A woman walks into a bar, and asks the bartender for a Double Entendre.

So he gives it to her.

When I first went to this site I was very intrigued by the blogger’s politics and his acumen, and the sense of humor he deftly employed to keep one from crying at the absurdity/helplessness of it all.  However, I like “interactive” sites, where others can comment and I get to share my own opinion, as well.

That’s not a feature of his site.  There is no place for commenting on his posts.  So I didn’t go there very often.  To my chagrin, it was my loss.

Tom von Alten is a very astute gentleman with a unique perspective on today’s world.  He’s also a prolific writer, and has a little something going almost every day (I envy that productivity).  He’s equally at home writing about local politics and national politics, and international news. 

I’ve started reading Fort Boise on a regular basis and I’m hoping you do, too.

Idaho is contemplating this move.  I’m not sure what the real motive is, but there are many beliefs it may be playing into.

1.  Most people on welfare are drug addicts.  A very common misperception and harder to justify in these economic times.  However, when welfare reform was implemented, drug use continued to rise while welfare caseloads declined dramatically. 

2.  If people didn’t waste their money on drugs they’d have enough to pay their bills and not need welfare.   Carry that further…if people didn’t waste their money on cigarettes, on video games, on weekend camping trips to the mountains, on tithing, on fancy clothes, on getting their nails done, etc.

3.  Our costs for welfare will decrease if the drug users know we will catch and bust them.  That is possible.  But I think there is a fallacy inherent in that thought.  Do you really believe that Johnny will stop using drugs so he can have money to buy food?  I think Johnny doesn’t come in to get Food Stamps, instead he shoplifts the food, gets caught/jailed and we take care of him at a higher expense in another part of our tax budget.  Or he just goes without food, as do his kids.   The kids go to foster care which is fraught with its own issues, and costs us tons more money all across the board.  All because we wanted to flex our political muscle against poor drug users? 

4.  Only poor people use drugs.  And there’s the rub.  Rich people use drugs probably as much or more (they can afford the drugs themselves in more quantities, can afford to escape the consequences, andaren’t targets of politicians looking for an election year gambit). 

Senator Bart Davis (R) supports welfare applicant drug testing and says:

 “Individuals who have a substance (abuse) problem, as long as they are abusing substances, they are going to continue to depend heavily on the state and federal government,”

So we impose mandatory drug testing in an effort to cut down on the the welfare that we give to poor people.  Is someone planning to drug test the farmers and the corporations before they get bail outs and subsidies, which are other forms of welfare?  Why not?  (Clue: See #4 above)

I got this from my friend H3. 

Two Irishmen, Patrick & Michael, were adrift in a lifeboat following a
dramatic escape from a burning freighter. While rummaging through the
boat’s provisions, Patrick stumbled across an old lamp.

Secretly hoping that a genie would appear, he rubbed the lamp
vigorously. To the amazement of Patrick, a genie came forth. This
particular genie, however, stated that he could only deliver one wish,
not the standard three.

Without giving much thought to the matter, Patrick blurted out, “Make
the entire ocean into Guinness Beer!” The genie clapped his hands with
a deafening crash, and immediately the entire sea turned into the
finest brew ever sampled by mortals. Simultaneously, the genie
vanished.

Only the gentle lapping of Guinness on the hull broke the stillness as
the two men considered their circumstances. Michael looked disgustedly
at Patrick whose wish had been granted. After a long, tension-filled
moment, he spoke: “Nice going Patrick! Now we’re going to have to pee
in the boat!”

This is from the Humanists of Utah website.  My niece posted this link on her facebook page, and I had to share it.  It’s old, it may be fake, but it’s the point that counts. 

Why do people who believe in the Bible, selectively pick and choose the parts they want to believe in?  What’s wrong with the rest of it?  Well, apparently there are parts that are convenient, and the rest is decidedly inconvenient to whatever lifestyle you’re currently accustomed to.

