And so there's a chance...

That I might be comfortable, to once again vote for a GOP presidential candidate. I thought the Christian right might divide their support, but several months ago I mistakenly believed Giuliani would be the benefactor, rather than McCain who had fallen off of the radar.

McCain wins GOP primary in Fla.

NBC: Giuliani to endorse McCain

I am pleasantly surprised, I really thought Romney would pull it off.

But before I breathe a sigh of relief... Super Tuesday looms...

I disagree....

George W. Bush is not a lame duck president. I don't think he'll be a lame duck till the next president is elected.

Lame duck (politics), an elected official who has lost political power (Wikipedia)

George Bush has political power, arguably more than the entire dare I say.... lame duck congress.

(disclaimer: the following is not a endorsement of a largely corrupt, and debatably, an incompetent administration, rather it is just giving credit in an instance where it is due, AND is arguing against any claim that the Democratic controlled congress and the news media have our best interests at heart.)

There is a vacuum of leadership in our legislative branch. The newly elected "American Majority" as the democrats like to call it, is too busy trying to make the president look bad by proposing uncompromising legislation that will not even be considered for approval. Nancy Pelosi even tried to undermine the Iraq war last year by strategically inciting Turkish-American tensions. This legislature is possibly even more morally and ethically bankrupt than the twisted administration that they were elected to fight against. The American public is well aware too (click link for a range of congress job ratings).

While the news media downplayed the State of The Union tonight (msNBC strategically talked about the presidential primaries instead with "State of the Union" still written on the bottom of the screen.... CNN and FOX were a little less blunt in their attempt to warp viewers minds) I was struck by several points of Bush's speech. In fact contrary to the pundits claiming it was a "rehash of prior State of The Unions" I felt it differed starkly. The fiscal conservative spirit of the GOP was back, and it wasn't just a "I'll ask congress to... blah blah blah" it was DO THIS OR ELSE. Let me outline:

First in regards to the expiring tax cuts, which more than likely will expire because Democrats will refuse to take it up, Bush boldly said this will amount to a TAX HIKE.

"Try explaining that to 116 million American taxpayers who will see their taxes rise by an average of $1,800. Others have said they would personally be happy to pay higher taxes. I welcome their enthusiasm. I am pleased to report that the IRS accepts both checks and money orders." -From transcript

This was followed by laughter, applause from myself, and then the following:

"Most Americans think their taxes are high enough. With all the other pressures on their finances, American families should not have to worry about the federal government taking a bigger bite out of their paychecks. There is only one way to eliminate this uncertainty: Make the tax relief permanent.
Members of the Congress should know, if any bill -- raises taxes reach -- reaches my desk, I will veto it."

The commentators, namely Brit Hume, Keith Olbermann, and Chris Matthews poo pooed Bush's budgetary items calling them insignificant. However I think they were purposefully ignoring it, and in the next few months I anticipate several vetoes.

"Next week, I'll send you a budget that terminates or substantially reduces 151 wasteful or bloated programs, totaling more than $18 billion. The budget that I'll submit will keep America on track for a surplus in 2012."

The CBO sees $219 billion deficit in 2008. That being said 100(18/219) = 8.2% of the budget. I would call that a significant cut, for example tax cuts tend to be 1-2% or even fractions of a percent. An 8.2% budget reduction, well lets look in history.

In 1993 the NY Times heralded Clinton on his reduction of The U.S. Deficit, any guess on the reduction?

U.S. Deficit Drops 7.1%
Now this was the fiscal year, which is different than the actual year which was listed below.

In 1993 the deficit had gone from 290.3 to 254.9 billion between 1992 and 1993.
100(35.4/290.3) = 12.2% reduction

This was the monumental shift in direction which would one day bring us to budgetary surpluses once again. Yes it was more than 8.2% but keep in mind the United States is fighting 2 wars, bailing out the sub prime mortgage crisis, still rebuilding New Orleans and dumping large sums of money into a beefed up post 9-11 "Homeland Security".

Back to the State of the Union...

"American families have to balance their budgets; so should their government.
The people's trust in their government is undermined by congressional earmarks, special interest projects that are often snuck in at the last minute, without discussion or debate. committee reports that never even come to a vote.
Unfortunately, neither goal was met.
So, this time, if you send me an appropriations bill that does not cut the number and cost of earmarks in half, I'll send it back to you with my veto."
(Who is this guy... and what did he do with George Bush?)

Wait for it... there's still more!

