The Call of the Green Monster

Well, less than a week till Opening Day. Here's a great blog for the Nation.

I don't know about any of you, but I really don't give a shit about how this season goes. They won the damn series...THEY won the damn series....they WON the damn series....they won THE damn series....they won the DAMN series...they won the damn SERIES....THEY WON THE DAMN SERIES. Still hard to believe.

Visualize a Pyramid...

This is probably one of the simplest explanations of where the Democrats are...from former Senator Bill Bradley, probably one of the crankiest looking people on the face of the earth.

"Before deciding what Democrats should do now, it's important to see what Republicans have done right over many years. When the Goldwater Republicans lost in 1964, they didn't try to become Democrats. They tried to figure out how to make their own ideas more appealing to the voters. As part of this effort, they turned to Lewis Powell, then a corporate lawyer and soon to become a member of the United States Supreme Court. In 1971 he wrote a landmark memo for the United States Chamber of Commerce in which he advocated a sweeping, coordinated and long-term effort to spread conservative ideas on college campuses, in academic journals and in the news media.

To further the party's ideological and political goals, Republicans in the 1970's and 1980's built a comprehensive structure based on Powell's blueprint. Visualize that structure as a pyramid..."

It gets better from here...read on.

The So-called 'Culture of Life'

Yesterday's Progress Report:

"Contrary to the impression given by Washington conservatives and mainstream media cognoscenti, the Terri Schiavo case is not the only "culture of life" issue of concern to Americans. At least two other horrible tragedies took place last week – the second-deadliest school shooting in American history, and the deadliest day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in nearly a year. Both deserved serious discussion, but barely managed to cut through wall-to-wall Schiavo coverage. And while pundits were busy repeating their broken-record commentary on "culture of life" politics, reality showed otherwise." More here.

Terri Schiavo's Blog

Be sure to check out the words of wisdom from America's sweetheart. (Careful if you open this link at work...that Terri has a pottymouth!)

This is truly sick, but hysterical.

Big Papi sez....5 Days, 22 Hours till Opening Day. Who's Your Daddy Now?

Michael Moore Was Right

Not that we doubted it, but the Saudis did have help from the FBI in leaving the US after 9/11. More here.

Need a Quick Diagnosis? No Need to Visit the Doctor

Call Senator Frist! He has the ability to diagnose anything by just looking at a video. Use this form to send him any medical problem you'd like him to review. I'm sure he'll give you a quick response...just like he did for Terri Schiavo.

When Supersized Just Ain't Big Enough

Burger King has introduced a new breakfast choice called the Enormous Omelette Sandwich. Here's the breakdown: one sausage patty, two eggs, two American cheese slices and three strips of bacon. All told, the grand total is 730 calories and 47 grams of fat.

I've become a recent convert to actually reading labels of the food I buy and it truly is amazing what we put into our bodies...I guess Burger King hasn't gotten into the more healthful food craze, eh?

UPDATE: Just heard on ABC News that it takes 10 hours to digest the "Enormous Omelette" and you could eat 15 pieces of fried chicken and ingest the same amount of calories. Wanna know something worse? A Starbucks Frappacino has even more than all those items, with 830 total calories. Omigod!

The Principles Project

Today I read about a group called "The Princples Project," which recently completed an online convention designed to define and promote what Democrates believe. According to today's Globe, six weeks of email debate and balloting ended earlier this month with a "Declaration of Progressive Principles." This is a statement of core beliefs designed to unite people among the diverse factions of the Democratic Party.

Like the secular humanism philosophy below, this statemen kind of goes without saying, I suppose. But worthwhile to pass along nevertheless.

Spring slowly comes to Shrewsbury

My Easter Blessing

In honor of the Christian celebration of Easter today, I am passing along a philosophy of secular humanism that says everything that needs to be said about spirtuality today.

Happy Spring everyone.

Too Damned Funny

I only know SOME of these names, but this concept is funny as hell to a heretic like me.

More Important? bin Laden or Schiavo?

Today I read one of the most amazing things about George W. Bush on "Surviving Grady," a Red Sox fan blog...and I sure wish I'd put 2+2 together this way:

"On August 6, 2001, while on vacation in Texas, George W. Bush read a memo entitled "Bin Laden Determined To Strike In US."

What did he do? Did he cut his vacation short and immediately hop a plane back to DC to deal with the crisis (as he did this week)?

No. He quit work early that day and spent the afternoon fishing. And he stayed on vacation in Texas for three more weeks."

