We're not switching to iBlog yet. It doesn't support updating from multiple computers, much less by multiple people. The help documentation indicates that we can add comments using some third-party software, so I'll look into that (and to actually using preshie.com.)
Why Mike is still the coolest guy I know: Not only does he drive around Howard Dean when Dean comes to Philly, he gets quoted in Salon! http://salon.com/news/feature/2003/09/29/dean_vs_clark/index.html
Also, my Dean for America button clearly indicates, "I'm friendly, talk to me!" The Mayor of Market St. (ok, he didn't introduce himself as such, but he's clearly a brother in arms with the Mayor of Ardmore) walked me home last night, calling me a model. Not a movie star like my sister, but we can't all aspire to such heights.
There was an interesting story on the cover of the Inquirer today, about M. Night Shyamalan making a $1.5 million donation to revitalize the neighborhood where he shot "The Sixth Sense". While I think it's very nice that he wants to give something back, it strikes me as kind of strange that the city is now hitting people up for donations to revitalize neighborhoods. Maybe there's some community group that actually asked for the money, but it looks like the city did the asking. Full story can be seen at http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/6885742.htm
Intesting post from someone else's blog: http://www.danieldrezner.com/archives/000767.html
How do I know it is interesting? I found it at the top of Blogdex, so that shows at least 18 other bloggers found it interesting enough to link to it. Nevermind, it proves nothing, except blogdex is a fun way to waste time. I should really be watching archived Daily Show clips instead.
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Local news: the giant parking lot next to Rittenhouse Square might finally get filled in! Some of the most desirable real estate in Philadelphia finally got the permit it needed to knock down 2 buildings that have stood empty for as long as I can remember. What is being built? 8 screen movie theater, restaurant, street level retail, and a 500-space parking lot. What hurt me about the opposition? One of the opponents declared, "we don't need more parking!" Guess what? There's a city ordinance that requires new buildings to either prove the existing parking would serve the need the building would generate, or BUILD MORE PARKING! Stupid.
Politics: I hate Wesley Clark. He is a blank slate, that you can project anything on to. And the DNC is going to use him to bring everyone else down! They just had a sound bite about his tax plan on the NBC *local* news. You know, they've been covering Mosley-Braun's campaign in depth, too. I loved that clip they did on her efforts to register new voters!
Why isn't the DNC trying to convince people to drop out, instead of fielding new candidates. As Mary so aptly proved, Elizabeth Dole had already dropped out by this time in the 2000 elections. (Other people may have also dropped out, but they are so not memorable I cannot remember they even ran.) There is no sense going into New Hampshire with 10 candidates. The winner will get 15%! Oooh, the people have spoken.
Yeah, so, I'm focusing my energy on getting people to donate instead. Money is the international language of being the boss these days. So, I'm taking it to the streets. Have you contributed to Howard Dean? Let your voice be heard! Vote with your bucks! Go to
http://www.blogforamerica.com
Humor: Nothing funny happens to me anymore. Well, except maybe...
Last night, I'm talking on the phone to someone who shall remain nameless. Ok, I'll give you a clue. It's someone who:
a) helps write this blog, and
2) sounds like airy
Anyway, so we're on the phone. And I'm working on my computer, 'cause we're talking about my new apartment, and the floor plans I am doing for it. And my computer is acting kind of funny. Like, it keeps kicking me off IM. And she reveals that, incredibly, she keeps getting kicked off IM too. And, isn't it funny that we have the same IM icon? And.... oh wait, she's logged in as ME!
Identity theft. It can happen to you.
Politics: I hate Wesley Clark. He is a blank slate, that you can project anything on to. And the DNC is going to use him to bring everyone else down! They just had a sound bite about his tax plan on the NBC *local* news. You know, they've been covering Mosley-Braun's campaign in depth, too. I loved that clip they did on her efforts to register new voters!
