A Quotable Threesome

The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.
- Ralph W. Sockman

Any American who is prepared to run for president should automatically, by definition, be disqualified from ever doing so.
- Gore Vidal

You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.
- Olin Miller

Quote of the Day

"And by the way, when power is handed from this president to the next, the next president is going to be left with no margin for error. They'd better be smarter than their advisers."

Joe Biden

I'm Really Starting To Like This Guy...

Word.

Double Word.

From The Well Known and The Not So Well Known

Via Daily Kos:

"Former secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that it is time to face reality and recognize Iraq is in a state of civil war. Powell made the statement after growing what are known as ‘retirement balls.’"
---Amy Poehler
-

"President Bush met with the Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki. Afterwards President Bush said 'Maliki is the right man for the job.' Just to remind you, President Bush also said FEMA's Michael Brown was the right man for the job. Donald Rumsfeld [was the] right man for the job. Tom DeLay was the right man for the job. Which would be okay...if Bush was the right man for the job."
---Jay Leno
-

"NBC has announced that they will now refer to the Iraq war as a civil war. President Bush said no, no, no, no, no, it's not a civil war until it becomes a series of Time-Life books."
---David Letterman
-

"The White House announced today that it was banning the sale of iPods to North Korea. President Bush said, "If North Korea is going to make nuclear weapons then we won't let them listen to Coldplay."
---Conan O'Brien
-

"A Trainer at Sea World Adventure Park in San Diego was hospitalized Thursday in San Diego after a killer whale grabbed him and twice held him underwater during a show. On the bright side, the trainer did give up the location of three al Qaeda hideouts."
---Seth Myers

Via Overheard in Minneapolis:

Minnesota Woman: Where are you from?

Iowa Man: Iowa.

Minnesota Woman: (singing) What's high in the middle and round on both ends?

Iowa Man: ...that's Ohio.

Minnesota Woman: Oh... I thought that was Iowa.

Via Overheard in New York:

Professor: If you put a frog in a beaker of water and gradually heat it, at about 160 degrees or so the frog will look around and say, 'Oh, shit! I'm dead!'

--NYU

Overheard by: Emily J

Professor, as student closes window and piece of paper floats outside: At least it wasn't a body.

--SVA

Overheard by: jaclyn

Professor spastically spilling coffee on text: I just got so excited by Emerson I ejaculated my coffee all over him.

--Literature class, Columbia University

Professor: The Native Americans used peyote as part of their religion. And if you do peyote, believe me, you're going to have a religious experience. You're going to think you're flying next to God, like, 'Hey, God! Why you going so slow?'

--Columbia University

Overheard by: leilah

Professor: Please turn off your cell phones, beepers, pagers, interactive Gatorade bottles... Thank you.

--College

Overheard by: Kaleena

Writing teacher: ... And I thought to myself, 'These people are artists. They're not supposed to be acting like normal people. They should be acting aloof and riding some sort of bizarre bicycle that they made themselves.'

--Eugene Lang College

Professor: I'm so not used to teaching like this... It's like a classroom.

--Eugene Lang College, the New School

Overheard by: rpk

Also, thank goodness my mother never caught me opening my Christmas presents early!

Elections And More!

Yes, it's the day after and what an exciting day for those of us who wanted a change in our government. After some despairing elections, finally a victory. And not just in Red and Blues, but also in some key issues.

In a triple setback for conservatives, South Dakotans rejected a law that would have banned virtually all abortions, Arizona became the first state to defeat an amendment to ban gay marriage and Missouri approved a measure backing stem cell research.

- MSNBC

For those cynics who doesn't believe the government will change with Democrats taking the House and possibly the Senate, here's an outline of how the Democrats can make an immediate impact. I'm also excited to have our first female Speaker of the House in Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Overall, these elections were inspiring and relieving. And too bad this genius didn't get voted out of the office, although his term doesn't end until 2008, he should have been voted out for pure stupidity for this comment:

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama): "“If every American back in 1950 had quit buying novels and invested money in high-yield bonds, today we would be looking at a savings surplus of several trillion dollars, and Social Security would not be in the mess it'’s in. Instead, we know what happened-most of the money wound up in the pockets of one unscrupulous novelist, Pearl S. Buck, with the disastrous consequences of which we are too well aware. The fact that that woman never spent a day in jail is a disgrace to the history of our nation. I would ask every American, before you lavish your next paycheck on expensive novels you may not need, consider the other spending choices available. You could expand your cable service, visit a casino, make a political donation, give to a faith-based concern, or put the money in something the brokers call a flort. I think we all know a little bit better how our earnings should be spent than the average novel-writer does."”

