The "W" Show

Is that how cults do it? The brain washing I mean. Tell the same story often enough and eventually everyone accepts it as the truth?

I couldn't watch the "W" show last night. That condesending tone and silly smurk are just too much for me. However, for one brief minute I took a peek just as he made one of his famous references linking our current war to September 11, 2001. Can't believe he still thinks we're buying that one. Wonder if he truly believes it or it's just something Dick told him is a fact? Clearly last night's event was to "market" the war. Speaking at an army base pretty much insures no opposition in the audience. What kind of bubble is he living in? It's sad he feels he must ignore the majority of the citizens. Probably thinks it's for our own good. What a shame so many Americans must get hurt or die to feed "W" and company's ego.

This is one of the scariest administrations since Nixon's. They are so self-righteous. I am sure they think they are saving us from ourselves. We're moving backwards on so many issues. The Founding Fathers must be rolling over in their graves.
Happy Independence Day.

Tigger and Piglet

I am sad to read that Paul Winchell has died. As a kid, I remember watching his TV show. Don't remember if his lips moved or not. Didn't matter. The show was funny to me. "N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestles makes the very best... chooooooocolate." Did Knucklehead Smith sang that? Don't remember. When my kids were little, Winchell provided the voice of Tigger in Disney's Winnie the Pooh movies.

Today I read that John Fiedler has also passed away. He was a fine actor but will be forever in my mind as the voice of Piglet.

Two of AA Milne's characters are silenced this week. Thankfully their voices will live forever as those beloved characters.

The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one!

Oprah

Oprah Winfrey, the richest woman in America was snubbed, YES snubbed! And why? Not because she showed up at the Hermes Paris store 15 minutes after their closing time. No. But because she's black!!! Can you believe it? This day and age and in Paris? Snubbed. Perhaps someone is just getting a little bit too full of themselves.

According to this piece I read in the Yahoo news:

<<"US talk show queen Oprah Winfey is convinced she was turned away from Hermes store in Paris because she is black and plans to tell her millions of viewers about it, a spokeswoman said. "Oprah does have plans to discuss the incident on air when she returns in September, " the spokeswoman told AFP.">>

<<"If it had been Celine Dion or Britney Spears or Barbra Streisand, there is no way they would not be let in that store," a friend of Winfrey's told the Daily News.">>

How this "friend" knows that is a matter of fact, I am not sure. The article continues:

<<"Winfrey, who was recently named the most powerful celebrity in the US by Forbes magazine, has also decided to boycott the store, the spokeswoman confirmed. The luxury goods house issued a public apology Friday after Winfrey called Robert Chavez, president of Hermes in America, to complain.">>

<<"Hermes said in a statement that Winfrey was denied entry on June 14 because she arrived after standard business hours and while a private PR event was being set up inside".>>

Perhaps Ms. Winfrey has taken this celebrity power, so graciously handed her by Forbes Magazine, just a little too seriously.

Let's just say I could afford to shop at Hermes.
Let's also assume I could afford to be in Paris to do so.
Everyone knows how much the folks in France LOVE those of us from the U-S of A. I show up at the store fifteen minutes after they have closed for the day. Doesn't matter what is going on inside, they are absolutely NOT going to come and unlock their door for me.
Is it because I am
(a) white?
(b) American?
(c) Not a celebrity?
(d) Arrived after closing hours?
(e) a, b, c, & d?

Give me a break Oprah. Come back to the real world. Quit fawning over Scientologists and flaunting your wealth on lavish parties which are really PR opportunities of your own. Not getting to buy your buddy Tina Turner an expensive purse at that very moment is not the end of the world. Playing the race card is uncalled for and down right tacky.

The Roses were Pink

Terri Schiavo has finally been laid to rest. In the same cemetery as my dad. Originally her husband was taking her ashes back to Pennsylvania. Her family didn't like that idea and wanted her buried locally since most of their family is here. So, her husband changed his plans to accommodate them. NOW they don't like the grave marker. What next? You watch, the color of the roses in the vase won't suit. Hope the brother's Bush don't get involved again.

What is it with these people? They are NEVER satisfied. I just don't understand this family. The court order required the husband to notify the Schlinder family of a memorial service. He had no memorial service and doesn't plan one. He did notify the family that there had been an internment and the location of the grave. The blue urn containing her ashes was placed in a lead box along with two of Terri's stuffed animals. A beautiful arrangement of pink roses, white Calla lilies and baby's breath filled the bronze vase to overflowing. It was pouring down rain. There was a priest present because she was Catholic. Believe me, that's not a memorial service, that's an internment. We did that for my dad too. Memorial service at the church with friends, family, ministers, music, prayers, eulogies etc. The internment was ten days later at the cemetery when we placed the urn in the crypt along with an item he wanted buried with him. No ceremony, we just did it.

