I'm not even going into the whole "we brought democracy to Iraq" but we have no course of action other than to close a Shiite newspaper? How do they not know that the action of closing the paper swells the ranks of the anti-US contigent more than anything that could be printed in the paper? I keep asking this question: does NO ONE in the WH understand who we're dealing with?

Been outraged about this since this morning. Worked from 7 AM until 7 PM today. I realized as I was walking back to my hotel that I'm as outraged, if not more so, than I was this morning. So here's what I don't get about the whole Condi Rice thing. If 9/11 changed everything in this country, why is it okay for them to talk about the permanent change we've undergone in campaign ads; but then cite historical precedence (that NSAs don't appear before Congress) as a reason for Ms. Rice not to speak in public. If 9/11 changed everything, surely it changed that. If the rules have changed everywhere else, that one about NSA testimony should, don't you think?

And if I read it right, she's already met with the committee in private. So the real message here is more disturbing than anything that has to do with 9/11 -- it's not that she won't testify, it's that she won't testify for the American people to hear what she has to say.Sharing it with the President or Congress is okay since she serves at the will of the President. Did the Bush II White House EVER believe that in fact they serve at the will of the people or was this always a coronation? (No need to answer; it's a rhetorical question just in case you weren't sure.)

Good article in CSM talks about "the wheels coming off an administration" as a new entertainment form, there are so many different stories coming of the WH.

They say confession is good for the soul. And I promised I wouldn't blog about Mel Gibson's Passion until I've seen it -- which I haven't. But apparently seeing the movie prompted a man who killed his girlfriend and unborn child to confess in Scotland. Do you think by any chance that if Scotland had an Unborn Victims of Violence Act on the books, this all could have been avoided. I'm sure that's all it will take to stop 'em.

Update - (March 30): This is why I don't blog after midnight. The killer lives outside Houston, Texas, not Houston, Scotland. Not that there is a Houston, Scotland, mind you. Shows you how tired I was on Sunday. That foolish feeling fades eventually, right?

After reading this article, maybe my flight choice today isn't so ridiculous. Quindlen's right - 9/11 changed us in large ways...and in the smallest of ways.

Just got into San Diego. Here this week covering a conference. Took Jet Blue out of JFK because, as ridiculous as it sounds to me, I don't want to fly any airline out of NY that has a name that could be construed as pro-American, ie, American, United, USAir. I wish I didn't feel that way but I do. So Jet Blue it was. It's the Greyhound of the sky. At times I thought I was at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, swear to god.

The outrage on this one is not ending any time soon. Thank god for this article (r.r.) about the unborn protection bill from the New York Times -- believe me, I haven't said that in a long time. Because otherwise I would have missed this little tidbit:

"Senators also rejected another Democratic amendment, one that would have required companies to provide unpaid leave for victims of domestic or sexual violence, a policy that Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, said was a better way to reduce crimes against women."

If those assholes were so concerned about crimes against pregnant woman, how in god's name could this have been rejected? I just can't stand it...

The religious right strikes again. If you don't think they had their hand in crafting the language of the bill that grants unborn fetuses -- at ANY stage of development -- the same rights and protections as those of us living outside the womb, there's a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you. And then to find that old timer and plagiarist Joe Biden didn't vote for the Feinstein amendment that would have clarified this better make my blood boil. But it just would have led to a 50-50 tie that Cheney would have broken anyway...but I digress. It's the principle that counts here.

Mark my words -- the movement to outlaw abortion (r.r.) in this country took a gigantic leap forward today. I'm sorry about what happened to Laci Peterson and her unborn child. And the hundreds of other less-profiled women in places like the Bronx, East LA, Appalachia, etc. who have been killed by their husband or boyfriend. But it doesn't take much to figure out how the language of this particular piece of legislation will be used. Once the challenges to uphold the language of fetus as person begins, every abortion doctor in this country will close up shop. They won't have to outlaw it -- there won't be a doctor to be found willing to perform an abortion. And if one is willing, the risk will prove to be too great. Don't applaud this as a victory for crime victims rights. It marks the death knell of a woman's right to choose whether or not to see a pregnancy to term. You think I exaggerate? I wish I was.