"And tomorrow I will issue an executive order that directs federal agencies to ignore any future earmark that is not voted on by Congress.
If these items are truly worth funding, Congress should debate them in the open and hold a public vote."

Seriously... I'm wiping away tears at this point, it is as though the guy awoke from some sort of coma. Perhaps he had been under some sort of voodoo spell conjured by Ted Kennedy from back when they partnered on "No Child Left Behind".

So according to the news, the vetoing of spending increases & pork spending, encouraging an 18 billion dollar budget cut amounting to 8.2% of the projected deficit, and an executive order to ignore earmarks that weren't voted on.....which could I might add bring about a Constitutional debate, all of this is INSIGNIFICANT, compared to a decrepit drunk (thought to be a murderer by some) endorsing Barack Obama.

Continuing......

"Our shared responsibilities extend beyond matters of taxes and spending. On housing, we must trust Americans with the responsibility of home ownership and empower them to weather turbulent times in the housing market.
My administration brought together the Hope Now alliance, which is helping many struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure.
And Congress can help even more.
Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, modernize the Federal Housing Administration, and allow state housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to help homeowners refinance their mortgages."

I am going to end dissecting and arguing with the claims of the media here. This last point is also key, and Chris Matthews went on and on about how Bush ignored the mortgage crisis. He wanted Bush to teach us all about fixed rate vs. adjustable mortgages.... which probably would be a good lesson for the masses to learn, but I hardly think the "State of The Union" is the time or the place to conduct such a lecture. Anyway, as you see Bush did NOT ignore the mortgage crisis.

And of course, there's the surge. While it didn't achieve it's goal of helping Iraqi's create a stable government, it has helped them stabilize the Nation. I was a naysayer myself, but the "surge" has helped and things are looking up. There is an opportunity build upon this progress.

I stand by the idea that the Iraq invasion was a mistake, and a horrible foreign policy blunder. That being said, we have a chance to potentially try and do good by our mistake and hopefully this country can rise to that occasion rather than abandoning Iraq into an anarchy which could catch like wild fire and spread to neighboring nations.

The suggestions of potential "fiscal responsibility" much like Bush's "Surge" and adjusted battle tactics (securing newly cleared out areas in Iraq rather than merely moving on and leaving them unguarded) are excellent examples of things Bush should have been doing ALL ALONG. These items are a few among many things that have made him a lousy president. But I suppose better late than never.......

Last weekend in January

It was a good one!

First off and most importantly I want to congratulate my cousin Hope and her husband Tom on their new born baby Justin Ward who was brought into the world Saturday morning! I look forward to seeing some pictures!

Next my weekend.... well Friday I got home and after consuming a stouffer's microwave lasagna I fell asleep on the futon with the TV on. I made my way into bed eventually and crashed till 10:30 AM or so on Saturday. I attempted to do some cleaning, some ironing, etc, etc, and made a little progress before Kate arrived at 5:00 pm.

Kate and I used a coupon and ate at Bennigans (yes.... Bennigans) on route 1. We had a chainer feast. The Bennigans was comical to say the least. The place was empty save a few middle aged to elderly couples. The employees were nerdy/punk teenagers who were obviously playing an ipod through the restaurant's speakers. So instead of the typical elevator/adult contemporary music an eclectic mix that included everything from Marilyn Manson, Radiohead, Death cab for cutie, and uncensored crude Louie the IVX tunes blared over the speakers. A lapse in judgment by management perhaps... but with the lack of customers, it didn't seem like they had much to lose. Kate had a chicken wrap sandwich and I some "Irish ribs" covered in a Jameson based BBQ sauce. With our coupon we splurged and got an appetizer sampler as well. Mmmmm mmmmm unhealthy previously frozen chain food... it is just tough to beat.

Kate and I watched the figure skating championship when we got back. We had a desert of ice cream and Boston Creme Pie, because the chain food grease just wasn't enough to clog our arteries effectively.

Sunday Kate and I managed to book our hotel for the Berlin leg of our Germany trip. (Exciting!) For supper we had some Chinese food at a place in Medford... which was introduced to us through another mail based coupon (came in the same packet as the Bennigan's coupon). The food was good old Americanized Chinese food and they even have a buffet. We weren't there at the right time to indulge in that, but we'll perhaps have to make a point to go in the future.

So for the most part it was a lazy weekend that was defined with good news, artery clogging comfort food, and trip planning. Now I get to look forward to next weekend!

