"You look like a fine, upstanding young man...I think You'll do..."

These first two pictures & comments are from an email snark that's going around (Ex-Gov's Spitzer & McGreevey)... which then made me start thinking about the new NY Governor, and what a pillar of propriety HE is....

And next we present to you Governor David Paterson. As you can see, he is intent on jumping the gun and getting right into the spirit of things right from the get-go. Blue suit, Michelle in a light blue jacket, but with no pearls. those are being saved for the public humiliation appearance later.

Governor Paterson promises to be MUCH more entertaining:

“Before y’all go diggin’ ‘round and find out stuff, I wanna let you know that I’ve done some things…
I had affairs.
My wife had affairs.
I’ve smoked pot.
And crack.
And meth.
And heroin.
Oh, and I’m a jewel thief.
I also took steroids to help my political career.
And I coveted Jose Canseco’s wife.
And, well.. the Lindbergh baby? Yeah, that was me.
Annnnd… I was also smoking in the bathroom on the Hindenberg, took a couple of shots from the grassy knoll in ’63,
and I accidentally pushed baby Jessica down that well.
But that’s it. I’m clean as a whistle otherwise.
SweartoGod.

You've seen a general inspecting troops before haven't you? Just walk slow, act dumb and look stupid.

"I remember... It was way back in the '90's ... I was just young then. Just a kid ... wet behind the ears, just out of combat training and ichin' for a fight.

And that's what we got when we landed. A fight. And some flowers. And a song. And some food, and a little tray with pinafores. They were wickend good, too.

But there were bullets flying everywhere. I could hear them. I know I could. Some people even had guns."

"I'll always remember us flying in over Poland..."

"Over POLAND?"

"I don't think I'll EVER get over Poland..."

"Scared? Sure I was scared, but I knew how important this trip was. We HAD to deliver comedians and flowers to these poor people. Never surrender."

"And then it happened... bullets whizzing over our heads ... carnage and fear all around us...

that little girl - she sang to us. So brave... she could have forgotten the words, for God's sake. This was no place for an innocent little one. My GOD."

I'll always remember this like it was yesterday. Which was Sunday, right?

No? What day was it? I forget.

========

Clinton Wounded By Bosnia Comments

The brouhaha over Sen. Hillary Clinton's sniper-infested description of her trip to Bosnia in 1996 reached a crescendo in the media in the last 24 hours, despite efforts by Clinton to defuse the situation. In addition to being the butt of late-night comedian jokes, all three network news broadcasts last night led with critical coverage of Clinton, with the CBS Evening News running footage of three instances in the last few months of Clinton claiming to have been vexed by sniper fire during the event. ABC World News reported in a lengthy and negative piece, "In light of the Bosnia incident, Clinton's other foreign policy experience will now face tougher scrutiny," and correspondent Jake Tapper added, "The bottom line is, Senator Clinton's biggest claim on the presidency is her perceived experience. Her biggest weakness as a candidate, is the fact that so many Americans do not trust her. The fact that her biggest weakness could undercut her biggest strength is potentially devastating." NBC Nightly News reported that Clinton "further clarified her comments about dodging sniper fire" after "pictures showed her receiving a warm welcome." Bloomberg News reports Clinton "and her staff said she misspoke when saying she landed under sniper fire during a March 1996 trip to Bosnia as first lady." In Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Clinton said, "I did make a mistake in talking about it the last time, and recently. I made a mistake. I have a different memory. That happens. I'm human. For some people that's a revelation."

You know what? shut up. You lied. SEVERAL times. You FORGOT? You don't remember whether there were snipers firing at you or not? That's utter bullshit. And you also forgot that you don't have a southern accent several months ago when you had that fake one?

You have a credibility problem - self-inflicted. Believe it or not, the American people want someone as their president WHO DOESN'T LIE. But it appears that, well, a Clinton is a Clinton. How DARE you be hurt or offended.

Someone's ALWAYS Being Thrown Under the Bus ...

Additional information after the article posted below...
---
Ex-Clemens trainer McNamee unhurt in accident
Associated Press
NEW YORK 03/21/08
Brian McNamee, the former personal trainer who has said he injected former New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone, fainted while driving and crashed his car head-on into a city bus, according to published reports....

McNamee's Lexus, another car and the bus were involved in the crash around 12:30 p.m. Thursday on Central Avenue in Queens' Far Rockaway neighborhood, according to the newspapers.
No one was seriously hurt, according to the newspapers.
No one was charged with any offense in the wreck, the Post said. No information was immediately available from police early Friday.
McNamee testified under oath before a congressional committee that he injected Clemens with performance-enhancers at least 16 times between 1998 and 2001. Clemens testified that he never used steroids or HGH, and he has sued McNamee, claiming defamation.