The Shindler's 15-minutes has turned into an hour. Their time is up. There is no longer an issue with the husband. If they want to work for a cause in her name, how about promoting filling out a living will? Visit her grave. It's exactly where you wanted it. But move on.

Going backwards

Last week the Hillsborough County Florida commission took a huge step backwards in the human rights department. The commissioners voted 5-1 for a policy that "bans county government from acknowledging, promoting or participating in gay pride recognition and events." (One commissioner voted no and one was out of the room.) When I read the original article in the St. Petersburg Times I couldn't believe my eyes. It is 2005, right? What are they smoking at those meetings anyway? If the policy were to ban the county from acknowledging say Black History Month or the city's beloved Gasparilla festivities the citizens would be in a total uproar!

I am not the only one who's shocked. "Tampa is a city that embraces diversity, including people who are gay," Mayor Pam Iorio said Thursday. "Gays and lesbians are part of our diversity and deserve our respect. That is a value that I hold dear," Iorio said at a breakfast organized to promote public art in Tampa. "We should build on tolerance, not intolerance". This all started because one commissioner promised to seek a county policy banning public library displays that promote Gay Pride and Lesbian Pride Month. What on earth are they afraid of? The fact that one person felt it necessary to bring it up in the first place then to have four others go along with it just amazes me. The "church" of Scientology is infiltrating right under their noses (as they did years ago in Clearwater) and they're worried about a Gay Pride display at the library? Give me a break.

Lunch with Judge Greer

My Dad was a member of Rotary and had perfect attendance for 53 years. Do that math! A meeting every week for 53 years equals 2756 weeks in a row! In the 70's he stopped by a Rotary meeting on his way to and home from open heart surgery. Until last year when his health failed, he was still attending regularly. Over he years he raised tens of thousands of dollars for Rotary International charities and was proud of his participation.

Yesterday evening we had dinner with a friend who happens to be an active Rotarian. Our conversation turned to the results of the Terri Schiavo's autopsy report. Suddenly Joe said to everyone at the table, by the way, Judge Greer will be the speaker at Rotary tomorrow if anyone wants to go. I said I'd LOVE to go. My mother was with us and she asked Joe to tell George she said hello! Apparently Judge Greer and my dad were friends and I didn't know it! Somehow I feel proud to have a connection.

I am not a member but I've certainly attended my share of Rotary functions with my dad over the years. This will be my first since his death. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to introduce myself to Judge Greer as my dad's daughter and tell him how much I respect him. I voted for this judge in the last election because of the way he handled this case and I'll vote for this judge every time he runs for office from now on.

Kids and Dogs

I attend Weight Watchers meetings every Tuesday morning at 10 AM. They last less than an hour and I picked this particular class because Leona is a good group leader. It's a much needed incentive for me to keep up with the program plus I usually learn something. Most of the attendees are older folks but there are a few young-in's. During the winter our group swells to the point that if you want your "regular" seat, you must arrive early. This time of year you can get there just before the meeting and you're fine. I sit in the front row, on the end, so I can see the marker board.

I was running late this morning and didn't get there until almost 10. I pulled my records from the file box in back of the room and took a place in line to wait my turn to weigh in. Leona started the meeting, as she does every week, by giving out "bravo" stars. She gives stars if you loose weight, if you don't loose weight but came to the meeting anyway... well, pretty much for anything. Then she started the lesson of the week. Poor Ruthie was left alone to weigh in those of us who were late. One younger gal was taking an especially long time. She was new and had brought her baby with her. The child was about one and yelled and fussed the entire time. Leona tried to talk over the noise but it wasn't easy. She smiled nonetheless and pressed on.

About the time Ruthie got to me, another lady walked in with her dog! She pulled out a chair, covered it with a towel and sat the animal down. Then she walked to the back of the room to pull her records out of the file box leaving the doggie unattended. Now, the pooch was adorable... sort of a Dot and Dash little mixed thing only all white. But, not over weight NOR a WW member. The child was taken with the dog and loudly expressed her delight and her interest in getting off Mommy's lap to get a closer look. About that time another dog walked by outside and the WW dog WENT NUTS barking and crying to go outside and get to the other dog!!! When someone tried to calm the dog (it's owner was still in line) it growled, barked and snapped at them. The dog cornered itself in the reception area and Ruthie wisely decided to get the heck out of there. THEN the owner got involved. She finally got hold of the dog and took it out of the room.

Am I the only one who thinks taking children and animals to meetings is inappropriate? There have been children and dogs there before without incident but I still think it's wrong. This situation turned out to be nothing more than a rude interruption to the day. The possibilities of what could have happened are endless. It's scary.

