Happy 2009!

Doesn't it seem like yesterday that everyone was bracing for the Y2K "disaster" that never came?

And here we are -- another New Year in its infancy. I'm not one for resolutions, but you're reading one of them. I resolve to get out my feelings more this year. They're disjointed, with no connection whatsoever, but here they are.

By this time next year I'll be the mother of an official driver-license-holding teenager, on her way to spreading her wings for independence. I've devoted so much of my being to this child that I'm not sure I'm ready for the empty nest.

She's beautiful, brilliant and sensitive -- exactly what this world needs for its future. Can I let her go? I don't know. She needs to be let go, and I hope and pray I'm not so selfish I can't let that happen. I love her fiercely. She's my life's joy.

I'm recovering from some funky stomach malady, so the first nibble of the day wasn't black-eyed peas and greens. I hope the New Year's gods can forgive this indiscretion and bless me with luck. It would be nice to win the lottery, but you have to play to win. If I can't swoop up on Powerball winnings, I hope I can at least keep my head above water this year.

My little dog isn't getting any younger. He's had eye and back problems this year. I wish him an easy, healthy year as we grow older together.

It's my fervent prayer that the economy pull out of this dismal slump. Uppermost in my mind, of course, is the fate of newspapers. So many good people have devoted their lives to the truth with very few monetary rewards. Please, for their sake -- for my sake, even -- don't let newspapers die. We're not perfect, but we're out there trying our damnedest to give the public an unbiased look at the events coloring their world. The same cannot be said of so many bloggers and citizen journalists, many of whom color themselves as objective but reveal their bent. Kind of like Faux News with a keyboard.

(And yes, I do realize I'm using a blog as my podium. I, however, make no claim to be a journalist here. This is where I blow off steam -- it's subjective, and I have no plans to change that.)

I have high hopes for our new POTUS. Barack Obama is no messiah, but he gives me optimism. New ideas are needed. The status quo is not working. I now count down the days to the end of the error -- a man neither elected by the people nor for the people.

Reading about the possibility of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner having a New Year's baby makes me smile. It's irrelevant to my daily life, but I think they're absolutely darling. So many times I've latched my hopes onto a Hollywood couple -- Brad and Jennifer, Reese and Ryan -- only to see it end in divorce. (I still haven't forgiven Brad for cheating with Angelina Whorlie.) I have faith in the Afflecks. They seem ... almost normal.

Why was Friends the last great sitcom? I love The Office, but there is still a void left by the six people who gathered in my living room every Thursday to make me laugh .. and cry. Though I've always loved Friends, I still mourn for the pre-Monica Chandler and the Joey who was dumb and lovable, not brain dead.

Of course, Jim Halpert does help ease the pain somewhat ... (Is he gorgeous or what?!?)

And speaking of guys who make you drool, I'd gladly be Rob Pattinson's cougar. Long or short hair, bald ... I don't care. Just in case anyone out there knows him and wants to pass the word ...

Happy New Year, everyone! Both of you.

I am heartbroken

My first foray onto the Internet today, and this is the first thing I see.

I loved Tim Russert. His was the rare voice of reason in broadcast journalism. He loved his job and politics, and it mattered to him that people knew what was going on.

My heart, though heavy, goes out to his family and co-workers.

God bless you, Tim Russert. And thank you for the insight and raising the bar.

"Succeeding is the most important thing"

The above quote was uttered just minutes ago by Dubya mouthpiece Tony Snow in an interview with Matt Lauer on "Today."

Think about it: Succeeding is the most important thing. (Emphasis mine.)

That's why I could never be in PR. There is no way in good consciousness, no matter how much the White House was paying me, I could stand up on national television and tell people who have lost children, parents, spouses, siblings and other loved ones in this insipid war that succeeding is the most important thing.

Snow, with his blinders snug in place, assured Lauer that troop withdrawal is not an option. Of course it isn't -- his boss and the Veep, better known as Bush's boss -- refuse to acknowledge that they, in simple layman's terms, fucked up. We have no business in Iraq. Saddam was crazy -- there's no doubt about that -- but those WMD and ties to bin Laden? Nonexistent.

(Remember bin Laden, the real bad guy? The asshole who ordered jets flown into American landmarks, killing American people? I remember him -- but I don't think the POTUS does. The Veep doesn't remember, either -- after all, how could Halliburton profit if they go after him?)