Update: Here's the official text of S 1019. For the record it does exempt abortion specifically. But Feinstein's right. The descent down the slippery slope has begun. Just ask them why pro-lifers have been fighting for this bill for five years. It didn't originate with the tragic Peterson story.

I haven't had my coffee yet so I'm not sure which is the stronger reaction to the John "F stands for French" Kerry story. My first reaction, I know this will come as a shock to many, was outrage. How dare they? Does that apply to descendants of German, Russian and the scores of other countries who were opposed to our invasion of Iraq? And worse, will the average American fall for such gross manipulation? (Don't answer that.)

Then as I got ready for work, another thought dawned on me. Is this really all the RNC and Rush Limbaugh have to work with? It's pathetic really when you think about it.

So the backpedalling on gay marriage has begun.

Quote of the day:

"The traditional institution of marriage is not about discrimination. It's about children." -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

I hate these guys. I don't talk about this much, if at all on this blog, but I'm not able to have kids. So what is Mr. Cornyn and his ilk saying? Only "procreators" are marriage material or should be protected?

And sometimes I wonder why I get so outraged because I honestly believe these guys are too stupid to hold any job -- let alone serve as a member of Congress -- which is exactly why I get so outraged.

The traditional institution of marriage is about PROPERTY. Which is exactly what women and children were considered at one time -- and still are in some parts of the world -- not here of course -- we've evolved, right? Right? RIGHT?

Do people really believe that Bush, or Clinton, could have ordered some kind of pre-emptive strike that would have prevented 9/11? I find myself in agreement with Rumsfeld -- stunning revelation I know -- since I never thought I'd say those words on this blog and am likely never to again. But this is all nonsense and a distraction from what we really need to be doing. We shouldn't be second guessing for the sake of second-guessing right now -- we should be spending our efforts examining how our multi-layered government in a society dedicated to individual freedoms is communicating with one another to prevent a repeat. My bet is it hasn't improved much since September 2001. I hope I'm wrong.

I keep thinking of Civil War battles (and others of course) where men lined up on either side of the battlefield, advancing and shooting until they were hit or until they hit someone. Is that what people think this is about? It's sort of like WWI -- we're fighting a war in a way that's never been fought before and I don't see much evidence that our military has adapted. Sure, we have high tech weapons and smart bombs, but fundamentally we're still lining up on one side of the battlefield while our enemies keep moving around.

Everyone knows you can't hit a moving target. And I don't believe you can destroy assassins by becoming one. So let's just stop talking nonsense. I walk around with the certainty, that someone somewhere is laughing at us as they plan the next one -- because they know us better than we know ourselves. And what can be scarier than that?

Hmmm - Medicare to go bust in 2019 - 15 years from now and a full seven years sooner than earlier forecast. And though we knew the program was in trouble, our Congress give Bush II a bill that's hastened its demise. And a good many people wonder what all the fuss is about when Thomas Scully threatens a civil servant who wanted to give Congress the real numbers. What's wrong with this picture?

Funny - the Washington Post has an NCAA basketball upset trivia quiz. I didn't get one question right. At least I'm consistent.

At dinner last night, several of my friends mentioned the Daily Show's take on the Medicare VNR. I've been so focused on basketball I didn't know what they were talking about. I thought they were pulling my leg. Now, lo and behold, I found it not only happened, this sort of thing apparently is happening more and more often. And according to HHS, I must be a dolt for not knowing this is commonplace. Stupid me. I actually still think news is produced by...gasp, news organizations.

I'm not sure which is more cause for outrage: the creators of such propoganda or the stupid or lazy (or both) news editors that allow it to air. Big Brother is here -- and growing stronger by the day.

