John McCain.. has a Twitter: http://twitter.com/senjohnmccain

Mmmm, pork.

Bush declines hardware store job

I really think he should have taken it. It's probably one of the few jobs he'd actually be qualified and competent at. *zing*

So what have I been doing lately.. I've changed my diet. I haven't eaten an unhealthy thing in two weeks and have been visiting the gym often. (And Subway, almost every day.) I've been really pushing myself the last half of this week and am hitting a wall. Today was dreary and dark and rainy and cold, and I was sore, but I went again anyway. Going to pay for it tomorrow, but no pain, no gain, as they say.

I think, as much as I've been eating, and eating right, I'm going to have to start consuming calories at a clip I have never known. I should be eating more and more often, and exercising like it's my job. I have the time, and I'm motivated, so let's see.

I haven't seen any good movies in a long time. And for someone who loves films as I do, that's a no no. I've kept my netflix subscription active for the last few months and haven't bothered browsing anything for a while. I suspect at some point I will replace that WoW subscription with books and films (and food and exercise, as mentioned). I'll just have to work it into habitual mindset. Must.. feed.. brain. Braaaaiinnnnss.

More about.. school, possibly.. soon.

Obama reverses abortion-funding policy

It's kind of odd reading the news every day now and seeing less death, destruction, corruption, and depression and getting to read news like that. I could get used to it.

re: the inauguration

I got to watch most of it on the plane, thankfully, but I missed most of Obama's speech. The plane was flying over Nebraska* at the time and the satellite feed kept cutting out until it died altogether. When Obama was finished taking the oath, most people clapped. The guy in the next to me was getting overly dramatic about the satellite (at one point giving it the double finger salute) and later bothered the flight crew endlessly about his entertainment system being unresponsive while watching Pineapple Express. He was also laughing loudly seemingly every 5 minutes like he was at home in his livingroom. I had my ear buds in and managed to ignore him for the most part.

I went to the Apple store for a little while and having never dealt with the Genius Bar before, didn't realize I had to make appointment. I made one for 7, but unfortunately that was at 2:30, so I walked and sat around the mall until 3:30 and decided to come back to the hotel, rest, and maybe eat before heading back over there. I drove around for a while before heading back. I like driving, and it's nice having more of an idea of what streets connect to what, and where I can go if I make a wrong turn or get lost. (Which I often do but don't mind.)


*I wonder if I'll have anything nice to say about Nebraska in my lifetime.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/11/bush-names-his-regrets-praises-obama/

"I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said," Bush told CNN's Heidi Collins when asked to reflect on his regrets over his two terms as president. "Like 'Dead or Alive' and 'Bring 'em on.' My wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States be careful what you say."

*facepalm*

So no thoughts on the lack of WMD, involving us in an unwinnable war, costly both in hundreds of billions of dollars, millions of dead Iraqis, thousands of dead soldiers, and thousands more at home with appalling mental and physical problems, some of whom will be committing suicide and violence and murder over the coming years, not canning Rumsfeld or Gonzalez sooner, the worst economic crisis anyone alive has ever seen, eroding citizens' rights via the Patriot Act, enhancing the ability of corporations run roughshod over environment, small business, and customer, as well as assuring America is seen an embarrassment and a big, dumb bully throughout the globe. Did I leave anything out, sir? Mission Accomplished.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRxZox4GFoIweckPDP1oRhKBlHOwD94CCDU00

"We can't be lulled into complacency," Broun said. "You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I'm not comparing him to Adolf Hitler. What I'm saying is there is the potential."

So you're not comparing him to Hitler.. but you're comparing him to Hitler.

Obama Positioned to Quickly Reverse Bush Actions

Aaaaaand boner.

Barack Obama emails me regularly.

Here's his latest:

Robert --

The next 6 days are going to be the toughest we've seen, and I need your support to reach as many voters as possible.

Donate $5 or more today to strengthen this movement for the final push.

This campaign is in your hands.

Thank you for everything you're doing,

Barack

Soon I am expecting something along the lines of this.. or precisely this:

Robert--

I would like to sit on a big fucking toilet made of gold at the inauguration.

Please donate just $5 today.

Thank you for everything you're doing,

Barack

Interesting article in Time.

What's Behind (and Ahead for) the Plunging Price of Oil

I'm no expert on the economy (ha), but..

