Senator Byrd Has Much Heart & Soul


Demacratic Senator Robert Byrd, from West Virginia, probably has more love and compassion for his country than most of his peers. And I enjoy watching him hold forth on CSPAN most every day. He carries, most notably, in his breast pocket, a respectively worn copy of his beloved constitution. And whips it out to prove many a point when speaking about our country going to war with Iraq.



He acknowledges that the minds are already made up and it's just a matter of course before Bush gets Senate approval for his Iraq resolution. But it's not because Senator Byrd hasn't tried to change the minds of his fellow senators. When I first began watching Senator Byrd, his trembling fingers pulling out the constitution every 15 minutes, to make his point, I thought him almost comical. He reminded me of a doddering old great uncle that you barely tolerate. And my satirical mind was reminded of a drinking game I could play while watching the senators in session. We'd all take a drink each time Senator Byrd retrieved his copy of the constitution. A person could get pretty wiped out by the time he finished speaking.



But after really 'listening' to him speak so passionately about the US and the respect he has for it's very core and foundation of laws, I couldn't disrespect him by playing a drinking game. He was one of the first to speak out against resident Bush. He was responsible for instigating the legislative rally to call/email/fax your Senators and Representatives this past weekend. He's a very intelligent and articulate man who marches to the beat of his own drum. The junior senators could learn a lot from Senator Byrd. Both republican and democrat. Here's the link to Senator Byrd's official home page. You'll find there documents that he's highlighted showing the US had provided Iraq with the building blocks for it's biological weapons program.

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Sex With A Twist?


Australian scientists believe they have rediscovered an effective use for lemon juice -- as a contraceptive and also a killer of the AIDS virus.



Reproductive physiologist Roger Short, from the University of Melbourne's obstetrics department, said a few drops of lemon juice can be a cheap, easy-to-use solution to protect women from both HIV and pregnancy.



The juice should be squeezed onto a piece of sponge or cotton wool and placed into the vagina before sex, he said.



The 'easy bake coven' is going to take the high road today and make no further comments. [But I sure do have a sore tongue from biting it too hard...!]



Star Gazing In Asheville


The hottest new hobby in town is stargazing, as in looking for Robert Redford and Willem Dafoe, who are in Asheville shooting the movie thriller "The Clearing."





Last Thursday night, the legendary Redford dined outdoors at the popular Cafe on the Square on Pack Square, where he enjoyed the special, mahi-mahi, said restaurant owner Tracy Adler. It was his second time at the cafe. Pack Square is where most protests and people watching are found, too.





"...people were very kind, they didn't interrupt him much. And he was so polite. When we asked how was his meal, he turned in his seat, sat back and said, `Everything has been delightful.' That's class."





Meanwhile, on Friday, the respected character actor Dafoe was spotted on Hendersonville Road near Biltmore Village, filming a scene involving a bus. And a few days ago, the crew shot a scene in the Asheville Civic Center parking structure, said publicist Joan Eisenberg. As I've said before, it's a closed set, so the rare occasions we get a glimpse of RR is special indeed. We've grown pretty used to seeing the gorgeous Andie MacDowell around town, after she got married here and moved her family down here from Montana a few years ago.

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Anyone See David Sedaris On Letterman?


I was reminded of it when I saw a link on metafilter. He stood center stage and read a story he'd written for Esquire Magazine. He was asked to write about Men's Accessories and chose to write about colostomy bags. He was hysterically funny. You may have heard David on NPR. His sister, Amy, is also hilarious. I began following her when I first saw her in Comedy Central's, 'Strangers With Candy', as Jerry Blank.

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Bob Dylan kicked off his fall tour Friday in Seattle behind the piano. The first show of the premature Warren Zevon memorial tour--Bob played Zevon's "Accidentally Like a Martyr," "Boom Boom Mancini," and "Mutineer." Also did "Brown Sugar"--go figure. For the first half dozen songs he played keyboards, then alternated between keys and guitar. Also played some harmonica. It was not the same old show--opened with "Solid Rock" rather than a folk cover, and was less acoustic overall. Thankfully, no "Silvio." A very weird "Heaven's Door" near the end. From a poster on the discussions.bobdylan.com site. His tour schedule and set list can be seen here.

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We had a local [Asheville, NC] protest last night that I went to for a couple of hours. There was a representative from Not In Our Name, that helped organize it. We only had a few hundred there, but got some local media attention, so that was pretty good.



Blogburst


Letter To My Senators, Representative




Our country is facing a major crisis. Bush wants a blank check to do what he pleases without consultation with Congress, the UN, or our allies. The repercussions could be catastrophic.





War is always horrible. Beyond that, U.S. credibility as a moral leader would be shattered. We would set a pre- emptive strike precedent for petty dictators everywhere. We would alienate the entire Muslim world. Conflict in the Middle East, the root cause of Sept. 11 in the first place, would worsen.





Most Americans have little understanding of how astoundingly isolated we are becoming. Bush appears to some Americans like a courageous, go-it-alone leader. To most of the world, and to me, his strategy appears foolish, shortsighted and very dangerous.





It appears that Bush is set on war at any cost. In a democracy we have an obligation to speak up, no matter how powerless or cynical we may feel. The slim hope for a more rational and multi-lateral approach to Iraq lies with an uprising of American voices that say: "No war on Iraq without explicit UN backing."





Thanks for your consideration,











Susan XXXXXXXX


Asheville, NC







[Letter already made up for some petition. It reflects my viewpoints.]





This Blogburst is an effort started by Barry at Amptoons.com to flood the appropriate officials with our "Say No To Iraq" messages. All the letters we sent/faxed/emailed will also be published on that site in the Open Letters section. If you haven't already done so, you'll find on the Amptoons site [under Resources on the right, "Stop the Rush to War"] many letters already composed and ready for you. Just add your name and click----and you've sent a letter to your senator! It couldn't be any simpler.

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Do You Remember Your First Time....Voting?


The November 5 elections are not far away. In North Carolina, you have until October 11 to register to vote. I proudly registered to vote when I was 20 years old and they had just lowered the voting age to 18. [It had been 21] Since my friends and school mates were being drafted at 18, we raised so much hell about being able to go off and fight in a war at 18, but not being able to vote until you're 21. So it got changed in a hurry. I voted for McGovern, a Democrat and left-wing liberal---[before it was a bad word], for President. Against Richard M Nixon. How could you not?

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TO ME!!!


I just have this huge stupid grin on my face today that I cannot wipe off. It's like a big sense of relief. Instead of a feeling of impending doom. Because it IS a big deal to turn 50 years old. I sure never thought I'd make it this far. So it's all gravy from here on out....!



UPDATE: Thank you so much for your good wishes. I take them to the center of my heart.

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WTF?


I've been consistently getting errors with each post on Blogspot for the past 3 or 4 weeks. Each and every post. I have to post each one about 4 or 5 times before it shows up. I have a private blogspot site I was working on and it worked fine-------without archives! So I went into "Settings", and change the "Yes" on archives to "No Archives" and each post goes out effortlessly. The way it was intended. I think the archives mess up blogspot more than anything. I don't have my archives anymore, but what the hell? I just may blow this pop-sicle stand someday.....

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Activism Alert


Monday, the House members who have been against the Bush resolution are going to give the COUNT of those who have called e-mailed or faxed. Please let your voice be heard:





All the Representative Web Sites


All the Senator's Web Sites





I've just emailed Senators Jesse Helms and John Edwards, and my Representative, Charles Taylor about the Iraqi resolution. No matter how you feel about this issue, speak out. Your voice will actually be counted and given great consideration. Our leaders need specifics, not rumors.

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Oops, Did I Say That Out Loud?


Ari Fleischer, during a press conference Tuesday, commented when asked about the projected billions it'd cost the US, ''I can only say that the cost of a one-way ticket is substantially less than that,'' Fleischer said. ''The cost of one bullet, if the Iraqi people take it on themselves, is substantially less than that.'' He's saying that exile or an assasination is cheaper than us going to Iraq.



Oh, Ari. Methinks you fucked up. You know that when he left he bent over and invited the other minions to kick his lily-white ass. He's always so in control and careful not to let anything slip. Or did he intentionally plant these seeds in our minds? Probably. [via: Boston Globe]

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Aaron from Uppity Negro had a post about 'The Firesign Theatre'. I haven't heard their fun stuff in ages. They're a comedy group that put out albums in the late 60's-early 70's [going strictly from memory here]. As far as I know, their satire was listened to while we were doing halucinogens or smoking weed. I don't remember if I heard them in high school or not, but remember playing their album in the dorm and screaming in fits of laughter. NPR.org has them for several upcoming performances. Knowing Firesign Theatre lyrics was a sort of litmus test of how aware you were at that time of free love and Vietnam and getting high. Just as good music [Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Stones, Clapton] was the back drop of that era.

