Shockheaded George
Last night I went to see Shockheaded Peter which is playing off-broadway here. The play essentially is the dramatization of grim tales about naughty children...each song ending with how Flying Robert or Fidgety Phil or Harriet With The Matches "is dead" because they misbehaved.
I would like to know what kind of song they would have for Goatheaded George.
(picture sung in falsetto with an accordian, string bass and light drums)
Goatheaded George was a stubborn boy
He didn't like to share his toys
He bullied other children cause he thought he was right
To admit a mistake was cause for fright
Everything had to go his way
And if they did not, he would just say
"I'm Goatheaded George, and let it be said
if you don't agree with me, I'll have your head!"
The other children grew bored and tired
with Goatheaded George and he raised their ire
until one day he shouted too loud
and the children around him gathered a crowd
they pelted him with rocks and bashed in his head
and now Goatheaded George....
well you can guess the rest.
Yeah that's kinda how I felt after reading stuff about the press conference this morning.
In the meantime...don't let George see this
article about how a Japanese business man settled where to auction his art collection...
And he probably didn't want to see this article on
Laura about her interview on Jay Leno after a visit to Afghanistan: "Burquas? I didn't see any burquas anywhere..."
And KEEP E-MAILING!!!! E-mail, call, write, fax your friends and family, the press and your Congressfolk and let them know that you are PAYING ATTENTION!!! And as always pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
coming back...must blog...
Screw the ringing phones! Blast the office distraction! It's time to BLOG!
And what better reason to get back to it than the
House voting 406 to 20 to overturn the "ethics rules" GOPers enacted last year so that an actual and full
investigation into
Tom DeLay's business dealings. Of course
DeLay says he can't wait to get to work and clear his name (translation: "I've been having my interns scrub the web and shred documents for WEEKS! you'll find NOTHING! NOTHING I TELL YOU!").
And speaking of DeLay, if you're tired about hearing about him-let alone
from him- and have been wanting to give him the dope slap he so desperately deserves, you can head over to
HammerTheHammer.com and smack him over the head with a gavel (I unfortunately cannnot download the flashplayer needed to play this game here at work, but it does look very fun...and satisfying.) I love that this site was referenced at, of all papers, the Capitol webletter
The Hill.
IN THE MEANTIME...A part of me actually considered running late to an outing tonight just so I could see what Bush will do at the
press conference he has planned for this evening (I do not have TiVo). He hasn't had one of these in about a year (and has had all of FOUR since 2001), thus is SO desperate to get his social security plan through and John Bolton accepted that he's willing to stand before *gasp* the PRESS. Aparently he will push Social Security and his energy plan (the House has passed this monstrosity, so you might want to send a
note to your Senators about this...) which includes building oil refineries on closed military bases as well as natural gas drilling in CT and Long Island sound (which is being fought by CT and Long Island Sound) among other places. Um...didn't he say something about trying to
lessen our dependence on
fossil fuels?...oh wait this is George, here...Tell me how it goes, folks...
In
Iraq today apparently, after three months, they have a government...sort of...maybe...
And I'm sure it had nothing to do with
Rice and Cheney making phone calls goin' "Could you hurry it up over there?!?!"
In the "things george doesn't wanna hear...particularly before a primetime press conference..." category,
MSNBC has this article about how the economy is indeed having a "soft patch" growing at it's slowest pace in two years...that and United For Peace and Justice is planning a
BIG Rally here in NYC this Sunday (which I can't make as I will be hosting folks and riding myself in BIKE NY-the five borough Bike Tour...but if you find yourself in town and wanna make some noise...)
And speaking of making noise, you might wanna get in touch with your
Congressfolk about this bill limiting
abortion access and tightening the rules...again...
AND as you e-mail them
KEEP E-MAILING!!! E-mail, call, write, fax your friends and family, your Congressfolk and the Press and let them know that you are PAYING ATTENTION! And as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on :)
Peace --Alex
who knew...?
DAMMIT these people making me do my JOB...don't they realize that I have a BLOG to write? And a signifigant marker to recount? A year ago today, I was in Washington DC with what became deemed "The People's Limo Posse", marching in The March For Women's Lives. I am honored to have met those people and to have marched with them and still be in touch with 'em...
Yet it is a shame that despite the over 1 million women, men and children that got out there to speak out, the issue is still as tenuous as ever due to the conservative right basically make their attempts to take over the country.