Enjoy your Monday!

Obama's on the move! Keep your fingers crossed for McCain on Tuesday. I'm debating whether I care about watching the State of The Union on Monday night.....

Mercy, Mercy Me.....

Another long winter day passes by.

I ended up staying at work till 8:00 today which derailed my plans to go to the gym.

I did manage to call up the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, and I have my first physical therapy appointment for my shoulder coming up early in February. I had a bad shoulder dislocation back in 1998, and it has never been the same since. I comes out of its socket occasionally, and probably has 6 or 7 times over the course of the last ten years. It happened again this fall and I made my mind up to see a doctor about it. They gave me an arthrogram coupled with an MRI examination and discovered that I had torn ligaments on the front of my shoulder joint. The original injury, or dislocation is described as a Bankart injury. Due to the most recent dislocation (if not from previous ones as well) I have a pocket in front of the joint. The muscles are no longer tight around the joint, so in concert with the torn ligaments, this provides more instability making my shoulder feel that much more wacky. My orthopedist suggested surgery which I fully intend to get, however with work as it is I'll unfortunately have to put it off. So for the time being I'm going to strengthen the joint with physical therapy twice a week. (The conservative treatment) Several months from now when work may be more dedicated to documentation, I'll get the surgery.

So work was long, and that was a drag. I left work and headed for the Central Square Subway station listening to Mark Kozelek's "Rock n' Roll Singer" album. (Thanks Hayes) It is a pretty short album but it includes completely reinvented covers. ACDC and John Denver covers, together on the same album turned into melancholly folk-rock. Kozelek is pretty brilliant in the sense that he preserves the lyrics but with changes in interpretation, the songs take on a completely new meaning, often self reflective, and some times heart wrenching. ACDC's "You Ain't Got A Hold on Me" goes from being a sort of hard rock berating to a rambling ballad expressing insecurity and conflicted emotions. That song in particular is one of my favorites beside the title track. My friend Tim's obsession with Kozelek and his Red House Painters is deserving of credit. Kozelek's latest projects are through a pseudo band (really a solo project with a hired band) called Sun Kil Moon. Sun Kil Moon's last album was completed comprised of Modest mouse covers remade into folk-ballads. In April Kozelek will release, (drum roll) "April" on April 1st (or will he?). So there you go Tim... some love for Kozelek spewed forth.

So my mp3 player being some what mentally challenged sorts by the first letter of the first name of the artist, rather than the first letter of the last name (which is how I have it on my PC, and how I prefer it). That being said after Kozelek finished up Marvin Gaye followed up on my player. I was nearly at Oak Grove at this point and I hesitated because I almost made the decision to switch to some other music. Instead my indecision found my groovin along to Gaye and it seemed some how fitting as I trekked the 3/4 mile walk back to my apartment building. As the cold breeze made my cheeks tingle, as the dirty ice crackled beneath my feet, I stepped in time to "What's Going on". By the time "Right On" came through the head phones I was keeping a good pace in spite of the brisk weather, the rhythm keeping me moving ahead. I had a big sub for lunch and was going to forgo dinner, but alas I headed straight for Theo's and got a Pizza and a salad to take up to my apartment. Perhaps the sensual beats have a Costanza-like affect in my mind and just made me hungry... or perhaps, I'm just a sucker for food.

So with my meal I went up and watched what remained of the GOP debate. Romney was in better form than usual and this concerns me. McCain looked good as well and I felt at times he looked conservative where it counts. For example both Giuliani and Romney promoted Hillary-care style home owners insurance plans which would be run by the government. Man... are they trying to out "nanny-state" the democrats? Really don't give the classist party any more ideas!

Anyway, it is Friday (or should be when you read this) rejoice!

The Dems Debate..

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina (CNN) — Hillary Clinton just drew the first boos of the night. She said Barack Obama doesn't take responsibility for his votes, and took issue with his 'present' voting in the Illinois Senate.
It's evidence the nastiness between the two is beginning to backfire.
– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider

The Democratic debate was nothing short of riveting tonight. Obama is a rock star. He has transformed from the early days of his campaign. The charisma and poise he brought to his speeches now permeates his every comment and retort in the debates. Clinton went negative, and did a complete 180 from the "humanizing metamorphosis" that she went through in New Hampshire. She was snarling as she spewed argument after argument towards Obama, and I believe he came out unscathed, if not stronger. I think Obama will take South Carolina for certain now that I've seen this debate. Clinton looked petty and manipulative, and Obama came of as honest and articulate. Edwards got the raw deal in this debate because Clinton and Obama definitely took more than their fair share of the time. To echo the sentiments of my friend Jason, I believe if it comes down to Obama vs. McCain, it may be a tough choice for me to make.