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Wake-Up Call


If the US and Iraq do go to war, there can only be one winner, can't there? Maybe not. This summer, in a huge rehearsal of just such a conflict - and with retired Lieutenant General Paul Van Riper playing Saddam - the US lost. Julian Borger asks the former marine how he did it. This post was in the Guardian [UK] on Sept 6, but I don't recall hearing anything about it. This is a fascinating story. Take a look at it. more>>

[link found: thymewise.net]

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Gore Says Bush Policies Damage Economy


Former Vice President Al Gore charged Wednesday that President George W. Bush's economic policies, as much as the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, have damaged the U.S. economy and that the administration's unwillingness to change could allow the world economy to spiral into recession. I'm reminded of the Emperor's New Clothes story for some reason every time Gore holds forth. And never in a million years thought Al Gore would be the most outspoken political figure that we have. Testify, Al. Everyone else is still stuttering. [via: upi.com]

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I Don't Wanna Talk About Keith


Mick Jagger said when asked about Keith's disgust with Mick's title from the Queen this summer. 60 Minutes' Ed Bradley was backstage last week with the Stones and he filmed and interviewed the guys. Keith has always been true to the Rolling Stones' image and all that it entails, while Mick has walked the fence of 'rock's hell-raiser' vs 'international playboy'. How could you not change somewhat over 40 years together? That's longer than most marriages last. Fussing and bitching off-stage, and coming together when they step on stage. I'm just glad they're still doing it after all these years. Keith did admit he gets some type of 'satisfaction' over ribbing Mick sometimes. But Mick doesn't want to talk about it. [Also see cbsnews.com]

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The post below was taken from William Burton's site and I agree that arguing with conservatives usually comes down to this one come back from them:





Although I do appreciate comments and emails from dissenting points of view, I feel the need to make the follwing public service announcement to all conservatives:



Stop Thinking About Bill Clinton's Penis. You know it's not healthy to be that obsessed with the privates of someone you despise. All it does it get you riled up into a frenzy of hatred and rage. Take a deep breath and repeat after me:



Bill Clinton's Penis did not cause tech stocks to collapse


Bill Clinton's Penis did not loot WorldCom or Enron


Bill Clinton's Penis was not responsible for Sept 11th


Bill Clinton's Penis was not the reason girls wouldn't date you in high school


Bill Clinton's Penis was not responsible for Rush's TV show being cancelled


Bill Clinton's Penis does not want to take away your guns


Bill Clinton's Penis did not kill Randy Weaver's family


Bill Clinton's Penis is not shipping domestic manufacturing jobs overseas


Bill Clinton's Penis is not the reason your boss is a penis


Bill Clinton's Penis did not convince your wife to fuck the tennis pro


And, last but not least, Roe v Wade has nothing to do with Bill Clinton's Penis



[via: williamburton.blogspot.com] He's not had his site very long, but writes with great style, class and intelligence and wit. Can you tell he's one of my favorite daily stops on the blogging trail?

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Power To The People


The only reason -- the only reason -- that Congressional Democrats this past week started speaking out, in more than their previously token numbers, against an invasion is because they have been deluged with phone calls, faxes, and e-mails expressing the public's opposition. Polls show widespread doubt; Congressional office intake valves, a measure of the people passionate enough to contact their public officials, has been running more than 90% against invasion. Allowing more time for anti-war opposition to build, and, of course, more time during election season for Dubya to insert his size 238 cowboy boots into his mouth on a daily basis.

[via:workingforchange.com]



BlogBurst on Monday, October 7th


There is a groundswelling of bloggers led by Barry at amptoons.com that are addressing their congress people on October 7, Monday. This will be done by writing a letter to said person and also posting it on your blog site. This is also the anniversary of our first attack on Afghanistan. If you don't want to write, call or fax them. And if Monday doesn't work for you, Sunday is fine. As the post above shows, recent speaking out against going to war has definitely been heard.

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Weird Searchs That People Use To Get Here


Little Teens Pissing Porn Pics - not sure how that correlates


Susan - although I was #38 in their list of Susan's


Nice Ass - I happen to have both words on my site, but not together


look for big O' ass - can someone see my ass or something?


Look at my ass


Ass f*cking girls



Anyone wanna bet it's because of what's at the top of my web page? I just checked my sitemeter and looked where google and other searchs have been performed to get here. About half of the searchs are looking for some ass. Uh-huh.

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A Little Bowie





David Bowie will launch the seven-date New York City Marathon tour Oct. 11 on Staten Island. [via:billboard.com]






Playful Rolling Stones End N.Y. Concert Trilogy


Blues guitarist Jonny Lang opened the Roseland show, and I think combining Lang with the Stones and you almost have the concert of the year. The Pretenders opened the other two NY shows. In all, the group played 47 different songs over the three shows, with only "Start Me Up,'' "Honky Tonk Women,'' "Brown Sugar'' and "Jumpin' Jack Flash'' common to all three. They don't stick rigorously to a set list, and sometime resurrect an old nugget from the past. Like "She Smiled Sweetly" from 1967's "Between The Buttons". They will be back to New York for three shows at Madison Square Garden in mid-January.

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Are We Fearful For Our Mistakes?


"Iraq's bioweapons program was started with help from Uncle Sam two decades ago, according to government records that are being reexamined in light of the discussion of war against Iraq. The CDC and a biological sample company, the American Type Culture Collection, sent strains of all the germs Iraq used to make weapons, including anthrax, the bacteria that make botulinum toxin, and the germs that cause gas gangrene, the records show. Iraq also got samples of other deadly pathogens, including the West Nile virus." [via: smirkingchimp.com]

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Susan, Unplugged


I enjoy these sites of mine, easy bake coven, and susan*jayne, mostly because I can write anything without worrying if I'm using the correct tense, or the spelling is right, or who's toes I might be stepping on. Or if I sound too left or too right [hardly]. Outside of blogging, I worry about those things. Every "i" has to be dotted, "t" crossed. Literally. And, mostly, since I abhor pretense more than anyone, I can come here and write about my cat if I feel like it. Or how I think Bush sucks and Gore really won the election. Here I don't have to wring my hands or gnash my teeth trying to write something profound and deep. A raw, pretentious-free zone. And I'm honored to have you come along with me.

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Robyn salutes Bush as he does the 'hook 'em horns' sign.



A Momentum Building?


I've noticed people publically speaking out against the potential war in Iraq. Until very recently, the Democratic silence was deafening. Until, the president-elect, Al Gore, spoke out on Bush's preemptive war doctrine. The wheels are in motion, people. Then Daschel found his cajones on the Senate floor, dusted them off, and barked at Bush a little, too. On deck was Ted Kennedy, voicing his opposition. Robert Byrd came before him, but I'm not sure I understood his rant. We've had more folks display their idea of letting war be the last choice instead of the first choice. No war is the best choice, but if we can move Bush away from having it at the top of his agenda, it's a start. London had a massive march this weekend as hundreds of thousands spoke out and marched in the streets. DC is speaking out against the war as part of the demonstration against the IMF/World Bank. There seems to be momentum building. I like it. I recall a time when it wasn't popular to be against the Vietnam war, but I still marched and protested against it. Every chance I got. Years later, most everyone agrees it was wrong for us to have been there.

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Father Time


Shirl has a nice Dickens' [Barnaby Rudge] quote today about aging. How Father Time lays his hand lightly on you as you physically grow older, but manages to keep your heart and spirit young. Well, that's what I got out of it, anyway. Just as long as Father Time doesn't come for a lap dance, I should manage very well.

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Robert Redford Siting


He's 65; has blond-grey-brown hair, around 5'11" and tonight he's under the same western North Carolina moon as I am. In beauty-conscious Hollywood, he's always spurned plastic surgery. He's shooting on a closed set but was seen filming yesterday in a large downtown parking garage with Willem Dafoe. I wonder if he's been offered any southern hospitality yet.
I've been getting many, many visitors stopping in looking for new info about RR and his new movie "The Clearning", through google and yahoo. Sorry, I only know very little about it, but will post when I find out anything.

