The Nuclear Option

A lot has been made of the coming fight in the Senate over potential (and current) judicial nominees. For those of you who don't live in places like Massachusetts and California, it may be time to get in touch with your senator to let them know you're paying attention to their votes. There must be hope for Ohio, with Senator Voinovich getting his recent attack of conscience over John Bolton.

Here's a message from Ted Kennedy for inspiration. Here's a link to the Senate directory to make life easy for you. Can't say I never gave you any help, now can you? Good luck!

FOXBlocker: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Saw this article the other day and wanted to share with all the rest of you non-fans of Fox:

Hunting for Fox: Device blacks out network's news
By Mark Jurkowitz, Globe Staff | April 14, 2005

It started when Joshua Montgomery and Sam Kimery went to a showing last summer of ''Outfoxed" in Tulsa, Okla. Liberal filmmaker Robert Greenwald's unflattering portrait of the Fox News Channel as a conservative propaganda outlet stirred them to action.

''Josh and I decided in the first 15 minutes of the show that we kind of have to do something," says Kimery, a 44-year-old technical writer who runs a small electronics company. ''It was very obvious that there was something very wrong with calling [what Fox does] news."

Adds Montgomery, a 27-year-old aerospace engineer: ''The problem is they really misrepresent themselves as 'Fair and Balanced.' "

So the partners created a strategy and a company. And if their product with the catchy name -- the FOXBlocker -- hasn't exactly become a household word, it has inspired a small group of activists opposing Fox News Channel to launch a unique boycott that may end up causing headaches for some cable operators.

The operation began by selling the FOXBlocker -- a metal device about the size of a C battery that screws into the back of the TV set and that can filter out the Fox News Channel -- for $8.95. Montgomery says he and Kimery managed to move about 100 of the items by the end of last month. But selling the device for that sum was a flawed business model.

''When you factor in labor," he says, ''we're literally losing money hand over fist."

So the anti-Fox brigades are trying a different tactic. About a year ago, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association announced that a number of cable companies would offer channel-blocking equipment free of charge to any customer who does not possess that capability.

Now the FOXBlocker website exhorts supporters to ask their cable company to come to their home to install a device to keep out the Fox News Channel.

The campaign was unveiled this month, Montgomery says, and more than 700 people participated in the first week. He figures that each trip to install a filter costs the cable company about $50 in parts and labor.

Brian Dietz, a spokesman for the cable association, says the new FOXBlocker strategy adheres to the letter -- if not exactly the spirit -- of the cable industry offer. He says the decision to offer free blocking was ''launched over concerns about indecent content on television," not to respond to complaints about news programming.

Dietz says that many cable users have the technology to block channels through their cable box. But he acknowledges that operators are technically obligated to respond to those who are asking for the Fox filter.

''The purpose of the initiative is to help families control unwanted programming from entering the home," he says. ''And the cable industry is not making judgments about the channels."

Irena Briganti, a spokeswoman for the Fox News Channel, says the FOXBlockers are having no impact. ''Clearly it's not working out, given that our ratings are skyrocketing," she says. (Blah, blah, blah)

According to Nielsen Media Research viewing numbers for the first quarter of 2005, the Fox News Channel is dominating the cable news wars in both prime-time and total day ratings, almost doubling the average audience of second-place CNN.

At the same time, the outlet continues to generate journalistic criticism. A recent study by the nonpartisan Washington-based Project for Excellence in Journalism concluded that when it came to cable news, ''Fox was measurably more one-sided than the other networks and Fox journalists were more opinionated on the air."

The survey said that 68 percent of the Fox News Channel stories analyzed included ''personal opinions" from Fox reporters.

The Fox News Channel has also been a frequent target for liberal media critics. But one such organization, while expressing sympathy toward the FOXBlockers, has some qualms with the unorthodox strategy.

''It's the response of people who are righteously annoyed by Fox's false advertising and who are unable to see their views regularly presented on cable TV," says Steve Rendall, senior analyst for the liberal watchdog group Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, based in New York. ''Do we endorse FOXBlocker? No, because we would like to see more diversity in cable broadcasting. We think viewers benefit from opinions they don't believe in."

HA Couldn't happen to a nicer network. (All emphases mine.)