An additional inside source who witnessed the accident (Andy Pettitte) indicated that the city bus was being driven by Roger Clemens & the 3rd car by Jose Canseco. When asked about the truth of this, Mr. Clemens scoffed at this reported and retorted: "Stop needling me."


Sorry.. couldn't resist.

"Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye"

Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - 2008)

When I was 10 years old I sat in AWE in the movie theater, spellbound by "2001: A Space Odyssey". I was in the middle of developing a fascination with all things science fiction, and Arther C Clarke was one of the kings and visionaries. This was a man who didn't just MAKE STUFF UP... he knew the science and conceived theory behind it.

This is the man who envisioned and laid out the plans for satellite communications as we know it today.

And in 1968, the world that was envisioned 33 years into the future was going to be AMAZING.

The world was crap then... It was exploding all around us, politically, socially and physically.

How could a kid who grew up in the 10 years when we went from nothing to orbiting the moon NOT believe every prognostication they put forth? We could do anything. FAST. That's why I love every shuttle launch. THAT'S why I love technology & new gadgets.

And science fiction let us look at those accomplishments and think ahead. Look what we can do. Look how many GOOD things we can create in the world. See how we can cooperate and how much we have grown? Sure it might appear bad now, but look what we've leaned - we will learn that other stuff too.

Sadly, the world didn't move that fast. And as I've grown older, I've come to realize that mankind doesn't so easily shed the prejudices and greed that are so deep-seated.

But to think that there might be others out there in the universe. To know we might someday meet them. To LOOK at the stars and wonder about our existence ... and to know that people like Mr. Clarke were able to conceive of a better future - maybe a more harmonious future... Well, that means that it's possible, then.

OK ... so now I sound like I'm REALLY high ... and REALLY geeky. Super... UGH!

Again...is ANYONE surprised that I can't get chicks?

Anyway, his best books, in my opinion, are below. They make you think. They are fun. They present a dream and a vision. A possibility.

AND, they are a picture of history. THIS is what we thought society would be like from the vantage point of THEN.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Clarke.

Thank you.

NOW where will we go?

Titles:

2001: A Space Odyssey

Rendezvous with Rama

A Fall of Moondust

Childhood's End

"Use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers HAS been approved"

From today's online Providence Journal:

Johnston, RI man escapes from federal prison
March 18, 2008 Providence Journal
Federal authorities are searching for a Johnston, RI man who escaped a federal prison where he was serving a sentence for tax fraud.
Federal authorities say Rocco DeSimone escaped from the Fairton Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, N.J., Saturday after FBI agents executed a search warrant at his home on Hopkins Avenue in connection with a money laundering investigation.
DeSimone acted as a broker in 1999 to sell "Canal at Zaandam," a painting by the French impressionist Claude Monet for $4.6 million. However, he reported to the seller, New York art dealer Janet Traeger Salz, that the work had brought only $2.7 million, and pocketed the $1.9-million difference, according to a federal indictment.
He was sentenced in June to serve 27 months in federal prison for tax crimes.
According to a news release today from the U.S. Marshals Service, on March 15 DeSimone’s wife, Gail DeSimone, called her husband, then flew to Philadelphia. At about 5 p.m., she rented a car at the airport.
Rocco DeSimone did not show for the 7 p.m. inmate count. Authorities say he escaped between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Back in Rhode Island, agents said they saw a Pennsylvania rental car at the Hopkins Avenue home. Later in the day, the car had been returned to a Warwick rental agency.
A complaint was issued against Gail DeSimone for harboring an escaped prisoner, and she turned herself in yesterday. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln Almond released her to home confinement.

OK ...
THIS is you plan? THIS. IS. YOUR. PLAN????!!!
Honestly....

So you're in the clink for 27 months for tax evasion. You grabbed $1.9 million off the top from the Monet sale. And you got caught. What'd ya think was gonna happen? Think they'd forget about that little monetary descrepancy?
And, well... I know 27 months isn't a picnic, but it is also quite do-able.

Now:
#1 - WHY, after being caught, would you keep evidence of your money-laundering activity in your house? You already got caught & convicted for the picture scam. Why leave any evidence in your house from when you were trying to get rid of the loot?
I must assume this is why you felt you needed to get out of prison post-haste.
Like, you might have suggested that your wife maybe dump the inciminating paperwork before this? Or were you intending on picking this up as a side profession once you got out?

#2 - You HAD YOUR WIFE come get you? And bring you back home? In a rented car? She left a freakin' trail of incrimination all the way back to your HOUSE fer cryin' out loud!!! You know.. the one they have been watching because you left the money laundering evidence in it? Nooo ... they'll NEVER put this all together. No way.
A dead dog could follow that trail.

