For "this day in history," there's a whole lotta sadness & just a little bit of fun. So, we'll dispense with the depression first then move on toward what will hopefully bring a smile; I don't know 'bout y'all, but I could use a smile.
On this date in 1981, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that five homosexuals in Los Angeles had come down with a rare kind of pneumonia; they were the first recognized cases of what became known as AIDS.
http://www.avert.org/...
These stats reflect what's going on in this country regarding HIV/AIDS as of the end of 2007. Nearly half a million Americans are living with full - blown AIDS; over a quarter million are HIV+ - including my husband. An HIV+ test result and/or an AIDS diagnosis is not the death sentence it used to be thanks to tireless research & advancements in treatment & medical care. But, so many suffer so greatly in this country & all over the world. Some complacency has settled in among many people because we no longer see so many pictures of people suffering from this disease, and not so many are dying, but we cannot & MUST NOT be complacent. This virus is a tough tricky little *itch, so here's to the continuing hard work by so many people to make this disease a thing of the past.
Now, onto the fun. Bill Moyers is 75 today. Sure, he worked in the LBJ administration & is a well - respected wonderful ACTUAL journalist, but as far as I'm concerned, this dressing - down of a stalker "producer" is a career highlight!
Oh, and Mr. Moyers has interviewed this guy, too, but I can't...quite...place the name. Little help?!
Let's Countdown. ;D
Thanks to David Shuster for filling in for Keith; I hope Keith is enjoying a fun long weekend at the ballpark!
#5 "Private Pain" AKA "War and Remembrance" AKA "Obama Speaks to History" - President Obama went to Buchenwald today; his great uncle was in the group that liberated the camp in 1945. Can you imagine being an 18 or 19 – year – old kid, you’ve been away from home for the first time in your life fighting a tough war, then you go to a concentration camp & see what those boys saw?! Anyone – ANYONE – who denies that happened should undergo forced sterilization as to not spread their ilk & procreate. Tell that to one of my aunt’s FIL who also witnessed a concentration camp liberation. George Mitchell is heading to the Mideast in an attempt to restart peace talks; good luck on THAT score, Mr. Mitchell! RICHARD WOLFFE! Damn, he looks especially good tonight. I don’t mean to nit – pick here, but I thought Eli Wiesel was an Auschwitz survivor. I guess I could be wrong; that’s been known to happen once or twice. ;D I love Douglas Brinkley; I’m very familiar with his work because he is the biographer of one Hunter S. Thompson – the real ONLY Gonzo!
#4 "Middle East Outreach" AKA "Obama’s Outreach" AKA "G.O.Peeves" - Most of the post – Cairo speech from yesterday has been very glowing – except from the global – warming denier Senator from Oklahoma. Senator James Inhofe – a sitting US Senator – has called the President of the United State & CIC of our Armed Forces un-American. OK, while it was merely disgusting to hear that kind of talk about then – Senator Obama during the POTUS campaign, haven’t at least a dozen or so lines been crossed now that he’s POTUS?! I mean...WTF??!! Damn! The not – so – honorable Senator is also quoted as saying,
There has never been a documented case of torture at Guantanamo.
I guess he thinks the FBI & Red Cross also have their heads up their hind quarters like the lovely Senator. Long time no see to Craig Crawford! The GOP wants to drive a wedge between President Obama & the Jewish community? Huh?! What do they think they're going to accomplish?
** Gee David, I decided to ignore the whole Scooter Libby thing because it’s depressing, and it pi$$es me & a host of others the hell off. So, thanks oodles for bringing it up! *&^%$#@! The mayor of London is sporting waders & ended up in the drink. OOPS! Hey, at least he tried! Check out the reporter from St. Louis; he keeps reporting in the midst of "horizontal rain"! Roger Penske is buying Saturn. David Plouffe has been hired to help re – elect Deval Patrick. RyanAir is cutting down on terlets on their planes. I hope they plan to increase their cleaning costs because there will be lots of "extra – curricular" number 1s & number 2s on board! **
#3 "’Control the People’" AKA "Stim Deafness" - Guess which 2 governors are still holding out on stimulus coin? I’ll give y’all 3 guesses. Who says I’m not generous?! Dear David, you’re acting like you’re surprised that Grandma Gov. TurkeyLover got a "D" in an econ class; honey, she’s earned "D"s in too many areas of her life to mention! She’s thinking that the federal government will begin bailing out bankrupt states in an attempt to
...control the people.
Dear, you NEED some control; you also need to be sterilized. Someone long ago took care of the lobotomy. Her lovely state, thanks in large part to "Tubes" Stevens has always gotten WAY more federal coin than what they’ve had to pay back in taxes. So, before she got all famous (or notorious), did she give that coin back? The Alaska legislature has enough votes to override her efforts to reject the badly – needed money. GOOD FOR THEM! Now, if she gets re – elected as Governor... Could she really be THAT STUPID & decide to run for re – election?! Wait...don’t answer that. And, the South Carolina Supreme Court has smacked Governor Sanford on the snout in making him request the stim coin to help save SC schools & teachers. OK, let it not be said I do not run a democratic diary. Would y’all like to see THAT video illustrating the result of one particular attempt at education in South Carolina? ;D "That woman" still has the option to not apply for the stim money even if the legislature overrides her efforts? What kind of f*cked up system’s up there?!
StillBUSHED! "Bush League Justice – Gate" The GWB DOJ f*cked up a couple convictions for state lawmakers in Alaska. "Protecting the Troops – Gate" Soldiers have sued Halliburton/KBR because they were exposed to poison from burn pits; I think at least a couple of soldiers in the lawsuit are from Indiana! GO GUYS, GO; TAKE THEM FOR ALL YOU CAN! "Why Are You Still Here? – Gate" HA! That segment title was good – kudos & a bonus in the paycheck to whoever thought that up! DICK, how can we miss you if you won’t GO AWAY – stress on the GO AWAY?!
#2 "Ferris Bueller’s Sell Off" - OK, who’s going in with me to help buy Cameron’s house?! Oh, that would SO ROCK! Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was a movie VITAL to my formative years! And, yes, whenever I visit the Sears Tower, I do the Ferris Bueller thing! :D Oh, I WANT THAT HOUSE! AND, THE CAR’S THERE, TOO????!!!! Oh man.... Oh, did you have to show THAT scene from the movie?! That gorgeous car going out the window still makes my stomach clench. We can put together $2.3 million can’t we?! C’MON!! If we come up with $200K more, we get the car, too! Now, can someone teach me how to drive a stick shift? I don’t imagine that car’s an automatic.
#1 "Monsieur Le President" - Wow! I think that’s the first time I’ve typed cheese – eatin’ – surrender – monkey language – a milestone in Countdown diary history! ;D And, the Obama women have invaded Paris! Sasha & Malia, what did you do on your summer vacation? We went to France! I have no desire to go there, but good for them! President Obama has a 28 – year – old secretary? Damn! That’s gotta be a first! So, THAT’S how you get rewarded for helping to get a guy elected. She throws a basketball like a girl! Another current White House worker went from Afghanistan to a receptionist?! I’m not sure how to feel about that. Well, I’m certainly glad to know that people in the White House have to go to the bathroom; the poor people on the original USS Enterprise had to hold it for YEARS! ;D