I have three brackets in the NCAA tournament in various pools. In two, Gonzaga and Maryland were going all the way. So those are done. Now if the UConn Huskies can hold on for a few more games...btw, this is why I have multiple brackets. If I didn't, it'd be all over but the crying.

Leave it to MTV to ask the right question in the unfolding Howard Stern drama.

Memo to Bush II campaign: this "tax and spend" label that you think is so horrifying to Americans, is not going to work with most voters. People have started to figure out that what's not taxed on the federal level will end up biting them on the ass on the state and local level. Besides, it's so 1984.

Just when I think there's only so much outrage to go around, I read an article like this one. So now Clarke thinks Bush II's re-election focus on the terrorism issue is "outrageous." Welcome Richard. We're glad to have you on our side.

I've tried to avoid the coverage of Bush II using this day as a way to continue his dogma concerning "terrorism" because it infuriates me to read it. I'd rather he had spent the day with family members of the 500+ who have died in Iraq, a good three quarters of whom were killed after he declared hostilities were over. He should talk less and listen more.

The rhetoric, however, is inexcusable. I'd bet the farm (if I had one) that this quote from Bush's speech today --
"There is no neutral ground -- no neutral ground -- in the fight between civilization and terror, because there is no neutral ground between good and evil, freedom and slavery, and life and death" -- has been used repeatedly before -- in terrorist training camps around the world. Except they'd be talking about us. As long as this remains a fight against "good and evil" we don't stand a chance. And every Bush campaign ad proclaiming he's the one that keeps us all safe from terrorists like nobody else can, serves as a "triple dog dare" to those committed to a single purpose: destroying what they see as evil.

It's not personal, George. It's their business.

**CONTENT WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS A WORD THAT ALL OF US USE AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES BUT IS SO VULGAR IT CAN DESTROY CAREERS AND RUIN NETWORKS**

Well, now that UConn and Maryland made it through the first round I thought I could relax a bit. But then I read how the decency police have decided to go after Howard Stern for something he said, what, every day? (trying to find specific details about this.)

And Bono is in fact "indecent" for saying "this is fucking brilliant" -- at the Golden Globes last year? Count how many times in a day you or someone you know says "fuck" -- either as a verb, noun or adjective. And then imagine how often our "esteemed" representatives in Congress use that word on a daily basis. Then ask yourself have we all lost our minds?

Because the problem, according to our chief of decency Michael Powell, isn't the use of the word 'fuck." It's the "gratuitous use" of the word. My question: who the fuck decides what's gratuitious or not? Or is Powell saying that as long as it's not gratuitous, it's okay to use? I'm so fucking outraged my head is spinning. (that's not really true so I guess that would be...gratuitous of me (as she shakes her head in disgust).

What's next? If we can't say it over the air, we sure can't say it in print, now can we? When are they going to figure out a way to come after us? 'Cause they're coming -- it's just a matter of when.

When I heard they planned to produce a CSI: New York, I figured the series had jumped the shark -- no easy trick for a series with such high ratings. But if Gary Sinise is taking on the lead role, I'll be watching. No doubt about it.

I'm not insensitive to the disadvantages the mentally impaired among us have. But how many whacks at the nail do you think this guy took -- to his own hand -- before it dawned on him he was shit out of luck and couldn't complete the task at hand, well, single-handedly. "'When he realized that he was unable to nail his other hand to the board, he called 911,' Boucher said."

Now the rest of this article (thanks for the link JH) goes on to say that this poor soul had NOT seen Gibson's Passion but I find that really hard to believe. And even if he didn't see it, there's been enough publicity and video clips and talk shows, that we can safely assume it's close enough. So do I hear anyone clamoring for Gibson's apology, aka Jackass, Beavis & Butthead or any other moronic show where some half-brain has chosen to imitate what they've seen on the screen? I think not.