That says it all...

New Bruce album coming out April 26, an auspicious day.

Because we always can use a Red Sox picture.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Can you imagine having the audacity to talk about poverty at a time like this? When there's half-dead women hanging onto life by a thread with a husband out to starve her? When a wacky nut-job of a former pop superstar on trial for child molestation? When there is a potential for a winter story (yes, again) in New England?

John Edwards sent an email today (and even though I know this topic is actually important, why does it seem sort of strangely beside the point at the same time?):

"...Here's what we know: 36 million Americans live in poverty today, which is 13 million more than 30 years ago. About one in four working families is earning so little they struggle to make ends meet. And nearly 30 percent of families have less than $10,000 in assets - which means that the value of their savings, their home, and their car altogether is less than $10,000.

What we can do as a country is help families build a foundation and a safety net so that if they have a medical emergency, lose a job, or go through a traumatic event like a divorce it doesn't push them off the cliff and into bankruptcy."

If you're interested in supporting the cause, go here.

Oh..the Hypocrisy...

Much as we'd all like to avoid it, it's impossible to get by any news outlet today without a mention of poor Terri Schiavo.

The hypocrisy just goes on and on...the "culture of life", right-wing wacko wing has cowtowed everyone into keeping this poor woman alive, probably against her own wishes. Can you imagine if the woman was gay? They'd all be running away so fast it would curl your hair. Can you imagine if she was a healthy, but imprisoned, woman...say, like Carla Faye Tucker? (You'll recall then-Gov. Bush would not stay her execution.) Can you imagine if she was even black...or indigent?

The only people on the "right to life" side who actually are not hypocrites are the Catholic Church. Over the weekend, there was a report that they would be working against capital punishment...in their view, a life is a life -- no matter who it is. I have to at least give them that.

From yesterday's Boston Globe:

"The Roman Catholic bishops of the United States plan tomorrow to launch what they are calling a major campaign to end the use of the death penalty.

The bishops, according to an aide, have been emboldened by two recent Supreme Court decisions limiting executions, and by polling that they say shows a dramatic increase in opposition to capital punishment among Catholic Americans.

Their campaign, which is to be announced by Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick at a news conference in Washington, is to include legislative action, legal advocacy, educational work, and a new website to be named www.ccedp.org, for the Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty."

Oh, and by the way, if I'm ever in a persistent, vegetative state...would someone please pull the plug? I would hate to be pasted all over the national media or to have those right-wing nutjobs harass my family.

Who Cares?

Robert Blake was acquitted of murder today. *Yawn* Does anybody give a rat's ass?

On the other hand, Scott Peterson was given the death penalty. Obviously not enough of a celebrity.

And then there's Michael Jackson, who's too much of a celebrity and his case get ickier by the minute.

It Runs in the Family?

Tomorrow is the eighth anniversary of my Dad's death.

This fine human being taught me everything I ever needed to learn about Bush-bashing. For example, during the latter years of his life, Dad lived in Florida when the brothers Bush were governing both Texas and Florida. He was convinced that there was some conspiracy going on between them to control the Gulf of Mexico for the oil interests. Hmmm..a vast right wing conspiracy? When did he and Hilary figure that out?

Besides, Dad never trusted the elder Bush either, and was fond of saying in the late 80's: "How can we trust a president who used to be head of the CIA?" :-) My pop was no deep thinker, but he had an instinct for recognizing b.s. when he saw it. I only hope I inherited half his common sense.

We miss ya, Dad.

Priorities, priorities, priorities....

Headline from "The Daily Show" (thanks, Rita):

"Enron, Halliburton, Abu Ghraib...and instead there's a full-scale investigation into baseball."

No Nukes

Well, let's hope the Dems keep their word on this one. The majority had better remember what goes around comes around.

The Ultimate in Nagging

OK, I know I don't have children, but...let's just say your husband has been deployed to a war zone and he occasionally calls home. Would the first thing out of your mouth be a complaint about shampoo?

Gimme a break.

See how instant communication can cause more problems than one might think here.

When Torture Just Won't Do

Yesterday's New York Times reported this:

"At least 26 prisoners have died in American custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002 in what Army and Navy investigators have concluded or suspect were acts of criminal homicide, according to military officials.

The number of confirmed or suspected cases is much higher than any accounting the military has previously reported. A Pentagon report sent to Congress last week cited only six prisoner deaths caused by abuse, but that partial tally was limited to what the author, Vice Adm. Albert T. Church III of the Navy, called 'closed, substantiated abuse cases' as of last September."