Two things that Obama said resonated with me... criticism of NAFTA (although honestly I need to read up on the trade agreement, but I'm a skeptic) and his refusal to mandate health care.

For lunch today I went to Atasca, a Portuguese restaurant in Cambridge. It was the second time I've been there and I've found it to be excellent both times. I had "Galimha com Vinho do Porto" which is Sauteed chicken tenderloins with mushrooms in port wine served with rice. The rice was a sort of pilaf. A few of my coworkers and I met up with a former coworker of ours. It was a nice break from the day.

I have Austin City limits on in the background. Crowded House is on, so I think I'll go take that in before hitting the hay. Their live performance definitely has a different feel since they tend to sometimes (in my opinion) over-over produce otherwise excellent music. I'm definitely enjoying the show and their album "Time on Earth" is a nice collection of classic sounding pop pieces. I'm slightly embarrassed to say one of my favorite tunes on the album was penned by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. Sounds like they are leading a sing a long... gotta go check it out.

A step in the right direction

McCain some how managed to miraculously pull off a South Carolina win. Things are looking up!

Either McCain could become the front runner which will still be an up hill battle for him, or the GOP party will be more fractured going into the convention. Hopefully people can rally around McCain who will be a centrist, someone who will promote fiscal responsibility who is also potentially electable. Even if McCain does get the nod, there are still potential mistakes he could make. I believe a Huckabee VP would be a huge problem. Ideally I'd like to see him run through Super Tuesday ahead, and then give the spot to Joe Lieberman. Would it be a slap in the face to some of the people who voted for him? Sure, potentially. However I believe it could really give him a large advantage in the general election. Additionally you would have the insight of a man who ran in a presidential race previously.

On the flip side let us touch upon the Democrat battle. Clinton is gaining more ground, although it appears Obama could have a chance at taking South Carolina. Vice presidential discussion? Well it is probably too early on either side. I will say that I don't see Hillary being willing to accept a VP spot, however if the tables were reversed I see Obama graciously accepting. I also think that an Edwards VP would be a detriment to a Democrat candidate. It would bring bad recollections of John Kerry. Additionally John Edwards's brand of politics is farther to the left than either Clinton's or Obama's campaign platforms. There would be many questions regarding changes in views/ideals to accommodate the presidential nominee's ideals. (recall when Joe Lieberman was chosen for Al Gore, or when George H. W. Bush was VP candidate for Ronald Reagan)

Anyway, I continue to giddily watch it all unfold!

Reformulated horror and a party

The weekend is upon me, I sit here waiting for Kate to arrive so we can grab some lunch. We are headed to a party at one of her co-worker's house later tonight. I think I'm going to be the oldest guy there, but alas I am young at heart (sure I am).



Friday night Jason and I reprised last week and went out for supper and a movie. I introduced Jason to Massimo's in Malden, an "Old School" mom and pop eatery that Kate and I have been to a few times. Afterward we headed to Revere for the opening night of Cloverfield. The film was brilliantly marketed because they didn't really show you much of anything in the previews. Having read little to nothing about the film I was really aware of the details. As the reviews say it is Blair Witch meets Godzilla. I would disagree with some of the reviews that are giving it 3 and 4 stars. (WARNING SPOILERS BELOW)



The movie starts giving you the impression that the Pentagon is watching a home movie which has become part of the "Cloverfield Project". Whatever "Cloverfield" actually is was completely lost on me, and I'm not sure who, or what the name is supposed to represent and why it is attributed to the story. If anyone is in the know... please leave a comment.

The first 1/2 hour of the film was incredibly boring and completely unnecessary. A bunch of hipster/yuppies partying unaware of their impending doom. If nothing else I suppose they had good taste in music because the Kings of Leon were playing in the background. The camera work was purposefully nauseating, too shaky, very distracting. When the "monster" finally showed up and started raising hell I found my self saying "It's about frickin time!" There were various implausible things about the movie. Half of midtown got destroyed, and yet tons of places seemed to have power still beyond "the emergency backup lights". In one scene they enter a high-rise in order to climb into another high rise which has toppled and is leaning on the other. The idiots try the elevators before using the stairs. Next they find a friend they were attempting to save who has a piece of rebar through her chest. Somehow she is still alive, and they pull her off and she survives with little noticeable effects. Anyway... it was entertaining but could have been a lot better, and it was too reality TV derivative for me.