Putting Kids First

Anyone want to co-sponsor John Kerry's Kids First legislation? Here's the link -- go for it.

Don't Look Now

But the Yankees truly suck.

This calls for a return of Slappy McBluelips:

OK, It's Desert Island Time

As a middle-aged woman's fancy turns to springtime, we look for some new ways to get you lurkers out there involved in this very blog.

Here's the age-old scenario...you find yourself on a desert island with a malfunctioning iPod (or other newfangled) jukebox, but you have a supply of never-ending batteries. So, what 10 "albums" would you want to have available to you? Here's mine (in no particular order):

1. Blue, Joni Mitchell
2. The Grass is Blue, Dolly Parton
3. Diva, Annie Lennox
4. Rythmn of the Saints, Paul Simon
5. Lonely Runs Both Ways, Alison Krauss and Union Station
6. Red Dirt Girl, Emmylou Harris
7. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams
8. Live in New York City, Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band
9. The Revolution Starts Now, Steve Earle
10.Bruised Orange, John Prine

Honorable Mentions (I know this is cheating, but how can you pass these classics up?):
Horses, Patti Smith
Blood on the Tracks, Bob Dylan
Goin' Back to New Orleans, Dr John
Time (the Revelator), Gillian Welch
Moondance, Van Morrison
Any Miles Davis recordings -- I'm not enough of a jazz expert to choose one, but I suppose "Kind of Blue" would work, eh?

What is your list? Care to share?

Random Vacation Thoughts

A bunch of random things pinging around my brain from vacation:

- There are a lot of rich people in San Francisco. Saw a guy fiddling around with his Bentley in a parking lot in Tiburon.

- Everyone in San Francisco owns a dog...and most of them are the precious kind that live in apartments with prissy people.

- People are more environmentally conscious in California. Many containers, in addition to simply soda/beer cans, are redeemable for deposits. And, all public buildings have signs posted in them warning of carcinogens present in them (not sure how good that makes a person feel...but it was interesting to note).

- I swear there is nowhere else on earth that smells better than Sonoma, California.

- On the other hand, there is nowhere else on earth that is tackier than Fisherman's Wharf.

- JetBlue Airlines is fabulous. The seats offer so much legroom, you could actually cross your legs without injuring yourself or anyone nearby.

- I think I could eat get used to eating avocado on a more regular basis.

Our Last Dinner in SF (Greens): April 28, 2005

SF MoMA, April 28, 2005

SF Museum of Modern Art, April 28, 2005

Yerba Buena Gardens, April 28, 2005

The View from Greens Restaurant, Fort Mason: April 27, 2005

Caffe Greco, North Beach: April 27, 2005

More City Lights: April 27, 2005

My Kind of Bookstore: City Lights: April 27, 2005

Pacific Heights, San Francisco: April 26, 2005

California Street (a tale of two architectural styles): April 26, 2005

Redwoods, Jack London State Park (Monday, April 25)

Winery, Sonoma (Monday, April 25)

Telegraph Street, Berkeley (Sunday, April 24)

Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park (Sat. April 23)

Crissy Field, San Francisco Bay (Sat. April 23)

There and Back Again

The restorative powers of a little R&R are quite amazing. We're back from our sojourn on the west coast, and although it's nice to sleep in one's own bed, I am missing San Francisco already. (Although today's weather seems reminiscent of the foggy Bay Area...perhaps we'll take some comfort in that.)

Had a really wonderful time, as I'm sure you're all dying to know. In a nutshell, we did a lot of walking around some new neighborhoods, enjoying the architecture, the shops, the lush, green parks (what a joy to grow flowers all year round!). Took a day trip up to Sonoma, where we've never visited and experienced the calm serenity of the wine country and its beautiful, rolling hills. Also spent a day in Berkeley, soaking in the beautiful blue-ness of that college town. (BTW, it was nice to still see so many "Kerry-Edwards" bumper stickers on cars and buildings around town.)

Unfortunately, our little hotel did not have internet access in the rooms, so I couldn't keep in touch as I planned, but perhaps that's a good thing, eh? Good to give all of us a little break. If anyone's interested in a recommendation for lodging in SF, I recommend the Laurel Inn -- felt like a little apartment, not a hotel, very quiet and had free parking!

