Whose 75th Birthday, you may ask? Of course it can't be dailykos itself, or Markos or Bill in Portland Maine... and is sure as hell ain't me!
In fact, VirgoDad was the guest of honor this past Sunday, at a party that my brother and sister and I threw in honor of his 75th birthday!
Birthday Banner, painted by the grandkids!
It isn't often that all the family members get to be in the same place at the same time, and I certainly didn't mind having an excuse to visit the Napa Valley, where I grew up. It’s a nice little change of pace from my first winter in Michigan.
Yes, I grew up in Wine Country, but it wasn't as glamorous as it sounds. VirgoDad worked for Anheuser-Busch, for one thing -- so when I say that Budweiser put me through college, I'm not kidding! I did baby-sit Robert Mondavi's grandchildren one summer, though... so, who wants to touch me? :P
Cheers and Jeers pulls the cork [twist twist twist] RIGHTNOW! [POP!]
I'm really glad to have the chance to host WYFP tonight, but I'm a little sheepish about it as well, since I haven't been participating much during the past few months. I just happened to pop in on a night when volunteer hosts were being solicited, so I put up my hand and got lucky! Thank you, musing85, for this opportunity!
WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pictures, favorite adult beverages, and anything else that we think might help. Everyone and all sorts of troubles are welcome. May we find peace and healing here.
Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?
"The Bush administration’s assault on some of the founding principles of American democracy marches onward despite the Democratic victory in the 2006 elections... [snip] Today we’re offering a list — which, sadly, is hardly exhaustive — of things that need to be done to reverse the unwise and lawless policies of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney."
Joshu Washes the Bowl
A monk told Joshu: `I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me.'
Morning, kiddie pool denizens! I had to get up early today, and I was really looking forward to reading AAbshier's Monday C&J over breakfast, but I can't find it! So I'm gonna post something real quick-like to serve as a fill-in for my fellow addicts who, like me, are sitting at their computers, desparately trying to type despite the shakes, nausea, blurred vision and other symptoms of C&J withdrawal. If Andy has posted and I just missed it, I'll delete, in the meantime, I'm gonna post this and then maybe I'll update it with something that's actually humorous! Oh, I'll also see if I can find the keys to the liquor cabinet. Dammit Bill, don't ya trust us? No? Oh, wise move on your part.
So tell me, Kossacks, what's it like where you live? What do you love about it? What do you hate about it? What's it like to be liberal there? What would you say to someone considering moving to your area?
The backstory:
A little less than a year from now, I will be leaving my current home in sunny, beautiful, crazy-expensive San Diego and moving to a new city. Which one, you might ask? Well, I'm curious to find out, myself!
A bill to provide health insurance to all Californians is currently in committee in the State Assembly! California Kossacks, let's show our support for this important legislation by writing our Assembly members! Letters should be received in Sacramento by Wednesday,
August 16 (Find your Assembly member here: www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html)
And if you would be so kind, please recommend this diary so it gets as many eyeballs as possible!
I received this information through a friend who is in medical school. The California Physicians Alliance is organizing a push for public support for this legislation, and Executive Director Carla Woodworth has given me permission to post her appeal here.
It's finally here - the day we've been waiting for, lo these many months! Lamontapallooza! As of this evening, one of two things will happen here in Kosotopia:
1. There will be much rejoicing, gloating, and I-told-you-so/I-knew-it-all-along-ing
-OR-
2. There will be weeping, gnashing of teeth, and I-told-you-so/I-knew-it-all-along-ing
Join me below the fold as I offer you a few blissful moments of distraction before you get back to obsessing, pacing, or nervously waiting with baited breath. Now stop biting your nails, or do I have to put that nasty-tasting stuff on them?
Cheers and Jeers starts in West There's Moreville... [creeeeak!] RIGHTNOW! [D'oh!!]
Yesterday, mem from somerville wrote this diary apologizing to Chancellor Merkel for W.'s boorish behavior. In the comments, mem asked someone to post an online petition doing the same. So I did. Go here to sign the petition.
The giving and receiving of advice is a fundamental, age-old human transaction. When I think back on countless conversations I've had with friends and family members, I realize that a significant proportion of time spent in conversation consisted of sharing dilemmas and quandaries with each other, and mulling over possible strategies and solutions. For a variety of reasons, I have been the advice-receiver far more often than the advice-giver. And I'm very sorry to say that, from my current vantage point, it seems to me that the vast majority of advice exchanged - both given and received - has been pure crap. Well-intentioned crap, loving crap, honest and sincere crap, but crap nonetheless. Why is this?
Disclaimer: Virgomusic's Cheers and Jeers is in no way affiliated with Bill in Portland Maine. Any resemblance to Bill in Portland Maine's Cheers and Jeers is simply the sincerest form of flattery at work. Virgomusic's Cheers and Jeers hopes it can be like Bill in Portland Maine when it grows up.
Greetings from Sunny San Diego! Join me below the fold as we discuss California politicians, the End of an Era, presidential noise music-making, and of course, pooties!
Here's a holiday-themed test over at MSNBC: Do you have what it takes to become a citizen? Potential citizens need to score 80% or above to be looked upon favorably by the INS. However, I have a modest proposal for expanding the use of this test...
Okay, so I just stayed up to watch Ann Coulter <spit> on Jay Leno's show. There were several things to be annoyed and mystified about, but the main point I want to make -- because I really want to go to bed right now -- is that the central thesis of her book, as she describes it, is such a steaming pile of horseshit, that I really would like to know what she's been smoking and what planet she's living on. Follow me over the fold and I shall explain as succinctly as I can.
As I diaried here, I thought very carefully about what to take to YearlyKos. After considerable research and analysis, I came up with the following checklist:
Disclaimer: I know it's silly and frivolous, and not at the same level of worth or merit as diaries like this or this, but it's kind of a laugh-to-keep-from-cryin' thing, knowumsayin'?
