Let's put this story to bed, shall we?

One day after Gore won the Oscar, the right-wing "press" went after him for his energy consumption, essentially calling Gore a hypocrite. It worked -- they got their sound bite out there. Of course, if they had dug a little deeper, they would have found that the reason Gore's home energy bill is so high is because it is run on GREEN energy.

Additionally, my sister, who is a bartender, told me that she overheard some of her customers talking about the awards the other night. They said that as soon as Gore won the award, they turned off their TVs. When I heard this, I gave her my standard answer: I hope these guys get sucked off this earth by a super-tornado.

These anti-science, ignorant bunch of cretins can kiss my ass.

Gore Defends Mansion's Power Consumption

(CBS News) NASHVILLE, Tenn. Al Gore, the former vice president whose documentary film about global warming won an Academy Award this week, is defending his energy use after being slammed by a conservative group that claims he isn't "walking the walk" of an environmentalist.

The group accuses Gore of using too much electricity to power his sprawling Nashville mansion.

A spokeswoman for Gore said the former vice president invests in enough renewable energy to make up for the home's power consumption. The spokeswoman said Gore purchases enough "green power" — renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas — to balance 100 percent of his electricity costs.

"Sometimes when people don't like the message, in this case that global warming is real, it's convenient to attack the messenger," Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said.

Gore participates in a utility program that sells blocks of "green power" for an extra $4 a month. Gore purchases 108 such blocks every month, covering 16,200 kilowatt-hours and helping subsidize renewable energy sources.

Gore's documentary film "An Inconvenient Truth," which chronicled his campaign against global warming, won an Academy Award on Sunday.

more...

My life in 3 numbers

Grade on my mid-term exam: 98%

Average grade for the quarter, so far: 93.13

Weight loss in two months: 24 lbs.

The Bush administration is over in: 692 days

(Okay, I cheated, that was 4 numbers.)

An open letter to tonight's Oscar winners

Dear Academy Award Winners,

When you get up to receive your Oscar, please say something interesting. This is your moment to say what you've always wanted to say to millions of people all over the world.

Go ahead and thank your co-stars, producer, parents, Jesus, whatever, but leave yourself some time to say something important.

And, a special note to the wonderful & brilliant Al Gore,

This is it, man. Would there ever be a better moment to announce your candidacy for President? I think not.

Do it. PLEASE.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth L.
St. Louis Park, MN

9 inches

It started snowing yesterday afternoon. So far, we've received 9 inches, with more on the way.

Minnesota did need the snow for the farmers, but it still sucks...especially when you're craving a Chipotle vegie burrito, but afraid of getting stuck in your driveway on the way out.

Florida or California sounds really good right about now.

Vilsack drops out

Being that Tom Vilsack was a DLC Democrat (like Hillary), I wasn't a huge fan, but none the less it is sad that he couldn't compete with the front-runners.



Vilsack to drop out of presidential contest

By Mike Glover, Associated Press
Last update: February 23, 2007 – 10:41 AM

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Democrat Tom Vilsack is abandoning his bid for the presidency after struggling against better-known, better-financed rivals, two officials told The Associated Press on Friday.

Vilsack was scheduled to make a formal announcement later in the day. The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting the former Iowa governor's statement.

Vilsack left office in January and traveled through states holding early tests of strength, but he attracted neither the attention nor the campaign cash of his top tier rivals — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards.

In the most recent financial documents, Vilsack reported raising more than $1.1 million in the last seven weeks of 2006 but only had around $396,000 cash in the bank. Some campaign finance experts contend the candidates will need $20 million by June 2007.

Vilsack's decision still leaves a crowded field of eight Democrats dominated by Clinton, Obama and Edwards.

more...

Exactly.

Happy Birthday, Norman!

Stella & Norman


Norman at 14 weeks

Today is my French bulldog, Norman's 4th birthday. In honor of this occasion, I will share some of his best nicknames:

Nornhuelos Rancheros

Norbert (English & French pronunciations)

Nornflower

Norbert Nabinski

Nornubus Maximus

Norny-boy

Norndilinger Jones

Norman & the over-over boys

Norman & the tushy boys

On a side note, I'm sure there may be a few people that are wondering about the 2 different anonymous comments on my last post. The short answer is that I'm going through some relationship issues.

