love this e-mail to papa...

dear pop,


today i had a soccer game we lost four to one,and guess what I scored the only goal! but a kid that was named mateo kept on tripping me and a kid named owin kept on teasing us.

but it was still grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!


Emmett.

no need to actually answer any questions....

...when you've got a big wide smile, bright eyes looking right into the camera, down home language (includin' endin' every "ing" word with in')...complimentin' us by tellin' us all that in the end Americans are winners (especially those that were feeling unsure about being losers for voting for Bush twice!)  and of course that we shouldn't trust government (gov-nah!) and, of course, pay less taxes...that we shouldn't look backward but forward into a bright energy rich future of 'maveric-dom' or 'reform-hood'...

...and that's about it.

Anyone who has read ANYTHING knows this was an amazing act of nothingness.

The big question now is ...how many Americans were fooled by Palin tonight? (After hearing Pat Buchannan say it was a Palin slam dunk...and the Fox talking heads say she was spectacular I really wonder...) I really hope that's not all it takes? Cutesie and rehearsed stabs and jabs with that shiny smile, wow what a smile...Definitely a case for style over content, if not a bit cloying!!
Full of little lies and big ones (Biden didn't agree with Mc Cain on anything since 2004) but none of the  major embarassing pauses or stumbles we've seen in interviews...but, really, what a lot of fluff.

I thought Biden was clear(!) and presidential(!!) but the Mc Cain camp keeps trying to make the case that the government should be made up of people just like you and me...
...maybe the next time I need surgery I should look for someone with a nice haircut...or if I need a lawyer I should pick the one who can barbecue... and in vice president I certainly don't need anyone engaging in any of that East Coast elite book learnin'...what I really need is a couple of regular ole folksy mavericks .  (I can't believe how much I hate that word now...my apologies to the late James Garner...he doesn't deserve this!)

If I lived in a small town I would be offended and embarassed to be lumped in with the likes of her...her main street is a myth.  And if I lived in NYC I would also feel slammed.  Or San Francisco or LA or Europe or India or Iraq. Or anywhere really.  She is the essence of a "divider" and the idea that she understands diplomacy is...laughable.

the best of Sarah...unbelievable, really...

Her greatest hits...a montage of clips, if you haven't already seen this.
Isn't this an insult to anyone with a brain from a small town. To think that being folksy is really all it takes to be VP.
I know her numbers are falling in the polls but it's sad that it has to be this obviously awful for to people to get it.
I mean, this is really slimy politics...the way this campaign has been run.
At the top of Mc Cains list of lies is Palin...when he said his main criteria for VP was someone who could be president if necessary...when he had only met her once. What a fool.

Brand New Baby Boy!

My brother and his wife Dana had their little baby boy yesterday, Sept. 30th!

His full name is still up in the air but as far as we know we have a little Michael (the 3rd!)

Hopefully this blog post will guilt them into getting us a picture pronto...because they have so much time on their hands now...ha.

Can't wait to meet this little guy. Love to All!

mc cain biographer...who used to admire him...

...well, she doesn't so much anymore! She wrote the book Citizen Mc Cain...the book most responsible for his maverick nickname and his appeal to independents...
check her latest opinion of the man HERE in an article entitled "How John Mc Cain Lost Me".

Hi Nana...Welcome to New York!!

Here we are today thinking of you!
Hug Bebe and Grancops for us!

Worth Reading!!!

...here's a great article in The Sun magazine from many years back that I never forgot that talks about the 'code for corporate citizenship'...a way for corporations to make money within an ethical framework...

REAd this, " 28 Words That Could Change the World" by Robert Hinkley

"the duty of directors henceforth shall be to make money for shareholders, but not at the expense of the environment, human rights, public health and safety, dignity of the employees and the welfare of the communities in which the company operates. Those final 28 words are what I call the code for corporate citizenship."

Robert Hinkley


Good Stuff. (thats me talking)
We have the opportunity to do the right thing, which isn't code for "socialism"...more like capitalism with a conscience!

good morning papa...

even George Will...

