A--hole removal

Alanis Morrisette has edited her latest single to remove an offensive word, namely 'a--hole'. Her reasons for doing so are clear:

"It got to the point, post-nipplegate Janet Jackson, where they were basically saying that they wouldn't play the song," Morissette says. "People not hearing the song, based on my shooting myself in the foot by taking a stance of 'my artistic integrity will not be fucked with' wasn't worth it. And I understand some parents not wanting their seven-year-old son or daughter hearing the word 'asshole,' even though they probably use it already [laughs]."

What a balanced and perceptive answer. Alanis perceives the responsibility of fame and made a decision in the best interest not only of her career but also of the general public. It's refreshing when we don't get the whole tortured artiste routine from musicians, it's downright reaffirming when they act like they give a damn about the rest of us.

Bush Hatred Watch

Andrew Sullivan linked this; I refuse to link to the offending page which he cites. Take his word for it or go to his site first (at the very least, you'll be giving him the hits before you give those lefties a hit.)

"BUSH HATRED WATCH: The far-lefties at Democratic Underground are debating whether president Bush is responsible for the massacres in Madrid. No, I'm not making that up."

Oops!

I forgot the link to RELEVANT magazine so here it is. It's an exemplary new publication for young Christians (Gen X/GenY type stuff) without all the hairspray, short-sleeve oxfords and polyester (you know what I'm talking about!) The interview with Bono is well worth plunking down four bucks.

Author: Bible is not God

A good friend of mine in the radio business once confronted his pastor with this assertion: "we aren't worshipping God, we are worshipping a book." Needless to say, the preacher was stunned by the impudence of my thinking friend, but still didn't have an answer except "all I know is what I'm told by this book." Hence what I have said all along, that Sola Scriptura is a theological and spiritual dead end, a dumbing down of the richness of Christian faith that existed before even the gospels were put down on parchment. The Bible is a good book, THE good book, the greatest book ever...but what is God in comparsion? He cannot be limited by words on a page. He will reveal himself in other ways.

In today's Advocate, Protestant theologoian Malcolm Tolbert is interviewed upon the publication of his latest work, Shaping The Church. He makes two assertions that hard-line fundamentalists will find hard to swallow:

1.) "The Bible is not God," he said. "Our faith needs to be in God."

2.) "the Lord's Supper is also more than symbol and 'can also legitimately be called a sacrament,' Tolbert writes.

"'(T)o think of something as 'only' a symbol limits the capacity for understanding it as a possible profound spiritual experience. The challenge … is to help people see the tremendous spiritual meaning possible in the moment when they break bread together before the table at which the Lord is host.'"

This fits in with an article I saw in the recent issue of Relevant magazine, which detailed how "a non-denominational, non-Catholic church end up with a confessional...Confession is a forgotten way to experience God’s grace on a deeper level" (forgotten by a lot of Catholics, I must say) as well as recent movements in evangelical circles to return to the subject of the Virgin Mary. This can only be seen by those of us who have always embraced these beliefs as an affirmation and a sign of hope for the future.

ALF Claims Trashing of LSU Research Lab

Why didn't I know about this story before randomly stumbling across it on the web? Maybe it's because I have a life?

ALF responsible? And people say that aliens don't exist. :)

"In September, the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for vandalizing a laboratory at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.

"Animal rights extremists broke into the Inhalation Toxicology Research Facility and destroyed computers and other equipment in the lab as well as splashing red paint throughout the lab. Damage estimates put the cost of the vandalism at several hundred thousand dollars.

"The lab conducts research on cigarette smoke and other toxins that can contribute to cardiovascular and respiratory disease. An e-mail from the ALF taking responsibility for the destruction said, 'It should be clear that animals do not deserve to be tortured and die in this pointless research.'"

Pointless research indeed - the little known fact is that second-hand smoke has not been attributed to one single solitary case of lung cancer. Nice to see these misguided young people inadvertantly backing up the arguments against junk science.

Rumsfeld, FBI Official Kept 9-11 Items

"Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said Friday night that Rumsfeld has a shard of metal from the jetliner that struck the Pentagon on a table in his office and shows it to people as a reminder of the tragedy Pentagon workers shared on Sept. 11, 2001."


And?

Two words: so what! If anybody should be allowed to keep a small relic of the airplane that crashed into the Pentagon, its the man who was running the place when it happened. Sheesh.


"'He doesn't consider it his own,' Di Rita said, adding the piece is on display for the Pentagon. 'We are mindful of the fact that if somebody has an evidentiary requirement to have this shard of metal, we will provide it to them.'"