Cindy Sheehan has the right idea: Impeach the motherfuckers. It's high time we showed them whose government is -- and whose interest it was put in place to serve.

How to waste time without really trying

Still showing their stupidity ... and wasting money:

When they weren't making laws, lawmakers passed around praise
By JESSICA FENDER
Staff Writer
Tennessee lawmakers sponsored more resolutions than
anything else this legislative session, lauding people like pop star Justin Timberlake and expressing solidarity with a Turkish religious movement, among other endeavors.

A Tennessean review of more than 6,000 records shows that 42 percent of all measures filed were resolutions with no force of law.

And while not all passed — Timberlake didn't, religious freedom in Turkey did — the drafting of such "memorial" resolutions cost about $70,000, by staff estimates.

Most resolutions honored local teachers, soldiers, sports teams, administrators or students for outstanding achievement.

Among them was Hendersonville Christian Academy valedictorian Jamie Wallmark, 17, who earned a
4.125 grade point average.

Being honored on the Senate floor meant a lot, she said, especially because she knows lawmakers are busy.

Resolutions cost time, money But lawmakers' busy agendas are precisely the problem when it comes to penning a deluge of resolutions, said John Summers, a lobbyist and Metro councilman who represents part of west Nashville.

While most are quickly dispatched, they can still "grind business to a halt," said Summers, who said
the Metro Council had a similar problem in the past.

"Clearly there are individuals that deserve recognition," he said. "And clearly there are some
resolutions that are there for political purposes by the sponsor."

About 100 of the 1,699 resolutions filed established study committees, ratified the legislature's rules or made a first step toward amending the state Constitution.

Rep. Tom DuBois, R-Columbia, introduced 167 congratulations, memorials and proposals to rename stretches of highway — the most by far of any legislator.

Potpourri

John Mark Karr has been arrested for battery, apparently stemming from an argument with his girlfriend.

Girlfriend? HELLO?!?

How desperate are you for a man if you think hooking up with this deviant is a good idea? I can hear it now ... "I know he confessed to brutally killing a little girl in Colorado, and he married two teenagers -- one of them 13 -- and he's been arrested for possession of child pornography, and he's been known to have a weird penchant for young girls ... but Daddy, I LOVE HIM!"

Ewwwwwwwww ... I think I need a shower now.

***

I don't give a damn how much John Edwards pays for a haircut, and I don't know why anyone else does.

The man is stinking rich! If he wants to spends $1,250 or more for a coiffure, go for it. It's not like he's taking food out of the mouths of starving babes. And, hey, it beats the hell out of spending more money than either Edwards or I will see in our lifetimes on a war with a country that has nonexistent weapons of mass destruction. Note: The latter is funded with taxpayer money, while Edwards' high-dollar haircuts are not.

It's not how I'd spend my money, but, hey, it's not my money. And he does have good hair. It's better than Rudy or Fred's. Hell, it's better than Hillary's -- and I like Hillary.

***

Congrats to Eva Longoria and Tony Parker. Now go away.

You got married yesterday. So what? Lots of other folks did, too. You're no Charles and Diana -- or Charles and Camilla, for that matter.

Remember, Charles and Diana had "the wedding of the century" and later divorced. My money's on the same fate for you.

***

Does anybody really care that Clay Aiken got into a tussle with a woman on an airplane?

***

Anyone who hears me speak knows I have a Mouth from the South. If you haven't heard me, think Clay Aiken or John Edwards. We have very similar dialects.

Not only does my Mouth from the South carry that lilt, it also, at no warning, will refer to you as "honey," "sweetie" or "dear." In the South, that's as involuntary as breathing. The staff at work from time to time have all been one of the above. Heck, I even STILL call The Ex "honey."

I bet Jan Hicks does and did, too. Unfortunately, the former assistant district attorney was censured by the Board of Professional Responsibility for referring to a judge as "honey."

I'm unfamiliar with Hicks both personally and by reputation, but I sympathize with her. I know such terms of endearment could be perceived badly in a courtroom setting. But come on! This isn't "Law and Order." It's the South -- it's Tennessee.

And honey, it's just the way we talk.

Why am I not surprised?

To quote Gilbert Gottfried, in Iago mode: "That's incredible ... I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from that surprise."

Insert eyeroll here.