I'm sure some of you must have seen the video footage from "Justice Sunday" yesterday; the Christian Right's attack on the Senators who dare want to use their right to filibuster Bush's nominees. Bill Frist was a key part of this and...well it is nothing short of frightening. Yet, a part of me still has to ask "Why is Congress so afraid of this Christian Right? Why must these people be allowed to have this hold over America let alone our politicians?" I think it might be a good idea to send a
note to your Congressfolk and let them know that you don't get this and that they should suck it up and continue to fight these people before we suddenly have a theocracy on our hands (cause it's bad in a Muslim nation, but okay here...GAH!)
Okay, more when I can actually GET to the paper...
Peace --Alex
Pope Week Part Deux
Yes they've found a new Pope. Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, formerly Pope John Paul II's right hand man and "enforcer" of his edicts (one London paper called him "God's Rotweiler"), and leader of the something of The Holy Inquistion (oh those rascally days of the Inquisition) is now Pope
Benedict the XVI.
As Pope's generally choose they're name after a saint they admire and who represents their thinking, I thought it would be good to google
St. Benedict. Personally it made me a little leery, as Benedict, while his monks make a fine little liquer, apparently was rather strict and he is the guy who wrote
The Rule, which essentially is the manual for monastic life.
Benedict XVI has declared that he is against homosexuality, relativism (the theory that all faiths are equally divine), feminism (yeah that most definitely includes no women as priests), and priests getting married (hence going with the name of the guy who wrote the book on how to live the monastic life).
At least a few reporters have also mentioned that he may also be temporary as 1) "they keep mentioning his age"; he is 78 and 2) that his health is unstable so essentially, the College of Cardinals could really be trying to make another decision while they wait for this guy to die.
IN THE MEANTIME...in what some called an "emotional" meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the vote for John Bolton got delayed AGAIN. Richard Lugar was apparently ready to go, when, after new arguments and info delivered primarily by Democrat Joe Biden, Ohio Republican
George Voinovich suddenly spoke up and said, hey, I want more info on this guy...I think it might be good to send a
note to Sen. Voinovich (OH) as well as Lincoln Chafee (RI) and Chuck Hagel who decided to back him up and say thank you :)
And ya gotta love an article which starts with "Karl Rove was out of his element..." Yep,
Karl Rove (evil genius) found himself at a
liberal college yesterday speaking at a lecture series. But of course, what did he talk about? The (screaming backward liberal) media. I should mention that the event turned out much like a Bush "town meeting" as "students were warned in advance...to be polite" *or else! if you think your student loan interest is bad now...bwa ha ha!*
And speaking of people who may not be thinking before they speak,
Tom DeLay apparently decided to hit the conservative airwaves yesterday and was quoted as saying "We have the opportunity to set up courts; we can also dismantle and reorganize them." Is that a threat or a promise there, Mr. DeLay? I'm wondering how many moderate republicans were going "ah hell..Tom," when they heard that.
And speaking of people who may have suddenly heard from they're more moderate counterparts, let alone their constituents, Bill Frist is backing off a little on his
filibuster ban...a little...but of course, not enough...
In the "things George doesn't want to hear" category,
Utah yesterday voted to pretty much knock down various provisions of No Child Left Behind (and of course this news reminded the White House that Texas and Connecticut are suing the government over No Child Left Behind as well...and perhaps other states will join this as well, hmmmmm?) The Red States are fighting back!
And speaking of George and some things he may not want to hear,
Katrina vanden Heuvel(say that three times fast) of The Nation, after seeing an article on George's iPod (this is how low they are going to distract folks from looking at his administration - "but he has a cool iPod!"), she decided to make a list of songs that
should be on his iPod...and has been taking requests from readers...
So while you are going through your own iPod list (or if you're like me and too poor to have an iPod, your CDs) remember to KEEP E-MAILING!!! E-mail, call, write, fax your friends and family and let them know that YOU are PAYING ATTENTION!!! And as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
And you might also wanna check out the latest from these groups as, if you're wondering "Well what the hell can I DO, besides rant?"
www.truemajority.org
www.moveon.org
www.codepink.org
www.plannedparenthood.com
Peace --Alex
Where's that 1099?