Once again, the left proves that their primary focus is not the welfare of this nation but in playing partisan games in an attempt to distract the administration from doing the job WE elected them to do.

Pope to Be Third-Longest-Serving Sunday

Viva Pater!

Gay-Marriage Movement Held Up in Calif., Mass.

Has anyone ever given thought to the idea of making a civil-union more difficult to dissolve than a covenant marriage? That would short-circuit this whole movement!

Architecture, Music and Religious Art. The Church's Lost Pearl Is Re-Found

"The most disturbing transformation the Catholic Church has undergone in the last half century is seen in her liturgy. While many centuries of her sacred art treasures have been wiped away in just fifty years, work is underway to restore it back to her."

That, dear friends, is worthy of angelic choral praise.

Catholic Campuses Promote Infamous 'Sexologist'

"For decades our tax-supported public universities have committed academic fraud. How? By keeping ideological, left-wing Democrat, 'soft'-science professors in charge of American higher education--notably, in the pseudo-scientific field of 'sexology,' spawned by notorious 'sex researcher' Prof. Alfred Kinsey half a century ago.

"Yet many of America's so-called Catholic universities--once bastions of scholarly integrity and traditional moral values--have become as trendily corrupt as their secular counterparts and liberal Protestant schools in terms of what they are teaching our young people."

Pope says Jesus film isnt anti-Semitic

Isn't this the same guy who said the Pope endorsed this movie...then said he didn't?! How can we honestly believe what Navarro-Valls as truth?

My sentiments exactly

"Tuesday's Republican State Central Committee election, which was a rout by conservative activists over the party leaders, sets up a contest for party chairman on March 27 between conservative leader Roger Villere and Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court Jon Gegenheimer, more identified with elected officials and the mainstream faction. But with Foster now out of the equation, many Republicans are hoping the two sides will settle differences and unite against their real common foe, the Democrats."

On Top

Well now. [blush]

Oh, Boy (Scouts) - Good kids caught in crosshairs

When I hear so-called "children's advocates" prattle on, I always wonder if their expressions of righteous indignation extend to the boy scouts. Rich Lowry concurs:

"Liberal commentators have charged that President Bush, by endorsing a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, has "reignited" the culture war. The ongoing anti-Scout campaign shows that the culture war was raging long before Bush's entry into it, and that the aggressors are those who hate the Boy Scouts and all that they represent. For them, 'scout's honor' are fighting words."

Support your local Boy Scout council. And all you straight dads, your involvement is most welcome!

Johnny Ramone: Rebel in a rebel's world

One of the great privileges I have had in my life is to meet and break bread with Johnny Ramone. He was in town for Lollapalooza '96 and we both ended up at Ralph & Kacoo's, he with his entourage me with a record promo guy who happened to be Johnny's rep at the time. We talked very briefly about two common obsessions: Republicanism and movies. I'm also a long-time fan of punk music, so this was a big thrill. Today's article profiling Johnny's conservative beliefs - long eveident before 2002 as this article asserts - is long overdue.

"His list of favorite Republicans should humble the Republican National Committee, or at least get him invited to a GOP fund-raiser: Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Charlton Heston, [actor and close friend] Vincent Gallo, Ted Nugent, Messrs. Limbaugh and Hannity, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Wayne and Tom DeLay.

"He relishes agitating his left-wing peers -- and has since the band started in 1974.

"'Oh yeah, they really get upset,' Johnny says. 'I remember in 1979 doing an interview for Creem magazine with [famed rock and roll scribe, now deceased] Lester Bangs and telling him that Ronald Reagan will be the next president. He was really mad that I liked Reagan, who was the greatest president of my lifetime. So I turned it around on him and asked to see his commie card. In fact, ever after that, I would ask him for his card. I think he had one, really.'

"The other day, when Stray Cats bassist Slim Jim Phantom was complaining about his tax bill, Johnny reminded him that the charges would be higher if President Bush hadn't gotten his tax cuts passed. 'I told him he needs to vote Republican to keep his taxes lower ... and donate to President Bush's campaign."

FCC's Powell Questions Indecency Bills' Constitutionality

This is where I begin to question the overreaching of certain busybodies in our government. Cable delivers a product via a private and proprietary system, not via any public-owned means of transmission. To regulate content is to, in effect, usurp the power that we as consumers have over what we choose to see or not see.