McCain Loses His Head
By George F. Will September 23, 2008

“The queen had only one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. ‘Off with his head!’ she said without even looking around.”
– “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”

Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama.

Channeling his inner Queen of Hearts, John McCain furiously, and apparently without even looking around at facts, said Chris Cox, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, should be decapitated. This childish reflex provoked the Wall Street Journal to editorialize that “McCain untethered” — disconnected from knowledge and principle — had made a “false and deeply unfair” attack on Cox that was “unpresidential.”..

Conservatives who insist that electing McCain is crucial usually start, and increasingly end, by saying he would make excellent judicial selections.

But the more one sees of his impulsive, intensely personal reactions to people and events, the less confidence one has that he would select judges by calm reflection and clear principles, having neither patience nor aptitude for either.

It is arguable that, because of his inexperience, Obama is not ready for the presidency. It is arguable that McCain, because of his boiling moralism and bottomless reservoir of certitudes, is not suited to the presidency. Unreadiness can be corrected, although perhaps at great cost, by experience.

Can a dismaying temperament be fixed?

Who says NJ isn't beautiful

On my recent trip to New York, I went down to New Jersey near where I was raised to visit Liz, her kids and Joe. I ran down a canal bank to the Delaware River thinking deep thoughts about my 40th and grieving my lost childhood near Holmdel, NJ. Joe was kind enough to send me photos of the area. Who says NJ isn't beautiful?

shark week...

...it's back.

one thing...

...Someone said recently to me that they were afraid if we had a democrat for a president and a democrat congress we might be unbalanced..."we need balance between the republicans and democrats, you know, checks and balances"...as if they are yin and yang. I strongly disagree. This past 8 years are different!! Perhaps now the more liberal democrats are yin and the more conservative democrats are yang....but the republicans are completely off the charts at this point...not simply the opposite balance to the left...

 If the opposite of broccoli is a cookie...the republicans are heroin.

;)

how to fail a test with dignity

You MUST click to enlarge to fully appreciate this.

boo up-date

(yes, someone out there crocheted a boob.)

Slept 9 blissful hours last night. Silas only had one late night snack.
So the total for yesterdays twenty four hours...He nursed twice!!

(last weeks total was more like, hmm, 120 times a day!)

the philosophy that permeates...

from Talking Points Memo...


"INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS
John McCain: "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

Late Update: Obviously, to rejigger that wonderful line, this is not excellent news for John McCain. If the Obama folks are smart -- and they are -- they'll ride this one all the way to the election. But among ourselves let's admit that you could only be surprised by this statement if you were willfully ignorant to what McCain and his key advisors believe. Remember, his top economics advisor is former Sen. Phil Gramm, the legislative architect of the banking and financial services deregulation that led to the current crisis. And his health care proposals are all off-the-rack Heritage Foundation-style initiatives based on the premise that people have too much, not too little insurance. The only thing jarring about the statement is the degree to which it has been overtaken by events as McCain now tries -- a la Palin the Earmark-Killer -- to rebrand himself as a Mr. Wall Street oversight and transparency when he's been pushing deregulation for 25 years."

--Josh Marshall

and if you want to read a good article "the corporate financiers are wrong" by Joe Conason

(he writes "Would they please shut up about the wonders of an unfettered free market. It's the tax payers who pay for their greed.")

just 6 of the many faces of Silas

little devil................................. visionary ...........................charmer

romeo...........................................imp .............................tough-GUY

(Come on, doesn't he remind you of Matt in the "tough-GUY" picture

...and Emmett in the "romeo"?)

eww

I keep thinking...

...considering the financial mess were in...if Bush had succeeded in privatizing social security... Can you imagine what that would mean?

It's funny how the right is considered the safe bet, cautious, frugal...the father who knows best,etc

Well, it's looking pretty RECKLESS, GREEDY and SELF-SERVING with little thought for the future ...just eternally  banking on the hope that the 'economists' know what they are talking about when the say..."the free market will adjust itself and work it all out"...Time to start reading other economists, I say. And time to look at the bigger picture.  