Kate and I went to a party Saturday night that one of her coworkers put on. I made a chili and brought it over. There was plenty of food to nibble on and they had a beer ball of Bud Light. So after some games and a couple of beers Kate & I headed back to Melrose where we watched the Simpsons movie before heading to bed.

As the primaries are upon us I thought I would include this link to a very young Karl Rove which I found amusing. I'll be writing more on the primaries and caucuses of this weekend later.

A Young Karl Rove plots for College Republicans [VIDEO -- 1972] Note Rove's appearance... stark contrast!

Lie, Spend $$$, and Exploit the uninformed....

This is how you win a presidential primary in Michigan.

Romney claims victory in Michigan

Romney attacked McCain for being realistic, and apparently it worked. Unfortunately for Michigan, Mitt won't even take the time to spit on the state that may have saved, and may ultimately make him the GOP candidate. He'll speed out of there as fast as he can and he won't look back. Mitt Romney an accomplished business man knows better than to fill the heads of blue collar workers with the nonsense of a rejuvenated industrial revolution in America's heartland. He knows that unless there are dramatic upheavals in the world economy, that such a scenario WILL NOT happen in our lifetime, let alone the next 4 years. The path forward to revive the Michigan economy will be rocky, and will be done through better education, and nothing else. The days of the well paid assembly line worker are gone forever.

But alas, Romney is a soul-less opportunist.

McCain had the honesty to speak realistically, and the ignorant people of Michigan punished him (and the rest of us) for it. I've got to say, I believe the home turf advantage gave Romney an edge. I hate to say it, but in this case McCain gave the people of Michigan more credit than they deserved.

McCain's right about Michigan

Experts back up McCain's jobs claim

I'm sick and tired of this smirking, lying, creep that Romney is. I just don't get why people buy into him. My simple guess is that he is young looking and handsome by comparison to other GOP candidates, and that it somehow makes him more presidential. Arguably this usually wins the election, almost always. Picking a president for the average American isn't all that different from choosing their American Idol.

Romney has THE WORST big government record of any of these candidates... his social issues are a joke because he is just going to say and do what his constituency wants, even when it opposes previous positions that he had. Romney created a state mandated health care program in Massachusetts that FINES people who don't have health care, and promotes a state run (money pit) subsidized program. Our budget has been in the red since he left office largely due to this debacle, and it only stands to get worse. REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ARE SUPPOSED TO FIGHT THIS CRAP NOT SUPPORT IT! People call Huckabee fiscally liberal, but honestly even he has a fiscal conservative record next to Romney's. If you vote for Romney you might as well just vote for Hillary Clinton because that's who you'll be putting into office. After all, her new health care plan IS ROMNEY'S!! Even Barack Obama knows better than to mandate health care! And if Romney somehow wins..... he'll be just as bad if not worse than Hillary. It will basically all the joys of George W. Bush, with another giant failing bureaucracy added on top! Hillary & Romney are two people who want the same thing and will do anything to achieve it. Power. The presidency is nothing more than a trophy for them.

Heh heh heh heh... Hey Condy,

holla at your boy!

Traveling with Bush: Bling, strawberry juice and goat brains?
I kid you not, this was the actual title used by CNN. The CNN journalists are obviously bored.... and in an election season?!

• Lighter moments surface on President Bush's trip to the Middle East
• Bush accepts jewelry that some in the U.S. would describe as "bling"
• Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice enjoys her strawberry juice
• Reporters curious if Bush can stay awake for late-night meeting with Saudi ruler

There definitely were a lot of weird moments in this trip for W... I saw an uncomfortable clip of a 10 year old Jewish girl turn sultry lounge singer, performing a Hebrew version of "when you wish upon a star" while she handed Bush a flower. Then there is the necklace, and a photo op with a Saudi Prince's falcon. The fun of course is interrupted occasionally for some good ole home grown war mongering. Meanwhile Bush is officiating a deal to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, the homeland of most of the Al Qaeda operatives responsible for 9-11. Also home to one of the most active Islamo-fascist movements in the Mideast. But hey they have oil, and for a time they took Jacko off of our hands.... we still owe them for that one.

