Can You Read Me Now?

My long connectivity nightmare is over.

After days of turn on/turn off, check connection, check plug, my back is on fire.
Why are plugs and outlets and connections always behind heavy furniture that only dust bunnies can reach?

After days of “for quality purposes your call may be recorded” and “the estimated wait time for speaking with a technician is 20 minutes to never”, I figured out the problem on my own.

Not before I spoke to Peter and Gary and Roger and Sean. Together we pinged and dinged and donged their schlongs. They were impatient and humorless. Peter was especially abrupt and I asked if I could please speak to Sanjay back in India; he was smart and funny and polite. Peter was not amused.

I assume he has a degree from MIT and this is all he can find in this economy. Tough shit Peter; learn to be grateful

At some point last weekend my McAfee anti-virus software sent out an automatic update that merged and mushed and mingled with signals from Curiosity on Mars to create a perfect storm of un-connectedness.
I discovered this by having this odd feeling that my firewall might be an issue; it has been in the past. So I started hunting around the internet tubes to look for firewall flaming facts. Using the Atari style desktop made the journey so convenient.

Eventually I put together a scenario that could explain my problems. I found a virtual technician (better than a blow-up sex doll) and together VT and I solved my problems.

And it only took a week!

Now of course the phone pole outside is still leaning and my land line still has unbearable static but that could be because Homeland Security broke the pole when they were installing the wiretaps. So each time I hear the static as I try to find a dial tone I say hi to Chris Christie (my big fat douchebag of a governor) or to the horror of a human who runs around my town putting up Obama as Hitler posters.

Bless their hearts.

I am so glad (and grateful Peter!) to be back. I’ll catch up.

I leave you with this …

Jon Stewart says this photo finally explains to him the Obama that the Republicans see.

Thanks Clint, You Made My Day

I Want My Country Back

As of today – August 14, 2008 – 4,141 Americans have been killed in Iraq.

Four Thousand One Hundred and Forty One

This does not include the deaths of other coalition soldiers, this does not include the deaths in Afghanistan; it does not include the deaths of contractors.

And then there are the estimated 1,252, 595 Iraqi civilians killed as a direct result of our occupation of their country.

Earlier this evening, I sat with mouth wide open and hands shaking as I watched the August 11th episode of THE DAILY SHOW. The guest was RON SUSKIND. His latest book ‘The Way of the World’ has just been released. I listened to Mr. Suskind talk about the White House ordering the CIA to manufacture a memo that would link Sadam Hussein to al-Qaeda. The memo would also connect a few more dots by producing evidence that Muhammad Atta, the 9/11 ring leader, trained in Iraq.

You can read more of the details HERE and HERE


I watched Jon Stewart’s face twitch. I listened to the audience go silent. Jon asks why this isn’t news. Mr. Suskind shrugs – he has put the information out there, Congress has to act.

Congress has to act. What a novel idea.

I’ve stayed away from the whole impeachment discussion. After Kucinich was repeatedly shut down by the other Democrats and virtually ignored by the media I got frustrated. Then when Obama became the nominee I decided I wanted us to move forward. It’s very dangerous to get complacent. Now is not the time to enjoy a moment’s victory. The forces of evil never rest.

After watching the Daily Show episode I went outside. A huge thunderstorm had just blown through and I hoped the air would feel clean. My neighbor strolls over. After a few minutes of storm related talk he nods in the direction of my car – “So you added another Obama sticker”. Yes I did. “I don’t feel like quibbling over Obama” I tell him. He asks why. I start to tell him about the memo, about Suskind’s book. He interrupts – “that’s hard to believe” he tells me, “not one of the news shows has mentioned it”.

Of course it hasn’t been mentioned. We are all coping with the far more devastating news that John Edwards couldn’t keep it in his pants.

What’s a few thousand soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis when we must get to the bottom of why men cheat.

I’m so disgusted by my country. Not just its government, its people. I’m so fucking sick and tired of how lazy and stupid we are. For every Kucinich there are a thousand yokels waving flags and watching their President romp around China. While tanks roll further into Georgia this asshole plays volleyball. While a 23 year old soldier from NYC is being blown to bits by an IED in Sadr City this piece of garbage is dancing in his seat at the opening ceremonies; ceremonies being hosted by one of the most violent and oppressive governments on the planet.

Not one single death had to happen. We occupied a country because Bush and Co. wanted a war. There are pieces of evidence all over the place that this war is a lie.

People died. People continue to die.

The world does not trust us. I do not trust us.

And STILL people try to tell me they “don’t trust” Obama. He “isn’t ready to lead”. He “needs more experience”.

And STILL people are talking about Edwards. It’s “disgraceful”. It’s “shameful”. His wife is sick and he cheated. What kind of person does that? He shouldn’t go to the convention. How will this effect Obama.

John McCain will be standing arm in arm with a war criminal and we’ll be wondering about the guy who screwed the pretty girl because she was taking his picture.

John McCain hugged and kissed a man who can sleep at night and tap dance in the Rose Garden while our children and Iraqi children die. They die because he’s greedy and vile. They die because he’s hateful and power hungry. They die because he’s a drug addicted alcoholic with a C- average who wants to show his Daddy he’s a big deal. They die because he believes his pitiful Born-Again Christian ass is the only ass worthy of living. Fuck the Muslims! Kill Them All!

As McCain sang so cheerily – “Bomb Bomb Bomb – Bomb Bomb Iran”.

I took the link to Mr. Suskind’s website and e-mailed it to my Senators and to my Congressman.

I don’t know what else to do.

But I’m thinking about it.

I want my country back.