Gonna post some sample pictures here shortly, and I'm working on a way to share more of them if anyone's interested in seeing them. Took lots of images with the new camera...many turned out really well (if I do say so myself).

So, while it was great to be away, it's nice to be back here on the blog. More pics coming up!

Left Coast Time

Well, vacation time is now here. We'll hopefully be posting from the west coast - finally I'll be in the same timezone as my brother! Somehow it makes us feel closer, oddly enough, and farther away from the Eastern timezone family. Strange, but true. Have a good week everyone! (Hopefully I'll forget about the crap being inflicted by the chimp for a while)

Ciao.

Selling Social Security

Learning from the "best," Bush tries to sell Social Security.

I Dreamed I Saw...Bob Dylan

Last night, Bob and I saw Dylan at the Orpheum, and IMHO it was fab! For a 60+ geezer, Mr. Dylan was truly energetic and full of life while rocking out on his piano (of all things). Here's the set list. Here's some recent performances. It was a great night, with opening acts Amos Lee and Merle Haggard (yes, Merle fuckin' Haggard). Merle, too, is a bit long in the tooth but he was fun and as happy as any old coot has a right to be. Except he didn't do "Okie from Muskokee," which I was hopin' for.

This concert marks the beginning of our anniversary celebration and we couldn't have asked for more -- the first truly beautiful day of Spring, to boot.

Bad News? No Problem...

We just stop publishing it:

• Knight-Ridder reports today that the Bush administration announced yesterday that it has "decided to stop publishing an annual report on international terrorism after the government's top terrorism center concluded that there were more terrorist attacks in 2004 than in any year since 1985, the first year the publication covered."
  
  
• When unemployment was peaking in Bush's first term, the White House tried to stop publishing the Labor Department's regular report on mass layoffs.
  
  
• In 2003, when the nation's governors came to Washington to complain about inadequate federal funding for the states, the Bush administration decided to stop publishing the budget report that states use to see what money they are, or aren't, getting.
  
  
• In 2003, the National Council for Research on Women found that information about discrimination against women has gone missing from government Web sites, including 25 reports from the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau.
  
  
• In 2002, Democrats uncovered evidence that the Bush administration was removing health information from government websites. Specifically, the administration deleted data showing that abortion does not increase the risk of breast cancer from government websites. That scientific data was seen by the White House as a direct affront to the pro-life movement.

This administration is an abomination.

Happy Days Are Here Again!

"The last month has not been a good one for President Bush and the Republicans. Most people have opposed the President’s proposals for reforming Social Security and most were unhappy with the positions taken by Republicans in the Terri Schiavo case. The result is that the president’s job ratings have fallen to 44 percent positive, 56 percent negative, the worst numbers of his presidency, and a drop from 48 percent positive, 51 percent negative in February (and 50% positive, 49% negative last November).

This is one of the results of a new Harris Poll of 1,010 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive® between April 5 and 10, 2005."

The rest of the happy news here....

And So the Backlash Begins...

86 Reasons to Hate the Red Sox

Ya know what? I think they are just a tad overexposed by now.

7 Days Till Vacation

Springtime Blogging

I can feel the blogging slowing down a tad now that the warmer weather has arrived (along with baseball). Somehow sitting down behind the computer each night doesn't hold the same joy in April as it did back when the blizzards were raging in February. Sooooo, I do apologize to anyone who is expecting more.

It's also increasingly difficult to continue to write and link to political stories. A lot of that has to do with the same old issues going round and round. How do the progressives mount a charge against the convervatives? What kinds of small victories can we claim? Right now we're looking at the Senate going 'nuclear' over the filibuster issue regarding judicial nominations. As other bloggers have said, the Republicans won't be satisfied till they have created a Taliban-like theocracy here in the U.S. But, I think that, like the Schiavo case, the GOoPers are again over-reaching...mistaking the "mandate" of November with a majority of people actually agreeing with everything they do. IMHO people voted for Bush was because they couldn't stand Kerry. (Of course, how the Dems nominated someone who would be less 'likable' than the Chimp is beyond comprehension). But anyway, I digress.

I'm also hearing from my progressive friends that they are getting tired of staying current with the issues and getting endless emails requesting money from Senators, political parties, activist groups, etc. I agree, it will take a lot to actually get me to part with money for anyone in the current environment. So perhaps I'll call a brief moratorium on the political front and actually "moveon.org" to other things.

