed up already. this is sorta crazy, but i think its true.

Sharpton, CMB, and Kucinich have slightly less of a chance than me. they are waiting to fall off. Graham is great but can't get a message together. Liberman excites no one but the Lieberman staff. literally. i've never seen ANYONE say lieberman would be an asset and that is counting the 2000 election! he is done ('cept for his senate seat). Gephardt is an alright guy, but he has been trying to do this for 16 years and he's just not gonna do it. the problem is that if you try and fail too many times its hard to get momentum (and THAT is his very problem). Kerry blew his lead and gave it to dean early on. he ALWAYS seems to be playing catch up. he's like another al gore w/ a better war record. he makes amateur mistakes that have cost him (maybe) everything AND simutaneously helped to give dean the spotlight. bush would eat him alive b/c he WOULD foul up. Edwards...i LIKE edwards. he just can't get traction. if i was him i'd call it quits EARLY. now. if he was exploding, no, but that isn't the case. he should stay in his senate seat. seek re-election this year and go for it later. he has a long career ahead of him...except he DIDN'T do anything i said. he announced he'd NOT seek re-election to the senate to pursue the presidency. i think he's locked himself into a BAD decision and it just sucks b/c that will be a battleground and losing another senate seat could be even WORSE!

so who does that leave? Dean and Clark. if they join up now. THIS early...it would be unheard of...and maybe incredible. i think it may be too weird to be real... the likely result will be the winner will ask the other to be VP. if i had to guess at this VERY early date.

Protesters disrupt Rumsfeld speech wow! i have to wonder if the Lt. Chickenhawk will have more of this trouble of if this is isolated. Bush is below 45% in approval right now. the scary part is that he's been able to pull virtually any diversion and the press along with the public will follow along. gotta wonder what is coming next. we have tax cuts, we have war in iraq....so what happens when you get all you wanted and it didn't really work out? I have to wonder what he could move on next to get himself going? i see tort reform in your future mr. president...

SHORT VACATION!

Back again. I’m in Jackson and my house looks like a bomb went off in here! A week ago today I was in San Fran with my pals for a little shin dig I call "my wedding". It went off without a hitch …um, ‘cept for the getting hitched part. My wife has been going through some sort of unholy maelstrom in getting this thing ready. I’ve been here safe in Jackson, MS where I’m somewhat limited in what I can get done. My better half—Fred—has been extraordinary. She, with my bad ass in-laws put on the damnedest wedding I could have ever hoped for. Federica was beautiful in her gown--veil and all! We danced the first song to the BEST wedding song “Ain’t that a Kick in the Head” by Dean Martin. The food was some of the best I’ve ever had. Many of my friends were able to make the trek and we had a great time together. All in all, it was a wonderful time. 2 days later, we left for Jackson, MS. We drove across the country, had a good time and it wasn’t NEARLY as bad as you would imagine. Anyway, I’ve been gone for a bit and I wanted to drop a note to tell you where I’ve been. I promise i'll have this thing back on track. until then, here's your update

Wesley Clark For President

So far, Wesley Clark is my pick for the Democratic nomination for President. He has

A great song by Don Williams

Do yourself a favor and listen to this song if you can get your hands on it. the lyrics are good, but the song is all about the delivery. makes me feel all warm inside hearing it.

ANOTHER LETTER IN THE CLARION LEDGER

Well, i got another letter in the Clarion Ledger. that's about 4 or 5 in three weeks. not bad. well another one ran today. i commented on it a few days ago when i printed it on my blog. its the one about columnist Matt Friedeman (note: your version below is what i sent HIM, the one to the paper was less personal). anyway, I've been under the weather lately, so i'm sleeping in, somewhat. I decided to sleep through a call, but heard it later. it was some little old lady that called, saying she'd "been read my letters to the editor and i know what you are--Ultra-Liberal Jew". haw! what a joke. this little old lady hates jews enough to assume i am one (i'm not) because she thinks only a jew could disagree with her politically. i've not even talked about religion in my letters, but i suppose that does not matter. this is the republican soldier. this is the person that the GOP 'code words' are supposed to work on. The code words they use to imply the bigoted, class envy they need to breathe. she has been taught that anyone else is an 'agitator' out to bring us down, so that when she hears certain ideas, with a wink SHE KNOWS just what's going on. its all a code to pull away at the foundation of america.

Well, no--its not code from me. I'm not bringing this nation down. I think its pathetic that a party pulls at this sort of hatred to create its base here in the south. This sort of thing was finally rejected by the democrats in the 1960s. thereafter, the GOP was ready with an un-ending message of 'come to papa'. you know what. maybe it IS a good thing. these people...if the GOP wants them, they can have them. more of the true bigots die off every year.

Fox LOSES Lawsuit to Stop Sale of Al Franken's Book

Actually, they lost the injuction request. My favorite quote from the judges ruling: "There are hard cases and there are easy cases. This is an easy case," said U.S. District Judge Denny Chin. "This case is wholly without merit both factually and legally."

I talked about this before. the suit was vendictive, self-congratulatory, and pathetic. It read like one extended whine session. Again, i have to put out the question to those attorneys working on the case for FoxNews. Clearly you know the law and I assume that you knew the case was weak to say the least. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt there. Ok, so my question: Did you feel bad when you were forced to make a legal argument that first year law students knew couldn't fly? Does the money make it better? I mean, I have to wonder--attorney to attorney--did you not feel cheapened to push a suit where you know DECADES of caselaw shows you have no basis for the suit? If not, I have to ask was/is there a point where the paycheck salves that fractured dignity.

As a plaintiff's attorney, i do not take cases that i do not find to have merit AND i believe i can win. I don't get paid unless I win, so I never have to worry about my client paying me to make up some frivilous lawsuit. I can't afford it. I wonder what its like to be paid to do something you KNOW is worthless from the start? intriguing.

Fishy art Downtown!

A few years a go there was an art project in Chicago where people painted bull statues and placed them around the city. In New Orleans, there were fish. often the sponsors would decorate the fish in very imaginative ways, etc. I think we in Jackson have out done ourselves on some of our "Mississippi CATFISH on Parade" statues. some are really outstanding, and better than the ones i saw in New Orleans. I think my favorite one is the "Catfish-Ledger" which sits in front of the Clarion Ledger newspaper. also notable is the "King fish" (Mississippi's king, not the La. version) and "Cleo-catra". take a look!

toy plane crosses, Atlantic - AUG 14, 2003
AMAZING!

They flew this model airplane across the Atlantic by remote control. wow!

Paul Newman Sues HUD

HAW! Paul Newman speaks:

Mr. Newman claims that the Department of Housing and Urban Development, called HUD, is a fair and balanced institution and that some of its decency and respectability has unfairly rubbed off on his movie character, diluting the rotten, self-important, free-trade, corrupt conservative image that Mr. Newman worked so hard to project in the film. His suit claims that this "innocence by association" has hurt his feelings plus residuals.
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This was announced (jokingly) to mock FoxNews and their willingness to use our courts to whine.

FINALLY!!

I'm trying a new comments section. it seems to work and now maybe people can talk to me!

NY Daily News - Ideas and Opinions - Bill O'Reilly: Calling Al Franken a satirist is a farce

OK, read this. i'm not gonna comment on it right now. it's bill O'Reilly's take on the whole al franken deal. tell me what YOU think...

