The Meat of the Matter

I love it

This just in from Brian: "The difference between intelligent people and stupid people, and this is regardless of education, is that intelligent people can handle subtlety and nuance". -- Neil Stephenson "I don't do nuance". -- Dick Cheney

Slogan Whore

This idea popped into my head while driving. The Dems should initiate a grass-roots movement that "creates the frame" of the argument in the way suggested by George Lakoff's book. By creating a movement whose very name would innoculate against the default criticism. Thus: "Patriots for Impeachment" popped into my head. I'm picturing a red, white and blue bumper sticker. What would be a good website to link the slogan to? Moveon.org has this. Does anyone know of a credible online movement that is specifically looking to impeach?

To My Reader in Madagascar

Even though your land was fairly insignificant from a strategic point when playing Risk, you are also the place where Lemurs, Chameleons, and millipedes come from, and I hope to visit someday. Thank you. You made me feel special! (Seriously.)

Happy Birthday Mozart

Following is a poem just written by "The Curmudgeon in Training," who is taking a sabbatical from the blogosphere. I liked the poem so much I asked if I could post it here. He said yes. Here it is: I Listened To Mozart I listened to Mozart's Requiem last night, a mid-seventies document from Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner; John Shirley-Quirk, bass. Voca. Voca me. I listened to Mozart's Requiem, late last night. I tapped my foot and drank deeply from a cork-stopped bottle of single barrel bourbon, a bourbon of smoky texture and heritage. Voca. Voca me. I listened to Mozart's Requiem last night, and remembered a decade past; a baritone position in a chorus of depth, singing with appetite, the joy of transient youth. Voca. Voca me. I listened to Mozart's Requiem last night. Late. I heard it for the first time, for myself.

The One-Minute Poem

The fierce wind is blowing so hard that doors cannot even be opened. Out my window, I keep seeing what I think at first are birds flying into the golden sun. But I look closer and I see it is billowing trash, caught up in the slipstream, blowing west in the fierce wind, As if there is no gravity.

The Next Person ...

... who writes the word "insure" when they mean "ensure," is going to get an offer from me to buy some ensurance.

This November

Get your mind wrapped around this: we will vote this November! It will be an extremely important vote, as every member of the U.S. House of Representatives will be up for re-election. If just a handful of Republican Representatives are replaced with Democrat Representatives, we might stand a chance of Impeaching Bush. Reasons to Impeach Bush - Either Lying to the American Public about our reasons for invading Iraq, or having gross incompetence with managing intelligence - Torturing prisoners - Hiding prisoners in foreign countries so they could be tortured - Illegal Wiretaps on American Citizens. Wiretaps that could easily have been done legally, but were not. - Accepting campaign contributions from fraudulent sources (although more details need to play out on this, it may be a reason come November.) So vote this November! The reputation of our country depends on it!

Told ya

Looks like it will be a lasting friendship.

Another Scum Bites the Dust

This is a non-partisan statement. Jack Abramoff was a piece of shit, and he just pled guilty to federal corruption charges. I have mixed emotions. First, it's disgusting that people like this have influence with the United States Congress. His testamony will likely implicate several top-level politicians. On the other hand, I'm glad justice ferreted him out. For a really thorough (and amusing) account of what Jack Abramoff did, read Al Franken's latest boot The Truth (with jokes). That is all.