Another acting legend dies. Katherine Hepburn had one of those characters you think will somehow always be there. And there's a real sadness when you realize she won't be.

I always love taking a stroll through the blogosphere. You just never know where you're going to end up. Tonight, I found a few blogs to add to my regular reading list. By the way, I find it hard to believe that anyone visits a 100 blogs in a day. Who has that time - unless of course someone's paying you to read blogs. That I can see. But I digress.

My favorite headline of the week.

And here's to my hope that there's an immediate cure for "outrage fatigue." No matter what its cause and no matter where it surfaces.

Update: Sun Jun 29 10:56 PM - I just changed the second link in this post to its trackback link. I'm still trying to figure out the whole trackback thing. And don't get me started on RSS.

I find it ironic that Strom Thurmond dies on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a Texas sodomy law as unconstitutuional. Don't get me wrong. I don't associate Thurmond and sodomy in any way. But I do have the feeling that the court's decision may just have been too big a shock for him. It was quite a shock to me, anyway.

Oh and what wouldn't an elected official do to ensure that the NYT's obit, or any obit for that matter, doesn't label them a "Foe of Integration." Now there's an epitath. I couldn't finish the article all the way through before posting after I read this little tidbit:

"Until his last years, Mr. Thurmond was a man of uncommon energy and legendary fitness. He neither smoked nor drank, did more pushups and sit-ups than many men decades younger and fathered children into his mid-70's. He was also known for fondling women in Senate elevators, including a woman who turned out to be a fellow senator, much to his surprise."

So I would suggest we amend the obit headline to read: Foe of Integration AND Fondler of Women. And Frist calls him "unmatched in public service." Obviously.

And one last note on the sodomy ruling: boy oh boy are Scalia and Thomas' Opus Die pals PISSED! And on the founder's Feast Day no less!

The New York Times quote of the day: "Do you think anybody in Washington has any idea what people on a limited income have to do to live?" ED HUMAN, 68, on legislation in Congress to add prescription drug benefits (registration required) to Medicare.

Two things. I think we should replace use of Joe Schmoe and John Q. Public with Ed Human. I love that name. And second, didn't I say something similar about the child tax credit debacle?

Alright three things. It would have been better if Mr. Human had said "anybody in Congress" because the majority of District residents do live on a limited income. Which makes the disparity even more outrageous.

Leon Uris died today. I read most of his novels - Exodus, Mila 18, QBVII and Trinity. I found it comforting that his novels about the Jewish experience were joined by a novel about Ireland. Maybe because my dad's Jewish and my mom's an Irish Catholic. So both have been important to me - and obviously were to Uris.

Interesting perspective - and quotes - in the Toronto Star obituary about him. There's a quote about his fear of failure. And then I read he died of renal failure. Maybe there is something to all this destiny business.

I keep trying to think how a person is capable of this: Death by Windshield. It reminds me of Edna Buchanan and the kind of thing she'd make up. But you can't make this shit up. I know I'm repeating myself. But it's true.

Where has the time gone? Before I know it, it's Sunday already.

Just wanted to wish the Williamsburg Bridge "Happy Birthday." The "underdog" bridge turned 100 today. Now I know New Yorkers love an underdog, but I think an underdog bridge it going a little too far. Maybe a Rodney Dangerfield bridge? That I can see.

I've mentioned this a couple of times before but Ralph Nader is the inspiration behind Outrage.com. I was coming home from work - taking the train with a coworker sometime in early 2001. I was still outraged over the fact that Ralph Nader had decided to be the spoiler for the November election. And I talked out a plan for a website devoted to giving people a chance to air whatever it is they were outraged about. I obviously was unaware of blogs at the time. Better late than never.

I had listened to Nader, agreed with a lot of what he had to say -- but when he chose to hang on even after failing to muster the required five percent, I heard a different message. And regardless of what the revisionist historians say, Nader's name on the ballot put George Bush in the White House. And for that, Ralph deserves to be the outcast he's become. I loved his whine about no one invites me to testify any more.

Ralph - a few words of advice concerning Campaign 2004: don't do it.

Didn't I tell you I could start a new blog on this tax check topic? The IRS issues an alert today to warn consumers not to be duped by scam artists claiming they can deliver checks faster.