Legislature leans to the mundane
Session is noted more for tweaks than overhauls
By JESSICA FENDER Staff Writer
Tennessee lawmakers spent about a third of their efforts this lengthy legislative session rewriting city charters, changing the way plumbers are licensed and mulling
other similarly narrowly focused rule changes, records show.

The volume of approved housekeeping bills overshadowed the number of successful education, crime and transportation proposals combined, according to a Tennessean analysis of more than 6,000 pieces of legislation filed this session.

Lawmakers say they have a responsibility to oversee every facet of the state — no matter how small — and constituents often directly request the seemingly minor tweaks to government rules.

Political analysts of the academic and armchair varieties alike say the 23-week legislative session, which cost the state $2.3 million, yielded few major initiatives outside of a 42-cent cigarette tax increase that took effect Sunday.

And some voters worry that lawmakers tinkered with local governments, licensing boards, public employee benefits and the like at the expense of bigger-picture issues.

Gallatin headhunter Frank Greggs, 66, wanted officials to focus more attention on immigration and open government reform.

There "are local issues that are dear to my heart, but I go to city hall for that," Greggs
said. "The big thing for me is that the legislature do what's good for the masses."

Crime was a top issue. About 12 percent of successful bills addressed crime, including some touching on illegal immigration. Nine percent addressed transportation issues, and an additional 8 percent focused on education.

That's compared with 30 percent dealing with the way government governs.

The newspaper analyzed data provided by Brentwood-based M. Lee Smith Publishers, which operates a commercial subscription service that tracks
legislation.

It's no surprise that rule changes ate up such a large chunk of the legislature's efforts, said John Vile, chairman of the political science department at Middle Tennessee State University.

Many states, Tennessee included, put constitutional restrictions on local governments, which mean even small changes to city and county operations need approval.

"It seems inefficient to me," Vile said.

Impact can still be big. Not all of the rule tweaks that passed this year have a limited scope. One would allow the Tennessee Highway Patrol to enforce immigration laws statewide, for example.

But the bulk do things like boost the daily pay of supervisors of soil districts (from $15 to $30), add a public safety official to the board overseeing state employees' retirement and regulate helicopter rides in Pigeon Forge.

Those are also the type of bills that are easier to pass than those addressing the
issues at the top of voters' priority lists; they steer clear of ideological quagmires in most cases, said Brenda Erickson, research analyst with the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures.

"Changing education funding is very complicated, very controversial," Erickson said. "Changing the way barbers are governed is a little less complicated."

Just because these "protocol" bills seem mundane, doesn't mean they are "frivolous" or have little effect on the average voter, said Sen. Thelma Harper.

The Nashville Democrat leads the Senate committee that hears these proposals, and she is a prolific filer of them herself.

Voters need to know that their public servants are being treated fairly and that the boards licensing beauticians, dialysis clinics and veterinarians are reputable, she said.

Ultimately, that duty rests with the state. Voters probably don't see the impact of the protocol bills "until something goes wrong," Harper said. "Then they say, 'That's your job. Why didn't you know? Why didn't you do your job?' "

Source: The Tennessean, www.tennessean.com

Happy birthday! Or ... WWJD?

Happy birthday, America! This pup and his Stars and Stripes are my wallpaper today.

Can you imagine the guts it took for those men to declare our freedom 231 years ago? Do you think any of our leaders could display the same kind of raw courage today? I doubt it, too.

I wonder if today's U.S.A. is what Thomas Jefferson, et al., envisioned on that summer's day more than two centuries ago. Here's some food for thought on What Would Jefferson Do? (or, for this day alone, WWJD?)

• What would Jefferson do if someone proposed making gay marriage illegal?
• What would Jefferson do after having the land he loves attacked by a madman and his followers? Would he retaliate against another country which played no role in the terrorism enacted upon his beloved soil?
• What would Jefferson do if a key federal adviser was found guilty of a crime and sentenced to prison? Would he OK a pardon? Call this man "a great American," as one Tennessean planning to announce his intentions to run for POTUS has?
• What would Jefferson do if the majority of Americans elected a man POTUS, but the electoral votes weren't there to complete the transaction?
• What would Jefferson do if, in the same election, there were questions about votes cast? Or in a subsequent election?
• What would Jefferson do in the event of arguments over religion? Would he think there is a superior religion? Or would he be tolerant of all faiths and beliefs?
• What would Jefferson do if officials talked of closing off America's borders? Would he control immigration?
• What would Jefferson do about health care? Would he recognize the insurance lobbyists as the ones who have a choke hold on the progress that could be made?