Bias, Anyone?

damn this burns me...i suppose because it becomes personal. the gop is trying to make trial lawyer a dirty word. it is part of a national strategy that was born out of the TX GOP, mid-wifed by Karl Rove. the administration, the gop, and the chamber of commerce has declared war on the trial lawyers. nationally, it started in 2000.

in doing this, they get an easy target to sell to the public (dirty attorneys!). these attys are the MAJOR source of funds for the democrats, so if you can knock their ability to earn you knock their ability to give. Next they get the Chamber of Commerce on board. people all too willing to believe and sell the 'lawsuits are outta control' mantra (they aren't) because the 'remedy' limits or (in some cases) eliminates their liability.

wanna know what kinda funding you can get? In MS last year, they (chamber) spent 51% of ALL dollars spent in judicial races in the state. that even lumps competing (and endorsed) candidates' money together in the other 49%!!!

all of this started with eyes looking at Edwards as the GOP's pick of the toughest candidate they could face from the dems. that's what they believe, regardless of what we DEMS think.

so trial lawyer bashing? you damn well better get used to it! we have a lot more coming! it lets them consolidate their base, protect donors, starve off Democratic donors, and puts a bullseye over the guy THEY see as the most fearsome candidate. sound plan if you ask me, and guess what? Fox News is there, waiting to help out!

CNN.com - Clark talks like candidate, bashes Bush - Aug. 17, 2003

He's not in the race yet, and i have NO IDEA what his attempt would look like, but THIS is my pick for the Democratic Nominee for president. he beats everyone, hands down--esp. bush in november 2004!

Judge Roy Moore's Lawless Battle

OK, the federal court tells the Ala. Sup Ct. justice that he has to remove the giant 10 commandments monument and he says he won't do it (and YOU mr. & mrs. Alabama get the $5000 a day fine). he says HE has the right to keep it there b/c of god given right to life, liberty, & the pursuit of happines. Ala. GOP also passed a STATE law forbidding the use of federal $$ to remove the monument. Umm...you know, we HAD a civil war to settle this question. we even had some constitutional amendments and about 100 years of law to sort out the details. if the republicans don't like our country, our laws, and our constitution...maybe they should go to a place where religion is enforced on people. ANYONE elected to office and sworn to uphold the laws and constitution of this land ... then refusing to do so ...represents the lowest in integrity. our laws are not something we toss when our opinion is crossed. contempt for the constitution by such public servants is loathesome.

The Fox Lawsuit

FOX v. FRANKEN.

here's the fox lawsuit filed against al franken. the arguments goes that Franken is trying to ride on the "MASSIVE" success of fox news, but al is just a shitty guy no one likes, THUS the association would confuse the public that would think fox was putting out this book or generally had anything to do with al franken, whom is held in such low regard by the general public. Fox then goes on to plug its shows, books written by its on air "talent" and even its line of neckties...all of which would be harmed by the "obvious" attempt by franken to hitch himself and his lack of talent to that which is the fox news Star.

again, i have to wonder what the attorneys that wrote this felt? i mean, i know they are on retainer and getting paid to do whatever it is fox wants them to do, but...well, as an attorney...i have to wonder if the money gives them back some of the self-respect an attorney loses drafting such a pathetic pleading...and by pathetic, i'm not really just referring to the paper, but the will of the attorney(s) that wrote it. i'd find new work if i had to do this sort of thing to pay my mortgage.

Salon.com | The right wing's summer of hate

while i agree with this guy's observations, he seems to do what most moderates, liberals, or democrats do. he stops and he complains. not enough. you have to fix it. you don't wanna wallow in the mud? fine. lets go lose a little more. you cannot make an omelet w/o breaking a few eggs. the problem is that democrats have to be on the attack. the democrats cannot go into cerain forums as if it is some civil discourse. if you are confronting a michael savage or a bill o'riley, you cannot be ready to talk. you have to have yourself ready to go in for the kill. otherwise there is no point in discussion. at this point we win or we go away. i'm for staying.

Opinion: I don't like Matt Friedeman

below is the letter i sent to him and the Clarion Ledger regarding the article above. Below that is a letter i wrote 18 months ago upon hearing he was no longer going to be a columnist. I don't care for Matt.
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I was disappointed to see Matt Friedeman in this paper again. I have to wonder if the Governor will be allowed the same sort of mouthpiece in the paper. Perhaps Matt has another article where he can give us the rest of the 'truth' about this race?

How about the lobbying Barbour's firm did for abortion funds through the UN?

How about his being forced to testify before the ethics comittee in DC?

How about the 'rise in spending' noted by the Cato institute coming under GOP governor Fordice?

How about the fact that Musgrove argued against the legislature's spending every year of his term and then CUT the budget himself every year of his term?

How about the fact he hasn't called for a tax hike?

How about mentioning Barbour's 'out of state' politicos in the race?

How about we rummage through Haley's client list?

I could go on, but what is the point? Matt doesn't care about the truth. He cares about the half truths he can print. Matt Friedeman acts as if the partial picture he paints is enough to cover the stain of mendacity. For this reader, its not. He does no service to this paper or this state.

------------
(personal note to Matt F.)
i understand you are a biased man doing whatever he can to get your man elected. just like i see he has no real policy. the sad part is that you just are not a forthright man. from your writing, it seems you have long ago made your peace with this fact.

(and from 1-21-02)

Good riddance to Friedeman column


I, for one, am very glad to see Matt Friedeman go ("Run as regular columnist been quite interesting," Dec. 28).

Almost without exception, each of his columns took the low ground while trying to dress up his diatribes in Christianity. Matt would preach about how people no longer take responsibility for their actions and then in the next breath would blame society's ills on liberals, Democrats, and non-Christians. In short, anyone not like him.

Instead of legitimate ideas on how to fix our problems, we got articles about how Billy Graham's son, Franklin, really wasn't that far off for believing Islam to be "a very evil and wicked religion."

Thanks, Matt, just what the country needs in a time of crisis. I couldn't be happier you no longer have this paper to use as your megaphone.

Jason Pollan

Jackson

Montgomery Hall

anyone know the 'legend' of spooky stuff happening in Montgomery Hall on the MSU campus?

The Mountain Dew AMP

GREAT GRAVY!! i'd say that Amp (by mountain dew) is the best 'energy drink' out there. it also has subltly kept me up most of the damn nite. god i'm gonna pay for this.

JungleScan.com

haw! seems now that fox news is trying to sue Al Franken (see below), Amazon.com got a 754% jump in orders for the book! i'm buying the book, but i'm buying it on CD, bc its just funnier to hear his voice read it. that's how i 'read' his other books. (Recommended!)

fromt the washington post:

In its court papers, Fox described the author and liberal commentator as "neither a journalist nor a television news personality. He is not a well-respected voice in American politics; rather, he appears to be shrill and unstable. His views lack any serious depth or insight."

Fox alleged that Franken was "either intoxicated or deranged" when he attacked the network and conservative host Bill O'Reilly at an April press correspondents dinner. The lawsuit also says that Franken has been described as "increasingly unfunny."
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um, i saw the tape of the dinner in april. the claim is BS. they may not have liked what he said, but he wasn't beyond his faculties AT ALL. HAW! oh, and speaking as an attorney, i think they made themselves look decidedly weak with this pathetic pleading.