Not only is that idiotic, but I'd also like to point out his hypocrisy. Check out this picture on his website:

Ummm, what's that behind his peanut head? Are those, *Gasp, Books?!?! Wait, so where'd those come from? Did they appear out of thin air, or did someone, um, Buy Them? Okay, granted, they may or may not be novels behind his head, but it could be, you never know. I wonder what's on his approved books to purchase list. Sessions also links to the American Library Association on his Kids Page. Last I checked, those places were oozing with dirty, nasty novels that the Library Purchased.

Despite the craziness of one kooky old man, I found this great article on Powell's Blog by the author of the memoir There Is No Me Without You, Melissa Fay Greene, a book that I desperately want to get devour before I go to Africa but probably won't because I promised to not buy anymore books this year. Damn promises. Greene writes in this article about her large family of seven children, four by birth and three by adoption. She continues by discussing the decision to add even more children from Ethiopia to their already large family and the reactions of their friends and family, one friend called her the old woman in the shoe. I loved this article because that's soooo me, I want to adopt and could see myself having a larger than life family, I want to be the old woman in the shoe! I already have a house overflowing with animals, why not kids too? It was an inspirational article and I can't wait to get my hands on her memoir to be even further inspired.

But for those who wish to be uninspired, check out this page of Demotivators. See, I try to tailor to all my readers, despite their motivation or lack there of preferences. Does that mean I'm bipartisan or an Independent? Ha.

Hot off the wire: Rumsfield quits... or was forced to quit? That is the question. I'd like to know what was said in the series of "thoughtful conversations" between Rumsfeld and Bush about the defense secretary's resignation. Either way, thank the lord. Also, Democrats won the Montana Senate seat, now we're just waiting on Virginia.

Can I Vote Against Her?

Should I take pleasure in this? It feels so wrong and yet so right...

On Politics

I was thinking about politics last night as the Elections come up and I felt overwhelmed with it all. I figured I couldn't be the only one, so I thought I'd mention it here. I took government class in high school and have tried to keep up with politics as much as possible, but sometimes not as much as I'd like. As I try to follow the news I feel like I need a refresher course or maybe I never learned as much as I should have in high school. I only had one government class for one semester, I think kids should have a lot more education on our government than that because it's frickin' complicated! Sometimes it all confuses the hell out of me! I understand the basic structure of our government and all that, but sometimes all the political BS that goes on just makes it difficult for me to follow politics, which maybe is the point of all that BS. It's more the political maneuvering that gets me confused, it makes it harder for me to see the truth and to understand what is really going on with our government. I was reading some of the issues that will be on the ballot and for some of the issues it's just impossible to understand what I'm voting for or against without some sort of interpretation written (and even that can be biased). It makes me feel dense and ignorant. Beyond that, I know there are the people who blindly follow a certain party and vote for their party only, and I understand why people are inclined to do this. It's a lot of work and effort to research the candidates and decided if you support them, you tend to trust your party to choose the best candidate. Yes, it's partly laziness, but also I wonder if it really is as confusing and overwhelming to the general populace as it is to me. I don't really want to be a party follower per se, though I am obviously closer to one side than the other, but I would like to feel more educated on the issues and candidates which I feel is hard with all the bashing each other campaigns that are out there right now. I don't learn anything about the actual candidate in the campaign commercials, only what the opposing candidate did wrong. While I don't believe at all the Kerry was bashing our troops with his "botched jokes", just the fact that his was once again bashing Bush makes me lose respect for him. Stop bashing and start telling me why you're a better option. There's criticizing a political opponents policies or approaches, but then there's just below the belt bashing by calling someone uneducated and lazy, which is basically what Kerry called Bush. Grow the fuck up. Everyone in politics could use a little growing up. I mean, they're supposed to be solving our nation's problems and all they can do is bash each other. Are we in elementary school here?

I, as many do, of course hate our politics. It's dirty and shady without a doubt and has lost much of what it was meant to be. Many things dismay me, from the blatant use of fear to control people to the lack of separation of church and state. I feel that many people end up washing their hands of politics because of the distaste it leaves in their mouths, but I think this is a mistake. It's clear to me that apathy in the people is what has led to much of the debacle in Washington. When people stop paying attention, that's when the government can start taking advantage of its people. So despite the fact that it is perhaps harder than ever to keep up with politics because of the over-information and the lack of any objectivity in the majority of the information, I will still trudge forward. It's gotten to the point where I skim headlines on politics because there are so many and when I read the content often it's so laced with biased I can't stand it.