Reality Sucks

Ever have one of those days when the entire reality of the country's political situation hits you smack between the eyes? Ever since about mid-November, I've been able to keep my anxiety supressed..trying to focus on one critical and sanity-saving thought: "they're going to over-reach."

Today, I was driving home from work listening to Air America's coverage of the Senate vote on drilling in ANWR and it hit me again: They can do ANYTHING they want.

*sigh*

To quote Mr. Zimmerman:

They say times are hard, if you don't believe it
You can just follow your nose
It don't bother me - times are hard everywhere
We'll just have to see how it goes

Spoofing Social Security

Well, you'd think the Chimp's communication people would have figured this out. A spoof of their website: www.strengtheningsocialsecurity.gov, called www.strengthening socialsecurity.com has sprung up. You'll note the "Treasury Secretary Snow Launches 60 Lies in 60 Days Tour" as the beginning. I wonder if government agencies can't actually buy .com URLs? Wouldn't you have expected them to have this one covered?

They Didn't Fool Us

Yesterday, The New York Times described how the Bush administration has used millions of dollars of taxpayer money to produce and disseminate fake news programs that support a partisan political agenda.

These government-produced segments have frequently aired on broadcast TV stations across the country without proper disclosure. Even though I used to write news releases and seek placement of news stories for a living, I can't imagine anyone but the local weekly papers reproducing my work in full. The fact that news stations are running the fake stuff is just another symptom of the bizzare state of the news business today.

Wanna do something about it? Send an email to the FCC, courtesy of StartChange.org.

Looting Iraq: Shock and Awe?

Following the first wave of the US attack on Iraq in 2003, I recall feeling "shock and awe" over the looting that occurred...especially by those who ransacked Iraq's cultural and historic sites. I remember asking myself how the US could have allowed it -- and more importantly -- how could they not have anticipated it and prevented it? Although I never agreed with the invasion, once it happened, I had this naive expectation that the US military would conduct themselves in as "honorable" way as possible, considering the circumstances.

Well, now that we've been through the looting, the lies (what, no WMD?), the torture (Abu Graib being just the tip of the iceberg), it's not surprising to read yesterday's New York Times article, and finding that more than artifacts were taken, right out from under the world's only superpower. WTF? I have a feeling the ramifications of this are still to come.

"In the weeks after Baghdad fell in April 2003, looters systematically dismantled and removed tons of machinery from Saddam Hussein's most important weapons installations, including some with high-precision equipment capable of making parts for nuclear arms, a senior Iraqi official said this week in the government's first extensive comments on the looting."

AND EVEN WORSE:

"The threat posed by these types of facilities was cited by the Bush administration as a reason for invading Iraq, but the installations were left largely unguarded by allied forces in the chaotic months after the invasion."

Good Lord.

It's Always Clinton's Fault

Media Matters for America, the watchdog site that keeps the media honest, catches the Wall Street Journal trying to blame "outsourcing terrorism" aka rendition on Clinton.

"A Wall Street Journal editorial attempted to deflect criticism of the Bush administration's use of 'extraordinary rendition' -- the practice of transferring terrorism suspects to countries known for using torture in interrogations -- by claiming baselessly that 'the Clinton Administration used the rendering practice with the avowed expectation that suspects would be tortured, or worse.' In the process, the Journal revived the long-discredited allegation that "the government of Sudan offered to deliver Osama bin Laden (then living in Khartoum) into U.S. custody" during the Clinton administration...."

For more, use the link above.

Let them pay.

The First Black Woman President

In a mildly ironic moment, while watching a TV profile of Oprah Winfrey, I came across this article in today's Washington Post, touting the possibility that Condoleeza Rice could end up running for president.

If one were to choose a black woman for president, wouldn't it be nice to consider one who has worked consistently for the betterment of humankind, someone who has shown a kind and generous spirit, run a successful business, and actually doesn't lie publicly? And -- most of all -- wouldn't it be nice to vote for a woman who actually earned her power and place in the world without sucking up to the Man?

Rice for President? Not a chance.

Our $400 windfall

This from "Talking Points Memo" in the wake of the passage of the horrendous bankruptcy bill in the US Senate yesterday...