Why isn't the DNC trying to convince people to drop out, instead of fielding new candidates. As Mary so aptly proved, Elizabeth Dole had already dropped out by this time in the 2000 elections. (Other people may have also dropped out, but they are so not memorable I cannot remember they even ran.) There is no sense going into New Hampshire with 10 candidates. The winner will get 15%! Oooh, the people have spoken.
Yeah, so, I'm focusing my energy on getting people to donate instead. Money is the international language of being the boss these days. So, I'm taking it to the streets. Have you contributed to Howard Dean? Let your voice be heard! Vote with your bucks! Go to
http://www.blogforamerica.com
Humor: Nothing funny happens to me anymore. Well, except maybe...
Last night, I'm talking on the phone to someone who shall remain nameless. Ok, I'll give you a clue. It's someone who:
a) helps write this blog, and
2) sounds like airy
Anyway, so we're on the phone. And I'm working on my computer, 'cause we're talking about my new apartment, and the floor plans I am doing for it. And my computer is acting kind of funny. Like, it keeps kicking me off IM. And she reveals that, incredibly, she keeps getting kicked off IM too. And, isn't it funny that we have the same IM icon? And.... oh wait, she's logged in as ME!
Identity theft. It can happen to you.
Sunday, September 21, 2003
I finished Fast Food Nation this weekend. Throughout the book, it refers to companies moving to states that are "unfriendly to unions." Which raises the question, how exactly does a state become unfriendly to unions? And if lots and lots of companies start moving to that state, and taking advantage of the workers because they are not yet unionized, why don't they get friendly to unions? Or, does it refer to state laws that favor the rights of corporations over employees?
Anyway, I give Eric Schlosser credit for telling you what you can do if this book made you angry, but ... This book was a New York Times bestseller! Where is the anger, people? Where are the protests, French style? We're being out-protested by FRANCE! I'm going to go dismantle a McDonald's THIS WEEKEND! Shoot. I'm supposed to see Secondhand Lions this weekend. Well, maybe next week.
I saw the Howard Dean episode of "K Street". To be honest, I don't know how they expect anyone besides political junkies to watch it. It's shot in that shaky, "you are there" style, it's hard to hear what people are saying, and very few people are identified. (OK, I saw it from the middle.) Alternatively, Showtime is showing a TV movie called "DC 9/11" which it describes thusly:
Timothy Bottoms stars as President George W. Bush in this docudrama that traces the nine days after the terrorist attacks on America of September 11, 2001, a week and a half that challenged the government to devise a strategy for pursuing the perpetrators while tending to the wounds of a shattered nation.
Every time someone comes on screen, they are identified, it's all glossy and polished, and when we arrived at Steven's house, his mother was gushing over it, and W in general.
Argh. Anyway, it was a frustrating weekend. Mike's out fighting the good fight for Howard Dean, and I can't even take on Steven's mother for saying, "I don't think anyone could have done better [than GW]. You really would have rather had GORE as president?" Ouch. I suck.
Anyway, I give Eric Schlosser credit for telling you what you can do if this book made you angry, but ... This book was a New York Times bestseller! Where is the anger, people? Where are the protests, French style? We're being out-protested by FRANCE! I'm going to go dismantle a McDonald's THIS WEEKEND! Shoot. I'm supposed to see Secondhand Lions this weekend. Well, maybe next week.
I saw the Howard Dean episode of "K Street". To be honest, I don't know how they expect anyone besides political junkies to watch it. It's shot in that shaky, "you are there" style, it's hard to hear what people are saying, and very few people are identified. (OK, I saw it from the middle.) Alternatively, Showtime is showing a TV movie called "DC 9/11" which it describes thusly:
Timothy Bottoms stars as President George W. Bush in this docudrama that traces the nine days after the terrorist attacks on America of September 11, 2001, a week and a half that challenged the government to devise a strategy for pursuing the perpetrators while tending to the wounds of a shattered nation.
Every time someone comes on screen, they are identified, it's all glossy and polished, and when we arrived at Steven's house, his mother was gushing over it, and W in general.