Texans report seeing UFO "People wonder what in the world it is because this is the Bible Belt, and everyone is afraid it's the end of times," said Steve Allen, a freight company owner and pilot who said the object he saw last week was a mile long and half a mile wide.

"Jesus came from outta space and travelled from beyond the stars,
He came down for peace on Earth and left in a second-hand car,
The old men came to watch their sheep,
lit their fire while the records played
Talked all night till they lost the plot,
and they fell down the English way
fell down the English way
Love is all, love is tall, love is older than you,
Love'll talk, love'll walk, love'll speak out for you."

-Supergrass

January Weekend

Well... it was a needed break from the grind of the week.
It all began Friday night as I attempted to avoid chores in my apartment that needed completion. I called up my friend Jason Duplissis from work and we decided to get supper and go check out a movie as soon as I made it home. It had been a while since I had spent any time hanging out with Jason so it was good to catch up. We went to Angela's Coal Oven Pizzeria on Rt. 1 and had a fulfilling meal of their signature chicken wings, a large pepperoni and mushroom pizza and a couple of beers. After this delightful bought of consumption we went to see Sweeney Todd, the latest Tim Burton masterpiece. It is based on a musical from the 1970s written by Stephen Sondheim. The plot is centered around a murderous barber in 19th century London and a drab meat pie dinner (put the pieces together). Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp were great together. The movie was gruesome, funny, and very entertaining. Carter and Depp showed off great vocal chops, and Sacha Baron Cohen has a hysterical cameo appearance. Additional costars are Alan Rickman, and Timothy Spall who both appeared with Carter in the latest Harry Potter film.

Saturday I of course did not change the oil in my car as I planned. Instead I slept late and eventually got up to complete some errands. Kate came over for supper and we went to "Spuds" a local chain that I had been meaning to visit. The atmosphere is a country family restaurant-meets Irish pub. The food wasn't bad, I had some steak tips which were very decent, Kate had a grilled chicken sandwich which looked very hearty. She opted for "Spud fries" instead of french fries. Spud fries were potato wedges which were quite tasty. We went back to my place and I flipped back and forth from the Patriots game to figure skating and gymnastics programs that Kate was into. I think somewhere in the mix we caught the end of Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone, as well as a couple of episodes of Rachel Ray's new vacation show, which was a bit of a let down. It reminded me too much of Giada's show, except it seemed more oriented exclusively towards the gourmet establishments, where Giada at least pays a little lip service towards some of the sights.

Sunday Kate and I got up and efficiently made our way out of Melrose and over to Brookline. Kate had an AMC theater gift card and we went and picked that up. Additionally, she had picked up a large bottle of detergent after eating at Spuds, so I drove as to avoid lugging it through Boston. We had planned on eating some Indian Buffet for brunch. We went to Indian Cafe in Brookline which is located in Washington Square on Beacon St. Kate had gone there a few years back and had craved their samosas. The place was sort of dead, and the buffet food probably needed some fresh Sterno heaters because it was warm, but not quite hot (temperature wise) as we would have liked it. The food wasn't bad and overall it was an enjoyable and tasty meal. The naan was very nice. I had two heaping platefuls of various items and it kept me satisfied all day... or at least until I got my hands on some chips & salsa tonight.

Originally Kate had suggested we go see the Bucket List with her gift card at AMC, however after reading some mediocre reviews we decided on Juno which did not disappoint. This was a great movie that really was the complete package. Funny, great story, well cast, touching, and if that wasn't enough, the soundtrack was good too. Ellen Page was great, a razor wit, great actress who should have a good future in front of her.... lets hope she steers herself more in the direction of Johanssen and Knightly than that of Spears and Lohan. Of course the subject matter and quality of the movie speaks volumes that this young woman will likely move on to more quality productions.

Jason Bateman and Michael Cera former costars in Arrested Development also appear in this gem. Jennifer Garner plays a slightly neurotic and centrally focused woman who desperately wants a child. Despite usually playing characters quite different from this role, it was tough to imagine her in any other way. The characters in this movie were all well acted and it was easy to connect to their various insecurities.

Juno was a slice-of-life sort of drama, heavy material presented in a way that could make you both laugh and cry. It probably will go down as one of the best films of 2007, or at least it should.

Kate and I wandered around downtown Boston a bit after the film before heading back into Brookline. I stopped into Whole Foods on Cambridge St. to use the rest room. That place was mobbed. We ended up looking for a couple of items that Kate wanted but ultimately ended up fleeing in terror.