At the same time, I view a lot of this hullabaloo as all too much too late. The same public that allowed Bill Clinton in the white hosue because it affirmed their feel-good impulses (yes, soccer moms I'm beating up on you again) also allowed the cultural rot that they are now objecting to. The lesson: you can't have it both ways. One faction in America is in favor preventing your kids from seeing Janet Jackson's boob, and the other is not. Instead of doing what was right, you chose the other side, the one that would rather invite Miss Jackson (if you're nasty) into the Oval Office for some personal constituent pain-feeling.

Qaeda Letter Says U.S. is next

Bluffing or not, this is having its intended effect on the market, especially in the wake of that awful incident in Madrid - a city I considered visiting just yesterday given its calmness in comparison with the rest of the world.

So much for the effect of Islam's "peaceful teachings" on its faithful.

Everybody knows our side's got mo' soul!

This is the shiznit!

Look at these pitiful white people!

Anglicanism on brink of schism over gay 'marriage'

"Worldwide Anglicanism edged closer to disintegration yesterday after the liberal Canadian Church defied calls for restraint and paved the way for homosexual 'marriages'."

Ugh.

A million Europeans enslaved

Disturbing in one sense - that such a thing actually happened - and liberating in another: no one group of people "owns" slavery as an issue. It is an unfortunate product of depraved humanity's cruelty.

Just plain wrong, as usual

NRO continues to be the beacon of truth and enlightenment:

"liberal stalwarts like Senators Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) and Barbara Mikulski (Md.) supported the Bush administration's decision to loosen restrictions on creating single-sex public schools and classrooms. Not NOW. NOW reacted to this announcement by accusing the administration of trying to segregate schools. 'Sex discrimination in the classroom or the workplace is shameful,' said NOW's president, Kim Gandy. 'Segregation was wrong in the past -- and it's wrong now.'"

Oh knock it off! You didn't squeal when NYC opened a gay-only high school. How much longer are blacks who actually suffered under Jim Crow going to stand by and allow their suffering to apply to every group of carping radicals (not much longer, if recent comments by Jesse Jackson about gay groups is any indication.)

When will they ever learn?

It's the same old Democrat song and dance, disproved many times over:

"Last December Kerry told Florida Democrats, 'Florida is the place where America's democracy was wounded.' He also said, 'We had more votes; we won! None of us are going to forget.'

Apparently Kerry (along with most Democrats) forgot that USA Today, the Miami Herald, the Tampa Tribune, the Bradenton Herald, Florida Today, the Tallahassee Democrat, the News-Press of Fort Myers, the Pensacola News Journal, Knight-Ridder newspapers, and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (hired by the Washington Post, the New York Times, and several other newspapers) all reviewed the Florida election results of 2000, and found that not only did Bush win the ballots that were officially counted, but he also won after counting every ballot cast."

I put this up here yet again because it cannot be forgotten. Any liberal who uses this whiny argument - "He STOLE the votes!" - is a liar.

'PASSION' YOUTH APPEAL

Obesrvations of a theater chain's PR hack:

"the heaviest demographic for 'Passion' shows was ages 18-30. 'Most of the people I'm seeing look like they've been in a theater before,' he said."

Well, duh! Why would you assume that people who are proned to going to a movie theater are not going to see the Passion, especially when youy consider the media frenzy surrounding it? That's dunderheaded thinking. The usual movie-going audience is seeing this film, and more of them are choosingthis movie, as oppossed to being spread out among 12-20 stupid date movies at the mall-anchored megaplex.

"Younger filmgoers make up the bulk of 'The Passion' crowd, but Bob Berney, whose Newmarket is distributing the pic, said the aud --- as a whole --- is older than average. 'The R-rating is limiting younger kids, but it is getting teens and college kids,' he said. But, 'like ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding") it's also getting an older audience.'"

No surprise there. "Wedding" centered around family events central to nearly everybody's life. Christianity also has a universal relevance, specifically all of western civilization for the past 2000 years.

Young males who flock to slasher pics seem to be taking an interest in "The Passion," which has been widely characterized as gory by reviewers.

Fangoria editor Anthony Timpone said, 'It's sparked an interest in my readership because of the extreme nature of the it as well as the controversy.' The magazine hasn't covered "The Passion," but Timpone said horror helmer David Cronenberg (news) recently suggested he should. And at least one horror fan site, E-Splatter.com, has given 'The Passion' the thumb's up: 'As a horror fan, I was more than satisfied. This is not some kiddie Christ film. This is the real deal.'