"I’m going to be standing by my mailbox, waiting for my $400 back from the credit card industry. Industry representatives told me, in the news and in testimony before Congress, that the cost of bankruptcies filed by people who can afford to pay their debts, was $400 for every man, woman and child in America."

The rest of the story here. Especially written for those with good credit by: Corinne Cooper, a professor emerita of law, and a consultant in Tucson, Arizona

Say it ain't so...

Well, it's hard to believe but Paul Newman is 80 years old and thinking of retiring from acting and car-racing. What an enormous legacy he's left, certainly as an actor, but also as a thinking person and activist, a philanthropist and sportsman. He's one of the last of the 50's hearthrobs and I'd pay to see him read the telephone book.

Anybody else have a favorite leading man?

Attacking Iran in June?

Scott Ritter (former UN weapons inspector) has gone on the record saying Bush has signed off on capabilities to attack Iran in June 2005. Mark the date and let's see if what he says comes true. He was right about the lack of WMD in Iraq, as you may recall.

14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism

Here's a list certain to scare the bejesus out of you. The folks at Morning Sedition on Air America refer to this article often so I thought I'd check it out. Hang on, here goes:

Political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt recently wrote an article about fascism ("Fascism Anyone?," Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, page 20). Studying the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism.

The 14 characteristics are:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed
to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

Yes.

MSM, HST, Watergate, Gannon and Rather...more from Frank Rich

The state of MSM (mainstream media) is simply abysmal as we all have experienced. There are a few columnists who seem to regularly write what we've been thinking...especially Frank Rich of the New York Times. Here's his recent column. One line that stands out: What's missing from News is the news.

We can only hope.

A Last Laugh?

From Wonkette, telling the story of a meeting between Hunter Thompson and the Chimp:

Says the good Doctor: "[George W. Bush] knew who I was...because I had a reputation as a writer. I knew he was part of the Bush dynasty. But he was nothing, he offered nothing, and he promised nothing.

He had no humor. He was insignificant in every way and consequently I didn't pay much attention to him.

But when he passed out in my bathtub, then I noticed him. I'd been in another room, talking to the bright people. I had to have him taken away."

Love it.

The Permanent Campaign Continues

The White House has launched a world where campaigns...whether for war or the breaking apart of the New Deal...never end. Sidney Blumenthal has the story here. Fascinating and scary.

Take Yet Another Pledge (aka Creating a Democrat Mailing List)

Senate Democrats are asking people to sign their Pledge to Protect Social Security. This simple pledge lays out the reasons why George Bush's privatization plan is not the answer:

• It would cut Social Security’s funding and weaken the program.
  
  
• It would cut benefits by one-third or more, even for those who choose not to risk their money in a privatized account.
  
  
• It would require even deeper benefit cuts for those who do choose a privatized account.
  
  
• It would require borrowing nearly $5 trillion, much of which from foreign countries like China and Japan.

Join me and sign our Social Security Pledge today. I did and you should too.

FreewayBlogger Strikes Again

This picture is from a California freeway, noting the unfortunate passing of the 1,500th serviceperson in Iraq. Sigh.

For more from this site, go here.

Ready for a Good News Poll?

This is an opening sentence that simply warms the cockles of my heart:

"Americans say President Bush does not share the priorities of most of the country on either domestic or foreign issues, are increasingly resistant to his proposal to revamp Social Security and say they are uneasy with Mr. Bush's ability to make the right decisions about the retirement program, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll."

Read the rest of this alarmingly good story...from the NY Times today.

A good quote here: "If Americans are ambivalent about the need for Washington to grapple with Social Security, the poll found abundant concern with the budget deficit, with much of the blame attributed to Mr. Bush. Sixty percent of respondents - including 48 percent of self-described conservatives - said they disapproved of how Mr. Bush was managing the deficit. And 90 percent of respondents described the deficit as a very or somewhat serious problem.

The focus on Social Security has, if anything, aggravated concern about the deficit. About 30 percent said that the cost of Mr. Bush's proposal to create private accounts would increase the deficit. And on another question, about 40 percent said that Mr. Bush's budget proposal, made last month, would also result in increasing the deficit, notwithstanding the deep cuts Mr. Bush proposed to try to pull back the deficit."

Now for a Little Perspective...

The American Progress Report today stopped me in my tracks. In a world where we are debating a fake Social Security crisis, whether or not that goofy Jeff/Jim Gannon/Guckert is a hooker or not...and, yes, even whether the Sox can repeat as World Champions of Major League Baseball, this story is truly important.