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I Remember..., Or What I Did Today When My Power Was Out


My guitar has a mind of its own when I pick it up. It recalls songs my mind has long forgotten. "Don't Think Twice" was half way done when I remembered I learned it at age 14 to impress Bobby Goddard, who was then a senior. He had shown me the three basic chords needed to play most Dylan tunes many moons ago.



"Today" from Surrealistic Pillow, by Jefferson Airplane made a rare appearance. It took me back to a Vermont summer where I first learned that song. Am I subconsciously going back to my teens when I first started playing and singing? Then some Stones, "Lady Jane" and "Anybody Seen My Baby".





My husband came in to join me. We picked out some blues with a silly made up version of "Stormy Monday". While I had him in that frame of mind, I started singing, "It's My Own Fault, Baby", knowing he'd join in. I then sat back while he took over. It was my subtle way of asking him to sing and play. I remembered the songs he used to play on stage before we even met. And how I fell in love with his singing and playing and started asking around about him. I remember the first time he spoke to me. He finally walks over to me one day, looks me square in the eyes and says, "Can I get a Heineken?" I was the bartender. He was the main attraction.

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Does anyone out there at all have one of these items or something similar? I'm trying to find a little digital camera that take pics with the pc and without the pc. For under $100. The little "eye" sits on your monitor for webcam pictures only and the other camera can be used either way. Please leave a comment or email me if you have had an experience with these little cameras.

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*I had a post yesterday and a nasty picture taken of Nick Nolte when the cops picked him up. But I decided it was condescending of me to plaster that unflattering picture of him again on the web. So I took it off. I had also posted an unflattering picture of myself taken when I was obviously bombed. [Moral: We've both f*cked up, we're both now in recovery, no pictures necessary!]

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Regarding Tom Daschle speaking out to Bush yesterday...


DASCHLE FINDS BALLS ON SENATE FLOOR





Had Lost Them in Senate Cloakroom





Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle found his balls on the Senate floor

yesterday, just moments before launching into a stem-winding attack on

President Bush’s alleged politicizing of national security issues, Senate

sources said.





“What are you doing down there?” Senator Daschle said after seeing his

balls on the floor of the Senate well. “I’ve been looking all over for

you!”





Yesterday’s recovery of Senator Daschle’s balls brought down the curtain

on one of the Senate’s longest-running mysteries: what happened to the

Democrats’ balls?





The answer to that riddle, as unbelievable as it may seem, is also

surprisingly simple: the Democrats’ balls have been in the Senate

cloakroom for the last several months, seemingly lost forever.





Charles Hepworth, who runs the cloakroom used by all one hundred senators,

said that the Democrats had checked their balls in the cloakroom months

ago and had forgotten to claim them.





Somehow, Mr. Hepworth said, the Democratic balls became lost in a tangled

mess of other unclaimed items.





“It’s really a disaster area in that cloakroom,” Mr. Hepworth said. “The

Republicans lost their economic plan in there months ago and they still

can’t find it.”





Yesterday, though, was a time of celebration for the Democrats, who were

unanimously jubilant to be reunited with their long-lost balls.





“I’ve got to tell you, it feels great,” said Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA).
[via: borowitz report]

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The 'Dooce' Is Back


And she's lobbing fastballs. She's married since she left "Blogtopia", as skippy says. Stop by for some laughs about her dog and the neighborhood dog.

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Smallpox Vaccines Coming?


Federal health officials today instructed states to prepare to vaccinate every American in the event of a biological attack using smallpox, and issued a detailed plan showing how each state could quickly inoculate as many as one million people in the first 10 days. Not even the so-called 'saber-rattling' and positioning troops closer to Iraq disturb me as much as hearing that we're seriously proceeding with smallpox vaccines. I suppose that's because smallpox has the potential to directly effect me. Although I do believe I had that shot in grade school. I'll have to research this a little further. I wonder if anyone else remembers having vaccines in school? [via: nytimes.com]

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Redford Film Begins Shooting Today


It's showtime for the latest made-in-Asheville movie.



Filming is scheduled to start today on the crime-thriller "The Clearing," starring Oscar-winner Robert Redford as a kidnapped business tycoon.





"The Clearing" is the latest big-name, big-studio movie to shoot in Western North Carolina in recent years, following such features as "Hannibal," "Last of the Mohicans," "My Fellow Americans" and "28 Days." The region is also home to the Blue Ridge Motion Pictures studio and film professionals who live here year-round. Since this will be Mr Redford's residence for a while, I suppose the local media will soon have some Robert Redford sitings to report. [via: citizen-times.com]

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No Expectations


Does anyone actually get out of the house on time on Monday mornings? Without forgetting something? Or arguing with your family about something trivial? I should just resign myself to the fact that on Mondays I will probably always be late, fuss with my husband and/or daughter and forget something important. That's how it usually is at my house and that's how it was at my home growing up, too. Or maybe it's a problem that only visits me and my home.



Fall Officially Begins Today
My house is around the curve and you can see the beginnings of the fall leaves.

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Looking For A Job


How about a "foot sniffer"? Or a "funeral parlor cosmetologist"? A "tampon tester" [a guy]? Beer tester---not so bad.


[link seen: tampatantrum.com]


Fun Stuff


Fun stuff for your desk---at home or work.

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Birthday Blues? Not Me


My husband and I were talking about birthdays and which ones, if any, bothered us. He said his last birthday that ended in "0" really bothered him. I suspected as much, but he never said anything and neither did I. When I turned 29, I thought it was the end of the world. I guess because 29 was so close to 30, and the old "don't trust anyone over "30" thing was ingrained in my psyche. I mean, 29 really got to me. I'd rather not go into details, but looking back now it seems strange to think I was so distraught about aging. Back then, I thought getting older meant I'd have to look like my mother, or that I'd automatically conform to the party line or something. Now, after seeing so many wonderful, smart women age gracefully before me, it's more of an honor to grow older.

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President Bush has declared: “you’re either with us or against us.” Here is our answer: We refuse to allow you to speak for all the American people. We will not give up our right to question. We will not hand over our consciences in return for a hollow promise of safety. We say NOT IN OUR NAME. We refuse to be party to these wars and we repudiate any inference that they are being waged in our name or for our welfare. We extend a hand to those around the world suffering from these policies; we will show our solidarity in word and deed. [via: http://www.nion.us/, alternet.org]

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A young Muslim man, who refused to give his name, shows his feelings toward the media outside the Federal Court House in Buffalo, New York September 18, 2002 where he sat to show his support for the six local suspected al-Qaida supporters who appeared inside the court, September 18, 2002. The six men have been charged with providing material support to al Queda from nearby Lackwanna, New York. REUTERS/Mark Dye [via: yahoo.com] I'm not sure who this guy is actually 'saluting'. The media?

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Be-Witched?


Nicole Kidman is in discussions to star in the film version of "Bewitched" with Mike Myers the top choice in the role of Darren, according to The Hollywood Reporter. I can see it.

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Crayons That Didn't Make The Grade


I saw this on Shirl's site today. There are pictures of new crayon colors that just didn't measure up. There's "Spank Me Pink", "Spousal Abuse Blue", "Found in a Diaper Gold", etc.

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Did anyone see Bush on tv yesterday speaking to an audience in Tennessee? I'm still looking for a link to it. Referring to Saddam Hussein, he said something like:



"We have a saying here in Tennessee, well they have it in Texas, I guess Tennessee has it, too...





Fool me once, .........................................................................


...........................................(deer caught in headlights look).........


..(oh, you can almost see the wheels turning).................................


................................................well, we won't get fooled again!"





Go get 'em, George. I suppose he was trying to say: "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." I almost feel sorry for him. I said, almost.

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Christopher Reeve


An anonymous donor has offered to contribute $1 to CRPF, Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, for every birthday card sent to him for his birthday. He is celebrating his 50th birthday on September 25. I saw a story about his progress last night on television. He's now able to move his feet and legs just a little bit; certainly a huge step for him. [just click on the words 'birthday card']

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The Banger Sisters


This movie comes out this Friday, September 20. It probably won't make a huge splash because it doesn't speak that well to the younger demographic that flood the theaters so readily. It speaks to me and my generation so it'd be nice to see it do well. It's about two former groupies now 50-ish who meet up again as one is living in the past and one is hiding from it. So says the promo. Susan Sarandon and Goldie Hawn, two extremely good actresses, and both academy award winners, star in the Banger Sisters. The soundtrack, features one song from Chris Robinson, Goldie's son-in-law, and the soundtrack may, unfortunately, go over better than the movie does.