I'm sure
John Bolton would love to merely be distracted with taxes rather than seeing and hearing MORE about people he tried to fire. The latest is the tale of Rexon Ruy, a Republican up and comer who was working on a middle east portfolio for Colin Powell whom Bolton accused of concealing information from him and insubordination and essentially tried to get him fired. Thing is, Ruy was just doing his job as Powell was wary of letting out too much too soon, therefore, Bolton got cranky that he wasn't in on it. Ruy has "no comment" at this time...come on Ruy...you know wanna comment...you know you do. At least Joe Biden would like him to comment I am sure as he goes hunting for more info to convince Lincoln Chafee that by the way, this guy really would suck as UN ambassador. Even Richard Lugar has "expressed concern earlier this week about Bolton's demeanor, but said the paramount issue is the White House's confidence in the nominee..." All I could think of there was "have you SEEN the freaks he's been nominating to the cabinet? Have you really been there Mr. Lugar?
Condi Rice just says that Bolton is a "good manager" and is not a bully, but merely "brings out the best in people" *whip crack!*
In the "DEMOCRATS ARE SATAN'S HELPERS!!" category...if this not the most apalling example of how much power the Christian right has been allowed to have:
Bill Frist, in his fight to ban the filibuster during the confirmation hearings of judges is joining an event called "Justice Sunday" which will be held April 24th at a "Kentucky megachurch". They are trying to stop the "filibuster against people of faith"...You'll notice that in the flyer for the event-which pictures a boy with a gavel in one hand and a Bible in the other and reads "he should not have to choose"-it says "public service?" or "faith in Christ"...1)guess those other faiths don't count...and 2)um...aren't we supposed to have a separation of church and state? call me crazy... You wanna see some "people of faith" with some sense go on over and visit www.faithfulamerica.org. *Personally I'd like to see the one pagan Congressperson who has GOT to be in that bunch somewhere, speak up: "Uh, Bill..."*
And then there's the idea
ALONE that the man is trying to ban the filibuster...luckily there are some wary Republicans that are trying to say "Um I don't know that crazy man from Tennessee"...
Speaking of folks you might want to disassociate with, the President may want to keep that Texas talk on the down low as Texas oil man
David Bay Chalmbers was indicted yesterday with a Korean lobbyist for "making millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks to the Iraqi government..." as part of the UN oil for food program. Guess
that guy didn't have much of an issue with Saddam...
And in the "proof George isn't always paying attention" category...he apparently was
"surprised" by the latest bill asking that US citizens should have their passports at the ready when they go in and out of Canada and Mexico. He
signed this bill. He was at a speaking engagement saying "When I first read that in the paper..." Wait, he read the PAPER?!?!?
AND last but not least as you finish filing your taxes, hopefully you won't have to file for
bankruptcy too...
All right, enough of that...who's up for post tax madness cocktails? I myself have to be a good girl tonight as tomorrow as I have a reading and have to sing all day...and well, I was BAD last week when I was doing concerts and such and had to sing all
week. The peak of my entertainment will include a burger and a Guiness at my local (a local that apparently Bill Murray strolled into last night...and as there are native New Yorkers that don't realize that Manhattan goes as far north as where I live, this is a true feat on Mr. Murray's part...)
SO while I'm sharing a burger with Bill, KEEP E-MAILING!!! Take a deep breath that your taxes are done, but remember who those taxes are going TO and E-MAIL, CALL, FAX, WRITE those people and let them know that you are PAYING ATTENTION!! And as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
LINCOLN CHAFEE
You know who he is? He is a Senator from Rhode Island. And he is the guy who said he'd block John Bolton's nomination in the Senate. If you would like to keep Bolton from taking the wrecking ball to the UN, send Senator Chafee a note and let him know that you support his stance.
chafee.senate.gov/webform.htm
Peace --Alex
"More BBQ, Ariel?"
It still just kills me to see photos on the cover of the major newspapers of Bush entertaining
Ariel Sharon at his ranch in Texas. Apparently, things are going well (wonder if they're trading iPod files) and Sharon, while working for peace in his own special way (pulling out of Gaza but allowing the continuation of settlement building where they are supposed to be halted) and Sharon obviously has gotten comfortable enough to have asked the President, "Hey, could you put a little more pressure on Iran" *translation: could you do to Iran what you did to Iraq?...and come on this time we KNOW they have WMD..."*
IN THE MEANTIME...While George and Ariel have been clearing brush in the back yard,
John Bolton has been getting hammered by the Confirmation Committee, in particular by a former intelligence official that worked under him named Carl Ford. Ford claims that Bolton was "abusive" and was a "kiss-up-kick-down" kinda guy who didn't like dissenters in his ranks. Sound familiar??? I'm thinking John never thought about the fact that people would ever be called to
testify about him...