Salon.com Comics | WayLay

jesus. Tx comic shop gets busted for selling an obscene comic to an adult! oddly enough, the jury found the comic not to be obscene. you know those shirts that say "don't mess with texas?" well its true, just like you shouldn't 'mess' with a helpless, handicapped child.

CNN.com - Fox sues Franken over 'fair and balanced'

Al Franken has a new book called "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." Fox News didn't like the reference in the title and is suing them. um...fox, i think they might get away with this as a parody of yer news in this book of satire. unless you are trying to say its all too close to home, and its all really true...?

"After all is said and done
I gotta move, while it's still fun
I'm gonna walk before they make me run"
Before They Make Me Run--Kieth Richards.

That is my favorite Rolling Stones song.

I just left my job. I am no longer working as an attorney at Stevens & Ward, P.A. my last blog entry was done on the day before i left, if you were wondering where i've been. where i've been is busy. through the help of friends, associates, and by some of my own doing i have a new job. I'm now an attorney working on behalf of the Democratic Party here in MS. I'm still handling a few workers comp cases too.

My job (the short of it) is to keep things like Fla. 2000 from happening here. The long of it is that I'm director of an operation to have a network of attorneys across the state, ready to act on any irregularities or voter intimidation that may be going on. i put together the attorneys with the proper pleadings in-hand so that they can take any judicial action necessary at a moment's notice. We do this because there is no real governmental means to FIX problems that develop on the fly...especially of the illegal variety. usually action comes too late to have an effect. my job is to make sure all votes that are meant to be made are cast and counted. the working title is Promote and Protect (the vote). i don't like it, but i've yet to brainstorm up another, better title.

As of now, the pay is good and i'm working this into a few bigger projects for myself in the Mississippi legal and political communities. I have a LOT on my plate right now, but (as Federica pointed out) in many ways i feel like i have a great weight off my shoulders. I'm pretty damn thrilled now about the whole thing. The next few days are gonna be split between setting up the home office and doing my work. feels damn cool.

for the love of GOD, go anywhere and watch the video to MOVE YOUR FEET by Junior Senior. what a fun video. its like a nintendo game circa 1987!

New Law for Israeli-Palestinian Couples

Evidently jim crow is alive and well...IN ISRAEL! seems if you marry one of those pesky palestinians, you don't get the same rights you would if you married a good jewish mate. disgusting.

The Digital Age

Tossed BellSouth and got a GREAT/CHEAP phone service--Expetel! Basic home phone service w/o frills is $15. Next i got rid of my DSL for a cable modem. Well, Timewarner cable must be trying to move everyone to digital cable, because i just got a package of a cable modem and digital cable TV for $87 a month. together that will likely cut my bills by 40%!

Anyway, so i get in w/ my new goodies. Hook up my cable box, and what do you know... they gave me the wrong box. They gave me one that gives me ALL the movie channels (no indemand or PPV tho). its STUPID! before i left, i confirmed what package i got to make sure i wouldn't be over charged, so right on with the luck! the problem is that its overwhelming at first (and still is). Almost that I feel i have too much. i must have 350+ channels now. No joke. how the hell do i look to see what's on for 350+ channels?! I think i spent 20 min. at prime time just looking to see what was on. its like an overload...

VH1 classics is fun--(so THAT's what Kansas looks like! yeesh!). I get revel in being dated! you know, our generation was the first of the modern rock era that grew up with stations playing nothing but nostalgia. I think this is why we've got a compacted timespan of

I like MTV2 (oddly, JasN has no cable but gets MTV2 on his rabbit ears!?!). i went to bed early, so i barely know what else i have on there!

Dean beats Cheney!:

woo hoo! VP Dick Cheney does a fundraiser where he raises $300,000 in one day. Howard Dean's campaign sends out a memo saying "lets do a counter fundraiser to beat the VP" and raises $344,000 by the time Dick eats lunch! Dean raised $507,150 total. damn right!

Howard Dean's Low-Rent Allure - Taking a ride on McFun with the presidential candidate.

"The president's not popular because of his issues, so we should stop co-opting those issues. The president's popular because people think he's a strong leader. That's what you have to get by in order to become president." The obvious implication: I'm a strong leader, and that's why I've attracted this odd coalition of Greens, Democrats, Perotistas, and McCainiacs to my candidacy

--From Howard Dean, Presidential Candidate. VERY true. One of the best statements about Democrats and today I've heard in a long while. Last night i was talking to my dearest and she was saying that my blog was making me sound sorta dreary on politics. She was concerned about how something that i'm so into seemed to be bringing me down.

it got me to think. i believe its overexposure to the 'bad' out there and not enough time dedicated to thinking about solutions. the solutions really are my idea of fighting back. without the solutions it seems i'm just losing. That being said, reading the above quote made me feel better. I need to start looking more for my answers than my questions.

I'm listening to The White Stripes again. (Elephant). At times its like i'm listening to The Who. bombastic with a voice that alternates between calm and rowdy. Other parts of the record are alternately tender and boisterous. "In the Cold Cold Night" sounds like a snooping, sneaky voice telling me what i want to hear. "Ball & Biscuit" is one of the best blues songs in recent years (though it gets a bit rockin' to call it a straight blues song--none-the-less, the lyrics are straight blues). "Seven Nation Army" is song of the year for me. This has to be one of the most balanced, well paced, and exciting new albums i've had in years.

Listened to Granddaddy the other day. actually downloaded their recent video. Just couldn't get into it.

i think it would be funny if someone ran up a pirate flag at the UN every now and then.

Bob Hope

Little known fact. Bob Hope was a great man, but he wasn't a great American. He was a great Brit. Born in London. Most people (including cnn, evidently) forget this!

"Hurt" by Johnny Cash

New Orleans, Johnny Cash, and the World.

I want to be in New Orleans. I've been thinking about it a LOT lately. just how much i liked it there. How happy it makes me to be in that town. I used to walk around until my feet hurt, just because i wanted to be in it.

I finally watched the Video to HURT by Johnny Cash. wow. pretty damn powerful images. I think about this guy, not just how iconic he is, but how hollow he makes other artists look. I see these images and i'd say a handful of people have ever had that kind of swaggar. I cannot imagine any of today's 'stars' carrying that much righteous presence. Bono is as close as we get. Another thing that gets me is the honesty that was there. do you know anyone else (including crime glorifying rappers) that would go perform in a PRISON? let alone make an album from it (a great one too). The thing that got me was that this was a man who had done some awful things in his life, and he believed you have to pay your debts, but when they are paid, they are paid. It was interesting to me because he wasn't saying "i feel sorry for you" or "its ok", because it wasn't. what he did say was 'i understand'. Listen to 'The Man in Black':

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Livin' in the hopeless hungry side of town
...But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back
Up front there oughta be a man in black.

In an odd twist, I've been very happy about the way my life is going and very down about the way the world is going...my world in particular. my country and my state. its an odd dicotomy and often leaves me wondering how to feel. something is up and i don't know how to deal with it...and i don't know what that's like.

"Something is happening here, and you don't know what it is...do you, Mr. Jones?"

I really miss Fred.

Local News - The Meridian Star News: "he officially kicked off his re-election "
Our Governor FINALLY "kicked off" his re-election campaign. I know he barely has a primary, but this seems AWFULLY late. I think there is a negative effect when you go this long without seeing ONE sign. His opponent haley barbourhas already spent over a million dollars campaigning. Word is that this carpetbagger (haley) has a girlfriend in DC. I for one, cannot wait until she comes into the picture.