Speaking of scams, police arrested 74 people and are searching for 44 more as the investigation continues into the theft from a credit union ATM near the WTC immediately following Sept. 11. My favorite aspect of this story? Authorities gave the cowards a chance to return the loot - without criminal consequences, according to this press release from Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau's office. These boneheads chose to ignore the generous offer and are now facing fines, jail time or both. Not sure if this is another "only in New York, kids" moment but it's close. Not sure if I can stand two in one day.

I can't wait to find out who will replace Christine Todd Whitman as head of EPA. Currently, Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne appears to be the leading contender. Of course it was denied today by the White House which means it's probably a done deal.

I don't know enough about him yet to be outraged but give me a little time. What caught my attention? Linda Fisher, currently Whitman's deputy and a possible candidate for her replacement, used to work for Monsanto. MONSANTO!!! You know, maker of Agent Orange, polluter of small towns in Alabama and elsewhere around the planet. I don't know what outrages me more - that the second in command at EPA came from one of the world's biggest corporate polluters -- or that I'm just discovering it today. My bad.

And it gets better. No, really it does. As she gets ready to exit June 27, environmental groups have questioned Whitman's possible intervention in last year's consent decree against Monsanto for "massive" PCB contanimation near Anniston, AL. Why doesn't Reuters mention that Whitman's deputy used to work for Monsanto? As Mrs. Puff would say, why, SpongeBob, WHY?

In the interest of full disclosure, I worked for a trade newsletter called HazMat News in 1994. In addition to learning more than one ever would want to know about RCRA and becoming familiar with Monsanto's legacy, I followed up on news about companies that poured hazardous waste along the gutter - neglecting to realize neighbor kids played nearby. The material melted kids' tennis shoes. Or the workers who died inhaling shit they shouldn't have been inhaling. Or the hundreds of other instances in this country and around the world where it was easier (and more cost effective) to play fast and loose with stuff that kills people. A lifetime of outrage isn't enough to convey my feelings about this issue. Ten lifetimes wouldn't be enough.

Given the continuing fatalities in Iraq, Slate asks when we'll know the war is over. It's a good question.

And as Yogi Berra would say, it's deja vu all over again.

I have no problem admitting I'm a total geek. I'm looking forward to reading the next Potter installment. But I don't wear my black cape outside the house. So maybe I'm not as comfortable with my geekness as I think I am.

But if this situation (*spoiler alert) doesn't qualify for an "Only in New York, kids," I'm not sure what does.

* My friend James warned me that some plot twists are revealed here. So if you're waiting until Saturday to dive into all 800+ pages, skip this one. I did too so I will neither confirm nor deny using this article since I haven't personally read it. James highly recommended it though.

Just found out William Shatner has a weblog. Forgive me if I'm late to the table again. Although it's way creepy that the June 10 post is written in the third person. Shatner has been known to do that, right? Or am I thinking of someone else?

Not that I'm into all that definition bullshit, but when someone is writing about you it isn't really a weblog, is it? That's gotta be either PR or a potentially deranged fan. Closer to the latter since it turns out the June 10 post was written by a fan. It's more weird than outrageous really.

I can't decide which one is more of an outrage: media behemoths trying to seduce Jessica Lynch for the big interview or a new courthouse on Long Island named after Alfonse D'Amato. It's always great when giants like CBS and New York Time's go at each other. Now that's entertainment.

Okay - it's really an easy one. I was just fooling around.

Hands down it's Senator Pothole's legacy on the court system. And I'm not talking about all the courts he should have sat in as a defendant. I have no proof that D'Amato did anything illegal before or after his time in office. But naming a courthouse after Al D'Amato is almost as bad, say, as naming National Airport after Ronald Reagan. I said almost.

Proof once again that these things happen in threes. David Brinkley(registration required), Gregory Peck, and Hume Cronyn.

Not sure why I find this outrageous but former OK Governor Frank Keating likens a few US Catholic bishops to the Mafia, according to this article yesterday. I think that's a little unfair to the mob, dontchya think? Where's the Italian-American Society when you need them?