Government for the people, by the people and of the people seems to be an ideal that has been lost over the centuries. It is up to us to see that the visions of Jefferson and those who bravely put their necks on the line for our freedom to carry out their ideals.

Are we up to the task? After all they risked, how can we not be?

Which is cheaper?

Today marks the beginning of a new cigarette tax in Tennessee.

The Tennessean did an article on smokers stocking up yesterday before having to pay 42 cents more per pack. (The money, incidentally, goes to education and the state's trauma care centers.)

In the "things that make you go 'hmmmm ...'" department was this gem:

Or they could drive to Kentucky. That's what Cynthia Brown said she plans to do for her weekly carton.

"That's just the way it goes," she said. "But that doesn't make it any easier to accept."

According to the article (which I have to trust, since I neither smoke nor buy cigarettes), "a $26.77 carton Saturday will cost $30.97 today." Using my handy-dandy calculator, that's a difference of $4.20.

Gas is at $2.69 to $3.09 per gallon in Cynthia's corner of the world, according to Nashville Gas Prices.com. And Google Maps indicates its 41.6 miles to the Kentucky border.

So ... why would smokes be cheaper in Kentucky? After you factor in the gas and wear-and-tear on the car on a weekly basis?

It seems to me there are two cost-effective alternatives here: Suck it up and pay the tax. Or quit. Either is going to be cheaper than a weekly trek to the Bluegrass State.

(I wonder why they don't call it "the Bluegrass Commonwealth"?)

Other laws in effect in Tennessee today:

• School resource officers must be sworn police officers.
• Parents face fines if their children don't wear helmets on motorcycles or ATVs.
• Partners seeking divorce must go through mediation. And if children are involved, there's a waiting period.
• Students who gang up to fight an individual student face a mandatory one-year-expulsion.
• A new misdemeanor is removing a radio collar or microchip from a dog without the owner's permission.
• Driving a motorcycle with the front tire off the ground will be considered reckless driving
• Prisoners flashing prison guards face indecent exposure charges.
• Make a non-emergency call to 911 and you'll face a fine of up to $500.
• The tax on food drops one-half cent.
• It is now illegal to have sex with an animal.
• Anyone charged with vehicular homicide is not eligible for any form of diversion, which can get the charge removed from their record.
• The minimum sentence for offenders convicted of child rape increases from 15 to 25 years. That is where the judge starts, and then considers enhancing factors that can increase the sentence or mitigating factors that can decrease it.
• Drivers can now use deadly force if they believe they are in immediate danger from a carjacker.

Sources: WBIR-TV and Bristol News

I heart Mike Luckovich

Need I say more about why the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's cartoonist is one of my favorites?

Thursday haiku ... and other ramblings

I'm tired this Thursday
But there's laundry to do--
My closet's bare.

The other editor
Makes hateful accusations--
Her life must be sad.
***
Anyone who knows my bleeding-heart liberal leanings should bookmark this for future reference, because I'm about to jump to the defense of a conservative Republican.

We're in the midst of a war, at the end of the bloodiest and deadliest month in the years since Dubya decided to jump onto an innocent country because "they picked on mah Daddy." Health care in this country is a joke. If gas prices continue to escalate I'm going to have to get a second job in order to afford to drive to my first job, and I'm not alone.

Now why, in the midst of all that needs fixing in this country, are some people picking on Mitt Romney's faith? Admittedly, I know next to nothing about Romney. I know he was governor of Massachusetts. (Wasn't he? Maybe I'd better go look -- yeah, he was. Thank goodness for Wikipedia and a tip of my hat to Michael Scott.) I'm sure I could find something I didn't like about him, what with his right leanings and my left ones.

Why do many in America have a problem with a person's religious affiliation? I would have never known what Romney's denomination was if it hadn't been for all the "Oh, gosh, he's Mormon!" squeals. Hell, I've supported John Edwards in two presidential races now, and I wouldn't even begin to guess which church he drives to on Sunday, or even if he goes to church.

Nor do I care. I want to know what a future insert-elective-office-here can do to make our world better and how dedicated he or she is to the job at hand. Their faith is between them and their God, god, goddess, Magic Conch or whatever.
***
I am so freaking tired. A vacation isn't too far away, and I can't wait. I just want to rest; the hell with the rest of it.