The Sun Herald | 07/24/2003 | GOP fields its longest slate ever in state Political buzz around the state...

Salon.com News | Report: FBI informant knew 9/11 hijackers Generally, i've been somewhat unwilling to assign "blame" to failings here in the US Gov't over 9/11. I find it hard to say "you should have known _______ was gonna do something utterly insane." I don't think it serves much of a purpose. that being said, look at this link. i have to think something is amiss when you have an undercover agent living with 2 of the hi-jackers before the attack. i mean they weren't followed...hell not even a heads up. i dunno. sounds damn bad.

Salon.com Comics | Tom the Dancing Bug another great Scalia Cartoon. i want a book of 'em! "SHRIEK! the Feds!" haw haw haw

DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 2003® Seems Candidate Howard Dean raised more money in N.H. than all other candidates for the office, including bush. hmmm...?

I watched Apocolypse Now the other day. I really like that movie, in part because its based on Heart of Darkness. I was talking with Adam the other day and realized HoD is my favorite work of fiction. I read it so long ago, i admit i'm a little rusty on the details...Hell! I don't even own a copy anymore! In watching the movie, i recalled the central conflict in the story...or rather the hypocrisy. The 'civilized' leaders wanted Kurtz removed from his position of power. He was too embedded in the dark place where he worked. it had made him crazy and uncivilized. the trick is that he was doing just what he was supposed to do there...and better than anyone ever had done the job. the irony is that you aren't any good to the powers that be if you are too good at it. you become like THEM (natives).

In my first trial i used 4 words...the last lines uttered by Kurtz in my opening statement.

The Horror. The Horror.

saw Terminator 3. Despite one detraction, i liked it. very fun. some small holes, but it was fine. I say if you want to go enjoy these movies, you will. if you plan to dislike them, you will do that too. I had a good time and left happy...can't say that about the matrix: reloaded.

Animated Film Is Latest Title to Run Aground at DreamWorks After Sinbad bombed...as did Treasure Planet at Disney, Dreamworks SGK will no longer do hand animated movies. The public seems to want shrek/Toy Story style animation. I don't know. While this may be true, it could also be that the story lacks in quality. i have to wonder... seems sad, but i guess its the way of all things.

hipster bingo Haw! this is for the suckers out there! suprisingly fits for all the hipper-than-thou crowd (i love that phrase).

Opinion - The Clarion-Ledger

After reading the normal Jerks in the Letters to the Editor page, i had to write myself:

After reading Jimmy Reed’s letter to the editor (7/17/03), I had to comment. The pretense that he and others like him carry is that if you do not agree with or believe in anything the President tells you, then you must be against America. Such blinders betray the very blood spilled by our forefathers. Americans have died for the right to question our government and if Mr. Reed does not like such democracy, he should seek out a nation that follows his own beliefs.

Furthermore, our President claimed to this nation, to the united nations, and to the world that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction. We were told that the administration knew exactly where the WMD were and that we were at risk of an imminent attack. These were the reasons to justify our occupation of Iraq. If our men and women that died in a war built on lies, the President better explain himself or he better resign. People compare the Bush lies to the Clinton lies. I challenge you to tell the families of dead American soldiers that its just the same. Our President’s mendacity sickens me. We all deserve better than this.

Democrat: Bush Official Wanted Iraq Claim (washingtonpost.com)

Well, it looks like they weren't happy w/ the evidence they had, so they demanded the CIA allow bogus intelligence into the President's most important speech in making the case for war. As it turns out, the rationale was that the President told the truth since the literal meaning of the statement was that the British passed on the info regarding attempted purchase of Uranium. The problem with that is that the claim was known to be bogus and it was presented to illustrate a threat to peace. it was presented as the truth, and it was not the truth. Interestingly, at around this same time, the administration was giving Haliburton a $7 Billion deal to help with the clean-up after the war--all without the required competative bidding process. Moreover, this is the same Haliburton that STILL pays Dick Cheney $1 Million a year. Oh, and that's the same Dick Cheney that dispached a delegation to check into the Niger/Uranium issue and then received the report that it was bogus.

A Republican Senator recently said "This isn't Watergate". I agree. Watergate didn't involved lying to the American People, the UN, and the citizens of the world about an imminent millitary threat and starting a war based on those lives. Watergate didn't give us over 1000 americans wounded or killed. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "The whole idea that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein was not real was something that was never under debate previously. This is an attempt to continue to rewrite history." What the hell does that mean? the whole point is that we HAD no debate b/c the premesis of a threat was accepted as real b/c the CIA and the President told us so. Now we find they were lying...don't be suprised we are mad!

Our President lied. he should stop blaming everyone in sight and take responsibility for what he did. He lied making the case for war. He gave his corporate supporters a sweetheart deal that was built on the graves of our soldiers, and he figured that was ok because Saddam was an S.O.B. Saddam being an S.O.B. doesn't give him the right to make war out of thin air and government contracts. If this President lied to the public in providing the basis of starting a war, I would call it a high crime. I think the question needs to be asked more directly: Did he knowingly mislead us to go to war? I believe he did.

Unless he comes up with some answers (and I mean HIM, not his surrogates that know how to speak), I think the President should resign or be impeached.

I'm not happy right now.

All Music Guide: The PretendersYou know...I really like The Pretenders. Listening here today, I've realized most of their songs I like--even if they sound upbeat--they aren't. I'd call them Stoic but actually desperate. Often an acknowledgement that things aren't working out, but not really a sense of failure. more of a sense that life is moving...as that's what it does...and an acceptance of the fact.

"Welcome to the human race..."

Draft Wesley Clark for President My nominee for President. He says he'll declare or decline within weeks. Hoping into the wind? mabye...

to me, Sprite-Remix tastes like Sprite and Fruity Pebbles. Just so's you know...

A Shifting Spotlight on Uranium Sales From this article:

WASHINGTON, July 14 — The White House defense of President Bush's State of the Union speech comes down to this: The president was technically accurate when he cited a British report alleging Saddam Hussein was seeking uranium in Africa, but he never should have said it.

The evidence "did not meet the standards we use for the president," said Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser and the minder of Mr. Bush's pronouncements.

--What do you mean Condie? you mean that most presidents don't knowingly state FALSE claims that other nations are making deals for nukes as a pretext for a 1st strike war? Good. I think not using make believe intelligence that sounds better (to you) than the truth is a good policy. Jesus. And people hated Clinton...I don't care what Clinton lied about...it never got our soldiers killed in a war sold on lies.

16 Words, and Counting Seems an organization of retired government "spooks" have written an open letter calling for Dick Cheney's retirement. It would appear that the State of the Union Falsehood wasn't a screw up, but rather deliberate. Fortunately, the GOP believes in personal responsiblility and the President has decided to take the responsibility here...Um. no. That last part is a lie. wow! Mr. President, this lying thing IS easy!

there seems to be a problem w/ the comments portion on everyone's site. i'm gonna see if they'll fix it! sorry.