HelpMeLeaveMyHusband.com?


Send money so some lady is able to go to nursing school and then leave her husband, I believe. Shameless...

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Dept Of Debauchery: Ex TYCO CEO Threw $2.1 Million Birthday Party For His Wife


A memo detailing plans for a $2.1 million 40th birthday party Mr. Kozlowski staged for his wife, Karen, calls for an extravagant, Roman Empire-theme event on the Italian island of Sardinia.





A Tyco pre-party memo described the event: "The guests come into the pool area, the band is playing, they are dressed in elegant chic. Big ice sculpture of David, lots of shellfish and caviar at his feet. A waiter is pouring Stoli vodka into [the statue's] back so it comes out his penis into a crystal glass. Waiters are passing cocktails in chalices. They are dressed in linen togas with fig wreath on head. A full bar with fabulous linens." Tyco shareholders picked up half the $2.1 million birthday bash tab. Talk about your wretched excess. The problem is that he billed the company for 1/2 of the expenses. Did we get to see him do the "CEO Shuffle" [as I call it or 'perp-walk' as it's also known]?

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Questions [from fluffernutters to the war machine]


The Republicans obviously aren't the only ones bought and paid for by the 'war machine'. When are the Dems going to speak out against going to war? Why is it that Scott Ritter is the only one speaking out? And he's a life long Republican.


Updated: Added links to what Scott Ritter's been saying lately.

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Fluffernutters


I was reminded of the mention of fluffernutters, [while visiting Kathryn's site today,] on "The Sopranos" last night. Christopher, Tony's nephew, stopped by to visit his long suffering mother and asked her to make him a fluffernutter. I've heard of these before, but didn't know what they were. Kathryn says they're popular in the Northeast as a comfort food. [note to self: pick up some marshmallow creme at the grocery this week] By the way, The Sopranos' premiere last night was great.

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I want to acknowledge Yom Kippur today. And I believe today is also Kymberstorm's birthday.


Some areas around the US had cooler temperatures this morning, but here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, it hasn't gotten below 60° yet. But it didn't stop my husband from making a fire in the fireplace yesterday. Although we have a furnace [never use it] and electric heat, he insists on gathering and chopping wood each winter to heat some of the house. Must be that hunter/gatherer thing. There's just something magical about a fireplace and I couldn't imagine living someplace without one.

[Come on, Blogger, you know you can do it. Yesterday's post wouldn't post until today and today's post is giving me a fit, too.]

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John Edwards' Campaign Strategists Believe They're On The Right Track


John Edwards, NC Democratic Senator, is unofficially getting his Presidential campaign together with the help of the two men that are "Huntin' for Nascar-Lovin', Moon-Pie-Eatin', Bluegrass-Listenin', Shotgun-Totin' Democrats." John, are you sure you've thought this thing through? As hard as we in the south try to lose this hillbilly image, you dust it off and display it proudly in hopes of winning a presidential bid.

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Shit's Gettin' Deep


Scotland's Herald newspaper wrote (August 16), "The Pentagon has moved 50,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines within striking distance of Iraq in the past 10 months under cover of deployments targeting global terrorism, according to senior UK military sources."

The more I read, and find out that instead of our selected officials giving more credence to Afghanistan these past 12 months, they've been getting all their ducks in a row for an Iraqi invasion.

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Tooling Around Blogworld


Well, Ms Diva Maggie sure gets her rant on today about Bush. Everyone is more than a little concerned about the latest decisions regarding us and Iraq. And Shirl has a fun link on her site today that's a little rare, but funny, about plaster casts. Yes, it IS what you think it is. Kim is curious about a blocked address coming in on her stats referrer page that said, "Field blocked by Outpost". That's a new one on me. Ilana's gotten a new award for her great site....The always entertaining Skippy has a post about the Oldest Known Penis, which belongs to a crab, and other goodies. Sara is a little leary about it being Friday the 13th and the detainees in Florida. I think everyone is a little leary nowadays, not just because it's Friday the 13th. Kymberstorm hasn't had a day off in forever and could certainly use one real soon.

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Warren Zevon Has Untreatable Lung Cancer


Spokeswoman Diana Baron said Zevon, who was told of the diagnosis by doctors last month, is spending time with his grown children, as well as writing and recording. He'll be in the recording studio next week, she said.

Rhino Records will release "Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon" on October 15. Zevon's most recent album, "My Ride's Here," released this year, features contributions from Irish poet Paul Muldoon, journalist Hunter S. Thompson and author Carl Hiaasen, as well as a cameo from talk-show host David Letterman. I read someplace that he quit smoking about eight years ago. I always thought he was cool; I hope he and his family are doing well.

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President On TV Last Night


The president came on television last night and laid out his plans to resolve the problems in Iraq. He explained what worked in the past, and maybe more importantly, what we've learned from Saddam Hussein, et al, since the early 90's. He may have over simplified it, but I felt like he let me in on vital information when he said we're much better prepared for any confrontation now, and that Saddam is less prepared now than he's ever been for war. He answered many concerns of mine, while assuring me that he'd be astonished if it would take more than a week for Iraq to be 'toast'. [his word]. Thanks for easing my mind and for putting things in perspective, Mr President....I mean, Mr. Clinton.

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Santana's New Album Due Soon


"Shaman", Santana's follow up album to their huge seller "Supernatural", released in 1999, is due out sometime in October. The first single is called “The Game of Love” featuring Michelle Branch. The single and video will be released on September 23, 2002. Carlos made a big comeback after his last album, showing there's definitely plenty of music left in him. I'm anxious to hear this new album and hope it's another big success for him.

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I am surprised at how close to the surface this year-old tragedy still is to me; even though I am personally pretty far removed from the situation. I can only imagine how raw these emotions still are with those that are directly involved. Today as I reflect on 9.11.01, I'll be grateful for my many blessings and my prayers will ascend to those whose hearts are still on the mend.
picture: Vincent Laforet/The New York Times

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Senator Elizabeth Dole?


Today, nine Democrats and seven Republicans are seeking the seat held by GOP Sen. Jesse Helms, who is stepping down after 30 years. Which is probably how long ago Elizabeth Dole, lead contender for that position, was an actual resident of North Carolina. Ms Dole, leading Republican nominee, hasn't lived in NC since she got out of school. Besides an occasional visit to her mother, she didn't show up again, until there was a vacancy pending for one of the Senatorial positions. [The top Democrat runner is Erskine Bowles, a former White House Chief of Staff. ] She'll probably win this primary, and just might win the general election in November. Oh, well, she can't be any worse than Jesse, can she?
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Smoking In The Girl's Room


It really doesn't seem that long ago since I was in high school. But it was [1967-1970]. And it was a different world. One of the major changes I've noticed is 'No Smoking'. I imagined my daughter walking into a smoky bathroom at her high school and before I could fast forward my head to this millenium, she quickly informed me that tobacco of any kind is no longer allowed. That startled me. Because smoking was such a rite of passage for my generation. There were designated spots outside on school grounds for smoking between classes. And when I went to work after school, an ashtray on my desk was as normal as my telephone or pencil holder. Later, studies came out against smoking, and the cessation of smoking in public places began. Even though I live in North Carolina, tobacco country, where the tobacco news is sometimes slanted, I heard about all the lawsuits against the industry. When I was younger, it didn't occur to me that I'd be discussing the days when we used to smoke at work and school. And maybe one day I can discuss the days when I used to smoke, period.

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Pitch Dark Bar Opens For Blind Dates


This may not be such a bad idea. At least it'd save you from that pesky "chew your arm off" coyote method. You know, where the guy you 'picked up' looked fine at closing time, [while you were inebriated,] but after waking up beside him the next morning, you peek over to steal a glimpse and vaguely recall the night before. Realizing your arm is under his neck, you comtemplate gently slinking out of bed and running to hide in the bathroom, but when you start to make your getaway, it, he starts to awaken. So, you decide to chew your arm off rather than awaken the beast.

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The Political M & M Show [Maureen Dowd], [Molly Ivins]


Who's Your Daddy


Mareen Dowd breaks it down by saying that it's nothing more than a pissing contest [my words, not hers] in her 'Who's Your Daddy' column in the New York Times yesterday. But the more Junior goes along with his vice president and surrogate Daddy and stakes his entire presidency on trying to finish the job, the more he underscores the contention that his real Daddy went wobbly. "...General Haig simply spit out what other conservatives imply: Daddy wimped out in Iraq and Junior has to fix it." Is 43 now afraid of being seen as a wimp as his father was? I believe them's fighin' words in Texas.