Speaking of things people haven't thought about...Yet another study has proven that
No Child Left Behind is not working. Academic growth as occured, but not as much as it did BEFORE No Child Left Behind. Yes, kids are getting slower...okay that's pushing it, but the academic growth sure is...is it just me or is George just trying to make sure we're all as slow as he is?
And speaking of slow people...
Tom DeLay...he is determined to win his way back into the hearts and minds of his fellow
Republicans. He says he is trying to put this "little bump in the road" behind him...(is it just me or does it feel like he's going around saying "It's nothing that can't be cleared up and that girl told me she was 18 officer...")
And did you know that Tom has on his web site, of all things, a link to the
Constitution? isn't that just the irony of all ironies? Kinda like the White House site having a link to it...
And speaking of Tom, will someone send some love to
Christopher Shays as he is the only Republican on record who wants to see Tom DeLay resign. Perhaps it's time to send a
note to your Republican Congress people and let them know that really, it's okay if you find DeLay an embarrassment and you want someone to just kidnap him and lose him in the Potomac. It's okay to have these feelings as you watch him drive your party into the ground...really...
And speaking of embarrassments...the House voted to
repeal the Estate tax (only the top 1% to 2% gets hit with this tax...guess who they voted for) yesterday AND I believe passed the hideous bankruptcy bill as well. I would like to assume that in a matter of months now as we continue to witness the GOPers absolutely becoming drunk with power and running rampant with it like frat boys on Spring Break, a hole will open up in the floor of the Capital and suck down all the self-righteous greedmongers that have allowed this all to happen. It's gonna be one hell of a hangover and we're unfortunately going to be left cleaning up the mess. Send a note to your Congressfolk and let them know how you feel about this. Perhaps write 'em a letter like this article from
Heleny Cook. Or perhaps check out the
MoveOn.org PAC and help them with the radio ads they are putting out against "The Republican War On The Middle Class".
I'd write more but my day is nearly done here and i gotta go HOME. This girl needs some sleep after 3 concerts (The NY Choral Society has kept me real busy as we backed up Andrea Bocelli and the Opera Orchestra of New York), rehearsals for a reading I am doing Saturday night as part of the Gallatin School Arts Festival (8p at Theatre For The New City, a sample of "FORTY" the musical), and FINALLY doing the budget page of a grant application I had been procrastinating on...but it's all in the mail!!! it's DONE...and hopefully will bring forth MONEY!
SO...as you finish your taxes and get ready to celebrate getting them done and out of the way, KEEP E-MAILING!!!! E-mail,c all, fax, write your friends and family, the press and your Congressfolk and let them know that you are paying attention and will not let this nation be crushed in the clenched fist of extremists in-and out-of the Capitol. Take Back The Power and as always, pass it on, pass it on pass it on! *wow...you'd think I had a picture of Che on my chest...*
Peace --Alex
Pope week is over...
And today, we can focus on something else...like Opening Day at Fenway!!
Yes today is opening day at Fenway and it is
RING DAY. For the first time in 86 years, the long suffering Red Sox will recieve World Championship rings and a banner will be lofted and placed on the right field wall. I am in all my gear and beaming :)
But of course, there is actually other news in the world other than the Red Sox, such as:
John Bolton-and his milk moustache-is facing
confirmation hearings today, getting grilled about his record and comments about the group he is about to become US Ambassador to. *"So, Mr. Bolton, what exactly did you mean when you said that you felt the UN was useless?"*
And while it appears the majority of people think John Bolton is the last guy who should have this job, there, of course have to be a few freaks who are for him. The conservative group Move America Forward (is it just me or does it sound like they are trying to rip off MoveOn.org's name?) apparently is putting out an ad promoting John Bolton's
nomination. This group may not be the kind of people you want backing ya up though as they're website says:
"Join us as we help move America forward by kicking the UN out of the US"...
But
John Kerry apparently has an ad of his own ready to go as he says: "I will vigorously oppose the nomination of John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations." you might want to make sure he and others do that by sending them a little
note.
I think the only guy less popular for a job right is the President. Apparently, the
President has the lowest approval rating on record for a 2nd term guy. His approval rating is, at present, 45%. Even Nixon was at 57%...
