Oscar chat

I haven't seen a single movie nominated. From 2005, the top ten grossing movies were:

Revenge of the Sith
Harry Potter
Chronicles of Narnia
War of the Worlds
King Kong
Wedding Crashers
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Batman Begins
Madagascar
Mr. & Mrs. Smith

I've seen just about every one of those movies, so it is not as if I'm totally out of the loop. But, of course, none of those movies have been nominated. The movies that are nominated haven't even grossed, combined, as much as any of the above listed movies. Of course, it must be noted that many of the movies nominated came out late in the year, and are not out on DVD (which is how I see many flicks.) But, this year the difference is that i have absolutely NO desire to see any of the movies nominated for Best Picture.

Brokeback Mountain - chances are very slim I'll ever see this movie.

Crash - Maybe, I'd say this one definetely maybe someday might appear on my Netflix list.

Goodnight and Good Luck- no way.

Capote - pretty doubtful. I read his book, In Cold Blood, isn't that enough?

Munich- there is a slight change I might view it, but only as an action adventure flick, secure in the knowledge that it is only tenuously related to fact.

So my question is- why is the "industry" so interested in making movies no one wants to watch? I understand the the blockbusters are put out by the "Major" players. But, the past year in movies has been the worst in Hollywood's history. Perhaps we're just not interested in their morality plays anymore?

Excuses

Doesn't today seem to be particularly Monday-ish?. Well, it is at my house.

Quick comments:
I hope the liberals are not too disappointed that the Iraqi Civil Wary doesn't seem to be in full swing. By friday, the news-talking-heads were already calling it just that. Unfortunately (for them) it doesn't seem to have taken.

I listened, for just a bit, to Jerry Springer's radio show. I think my IQ fell 15 points.

This and That for Friday

Recent movies I've seen ;

40 Year old Virgin (unrated version) - filled with really filthy language, but I laughed so hard I think I ripped a few stitches. So, this movie is NOT recommended for anyone recovering from donating a kidney, or other major surgery. Or kids.

I am David; simply beautiful. I had tears in my eyes at the end. Great family movie. Go rent it.

On a completely different subject, this morning child number 4 informed me she needed two boy Barbies. Apparently, her female Barbies dolls are tired of invisible dates. Don't you guys think that Ken is too "metrosexual?" I asked her if I could get her G.I Joes instead, and she said they'd have to be the same size (as Barbie.)

Of course!

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blamed the United States and Israel on Thursday for the destruction of a Shiite shrine's golden dome in Iraq, saying it was the work of "defeated Zionists and occupiers."

Death Penalty issues

Yesterday, Jeff had a long post about the death penalty. His should we/shouldn't we gets summed up pretty well here :

But for me, the complexities both practical and philosophical of death by lethal injection serve as further evidence that we — the people, the state, the United States — have no business deciding who lives and who dies. Life is a state of grace granted us by our Creator, and depriving someone of that state of grace simply isn’t our job. That decision isn’t ours to make. No matter how justified the punishment might be, no matter how egregious the crime that warranted it.

I can respect his position, and I'm not exactly a "gung-ho" advocate of the death penalty.

But then, this morning, I read this in the morning paper. It's a local story. Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Boy and girl start their family. Then boy and girl get murdered in their home by a "Bonny and Clyde" type couple.

Scott was tied up with duct tape and an extension cord," Cataldo said of the Feb. 15 slayings.

"Then he was brutally beaten in the hands, face and head with the butt of (an) AK-47 assault rifle.

"They then put a sock in his mouth, covered it with duct tape, then beat him in the face some more," Cataldo said. "Then they used a hypodermic needle to inject bleach into his veins."

In a small town, 40 minutes away from Detroit, Patrick Selepak and Samantha Bachynski brutally ended the life of Scott and Melissa Berels. The murder was motivated, they believe, by robbery. Melissa s, who was ten weeks pregnant at the time, was murdered first. Fortunately, she was "only" strangled. Her husband appeared to have arrived home before the murderous pair left the scene, which led to his torture (which lasted several hours) and murder. He was bound and gagged first and left in that condition while Selepak went out to buy beer.