Our day together ended at Kate's where we sipped at some hot chocolate with whipped cream and ate a couple of brownies. Til Wednesday.

As I write this I can hear the wind picking up in intensity as a Nor'easter begins to move in on New England. We are expecting a foot of snow tomorrow. I don't look forward to the morning!
Time to simmer down before I go to sleep!

WOMEN VOTERS TRIUMPH!

The victory of Hillary Clinton is a victory for all of America. (I definitely never thought I would say that!) Over the past few days I think we have seen a concerted effort by the collective media, the Democratic party, and the powers that be to derail the Clinton campaign. The Hillary haters spoke up, the doubters launched attack campaigns, and the right wingers who would rather run against a black man with an Islamic name, I believe inflated the worth of Obama. The Democrats are fearful that Hillary is unelectable, something that I don't believe. They are eager to replace her top spot with the charismatic Obama.
I bought into the stumble of Hillary as well, despite initial inclinations that New Hampshire would be more receptive to her. This upset showed everyone that the people will not be controlled by the media. It shows us all that our vote CAN STILL COUNT! I think the attacks against Hillary went beyond an attack on her. I think it translated into an attack on women, and the women of New Hampshire would not stand for it.

I have not seen the press turn on someone, or ramp up the pressure against a politician since the days of Howard Dean's scream.

All of the polls changed from Hillary having a slight advantage, to Obama having around a ten point lead in one night. Even the closest poll, one conducted by Suffolk University in Boston had Obama up by 1.0%.

Looking at the headlines just prior to the primary:

Protesters ask Clinton to iron shirts

Popular Washington Post supported blog:
End of the Clinton Era?

Clinton Needs A New Narrative

Then there was the Clinton crying bit, which was just absurd.
'It's Not Easy,' An Emotional Clinton Says

First off to say she cried here is ludicrous. If you watch the video her voice cracks and she is clearly tired and emotional but holds on to her composure. And then people criticizing her for it? I honestly don't think Hillary is capable of of faking it first off, because she can barely feign a smile (Hey but neither can I..)! Secondly it does not make her weak by any stretch of the imagination. Anyone who would even claim such a thing... really! I'm critical of Hillary but come ON! If this is the complaint you have about her going into the primary it is pretty tepid. I also must add that I believe it is CLEARLY sexist!

Our own president gets wet-eyed with pretty much every major speech he gives, the state of the Union, Inaugurations, etc, etc. But then again I suppose most prospective presidents don't want to share traits with George W. Although Romney cried several times on the campaign, which in a double standard he was PRAISED for!

Truthfully I believe that the press and the status-quo turning on Hillary had a huge impact on the voter turnout, and the amount of women who showed up to support her. MSNBC said that of Democratic Primary voters, 50% of women without children voted for Hillary as opposed to 31% for Obama. That is a 19% advantage. For women generally speaking in the democratic primary, 44% supported Clinton as opposed to 37% for Obama, an increase in the margins in Iowa where apparently voters were evenly divided between sex. The crying piece, numerous commentary on her ability to be an emotional stable president (after much more historical criticism calling her emotionless and cold), the sexist protesters, and critics saying that America wasn't ready for a female president; all of these things, I believe drove the women to the polls at the last minute. Even I felt bad for Hillary Clinton over the past couple days, and as you know, I'm not a fan.

Anyway what a historic and exciting night for politics! I sat down with a pizza and watched it unfold as though I was watching a major sports event.

Also helping Clinton... Independents. No, it isn't what you think, I believe the independents came out to support McCain, as opposed to Obama. I was wondering which way New Hampshire would lean. As New Hampshire is traditionally Libertarian I thought there was a chance this could happen, although I thought the precedent in Iowa could cause independents to vote for Obama instead.

Anyhow... it is time for me to go to bed. Till next week when Michigan votes for no apparent reason (the parties have thrown out their delegates because they moved their primary forward).

First Weekend

Well the first several days of 2008 have come and gone. I had a busy week, and I'm bound to have many more. Thursday I had supper over at Kate's. We had to move from Wednesday because I ended up working until 8:30 pm. This weekend I was fending off a cold. I baked some chicken and potatoes Saturday and Kate came over. On Sunday Kate and I made mini burgers with some leftover dinner rolls. They came out really good, I highly recommend it. I picked up the In Rainbows album from Radiohead. They never fail to please me, Yorke has some of his best vocals to date on the album.