So when they quote old Leviticus for anti-homosexual beliefs, it’s not because they believe in following the Word of God, it’s because that particular verse is useful for the argument at hand.  So this (fake or not) letter to Dr. Laura Schlessinger is quite funny.

 

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim

There’s a West Wing clip at the end of the page, as this is similar in nature. 

I am curious, too.  Why can’t I own a Canadian? 

He’s dragging the Idaho Code into the 21st century, one phrase at a time.

“It is a respectful and modern way of looking at a whole group of people”

I suppose someone had to do it, it may as well be a Democratic Senator from Boise.  I just wish he’d put that much effort into bringing jobs to this state, or solving the budget crisis.  But kudos to Les Bock, nonetheless, for taking on the thankless task of identifying words and phrases in the Idaho statutes that are passé/insensitive/politically incorrect/rude. 

I’m not a very politically correct person, and I shame myself regularly by my crude speech.  I could adopt a similar approach, and attempt to rid my speech of childish retorts and slurs.  We should all do what we can.  I certainly would do better at that than I would at bringing new jobs to Idaho.

This is my life.  I was a very active Republican in the 70s.  I slowly came to realize that the party I was cheering on was elitist against poor people, minorities, and anyone who was not part of the Moral Majority.  Because I still thought Democrats were too liberal, I became an Independent.  I found no common ground there, little public support and no political clout.  Causes I felt strongly about were marginalized, unviable (can you imagine gay rights in the early 80s being anyone’s talking point?) 

I felt heartbroken, crushed, overwhelmed by my inability to effect change.  I disengaged myself from politics.  I still voted, but I didn’t participate in the campaigning.  I even lost my religion.  Pretty soon I dropped out of college and was struggling just to pay my bills, working dead end jobs and feeling as if I had no future.

It took the 2008 election cycle to bring me out of my shell.  I felt a glimmer of hope.  I thought I had found an opportunity to make a difference.  I truly believed Obama was going to be the way out for my country, and my personal way out of 25 years of ennui.  I had high hopes for local Democratic wins, as they are the party in this area that I feel best represent my values and dreams.

Meh, not so much.  The backlash and fear of the first black man elected to the White House crushed all things Democratic in eastern Idaho.  And since the election, the backlash and fear continues to be generated by the Republicans, determined that all things Obama must FAIL.  His white horse of hope has been rather lame, his sword of change has been very rusty and dull.

Of course, Obama is one man, fighting against all the hatred the far right and the Republicans can bring to bear (while pretending it’s all about the socialism, of course).  But I had hopes he’d be a more clever man, a more dynamic man, one who could magically find a way to overcome what all his like-minded predecessors could not…the determined political clout of the corporatocracy.  No such luck.

So I struggled again, having lost my newly regained emotional investment in politics.  Others could see the old misanthrope returning.  The utter lack of interest in my blogging, in what others were blogging, in the whole community of progressives in general.  I read jabs at the liberals and I shook my head in sad agreement. 

But the new year is here.  Things are stirring in my soul, again.  I listened to Keith Allred, who seemed to be a very good man with consensus-building skills.  So far, he sounds good.

I found out that John  McGimpsey has decided to run again for the House.   I believe in John McGimpsey.   I have found him to be a good man, a kind and decent man, and he’s a moderate who is interested in the future of Idaho.

I’m starting to see a little spark of hope coming to life again.  I’m almost dreading allowing it to flame up, fearing the inevitable deluge of conservative shitstorms that will end up drowning that spark until it gives up, never again to see the light of day. 

That’s why I titled this as I did…because I’m not sure I have the stones to be a good political activist on my own.  I think I have unrealistically high expectations of my fellow man, and I take it too hard when my cynicism wins out.   The truth is that I need a good inspiration…with a shared sense of vision and purpose to work towards, I hold the course rather well.

Got one from my mother in law.  She finally sent one that I appreciated. 

It’s a little blurry, but there’s no better copy on YouTube.  Enjoy. 

