Blog Roundup

Since I'm low on original thoughts...

Rene's post on spring cleaning got me to thinking. First fleeting thought was that I have no need for spring cleaning. I'm anal year-round, LOL. Second thought was more a realization...now that I work full-time outside the home, it doesn't matter how anal I am. I simply don't have time to stay up on kitchen drawers and bathroom cupboards.

I was also reminded of all the little things I notice when I clean house every week--the things I leave for when I have more time. Like nailing down loose baseboard trim, vacuuming the dust from the furnace and hot water heater closet, and washing or replacing shower curtain liners. And oh hell, let's just be honest and include all the things I've shaved off my weekly house cleaning...like Windexing the front of my dishwasher and stove or washing the kitchen throw rugs. Sigh.

Before this moment, the only thing on my "spring" To Do list was swap seasonal clothes and cull the outgrown clothes from G's wardrobe. Ah well.

Segues nicely into Rosie's comments on time--or lack of it. She's right--physical fitness consumes a good chunk of our time. Right now, I'm doing both my cardio and resistance training before sunrise. Frankly, it sucks. Because I had to add cardio--the minute I sat my ass behind a desk for a living--my morning workout is twice as long as it used to be. I no longer have time for a cup of coffee over the morning news and, on more days than not, I head out of the house with wet, unstyled hair.

[To Rosie, a quick note. If you can figure out how to squeeze weight training in, you'll love, love, love the results. Been meaning to tell you that, LOL. Power and grace...the coolest benefits in the world.]

And that image of unstyled hair reminds me of Stacy's post on finding our "pretty." Clearly, for me, it is not in silky locks. I do like pink toenails, clear polish on my fingernails, cool sunglasses and clear glossy lips, and sexy underwear, and...well, that's enough for now. A fun post Stacy--another in this overall "woman" theme we have going on this week.

On reading...hmmmm. I'm in a slump, so Nath's post comes to mind. But where she is presently unable to choose a book to read, I'm just plain unable to enjoy a book to read. I swear I started Krentz' Running Hot two weeks ago...not even half way through it. It's good, but not a page-turner and I'm not able to pick it up for more than 10 minutes at a time--once or twice a day. I keep thinking I should put it down and find a page-turner--one that would compel me to give up sleep in order to finish it. At least that way I would feel like I'm reading.

I'm pretty sure I miss reading. For the joy of it, I mean. Some days I fear my disappointment is more in the fact that I'm not keeping up, than in the actual missing of the escape romance provides. I used to joke that I read like it's my job. Maybe not so funny...not when reading less makes me feel like I'm falling down on the job.

Not far off Jessica's post over at Racy Romance Reviews. Her inability to keep up with her Google Reader is giving her fits. That happens to me too. Conversely--and perversely--I'm just as frustrated when I am caught up with everyone's posts. Leaves me feeling deserted.

So there it is ladies. I'm a mental patient with biceps and shiny lips.

Why?

That's all I have to say is why? Why would someone DO something this DISGUSTING? BLECH.

Why The Price Of Gas Is So High AND Why You Should NOT Vote Republican

MYSTERY SOLVED!

Cubie solved it. Go look. We are such idiots. We need to start doing our own freaking drilling damn it all.

AND NOW...




The President is a flipping idiot. When I saw this, I threw my hands up in the air in defeat. If this doesn't prove what an idiot Bush is, nothing will. Oh, I'll summarize... (ARGH!)

Democrats on Thursday condemned President Bush's insinuation that they would be appeasing terrorist states by holding talks, with one going so far as to call his remarks "bulls**t."

Joe Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that if the president disagrees so strongly with the idea of talking to Iran, then he needs to fire his secretaries of state and defense, both of whom Biden said have pushed to sit down with the Iranians.

"This is bulls**t. This is malarkey. This is outrageous. Outrageous for the president of the United States to go to a foreign country, sit in the Knesset ... and make this kind of ridiculous statement," he said.

"He's the guy who's weakened us. He's the guy that's increased the number of terrorists in the world. His policies have produced this vulnerability the United States has."

So, finally someone has just come right out and said it. FINALLY. And what does President Bush do?

The president, at Israel's 60th anniversary celebration in Jerusalem, suggested that some Democrats were acting in the same way some Western leaders did when they appeased Hitler in the runup to World War II.

"As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is: the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history," he said while speaking to Israel's parliament, the Knesset.

He called it a "foolish delusion" to think the U.S. can negotiate with terrorists.

And it gets worse when he's put on the spot. He's seriously a fucktard.

Biden later asked, "Since when does this administration think that if you sit down, you have to eliminate the word 'no' from your vocabulary?"

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, meanwhile, called on Bush to "explain the inconsistency between his administration's actions and his words today."

"Not surprisingly, the engineer of the worst foreign policy in our nation's history has fired yet another reckless and reprehensible round," he said in a statement.

The president did not name Sen. Barack Obama or any other Democrat, but White House aides privately acknowledged to CNN that the remarks were aimed at the presidential candidate and others in his party.

After Bush's comments were reported, the White House denied that they were specifically aimed at Obama.

"There are many who have suggested these types of negotiations with people that the president, President Bush, thinks that we should not talk to," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

And then what happens? The other dumbass wrinkly Republican opens his mouth and spouts off about some serious bullshit.

Doubts about Obama with Jewish Americans were stoked by Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2008 presidential election, when he recently charged that Obama is the favored candidate of Hamas.

Hamas is an Islamic fundamentalist group that controls the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

Obama last week called the Hamas allegation a "smear" and lashed out Thursday at Bush's speech in Israel.

"It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence to launch a false political attack," Obama said in a statement released to CNN by his campaign.