When I brought Kate home I had some hot chocolate with whipped cream before heading back to Melrose! Thanks Kate, it was a sweet goodbye... literally. Til Wednesday!

POLITICS:
It has been an eventful couple of weeks with the GOP showing furthermore that it is no longer the party of fiscal conservatism in the heartland. Rather the GOP has become the fundamentalist party. Huckabee a fiscal liberal, once was baptist minister. Because of this the Evangelicals turned out in droves to vote for him because he is a "soldier of Christ". The Christian right has completely conquered the Republican party. The people of Iowa did not care that Huckabee is an nontraditional Republican because the only thing that matters is Abortion, Evolution, prayer in school, and many other ridiculous issues that don't deserve the time of day because the Constitution & legal precedent already detail how they should be dealt with. I suspect most of the South and Midwest will vote in a similar manner.

Unless McCain can make a last stand in NH the party Barry Goldwater helped mold will have transformed into the abomination and affront to American politics that Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition organizations have helped create. These people have an agenda, and most people laugh it off, however it is no laughing matter. There is an agenda to force an ideology and lifestyle upon an entire nation, which ultimately if it gains enough credence will give way to persecution of those who do not agree. Already in just the past decade the word "secular" has become a dirty word in the eyes of many. Evolution in much of the country is even frowned upon, even though at this junction it is almost silly to even refer to it as a "theory". Coupled with an immigration issue that is championed by the far right, we are on the brink of a civil rights catastrophe that our country has not faced since the struggles in the 1950s and 60s.

Not to divert too much: Last weekend Kate & I watched a documentary called "Jesus Camp" which I highly recommend. It basically comes down to brainwashing/ Christian soldier camps for American youth. The rhetoric taught to the kids is similar to that of the films you occasionally see of radical Islamic Fundamentalist schools. It is scary to see it happen right here in our own country. Granted it is more subliminal in its brainwashing then direct calls to Islamic children to be martyrs, however off camera the directors of the camp have no qualms in saying that the radical Islamic schools are almost the inspiration. They also believe it is the destiny of the United States to be a Christian controlled Nation, and believe it was created to be such (in spite of that pesky 1st amendment). Of all people Ted Haggard is the person who speaks poorly about the film on the Wikipedia page I linked to above (recently in a scandal involving, among other things, homosexual prostitution, and methamphetamine possession).

Back on topic: Kate and I watched the debates this Saturday night and I couldn't help but notice the lack of substance on the Democratic side. They talked about their feelings, and how a change is necessary... but outside of Hillary mandating everyone has health care, and Obama countering that it is wrong to force people and fine them if they don't have insurance..... there were virtually no clear descriptions of plans. All of them claim they'll pull troops out of Iraq, but don't explain how they'll do it without destabilizing the nation. All of them champion the middle class, and talk of expanding programs, but no one mentions how they'll fund them, well except for Hillary who has said she'll raise taxes (big surprise). Edwards blinks 70 blinks a minute, and his constant insincere B.S. wears on you as he gives line after line, sound byte after sound byte. Obama is charming, and has become more confident and better versed at this point in the game, but again, it is mostly talk about hope and change. Richardson touts his record, but is not charismatic, and while he may be honest, his policies are probably the second worst next to Edwards. Anyway....

So I'm divided. The GOP with the exception of McCain and Giuliani are all trying to be more fire & brimstone than the other. Romney... well he doesn't count really. He tries but since he just tried to be a liberal 5 years ago....and now he's suddenly vying for the Christian right mouthpiece, and since 90% of all of his political ads are smear/ attack ads, largely based on falsified and spun information... He is almost doing himself in. I almost think Giuliani is all done, but we'll have to see how he does in more urban states. If McCain does well in NH, he could have a push going into those states.... otherwise the Goldwater GOP is dead. Libertarianism is dead. Pick who you want to vote for, the Socialist/Communists (Democrats) or the Fascists (Republicans). Either way you are going to lose some sort of personal rights. And both will increase the National Debt, Weaken the Dollar, and potentially make the world a less stable place.

Time for a new party to restore common sense thinking!

HAPPY 2008!

These are some pictures of the Boston "First Night" Celebration. Some ice sculptures, and myself and a bronze penguin at the New England Aquarium. I hope everyone had a nice holiday season, I had a great one topped off with a terrific New Years Eve. First Night was fun, and there was plenty to do... good call Kate! (Personally I don't get why it is called "First Night" shouldn't it be "Last Night"? I suppose that doesn't have the same charm).