It's just another example of the willingness to sacrifice others futures... (the war being the obvious other example). 

perfect!

since it won't play Cam, here's the link??? hope it works! of course it's on some weird hollywood show...skip the weird intro...

More stuff about rangers apprentice (from Emmett)

Arulen
a wargal
a ranger
a skandian
to bad. these pictures aren't in color 

the author, John Flanagan's official 'Rangers Apprentice' website.

Blue Bananas

Two old friends
 On the same team
 Drinkin' water
 hamming it up
 playing serious soccer

My Acid Trip To NY

Craig and I are 40
 Dinner with friends and family

 My buddies narc-ing around downtown
 Self-portrait at 99 Ave B
 Lisa
 Pop
 Camster
 Saw Liz in Trenton
  The whole clan with Joe and chickens

 Saw Pete Francis with the Flyers

Other highlights:

Had argument with Craig, was exhausted, ate waffles, felt better

Took Cami on "Death Day", ran 2.5 miles, bodybuilders, stairs,drone zone, suffering

Made record with Boo,Jason,Whynot,Tom,Bruno and Elena, ate cracklin chicken

Ran on canal to Delaware River , cried, grieved lost NJ youth, caught minnow with Parker

Walked on Sullivan had falafel in downpour, ate with Chris at Veselkas, sushi on Carmine.

the one finger salute to fannie and freddie...

...just a tidbit about the mess...privatizing everything, not all it's cracked up to be. 

In this article there are many links to other great and interesting articles that have helped me to understand this problem a bit more...from all sides.

(If you didn't read this already, mom.)

community organizers...and why I am a democrat...

Check it out...good stuff...found in the comments of Laurens blog. Spread the love!!

and a great article from Oliver Willis also recommended from Lauren's blog called, 

"Oh. That's why I am a Democrat."  

and make sure you click on the links in the article...especially the last one...'hope'.

two things, that are NOT politics...

   

... completely unrelated to eachother except for the fact that

 both  are cute and funny...

Amy at pottery in her apron...and did I mention the name of Emmett and Pablo's 

 soccer team is..."The Blue Bananas"?!! I believe this was a Pablo idea with much

approval from Emmett. Very surrealist and coolio I think!

It's time for a post about Isaiah!

What's not to like about this awesome guy? Emmett and I just wanted him to know.

Victory in Iraq???...

...if the surge has indeed been successful, which is up for debate, and there is no where near as much violence as we have seen for the past 6 years...thank god...the question is, is this VICTORY, by any means? Is that really the appropriate term?

. How can it be considered a victory if it never should have happened?

Is it just that it is unpatriotic to let our soldiers know that it never should have happened? So we call it victorious, call ourselves winners? It is so odd and SAD to me to have caused so much harm for all involved for so long...wasted so much money that could be used defending our...hmmmmm? ports? (still largely left undefended)...etc....

Imagine George Bush's "victory" speech at last weeks RNC convention in an alternate universe...if he had taken a pass on this war and went after Osama instead... he would be all over that convention. Can you imagine how much better we would be doing in every way...our ecomony doing better, fewer terrorist recruits springing up and being financed every single day by people with new reasons to hate us... etc. The Republicans would have far more respect as would our country..

It is just weird in my opinion to say that we liberated or brought democracy to Iraq. The analogy that always plays in my head is this: Iraq is a woman in a horrible abusive relationship, trapped, victimized etc....we, the U.S., are the gang of thugs that stormed in, in the the night, kidnapped her, beat her in front of her children... the next generation. Then years later when she is on her own two feet (sorta), the thugs want the credit for her ability to survive it and move on. And her children will never forget it and many of them will want vengence.