These two animals do not deserve to take another breath. Michigan doesn't have a death penalty- so I suppose my argument is moot. But, if Michigan did have a death penalty, I would expect 20 years from now we'd be hearing stories about how the two had reformed. The names of the victims would be nothing but distant memories to everyone besides their families. It is with the passing of time, that perspective is lost over the violent, senseless crimes for which people are given the death penalty. For some reason, those long forgotten names don't even appear to be real anymore. Someone who has been dead 20 years doesn't even seem real anymore. Did they ever exist outside of the newspaper articles, for while their names received short-lived recognition?

I don't know how I feel about the death penalty. But I do know that my sympathy lies NOT with who the criminals might become in 20 years. My sympathy lies with the victims. Scott and Melissa Berels, and their unborn child.

Idiot comment of the day

From one of our illustrious city council members:

In one extreme instance, Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins' office received an e-mail with racial slurs from an employee of a Madison Heights mortgage company. In response, Councilwoman JoAnn Watson called for a boycott of the suburbs.

As Spongebob would say, "Good luck with that." An individual from a suburb used a bad word, and you want to boycott the suburbs. That's as ignorant as Muslims targeting a whole country (or, should I say, the rest of civilization) for the comments of a few Dutch cartoonists.

And, I call her ignorant, not because she is black, and I am white. But, simply because of what she has said. JoAnn Watson - you should NOT be in a position of power. There are plenty of black people who could run our city. You are just not one of them.

Detroit Zoo picture taken by Moi

74460014
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

This is the zoo that has been called "substandard" by some asshat named Jon Etnyre, from Sterling Heights, in today's Detroit News. I would be interested in knowing when was the last time this asshat visited the zoo? He recommended, in his letter to the editor, that we close it up. I recommend, in my blog, that Etnyre have a big cup of STFU.

In more balance reporting of the Zoo issue, Barbara Rose Collins has upped her racisit rhetoric, saying that my (new) hero L Brooks Patterson suggested that the council members were monkeys to be put in a cage. Correction, Mrs. Collins, I think that it was me who made that suggestion.

Says Brooks;

I can criticize Granholm. I can criticize Ficano, but if you dare say anything about the city of Detroit, it's racist."

Amen.

In the most HILARIOUS comment (and one that I suggested yesterday) spokesman Sam Riddle for Monica Conyers (someone please explain to me why they need spokesmen; can someone say "bloated staffs?") said:

The administration keeps wanting council to vote on something they've not had time to review. It disrespects the City Council.

Got that? It disrespects To disrespect, new verb. I would think that a spokesman would speak better, wouldn't you? Even if it were a "real" verb, who gives a flying yahoo if the city council members are not treated with proper respect (note the usage there Mr. Riddle.) Respect is earned. The Detroit City council has not earned such respect.

Nor will they be given it merely because of the color of their skin. I thought there was something about "content of their character" that was supposed to be ultimately of importance.

African trip?

And, why the hell is Kwame and his mommy in AFrica anyway? Who is paying for it? Is his entire family with him? The only information I could find was that he was on a "fact finding" mission. What "facts" do we need Kwame to find?

And, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick was in AFrica only a year ago.

Yea, Ok, whatever

Friday Prayer in Tehran:

Jannati said the Western Culture and Civilizations, and particularly the American way of life, are on the verge of serious collapse, and they are moving in that direction rapidly.

Quoting a Qur'anic verse on the destructive conduct of the Jews at the advent of Islam, he said, "Qur'an says that 'they are destroying their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers.' And that is really what they are doing today. They are destroying their own houses themselves, and intriguing us to help them in doing so."

One culturing is murdering people over cartoons, and haven't "created" anything of value in the last 100 years. Yet "we" are collapsing? Dude ... I want what he's smoking.

Religion of Peace Update 3

I don't know where Leo has been lately, but last time I mentioned Isamic violence against Christians, he got a bit defensive (after all, Christians and white men surely are the source of all evil, right?) So, now there is this. I say, with no degree of hesitation, that I refuse to accept a religion that responds to offense with murder. In "city speak", the Islamo-crazies have been "disrespected", and to them the logical response is to destroy and murder. Those who follow this pattern should be wiped from the earth. They have no place in modern society. They are irrational, stupid, and dangerous to everyone else.

Blogiversary

Go give Partisan Pundit a hit today; he hit the one-year mark.

What did I say?

