Pants Afire

Telling the truth has always been a thing with me. It might have started when I was six years old - in kindergarten and I remember this as if it were yesterday. I came downstairs after having changed into play clothes and my mother asked me if I had hung my slip in the closet where it belonged. Of course I had thrown it on the floor of the closet and thought nothing of it. But when I lied to my mother and said I had she asked me if she should go upstairs and check. I immediately turned back upstairs and slapped each stair with my open hand, apparently mumbling things under my breath that no six year old has any business mumbling. It wasn't until years later that my mother confessed she didn't follow me upstairs because she was in the kitchen laughing too hard.

Long story short - figured it was easier to tell the truth. Not that I'm a saint about it. Now I only lie for a very good reason - which is why this article talking about Bush II's honest handicap is so galling. And though Alterman says it beautifully, I have been talking about this for some time now. (Thanks for noticing Jude - and for the link.)

Call It What It Is

I love Maureen Dowd but even she's a little late talking about this. (NYT Select)

"The New York Times and other news outlets have been figuring out if it’s time to break with the administration’s use of euphemisms like "sectarian conflict." How long can you have an ever-descending descent without actually reaching the civil war?"

See my post from Aug. 2005. 2005!!

My New House

Moving Day is Friday, Dec. 1

Can't Seem To Get A Break

File under: if something can go wrong it will.

I left work late to pick up my little sister at LaGuardia - stopped by the new house and took the Hutchinson Parkway instead of 95 - which I rarely do.

An 18-wheeler has its top sheared off by the overpass:

Yours truly hears -- and sees the aftermath -- and is able to stop in time, being the attentive driver I am. The sedan behind me is able to stop too. The SUV behind him - not so much - causing a chain reaction accident. No one was hurt - I banged the back of my head against the headrest but other than that, I'm fine. Feeling a little sore but I think that's more stress than anything else.

The weird thing is is that I remember hearing the impact and seeing the debris - when I pulled over and got out of the car, there were two NYC fire engines and an ambulance already on the scene. Turns out they were responding to another call and stopped instead to help out. The Hutch was closed southbound for a while - but thanks to the NYFD or it would have been much longer.

And just to add to the fun, I discover I never replaced my insurance card when it expired in Sept. - it's current, I just didn't have the proof - so received a summons from NY's finest. Which I can easily take care of with a copy of my insurance card. Just one more thing to add to the plate though. And now I can't find my vehicle registration card anywhere. Classic. Just classic.

The Countdown Begins

What I'll miss about Huntington:

My friends
Canterbury Ales
My doctors
My vet
Caumsett State Park
Happy Farms
Knowing where everything is
my history here
North Shore Pharmacy
the town's history
Cinema Arts
Gourmet Goddess
St. Patrick's

That's just without thinking about it...

Now I Get It

Back in August I said there was more to this story than meets the eye. And though I was accused of being insensitive to the young Minnesotan who was killed by a LIRR train, turns out...I was right. But no gloating. Her death is a tragedy and a tremendous waste. But falling through the gap didn't kill her. A bad decision, fueled by alcohol consumption, killed her. Not that that matters to her parents who within weeks of her death were composed enough to file a $5 million lawsuit against the LIRR. Imagine that.

Some Outrage Never Fades

Wow. A television network making the right programming decision. And by Rupert Murdoch of all people. Who da thunk it? But there's still plenty of outrage left over: OJ Simpson will likely still earn millions in this deal.

Say It Ain't So

Can someonr tell me why the press didn't thump away at Bush and explain to me why there isn't more outrage about Bush's outright lies, the latest being the Rumsfeld resignation. Consider his support for Tony Snow, his surprise trip to Iraq, his statements equating Democrats with terrorists...the list goes on and on.

He can't tell the difference between "withholding information" and lying. He doesn't see anything wrong with saying the indefensible in a campaign speech. I don't expect the president to tell me everything. But what he/she does tell, I expect to be the truth. And I expect the president to campaign - I don't expect grade school taunting. His defense amounts to "sticks and stones will break my bones...but words don't mean anything." He's offensive to me - not as a Democrat, but as a human being and someone who takes the power of words very seriously.

And I can't stand reading his assertion that Rumsfeld's resignation was such a major decision that it wouldn't have been appropriate so near Election Day. I've worked on presidential campaigns. The fact is, such major decisions are made all the time - primarily to INFLUENCE the outcomes of elections. Are they being manipulative - or do they think we're really all as stupid as they are?