And now the the press from LA to the UK reports that Keating resigned under pressure.

Remind me sometime to tell you about my mom's efforts in the Women's Ordination Movement circa 1974 and my parent's involvement in one Northern Virginia parish's fight with the Vatican. It's a great story, I swear to God.

I love Friday the 13th. I'm always reminded of the Peanuts cartoon where Lucy is trying to help Charlie Brown identify his phobias and she lists the fear of the number 13 - triskaidekaphobia - as one possibility. It turns out Charlie Brown has pantophobia - he's afraid of everything. And thirteen is one of my favorite numbers. Just thought I'd share...

what happened to Thursday? It was here like...a minute ago.

I'm thinking of starting a new blog on this issue alone. First, and foremost, our representatives, and I use that term loosely, in the House are at work trying to fix what they fucked up in the first place and provide low-income families with tax rebate checks. But they're not going to let it go at that.

I want to become George Bailey and walk into every one of the 224 offices in the HOBs and give that great speech he gives to Potter. You know the one - "this rabble you're talking about. Well, they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to ask to have them work and pay and live and die in a few decent rooms and a bath? Well, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him. To you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well, in my book, he died a much richer man than you'll ever be." To which Potter says something like "I'm not interested in your book." I always thought it was a great little piece of dialogue but I digress.

How could they not include a provision about notifying parents? It's astounding. Maybe I'll have to start astound.com because this is too putrid to include with my usual minutia-level outrages.

I loved NY Rep. Charles Rangel's quote - "This is one of the most cynical and hypocritical moves I have ever seen" - and after 17 terms, he's probably seen his share.

I think I've figured out why American Idol is so popular. If the rest of the world is like me, I spend an awful lot of time in the car alone. And when a song I like comes on the radio, I turn it up real loud and sing like I'm on stage. It never occurs to me to think about what the others on the road must think of me - which I'm pretty sure falls under the pathetic, ridiculous, really sad arena. Think that's what it's like for American Idol-wannabees? Just without the car, or the traffic?

I attended day one of a Weblogs Business Strategies conference in Boston on Monday. As I arrived, I wondered if I should have stayed for day two but no need to worry. Not surprisingly, bloggers covered it quite well, particularly Debbie's Blog and Heath Row's Media Diet. No surprises there - but it was the spectacle that was a little pretentious. Everyone in attendance wanted everyone else to KNOW that they were blogging. Way too much self-important promotion going on. But hell, it's a conference and that's what people do at a conference, right?

Anyway, got in Sunday night. Left Monday night. With two freelance articles due in addition to my full time contracting gig, I had a few other things to do. Until I can find someone to pay me full time to blog, the real world beckons. Which is my biggest criticism: too many speakers talked about issues from their personal experience and most of it doesn't apply to business. And strategies were decidely absent.

I was struck over and over again at how similar the discussions resembled those I'd heard back in 1997-98 when everyone was trying to figure out what "broadband" was - I was editorial director for a cable modem service's portal - not sure they've figured that one out yet either. The first day's panels inevitably returned to the same question: what is a weblog?

And of course the white, male, midddle-aged veterans of blogging - Dave Winer, Dr. Weinberger (who gave the best presentation) and Doc Searls to name drop a few - all had their points of view. But ultimately, to me, at least, the beautiful thing about blogging is that every single person in that room had their own correct answer to the question. And that's as it should be. There is something fundamentally wrong about trying to define "a blog" because each will be, and should be, as unique as the individual or group behind it. And trying to "control" what a blog is or "define" who's a natural born blogger is piffle. The focus should have been more on dealing with the realities of corporate-think in companies today - and how blogs are a real threat to that. Winer's response - "then don't blog" - isn't good enough. For that money, I had hoped to be given insight, tools, advice, resources - ANYTHING - to further the effort of creating business blogs.

Instead, panelists said there aren't enough business blogs yet to really judge. Not sure I buy that. Will get back to you later.

