Single What? Female...

Bolton...no relation to Michael..

So John Bolton has been nominated to be UN Ambassador. He's a weapons expert and diplomat who's main claim to fame is saying that "If the U.N. secretary building in New York lost 10 stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference." He's not a fan, but he's our man over there. And he looks like he has a big milk moustache.

IN THE MEANTIME...

The non-partisan General Accounting Office has been real busy of late, and frankly I'm wondering when Bush-or at least his people-will be shutting that place down as they have been conducting various studies and none of the results have turned out in favor of George's plans, for instance:

While the EPA is looking to make "stiffer" regulations on lead in water, it turns out that the EPA distorted mercury findings "making it apear that the Bush Administration's market-based apparoach was superior to a competing scheme supported by environmentalists". *this is the same group that said that the air was FINE at Ground Zero...and it's not*

AND the GAO also found out that due to flaws in gun laws (how many loopholes must there BE?), it has been found that terrorists who are listed on watch lists here, have been buying guns..without a problem. Please tell me someone hand-delivered a copy of this report to Wayne LaPierre.

And to continue in the ass-backwards category, our new Attorney General Gonzalez is out defending the practice of "extraordinary rendition" which is, if a detainee is not cooperating, the CIA or whoever is holding said detainee, can ship the detainee to another country for "harsher interrogation, trial or imprisonment". It sounds a bit like outsourcing torture, and according to Gonzales, the threat of it has been a "powerful tool" during interrogations...but how many detainees really warrant such a threat?

And last but not least, the last of this category I would like to call "things you ought to mention to your Congresspeople...", there are some Dems who are a feeling a little squeamish about holding their ground on Social Security. James Carville asks "Why haven't the conservative Republicans crashed and burned yet?". Apparently the main problem is that problem the Democrats have in general against George: George looks like he stands for something while the Dems look "weak" on message. Personally, I find standing up for Social Security hardly as weak and it must be done. But yes the argument must be, as George Lakoff would say, reframed for the people who still think this is a good idea...*but the approval numbers have been dwindling, so they must be doing something right...it just needs to be kept up...so KEEP E-MAILING them and let them now you're paying attention!!!*

The blog will be more irregular fpr the time being as it is that time of year for actors in New York City-"AUDITION MADNESS!" Yep, for the first four months of the year, we lose track of time and space while trying to keep working or heck just get work. And we are as bad as postal workers as come, sleet, rain, snow or hurricane, you're bound to see a line outside one of the main audition buildings starting around 6:30a (if not earlier) somewhere around the city at this time. Personally, I haven't been to that many thus far, but I have been busy for what feels like the first time in years and am hoping to stay that way. To sum up-as this blog is officially titled "Shameless Publicity"- I have, since January:

*Directed a one-act play that got to the semi-finals of a festival
*Performed with the New York Choral Society at Avery Fisher Hall as the back-up chorus for the Richard Tucker Gala
*was part of a reading for the continually evolving musical "So Big"
*Performed at Collective Unconscious as part of an event called Media Mix (truly an eclectic evening, man)
*Performed with the Westfair Chamber Singers in Greenwich, CT as part of their Spring concert/benefit. (did my first public aria performance ha!)
*and have raised $700 dollars towards my goal (as well as received info on places and people to visit on the road, some rental car help and also potentially some supply help) for my one-person show project. WOO HOO! (THANK YOU to those who have donated!...and the grant hunt and application process continues... as well as the begging...)
Here's to more work, my friends!

And can I just mention that it was 62 degrees and springlike yesterday and it is now SNOWING?!?! nothin' like an east coast winter...

Peace --Alex

posted by funkweee @ 9:27 AM