"If gasoline drops $1.50 the $900 that Joe Average Driver saves would amount to a big stimulus package. According to Ed Leamer, director of the UCLA's Anderson Forecast, the current price slide could drop another $200-to-$250 billion into consumers' pockets, given that as of the second quarter personal spending for gas fuel oil and other energy was about $442 billion on an annualized basis. By way of comparison, Wal-Mart's U.S. stores took in $240 billion in the last fiscal year. "For consumers, it's welcome relief," says Medlock. And because the U.S. is out of its peak summer driving season, there's not too much of an incentive to drive a lot more just because gas prices are down."

..I have to think with an Obama presidency, that's going to mean by next summer the economy won't be nearly quite as sucky. That and the article I read the other day about home sales seeing their biggest gain in five years. I wish I had pulled out everything I had from the stock market 5 months ago and been able to put some of it back in now (and then some), but as I've learned (the hard way, the only way to really learn) it's pretty much glorified gambling. The people making obscene amounts of money aren't necessarily the type of people I want to be long term, and while this whole financial crisis has helped educate me (and served as really expensive entertainment) I don't really want be obsessing over 2 or 3 or 4 or 800 point drops every other day, you know? Money is evil when you don't have much, or too much. (Not to mention it's come at what's looking like a major crossroad in my life, and it couldn't have been worse timing.)

Fantastic. Get ready for the forthcoming US led attack on Iran.

Let's watch birds instead.

So our governor Eliot Spitzer is involved in a bit of a scandal. If he resigns, this man assume the position.

I always find it amazing when breaking news finds itself into wikipedia almost immediately. In his wiki already:

'Paterson would become the first black governor of New York, and the first blind governor in the United States, in accordance with New York law, if current Governor Spitzer resigns following the Emperor Club prostitution scandal.'

I think it's weird I was actually having a conversation today about the Teapot Dome scandal with my septagenarian friend. (I forget why for, but I know I was ranting about alternative energy.. again.) (I also had to look it up because I think we learned about it when I was 14.)

I'd like to mention I'm just as torn between Hillary and Barack as Snoop Dogg.

As with everything, where Snoop Dogg goes, I go.

And before I forget..

U.S. and Israel in $30 billion arms deal

Note to self: move.

Let's throw this little tidbit in for fun:

According to the Treasury Department, from 1776-2000, the first 224 years of U.S. history, 42 U.S. presidents borrowed a combined $1.01 trillion from foreign governments and financial institutions, but in the past four years alone, the Bush administration borrowed $1.05 trillion.

And that was from way back in 2005. *thumbs up*

Lieberman: Bush’s ‘Ratings Among Historians Will Be Greater Than His Ratings In The Polls Today’

LIEBERMAN: Well, I personally believe look, mistakes were made, and I know the polls are down, but I think on the largest issue of our time, which is the rise of Islamist extremism, that he will be judged as a president who saw the threat, and in the midst of an unpopular war, he stuck with it. And so I think overall, over time, his ratings among the historians will be greater than his ratings in the polls today.

What a shame his statement will likely turn out true. I'm sure most of will be grumbling in our old age as as yet unborn children are taught revisionist history. I can see it now. This generation's Reagan. Karl Rove is hard at work, no doubt.

Olbermann, Bush and Cheney should resign

Love him.

Have a happy and safe 4th all. I'm off for some fun in the.. overcast weather. Boo.

Bush spares Libby from 2 and a half year prison term

Hate.

And this is sad. Way to go, Democrats.

Cindy Sheehan Calls It Quits, Anti-War Activist And Mom Of Killed G.I. In Iraq Resigns Role As "Face" Of Movement

I like to think. http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/btw/watch.html

My PC at work was doing odd things the last hour or so, which made me slightly mad/stressed at the time, but I'm over it now. I've always been adept at leaving work at work, with the exception of the last few weeks, and that gets me in trouble, so more of the aloof me during and after hours. A few people ordered lunch today from some new Greek place nobody had eaten before. I went right for the healthy choices of spaghetti ala vodka and caesar's salad, both of which were delish. (Did I just say that?)

If I want to be smooth and opportunistic, I should go after that gym membership now, and offer to be the occasional ride for That Girl (formerly known as Cute Girl, sometimes known to me as That Person That Drives Me Insane Without Talking). It couldn't be for the fantastic health benefits it would provide, but rather for the opportunity to ferry a pretty girl to and fro, for .0000001% chance it could lead somewhere else. Hey, there was that that one impromptu lunch date after 4+ years. You never know. (The statistical probability of that is about the same as the New York State Lottery jackpot.) It's.. difficult.. being a boy. *grumble*

And can '08 come soon enough?:

U.S. soldier hailed for bravery in Iraq says Pentagon spin doctors made it all up