Much has been written about the underlying Christian themes in science fiction, a genre built upon the writings of the devoutly-Catholic J.R.R. Tolkein. This has a natural relevance to the Harry Knowles-looking people, as it has fantasy elemsnts and illustrates a world far removed from our own.

The Newmarket exit polls also found that the pic is playing much better among Latino and African-American auds.

Two audiences whose faith runs soul deep. If people stopped listening to the media and actually ventured out and met these folks, got to know them, broke bread with them and found out what their lives are really like, this would not be unexpected.

I personally love the idea of these two American demographics not just finding common ground in the shadow of the cross, but joyously celebrating their communion together as people of faith. Think Our Lady of Guadalupe (the church parish and ornament on the dashboard) meets the Second Greater Ephesus Mount Zion Hope Springs Eternal Baptist Episcopal Methodist Inner City Church and Communitah Centah for a "jernt" screenin', revival, rosary service and fried chicken and tortilla dinner! Can I get a joyous amen? Si!

Internet blamed in spread of syphilis among gays

I've heard of email viruses spreading via the internet but this is getting ridiculous!

High Court Justice Faces Questions

This is certainly more seditious than a hunting trip.

LIBERAL TALK RADIO NETWORK TO LAUNCH MARCH 31

Actually, it would be more appropos if it launched exactly one day later.

Security Gates Going Up at Disneyland

You mean to tell me this is a new thing? Alarming how the happiest place on Earth wasn't the safest.

Motorists Spot X-Rated Films in Some Cars

I myself have spotted this, as have friends of mine. While it may be an unexpected treat among the banality of commuting, I couldn't help but think when I saw it "y'know, if my nephew was with me, this would be a problem." Ultimately, this adds to the crude and crass nature of our world. Besides, isn't the justification of porn that it's okay in the privacy of one's home? Clean it up, you people.

Clinton Won't Seek Office

"Former President Clinton said Tuesday he has no plans to seek another elected office, preferring to remain in private life because having one Clinton in politics is 'probably more than enough.'"

Truer words were never spoken!

Kerry's Web site keeps FCC on the run

"A spokesman for Kerry said he believed the Web site was struck by 'a virus' yesterday. He then promised to get back to us with a better story, but never did."

My a--!

FINALLY...

Jerry Arbour comes in second behind the pastor of a big ol' babtist chirch. That's okay...the top 5 vote getters are elected and Jerry has a clear mandate from the people.

I am not believing this!

"RSCC Member, 66th Representative District, Subdistrict A
9 of 9 precincts reporting

Amoroso, 'Buddy' - 93 votes (50%)
Guffey, Gene - 94 votes (50%)

One of my endorsed wins by one vote, another loses by one vote! What are the odds?!!>

Another WALKER Victory!

Aldermen, Town of Pollock
1 of 1 precincts reporting


Sherry Ates, D - 24 votes, 11%
'Chuck' Butterfield, R - 33 votes, 15%
D. Pat Mauterer, R - 49 votes, 22%
Sharon Lincecum Zeh, D - 59 votes 26%
John Ernest Walker, R - 60 votes 27%

That's right! Mike Walker's daddy is elected to office!

R-Rating Sought in Some Smoking Films

The nanny/Nazi state is still very much alive. Besides, who gives money to an organization called "Smoke Free Movies"?

"[The busybody spokesman, and probably ex-smoker Stanton] Glantz singled out The Walt Disney Co. for smoking in the ...G-rated '102 Dalmatians'"

Oh come on! Cruella Deville without a cigarette holder?! The fact that she may be cancerous only adds to her villany and treachery! This hardly encourages people to smoke. Most kids think its nasty, and having Cruella doing it is no positive reinforcement of the fine smooth flavor of Camel or Winston. Another choice juicy bit:

"Since R-rated films typically earn less money because they are not open to most teenagers, Glantz said he hoped such a policy would discourage filmmakers from depicting unnecessary smoking, such as the nicotine-addicted worm aliens in 'Men in Black.'"

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE HERE! I can't write anymore about this, it's so stupid. The sad thing is, a lot of dumb people, many of them Soccer Mom-types, will nod along and say "that's right! Smoking is bad and they should do something! Why I hate going into restaurants and having smoke go up my nose! I shouldn't have to put up with that!" That's right, and the next thing you'll say is the GOVERNMENT should get involved!

Experimental drug may help you quit smoking, lose weight

Quite fitting that this story originates in New Orleans :)

EchoStar Pulls Viacom Channels

I'm a DISH Network subscriber and my experience with the company has been positive to this point. BUT, if my bill remains the same and I lose the channels provided by Viacom, in essence the terms of contract I have with DISH is not being upheld by Echostar, and the fee I pay is increased.