I'm wondering what do you do to keep up on politics and stay educated? What non-biased (or as non-biased as possible) sources do you read/watch/listen to in order to stay in the know with politics and what's going on in the world? I'm sick of the strongly biased stations, etc. Where do you go for some Good Reporting? I'm so sick of sifting through all the political bullshit, I just need a No BS Zone for my information. Does one exist anymore?

Good Therapy

Go for it, you know you wanna.

Football and Politics?

I came across this article on Daily Kos which says:

For several years, ESPN has been manufacturing fake cheers and fake boos for politicians. It's a very simple rule. If you are a Democrat not named Joe Lieberman, ESPN will play a tape of boos previously recorded and insert them into the audio after the Democrat is announced. If you are a Republican and ESPN is expecting boos, ESPN will play a pre-recorded tape of cheers unrelated to the Republican.

The article goes on to explain how the author knows this and how if you listened carefully when George Bush Senior was conducting the coin toss for the New Orleans/Falcons game ESPN cut the cheering tape too early and you could hear boos. Now, I watched that game and honestly I didn't notice, but I wasn't looking for it or even paying attention whatsoever, but this article definitely alarmed and disgusted me. If this is true then I'd be ready to boycott ESPN... well, except for PTI which I LOVE.

More Football Stuff

A hilarious article on Sports Pickle about the continuous problems with the law from the players on the Bengals, making fun of Marvin Lewis' apparent philosophy on the players he chooses to have on his team (in my opinion, complete thugs).

Meanwhile, a recent poll has determined once and for all that the Pittsburgh Steelers are truly America's Team.

And good ol' long time beat reporter for the Post-gazette and long-time reporter on the Steelers on his weekly chat about the Steelers put some idiotic fans in their place when they suggested that Ben be benched for Charlie Batch.

TomBaker: Hi Ed. Is there any point in which you can see a quarterback controversy existing in Pittsburgh? Hopefully this is a non-issue but the last two games haven't been pretty.

Ed Bouchette: This question makes me crazy. Do you really think the Steelers have lost faith in Ben Roethlisberger after two games? After what he did the previous two seasons. Are these the leftover fans from the early 1970s who gave Terry Bradshaw such a hard time?

LetsPlayBatch: How many more Red Zone interceptions before we sit Big Ben?

Ed Bouchette: How about, oh, 932 more?

...

LetsPlayBatch: I live in the here and now, not last season!

Ed Bouchette: You sound like one of those fans who get to choose the batting lineups for that minor league team that is dead last in its league. Perhaps you'd also like to bench Joey Porter because he's had only 1 tackle the past two games, since you live in the here and now. And get rid of Jeff Reed because he's made just 2 of 4 field goals, since you live in the here and now. Or what about that Hines Ward fellow. He has only 99 yards through 3 games. I say get rid of him and elevate Sean Morey to start. You never know.

Um, yeah, couldn't have said it better myself. Freaking idiots!!

Quick Hits

Football Hit

First, I want to say that I was very touched and very happy for the New Orleans Saints' win last night over the Falcons. I know it's only football, but there's no doubt what that game meant to the city, to the fans and to the players. The Saints, now 3-0, played with heart and have proven that their wins over the Browns and Green Bay weren't a fluke, they've now forced the impressive Falcons to a 2-1 record. Good job Saints! I think everyone but the Falcon fans were rooting for you last night.

Kitty Hit

What Can't science do? If I had a spare $3,950 lying around I'd soo buy one of these. I love my kitties to death, but the fur the fur the fur!! In your mouth, on your furniture (which is now lined with tinfoil and those plastic runners with little spikes on the bottom to try to keep the kitties OFF the furniture - you'd think buying them three cat trees at $100 each would be enough for them, but no, they want it all) and even somehow in your food. Especially when they're in your lap and rubbing all over you like they're trying to seduce you and you're nose starts to itch and become congested and your eyes water but they're so cute that you just take it even though you can't breathe through your nose anymore.

Clinton Hit

A sweet ass video of Clinton Smacking Down our favorite conservative news station. You guessed it, Fox News. Holy Crap! This is the greatest smack down ever! Thanks to Bill Cameron for the link.

Old and Unsuccessful Hit

So recently I just got another rejection letter for a short story I'd submitted. I was really hopeful with this one, so I was disappointed and my hubby comforted me by telling me that everyone's unpublished at some point in their lives and that I'm still really young. It made me feel better, until I read this article that is. An eleven-year-old girl getting a book deal?!?! Goddamn, I'm way behind. Thanks to Bookninja for this link, I needed the extra little jab to throw me back into my depressive state.