You know...I've never been to France, but I would like to go. I've heard many people complain about how rude the French are, but my father (a man who can be difficult himself) said France was one of his favorite places. So, I don't know about France. I do know people here (more so now) often hate France. I really dislike the "If it weren't for us, you'd be speaking German now" attitude. A conversation this weekend got me thinking. If it weren't for France, we would not have won our independnce. If it weren't for France, we would not have won the war of 1812. If it weren't for France, the Union would not have been sustained. So, it would appear, we only FINALLY evened the score with WW1 and 2. So there. I swear the history channel better start covering more wars than WW2 or people are gonna have to read books again.

Follow the trail

Here you can see a trail of who knew what when concerning the forged documents bush claimed as proof of how active Iraq was in seeking Nuclear weapons. it stands to reason that Iraq WAS seeking Nukes...too bad Bush only had faked proof.

Damn "Fast" News Day.

I have a problem. I read too slowly and I read too much. Out side of my normal work, Today I've read 15+ newspaper articles. tonite i'm sure i'll read 1-7 Comic books. I try to watch a few movies a week and I am reading 3 books right now to boot...Yeesh. I don't see how ppl like Lucas do it. He prolly takes in 5x as much as i do and still likely gets more sleep. Time management skill i guess.

Saw League of Extraordinary Gentlemen last nite...
I thought it was good. It was good, mindless summer fun and did not really exceed or fall below my expectations. David had bemoaned the F/X as looking bad. He was wrong. the special effects were top notch actually, and certainly head and shoulders above some i've seen (think about the end of THE MUMMY RETURNS--yeesh!). I knew the story was loosely based on a comic that I like very much and I know (and like) the work of the writer James Robinson.

This movie is as much an adaptation of the ABC line of comics as it is the LoEG comic itself. The story is VERY much in the vein of the "Science Heroes," Neo-Pulp style found in America's Best Comics (ABC). If you like that, then that is exactly what you are getting on the screen. of course, sometimes things read better than they appear on a screen (Capt. America). One complaint. Tom Sawyer. character and acter were fine and worked ok. I just don't like the idea that we Americans need a character from the USA to relate (note: Star Wars had no Americans in it and did ok). I give it a B-

Yahoo! News - Groups Blast Beyonce's Grant's Tomb Dance Ummm...can anyone tell me who decided that Beyonce should do a show at/on Grant's Tomb? NBC! NOTE: don't set up musical numbers on or near anyone's grave. (FYI).

More than anything in the world i want to start making "GO HOME HALEY" bumper stickers and T-shirts. w/ a caption under that saying "go back to Va. where you came from" or some such. i hate that fuck and i'd put that on my car in a SECOND. anyone wanna lop down some cash w/ me?

Amazon.com: Music: Elephant

"Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes. If this isn't the damnedest song. the first bassline (not done on a bass!) is so strong. almost sneaky sounding. after the first lyric yer struck by how strong and exciting this song is. "I'm gonna fight 'em off. A seven nation army couldn't hold me back." This is easily one of my five favorite (new)tunes of the last 5 years. link goes to an OK sample. you should go find a better one!

Savage nation OK, everyone should read this. This JERK from the SF bay area is on the radio nationally... here too. He had a TV show on MSNBC and he just got fired. READ what this guy said on air. the amazing thing is that he says WORSE than this EVERYDAY. As if MSNBC were somehow unaware of this guy's positions. they weren't. what they wanted is to be/seem more conservative. they got JUST what they asked for, and didn't like it after all. I have to say, this guy is maybe the single worst voice to ever grace our various media outlets. I do not recall anyone in the history of radio/television that has uttered more destructive views to a (sadly) growing following. one of the few people i'd like to try and boycott of the air, as he really does not offer anything to the 'marketplace of ideas'.

Grand Old Protest - A Republican Web site even Bush-bashers can love. By Paul?Boutin: "A Kool-Aid club for the GOP."

You get points for being a better republican--redeemable for prizes!

well, here comes another day. worked 16 hours yesterday, which has to be one of my longest work days. Roy & Jerri came to town and we all visited over at JasN's house. some of us drank and we all talked. i knew roy had too much when he starts a sentence with "So aren't southern Baptists supposed to be Non-Judgemental..." haw haw haw! i should've known he was gone if he says something like that!

Somehow I managed to sleep until 8:34am. i have to be at work at 8:30, so that's a big deal. i make good time otherwise and as i walk in my boss seems cool. Still tired, lots of work to go, but today seems like its gonna be better.

Dean's Challenge: Turn Enthusiasm into Votes I'm starting to become more of a Howard Dean supporter. as i reflect on my own political views, it seems that--to me--what makes a winner is the willingness to fight. i think Dean wants to fight like no one i've seen in a damn long time. i also think that the civil unions deal is the only real thing making him look "liberal" this is media paint, in my mind. you know, if there ever was a "liberal media bias", i think those days are long gone.

Yeesh. ok, i have this project that i was doing for the boss. it was due to him a little while back. conflicting schedules and my forgetfulness made me MEGA late in showing it to my boss for final review. i was gonna go over it w/ him Thursday before the weekend, but wouldn't you know...my boss leaves early. holiday. now i have to present it to him today--the day its due to the Mississippi Supreme Court! As you can imagine, my boss would like a bigger cushion...

So my boss...i can't tell how pissed he is, and i think we'll see in a bit when he decides how great/screwed up the brief is, just what it'll take to fix it, and how well the fixin' goes. basically, i didn't ruin anything but its a question of how hard i made things on us. great.

Anyway, so i go to the office to touch the piece of work up last nite. i get a late start. i start getting a little nervous over it. i start scrutenizing everything. i write and re-write. next thing you know, i've stayed up all nite. i'm tired, but i have such adrenaline going its not affecting me.

Now, looking at the paper, i tried to fancy it up and make it a bit biting. i think this is VERY outta the ordinary for my boss and he's reading it like someone from lit class wrote his legal document. Not good. I have made some poor word choices perhaps, but still don't know how bad or good.

yeesh. technically, the whip hasn't come down, so to speak, but my head's reeling and i'm typing as fast as i ever have in these minutes i have before i jump back in. ah. is that a fax machine buzzing...?

3 attacks in 12 hours kill 3 GIs in Baghdad 3 more GI's killed since the war has "ended". Luckily, Bush corrected himself recently in an article i read where he stated "The War's Not Over" (damn sorry i lost the link). well, i'm glad to see it isn't. or that we can find ourselves so threatened to invade another country w/o actually declaring war. that has to be the wimpiest thing i've ever heard. the war was declared over so that bush could seem as if he'd wrapped it all up. he hasn't. more than 25% of the people that have died in Iraq died after we "won". now i see bush is starting to cut troop benefits while they are overseas serving. i cannot sufficiently express my displeasure right now.

David should write this guy a letter on the Supreme Court Ruling.djournal.com

Well, it looks like Howard Dean has the Bush administration licking their lips. Karl Rove, Bush Presidential aid, was seen recently at a 4th of July parade wearing a Howard Dean T-Shirt and button w/ his wife. Seems they LOVE their chances against someone painted as a dyed in the wool lefty. hmm...Hubris? ...or is he right to want Dean. hmmm...i honestly don't know. what i do know is my history books and i don't have TB (True Believer-ism). I don't think he's as liberal as he's painted, but the press has all but put Dean in hippie gear! yeesh!