#3 - You CLEARLY suck at criminal activity, so what makes you think you can cut it out "on the lam"? Where are you gonna go? I can't believe you still have the $1.9 mill... don't they grab that back in these cases? Or did you already spend it all on "NE PAtriots 19-0" T-shirts and a new Wii?

Just for the sake of argument, let's suppose that you just couldn't stomach the idea of doing a whole 27 months in a rather non-oppressive federal pen (and look, I get that it's different things to different people and maybe, just maybe you couldn't handle it). And you just HAVE to get out. You now have incriminated your WIFE! Now SHE will do time. So any concept of you running away with HER is pretty much out of the question. Great relationship you have there. Man yu got it all workin', friend.

Moron.
Let's see how long they take to catch you. Based on this profile, I'd say you're at a friend's house anyway. Ordering pizza with your own credit card.

I love it when a plan comes together.

The Point of KNOW Return

Would it kill anyone to actually spend even a SECOND outlining the candidates’ positions on the key subjects? The media is clueless in this, and those running for the office themselves seem to believe that providing real information to the voters isn't necessary.

You know… stuff like where they stand on all the issues, what their various plans would be as president…
And MOST importantly, how exactly they intend to implementing these plans?
The simple ability to get something done necessitates that they have a REAL plan… with practical & realistic goals and positions.
Tell me who you will work with .. how you will get the other party in Congress to go along so you aren’t gridlocked.


What kind of appointments do you see yourself making to the Supreme court, should that be an opportunity in your term?
What is your position on filling the myriad of judgeship positions that partisan politics have left vacant?
What is your position on executive power? How will you treat / use the executive “findings” that presidents have published in the past that virtually ignore existing laws?

What is YOUR position on torture – and the definition of it in your mind? How will that affect your actions/appointments?
What kind of person ..what key elements will you be placing in priority when chosing a Secretary of State? Atty General? Other cabinet members?

Etc, Etc….

If there was an ounce of journalistic integrity … or if these candidates wanted to REACH people, then they would focus on those points…
Tell the voters what you will do, what your PLANS are…

Standing there and spouting vague generalities of intent are useless and increasingly insulting.
OK, one of you democrats is the “harbinger of change”. Good .. I freakin get it.
HOW are you that?
WHAT will you do?

Nice health care plan… glad you now don’t like NAFTA … Yes, illegal immigration is still an issue, and yes, it appears the economy sucks.
HOW ARE YOU SPECIFICALLY GOING TO AFFECT THINGS AS PRESIDENT ???
And don’t give me useless ‘pie-in-the-sky’ crap about what Willie Wonka would do. Tell me realistically what you can do as president ..that is within your power as stated NOW in the constitution.

Geraldine Ferraro lost HER election almost 25 years ago. Arguing over her stupid statements means nothing.
Having underlings throw mud only turns voters away from you and from the party.

WAKE THE FUCK UP, TREAT US AS ADULTS, AND TELL ME WHY I SHOULD CAST MY VOTE FOR YOU.

GOD, this ridiculous prattling pisses me off. It’s like schoolyard, smarmy losers trying to justify their own existence.

And Howard Dean…. SHUT UP. You’ve proven your inability to run the Democratic party. You made the call months ago – you can’t have a re-do because you screwed it up then. This is exactly why you weren’t a viable presidential candidate, too. You guys made your bed – now lie in it.

Do you WANT me to vote for Mr. McCain? If you don’t, then prove to me that you have the ability to lead and govern.
PROVE to me that you have what it takes.
This shit certainly isn’t doing it.

Just sayin’

Night Launch

This is a private citizen's picture of this morning's launch (03-11-08) of the space shuttle Endeavor. Beautiful.

How Many Clowns ARE in that Little Car, Anyway?

So today are the Presidential Primaries in Ohio, Texas, Vermont & Rhode Island. All weekend the cable opinion channels, I mean news channels, have had people in the big states to cover the action.

Whenever CNN switches to their Texas coverage, the guy they sent down there (who is NOT a local affiliate employee) is wearing a cowboy hat. GIVE ME A BREAK.
How stereotypical can you get? REPORT THE STORY...STOP PLAYING 'DRESS-UP" !!!!

Gee... I hope they've been consistent in their lameness. I must have missed it. Did they have someone dressed up as a fisherman during the Maine primary? Did they wear cheese-heads during the Wisconsin ones?
How about 'surfer-dudes' during the California contest? Were they dressed as crabs for Maryland? Hannah "Montana"? "Virginia" Ham? Seriously... WTF???

Stop with the dog & pony show and report like serious journalists. It's lame and unprofessional.

And based on this, I assume they reporters they have in Rhode Island will just be wearing dunce caps. I mean, if you're gonna do it...