I dunno, what did I say? I made a comment yesterday that the vote, by the city council, to reject the mayor's plan to save the zoo by transferring the daily operations to the Detroit Zoological Society, was in part a "racial" issue. That the city council rejects anything supported by the suburbs out of some misplaced "black pride." Well, well, well, what do we hear today? in defending her "no" vote, idiot council member Barbara Rose Collins said:

"This is not a plantation. "We are not owned by everyone else. Black folks are not owned by white folks anymore.

So, her vote to close the zoo (in essence) was her "fight the power" moment to stick it to the "white guy" who wants to keep the zoo open. I mean, after all, the zoo isn't limited to visits by black Detroit people. White people go there all the time. Yes, keeping the zoo open by transferring out of Detroit was a HUGE RACIST PLOT. I would joke that we were going to start an exhibition of black children at the zoo but given the irrational thinking of 10 of the 12 Detroit City Council members, they wouldn't figure out that I was merely following their outrageous "the suburbs are trying to be our slave-masters" way of thinking.

Facts- the city is out of money and it's only option is to close the zoo unless it gets "out" of the business. To Collins, this is tantamount to being a slave, so she chooses closing. Any questions?

Pride goes before the fall

The supreme incompetence that runs the city of Detroit has struck again, and this time I am so mad I fear what I might do:

City Council has rejected a proposed agreement to transfer daily operations of the Detroit Zoo to the Detroit Zoological Society, a private group that provides fundraising and program development.

The 7-2 vote came Saturday night following two days of City Council discussions, the mayor's office said in a statement. The plan was part of an effort by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to narrow a municipal budget deficit.

Detroit, as most of you know, is broke. One of the viable options is to "sell" off and otherwise get rid of it's assets. But, in the game of racial politics that is Detroit - this gets interpreted to mean "selling Detroit off to "whitey." It gets interpreted as "the suburb stealing the cities' assets." Now, one of the most ironic things about this, is that the Detroit Zoo isn't even in Detroit; it's in Royal Oak (a trendy suburb about 15 minuets from Downtown Detroit.)

And, to be perfectly honest with you - I have owned a zoo membership pretty much ever since I started my family. We go several times a year; weekends and weekdays. Excluding school trips, I hardly EVER see a black family at the Detroit (a city that is upwards of 80% black) Zoo. So, I don't expect to see an up-swell of anger from the city's population. It's also probably why our city council doesn't care.

At this point, I am too mad to tread softly on this issue. Detroit doesn't care about culture, or it's children. The schools SUCK, the parks are mostly a joke, and now we are on the brink of shipping our zoo off. In all the years of defending Detroit, the zoo has been on the top of the list as one of our jewels. With no, or very little, credit going to the City, since it is mostly run by the Detroit Zoological Society, which is responsible for all the improvements (and there have been many.)

Only Detroit could destroy a jewel. WHY do we run a city in this manner? We elect politicians with no experience and hope they can handle issues of finance. Obviously they cannot. Obviously they rule by ego and ignorance. It is of little comfort that I didn't vote for any of them.

Skin shot

DSC00529
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

Thar she blows - at three weeks post-surgery. Do you THINK I was allergic to the steri-stips? That's what the doc said, and they still itch like crazy (raised red bumps where you see the red.)

Fine

Five posts today, and not one comment. I'm going to take a nap.

Chicago tourism

Chicago to the 2008 RNC; no thanks.

You know, Chicago might be a nice place to visit, but there is always New York, or Toronto.

I just can't take it

Bryant Gumbel on the Winter Olympics: So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention.

Because, you know, they would only be the world greatest athletes if they were all (or mostly) black. So, what does have to say about the NBA, or the ranks of college basketball? Those must be the greatest athletes, because obviously teh collective hue is dark enough for Gumbel.

Really, though - I think we should try to get Sharpton and Jesse and Gumbel to encourage their brothers take up cross-country skiing. Or, speed skating. THE WINTER GAMES SHALL SET YOU FREE.

I wonder what Cindy Sheehan's take on this would be?

I wonder what Cindy 's response to thisletter from the Mayor of Tall'Afar, Iraq to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. A snippet:

God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.

How could the mayor have it so wrong? Sayeth Saint Cindy :

Hundreds of billions and tens of thousands of innocent lives wasted later, what have we achieved? Nothing. Casey died for nothing and Bush says others have to die for those that have died already. (9/18/05)

This is not a Noble Cause, as a matter of fact, it is the most ignoble cause for a war that has ever been waged. We as Americans knew either in the front of our brains, or in the back of our consciousness, that this war was to feed the corporations. (9/17/05)

    And I'm gonna say, "And you tell me what the noble cause is that my son died for." And if he even starts to say "freedom and democracy," I'm gonna say "bullshit."