This is NOT what we voted for last November

I've been very burned out on politics lately, however I will put my 2 cents in about what happened today, in the Senate.

Most of the Senate Republicans can eat shit and die for all I care. They wouldn't even agree to have a DEBATE on the non-binding resolution??! I hope their constituents remember that when the '08 elections roll around. We, the people they represent, sent a clear message to these thick mf's in the last election...what about that don't they understand?

If they can't even agree to discuss the NON-binding resolution, the Dems better get their asses in gear and cut the war funding like they did in Vietnam. Or, at the very least, cut the funding for the escalation.

Bill is back, and Keith is here to stay

Finally. You've been missed, Bill.




And, he's here to stay. Olbermann rules.


Edgy TV host Olbermann to renew MSNBC deal
Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:20AM EST

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - MSNBC is expected to announce Thursday that it has signed a new long-term contract with "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann, sources said.

MSNBC would not comment late Wednesday.

Olbermann, a former ESPN sportscaster, gained publicity last year for his feud with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly and his special commentaries against President Bush's policies, particularly in regard to the response to Hurricane Katrina and the war in Iraq. "Countdown" recently has seen a strong uptick in ratings, helping lead MSNBC to the best competitive position in its history against second-place CNN.

It's Official: Al Franken for US Senate

Image from Al Franken.com

My Uncle Richard (and sometime contributor to this blog) suggested that I volunteer for Franken's campaign.

The only person I've ever considered volunteering for was Paul Wellstone. Now there is another.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone in bloggerland.

You all mean the world to me; you know who you are.

Yes, you too, Hallie. (My niece complains that she is never mentioned here.)

On a side note, this has been a bad week for posting due to political burn-out...but I'm sure I'll be running at full-steam ahead soon. Hey, it happens to the best of us.

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

Quick question

Anyone else having trouble posting video from YouTube on their blogs?

The video appears to post, but when I preview it, nothing is there except for a little red "x."

I checked all my security settings and they are right.

My Endorsement

While I only get a fair amount of traffic to my blog; about 500 hits a week, of which 60% are unique visitors, I do feel that in some very, very small way, my endorsement for President does mean something. With that being said:

I endorse Barack Obama as the next President of the United States of America.

Of all the candidates running, I feel he best represents what I want in a President.

Back in November of 2004, I wrote a post entitled "John Connor, where are you?" In it, I was wondering who & where that person was that would lead us into the light:

Our leader could be an unknown, and possibly not in politics. He should be fairly young, fearless, intelligent and proud to call himself a liberal. He could be black, white, gay or strait - doesn't matter. All that does matter is that he (or maybe she) can lead us.

Barack is the one.

One caveat:

At this moment in time, the only thing that could throw a monkey wrench into this, is if Gore throws his hat in, but it doesn't seem likely.

Where OCD & birds collide

Some of my OCD symptoms manifests itself with germ phobias, cleanliness anxieties, and unnecessary rotation of household items....yeah, I know that last one is weird.

When I got my parrot, Wellstone, I thought it would be good for me to have to deal with a messy animal.

It hasn't been, and we are at an impasse.

He's a wonderful bird, but the thrown food, bird poop, and the worst part - the dander, is just too much. Even with regular showers, the dander is everywhere. Dog dander doesn't hold a candle to this stuff. It's like a thick waxy substance that gets into everything.

I've found him an excellent new home, but this isn't going to be easy. Tom said something that is tearing at me. He said, "I've never seen you turn on an animal before." Ouch.

The new owner can't take him until after March 20, so I do have some time to figure out what's best for all.

Happy Birthday, Stella!

My beautiful black pug, Stella, turns 4 years old today.

A few months ago, I was going to post all of the nicknames we have for our dogs, but after writing them all down, I decided against it, as it was far too embarrassing. They totaled over 60.

However, since it is Stella's birthday, I will share some of her best ones:

InterStella Overdrive

Smootimus Maximus

Dootie-Bee

Bellytown USA

Oobus of Doo

Bunny-face

Stellarific/Stellalicious

All-terrain Woubie

The Smootarium

...and the big one: "The doo-town girl from the wrong side of the tracks, worked her way up to the top, and never looked back."