For those who might not know, there is a new international court in the works. Previously we've supported this, and in theory we've supported the movement towards such multi-government resolutions to problems w/o the need to use weapons. Our president is doing his isolationist GOP'ers proud today. This week we cut off all military funding to 35 countries that would not give us immunity before this court. This court would be the first in human history that permanently exists for the purpose, in part, of dealing with genocidal criminals and crimes against humanity. I would go as far as to say that this administration has done more than any other to work against multi-national bodies of any type that have been established to deal with virtually any type of problem. The question they seem to present is 'do we need them?' for a few thousand years of human history, we've done without. about 80 years ago this idea started to take hold with the League of Nations, and then finally with the UN. the question, my friends, is whether we were better off pre-UN? if so, i'd like to hear some ideas of why we were better off before. anyone know the thought on this matter?

Hey big gray? You have any thoughts on the Liberia situation?Polly and the Mooch!

For those who might not know, there is a new international court in the works. Previously we've supported this, and in theory we've supported the movement towards such multi-government resolutions to problems w/o the need to use weapons. Our president is doing his isolationist GOP'ers proud today. This week we cut off all military funding to 35 countries that would not give us immunity before this court. This court would be the first in human history that permanently exists for the purpose, in part, of dealing with genocidal criminals and crimes against humanity. I would go as far as to say that this administration has done more than any other to work against multi-national bodies of any type that have been established to deal with virtually any type of problem. The question they seem to present is 'do we need them?' for a few thousand years of human history, we've done without. about 80 years ago this idea started to take hold with the League of Nations, and then finally with the UN. the question, my friends, is whether we were better off pre-UN? if so, i'd like to hear some ideas of why we were better off before. anyone know the thought on this matter?

Hey big gray? You have any thoughts on the Liberia situation?Polly and the Mooch!

In his 1989 memoir, Dr. Frist, the heart surgeon and Senate majority leader, confessed that at Harvard Medical School, he used to adopt stray cats at shelters, take them home and slice and dice them for practice.
"It was, of course, a heinous and dishonest thing to do," he wrote. "And I was totally schizoid about the entire matter. By day, I was little Billy Frist, the boy who lived on Bowling Avenue in Nashville and had decided to become a doctor because of his gentle father and a dog named Scratchy. By night, I was Dr. William Harrison Frist, future cardiothoracic surgeon, who was not going to let a few sentiments about cute, furry little creatures stand in the way of his career. In short, I was going a little crazy."
–from the NY Times. Heh. Frist is a nutjob!

and from James Carville, speaking on Gay Rights issues and the next election. Some serious things to think through..

"Their base is all gassed up, screaming that God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," he says. But he thinks the Democrats and gay activists would make a mistake "falling into Frist's trap" and making a stand on gay marriage now. "I don't care who gets married," he says, "but the Republicans will use this to divide the Democrats and reduce us to an accumulation of interest groups —— a woman's right to choose, a kid's right to education, a transgender's right to whatever."

I don’t think backing away from the issue is gonna solve it, but I’m not down for a righteous defeat right now. “DO SOMETHING” doesn’t mean do something stupid.

SO....did you know that Strom Thurmond had a baby with a black woman in 1925? credible sources say...article ponders whether this means "it was all a front" and he wasn't so bad, OR was he worse than thought? I believe the latter, since he embraced it for all it was worth and he knew he didn't have to do that. He chose to appeal to the worst in people and will be forever known for that since his works never took him in an (active) other direction.

Mr. Mooch noticed that Herman Miller has created a new chair that's basically a baby Aeron with a baby pricetag. Again, Mr. Mooch will create a living will for you in order to save and buy himself one of these babies.

David should be a Judge. Not many people I know, this young into the law game, I’d say that about. Actually, no one I’d say that about. I dunno if david has nailed down what he wants to do with himself, but I think he should be a judge. I think, as unreasonable as he often can be, I think there’s not much I’ve seen him take more earnestly or seriously than the law.

I LIKE the law. I could do it forever and it makes good money, but I don’t love it. I don’t. I like the kinda law I do, but I don’t give much of a damn about any of the 100s of other types out there. If I didn’t do the stuff I do now, I wouldn’t do it at all I think. I want to write more, and I’m slowly getting to do that, but like I said–slowly. Its my fault though. God I feel lazy though.

From Harper's Weekly:

Donald Rumsfeld, thesecretary of defense, made the surprising claim that "before
the war, there was no debate about whether Iraq had unconventional weapons." he also said that he doesn't "know anybody in any government or any intelligence agency who suggested that the Iraqis had nuclear weapons"; it was
immediately pointed out that Vice President Dick Cheney made precisely that claim in March.
---

Can I please have a presidential administration that at least remembers i was listening the first go-round before they start lying to me about what they really said?

Howard DEan. presidentaial hopeful, just raised several million dollars (most of which it got online, which is a milestone) in a week....all around the week where he won the first “Online Primary”. Now, I’ve discounted this primary as BS, BUT with the caveat that it WILL have as much sway as the press is willing to give it, AND as much as it helps a candidate...well it seems that it may have helped dean. OK, so is this surge due to www.Moveon.org ? or just Dean himself. if it did, then it just made a name for itself, and deserves about 10x the press its already gotten.

Dean's got some cool T-shirts out, BTW. i like him, but i'm still not sure if i can smell the McGovern on him.

MY HOUSE. Jesus. I did a number on my house. For about a million months, my house has been in disarray for various reasons. Since Federica was coming, I decided to get it on the road to recovery. While its got a ways to go, it looks so MIRACULOUSLY better, even I’m shocked. Wish I’d taken some before/after shots. Thanks to David for working outside on the yard for while I was working inside. We worked right until Federica’s flight came in, and I was pretty damn proud. Sorta reminded me of that scene in DC Cab/Revenge of the Nerds/any other movie where the guys are “working together to fix up an old run down ______ and make it shine, all to the tune of a catchy work song”. Cept Mr. T wasn’t there. Oh well.

i gotta wonder about some people. if i have no new info for a client at the close of business on friday, why would the expect me to have some new info at 8:30am on monday? i've explained this doesn't work more times than you could ever imagine. ..."Whiskey River Take My Mind" is a good song for me to be playing right now. yes it is.

Decent Weekend. My sweetie Federica is in town for 10 days. We were both anxious and nervous about her visit. When she got here, it was a great relief. All seemed ok in the world again. Little did she know that on Saturday she’d be tossed to the open road. We left before lunch to attend a Family Reunion in Lambert, MS where she met MOST of the people on my mother’s side of the family. I think she was taken aback somewhat, but she was a good sport. Speaking of good sport, she tolerated a quick trip to some places I lived in the delta like Dublin, MS and Lu-Rand, MS (look THAT up on mapquest!). Anyway, places I’ve not seen since a decade ago at least. It was somewhat strange. Not sad but not happy either. Anyway...

After that, we went to Memphis. I dunno what I was thinking. It’s a great town, but I could have done better by Federica. We were tired and got to see next to nothing, returning to my Dad’s at 1am. Spent the day with them and drove back. All in all, Federica was a good sport and doesn’t now hate me. :) The part I don’t understand is that she wanted to drive almost the whole way. Nutty. It went pretty well, and ended with she and I having our first meal together at our home. I'm not going to like it when she leaves again in a few days.

Federica is coming to town tonite. lots to do between now and then and that doesn't even count the work i have here at the job. yeesh. i wonder if i look as frazzled as i feel?