Three words to all parties involved: knock it off.

Benham Won't Seek Reelection

Jay Lyles writes: "Three-term East Baton Rouge Metro Councilman Jim Benham tells PoliticsLA.com that he is ready to do more traveling and less politics. The District 12 Republican says he's already returned his campaign contributions. 'My partner and I sold our company on February 27, and my only business interest is with my son who lives out of state. There's just not much left around here for me.' In addition to his son, Benham has two daughters living in Florida and Alabama, so he expects to be on the road a lot visiting them after he serves out the last two months prior to his retirement. 'Unfortunately, like many parents all of my children have had to leave the state to find good jobs.' Benham says he won't endorse a candidate until he sees everyone who qualifies for the seat. He says he will serve out the remainder of his term and fulfill his obligation to the community. Benham was facing a large field of candidates including property owner Greg Accardo and tavern owner Smokie Bourgeois."
--PoliticsLA.com - 9:43 a.m. (3/9)

VOTE TODAY

Unbelievably, President Bush DOES have opposition in Louisiana, some loose cannon from Glendale, CA. Strange as it may seem, your vote is necessary. Imagine if that guy actually wins! How nutty can one state be? I don't even want to test it. GEAUX BUSH!

Also, partisans on both sides of the aisle will pick their leaders on parish and statewide levels today. Personally, I think the whole PEC/State Central Committee process is broken-beyond-repair, having been compromised by petty infighting. It's funny how we in the GOP have the least ideological differences yet we are the most cliquish and most adverse to working together for a singular goal, which is electing Republicans and beating back the Democrats. Speaking of which, they're not even breaking a sweat if we are to believe today's Advocate:

"There's no such flap on the Democratic side.

"'We never have controversy,' joked Democratic Party Chairman Mike Skinner, adding "at least for the last year."

A coalition of wildly disparate groups - big-city liberals, organized labor, trial lawyers, the gay lobby, feminists, minority interests, etc. - gets along without any shots being fired, yet over here on the right the silly soap opera continues. There's a one-upmanship between factions to see who is the most conservative. It's all b-s and should be scrapped, replaced by some authoritarian Roman-governor-styled system.

Now, having said that....(apologies to Mike Wolfe)

If you do vote Republican, and you live in District 66-A, I urge you to vote for BUDDY AMOROSO. Buddy is a friend of mine, and is the co-founder of Taxbusters. I don't know his opponent, so I can't speak about him, but I can speak about Buddy and I am more than happy to do so. There's no man more qualified to lead our state Republican Party. He's a deeply principled man with strong conservative credentials. He is a purpose-driven candidate to be certain.

I also urge you to support my friend JERRY ARBOUR for our local PEC because the man has earned it. He's been the only guy to keep the PEC alive when others have been colossally disinterested. Plus, he did what no other Republican Parish leader in Louisiana has been able to do successfully, which a Republican victory in every parishwide elective office - Mayor, Assessor (first time), Clerk of Court, Sheriff, and Coroner (first time) - as well as half the Metro Council, a majority of our state legislators, and our Congressman. Baton Rouge voted overwhelmingly for a Republican gubernatorial candidate in both the primary and the runoff, and Jerry was able to utilize the resources of the PEC to assist in that effort. He also organized a hugely successful party switch drive in Baton Rouge, with 500 people switching to the GOP over than span of mere weeks - not bad considering it had no effect whatsover on how an individual votes in our state's open primary system. While statewide the party has lost ground, East Baton Rouge gained GOP support under the leadership of Jerry Arbour. For those of you who expect results, take a look at the record.

There are a lot of yahoos running for party offices who call themselves "activists". Please. Gloria Steinem is an activist (not the kind I like but an activist nonetheless). The head of your local MADD is an activist. Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day, Sir Robin of Locksley, Anita Bryant, people who quit their jobs to lobby their cause 24/7, all those folks are activists. People in the political process who apply that word to themselves are not to be taken seriously. Names I prefer to use when describing these folks include: "irritant", "bomb-thrower", "loose cannon"(see first paragraph), "berserker", "lunatic", "shit-stirrer", and "nut." (Some may say I'm a nut and they're probably right. At least I know I am and confine my activities to the lunacy conatined in this blog.) Ask them what they've accomplished and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Let's face it...the political process has an abundance of wackos involved (ex.: Lyndon Larouche, Teresa Heinz Kerry). Most dangerously, there are plenty of mixed nuts behind closed doors who never speak or get involved in the process and yet do vote in an uninformed manner. Matched with the wrong candidate - say, Dennis Kucinich - these folks can potentially inflict the most actual damage on our society. All I'm saying is find out the facts before you vote. Better yet, if you don't know who you're voting for, don't vote at all. That's right, I said "don't vote." My late grandfather did not storm Normandy beach (first wave, just like Saving Private Ryan) to empower ill-informed idiots to enter a voting booth and wreak havoc on our nation. That may be a bold and unpopular view, but seeing some of the idiots that get elected it's worth a thought. He said as much while he was alive. He didn't suffer fools gladly, God bless him. (+May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.)