Can democracy be forced on someone? Doesn't it take something from within? This is not to say that the Iraquis don't have that something...but any revolution involves timing, the right leaders and the will to basically sacrifice your lives and possibly the lives of your children. Is this the kind of decision that should be forced on an entire country by someone from the outside. (Especially since they didn't attack us on 911, have WMD, or really deserve it any way...the people that is, not Saddam)

I know this is harsh. I am not calling each individual military man a thug ...that would be the honor of our government alone over the past 8 years. As always the soldiers are only doing their job and it is the job of our government to make the big decisions..but our country in this war has behaved entirely on its own behalf while insisting loudly that it's all for them. Come on. And hows that oil thing going for us anyway? Not so well. Now, Iraq in it's supposedly free, messy democracy sells most of it's oil to China.

Well, there's oil and troubles in the Sudan...why not beat the shit outta them too?

I honestly believe that if any of these guys (those responsible for this endless war and occupation) could admit this huge mistake and wouldn't have to eat crow for the rest of their existence they would happily go back in time, to just take a Pass on this war. But then again, why do that when they can instead claim victory and never really pay the price at all. You see, Republicans don't actually have to save money, just say they do. They don't have to actually keep us safer, just say it. They don't have to actually protect our freedoms, they just scream louder about it. They yell at the top of their lungs that states should decide ("smaller government ") unless they don't like the decision made, then they unconstitutionally allow the government to take over (I am talking about the Al Gore George Bush recount)...the hypocracy is everywhere.

When wrong just say louder and louder... VICTORY, NO TAXES!! Why, because it has worked in the past and seems to continue to work. Even though there are more terrorists than ever, more cells thriving all over the world than ever. (Just ask one or all of the many generals who opted out of this whole thing.) And that old idea that we are fighting them over there istead of here kills me. Time is on the terrorists side. The more we attack the more recruits they have, and the more money. It was many years between the two World Trade Center attacks and we weren't fighting anyone at all over there. It has only been a bit less than 7 years since 911...how many was it between the other attacks here in the U.S.? SEVEN!? Who knows how many plots are out there to get us, coming from how many different terrorist cells in how many different countries. I personally think it would be a hell of a lot smarter to spend the big bucks HERE keeping us safe, instead of making more and more enemies. And no one trusts us. No one even really wants to talk with us as we have proven to be completely untrustworthy. We need someone who can show the world we are NOT going to act like this anymore. We will be thoughtful, not hotheaded and impulsive and greedy. We will be strong AND just. We need someone who can sit at the world table and convince, make allies, be diplomatic as well as firm and clear.

And who really thinks Mc Cain and Palin can do that?

The idea that writing this might upset our soldiers just kills me. ...and I'd hate to upset them. Killing them is ok, separating them from their families for years is ok and bringing them home to little more than a big thankyou parade is A-OK (because saying "we love our brave soldiers" loudly, again and again, can take the place of actual action, mental healthcare, rehabilitation, etc)

It is tacky to call this war a victory. Is it elitist to call it tacky?

We are all Small Town..

here's emmett being super cutie at  his first soccer game...which makes me a soccer mom...I guess there's more than one definition...

...anyone else sick of the "elitism" nonsense continually talked about or implied at the RNC?...I think maybe all those folks who vote the way they do because they are afraid the left will turn this country into one big amoral city, should ask themselves...are they really the only ones who eat potato salad and like fishing, who take their kids to soccer games and like to sit on the porch. Please tell me it doesn't really all boil down to homophobia. ...There are even slick city folk who go to church,vote democrat and wear sweatshirts with American flags on them.  Bad taste doesn't discriminate. We are all the same. We are all capable of being 'down-home' and well traveled at the same time... country and city savvy...There are no small town values, just people values.  There are differences but its not all good or bad...Maybe the left needs to recruit Garrison Keeler from Prairie Home Companion to give a litte talk about his brand of home town. And I think elitism goes both ways.  I wish the Republicans would stop with this nonsense.  It just makes the country look stupid...falling for it over and over.

I can't seem to get my jon stewart clips to work on this blog and the link works for only one day...but if its today, you may be able to see jon Stewarts take on small town values. (And if the link doesn't work, youtube search jonstewartshow smalltown and mc cain bio. It is very very worth it to watch some of the Mc Cain hypocracy flipflops also.)

click here for "small town "         here for" Mc Cain Bio"

what bugs me about Palin...