Norman's birthday will follow in 12 days. More to come...

The Exit Polls were right, but we already knew that

(Click image to enlarge)

I found this while perusing through the Internet(s.)

I gotta say, this still pisses me off.

My sister thinks that the Repubs are going to let us win the next election to make it look good, and then be up to their dirty tricks again in 2012 & beyond. Sounds about right, doesn't it?

And, this theory is coming from a registered Republican.

The only time W's mother was right

Latest letter to the editor to the East Hampton Star from my wonderful & brilliant, Uncle Richard:

Mother Was Right
East Hampton
January 25, 2007

Dear Editor:

The President of the United States, hallowed be his name, has given his State of the Union message for January 2007. He made no mention of fulfilling his promises after Katrina; no mention of stopping his illegal wiretapping; did not state any rational plan for universal medical coverage; none for repair of Social Security (though he did condescend to mention that it needed fixing), and gave no semblance of a plan or strategy for Iraq — “Give it a try,” he says. We’ll wait for the casualties.

However, true to form, this “master of disaster” did manage to get in one very, very important request to Congress: to help him stop the “unnecessary lawsuits” against corporations and pharmaceutical companies. Now there is something that every citizen should welcome. “Let’s kill all the lawyers” — catastrophic injuries caused by misfeasance or malfeasance of corporations should be allowed to flourish and go unpunished and salaries of chief executive officers will multiply even faster and corporate profits will soar.

Surely this refugee from the bottom of his Yale class has discovered a priority need for the country. One close to the hearts of families in New Orleans living in trailers, and military families with loved ones dead, dying, or in harm’s way. That’s just what they need: fewer trial lawyers.

Six years in office and now he calls for political parties to “work together” to solve domestic problems. Now he turns his narrow little closed mind to domestic policy so he can repeat the fabulous job he has done with foreign policy.

Though the people have had it, the armed forces have had it, both sides of the aisle in Congress have had it, the entire world has had it, this warped, “go it alone” incompetent, pigheaded moron goes on into the night putting our soldiers in harm’s way at an ever-increasing rate, raising our national debt to an all-time high, scoffing at scientific findings, denying history, abandoning all sense of the Constitution, while still being proud of the record he had as governor of Texas, when he allowed 486 people to be executed — more than five times the total number of the next-highest state that employs that barbarian penalty. “Every one was guilty,” he said. Sure, in his arrogance and ignorance then, as he is now about his mad venture in Iraq.

His mother was right. “George?” she said. “George, he just can’t handle that job.” And yet the suckers voted for him and found out too late that she was unerringly correct.

RICHARD H.

Minneapolis wins! : (

Minneapolis got the honorary distinction of having the "worst weather in America" this morning on MSNBC.

Check out today's forecast:

Fair -12°F
Wind: NW
16 mph
Wind Chill:
-35°F

I don't think I will be leaving the house this weekend, unless I start going mad from cabin fever. I'll have to leave the house on Monday for school, when the high temp will be a balmy -2.

This freakin' sucks, man.

No doubt. Al Gore should run for Prez

Al Gore being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize is the best news I've heard in quite some time. First the Oscar nomination, and now this. Very, very cool.



And the Nobel Peace Prize goes to ... Al Gore?

He 'has put climate change on the agenda,' two Norwegian sponsors say

AP: Feb 1, 2007

OSLO, Norway - Former Vice President Al Gore was nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his wide-reaching efforts to draw the world’s attention to the dangers of global warming, a Norwegian lawmaker said Thursday.

“A prerequisite for winning the Nobel Peace Prize is making a difference, and Al Gore has made a difference,” Conservative Member of Parliament Boerge Brende, a former minister of environment and then of trade, told The Associated Press.

Brende said he joined political opponent Heidi Soerensen of the Socialist Left Party to nominate Gore as well as Canadian Inuit activist Sheila Watt-Cloutier before the nomination deadline expired Thursday.

“Al Gore, like no other, has put climate change on the agenda. Gore uses his position to get politicians to understand, while Sheila works from the ground up,” Brende said.

"I think climate change is the biggest challenge we face in this century," Brende said.