'The Single Largest Moral Challenge Of Our Time'

An average 320 people die every single day in Sudan. That's about 10,000 people every month. The recent State Department memo on Human Rights found "genocide had been committed in Darfur, and the Government and the Janjaweed bore responsibility." There are daily reports of rapes, mutilations, torture, beatings and murder. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan described the situation last week as "little short of hell on earth." Yet so far, the response from the White House has been shockingly muted and indefensibly passive. Yesterday Congress finally stepped up to fill the leadership vacuum left by the Bush administration. Senators Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced the Darfur Accountability Act, legislation calling for urgently needed action in Sudan. Corzine called the ongoing atrocities in Darfur "probably the single largest moral challenge of our time. It is absolutely essential that we respond to it." Brownback has been equally adamant, saying, "We do not have days or weeks to spare when millions of lives are in jeopardy."

WHAT THE BILL DOES: The Darfur Accountability Act calls for specific and urgently needed actions including: calling for a presidential envoy for Sudan to work with the international community to stop the killings; establishing a military no-fly zone to stop the Sudanese government from bombing civilians; expanding the African Union force; freezing the assets of those responsible for the crimes; extending the arms embargo to Sudan; and calling for new sanctions by the U.N. Security Council.

It's the very least we can do.

This one never gets old.

First Spring Training Game Tomorrow

In honor of the launch of baseball games (even though it's only spring training), I thought it would be appropriate to share some of my favorite baseball sites and some others of interest to the World Champs.

First, if you are a member of Red Sox Nation (and who in his/her right mind wouldn't be?), you must read this blog: "Surviving Grady." If you need an explanation for the name, you are herewith expelled from the Nation.

Next, you must read "The Remy Report," the website brought to us by the Remdawg himself. For those of you outside tv reach of everyday Sox games, Jerry Remy is a former baseball player who is now the color guy for the TV broadcasts of Sox games. He has turned into a real cult figure here in New England, selling everything from "Wally's" to kinda tacky jewelry. AND, if you wanna know what to buy me for Christmas next year, you can hire Jerry to record the welcome on our answering machine. And, I'm only half kidding.

Another item on my gift list: A Johnny is My Homeboy t-shirt. He is the MAN, in more ways than one. And if that one doesn't send your right-wing associates into fits of rage, try this.

And, if you want to read about one of the oddest baseball players ever, go here. I have no idea what makes Manny Ramirez tick -- nothing seems to bother him, he just keeps on hitting and grinning. We recently were watching (and re-living) last year's playoff games and watched Manny try to catch balls in left field and flop all over the place. Honest to God, even though I knew the outcome of the game, he still scared the shit out of me.

Part of the glue of this team comes from Kevin Millar, not to be confused with Bill Mueller (pronounced Miller) or new pitcher Wade Miller (also pronounced Miller). Here's a site that celebrates him. He, of course, was the one who began the ole "Cowboy Up" theme, which you can also plaster across your back.

Whatever you do...do not visit the Red Sox official site because the team paid a visit to the Chimp's house in DC today. My worlds collided in the worst possible way.

Anyway, it's time to play ball!

Update: I couldn't resist adding this one!

"Count Every Vote" Legislation

Are the following statements something issued by a Third World country? Unfortunately (and most embarassingly) these are part of legislation being introduced in the US Senate by Senators Boxer and Clinton. Good for them, but how sad is it that we need this legislation?

• Provide voter-verified paper ballots for every vote cast on electronic machines
  
  
• Set uniform standards for provisional ballots
  
  
• Ensure equal access to voting machines and election personnel in every community
  
  
• Designate Election Day as a federal holiday
  
  
• Reduce wait times for voters at polling places
  
  
• Make deceptive voter suppression activities a federal crime
  
  
• Restrict the political activities of state elections officials and voting machine manufacturers

Read more here.

I'm back

Well! Thanks to some good ole' fashioned paranoia on my part, we purchased a new laptop for me to use at home, instead of the one from my office. Recently, I've been reading a number of news reports about bloggers who have been fired. Sometimes it was for blogging on company time (I did that a few times), or writing negative things about my employer (I NEVER would do that...most definitely not the right thing to do). However, I did have a number of cartoons and other political images saved on the computer and that is most definitely not the right thing to do. Just like not using my business email account for person email, it was time to migrate the rest of the personal stuff.

So! I've been liberated. I'm on my own internet connection, using my own computer! Now we can get on with the conversation. :-)