Well, it seems that the archaic ban on certain types of sex between consenting adults has been banned. the court ruled 6-3 against a Texas Law that banned consentual sexual relations between people of the same sex. this is one of a few states (formerly ALL states) that still have laws banning various forms of sex. Scalia, Thomas, and Renquist dissented. Evidently Scalia felt so strongly about his dissent that he read it aloud to the court. he stated (in part):

"The court has taken sides in the culture war," adding that he has "nothing against homosexuals."

I'm sorry Justice Scalia. You are a liar. more importantly, you are a coward because you hide the truth of your convictions.

On another note, the comment section here appears to be getting a much needed overhaul. thanks for the patience

not much today. Geneclark45 gave me this. jesus. everything that happened in the world this week...all in about 2 pages. neat. READ!

So much going on today its not even funny. I woke up at 3:45am to take my roommate to the bus depot. barely slept a wink after that, so i got to work way early. I have a TON to do at work, but nothing beyond my means. Also have a TON to do at home as my house looks like a disaster and my lovely 'better half' is coming for a week...her first week. I'm pretty nervous. I really want to make a good impression and I have a lot on my plate.

Here is a new BUSH nominee for Federal Court. He’s that Ala. Attorney General and has done a great deal to move the law forward. My favorites:

Wants to repeal parts of the Voting Rights Act (even testified before congress on that one!)
Wants to repeal the Violence Against Women Act



up next...AMY TUCK and John Edwards

This is for my Howard Dean loving friends. While I DO like him, I’m fearful that the climate is too moderate at this point for Dean’s Liberalism to win the Presidency. However, I do concede that a Liberal CAN be elected in the US and I have to admit that I don’t know of a better time for that to happen. I can’t say that ________ would be a more opportune time for a true Liberal candidate to win. What I DO like about Dean is that he fights. I don’t live in a place where the races are easy. I don’t have that luxury. For that reason, I often judge the skill of a politician by how hard they fight (attack, whatever you wanna call it) the other side, how SMART they are about their fighting, and how they redirect the harsh attacks of the modern GOP.

(NOTE to John Kerry: fighting w/ Dean about who REALLY loves gay people more wins marginal votes and makes a marginal candidate (Dean) into a contender now b/c you treated him like one).

I believe Dean, better than any Political Liberal I’ve ever seen can do these things well. That says a lot. I have seen MANY astute liberals in my life but they are rarely speaking to me as VIABLE candidates. I’d say virtually never. This of course assumes Dean is viable, and that I’m not sure about yet...

a few quick notes:

this from an article at slate outlines my moderate view and concerns--

No, we don't need two Republican parties and we don't need two Democratic parties, but we do need two parties that work deliberately to represent the largest number of Americans, not just the 5% on either end that respond to purely ideological appeals or the 20% on either end that form a additional bulwark of die-hard partisan support, but the 50% that comprise the center and are willing to move toward or away from either party.

-----------
I have a great deal of concern about the direction of the Democratic Party and our long-term prospects. I may be too cautious, but i do not think being more radical NOW is the answer, no matter how desireable that proposition may be. here is a telling article on GOP long term strategy for the role of government as well as a revelation as to why tax cuts are great for all seasons: they shrink money that can go into programs and thus shrink programs. This is the logic, assuming the GOP can make themselves stop spending. They've not been so good at that so far.

I go HERE every Monday

this is also good for a monday. the top one is the new one. click, laff, send email...

I came back to work and my office was jumping. It’s a little calmer now. What seemed to be a real disaster has now been averted...thank god. It looked really bad. Its gonna be another late nite at the office I’m afraid. Lots of work...

I’m not physically tired, but I’m pretty well mentally spent for now. I guess I need to recharge some how.

Malaise is the best way to describe my recent feelings. I cannot fathom a better way to describe my emotional, mental, and professional state. As work goes, I’m TRYING to get around the bend. There is SO MUCH to do this summer before labor day and I’m getting there. I see solutions around the bend.

that being said, lets look over here-->

This is the best cocktail of all time. Unfortunately, the Liquer involved is hard to come by. I get mine in New Orleans or Baton Rouge, as it’s the only places I’m sure to find it. Asking my local booze shop to get some though. (Might I recommend Citadel Gin also). This drink ranks up there with the Gimlet as one of those drinks that taste so good that the Gin nay-sayers even like ‘em (ask David). Martinis on the other hand are not for kids, and I plan to enjoy some of that icy bliss today when I leave work. While I’m not the connoisseur of beer and wine that my friends are, cocktails intrigue me. Mr. Mooch prefers more tropical fare. He likes Mojito's like Federica.

*In RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP, Clark Gable’s wife offers guests “a slug of gin” and I always got a kick out of that phrase, so if you hear me say it, you’ll be in the know that I’m giving a secret nod to a movie

Mr. Mooch has asked that his photo be placed on the blog. I dunno how to do that, but if anyone out there DOES (mame) please shed that light over here! Mr. Mooch did provide this link. Mr. Mooch, of course, is a Spider Monnkie and a graduate of Tulane Law (specializing in Monkey Law).

Mr. Mooch Likes:

Favorite Song: Hip-Hug-Her by Booker T & the MG's
Favorite Food: Hokki Clam sushi
Favorite Movie: Royal Tenenbaums
Stax or Motown? Stax
Beatles or Elvis? Elvis

Turn ons: Good looking girl-Monnkies wearing classy boas
Turn offs: rude behavior
Hometown: Jackson, MS

He also wanted me to announce that he will do a Living Will for you at a mere $300, as he's trying to save up for an Aeron Chair for his office.

DAMN! Had a hearing today. win or lose, i get to be done. i get there...clock's ticking...i worked LATE into the nite prepping. more of the same this morning. aaaand....judge is out! no trial. no good for anyone. SO, that means other work stays undone and i have lots more on my plate...plus i'm tired for no good reason. don't like working 20 hours from Friday to Sunday. that just sucks.

What a drag. Trial is coming up tomorrow and I have about 1000 things to do. Paper is due too and I have less time to do that. About 1000 things to do around my house and I can’t even touch that stuff yet. Feeling kinda lonely today, but that’s to be expected when your best lady pal is about 2200 miles away and getting more and more frustrated by the minute as to why everything she’s doing isn’t falling into place as it should.

See, the thing is, we are planning/having a formal wedding. Its August 31st and that’s about 84 days away. It was gonna be in November originally. That’s cutting 2 months off of a already difficult process.

Those immediate drags out of the way, brings us to more big picture drags. The more I read about the political climate and possibilities facing this nation, the more depressed I get. I don’t recall but a few occasions where politics depressed me, and in some ways I get that feeling every week now. I’ve always considered myself a ‘true believer’–someone that always thinks “there’s a way out” no matter how bleak it gets. That hasn’t completely fallen away, but I do worry a great deal more. I also wonder ‘how’? I just don’t know ‘how’ sometimes...I try to think about how bad, how HARD it was back years ago. when labor unions were thought to be a tresspass against the will of GOD! The effort to make the law see all people as citizens in full. the difficulties of our day sometimes seem trivial...but that's just the trouble. First off, we shouldn't feel guilt because its easier now. that is a state of nature and you cannot get around that. HOWEVER, the problem is that when its somewhat better, the complacency builds. its seen as "not all THAT bad" so its ok for the public to let things slide...and that's just where we are.