Dirtied By Iraqui Oil


When Dick Cheney was CEO of the oilfield supply firm Halliburton, the company did $23.8 million in business with Saddam Hussein, the evildoer. But she does go on to say that both parties have had similar interest in terrorist sponsoring countries. But hearing Cheney denounce Saddam is truly "Give us a break" time, because of his company and the subsidiaries he's been directly involved in maintained such lucrative corporate interest.

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Scientists Now Prove You Can Catch Cold From The Internet!


Usually from your blogging friends. No, not really. I first read about Kymberstorm having a bad cold last week. And now, Shirl started a cold last night. First, my throat started hurting, but I thought I'd just been smoking too many Marlboro Ultra Lights. And then my temperature was 101.5 last night, so then I knew it wasn't the cigs. I haven't had a cold/flu in ages, but with the changing of the temperatures and the season, I suppose it's not unusual. Get well soon, Shirl, and any others who are feeling yucky.

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Google Alternative?


Most everyone uses Google for their searching needs. But if Google suddenly vanished from the internet, what other search engine would you use? I'd like to have an good alternative search engine to use and some that I've tried lately, seem to reveal pretty much the same info that Google does. I believe Google is integrated with Yahoo now. I know it's combined with AOL search. And for independent searching, I no longer am satisfied with such a monopoly as Google anymore.

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Dear Ann Coulter, You're Fired


Bob Unger, Executive Editor, from the Centre Daily News fired Ann Coulter after pulling her column from his newspaper. "Your Friday column, in which you declared that liberals are "no good," then trashed the entire Kennedy clan as a collection of "heroin addicts, convicted killers, cheaters, bottleggers and dissolute drunks," crossed that line." He goes on to say "... you're mean -- vicious, really -- which is why we do not believe that you in any way serve the public good."





"I take issue with Unger's remark that Ann Coulter has a pretty face. Mr Ed has a pretty face, Secretariat has a pretty face; Ann Coulter has the sort of face a horse would have if it lived on cigarettes and Chardonnay." said roger [from shutupanddance.com] posted on Smirking Chimp.

I say Bravo to you, Mr Unger, for doing the right correct thing.

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Bits And Pieces



Today, September 2, is one of my very best friends [of 37 years] birthday. Don't ever underestimate the friendship of someone who's seen the fabric of your life weave through a couple of husbands, 2 children, and various other life events. It's one of the most important relationships in my life. He lives in Tennessee, which is 75 miles away, but we still get together every other Thursday morning for breakfast. Enjoy your day, Terry.

Rumors of War
Secretary of State, Colin Powell, says U.S. should first seek return of U.N. weapons inspectors before taking any further steps, highlighting differences within administration. When Colin Powell's name was first mentioned as Sec of State, I never dreamed that he'd be the one to balk when Bush wanted to go to war.

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Happy Birthday, R Crumb


R Crumb is celebrating his 59th birthday today, August 30. Here's Mr Natural, just one of his creations I've enjoyed for many, many years.

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Beverly Hillbillies, Reality-Style


Variety reports that CBS plans to launch the Beverly Hillbillies, reality-style. The network is looking for a lower-middle-class family from a rural area to transport to Beverly Hills and live in the lap of luxury for one year -- with movie stars, swimming pools, the whole deal.



Hold on here just a moment...Some people pay all expenses for idiots to move into a nice mansion for a period of time. Then we sit back and watch the buffoons while hilarity ensues... If it weren't for the lower middle class aspect, it could be Doofus Dubya and his minions 'fish out of water' story.

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A Two-Fer Weblog


I decided I had so much crap on this site that I made another one. It's called, "Susan*Jayne", which happen to be my first and middle names. There's a link to the left, also. It's a little more spiritual, a little lighter. And I've moved several things from this site to that one. So that's how things stand for now. It's still in it's infancy, but ready for friends to peek at.

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When The Going Gets Tough, The Geek Squad Gets Going.


He wears, as they all do, the uniform: short-sleeve, button-down white shirt; black polyester pants; a black government-issue police belt; a black clip-on tie. [via: new times la]

Nice, interesting story about professional tech help. These people take it very seriously.

Funny Pic Of The Day
Kathryn, always good at finding interesting pictures, has a funny one on her nice site of an air-conditioning service van, whose company must have a good sense of humor. The logo on the side of the van surely evokes much staring and laughter. Go have a look.

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Cheney States Call For Action On Iraq


Dick Cheney responding to criticism that attacking Iraq would create trouble in the world and interfere with the war on terror, he said an attack could have a positive impact.





''Regime change in Iraq would bring about a number of benefits for the region,'' he said. [via: Boston Globe]

Regime Change in the United States would be a better place to start, Dick. [You saw it coming, didn't you?]

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JAGGER HIRES PUBLICIST TO POLISH IMAGE


In what may be Mission: Impossible, Mick Jagger has hired a top public-relations man to try to rehabilitate his image as a sex-crazed, skirt-chasing wildman.







Jagger hired top British spin doctor David Rigg to prove to the world he's a gentleman and loving dad, not a relentless bed-hopper. Jagger will begin to attend charity lunches, family events and retire earlier at night. Another reason for the new image is Mick, who be 60 next year, is worried he'll be remembered only as a sad old rocker who didn't know when to quit acting like an oversexed teen-ager.





Quite a stunt, if he can pull off the image of average citizen/super dad, after a life of hell-raising, drugs, and sleeping with young girls. No amount of spin will change my opinion of Mick Jagger. I've seen him perform twice and I like him fine the way he is. [via: pagesix.com]

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Earth Summit News


60,000 delegates, 100 world leaders, one aim: Saving The Planet

The World Summit on Sustainable Development(also known as the WSSD, Earth Summit III or Rio +10) will be taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa between August 26th, [tomorrow] and September 4th 2002... approximately, 10 years after the Rio Earth Summit and 30 years after the Stockholm Earth Summit. President Bush will not be attending. Secretary of State, Colin Powell is leading a delegation from Washington. It's reported that Bush is busy with security and the economy.

A handful of protesters were arrested last night; and more demonstrations are promised.

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All Slaw, No Ribs, says Maureen Dowd


According to the Runner's World interview, "It's interesting that my times have become faster right after the war began." "On Sundays, if I'm at Camp David, I'll go for a hard morning run — these days about 20:30 to 20:45 for three miles on a tough course. . . . I try to go for longer runs, but it's tough around here at the White House on the outdoor track. . . . It's sad that I can't run longer. It's one of the saddest things about the presidency."





Another one of the saddest things about this presidency is that it has no voice.





The president won't speak clearly, and the vice president won't speak to anybody whose check to the Republican National Committee hasn't cleared.





This summer, while the administration has been scaring jittery Americans about Saddam's chemical, biological and nuclear wantonness, the president has given few interviews. He has granted one-on-ones only on topics like running and brush-clearing, designed to burnish his image as a Reaganesque frontiersman.





Usually, such lifestyle features are meant to humanize a tough leader. But with W., we hear more about the soft stuff than the hard stuff. He's all slaw, no ribs.
more>> [via: new york times]

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Shock Jocks Fired After St. Pat's Sex Stunt


Does anyone else find this stunt as disgusting as I do? Opie and Anthony, the radio jocks responsible for this outrageous behaviour, have been fired. And there's talk of the station losing it's license. The cancellation came one day after the Virginia couple suspected of the sex stunt appeared in a Manhattan courtroom on charges of public lewdness. Brian Florence, 37, of Quantico, Va., and Loretta Lynn Harper, 35, of Alexandria, Va., were due back in court Oct. 2. The couple's lawyer has said they were just simulating sex inside the landmark Manhattan cathedral. The shock jocks were also canned in 1998 by a Massachusetts station after announcing on April Fool's Day that Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino was killed in a car crash.

Haven't these shock jocks around the country taken some things a little too far? When Howard Stern soared in popularity, everyone started imitating him and radio entertainment became shock for shock's sake. When you stop to think, "What outrageous thing can I do today for ratings?" Then you've gone way too far and totally lack originality. Only a handful of DJ's can pull it off. Not your local yuppified, Beatle haircutted, loafer-wearing, softball team-playing, whining DJ.----leave it to the pros.