    You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich. You tell me my son died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana, imperialism in the Middle East. You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy.

    Cuz, we're not freer. You're taking away our freedoms. The Iraqi people aren't freer, they're much worse off than before you meddled in their country.

    You get America out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine. (8/5/05)

Occupants of the 270 mass graves left from Saddam's reign had no comment for Cindy. I mean, after all- the dead are dead, how can democracy and liberation help them now?

Our Racist society

How many headlines do we see with the words "Blacks hit hardest" attached to them. It was the subplot of Katrina (which turned out to be a lie). A few weeks ago it was attached to the environment. And now this from today's Detroit News:

Auto cuts slam blacks:African-Americans are hit the hardest as good-paying factory jobs fade away.

Oh, good Lord. I don't know how much more I can take.

Gotta love the MSM

We can't show cartoons, because it might offend Muslims, but the MSM can show 1,000 three-year old pictures from Abu Ghraib prison because ...?

Someone help me out here.

he Pentagon has been fighting those legal efforts, arguing that release of the evidence could violate the prisoners' rights to privacy, endanger U.S. troops in Iraq and incite violence in the Muslim world. After the scandal was first made public in 2004, there were violent protests in many Muslim nations.

Violent protest against freedom of speech (and said speakers) is bad, but violent protest aimed against the US government is good.

WHY does the world need to see more pictures? When a peddler of child porn is arrested, does the world need to see the porn to understand the story? I don't think so.

h/t: File It Under

Shout out

To my dad, brother, or stepmother, should any of the three be reading this. I am ready for the next set of Vince Flynn books; I believe Executive Power is next. Of course, I didn't get the first one - Term LImits. While this one might be in Steven's possession, don't make me point out WHO has two kidneys, and who has one. I don't want to stoop to that level.

No, I'm not reading heavy material at the moment, get over it. That is all.

What a loverly rant

Rantings of a Sandmonkey gets a star for having the most delicious rant. One of the most anti-American Iraqi bloggers is Raed. Well, guess where he has moved? To the home of the Great Satan, of course:

So, to all of you America-Hating Arab Heroes out there, please don’t be Hypocrites and move there. If you hate the US that much, I have a simple piece of advice for you: LEAVE, or even better, DON’T EVER MOVE THERE. If you hate America and love Iran, move to Iran. If you hate America and love Iraq, then stay in Iraq. If you are a socialist professor, move to Canada: they are socialists and they speak English. And if you are a communist, please remember that the US is a capitalist country before you apply for the green card and move instead to the communist Paradise that is Cuba or North Korea right this minute. Just don’t go and live in a country you openly hate, attack and despise, and whose values do not reflect your own. It either means that you are an Idiot or a hypocrite, if not both.

Really, though, I believe this message should apply to all of the US haters out there. Of course, once most of Hollywood has moved to Cuba, we might have a few years of slim pickins at the movie theaters, but I think it will be well worth the sacrifice.

h/t: My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy"

Must read

An interview with Iranian dissident Amir Abbas Fakhravar.

We see that the interests of the Palestinians are more important to this regime than the interests of Iranians. When we see a government like that, that has Shehab missiles and parades them through the streets and covers them with cloth threatening "Death to Israel," "Death to America," we don't think this is in the interests of Iran or of anybody. This is purely for [the regime's] own interests. We, all the youngsters, think of other nations — Americans, Israelis, Europeans — as our brothers. We see that two generations have already been lost [since Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979]. In kindergarten, in primary schools, one of the biggest elements they're teaching is that other people's religions are not right, that other people are our enemies. They preach death to America and death to Israel. They praise suicide bombers. This is what they are doing with our culture and our civilization that go back 2,500 years. Nobody trusts the schools or wants to send their children to them. Apart from all the everyday problems people are confronting, besides economic problems, unemployment, inflation, this is the education we see — the education of death.

But, really, go read it all.

Olympics anyone?

I have to say I've been glued to my set all weekend watching the Olympics. I don't normally, but since I'm still recovering, I've watched basically everything I can.