On another front, late next week, Bob and I are going on our much-anticipated vacation to San Francisco, where we'll celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary! As many of you know, we spent our honeymoon driving from Ohio (where we were living then) to California via a number of national parks. So, we're visiting the scene of the crime - so to speak! And, man, am I looking forward to this trip. It's been a looooong winter, with lots of ups and downs, and we're beginning the warm months on a very up note.

As for the Red Sox...they ended up going 3-3 against the Yankees, pretty anti-climactic after all, eh?

Well, can't promise a lot of blogging in the week or two ahead, but we'll be sharing the trip, hopefully as it happens!

Happy Spring, everyone!

Our Tax Dollars at Work

From this week's Parade magazine in the Boston Globe showing the bizarre priorities of the US government. For instance, did you know?....

"Since the invasion of Iraq, the US government has allocated $19 billion for reconstruction and related projects in Iraq, although much of it has yet to be spent. This figure is more than the combined annual budgets for the National Cancer Institute, Amtrak, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Federal Air Marshals, operation of the National Park Service, Homeless Assistance Grants, the Superfund Hazardous Substance Cleanup, Home-Delivered Meals to the Elderly and youth employment and training programs."

And...this note...

"The government spent more than $40 million for the Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky investigations, but only $15 million for the 9/11 Commission to examine the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001."

Sigh.

A Wonderful Day For All

Well, they did it! The rings have been doled out and there were many happy faces at Fenway Park -- especially after the Sox won 8-1!

Most Under-reported Stories of 2004

"A free press, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, is an essential ingredient of our liberties. Free speech, perhaps our most important right, includes the right and the obligation to criticize our government. That right is of little value unless we know the facts that only a free and responsible press can provide. Today, saddled as we are with a government more interested in restricting the dissemination of news than the opposite, a free press is crucial.

Sometimes news is overreported. Any incident involving sex, however trivial or remote, receives wide publicity. The display of Terri Schiavo's sad picture was not only needlessly repetitious but also became a thoughtless invasion of her privacy."

The rest of the story here.

Wal-Mart Truly Does Suck

For those of you who value reproductive freedom and civil rights, you'll want read this posting from MyDD.com. It's enough to curl your hair. Apparently, Wal-Mart allows pharmacists to refuse to dispense birth control pills if they have a personal objection. Read the email exchange between a blogger and Wal-Mart here. Disgusting, truly disgusting.

12 Days Till Vacation

One Final Pope Funeral Thought...

Although I didn't watch much of the Pope's funeral ceremonies, I did happen to see a list of the dignitaries who attended today's Mass. After seeing representatives from Arab nations sitting nearly side-by-side with Jewish leaders, and Iranian ayattolahs mere feet away from European prime ministers...and even the Chimp sitting next to French President Chirac...I came away thinking why don't they just lock all these leaders in the Sistine Chapel for their own sort of "world peace" conclave - and not let them out till they accomplish something worthwhile? Just a thought...

Avoiding the Teenagers

Talk about Desperate Housewives! This woman will do anything to avoid raisiing her teenage daughters. Here ya go...

Warden's wife, girls reunite

The Associated Press

FORT SUPPLY, Okla. — The prison warden's wife who vanished with a convicted killer a decade ago returned to Oklahoma with her husband and was reunited Thursday with her daughters.

Randy Parker, now warden at the William S. Key Correctional Center at Fort Supply, and his wife, Bobbi Parker, returned home about 1 a.m., Department of Corrections spokesman Jerry Massie said. The Parkers' two daughters, who were 8 and 10 when Bobbi Parker disappeared in 1994, were at the warden's residence, Massie said.

Bobbi Parker disappeared with Randolph Dial from the Oklahoma State Reformatory, where her husband was an assistant warden.

Dial, 60, was arrested Monday in Texas, and authorities found Bobbi Parker, 42, shortly afterward.

Investigators think Dial kept Parker from escaping by threatening her family.

Bobbi Parker and her husband had a joyous reunion, a witness said.

Dial told reporters he abducted Parker at knifepoint in 1994 and brainwashed her into staying with him. He said their relationship was not romantic.