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SHARKS BEMOAN LACK OF SUMMER MEDIA COVERAGE
--taken from www.Borowitzreport.com




What if they gave a shark attack and nobody came?







“They are chewing up more people this summer than they did last summer,

but the media couldn’t give a hoot,” says Sandy Hagan, a public relations

executive recently retained by the sharks to, in Mr. Hagan’s words, “get

the real story of shark attacks out there.”







But a source close to the sharks said that, privately, the many-toothed

aquatic beasts complain that the cable news outlets passed them over in

order to give airtime to their latest darling: conservative pundit Ann

Coulter.





Ms. Coulter, whose current New York Times bestseller “Slander” is

ironically about the lack of media coverage given to conservative pundits,

has been nearly ubiquitous on TV this summer, bumping the sharks off the

air.





“The feeling at CNN and Fox seems to be, if they’ve got Ann Coulter, they

don’t need sharks,” the source said.





I may have caused some to worry since I haven't posted an Anti-Ann Coulter post in at least 4 or 5 days. Why does this thing woman irritate me so?

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A new greatest hits collection from Fleetwood Mac is coming October 15 from Reprise Records. The Very Best Of Fleetwood Mac is a two-CD set that features 36 songs from the band's latter-day lineup. Another point of interest for collectors is the inclusion of the rare studio version of "Silver Springs." Looks like all the good stuff will be combined in this package. Especially Silver Springs. [I'm off to find this tune on KaZaa]






The family feline, Jinx, when he was small. He routinely walks across my keyboard daily; then proceeds to hop onto the scanner, linger there a while, and meow loudly for me to get up and come pet him. This back-and-forth carries on about 3 times until he's ready to go outside. Jinx doesn't like girls all that much. He loves my husband, which is strange, because he is just not an animal person at all. And to see this 6' 3" burly, bearded wonder talk to that furry little cat is a sight to behold. The cat forced his love onto him and didn't stop until he won him over. I'll have to get a picture of the two of them together sometime. I swore to myself I'd never start posting cat pictures, but here it is...

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Elimination Of Discrimination Against Women


In an effort to help women around the world reach full equality with men, nearly 170 countries have ratified the United Nation's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, a groundbreaking treaty that outlines a clear definition of discrimination against women and includes specific measures that nations must take to eliminate gender-based bias.





While the United States played an important role in drafting this U.N. treaty, it is in the shameful company of countries like Afghanistan and Iran that refuse to ratify it. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the treaty in 1998 and again a few weeks ago, but a floor vote has never taken place. Ratification of the U.N. treaty would send a clear message that our country is dedicated to women's rights and the elimination of discrimination against them.





Take action! You can learn more about this U.N. treaty and send a FREE FAX to your Senators from our action alert at:





http://www.aclu.org/action/cedaw107.html

Why can't we all just be equal in all regards? Black, white, old, young, women, men, straight, homosexual. Eliminate the class structures. Maybe in a perfect world...

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Robert Redford To Make Film In Asheville


Another major motion picture is headed to Asheville, this time a thriller starring screen legend Robert Redford as a wealthy kidnapped businessman who has to be ransomed by his wife. [via: citizen-times; one very fine newspaper]
Remember in the 1970's or so when Robert Redford and Paul Newman were at the height of their popularity? The girls thought they were very hot, and the guys thought they were so cool. I remember my husband watching the movie, "Jeremiah Johnson", with Redford, a million times. We even considered naming our son Jeremiah, but didn't.



Majette And Linder Win Big


Which means Republican Bob Barr and Democrat Cynthia Mckinney, two incumbents, were ousted from Congress on Tuesday as Georgia primary voters turned their backs on the fiery maverick who led President Clinton impeachment and the outspoken liberal who stunned nearly everyone with sharp criticism of the government's war on terror. [via: yahoo]
Georgia got a political cleansing last night when the voters let their cast ballots speak loud and clear for them.



Mom Charged With Letting Kids Get Sunburned


A woman was arrested on felony charges for allegedly letting her three children get so severely sunburned that they looked like they "were dipped in red paint." [via: cnn]
Wandering around the fair grounds with 10 month old twins and a two year old tells me she wasn't there for the kids anyway. Couldn't she tell that they were uncomfortable? I believe we need to make parenting classes mandatory in schools.



Negotiations Are Under Way for Clinton Talk Show on CBS


Some associates of Bill Clinton and executives from CBS are involved in negotiations to make the former president the host of a daily afternoon talk show. [via: new york times]
Clinton denied he was interested the first time we heard this. I can see him doing specials once a week or month, but can you see him appearing in the prime time lineup, like 'must see BC' He is a very charismatic and intelligent man and would probably do well in television.

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Let's Hear It For The Insurance Companies!!


Did I get your attention? My hands are shaking as I'm typing because I just got off the phone with my insurance company, State Farm. I have tried for 5 wks to drop one car from my automobile policy and add another car. And I'm changing some of the coverage which will lower my monthly payment. Which happens to automatically come out of my bank account. When I call them today to see how much they'll be deducting this month from my checking account so I can record it in my check register, the lady acts dumbfounded, as if this is the first she's heard of it. Well, it's the third time she's heard of it, because I always write their name and date and time on the invoice when I call to talk to someone like that. [great habit, btw] They could have had it correct last month, but I didn't raise a fuss, because I know they need time to do it. But, when it still wasn't done this month, I'm ready to explode. What was she doing each time I talked to her on the phone about the policy change? Un-fucking-believable.

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Hooray For The New York Times


From Susan's 'Live and Let Live Dept': The New York Times plans to begin publishing announcements of same-sex commitment ceremonies along with its wedding announcements. The announcements of formal gay and lesbian unions will begin next month in the paper's Sunday Styles section, Howell Raines, executive editor of the Times, said in Sunday's editions. Occasionally the Vows column, a longer feature on one couple, will focus on a same-sex couple, Raines said. [via: yahoo.com]

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Don't Drink No More....Or No Less


Recalling today when I was a bartender [my night job] and there was never a holiday that wasn't alcoholically celebrated. New Year's Eve? Drink through my shift while everyone else was dancing and partying. So I'll just dance behind the bar and drink my "ice water" [stoli w/splash of tonic]. That Susan sure drinks a lot of water. Champagne after work, mimosas for breakfast. Then St Paddy's Day? Free Beer. Free green beer, that is. And Long Ire-land Ice Teas. Then there were the birthdays, Halloween, and Christmas parties. And so that became my life. Life of the freaking party. I fell victim to the occupational hazard of being a bartender. It was hazardous to my health for eleven years. I'll fast forward to say that I no longer celebrate in an inebriated fashion and remember the first time I celebrated a sober November 1st. And a sober Christmas Day and New Year's Day. And after fourteen years, I can tell you it still feels good. But I don't wanna get preachy about it. I don't mind being around parties and people drinking. I'm a huge advocate of 'whatever gets you through the night'. It just didn't work for me.

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October Road - James Taylor


If you never liked James Taylor before, you'll hate this album. But if you ever liked James Taylor, you'll really enjoy this album, October Road. It's classic James Taylor writing and melody of the 1970's. Simple, upbeat, and timeless. [via: cdnow.com]

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A Question?


When I visit another site, and I see where it says, "Syndicate this Site" and "XML", what does that mean exactly? If you know, explain it to me like you're talking to a five-year old. No. Seriously.



By the way, it appears I've added so many little bells and whistles to this web site, that it's starting to look like Homer SImpson's. Anyone see that episode where Homer got a computer and built a web site to snitch on the town politicians? He called himself Mr X and his site had so much crap on it. Blinking icons all over the place, dancing hampsters, a dancing Jesus, and all different sounds. I can't do it justice; you need to see it to appreciate it.

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Get Over It Already


So says Lorraine over on the Mousetrap. She's referring to the onslaught of media attention paid to Elvis' 25th death anniversay. ... "was a pretty good singer, but he died a fat, drug-addicted hillbilly of his own excesses. Well, to each their own of what constitutes their ideal "hero". It's just beyond my comprehension."
I was talking about him to someone this week recalling how I never did "get" Elvis when I was young. Of course, I was small, but after 1962 and the Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", there was no turning back for me. And Elvis was just some big ol' redneck in my hippie girl frame of mind.