"George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the president's extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel," Obama's statement said.

According to Obama's Web site, he favors "tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions, and is willing to meet with the leaders of all nations, friend and foe."

He does not favor talks with Hamas, which the U.S. government has listed as a terrorist group.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who leaves later Thursday on a bipartisan congressional trip to Israel, said there is a "protocol" of not criticizing the president when he is abroad, but then declared, "I think what the president did in that regard is beneath the dignity of the office of president and unworthy of our representation at that observance in Israel."

She and Howard Dean, the Democratic Party chairman, called on McCain to denounce the comment.

McCain declined to do so Thursday, instead criticizing Obama's willingness to talk to the president of Iran.

"It is a serious error on the part of Sen. Obama that shows naiveté and inexperience and lack of judgment to say that he wants to sit down across the table from an individual who leads a country who says that Israel is a stinking corpse," McCain said.

What can you say to that? There's more, but good Christ this makes me want to pull my hair out. A fine fucking leader we've got there, America. Thanks all you idiot Republicans who voted for someone in who's dumber than a freaking rock.

Gas prices

Just sayin'...

What A LOSER!!!

Article found here.

50 Cent Sued for Promoting "Gangsta Lifestyle"
By Alexander Toldt
April 10th 2008


50 Cent Sued for Promoting "Gangsta Lifestyle"

A 14-year-old boy and his mother sued 50 Cent, Universal Music Group and several of its record labels on Wednesday for encouraging a "gangsta lifestyle".

James Rosemond and his mother, Cynthia Reed, filled a multimillion-dollar suit accusing Universal Music Group and its labels Interscope Records, G-Unit Records and Shady Records of being responsible for an assault which happened last year.

In the incident which occurred March 2007, the 14-year-old boy was attacked by several rappers including Tony Yayo, member of 50 Cent's G-Unit group and Lowell Fletcher, Yayo’s employee.

(Dude, what kind of man beats up on a 14-year-old boy just for wearing a freaking shirt of someone that is your rival? And what kind of man condones that and encourages it? The loser kind! The idiot thug kind! GAH!)

According to court records, the rappers assaulted Rosemond because he was wearing a T-shirt by Czar Entertainment, who represents The Game, currently a rival rapper of the G-Unit. Yayo (real name Marvin Bernard) and Fletcher both pleaded guilty. The first was sentenced to ten days of community service for harassment, while the latter got 9 months in prison for endangering the welfare of a child.

At the time of the assault, 50Cent was out of town and wasn’t formally charged in that case.

The lawsuit filed by Rosemond and his mother includes 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson), Violator Management, Violator CEO Chris Lighty, Tony Yayo and Lowell Fletcher. The amount Rosemond and Ms. Reed are seeking in the lawsuit wasn’t made public.

"The members of G-Unit, including defendants Yayo and 50 Cent, encouraged, sanctioned, approved and condoned its members threatening violence, and or engaging in violent acts in furtherance of its business," the lawsuit said.

(This is just so totally fucked up. I'm disgusted. Thoroughly disgusted.)

The rappers assaulted the 14-year-old boy with the intention to "promote and maintain Yayo and 50 Cent's 'gangsta' image," which was "promoted, marketed and advertised" by record labels.

Ms. Reed is looking for a "quick payday," said 50 Cent’s lawyer Benjamin Brafman for the New York Daily News.

Although Cynthia Reed, mother to an assaulted child, claims that she just wants an apology, she may have some trouble selling that.

(Know what? I'd sue their ass too. Not for the gangsta stuff but for assaulting a minor, whatever gang-related charges the cops can find to fit the crime, and it's just too bad being a total idiot isn't a crime, because this guy'd be locked up for a long damn time. The kid was an innocent. He has a right to like The Game if he wants to like The Game. He is not part of the rivalry and to involve him... well, I certainly hope that the punishment fits the crime... not including the law suit.)

Horrendous days in Southern California

This is what all of Southern California looks like right now. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost their home, who has been evacuated, or who has been affected by this terrible tragedy in any way.

At last count, we had about 16 separate fires going. It seems that each year, fire season gets worse. We were camping this weekend up in the Ventura County mountains near Ojai, and when the winds picked up on Saturday afternoon, we thought about leaving, but didn't. Along about 9pm, it was pitch black, and all I could think of was, "This is fire weather. I don't want to be stuck up here in the mountains when it starts." So in the dark, we packed up our tent, our stuff and our kids, and we went home. I am so sad to say that I was right.

I've touched base with most of the SoCal bloggers, and everyone seems to be ok for now, thank goodness. I'd appreciate it if you all could keep good thoughts for Nikki, who is pretty much smack in the middle of the fires. And, bless her heart, she's sending her fire my way. School was cancelled for my kids today due to the unpredictability of the fires. IMO, they did it a day too early. We'll play it by ear for tomorrow.

Update: Just heard from Nikki, and she is doing fine, thank goodness. School is scheduled to be in session for us tomorrow, so we should be ok for now. The winds are dying down a bit. Keep your fingers crossed that our amazing firefighters can begin to get a handle on these nasty fires overnight. SoCal firefighters are simply the very best. They face this year after year, and each year, they head into these wildfires with amazing bravery and courage. Next time you see a firefighter in your neck of the woods, say a big thank you!

Calgon! Take Me Away!

Anybody out there ever feel like their life was spinning out of control and they couldn't get it to stop? Well, I'm feeling like that today, and I don't like it one damn bit!

Oh, and my husband? He needs anti-depressants. Seriously. Can't stand him right now. Thank goodness he's got a doctor's appt on the 24th and I'm going to be there. I'm telling everything. God, is it June yet? Sigh.