My vote for understatement of the year:
"It was unclear whether the man was seeking assistance for his injury or help in nailing down his other hand."
Unclear, indeed.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Am managing a March Madness pool so I haven't had time to think about anything but basketball the past few days. Who didn't see the Maryland/Duke game on Sunday? It was so good, the Irish musician at the Dubliner stopped performing with three minutes left to go. No one could hear him over the roar of the crowd.

Was down in NoVa visiting my family when I read this article over the weekend. In between trips to the Dubliner, there wasn't a lot of time to blog. But as I've mentioned before, I think outrage is genetic. My entire family was outraged over this one. Not that it takes a lot for any one of us to...well, you get the picture.

The killer issue this year (been saying it for more than a year now) is outsourcing. Most people are looking to blame someone for the disappearing job market. Who's it going to be?

For my class this semester "Excellence: Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too?" by John W. Gardner was required reading. I've mentioned this before but it's a timeless subject and one that isn't talked about near enough. One of the many things he discusses is notion that Americans love the idea of equality -- but they don't always love the fact of equality -- because it might mean they come out on the short end of the stick, among other things

Another observation Gardner makes in talking about the "equality of opportunity" is that the general public "accepts fairly wide discrepancies in reward but is opposed to excess at either end of the scale. It wants -- in some measure -- to curb excessive reward and to remedy excessive misery." I think this goes directly to the heart of the outsourcing matter.

You don't need me to point out that the key word here is excessive. And we all know that excessive is in the eye of the beholder -- much like beauty. So there's no telling where the outrage on this one will go.

Spent the weekend in Alexandria with my parents and brother and sisters -- enjoying more than a few pints at the Dubliner, listening to Irish singer John McGrath and freezing my butt off at the DC St. Patrick's Day parade. Feel like I could sleep for a week. But I have work and tomorrow's mid-term exam to study for -- not to mention getting my annual March Madness pool organized -- so I'm really too tired to be outraged. Except I don't think Kerry should have engaged that heckler -- now it's an "issue" for the GOP to use. He made a classic amateur mistake. Maybe he's tired too.

I'm sure there's a reason but how does Prince end up in the same class as Bob Seger and Jackson Browne, not to mention George Harrison, for this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions? I'm just not seeing it...

I'd love to know how many people in the HSD or the White House commute by train to work each day. I'm betting not that many if it takes a bombing in Madrid to make everyone suddenly wary of rail travel. Walk through Penn or Grand Central or Union Station and imagine that which shouldn't be imagined. Then multiply it by 10,000 smaller stations across this country and imagine the impact just one attack like Madrid would have here. Someone needs to come up with something better than "look for unattended bags."

When I first heard Kerry had been caught off mike seemingly unawares, I cringed. It happens in every campaign and to every candidate at some point. Remember Bush calling NYT's Adam Clymer a "major asshole," or something to that effect. So now the Bush II campaign is irked. (I'm so glad the headline writer didn't say outraged.)

But then when I heard what Kerry said and the context (always important) in which it was made, all I could think was: he really does get it. Because the fact is, "crooked" and "lying" are perfect words to describe the current Republican regime -- from Haliburton, to WMD intelligence, to doctored photos of Kerry and Fonda, to "free speech zones," to the labelling of protest as terrorism, the attack on "indecency" by a body of politicians that historically has made indecency an art form. I think Kerry was restrained, actually. I think the F word could have been used effectively here -- for emphasis only -- but god knows what the FCC might have done about that.

The fact is, what's happening in this country is scary as hell and more people should be shouting from the rooftops about it. Kerry doesn't sound like a man who's going to apologize -- and I hope he sticks by his guns. And I just knew that call from Bush on Super Tuesday was a big fat phony diversion -- only to be thrown up in Kerry's face at the first opportunity.

How much time exactly are our elected representatives in Congress spending on fighting indecency? What about jobs, healthcare, the environment, gas prices, funding NCLB Act -- jesus, even potholes are more important at this point. And now FCC Chairman Michael Powell is worried they've gone too far? Maybe this article is right and the Bush II oligarchy has realized they've awakened a sleeping giant.