E. Howard Hunt is a hoot!

I think W. Mark Felt is a hero. Without him, I doubt the Watergate scandal would have panned out as it did. Tricky Dickie and company got busted and they had it coming. That said, I must comment on a most amusing article printed on page 3B of the St. Petersburg Times on June 6. Sorry, I can't find a copy on line so I'll type it here.
_______________________________________________________
It begins, "E. Howard Hunt, a former CIA operative and who recruited five men to break into the Watergate hotel, has criticized the man who came forward as Deep Throat. "

"Hunt, 86, was imprisoned for 33 months after the Watergate scandal forced President Richard Nixon from office. W. Mark Felt, 91, was the key source in the Washington Post's Watergate investigation."

The article continues, "Nothing that Mr. Felt did was acceptable. It was traitorous of him to accept a paycheck from the federal government and do what he did, " Hunt said in an interview at his suburban Miami home. His remarks were published Sunday in the Miami Herald."

"Only a person without quality, as I call Mr. Felt, would contact a major newspaper...That's detestable," Hunt said."

"Hunt said he was never really curious about Deep Throat's identity and now that Felt admitted his involvement last week, he hopes the whole thing will end."

"Hunt had been working informally for the Nixon White House's "plumbers" unit, set up to help stop government information leaks, when Nixon asked him to work on the Watergate break-in."

Investigative reporter Bob Woodward has said that Felt helped him link Hunt to the break-in. Hunt's name had been found in the address book of one of the burglars."
_______________________________________________________

That's the whole article, word for word.
Is Hunt kidding? Seems like the typical Republican mentality to me.... it's OK for HIM to be a thief and a liar but the guy who brings it to the attention of the public is a traitor. He probably thought breaking into Democratic headquarters was for the good of the country. Howard, you should really take your act on the road! It's a real hoot.

Unhappy about the 2000 election? Read this!

I received the following from the Democratic Party today. As a Floridian and Democrat, I am passing it on to as many as I can in hopes it will help make others aware this despicable person is running for the United States Senate. I encourage everyone to help in any way possible to defeat her attempt at the bid. She's exactly the type of person I do NOT want representing me and a perfect example of a crocked politician.

Here is a copy of the email I received (minus the commercials):
________________________________________________


It's official. Katherine Harris is running for Senate.

Apparently, disenfranchising 50,000 voters in order to swing an
entire presidential election is considered a "qualification" to
the Republican Party. If you ask me, that sounds a lot more like
an extraordinary abuse of power.

Remember, this is the same Katherine Harris who was Florida's
Secretary of State during the 2000 election debacle and was
simultaneously co-chair of George Bush's Florida campaign. It's
the same Katherine Harris who ordered the disenfranchisement of
tens of thousands of voters - mostly African Americans and
Latinos - simply because their names or birthdays were
conveniently similar to that of a convicted felon.

Mad yet? Then you'll want to help the DSCC beat Katherine Harris
and her ideological allies running for Senate all over the
country in 2006.

Click here to make a secure contribution of $75 or more today.
https://secure.ga3.org/03/20050608_lewis_ng/nc7_e1nE1tz34?

This is the same Katherine Harris who went on TV every night to
talk about the importance of counting every vote, but then
allowed Republican Party hacks to interfere with the faithful
execution of that process. Heck, if it weren't for her
mismanagement and overt partisanship, President Al Gore would be
halfway through his second term by now.

Needless to say, defeating her is a top priority for the DSCC in
2006. But the Florida Senate election is just one of 33 across
the country next year. Katherine Harris may be the most well
known Republican challenger, but the truth is that every
Republican candidate is committed to a leadership in Washington
that will stop at nothing in its quest for the absolute power to
impose an extreme right wing vision on America.

You can help the DSCC defeat Katherine Harris and the rest of
the Republican Senate candidates by making a contribution today.

Click here to make a secure contribution of $75 or more today.
https://secure.ga3.org/03/20050608_lewis_ng/nc7_e1nE1tz34?

Katherine Harris was responsible for the 2000 Florida election
debacle. Now, she's gunning to join her ideological allies in
the Senate. The DSCC is the only organization that can stop her
and Republican challengers like her across the country, but we
can't do it without your help. Please make a contribution today.

Sincerely,
Anne Lewis
__________________________________________________________
Paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee,
http://www.dscc.org , and not authorized by any candidate or
candidate's committee.

--------------------------------------------------

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.

http://action.dscc.org/join-forward.html?domain=DSCCSenate&r=c7_e1nE1tz34

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for
DSCC at:

http://action.dscc.org/DSCCSenate/join.html?r=c7_e1nE1tz34E

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