And speaking of unpopular things...I think I mentioned in a previous entry that Great Britain tried
privatizing Social Security 15 years ago and it didn't work there...in fact, people are being told now to go back to the state plan...*"Um, George...?"*
And even MORE unpopular things...you know,
Rick Santorum generally makes me just want to walk up to him and say "Do you know what you are allowing to fall out of your mouth?" but you gotta give it up to him for announcing on the Sunday news shows that Tom DeLay essentially has to fess up or get out. Christopher Shays, though put it a bit more strongly calling DeLay "an embarrassment to me and the Republican Party"...*if ever there was a time for Dick Cheney to tell somebody to "F*** off!" Dick, Tom's an a**hole, you know you wanna say it, come on I know you do...*
And speaking of people saying things you don't expect them to say...
John Kerry was at League of Women Voters event in Boston yesterday and apparently mentioned that indeed voters were disenfranchised and duped during the last election...my first thought was "NOW! NOW! he'll talk about it!" Now hopefully he'll DO something about it for 2008.
Okay, it's almost time to turn to mlb.com and the radio to see if SOMEONE in New York will be broadcasting the ring ceremony. YEE HA!
And while you get out your kleenex KEEP E-MAILING!! I know that's not what I've been doing of late, but I'm BACK! So I will continue to e-mail, call, write, fax myf riends and family, the press and my Congressfolk and, as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
"yeah, yeah"...
According to the presidential panel exploring pre-Iraq war intelligence, George Tenet-the man who would not be fired-told a senior CIA official who had called with doubts about the source of Iraq WMD intel, "
yeah, yeah" and that he was exhausted. This might not have been such a big deal if this wasn't the night before Colin Powell was going to go before the world and say that WMD had been found in Iraq. And this man still has a job,
somewhere...
The panel ALSO has remarked that we know "
disturbingly little" about Iran, Iraq, North Korea and other essential enemies of the state. *paging Mr. Goss, Porter Goss?* AND they even are saying to george, that he might want to watch his back and "intervene" as these "
headstrong agencies" appear to want to just keep the status quo and not evolve into the intelligence agencies they need to be now that so many people hate us. I got a question for the panel: You think George is going HELP here?
Yet with all this "scathing" material that could not be released before the election for now (and past) blantantly obvious reasons, there's still information missing, like about how the administration handled all this mishandling...but the panel claims they were "
not authorized" to go in that direction...well, there's a surprise.
IN THE MEANTIME...
Continuing proof that Bush is trying to take over the world (or at least be King of America)...Bush has nominated Cheney's
son-in-law to be general cousel of the Department of Homeland Security. *who's waiting to see that tiny page 40-something buisness headline "Haliburton businesses in Iraq now listed as Non-Profit Organizations"*
AND Wolfowitz got an
UNANIMOUS vote by the World Bank board, making him head of the World Bank. One of my first thoughts was "it really is Vietnam all over again". Then there was "well he did get around, apparently visiting each board member, as well as calling and meeting with activist organizations...and he did call Bono..." Then last was "how many whores and bottles of 25 year old whiskey were plied for this deal?"
We can at least potentially rest for a year, though, as even Dennis Hastert (Fat Bastard) has declared that it is "
doubtful" about passing Bush's Social Security bill. So maybe, Dennis and friends will look at
Medicare for once, particularly as premiums are to rise by $11 for '06.
On a sad news note,
Ted Koppel is leaving ABC news when his contract is up in December. Nightline has given us some great reports that otherwise would have gone unnoticed over the years and it will be sad not to see that show anymore. But he luckily is not retiring completely. He apparetly was offered to take over "This Week" at one point, but had this to say about the gig: "That seems to be the general understanding in Washington these days...the administration sets the tone and theme and presents the same guests to all the programs at the same time. I don't think anyone is served by that." Rock on, Ted.
Okay, after all this,the Pope watch, the Shiavo family fued, and prince Ranier slowly on his way out as well, we might need a chuckle. And this one pretty much comes from the headline alone:
"
Ms. Wheelchair Stripped of Title For Standing Up"
And will someone please tell me that this weather is an April Fools Joke and the sun will reappear before the deluge tomorrow? :p
So while we on the upper east coast make our way through the fog, remember KEEP E-MAILING!!! E-mail, call, write, fax your friends and family, the press and your congressfolk and let them know that you are PAYING ATTENTION!!! and as always, pass it on, pass it on, pass it on!
Peace --Alex