Remember, too, that good intentions do not make a great GOP. We must plan to ditch the open primary a.k.a. the "jungle primary" a.k.a the "blanket primary" a.k.a. the "cajun primary". Our two parties will continue to languish in limbo until we return to a sensical closed-primary election process that forces voters to choose which side of the fence they are on. Until that time, any candidate who has enough support of the general public can bypass any local Republican or Democratic party apparatus. No PEC or State Central Committee is going to stop the people.

The Push for Progress in the Baton Rouge region

Okay, maybe they do read my blog...Austin 6 gives credit to David Boneno and urges you to contact your councilman via this site.

The D concurs - although you can email them directly using my links below. I've also encluded notable quotes to better identify which councilperson you're emailing:

District 01
Wayne Carter
"Always been pro-labor, always gonna be pro-labor. But arts is important."

District 02
Ulysses 'Bones' Addison   
"Why do we need all this ack-eee-hall?"

District 03
Pat Culbertson
"I move that we defer this item."   

District 04
Joe Greco   
"I'm doin' dis for tha chillrun. I love ya. I just wanted y'all ta know dat."

District 05
Charles Kelly
"Thankyou....Madam.....pro-tem...."

District 06
Martha Jane Tassin   
"I taught Kindergarten for 24 years. I don't need a microphone!"

District 07
Byron Sharper
"I may not be the smartest guy up in here, but oh my Lawd!"

District 08
Mike Walker
"Maaaaaaaaaaaaan, what choo say?"

District 09
Darrell Ourso
"I think that I may never see/a poem lovely as a tree..."

District 10
Lorri Burgess
"Councilmembers, what's your pleasure?"

District 11
David Boneno
"It's a boy!"

District 12
Jim Benham
"grumble...grumble..."

A nice thought...

"As we come to the end of the day...." Time for reflection. Today's gospel reading as heard in church:

"Jesus said to his disciples:
'Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.'"

The latest Austin 6 email alert

Once again, expect a packed house with lotsa Gen X types, thanks to activism on the part of Messrs. Polito and Trufant:

"4:00 this Wednesday, March 10th in the Council Chambers.

"The Metro Council will vote on a proposal to limit the term an appointee to a Board or Commission can serve to no more than 2 terms or a maximum of 8 years. If approved, this proposal would go before the voters in the FALL. It is retroactive, but would not take anyone out of their appointment mid-term.

"WE NEED TO SUPPORT THESE TERM LIMITS and the Councilpersons supporting them. If you can be at the Council Chambers on Wednesday, it would make a huge impression. The Council is understanding that citizens are participating, and a large group of individual citizens makes a big difference.

"Please contact your Council person as well. Thank you! We are making real progress!"

Even though I am active in two of their ongoing projects - specifically renaming the downtown entertainment area and bringing big concerts back to BTR - the one problem I have with Austin 6 is that in their desire to be non-political they forget little details like giving credit where credit is due. The Councilman who is taking the initiaive on this issue is David Boneno, R-District 11, and it is he and only he who had the 'nards to bring up this issue.

David has embraced tough stance. The Mayor is against it. One councilperson prefers to compromise everything away in an effort to be seen as a "first class problem solver" a-la Bobby Jindal or Dr. J. Leu from Formosa Computers (it's a Baton Rouge thing...don't ask). Others want their ego stroked. Some council members don't like these young whippersnappers with their loud music and their "ack-ee-hall." Still other councilpersons won't vote for it because they didn't come up with the idea. And some never let on what the hell they're going to do until it's time to vote. The only way to affact positive public policy changes is continued public pressure.

So yes, please contact your councilman (go to brgov.com for more info) and tell them to stand with Councilman Boneno in implementing term limits.

Civil Rights Group Seeks Kerry Apology

I was waiting for this one...otherwise it would seem awfully quiet on this obvious slap in the face.