Death Comes To Us All

First Ed Bradley. Second Jack Palance. Who's Number 3?

Au Revoir Rummy!

Okay - a week ago Bush is saying Rumsfeld's here to stay. This afternoon, Rummy's gone. And Bush says it's been in the works since last week. Is there ANYTHING this guy WON'T lie about?

First, if it is true, Bush has again told a bald-faced lie to the press corps. (Remember his secret trip to Iraq a while back? Totally misled the press corps for more than 48 hours.) And despite what your political beliefs are, the president of the United States should tell the truth when talking to the press or anyone for that matter (and yes I include Bill Clinton in that standard) or just frigging keep their mouth shut.

Second, if it's not true, how sophomoric can you get? The American public spoke volumes yesterday - and the results have restored my faith in the collective wisdom of the American voting public. There's been little to hold on to the past six years, believe you me. I'm sorry they were a little slow on the uptake - we could have used this direction two years ago. So it got here late, but it got here nonetheless.

And now it's up to the Democrats not to blow the opportunity they've been given. When all the celebrating stops, they're going to realize they've inherited one of the worst messes in American history. Hooray.

But as Harry Reid said, if the ONLY thing that's accomplished is Rumsfeld's resignation it's been a tremendous achievement - but as Reid pointed out, it won't be the only thing. Hope he's ready to make that statement come true.

Au Revoir France!

While I wished I'd be in NY for election day, it was also nice being in France - the place after all that had the gall to stand up to Bush and his push to invade Iraq. Fucking freedom fries.

Anyway, there isn't one person I spoke to today - people from London to Geneva to Bahrain - that did not express their RELIEF that something had happened in America that might lead to change. All I could do is agree.

And while some who know me would disagree strongly with this statement, this honestly was not about Democrat or Republican. What has been missing in the United States of America for the past six years is one thing: balance. Or more accurately, checks and balances. It's what makes democracy work. Which might be one of the reasons it's not working in Iraq. Or, as my new friend from Bahrain pointed out, when two sides have been fighting for more than 1,000 years (the Sunnis and Shiites) the last thing you want to do is make it easier for them to kill each other. Well, those weren't his words exactly...but that's the message.

Leaving France tomorrow. Looking forward to getting home.

Stranger Things Have Happened

Never thought I'd agree with an editorial in The American Conservative magazine. Especially on Election Day. As I imagine my Russian grandmother would say, from their mouth to God's ears.

There Are Crazier Theories Out There

Despite Tony Snow's denial, I stand firmly behind one of my life's mottos: I don't believe in coincidence for true coincidence is a very rare thing. Or another of my favorites: there's something fishy in [FILL IN THE BLANK}.

So yes, I believe the Hussein verdict coming out today was planned to dominate the headlines the day before the American public (albeit a small percentage) goes out and votes -- with control of the House and Senate lying in the balance. Hell, nothing else was working for him. In Bush's statement a little while ago, he invokes the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers - god help him.

Being abroad gives one another perspective. You can say alot about the Russians, and the source isn't near credible but the official statement about the verdict today speaks volumes. As crazy as the Russians are (and I can say this being 50 percent Russian), the timing is just too...neat. Sigh.

Somewhere in Cannes

Am in Cannes - yes, France - for most of the week. For work, not by choice. Will try not to waste the opportunity - which I do appreciate, despite my bitching and moaning.

Long day - caught a 6:05 flight last night out of JFK - arrived in Cannes at 8:30 am France time. Only slept two hours on the plane - am feeling it now though.

Was walking back to my hotel - which is only on the banks of the Mediterrean - I know, poor me. And couldn't help thinking how much I wished I could share this with Kevin. And just as I finish the thought, I walk past a street musician and realize he's playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Started crying - hoped no one noticed.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention he plays an accordion. And every night I've walked by him it's the only song he plays. I think it's the only song he knows. Somehow that's perfect.

Happy 1,000 Post For Outrage!

Well if this doesn't inspire me to return to my daily outrage I don't know what will. I was scanning the Letters to the Editor in the NYT today and came across this collection about the Bush/Kerry nonsense - and my thought was, it's nice to know someone's outraged. And as I go to Blogger, I realized this post is number 1,000 for Outrage and its four year anniversary is at the end of this month.

I hate that I've gotten out of the daily blogging habit. Maybe I just needed a little breathing room. When I'm all moved into my new domicile (for the next 12 months at least) I might actually have time to return to daily postings. Hopefully the Democrats will win at least one chamber of Congress - will need the fodder. And if not, the outrage will be boundless.