Amazing (and I'm a little behind the times on this one) but we also have our first contender for the 2004 You Can't Make This Shit Up Award. Meet...oh hell, you just have to read this article to believe it.

We have our first contender for the 2004 Stupidest Person of the Year Award. Meet Alice Regina Pike, of Covington, Georgia, who thought she could walk into a WalMart, and receive $998,000 (give or take a hundred) in change as she pulls out a $1 million bill to pay for $1,600 worth of merchandise. At Wal-Mart of all places. I'm sure they have close to a million on hand in every story at any given moment.

Minor outrage but an outrage to be sure. I'm listening to the radio and I hear a commercial about the top 10 things to do on St. Patrick's Day, with Irish brogues and everything. Can you guess what was number one? Have a Bass Ale.

Why does Bass Ale advertise itself as a drink of choice on St. Patrick's Day? Imported from Britain, says so right on the label. What's wrong with advertising people?

Fascinating article on what appears to be an historic uniting of Democratic organizations intent on one thing: sending Bush II back to Texas, or Kennebunkport, or wherever it is he'll go after the White House. Maybe I ought to give my old friend Bill Knapp a call.

Anyone who expected anything different after campaign finance reform was passed just hasn't been paying attention. It's nature -- and nature always finds a way. Will be interesting to see what the FEC has to say about the hypocritical complaint filed by Bush's campaign lawyers.

File this one under: Good to Know. But since you can't schedule a heart attack, not sure what one could do about it. And is a study required to inform anyone that health care is a 24/7 business and there's no such thing as vacation? I thought that only applied to the news business - silly me.

I want to write a book titled "Emails From My Father" -- a compilation of various emails I've received from him over the years. I'm now working instead on starting a new blog with the same title -- but he's not quite so sure about this "blog thing," as he calls it.

Nevertheless, here's a perfect entry I received from him yesterday (Sat Mar 06, 3:02 PM) regarding the Martha Stewart verdict:

Please note Martha did not say "I'm not guilty" or "I am innocent". She said, "I did nothing wrong." I think that's the most damning thing she could have said and is sure to anger the sentencing judge more than anything else she could have said. Because she IS guilty. Which means she's NOT innocent. Which means she's SO above the law , she doesn't consider breaking the law as "doing anything wrong."

It's called the arrogance of power and comes from an inflated sense of all the good they've done. He'll throw the book at her, not for her crimes, but for her failure to understand that she did INDEED do something wrong. To cheat, to lie, to steal is legally WRONG. To not think so, is morally wrong.

Just a thought.

Dad

Today, I read something similar in a Newsday column. It usually works that way -- I hear it from my dad, then I read it someplace else. I've been telling him to write a book for years but to no avail.

I love making unexpected connections. As I went to do a little research on "Stop Violence Against Women" week, which starts tomorrow, lo and behold, I found that Bush II is continuing his courtship of the NASCAR dad (or white male, whichever you prefer) tomorrow as well. (Not that courtship appears necessary at this point...)

I imagined a world where the POTUS would use an opportunity like that to talk about the importance of stopping domestic violence, given that nearly one-third of American women report being abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives. Sigh.

You know what's most outrageous about the great SpongeBob Valentine debacle? (thanks for the link JS) Not that he's black instead of yellow, no. But that someone honestly thinks that there are people on this planet who have never heard of SpongeBob SquarePants. Perish the thought. That's just crazy talk.

For the past few months, I've been thinking the Democratic (now Kerry) campaign rallying cry should be "It's about the jobs, stupid." But now I think that's not good enough. My new rallying cry? "Hey George, it's not about you really." You can add "stupid" at the end if you want.

Read the script of Bush's first real campaign ad, titled "Lead" for the general election. He uses "I" seven times. Then he said this in California yesterday, in reference to 9/11: "I took it personally," Bush said of the attacks. "I have a responsibility that goes on. I will never relent in bringing justice to our enemies. I will defend our country, whatever it takes."