...that in one nasty speech, all that Obama said and did to elevate this country from all the partisan nastiness just flooded back into the hearts of lots of people still undecided, or leaning towards Obama..

she changed the debate from one of issues to one of LIES*, exaggerations and one liners. This is the politics we've lived with now for 8 years (and more) and I am so sick of it. For a brief moment it wasn't us against the world, and against eachother...but now "it's on" as the media will put it...and I am sorry and pissed about that. 

This kind of woman is not usually my cup of tea, liberal or otherwise...pushy, domineering, competitive, in your face, this is the mom/dad at school I avoid... Man or woman you don't need to act like that to get things done. (Obama is a good example of that.) So her manner, though praised by just about everyone does not appeal to me at all. Just because she excited (like crazy) the audience as if it were a some sort of sporting event...it was just odd to me to hear people chant "drill, drill, drill" for oil.  Is this the face we really want the world to see, Mc Cain and Palin?  What does this say about us on the world stage?  From a political standpoint I am seriously bummed that we now have another cheerleader/mudslinger/book banner/advocate of abstenance only education... who again plays on our insecurities ....didn't we just have 8 years of this... Where it was American Idol politics all the way...the powers that be were always banking on our 'group think' and general dismissal of the issues because it was proven time and again that that was really all it took for them to win. Scare us then tell a joke and move on to your commercial break because Americans don't have the attention span.  It has been so demeaning to be talked at like we are stupid and could fall for the sappy stories without any real substance. But you know what?  It's working again for the GOP.  This country is full of suckers if they are fooled by Palin and the party that is using her.  Honestly, I want to know...what has changed within the republican party in the last week except for a fresh, feisty face spitting out sarcastic insults and jibes while she enjoys the title of woman-most-used-for-political-reasons...and why would anyone want to break that glass ceiling?

If John Mc Cain is elected thanks to Sarah Palin then this country gets what it deserves...none of the "changes", if there are any, will be positive ones for 99.9% of the country...but we will have the same old thinking in the white house as we face entirely new problems. ...and don't forget, we will also have  a stereotype of a sit com mom dishing out pit bull wit. And god forbid she accomplishes any of her goals we will really be in trouble!

*(click here for an article about the lies!) the lies refer to the bridge to nowhere that she jumped ship on AFTER congress put it to rest...and when she said Obama never wrote any legislation worth mentioning ...and when she listed all the ways he would raise taxes

...also, the lie about balancing the budget when she was Mayor...and what about when she says she represents America???? (well, I didn't kill a moose today for fun)

...and more lies keep popping up. But I forgot the Bush/Rove Truism...if you lie often enough it becomes the truth.

...and now for you especially Lauren, check out the Sarah Palin bio that they were going to run but didn't at the RNC. It is so syrupy and hoaky and it actually sounds like a Saturday Night Live Spoof of a tampon commercial. It's so cheesy.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Matt and Craig.

I was talking to Matt about all the amazing stuff that happened in the last 10 years and he had to admit its been very productive and positive...and things just keep getting better.

Have a great time in New York!  It's been a long time since the brothers got to cruise around together on their Birthday!

xxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooo

I stole this from Lauren's blog...completely right on...

Lauren writes...

"Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Sarah Palin Freaks Me Out
Watching her speech right now. Don't like her. Not one bit.
Plus is it just me, or does that crowd seem like a sea of raving lunatics? I mean booing every time someone says, "community organizer." Just weird.
If she says "victory in Iraq is in our sights" one more time I am going to hurl.
Update: Kagro X has the Perfect description for Palin:
The church lady with the nukular button.
No wonder she freaks the hell out of me."

I completely agree Lauren. What really, REALLY scares me is that she may be appealing to someone somewhere.

first day of school...

...6th grade...

...and 2nd grade!!

(early) birthday celebration!!

steak, green beans, banana cream pie, coffee, homemade cards and presents from Mac and Emmett , a runners watch from Nana, a music stand and a pretty little UKULELE made of mango wood. We love you papa...Happy not-quite-yet-Birthday!