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Doom and Gloom


It sure looks gloomy outside my window today. It's all rainy and has been thundering and lightening earlier. And it looks like it's going to be this way through Monday. And so will a lot of the East Coast. But my husband just loves the rain. And my daughter has always insisted on playing outside in it since she's been small and couldn't be happier to see it. I've always hated the rain. Rain, rain, go the hell away. Please?

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Don't You Hate Bad [Slow] Service?


I had planned to meet my sister and a couple of friends for breakfast this morning, like we usually do each week. At the same place we've eaten for the past few years. And we go early to have enough time to enjoy each other's company before we have to be to work, etc. So, we meet, we order, and I wait. After 30 minutes and still no breakfast, I go to see if there's a problem. Because we're usually served in about 15 minutes. "No, sorry, we'll have it to you soon, ma'am." Okay, fine. After another 15 or 20 minutes, I check again. My waitress says, "We're almost ready with your orders." So I say, "Please just put mine in a to-go box." And another 10 minutes pass and still no breakfast. Damnit. I tell my friends I need to go and tell the waitress on the way out I'm leaving. Still hungry, I stop by Bruegger's Bagels on the way and grab me some fresh ones. Should have gone there in the first place.



Shirl Got A Massage


Shirl visited the toniest day spa in her area and had a full-body massage. And you can't swing a dead cat here in Asheville, NC, without hitting a massage therapist, so I wonder why I've never gotten myself one. One girl I used to work with talked about getting deep tissue massages. So it all sounds very technical now and the demand is higher than ever for them. Maybe I should treat myself someday soon.

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Just For Laughs


I found Skippy the Bush Kangaroo by surfing one night and it has become one of my favorite spots on the web. He lives in LA and is an actor/writer. This pundit also writes for other sites and has picked up quite a following from those who can't get enough of his witty humor. Stop by and visit him sometime.

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Drowning Pool Singer Dead At Age 30



As an old crone, I don't find many new bands that I enjoy like I used to. But this is one hell of a good band. One I felt should have staying power. Now, sadly, the singer, Dave Williams, who fronted Drowning Pool, has been found dead on the tour bus in Manassas, VA today. The cause of death is not yet determined. [There are tons of postings today on the message boards on drowningpool.com]





Osbournes's To Adopt Another Kid


Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne are taking in a child whose mother has died. The New York Post reported earlier that the Osbournes would take Robert Marcato, a close friend of the couple's daughters, under their wing and into their show after his mother died last week of colon cancer. Once Marcato settles into the family, he will become part of the show as "Baby Osbourne" even though he is 18, the newspaper reported.

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What is it with all these child abductions?
I just saw on CNN about the little one MONTH old baby that was nabbed and then caught with his abductor. The lunatics are running the asylumn now. Wouldn't the recent rash of snatchings deter someone who had a mind to do that? Or does the perpetual momentum get their disturbed minds twitching with ideas of newly aquired parenthood? Sociology has always fascinated me; probably because I'll never understand most of the human psyche.

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Around The Web


I recently visited surrealist painter, Mati Klarwein's site. He recently passed away at the age of 70, and his site features many of the album covers he's most noted for designing in the US. Like Santana's 'Abraxas' album, Miles Davis, Greg Allman, etc, and other beautiful paintings he's done through the years.



Fetish Photography


If fine art fetish photgraphy is your thing, or if you just appreciate beautiful photographs, Steve Diet Goedde has a nice collection on his site.
[via: salon.com]

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You've Come A Long Way, Baby!




Me at about 6 or 7 years old. I sure have a big head in the young photo.

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At the FAA's command center, managers can think of only one way to stop them. Minutes after another jet smashes into the Pentagon at 9:38 a.m., the managers issue an unprecedented order to the nation's air traffic controllers:





Empty the skies.





Land every flight.





Fast.







By Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY


On Sept. 11, 2001, United Airlines Captain Jim Hosking received a message during a flight from Japan to LAX. The message read, "There has been a terrorist attack against United Airlines and American Airlines aircraft. We are advised there may be additional hijackings in progress. Shut down all access to the flight deck. Unable to elaborate further."





Chilling first hand accounts of other pilots in the sky on September 11, 2001. We will never forget.

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Another Ann Coulter Sighting



"It is so very sad to watch a complete meltdown take place in public view. Such things are more properly taken care of within the confines of a properly licensed and fully regulated mental institution. It makes everything safer, and, well, so much more pleasant, for everyone concerned." [via: Rittenhouse Review]

Ms. Coulter responds with a joke about how often she checks her book's ranking at Amazon.com in a day. "I'm falling," she adds. "I'm worried." [via: NYTimes]
I don't think the right even claims her anymore, do they?

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Sock Monkeys



Remember sock monkeys? You may have had one while growing up. I thought they were the fugliest things I'd ever seen when I was young. But they take on a whole new spin now as a fun collectible in the pop culture market. They've been reproduced over the years and probably have a nostalgic touch rather than a midas touch. I was unable to find any original ones at Ebay and am curious about their market value.

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Quiet Mouse





I just came to the pc to have some more quiet time; time for reading and reflecting. A continuation of my just finished yoga rounds, as I sit in the dark with candles lit and everyone's neatly tucked in and kissed goodnight. Now it's me time.



I'm thinking that it would be very cool if I had my own little 'easy bake coven' link. That's a lot of text for one little 88 X 31 gif. I suppose we could use 'easy bake' in a pinch. I've made a few links before, but have never been satisfied with them. Anyone have the time, talent and inclination to try to make one for me? Or any good suggestions? I'm shameless, aren't I? But I'm thanking you.

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I don't know what's going on, but I haven't been able to see my site for over 8 hours now. I can post to it, I think. At least it's going thru the motions, but my page comes up blank! It's the strangest thing I've ever seen. Hopefully it will work itself out somehow. But for now, it's a ghost site........



UPDATE: It's back up, after half the day being blank--very strange indeed.

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We live in an fast-changing sometimes frantic-paced world where store clerks or fast food workers seldom have time to say, "Thank You" or a "Have A Nice Day". It's really stretching it to expect to get any sympathy from customer service workers on the other end of the phone. As if someone told them you could only find "sympathy" in the dictionary between "shit" and "syphillis". That it'd be dirty to consider saying it. But when drivers on the busy roads have lost the fine art of giving the finger, well, the country has gone to hell in a handbasket. Driving home yesterday on a curvy, two-lane mountainous road, I rounded a particularly long curve to find a car coming from the opposite direction, but. in. my. lane. He and I both swerved to the right, with only inches to spare, averting a major head-on accident. And as his sneering ass passes me on the road, he has the nerve to unfurl his middle finger and flip me off. And he was in my lane.





Now, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but where I come from, it's customary for the person who has been wronged, or the "flipper", to do the ceremonious flipping of the bird to the person who is in the wrong or the "flippee". I'm sure I saw it somewhere in the rulebook. Or at least I learned it at my father's knee as he surely learned it from his forefathers. We're going to have to go over this again, I'm afraid. To set straight who's the actual flipper and who's the flippee. There'll be a test on this tomorrow.

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Nevada Police Back Legalizing Pot


I saw this fine story on Skippy the Bush Kangaroo's site. Nevada's largest police organization has endorsed a state ballot initiative that would let adults legally possess small amounts of marijuana.



The board of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, a 3,000-member group that represents about 65 percent of the state's street patrol officers, voted 9-0 on Tuesday to support a change in the state constitution that would decriminalize possession of up to three ounces of marijuana.


Let's hope this ruling is contagious and that other states soon follow Nevada's lead. For medical reasons or for personal use, I say, why not? [via:guardian.co.uk]

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Well, Hell



It sux when your comment section isn't working and your tag board that you put it for just such occasions, also isn't working. I suppose you get what you pay for.

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Site Changes



I've been playing around and trying new things on my site here. I added the "Tag-Board" for convenience and for anyone who just wants to pop in and say a quick hello. The "SkyCam" is a wonderful live cam view of the Blue Ridge Mountains; pitchblack at night, though. Try to catch it at sunrise or sundown if you can. People come from miles around to visit our lovely mountains, especially in the autumn season when the leaves are in technicolor display. The "Guest Map" was an easy addition I thought I'd try out. Add a virtual push pin to the map to indicate your location when you get the chance. "Time Wasters" are just what it states. They're some of silly sites I've run across over the years that don't offend too much. And talking with a visitor the other day prodded me to scan my "Old Concert Tics"; well, those I've managed to hold onto over the years. Wish I had the old concert poster my sister and I ripped off at a Led Zeppelin concert around 1971. I believe she ended up with custody of that. So that's about it for the changes of late.