Nordic pursuit, now THAT is a race. I'm probably the only one here who watched it, but the men's 30 K race was very exciting. At the start, the defending Olympic champion got tangled up in the mass start, and left the "stadium" dead last. It looked, at first, as if dropping out of the race was his only option. But Frode Estil, with the help of his Norwegian skiers, came back and won the silver. How did his teammates help? They took the lead of the mass pack, and slowed them down. It was an amazing race (I was going to take a nap, but the start of the race got me going.) Not an American among 'em, though, that I could see. Cross-country skiing just isn't "cool" enough for us, I guess.

Not like the "Half-pipe"; a sport we pretty much owned during the last Olympics. Generally, I'm put off by the 'tude of the athletes of such a sport, but that Sean White guy is pretty likable.

And, I might be one cold b*tch, but ENOUGH about Michelle Kwan. I get it, she was injured- she's upset, she can't skate. Didn't we kinda know this was the case before she even went? Didn't she go before a panel swearing she was going to be better in time, but surprise -she's NOT. If she hadn't been a big name, she would have never been there anyway. I think three days of headlines, and "touching" stories are enough.

WTG Detroit Teachers!

From George Will :

Detroit's crime rate makes it second only to Camden, N.J., as America's most dangerous city. (Flint, Mich., is fourth.) Detroit has an adult functional illiteracy rate of 47 percent.

Both conditions can be blamed, at least partially, on Detroit's decayed educational system.

Buy Danish

But, perhaps not this.


I don't know what the heck it is. It's supposed to be a "sweet", but I don't get the fire-breathing-rat thing.

Do you thing ...

RIGHTWINGSPARKLE writes today about that reality show "Beauty and the Geek", mentioning that she really likes the show:

The guys are totally adorable and endearing. They seem so happy to be around beautiful women they seem to melt in their presence. Maybe this show can show women that there are guys out there who would treat you as you really would like to be treated. Sure, they aren't be best looking guys, but looks fade any way, but kindness lasts.

Perhaps it's just me, but I don't really care if beautiful women overcome their propensity (if there is one) to pick good-looking jerks, over average looking (or geeky) sweethearts. I figured it was one of life's great equalizers - sure the arrogant jerks don't date a woman in the 4-6 range on the attractiveness scale, but at least you had the sweet-but-geek vote locked up.

But Beauty and the Geek, like so many other narratives in Hollywood, pushes the idea that there is no reason why a Geek can't date a beauty. These beautiful women learn to appreciate these geeks! And, for the geeks -sure they appear shallow at first, but they learn that underneath it all beautiful women are PEOPLE TOO! Why is it OK to push the theme that these girls should look beyond outward appearances of the geeky men, when their sole purpose for being there is due to their outward appearance? It still follows the "look first, and then search for substance " pattern.

Perhaps I'm making too much of this, but something about it just sticks in my craw. Riddle me this - could you see a show that took on the reverse situation? Beautiful men with geeky women? Would we be gushing that these men developed attractions to these geeky women, because they were able to look past the exterior?

A piece of good news

I've been wondering which way this story was going to go. I hope he fries.

What a way to end a legacy

I refer, of course, to the funeral of Coretta Scott King. Political posturing at a funeral is beyond the pale, but really it is not unexpected from the likes of Jimmy Carter. Martin Luther King was one of America's true greats. What his family has done in his name is bad enough. King's sons have ridden the "I have a dream" speech all the way to the bank. They say they are protecting King's image. Protecting it from what? I doubt MLK intended his message to be offered out only after a licensing fee had been paid.

If you read King's text, it sends chills not only because of the beauty of phrasing, but also because a lone man speaking truth to mighty power is so biblical.

America would reap the whirlwind, he warned. Revolt is here. A new militancy has emboldened black Americans. Racial injustice must be ended immediately, not gradually.

But today, for a news network to broadcast much more than the old reliable touchy-feely snippets of the 16-minute speech, it will cost money, lest they violate the family's copyright privilege. You want more than a couple of stock lines from the speech? Licensing fees start at $2,000.

USA Today learned the hard way after they were sued by the family for printing the entire speech. Freedom apparently comes with a price-tag and a copyright.

Castro and Ahmadinejad

Birds of a feather:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accepted an invitation to visit Cuba from President Fidel Castro, in gratitude for Cuba's support of Iran's nuclear program, the official Granma newspaper said on Tuesday.