Reading Hits

Okay, so this is an old post (a couple of weeks old) but I clipped it because I liked and wanted to comment on it and just am now getting to it. I totally relate to much of this post, I've been teased for always having a book in my purse but also people often take it as an insult. Often when I go to a friend or family member's house I bring a book and people take it as I think I'll be bored there or that I don't want to interact. That's not the case at all! I just am always anticipating the slow times, when my mom's cooking and I have nothing to do, when my friend needs to jump in the shower real quick before we head out. There's nothing so devastating to me then being stuck somewhere with nothing to do regretting that I didn't have a book with me. But of course, it does have it's downfalls. I've been caught in the rain with a book before, unfortunately partly ruining the book, which just about kills me. Which is why I've started to get in the habit of bring magazines places, they fit easier in my purse and if they get ruined by rain, who cares? I'll just throw them away after I'm done reading them anyways. Plus, we get Time magazine which comes weekly, those are impossible to keep up with so we always have a pile of unread magazines that I need to get through.

Way Cool! According to Amazon.com's blog, "St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, a private school in Austin, Texas returned a three million dollar donation rather than submit to the donor’s request that the short story [Brokeback Mountain] be removed from the school's list of optional reading for twelfth graders." That's seriously the coolest thing I've heard in a long time and it makes me even more excited that Austin, Texas is my number one choice for grad school. Wahoo! Go Austin!

Oh Politics!

Found some interesting political articles that I'd like to direct you to.

First, an encouraging post called Conservatives Want Republicans to Lose. I'm sure you can get the drift of that article! It's a breath of fresh air that some Educated and Prominent Conservatives are disgusted and worried about the Radical Republicans that are holding positions in our government right now.

One little snippet, but make sure to check out the article to read what other Conservatives had to say on the topic:

BRUCE FEIN: Democrats, for their part, likewise place party above the Constitution, but their party loyalty at least creates an incentive to frustrate Bush'’s super-imperial presidency. This could help to restore checks and balances. For the foreseeable future, divided government is the best bet for preserving both the letter and spirit of the Constitution. If Democrats capture the House or Senate in November 2006, the danger created by Bush with a Republican-controlled Congress would be mitigated or eliminated.

Also a scary interview with Stephen Baldwin and the reason why I have my doubts and reservations with the whole idea of "religion" - not that everyone is this obscenely retarded, but there are a fair amount out there...

Straight from the horse's mouth: I represent the new breed of Christians, baby, that are gettin' ready to kick ass in the name of the Kingdom.

Hmm, okee dokee Stephen, because the old breed definitely didn't try to kick some ass in the name of the Kindom with, say, a couple million years of WARS?? Right.

Lastly, completely non-political and user-friendly, unless you're a Bengals', Browns' or Ravens' fan of course, the History of The Terrible Towel.

Have a fantabulous Thursday, y'all. Wish me luck, I take my GREs on Saturday... *gulp. You do gotta love it though, the Only school that I'm interested in that requires the GRE just happens to be my top choice. Life loves me in that way.

Anyone have any funny jokes or tidbits, feel free to leave them for me! This day feels impossibly long and horrible and I'm exhausted so I need a boost to get through the day. Possibly due to the fact that I had to stay up to watch Project Runway and then woke up super early to get to work early because I'm Swamped and have to leave early for a meeting today. Usually I would just leave work early and not worry about it, but I can't afford to right now. Argh.

Bushisms of The Day

A couple of Bushisms of the day, just because I'm in the mood (as in it's the end of the work day and I'm desparately surfing the web to get through that thirty minutes that feels like hours).

"We shouldn't fear a world that is more interacted."—Washington, D.C., June 27, 2006.

"I've reminded the prime minister—the American people, Mr. Prime Minister, over the past months that it was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship."—Washington, D.C., June 29, 2006

And my favorite:

President Bush: Peter. Are you going to ask that question with shades on?
Peter Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times: I can take them off.
Bush: I'm interested in the shade look, seriously.
Wallsten: All right, I'll keep it, then.
Bush: For the viewers, there's no sun.
Wallsten: I guess it depends on your perspective.
Bush: Touché.
—Exchange with legally blind reporter Peter Wallsten, to whom Bush later apologized, Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006

Stick It To Him!

Some of my favorites are: "If you voted for Bush, WHY AREN'T YOU IN IRAQ?" and "If you voted for Bush, YOU MUST REALLY HATE YOUR KIDS" and of course the classy and effective "If you voted for Bush, BLOW ME." The WPE campaign is also very effective, taking the affectionate 'W' away from the Republicans and using it for our own devices. Very nice. Very nice, indeed. Check out all of the bumper stickers here!