Now the campaign hacks think we should focus on the last part of that quote. I only heard the first part. "I took it personally" explains pretty much everything that's happened since Bush II has entered the White House. I think he takes everything personally. Which is why Ron Paige doesn't hesitate to call the teacher's union terrorists, or the FCC can force Howard Stern from the air (thanks for the link JC), or why American citizens are treated like criminals for voicing opinions contrary to the Bush oligarchy. I could go on and on -- and believe me over the next eight months I will.

And I didn't think I could be any more offended. (thanks for the link RG) Karen Hughes is starting the Bush mantra in its defense of explotation and says that 9/11 "really defined our future." She thinks "it's very tasteful. It's a reminder of our shared experience as a nation. I mean September 11th is not just some distant tragedy from the past, it really defined our future."

I believe strongly that 9/11 CHANGED our future. But there is no way in HELL it has defined it. How dare they? Think that thought process through -- if 9/11 defines our future, the terrorists have already won. And cannot be beaten. A terrorist, hate-filled, violent, irrational gesture will never define my future. When will people wake up? When?

I've seen all three of the new Bush ads (r.r.) -- really the start of the general election campaign -- each one more despicable than the last. I thought I'd have a torrent of invective to share but I found myself just sitting here, shaking my head. I cannot believe the extent to which this shell of a human being has used what happened in New York City on 9/11 to shape his message. Too bad the leadership he showed in crisis cannot be manifested over the long haul. Given the Bush strategy, I wonder why they didn't use any shots of the Pentagon rubble. Or a blackened field in Pennsylvania. As soon as my head stops shaking back and forth involuntarily, I'll be back...

Now while I in no way advocate this, I think a teacher should be allowed to duct-tape a child whose parents insist that throwing things at someone, even something as light as a sponge, isn't mean, it's just "ornery." Well, maybe ornery 7th graders should be duct taped to their desk -- nothing else seems to work. (For my handful of faithful readers, it's no secret that I'm back at school and am contemplating teaching 7th grade English after a 15-year career in print, TV and online publishing. I'm really starting to wonder if I'm making the right choice when I read a story like this and find myself more sympathetic to the teacher, who reportedly "snapped," than I am with the student. Can't imagine what might have made her snap now, can ya?

In honor of Super Tuesday and John Kerry's sewing up the nomination in one fell swoop, there was no outrage worth mentioning -- or that could dampen my mood yesterday. And, don't worry I know the battle's just begun. But I like to savor the moments in between.

Anyone who's walked into a NYC classroom can't help but be outraged by the price Education Chancellor Joel Klein's willing to pay his DC-based media/PR consultants. If you can get by the monthly price tag, which is just a tad under a NYC teacher's ANNUAL salary -- and that's a mighty bid IF my friends -- are there no PR firms in NYC, like downtown, say near Ground Zero, that would have been helped by keeping that money in the city. Big shame.

Funny, for a few minutes there I thought I was all outraged...out. Luckily, I have, well, everyone to thank for keeping the outrage going. I can't seem to go more than 20 minutes without finding another one...

I've decided I'm not going to see Gibson's "The Passion" in the movie theater. So I won't blog about something I haven't seen now that it's out - which is the only reason I'd go see it. But I'm pretty squeamish and figure I'd probably actually watch about 15 minutes of footage all told so why shell out 10 bucks. But it's not just the money. I think too that I don't want Mel Gibson's visualization of Jesus and what happened to him to replace my own internal visualization of the events leading up to his death...and resurrection. Nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks that way.

If my sister Mary and her friend Stewie ever read my blog, they would know exactly why this article is so great. And it's not that I'm on track to teach 7th grade English in the next few years, although that is important. But that fact is secondary. There's a line in quotation marks in the column that became a "catch phrase" between the three of us -- for what I can't remember -- during our college years. Try and guess...

Interesting survey released yesterday by Pew. So let's not hear anymore about the millions of blogs out there -- let's talk about the number of blogs that are actually updated on a regular basis.