By the way, anyone with Blogchalking on their site, know why the little gif's not showing up? I clicked on it and their site shows me an empty page.



And for any of my tech savvy friends out there: Some friends just got their pc set up and they have an early version of AOL. Which means they probaly have IE 4. They cannot see any postings on my site here at all, just a few gifs on a plain background is all that shows up. Any clues as to what's preventing them from seeing everything on this site? I got this template from Blogskins, and I don't believe it has CSS. That may explain it if my site has CSS, but I don't think it does. I'm not very smart in the web site building department. If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know.

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Family Learns At Funeral That Car Accident Victim In Casket Is Not Their Son



BRANDENBURG, Kentucky - Family members mourning the death of a teenager were ready to say their goodbyes at a funeral home when they discovered that the body in the casket wasn't his. [via: yahoo] more>>

Both families just must be terribly distraught.

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Tag Board



Quick solution to the comment section that's down a little too often. I had this tag board on a private site I'm working on, so I snagged it from there and moved it to my side bar for a trial run. So, give it a try...Also, I'm wondering if anyone knows how to make my page refresh every so often. Surely there's a way to do that that's not too complicated.



Feeling Yucky


Feeling yucky, feeling shitty today. I'm just on the other side of a migraine headache and just feel worthless. Other than that, I'm fine, thank you.

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Thank You, Maggie



Maggie, from Quebec, made my little stick girl gif for me. I had admired the pink one on her lovely site. She's a talented lady with a very sweet spirit.

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Judge Says No To Abortion





A judge in Pennsylvania has issued an injunction to keep a woman from getting an abortion. Forget about the politics of abortion for just one moment. Whether you're pro or con. But what kind of karma is this child going to be surrounded in provided it goes to term?



Update: A Luzerne County Court judge lifted an order yesterday that had temporarily blocked an abortion, allowing a 22-year-old woman to end her pregnancy against her former boyfriend's wishes.

[via: yahoo]

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My Youngest Goes Off To High School



Orientation takes place in a few hours for my daughter as she gets ready to begin high school. Her first full day will be tomorrow. She has grown up more in the last year, from age 13 to 14 than any other year besides birth to a year old. I practically have to sit on my hands to keep from smoothing her hair or picking imaginary lint from her sweater. You know how us Moms like to preen our young. Going to high school is a monumental occasion. And I recall walking out of the school when I first dropped her off at first grade. I passed two other Moms that also had tears in their eyes. Now I'm at this crossroads, or rather, she is. Am I ready for her to be this independant yet? Isn't this what we prepare our children for? To stand on their own two feet? Can I rethink the whole situation and get back to you later? She's going to be just fine, but I may need a while to adjust. Underneath it all, I'm just afraid she really doesn't need me anymore for anything and that's the scariest part of it all.

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It's A Blog, Blog, Blog, Blog, World



The people closest to me seldom surf the internet, much less visit this site. My husband said he got "stuck" the last time he stopped in here. My sister, Robin, spends most all her online time gambling. I'm not talking out of school; she loves to gamble and anyone who knows her will tell you so. Two of my best friends since 9th grade have just gotten online. And are still getting everything set up. Being online and surfing in your free time just isn't as big a priority to the people I know and love as it evidently is to me. That's neither good nor bad. It just "is". And part of what I love about the blogging community. We understand trackback, surfing with carpal tunnel; who's on hiatus, and where the trolls are. And, of course, what's new in DayPop. We blog every spare minute we have in between articles we're working on, calls from customers, changing diapers, memos that need published and distributed, etc. In just over one year of blogging, I've met the neatest people in the world. And we speak the same language. "Blog".





Liquid Lunch



Our juicer is probably the most used item in the kitchen year round. Mostly carrot and parsley juice for lunch. My husband kept extolling the virtues of parsley, so I now add it to my carrot juice. He prefers cantelope juice. Everything that runs through the juicer is so good for you, but the best thing of all is that it's E A S Y.





Even with A/C, I still don't enjoy heating up the kitchen in the summer. Shirl is gathering recipes to try soon when she has some time off and I thought of how we cook in different seasons. Hearty soups and stews and breads in winter; fruit salads, grilled meats and veggies in summer. Mmmm. Some grilled pineapple sounds nice. And maybe some shrimp---coconut or scampi. Oh, wait. Couldn't I put those in the juicer, too?

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Journalist Bill Moyers Arrested For Drunk Driving



"I intend to contest the charges," Moyers said in a statement faxed Thursday to the Bennington [VT] Banner, which first reported the arrest.





"Not only was I observing the speed limit, but my companions -- my wife and two friends -- testified they had detected no signs of any problem with my driving, and that I appeared to be in full control of my faculties, as indeed I was."





Something about this smacks of arrogance to me. As in his friends not blatantly saying, "Give me the keys, Bill, you're too drunk to drive." After all, he was observing the speed limit and felt he was in full control.....Come on. You need to own it, Bill.
[via: CNN]

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Aquarium Cam



Sometimes I get so caught up reading on the internet, that I forget there are cool things to see, too. When visiting the flutterglubmeow weblog, I read about a link to an Ocean Tank Cam that is so fascinating to watch. Sharks, and turtles, and stingrays, Oh, My! It's at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Ma. I've visited these big aquariums before in Myrtle Beach, SC, and Daytona, FL, I believe it was, but it's still captivating to watch live on your computer.

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Dylan At Newport



It was a watershed event in popular music: Bob Dylan, folk music's young minstrel, taking the stage with an electric guitar slung over his shoulder. To the die-hard folkies at Newport on July 25, 1965, it was an outrage.

Thirty-seven years later, Dylan is coming back, headlining Saturday's program at the Apple & Eve Newport Folk Festival. [via: Yahoo]











Springsteen on Letterman





Bruce Springsteen appeared on Dave Letterman's 'The Late Show' Thursday night as part of a rare two-night stand which also has him and the E Street Band appearing on Friday, August 2. He's promoting his new cd/albumn, The Rising, his first since 1995.

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Aging Gracefully



I've been doing a lot of thinking about my Mother lately. She's almost 80 years old. And I'm afraid she may be showing signs of slipping into her last years. She's not well at all. She, of course, never complains.

For most of her life, she was a Nursing Supervisor and will usually diagnose herself before seeing a doctor. So when she does see a doctor outside of her regular check-up, it's serious. She's been having excruciating headaches. She's always so in control that she hates for anyone to see her vulnerable and scared.

When I think back to some of the best moments with my Mother, my favorite memories have her giving me a safe, warm hug with her hand stroking my hair. And me having that 'all's right with the world' feeling. I'm afraid it may soon be time for me to gently hold her and give her that safe, warm, 'all's right with the world' feeling.

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Here is the top ten of the list of TV Guide's 50 greatest cartoon characters:





1. Bugs Bunny




2. Homer Simpson




3. Rocky and Bullwinkle




4. Beavis and Butt-head




5. The Grinch




6. Fred and Barney




7. Angelica Pickles




8. Charlie Brown and Snoopy




9. SpongeBob SquarePants




10.Cartman [via:CNN]



The Simpson's get my number one vote. When I was a child, I remembers when the Flinstones and the Jetsons first came on. I loved to watch them both. I believe that the Flintstones came on at night like the Simpsons do now. As both shows had the ability to attrack both child and adult viewers. Now, we've moved onto a more sophisticated cartoon genre with South Park and others I can't recall at the moment. [as I'm currently suffering from brain farts and heat exhaustion] After drinking a Dr Enuf™ herbal/cherry drink, I just may make a comeback.

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Moder Mouth Strikes Again
By Amy Reiter, Salon.com





July 26, 2002





Sick of hearing the name Julia Roberts over and over and over again? Good news! Now you can forget about Ms. Roberts and focus all your attention on Mrs. Moder.





Julia's changing her name.





"I am [Mrs. Moder]," the newly married actress told Diane Sawyer in that "Good Morning America" interview earlier this week. "And all my friends call me Mrs. Moder. And I love that."





Her new identity came to her in a flash, while playing softball with some buddies.





"I got up to bat and my friend, Mike Oscher, who's a catcher behind me, went, 'All right, Moder, come on,'" she recalled, "and I thought, wow, and that's when it really, like, hit me. I'm Moder, you know. And it's with a d-e-r. Yeah. No, I am Mrs. Moder."





This week, anyway.





OK, Julia Moder, housewife. Whatever gets you through the night.

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