"John Kerry is not a black man — he is a privileged white man who has no idea what it is in this country to be a poor white in this country, let alone a black man," said Paula Diane Harris, founder of the Andrew Young National Center for Social Change.

That's right, sister! At least my candidate doesn't go around trying to be anything other than the Texas honky he is!

Downer Announces Political Intentions

A sad day for Louisiana. Hunt Downer, one of our true leaders, has opted out of the fight:

“I am honored by the enormous show of support and encouragement I have received urging me to seek the Third Congressional seat upon Congressman Billy Tauzin’s retirement. I am humbled by the several polls I have seen which clearly show that I am a leading candidate to be the next Congressman. After much consideration and reflection, and with the consultation of my family, I have made a personal decision not to seek elective office at this time. With the recent alert of additional National Guard units, I will continue to serve my state and country by focusing my efforts on my current duties and responsibilities as a Brigadier General and Assistant Adjutant General in the Louisiana National Guard. I want to thank everyone who has supported and encouraged me to run. The decision has not been an easy one.”

Bush bashes Kerry in Dallas broadside

Killer quote from da Prez:

"Senator Kerry voted for the Patriot Act, for NAFTA, the No Child Left Behind Act and the liberation of Iraq. Now he opposes the Patriot Act, NAFTA, the no Child Left Behind Act and the liberation of Iraq. "

Live Aid finally gets DVD release

It's about time! At last I can dump my twenty-year-old cassettes dubbed off the radio. On the day of the big show, it just so happened that I was returning via my parents' Starcraft van from a vacation at Disney World. I recorded the program on a "jam box"/"ghetto blaster" plugged into a cigarette lighter and every half-hour or so I had to find a new station carrying the event. Realizing early on in the day that I was ill prepared to tape the whole thing, I tried to record the bands I liked and ditch the bands I didn't like (I didn't need Spandau Ballet crooning "we are virgin" then, and I certainly don't need it now.) This will be a welcome upgrade.

Raw Data: Iraqi Constitution:

Here's the problem I have with this document:

"Article 7.

A) Islam is the official religion of the State and is to be considered a source of legislation. No law that contradicts the universally agreed tenets of Islam, the principles of democracy, or the rights cited in Chapter Two of this Law may be enacted during the transitional period. This Law respects the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people and guarantees the full religious rights of all individuals to freedom of religious belief and practice.

(B) Iraq is a country of many nationalities, and the Arab people in Iraq are an inseparable part of the Arab nation."

It's nice to see democracy placed on an equal footing with Islam. Funny, how it's placed ahead of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Taoism, Shinto, Buddhism, and ever other -ism in the western world, yet we don't have to be told that the state is subserviant to the people and to God. At least, some of us don't have to be told.

Article 7, Section A will cause problems when the inevitable clash between the free will of men and the "peaceful teachings" of Islam occurs. Section B's problems are just as obvious, due to the fact that Kurds aren't arabs.

Jail threat for kissing couples

Meanwhile in the rest of the world, it's cro-mag time.

FBI's DNA Database Helps ID Suspects

"The FBI's DNA database, filled with genetic samples from prison inmates nationwide, has helped local authorities identify suspects in more than 11,000 cases in what is becoming the 21st century equivalent of fingerprinting.

"The database, known as the Combined DNA Indexing System or CODIS, has helped solve two 'cold' murder cases in Kansas, identify the two-decade old remains of a missing California child and capture a sexual predator who terrorized young boys in Houston.

"Just as important, police and lawyers say, it has freed prisoners wrongly convicted of crimes and helped detectives quickly eliminate wrong suspects, saving manpower chasing false leads."

This, friends and neighbors, is what progress is all about. The guilty are caught, the innocent are freed, law enforcement operates more efficiently. Who can argue with that, except those who have something to conceal?

"Passion" Plugs "Starsky," Viggo

Passion continues to reign at the box office:

"'What everybody had been wondering was whether the opening weekend was a fluke...This is not a fluke, it's a phenomenon!' says Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations, the company that tallies the weekend grosses."

A phenomenon indeed...one that's lasted about 2000 years.

Blanco sticks to tax plan

Seven years is too long to wait for real tax relief.

"Among the pro-business legislators who want to speed up the phaseout of the business taxes is state Rep. Mike Futrell, R-Baton Rouge.

" But Futrell said Sunday he's just glad to see Blanco trying to abolish the two business taxes.