Martha Rash, who with her husband owns a chicken farm where Parker and Dial lived and worked, said Parker had plenty of chances to escape. But she said she thought Dial had convinced Parker that if she ran, he would have used his alleged Mafia ties to have members of her family killed.

An FBI spokesman said there were no plans to charge Parker.

Travels with Bill

Can't get enough of this kind of article...describing his excellent adventures in Rome, in between Pope-sightings. Bill, come back, we need you!


Pressing the flesh in Rome...

An Oedipal Slump?

People are saying Bush is in a slump? Recently, he's had ever-lowering poll numbers, stumbles on Schiavo and Social Security. This article from today's Washington Post is must-reading for Bush bashers...except that it makes me just so damn sad, not even angry. These are the last few paragraphs:

"Real leadership takes courage. The night Bush's father was inaugurated in 1989, he wrote in his diary that he planned to call the Democratic speaker of the House the next day and begin the painful work of cutting the budget deficit. By working responsibly with Congress, the elder Bush helped create the conditions for the economic boom of the 1990s. But he lost the 1992 election. That specter is now gone for the younger Bush; he won the prize that eluded his father. But what does he want to do with it?

I asked one of Bush's political advisers recently why the president hadn't worked more closely with congressional leaders to deal with America's serious financial problems. He answered that this president has no interest in dickering with committee chairmen over the details of legislation. Bush is a man of large ambition who wants big, bold victories -- who wants to hit home runs rather than singles and doubles.

To me that's the heart of Bush's problem. He's swinging for the fences, on everything from Iraq to Social Security. But leadership isn't just about soaring rhetoric; it's about responsible stewardship. And in the end, it's about solving problems. Perhaps that's the real reason the president has lost momentum since that remarkable Inauguration Day speech. The country elected him to be a leader, not a barnstormer."

Crimes and Misdemeanors?

This story may be a little "inside baseball" as they say, but it's making the rounds of the blogosphere. During the Terri Schiavo firestorm, a memo was circulating noting the potential political advantages to the Republicans for getting involved...legislatively speaking. Because the talking points were not on letterhead or signed (ahem), some Republicans speculated that the memo could have been written by Democrats. In fact, a big deal was made by GOP blogers and the usual suspects, like Fox News, that this was all a trap, and another case of 'liberal media bias' and equating the memo with the Dan Rather problem during the election.

Got that?

Now the other shoe has fallen...a staffer at Republican Florida Senator Mel Martinez's office has been fired. So, has anyone apologized for the mischaracterization? Was Senator Martine more involved than he let on? Read all about it here.

"Martinez said in his statement that he had "conducted a full internal investigation on how this memo came into my possession" and that it was "not a document that would have been approved in this office for circulation under any circumstances."

Remember, Martinez was hand-picked by the White House to run for the Senate. For these people, politics is everything.

Prize-worthy 'toons

Here's the portfolio of Nick Anderson, the latest Pulitizer Prize-winning political cartoonist. Enjoy!

I'm Coming Off the Ledge

Sox win...and beat up on Mariano Rivera. Ha.

Give 'em Hell, Helen!

Here's another American treasure: Helen Thomas, who took on Ari Fleischer and lives to tell the tale.

People Tiring of the "Moral" Agenda...Ya Think?

In USA Today today:

"WASHINGTON -- The controversy over Terri Schiavo has raised concerns among many Americans about the moral agenda of the Republican Party and the political power of conservative Christians, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds.

In the survey, most Americans disapprove of the efforts by President Bush and Congress to draw federal courts into the dispute over treatment of the brain-damaged Florida woman. She died last week.

Some old stereotypes about the two parties have been reversed:

By 55%-40%, respondents say Republicans, traditionally the party of limited government, are "trying to use the federal government to interfere with the private lives of most Americans" on moral values.

By 53%-40%, they say Democrats, who sharply expanded government since the Depression, aren't trying to interfere on moral issues."

16 Days Till Vacation

Man the Lifeboats

The Red Sox are 0-2 in the young baseball season. Yikes. Can we get Nomar back?

One of My Favorite Things...