The sun is going down and feel like running out that door and running away. Even when you don’t or can’t run away, it sure is nice to think about it.

EVERYONE owes it to themselves to hear the GREAT RIFF on The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" on the album ELEPHANT. lyrics are good too! what a sound!

ALL NITE LONG

Jackson is attending a wake right now...at least my part of Jackson is. Musiquarium is gone and many of us just don’t have an alternative place to go. Sure there are other places we DO go, but we went there anyway when we did not want the comfort of our MQ home. Its odd seeing regulars out elsewhere. Its not as if we never saw them outside the bar, but the question comes up...”so, is this where you are hanging out now?” The answer is always no, because no one HAS anywhere else to go. I know there are other places and there will be new places, but there is no other bar that was at the same time impressive to anyone that saw it, AND unmistakably “your” place (or mine in my case). Never had a place that great to call home. It was interesting to see a beer joint as considered ‘sophisticated’...and it was. Beer tastings, Book readings, bands of EVERY sort, and my friends--Always there. In a way, I really don’t know what to do with myself now. I don’t know where to go when I go out. Every other place I went to in town was because I was seeking out something specific at that bar, not because I wanted to go hang out there. I feel sorta lonely about the whole matter and I don’t like it one damn bit.

11pm and I’m at the job. Took a break to eat and get a few thoughts out here. I’m going to trial Monday. David volunteered to help with the prep this weekend, and I think I’m gonna take him up on it. Its short and 2 heads working on it will let me get back to the house (a disaster I’m fixing). Tonite is likely gonna be an allniter where I work on a paper like I’m some sort of student. My boss wants me to write a brief, and I’m barely into it (A brief is like a legal position paper that you give to a judge to additionally argue your side of an issue before him/her). What sucks is that I have had to learn what the hell the case is about and THEN do the research. Worst part of it all? I can bet you money that my boss, while wanting it Friday will not take a glance at it until Monday.


Stream of consciousness:

“In My Life” (Beatles) is the best sentimental song there is and maybe their best song (tho Norwegian Wood gets a mention from me). The best album cover of all time is on “With The Beatles,” and I’m more of a Stones Guy anyway. The best song for happy drinking is “Tumblin’ Dice” (The Rolling Stones). The best song for disregard of serious matters that need your attention (while drinking) is “Before They Make Me Run” (The Rolling Stones) and the best song for sad heart broken drinking is “One For My Baby” By Sinatra. I would go as far as to say that no one should be allowed to ever record that song again.

...This just in! ...The "Shout Outs" are now up and running. anyone with a keyboard can tell me where to go and how to get there! Thanks to good pal to all, COURT-NAY WOLFGANG!

more on this story as it develops...

Sometimes when I get up, I’m certain that an extra 5 minutes would give me just the rest I need. The problem is that I have my mornings cut so close, so that I can have my extra sleep, that every minute I stay in bed–I know will turn into literal minutes I’m late. That being said, I think its all psychological (the need).

Wedding bells. It seems that Federica and I are now going to be married on August 31, 2003. Official notices will be forthcoming. After much pain and trouble, the deed will be done and life can move forward (for the better).

I HOPE to soon make this a little more commentary and a little less Journal. I have been getting badgered to do some writing, maybe a column and I think It would be good. I MAY just write here and send the good stuff on to print, OR take t he stuff that’s printed and put it here too. I’ve been getting a little more inspired by reading Hunter S. Thompson lately...particularly on technique. Speaking of reading, I seem to run the gambit lately:

Comics:
Alias, Daredevil, Hulk, Global Frequency, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Powers, and a few others being the most recent buys.

Books:
Theodore Rex (Edmund Morris) –This is a Presidential Years biography of my favorite Republican. This guy’s first bio of Teddy won a Pulitzer. Teddy Roosevelt is my dad’s favorite President, which I think is cool, since he’s not one of the 3 knee-jerk picks (FDR, Reagan, Kennedy depending on your disposition). My favorite is Lyndon Johnson, by the way–Mostly due to his mastery of influence. I find his techniques something to study.

Pimp (Iceberg Slim)–Rapper Ice T used to love Slim when he was in school. He would recite lines from the book to amuse his classmates and they called him “Iceberg” which got shortened to his rap name over time. Pimp is the story of a guy’s decent into the street and what it was like living that life. He tells it as a man that knew it was a no good life but doesn’t pretend that it didn’t (and doesn’t now) hold an appeal. He survived it all and wrote a few books. So far, I don’t think it glamorizes street life as much as he gives you an account of how it looked to him at the time he was in it. Certainly a frank discussion of unpleasant lives

Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘72 (Hunter S. Thompson). HST is out of his damn mind. Here he follows the 72 election, sending weekly notes on what he sees. WAY precedes/supercedes the things we see as “edgey” coverage of the elections now. Some of it is interesting looking back w/ the benefit of seeing how it all worked out in the end. Best part? 1. He’s not really on ANYONE’s side; 2. He comments in the introduction that there are publishing people about to shit themselves in the room at that moment because he’s writing a wondering introduction instead of finishing the last chapter (which hadn’t been written) as they are going to press in 24 hours! Heh.

The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman 1955-1967 (HST) This is the reason I started a blog. HST used to write 4-10 letters a day. Now back then, keep in mind he wrote on a typewriter. He’d use carbons and he’d keep copies. He wrote everyone from pals to companies to presidents talking about whatever the hell came to his head. Mostly his observations. Almost all are intriguing, if the writing style wasn’t enough by itself. It reads like...well, like if you had a blog AND emails AND you contacted EVERYONE under the sun that got your mind spinning. Mad, happy, sad, whatever. Its pretty amazing to see a mind work and it makes me wanna write with that same level of personality and scrutiny.

God, I need more free time! Heh.

Ok, So my boss gives me an assignment. I have to write a brief on this case I don’t know ANYTHING about. Sooo, lets do the numbers:

Number of Briefs due this week: 1
Number of feet long this file is: 2'
Money I will get on this matter: $0
Trials coming this week: 1
Settlements to handle: 3
Settlement offers to get out: 8
Books bought for “leisure time”: 4

Ugh. I feel the water rising on me. Let’s talk about something else ...

Ok, So my boss gives me an assignment. I have to write a brief on this case I don’t know ANYTHING about. Sooo, lets do the numbers:

Number of Briefs due this week: 1
Number of feet long this file is: 2'
Money I will get on this matter: $0
Trials coming this week: 1
Settlements to handle: 3
Settlement offers to get out: 8
Books bought for “leisure time”: 4

Ugh. I feel the water rising on me. Let’s talk about something else ...

Jesus, what a day. I’m hoping to find a way to let you, gentle reader, leave commentary on what your see here. Anyway, Monday was just awful. I got next to nothing done. Sometimes I forget how prone to inaction defendants can be.

As I started to leave, one mother of a storm kicked up. It only lasted maybe an hour but it was pretty bad. Terrible winds knocked down some GIANT tree limbs and I (and david) had no power for most of the night. My dear sweet Federica (Fred) thinks we have our power knocked out every other week I think! Its not that bad, but Monday I saw more than one 1' diameter limb knocked from its tree. I stayed at JasN & Kelly’s place and that was nice because my LEAST favorite thing could be avoided: Summertime, no power, humidity. All you can do is just lay there and sweat. Luckily I’ve only experienced this a hand full of times, but it stinks.