On another note, I was a little surprised at the general star-fucker power these guys had. You know what I mean - perfectly normal people get flustered and intimidated in the mere presence of famous bloggers and are grateful for any little morsel of acknowledgement they're given. And I'm not immune. I thought it was pretty cool to be able to go up to Dave Winer, introduce myself and tell him I thought his December 2002 post on Weblogs in Meatspace was brilliant. So that said, in reading over more blogs today, it confirmed for me that there was too much star-fucking going on. I'm shocked really. I think blog superstars would be anathema to most bloggers. But what do I know?

Dave was very nice, by the way, but he should stick to writing. It was tough to follow his presentation - and while he encouraged comments from the audience, he didn't respond well to many of them. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Reminded me of Gary Hart.

Other random thoughts:
* I think anyone who presumes to know more than you do should be ignored on general principle.
* Job layoffs - and often prolonged unemployment - in the web publishing industry are as much responsible for the growth of weblogs as anything else.
* Re: the panelist from Wellesley who thought it was funny to have started a blog about a coworker who wasn't into blogs. Not sure what's funny about that. Felt a little creepy to me. I think he was born right around the time I graduated from college - not that I'm playing the age card. Just an observation.
* Not having a strategy...is a strategy.
* John Lawlor said it doesn't matter if no one reads your blog. And I couldn't agree more. I'm glad for comments and referrals but I don't write for an audience. I write for me. Not sure superstars are capable of doing that once they've been placed on a pedestal - whether they wanted to be there or not.
* Bloggers are very forgiving, know a sense of humor is a terrible thing to waste and are idealists at heart.
* Blogs are like picking up the phone or writing an email - just another way to say whatever it is I have to say.
* Despite what Searls and Winer say, blogging isn't journalism. That isn't to say there isn't some excellent journalism happening in blogs. It's really about the relationship between the writer and the reader. Different expectations are at work when you read a blog and when you read news. I agree most people aren't concious of the expectation - but it's there. When I read a blog, I expect a revelation burst from a person who cares about something that I care about. When I read news, I expect to find out what happened, as detailed and nuanced as possible, and every now and then, with some perspective. And I don't buy the line that you don't get both sides of the story in journalism - the point is you're SUPPOSED to get both sides in journalism. There is no requirement of that kind with blogs. Both should be based in truth - but they are different things. Maybe blogs will force journalists to get back to doing what they're supposed to do.

I'm glad to have been a part of the conference. It's clear this is/could be the start of something important and I'm sure I haven't been complimentary enough - but this is outrage.com, remember? More later if I feel like it. But I think that covers it.

I loved The Note today. Specially because it confirms what I said a week ago about how lazy the press is today. Not that I needed any confirmation.

It pisses me off when no one notices I got my haircut. I always notice when someone else does.

Tried to post this yesterday but couldn't post due to some maintenance work. Plus the fact that I spent all day at a conference in Boston yesterday and am operating on about five hours sleep for the past two days. But I digress.

I loved reading this article yesterday in the New York Times. Maybe the Pentagon should start their own version of Outrage.com. "Pentagon officials express outrage," according to the story. It means they still care. And that makes me feel warm all over.

Two things I loved most: it pretty much confirms that all members of Congress are part (some more than others) extortionist. I am not naive - I know this goes on. At some point, though, you'd think they'd get better at it. And Trent Lott will be chairing the hearing to look into the "loophole" that allows this. I laughed my ass off at that one - alright, not quite off. I still got a little bit of it left, as Axel Foley would say. You can't make this shit up.

From the couple of years I spent in dot com land, I loved this article (registration required) in today's New York Times. I can't tell you how many presentations I sat through, listening to product pitches for ideas that were never going to be developed. As earnest young men, and an occasional woman or too, swore that their product was the answer - without having anything in development.

I know it was a time for new ideas, blah, blah, blah, but what happened at Enron played itself out hundreds of times at smaller companies. And it epitomized what was wrong with the Internet boom: too much smoke, not enough mirrors. And more importantly, all idea - no implementation.

Hopefully, they'll get it right this time. I know it's a lot of money. But I can't believe any member of Congress has the nerve to talk about how a couple earning less than $25,000 a year doesn't deserve a $400 check for their child because many don't pay income taxes - or much in income taxes. What about those companies that get so many tax rebates that essentially they don't pay taxes either? Can we dismiss those rebate checks too?