" Futrell said he's introduced similar bills to phase out the state corporate franchise tax every year since 2000 but never got anywhere with them.

" 'The first one I did tried to phase it out immediately, then I went to a couple-year, then five-year, and last year I went to 10 years -- and I couldn't get the time of day out of the Foster administration,' Futrell said.

" 'I'm happy that at least somebody else is recognizing that it's something that needs to be done,' Futrell said."

Let's hope the GOP legislators organize and mobilize: they need to amend her plan by front-loading these tax cuts and eliminate these temp taxes. Greenspan said it best: tax cuts breed prosperity, prosperity breeds increased revenue, increased revenue reduces deficits.

J.C. Chasez's new CD hits sour note

...before anybody has even heard the singing! :)

"The debut solo effort by the former N Syncer is titled Schizophrenic and the cover image shows him in a straitjacket. Now, some are charging that Chasez is unfairly stereotyping and misrepresenting people suffering from schizophrenia."

I'd say this is "madness" but I'm afraid I'd be lumped in with the un-PC JC. I will say that after two unfortunate incidents - being bumped from the all star game halftime show and not being Justin Timberlake - it looks like JC can't get a break. Enough to drive you...well, you know.

Louisiana congressman to remain a Democrat

The White House now has a decision to make: do they throw their weight behind Cooksey, whom they hung out to dry last go round, knowing that Alexander is one of the few on that side of the aisle that they can go to for support? Do they stay out knowing that whomever wins will be workable? My guess is they'll do some work for Cooksey but not a full-court press. This isn't a make or break situation for them.

the Unemployment Rate & Bush

A dirty bit of cheating is going on:

"The Bush bashers on radio and television have been saying that unemployment doesn't matter; that its payroll jobs that count. Lou Dobbs, host of CNN's Moneyline, recently said this while debating Steve Forbes on the air. Forbes cited the growth in jobs under the household survey, the survey used to determine the unemployment rate. Dobbs countered, 'Who uses the household survey anyway?' The answer, Lou, is that up until the household survey started to show good news, you and almost every other financial journalist in America used it."

"...the nation has historically focused on the unemployment rate when it comes to measuring the health of the jobs market. All of a sudden, however — just when the unemployment statistics have given us an unbroken series of good tidings — we've seen a switch to the importance of the payroll jobs survey as the preferred metric of the labor climate."

I urge you to contact your media outlet of choice and tell them to stop lying.

New look

Trying a different template on for size. I'm sure my friends will let me know if it sucks or not. Personally, I think it's designed for old people to read, but I like the clean look and I was tired of the orange on the old template.

Alexander may cross aisle to GOP

This is what's called "holding all the aces".

OFFICIAL 'KERRY FOR PRESIDENT' WEBSITE RIDDLED WITH OBSCENITIES

Once again, Kerry shows us what kind of man he is and what kind of people he associates with. I quoted bits of these quotes when they appeared in Rolling Stone several months ago:

"Bush f**ked up Afghanistan... Did I expect George Bush to f**k it up as badly as he did... cutting all your f**king legs off at the knees... Where the f**k is he?... scare the living s**t out of me... He has a pig-in-s**t grin on his face, he wanted to get into the s**t... doesn’t play s**t in my book..."

Plain and simple, this is not the talk of a gentleman.

By the way, Drudge points out "A search on the official Bush/Cheney re-election revealed no such curse words". As if anyone expected such.

Old fuzzy memories and video

For the first time in many a moon, I TiVo'd last night's two episodes of Saturday Night Live. I say two because NBC has a new, live episode at it's traditional 10:30 PM time slot and a "classic" SNL repeat in the wee small hours of the morning. It's quite de rigeur to dump on the latest incarnation of SNL as being lame in comparison to [name the era here], so I won't even venture my opinion here.

The repeat episode, hosted by Harry Anderson, originally aired live February 9, 1985. Looking at and listening to the quality of the videotape, it might as well have been 1965 - dingy, dark, blurry picture and compressed, distorted, tin-can sounding mono audio. Funny, but I saw this episode when it aired live and I may have even taped it on my then-new Beta machine and I don't recall it looking and sounding this bad. Episodes of Match Game '73 on Game Show Network look eons better than this. Is the passage of time that devastating on videotape?

Down for the count

Well, not exactly, but I feel like it. (At least I'm in better shape than John Ashcroft, who should be in your prayers no matter where you fall in the political spectrum.) Nevertheless, I'll be spending most of the weekend asleep. Enjoy the nice weatehr, its making a large number of folks absolutely miserable!