Aug
06
The scrunched version of a summer semester has almost come to a close. I’ve got about 3 days left of it, and I’ll call it complete. Then, school starts back on August 22. I’m bound and determined to get my Master’s done in a year. My program director advises to take my time… but, I’m not a 23-year-old who just finished a B.A. and doesn’t know what to do with life. I’ve got plans, goals, a life to catch up to those who’ve already moved on. Yeah, yeah, it’s my life. But, I’m tired of not having what I want. So, I work harder. I’m impatient. So, sue me.
It’s been forever it seems since I’ve mentioned anything worthwhile, or anything at all. I’ve been buried under books and papers for the past 2 weeks trying to make what I’ve researched come out clearly, succinctly, and still manage to fill 12-15 pages for my grad class. I think it worked… we’ll see. You can check it out if you’re up for a read about an attempt to desegregate the monumental Birmingham Terminal Station that once stood above Fifth Avenue North. It’s a doozie, and it just might not make as much sense as I had hoped, since I was barely running on adrenaline.
I also got to see my cousin in the Army who was home on pass this weekend. Wow, they grow up fast. He’s about 8 years younger than me and it seems like he’s already accomplished the world as an expert marksman and a second class ranking. I just hate that they don’t get news while they’re at boot camp. Seems a little crazy. They had no idea that the Minnesota bridge had collapsed, or that Bush and Cheney had surgeries 2 weekends apart. But, my little cuz cleans up well. I hope he’ll manage the last 4 weeks of basic and graduate, then head on to Airborne Ranger School. That is, of course, if he doesn’t take the offer of honor guard at Arlington, which has been dangled. We’ll see what he does…
Other than that, there are a couple of interesting stories floating around on the ‘internets.’ Take a gander if you’d like:
That’ll do, Pig, that’ll do.
Jul
26
Well, after citing contempt to both Harriet Meirs and Josh Bolten, it seems that Congress has the opportunity to possibly cite contempt on another Bush cronie: Karl Rove. He’s been subpoenaed by the Dems in light of the continuing probe of the fired counsel in the DoJ.
Let’s see if the dominoes might start falling…
Jul
26
I’m not sure how it fell off my radar, but the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is going to be an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. This means that Birmingham could have some great things happening before too long, getting the BCRI on the national radar… or moreso than it is now.
If you’ve never been to visit, it is worth the trip. I’ve never seen such a collection of materials. It’s one of the greatest civil rights history museums, if not THE greatest. I could be partial, though, since my historical fields focus on civil rights, and I have been a volunteer there…
Jul
26
Last year, residents of Silver Spring, Md., or wanderers from Washington, D.C., got to see the shark growing out of the Discovery Building HQ. It was quite a sight… especially when they lit it up at night and had water reflections on the building.
Sadly, I just read in the Silver Spring Penguin that the shark, ‘Chompy,’ won’t be making an appearance this year. Discovery Channel gave no explanation, but did mention that there was a shark-related incident in New York.
I can understand how it would seem a little un-PC to do that, but still… that inflatable shark is freakin’ awesome! I hate that it won’t be coming out to greet one and all.
Jul
25
Uh-oh… the House Judiciary Cmte has approved a contempt resolution involving the claims of executive privilege from the White House over White House CoS Josh Bolten and Former Counsel Harriet Meirs… You know, since they were absent from their subpoenas to testify.
This means a showdown between powers between the Legislature and the Executive branches. Man, I love fights over constitutional principles
Jul
20
Don’t freak out… but, you should know that for 2 1/2 hours tomorrow (Saturday, July 21), VP Dick Cheney will have ‘the power’ as stated by Constitutional precedent of the 25th Amendment, while President Bush is having a routine colonoscopy. Seriously, who makes one of those a routine? And, WTF, Dick Cheney will be the most powerful man in the world. It may only be 2 1/2 hours, but that is some scary stuff.
Tonight also opens up further scary hours for millions that will be in line for the new Harry Potter book. I’m not one of those… I’ve never read them or seen the movies. But, I can’t believe that there are actually grief counselors set up for tonight in the case that Harry Potter dies in this book. You’ve got to be kidding me. Grief counselors for a fictitious character? I believe the world has gone batty.
In the last of the scary news, one report in the WaPo shows that D.C. water is safe to drink from the tap, while another paper states that there are unsafe toxins in the water. Of course, the latter is easier for me to believe, especially in light of the fact that the Potomac River is home to male-reproducing fish.
Breaking news from Birmingham: Driving amid SUV soccer moms on the cell phone while on the interstate could lead other drivers to a plea of insanity. Seriously folks, people here can’t drive… and the ’southern kindness and charm’ quickly disappears once a southerner enters a vehicle.
It seems that all of this would have been a lot funnier were it last Friday (July 13). It would’ve put a nice spin on things…
Jul
19
Here are a few links to share, some funny, some not as funny:
Jul
16
On Saturday, a link was posted in the ‘internets round-up’ that described what President Bush called a ‘fair and balanced’ decision on the behalf of his administration to commute Libby’s sentence. I’m so glad that ‘The Daily Show’ is back on. Jon Stewart’s take on it?
Here’s the thing about the phrase ‘fair and balanced’… The President means it just as much as Fox News.
Sadly, it’s seemingly true since the commutation was fairly decided just to save the VP’s backside, right?
I’m waiting for the scandals to blow up into something huge soon. There’s way too much going on in the Bush admin to not have something scandalous as its roots.
Here again, this president is seeming more and more like good ol’ Richard ‘Tricky Dick’ Nixon. Maybe he took pointers from the failing presidency of Nixon. He’s definitely on the right road at this juncture of his tenure.
Jul
03
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve already heard that I. Lewis Libby (’Scooter’) has received a commutation of his sentence. Of course, the White House denies that it is any type of cronyism, but I think we’re all past the point of spin, Mr. President. Seriously… just fess up to how you work, and we’ll all accept it and move on. All you’re doing now is more damage to the Republican party. With that said, I personally would like for the Democratic party to emerge as a great party… and you’re just helping them, ‘W.’ On behalf of Howard Dean, thanks…