This outrage for me is on the scale of Nader's presidential run, and his arrogant refusal to step aside when he should have. Two million votes in Florida. Still makes my skin crawl to think of what might have happened. (Which was the event that gave me the idea for outrage.com in the first place.)

One good question raised by Howard Stern this morning (and I'm sure countless others around the world - I just happened to be listening to Stern on my way in today.) If Martha's on trial why the hell haven't the top Enron executives been drawn and quartered already? She made less than $50,000 on the sale of the stock (not that that excuses anything) while those Texas assholes made millions and screwed over thousands of people. A few scapegoats have been arrested - when will the rest of them be dragged into court?

And the hits just keep on coming. Why would an ethics organization hire anyone from Enron?

Yesterday marked the 35th anniversary of the assasination of Bobby Kennedy. He was shot after winning the 1968 California primary a little after midnight on June 5. He died 35 years ago today. My dad worked with Bobby Kennedy while serving as counsel to Senate subcommittees. (He worked for Sen. Abe Ribicoff (D-CT) in the 60s). And my dad was in the Ambassador Hotel the night he was shot - ready to help elect Kennedy president. He left public service after that and to this day doesn't like to talk about it. And if you knew my dad, you'd know that's saying something. He likes to talk about anything political. I've always wondered how world history, and my family's own history, might be different today if he had survived.

And maybe it's just me, but the lack of news coverage marking this anniversary is outrageous.

This was inevitable - didn't think it would happen quite this soon though.

How great would this be? Hopefully it applies to all blogs, and not just Userland blogs, right?

This is why there should be a law that bans simple ideas from being considered by members of Congress.

And I don't want anyone to get the impression that I am anti-federal government. I am not. Two of my siblings are federal employees and I am a former federalite. I am outraged, though, at how Congress has become an enclave of rich, privileged, mostly white, mostly male self-promoters. I would love to see one selfless act come out of the institution. Just one. And I'm constantly frustrated over the knowledge that the public has the power to do something about it, but chooses not to.

So once again, this article proves the European press is actually reporting news. As opposed to the American press who have become so used to being fed the news, they don't go out and find the news anymore. And I've decided, there's no conspiracy to think about. The cause of most things can be explained by too much laziness and too much stupidity - or both.

An interesting take on television news. My friend Arnot and I would spend hours arguing about the newspaper v. television news relationship. (He worked for ABC News and I was reporting for some small publication or another.) He always thought I was a little whacked. Reading this article reminded me of how much I miss him.

As Diane Chambers said so well, "An unexamined life is not worth living." So invest a few minutes and take this quiz. (I found the link thanks to Poynter.org).

However it comes out, it's another one to file under: Good to Know.

Thanks Rob for sending this over. Check out TomPaine.com and his June 3 post on Bush Family Infamy. I remember thinking as I watched him at Auschwitz that he had no right to be there. Unfortunately, I know no Polish - but the comments are enough.

Somehow, I don't think Ms. Stewart is receiving the proper legal advice here. But what do I know. It's reads well. And it's so entertaining. It's all good. (I know, I know - just couldn't resist. And she so deserves it.)

I know everyone in the blogosphere has read this already so file this one under: Good to Know.

Growing up, my mom had a strong conviction that certain things matter. Really matter. And she had a saying that she'd kill me for not remembering. And I can't call her because she's finishing up a 10-day vacation in Ireland with my sister Colleen, both of whom attended the Springsteen concert in Dublin Saturday. More on that when they return.

But I do remember her main point: don't go through life thinking nothing matters. Somethings must matter. This justifiably angry, well-spoken nun obviously understands that. (Thanks RD.)

UPDATE (June 4): Mom and Colleen are back from Ireland. Uneventful flight home - which we're thankful for because they had an engine blow out on them and were waylaid in Halifax for seven hours on the outbound trip. Anyway, this is the saying of my mom's: Matter matters, before it means. Or, in other words, only through acknowledging what matters, do we get to what it means.

Gotta love this. This is why I avoid new gadgets and gizmos. Eventually an evil byproduct will be revealed. According to Salon.com, TiVo now offers advertisers and broadcasters second-by-second information on the commercials and shows its users are watching -- or skipping. So much for private viewing.