Even though time off will be glorious, I can't help but worry a little bit. The first few days back at work usually consist of putting out fires. I say "I'm sorry" a lot to folks who call and want to know why their insert press release here didn't make it into the newspaper. Sigh.

Time to toss in some laundry. "Clothing optional" is not a dress-code option. Although ... it would be dressing down. Of course, I'd probably get a dressing down for it. Wonder if I could formulate a persuasive argument about Casual Fridays?!? ;)

A man with a plan

I'm not shy about my support for John Edwards. I personally think electing him POTUS would be the best thing for this country since ... well, I don't know.

I'll vote for Hillary or Barack if it comes down to it, but they make me uneasy. I loved Hillary's husband, despite his foibles.

(Seriously, Bill, I'm OK with gratification between two consenting adults, but the "definition of what 'is' is was even too much for me.)

Hillary makes me uneasy, though. I don't think she is really in touch with America.

Barack is another story. I think he's in touch, but he's green. Give him a bit of experience, and I'll storm to the polls to elect him POTUS.

My problem with both of them is they're all talk and no action. Yeah, it was funny when Barack asked, "Is that Hillary?" while on stage with Al Sharpton. (Insert HUGE eyeroll here.) But what's he going to do about health care? What's the plan for education?

My man John has a plan. It's going to cost us, but anything worth having is going to cost us.

Isn't it better to pay in tax dollars than with lives, as our present administration has forced upon us? I have next to nothing, but I'll empty my wallet if it means keeping my brother, my daughter and our young Americans happy, healthy and productive -- and off the battlefields.

John may pay $400 for a haircut, but he hasn't forgotten where he came from -- and that there are still many out there struggling.

Give him a look, then give him a shot at the White House.

New month, new me

I have decided to give up coffee.

Living life decaffeinated is something I've done before. I tossed out a pot of coffee the morning I found out I was pregnant. I have given up caffeine from time to time in the past for my health. Of course, I abandoned those efforts when my health didn't improve and decided that I only go around once on the merry-go-round of life.

I've also decided that I'm supporting Fred Thompson for president. He's from Tennessee, after all, and heck, I like him on "Law and Order."

And this will probably be the last you see of me for a while, because I've decided I spend too much time on the computer. My housework is suffering. There's entirely too much of a good thing, and I think I've found my limit. Plus, it's mowing season, and I really need to spend time out on the lawn.

I'll miss all of you, but I'll check in from time to time. I love you, and I'll be thinking of you often. And one more thing ...





APRIL FOOLS!!!!!!!! :D

Come on ... did you really think I'd give up coffee or the computer? And Fred Thompson?!? Insert whoop of laughter here. Yeah, like I'm going to vote Republican! Insert snort here. I do like Fred -- on "Law and Order," and I hope he keeps his day job. No foolin'.

My newest hero

I'll be watching for Jonathan Alter's byline from now on. He has won my respect.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17821116/site/newsweek/?from=rss

I wouldn't dare judge this couple during this emotional time in their lives. I thank God everyday that cancer is not among the demons that have afflicted my immediate family. But with other demons afloat, I can tell you that normalcy is the one thing you long for when the world is upside down.

Politics and campaigning equal normalcy to the Edwardses. My best friend lost her mother to cancer as she was entering college. She took a year's break from her studies to care for her until the end. (Which was nearer than she thought.)

Another friend recently lost a father to cancer. She worked through until the last week. What else was she going to do? Her thoughts and heart were with her dad every second, but steadily working gave her the comfort "normalcy" offers. (And allowed her to pay the bills. Bill collectors don't care if your father is dying of cancer. They don't care about anything. They're not human, but that's a topic for another day.)

I do not cast my lot with Alter because I support Edwards in this upcoming presidential race. I found out yesterday while listening to NPR that cancer has been found in the liver of Tony Snow, press secretary to the worst president in U.S. history. I gasped, and immediately offered up a prayer for Snow and his family.

Cancer is devastating. I never want that personal experience.

I commend every syllable Alter writes in this piece. The ending, however, is something we should all take to heart:

No one can say how you-or anyone else-will react until actually faced with a devastating diagnosis. In my case-and Tony Snow's, Laura Ingraham's, Jay Monahan's (the late husband of Katie Couric) Elizabeth Edward's and hundreds of thousands of others-the choice was to try to hold onto as much of our old life as humanly possible. Don't judge that.