Hells bells...so much to say...so little space...So, let's dive right in.
Let me please offer some thoughts about the passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
I've heard it argued that the Kennedys are the closest thing to a royal family that our country has ever seen; I would tend to agree with that point. All of the kids in that family could've easily sat on their laurels & done nothing to improve the lives of others or make spiritually more rich the soul of our nation. Mrs. Shriver had the courage to bring to the light of day an issue which used to (and sadly still does in some areas) be a source of embarrassment, shame, etc. - the lives of special needs people. Special needs kids and adults used to be relegated to hushed conversations (if they were even discussed at all) & "put away" to avoid shame, embarrassment, etc. Mrs. Shriver discussed the case of her own sister, Rosemary, in that environment. That passion, compassion, and courage led to the creation of the Special Olympics - a place for kids to be themselves & be the best of themselves they can be. Thoughts of strength & compassion to her family, friends, & everyone who loved her...
There is a RICH tapestry of events for "this day in history," so let's go! On this date in 1934, the first federal prisoners arrived at the island prison Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay. They even got me gosh darn it! ;D
On this date in 1956, artist Jackson Pollock died in an automobile accident in East Hampton, N.Y., at age 44. He is my favorite painter, and I was thrilled to see his works at the Art Institute in Chicago last month. My favorite work of is is the mural he painted for Peggy Gugenheim.
This work is on permanent display as part of the University of Iowa art collection; I WILL get out there soonest to see this for myself!
On this date in 1984, President Ronald Reagan joked during a voice test for a paid political radio address that he had "signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." Yea, that was just a laugh riot {insert retching noise here}.
And, finally, happy birthday to actor Anna Gunn! Y'all don't know who she is? SHAME ON YOU; you obviously didn't watch this show. She's the blond woman with the little boy in this scene.
And, you don't watch this show, either. It's a GREAT show, so WATCH IT, or it'll go the way of Deadwood, and that'll REALLY pi$$ me off.
Let's Countdown!
#5 "Democracy in Real America" AKA "Lemming Harangue" AKA "Unhealthy Debate" - During a little down time at work today, I had the chance to watch/listen to 90% of President Obama’s town hall in New Hampshire; I missed just a bit of the beginning of it. A demented part of me was almost hoping for some "spirited" protesters so President Obama could give ‘em a little "Chicago style" fact check. ;D But, I was very pleased with him saying clearly and in no uncertain terms that he’s anti – "pulling the plug on grandma." I wish he’d have made some association with St. Sarah from Wasilla palling around with domestic terrorists, but he’s too classy for that; I guess that’s why I’d never make it in politics. I also loved his shooting down of the "Cornhole" Cornyn "data mining" shtick with the new White House web site about the health care reform debate; that was GOOD! I watched part of Tweety’s interview with the "gentleman" who felt he needed to pack heat in New Hampshire today; I got through about 4 minutes of it then had to stop because my laptop would’ve gone flying out of my 2nd story window. Look at that little girl with the "Obama Lies Grandma Dies" sign. Get social services to that girl’s parent’s house – STAT! That question from that girl about the "mean things" on signs was good, too. President Obama’s clarification about how the whole "death panel" memo got started was very good. It’s too bad the people intended to hear that reasoning won’t get it because he used multi – syllabic words – entirely too big for their vocabulary. Senator Claire McCaskill didn’t have such a fun day. She got lots of questions about tax money going toward abortions in the possible legislation. She did pretty well with the Medicare stuff! Senator Arlen Specter got fisticuffs in his meeting today. It didn’t sound like he had a real fun meeting, either. How mean am I for not feeling very sorry for Senator Specter? We got a two – fer for Lawrence O’Donnell! He seems to think progressive concerns are getting drowned out in these meetings. There may or may not have been a "deal" with drug companies; no one – at least to my recollection – has really had a chance to address that issue in meetings.
#4 "Racism in the Public Square" - Holy crap, a guy named Richard Young was arrested today in New Hampshire at the site of a town hall with a knife & a loaded gun for which he did not have a permit; this is NOT the "gentleman" Tweety interviewed. OK...is THIS enough to reign in the hate & fear mongers????!!!! What the hell kind of security did they have at that sucker today? Congressman David Scott (an African – American) got a swastika painted on his sign. 1...2...3...CLASSY! We get a repeat segment from Professor Melissa Harris – Lacewell, too! She thinks our Congress critters are going to be "...morally courageous..."?! Oh honey, you’ve got WAY MORE faith than I do; I can count the number of said Congress critters even remotely capable of moral courage on 1 hand.
** AAAaaaWWWwww! Look at the poor little elephant in Thailand. I’ve been up close to a baby elephant; it was as tall as me. I wonder if today’s GOP feels like that elephant in the manhole these days? There was a flying bike in the Netherlands; they got nothin’ on the Wright brothers! Investor’s Business Daily needs to hire a fact checker; they wouldn’t look like such MORANS with their Stephen Hawking story! Gregg Jarrett is on the Speaker Pelosi Nazi & Un-American train, too. Senator David "Diaper Boy" Vitter likes angry mobs, but he won’t see any at his events because he screens all the people & their questions. **
#3 " ‘Death Panel’" - St. Sarah from Wasilla was in charge of her own little death panel during her own abbreviated stunt...er...uh...stink...er...hm...stint as Governor of Alaska. A story from the Anchorage Daily News said,
In one 2 ½ year stretch, 227 adults already getting services died while waiting for a nurse to reassess their needs.
Don’t forget she also cut funds from Special Olympics that could’ve helped her special needs son that she says President Obama’s panel wants to kill. Senator Johnny Isakson called her "nuts." There’s Shannyn Moore! Yea for her!
I don’t think Sarah Palin registers guilt.
Oh, that was SO wonderful & SO true; it is a PERFECT diagnosis! The organizations involved in these care issues asked for more funds in a surplus budget year & were denied. Wow... There might be hearings, too?! Wow again... I liked "Palinistas," too! Funny! ;D
WPITW – BillO lead his show & seemed to discuss ad nauseum his own TurdBlossom math ratings "boost." A Financial Times columnist compared President Obama to Felix the cat because they are both "black" & "lucky." Man, we are just OOZING "class" tonight, ain’t we! Dick "Toe Sucker" Morris has made a veiled reference to the necessity of "terrorizing" Dem Congress critters.
#1 "Party Divide" AKA "No Moderates Allowed" - Meghan McCentury is duking it out with Laura Ingraham, CoulterGeist, & Michelle Malkin. Megan better watch herself; I bet those other 3 fight dirty! So much for that "big tent" memo. You mean they didn’t solve all that by making Michael Steele – a {insert hushed tone here} BLACK guy – the leader of the RNC? I’ll be darned! I don’t know if I subscribe too much to the "new media" VS. "old media" memo. I think it fits to a point, but old fashioned lil’ ‘ol me doesn’t Twit or Tweet or whatever the spark it’s called; I actually still read & buy books and write letters with paper & pen! Get off my lawn! Where’s my world’s fair spoon?! ;D