I wonder if Danny Glover or Harry Belefonte will be in attendance as well? Or, Cindy Sheehan for that matter; certainly sucking up to Hugo Chavez, buddy to Castro, would be enough to bring her into this fold.

Mother Cindy is an enemy of our country NOT because she is a protestor, but because she actually agrees with our enemies.

Congrats!

The Big Pharaoh sends America congratulations. It's party time.

I've added the Big Pharaoh to my links.

Help

Will someone please come over and yell at my children?

"Clash of Civilizations?"

NRO has a collection of essays regarding the cartoon kerfuffle, including many written by Muslims. Good reading.

This just in- Arab street demands return to the 8th century

In recent days, peaceful protests over the cartoons have escalated into outrage and bloodshed.

Cartoons lead to bloodshed.

Depicting the Prophet is prohibited by Islam but moderate Muslims, while condemning the cartoons, have expressed fears radicals are hijacking the affair which has developed into a clash over press freedom and religious respect.

Are they just getting around to the idea that radicals are hijacking their religions? This JUST NOW is occurring to them?

Another person was killed on Tuesday when Afghan police opened fire on a crowd, enraged by the cartoons, which tried to storm a NATO peacekeeping base housing Norwegian troops, while across the border in Pakistan, 10,000 people rallied.

I am sorry, but these people are too stupid for words. They are attacking, threatening, and killing people who are geographically related to someone who made a cartoon that hurt their feelings.

At least six people have now been killed in protests in Somalia, Lebanon and Afghanistan. Volatile rallies have swept across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Militants in Iraq have called for the seizure and killing of Danes and the boycott of Danish goods. In London, there were placards demanding the beheading of those who insulted Islam.

Beheadings for cartoons. These are Michael Moore's "Minutemen." Much has been made of the fact that these protesters are a small, but vocal and violent minority. How come this excuse is never used when the KKK rallies? Or when a wacko-prolifer kills and abortionist? Certainly this "small minority" dwarfs either of those right-wing boogiemen. The time has come for the moderate muslims to take control of their religion.

@sshats, and the state of Art in America

Harlem artist "Tafa" has a picture hanging in New York, recognizing him as one of America's "top African American painters." The painting depicts a Christ-like figure, hanging upside down, and resembling Osama Bin Laden. This passes for an intellectual-artistic statement?

While some at the show did recognize the Bin Laden face on the Christ body, we found none who were offended. Instead most defended "Tafa" the artist's right to speak his mind. The painting is bordered with hand lettered expressions and names including "mujahadin," "McCarthyism," and "Amadou Diallo," a man killed by New York City police in 1999.

Of course, very few in New York would be offended. I won't even begin to unravel the confusion represented by this art, but to make references to McCarthyism is beyond stupid.

They just don't get it

At the crux of the idiotic outrage by Muslims over a cartoon is the following:

"A Danish government can never apologize on behalf of a free and independent newspaper," he said. "This is basically a dispute between some Muslims and a newspaper."

If I wrote that I wiped my arse with the Koran, George Bush wouldn't be responsible. Of course, they don't see the difference because there is no such thing as a free and independent press in most of the Middle East. The outrage over this demonstrates exactly how backward much of the Muslim society is.

That they get more upset over a cartoon, than by the extreme acts of violence carried out in the name of Allah, is pretty revealing.

An ode to Vicodin

Willing away the minutes,
Awaiting your sweet relief,
Oh Vicodin.

AND Yea, me! I got my links, etc, back along the sidebar. The "contributers" title was the culprit.

Funny line

When my husband, Pat, showed up at home without me on Monday, number 5 child was a bit disappointed. As Pat left home later that night to bring me something to eat, the four-year-old told his dad "Don't come home again without her!"

Yesterday, he was glued to my side. I had to him hugs and kisses (10) before I took a SHOWER.

I'm ALIVE

Just not moving around very much. Thanks for the excellent blogging in my absence (pictures and everything!) I got home yesterday, because on my way home on Monday, I passed out. My husband was concerned about my (not) eating, and insisted we get some soup. Halfway through the soup ... plop! I never realized I was such a drama queen?!? So, I had to spend another night in the hospital - which sucked so bad, and I felt so sorry for myself I cried for a good hour. But, thankfully I'm home now! Yea!

Thank you all for the well wishes and the flowers and EVERYTHING.