When I bought a new car last year, it came equipped with satellite radio. At the time, I thought it was an unnecessary luxury that I could certainly do without...but it has grown on me so much that I bought another radio for my husband for Christmas. He's now hooked, too. Apparently, a lot of other people are happy with this new alternative for listening to music and interesting conversation. At this point, I can't imagine going back to 'regular' corporate radio. We've learned a lot about obscure blues players, reminded ourselves what we really like about jazz and bluegrass, and (I) have been able to get to really know the Air America shows. Now I hear Jerry Springer has joined the mix...interesting.

If you're looking for an alternative music source, give it a try.

Throwing Us Another Curveball

Can you believe this shit? And Clinton got impeached for Sex? Come on.

"An alcoholic cousin of an aide to Ahmed Chalabi has emerged as the key source in the US rationale for going to war in Iraq.

According to a US presidential commission looking into pre-war intelligence failures, the basis for pivotal intelligence on Iraq's alleged biological weapons programmes and fleet of mobile labs was a spy described as 'crazy' by his intelligence handlers and a 'congenital liar' by his friends.

The defector, given the code-name Curveball by the CIA, has emerged as the central figure in the corruption of US intelligence estimates on Iraq. Despite considerable doubts over Curveball's credibility, his claims were included in the administration's case for war without caveat."

Bring It On!

Bill Simmons' take on tonight, ending with:

"When it comes right down to it, this blood feud with the Yankees is unlike anything else in professional sports right now. They're the Ali to our Frazier, the Iron Sheik to our Sergeant Slaughter. We need them, they need us. We hate them, they hate us. The rivalry is developing into a self-perpetuating organism – a zero sum game for sports, a de facto Cold War – something that neither team can ever truly win. Both teams jockey for the upper hand all season, the battle resolves itself in October, and then everything starts again in April. That's just the way it is. Until last year, the Yankees always prevailed. Now we have an official rivalry on our hands. Is it better than winning a championship, or pulling off the greatest comeback in sports history? Of course not. But it's still pretty good."

And now, a sports columnist from NY thinks the whiny bunch from the Bronx might not win it all, in spite of the payroll. Read this and enjoy.

Women in Blogging

Recent commentary in the blogosphere has pointed out a supposed imbalance between the number of men vs. women bloggers. Perhaps to counter some of this, the folks at one of the lefty blogs MyDD)yesterday pointed to an interesting site: Blogs by Women. On a whim, since they were accepting listings, I sent a brief email about Left Curve and the nice folks over there added a mention of our little blog. Nice!

If you're looking for some new and wide-ranging topics about, for and by women: check out their directory here. Watch out, I stumbled on some wacky righty's too.

He's Baaaaaack

Former President Bill Clinton speaks after receiving the 2005 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Award for Humanitarian Contributions for his leadership in fighting HIV/AIDS during the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases' Annual Awards Gala at the Ritz-Carlton in Arlington, Va., on Friday, March 31, 2005. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

More here, saying the Prez looks betterthan before his surgery. Good news, certainly.

Swept Under the Carpet...?

In the midst of all the recent media madness, and now, the potential death of the Pope, a new report has come out regarding the abysmal intelligence on WMD in Iraq.

From today's Washington Post:

"As former secretary of state Colin L. Powell worked into the night in a New York hotel room, on the eve of his February 2003 presentation to the U.N. Security Council, CIA officers sent urgent e-mails and cables describing grave doubts about a key charge he was going to make.

On the telephone that night, a senior intelligence officer warned then-CIA Director George J. Tenet that he lacked confidence in the principal source of the assertion that Saddam Hussein's scientists were developing deadly agents in mobile laboratories.

Mr. Tenet replied with words to the effect of 'yeah, yeah' and that he was 'exhausted,' " according to testimony quoted yesterday in the report of President Bush's commission on the intelligence failures leading up to his decision to invade Iraq in March 2003.

Tenet told the commission he did not recall that part of the conversation. He relayed no such concerns to Powell, who made the germ-warfare charge a centerpiece of his presentation the next day."

We cannot forget the lies.

Stop the Nuclear Option

John Kerry needs us again...ok, stop laughing. Really, you can sign up to be a supporter of a new ad to be run in USA Today next Tuesday that recommends that the US Senate be allowed to filibuster judicial appointments and prevent radicals from being nominated by the Chimp.

Add your name to the roll, or -- of course -- contribute monetarily if you are so inclined.

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. :-)