Argh. Anyway, it was a frustrating weekend. Mike's out fighting the good fight for Howard Dean, and I can't even take on Steven's mother for saying, "I don't think anyone could have done better [than GW]. You really would have rather had GORE as president?" Ouch. I suck.
Friday, September 19, 2003
Ah, the URL box. Its purpose? Could be, a link to a topic I'm about to discuss. We shall find out.
The Dean appearance on "K Street" (which I did not see, only read about) is an interesting situation. First off, from Dean's perspective, how do you pass up a chance to do debate prep with James Carville? On the other hand, surely the campaign believes there is some benefit to be had with the public at large, too. Dean is not such a political novice that he would miss that angle. I'm sure their reasoning was, as Carville points out, large segments of the population still don't even recognize his name, much less anything else about him, and an appearance on HBO Sunday night opens him up to a whole new audience. (I mean, the man's been on the cover of Time magazine, but HBO? That's a whole new ballgame.)
On the other hand, from my perspective, it somewhat diminishes him as a serious candidate. I know the whole premise of "K Street" is blurring the lines between reality and fiction, but at the end of the day, it's still a fictional series about a fictional lobbyist firm. Obviously, I already knew about Dean prior to his appearance Sunday night, and so maybe I'm not the person they're trying to reach out to. (Furthermore, I don't even have HBO, so in theory, I only know about it at all because I'm a huge nerd, and who wants to court the nerd vote?)
It's a tough position to be in. It's also shocking to me that they would even feel it is necessary to go on this show to raise awareness of Dean with the public. This man is now considered (by some people) to be the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, and he needs to go on a fictional TV show to raise awareness? Ow, you're hurting me.
The Dean appearance on "K Street" (which I did not see, only read about) is an interesting situation. First off, from Dean's perspective, how do you pass up a chance to do debate prep with James Carville? On the other hand, surely the campaign believes there is some benefit to be had with the public at large, too. Dean is not such a political novice that he would miss that angle. I'm sure their reasoning was, as Carville points out, large segments of the population still don't even recognize his name, much less anything else about him, and an appearance on HBO Sunday night opens him up to a whole new audience. (I mean, the man's been on the cover of Time magazine, but HBO? That's a whole new ballgame.)
On the other hand, from my perspective, it somewhat diminishes him as a serious candidate. I know the whole premise of "K Street" is blurring the lines between reality and fiction, but at the end of the day, it's still a fictional series about a fictional lobbyist firm. Obviously, I already knew about Dean prior to his appearance Sunday night, and so maybe I'm not the person they're trying to reach out to. (Furthermore, I don't even have HBO, so in theory, I only know about it at all because I'm a huge nerd, and who wants to court the nerd vote?)
It's a tough position to be in. It's also shocking to me that they would even feel it is necessary to go on this show to raise awareness of Dean with the public. This man is now considered (by some people) to be the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, and he needs to go on a fictional TV show to raise awareness? Ow, you're hurting me.
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Mary and I have been talking about blogs recently. I used to think, how indulgent. Like anyone cares what happens to you on a daily basis. And for the most part, I still agree - recounting the minutiae of your daily life is silly, and furthermore, who reads it?
However, I have had a recent change of heart. Why? Media consolidation. Blogs, I now feel, are the people's outlet for their opinions and interests. If something gets posted to enough blogs, it is now considered news-worthy. Power to the people, indeed.
And thus, this blog. It will discuss politics, regional news, and humor. It will strive to avoid recounts of daily events at all costs (unless, of course, they fall into one of the above 3 categories.)
And so, without further ado, Mary and I were talking today...
Helen
However, I have had a recent change of heart. Why? Media consolidation. Blogs, I now feel, are the people's outlet for their opinions and interests. If something gets posted to enough blogs, it is now considered news-worthy. Power to the people, indeed.
And thus, this blog. It will discuss politics, regional news, and humor. It will strive to avoid recounts of daily events at all costs (unless, of course, they fall into one of the above 3 categories.)
And so, without further ado, Mary and I were talking today...
Helen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)