Let’s not focus on the important things in our country.  You know, like affordable health coverage for all citizens (rich or poor), or our terrible economy, or the soaring deficit, or the many horrible costs to our society arising from the senseless wars we are waging, or the increase in domestic terrorist plotting from the fringe groups who literally came unhinged when an uppity dark man took the Presidency, or even the insidious corporate takeover of our government via our beholden elected officials.

Let’s not focus on these things, because having the status quo suits the powers-that-be.  Lots of people make loads of money off the status quo, and if we change things, fix things, reform things, we’re affecting someone’s bottom line or their chances for re-election (which ultimately impacts their power level and their personal bottom line, too).  Can’t have that.

Nope.  Let’s worry about things that are a surefire distraction to our dumbed-down population.  Let’s have our media turn our little sheeple heads to the sort of boogeymen that they can relate to.  This spring, let’s focus on K-2.

Now being an uncool rural old lady deep in the backwaters of Idaho, I had never heard of K-2.  Y0u may not have, either…but you’re going to hear a lot about it in the coming months, I predict.  It’s the perfect distraction.  It’s fake pot.  Yeah, that’s right, it’s FAKE marijuana.

Seriously, this is a problem?  Well yes, if you think that illegal drugs are a problem, if you know pot as the demon weed, you’d think fake pot was scary, for lots of different reasons.  And the war on drugs, that failed social experiment that creates a lot of jobs for people while winking at the continued escalation of use by the general population (which in turn helps dumb them down and keep the sheeple either contentedly pacified or running scared from the law) is a favorite pasttime of the distracted society.

CNN has the “he said, she said” commentary on the pros and cons of K-2.  SHE says it’s dangerous, and she oughtta know, she’s the executive director of two anti-drug non-profit groups (one of which consults with the UN) and she makes her bread and butter from keeping the war on drugs alive and kicking.  Per Calvina Fay, it serves no apparent use and she even offers this tidbit of wisdom:

Making these drugs illegal makes it more difficult for dealers to push them to our children

Well whaddaya know.  I totally DISagree with that sentence…if that were the case, there’d be NO WAR ON DRUGS right now in these here United States.  Damn.  You can lead sheeple to the facts, but you can’t make them think. 

Taking the other side of this debate is Grant Smith, who works with the Drug Policy Alliance, a group that is trying to end the failed War on Drugs and pass laws for a more sane approach to drug use in the US.  HE says we shouldn’t treat this substance the same way we treat marijuana.  He reminds us:

Elected officials have burned through billions of taxpayer dollars chasing marijuana sellers, bagging marijuana plants and jailing marijuana users.  

It’s not just CNN. Newsweek is now getting into the discussion.  It takes a pretty balance approach that wonders (rightly so) why it’s all of a sudden a big brouhaha, when it’s been around for at least a decade.  Per Mary Carmichael: 

Is JWH-018 dangerous? No one really knows. There’s not a lot of research on what it does to mice and almost nothing on what it does to humans. Its effects shouldn’t be that different from marijuana’s, but then, we could argue all day about how dangerous marijuana is.  

So scary drug or drug scare, it’s gonna be on your minds this spring.  Lest you get some cockamamie idea that you might want to focus on something more important, such as, oh-I-don’t-know…JOBS?

Winners in the scumbag department, supreme kings of dirty tricks.  It didn’t start with Nixon, and it won’t end with the current parade of fools out there.

Yesterday, Michael Steele (the token eunuch Republican answer to black voters) was backpedalling furiously over the childish powerpoint circulating amongst party insiders, designed to draw contributions from their most devout (and wealthy) followers.  The powerpoint depicts Nancy Pelosi as Cruella deVille (a cartoonishly garish villainess) and Harry Reid as Scooby Doo (a dorky halfwitted scaredy-dog).  Steele said the pictures were “unfortunate“.  Yeah.  Unfortunate that they got leaked, that’s for sure.

Mother Jones showed the attempt to generate donations is a two pronged approach.   The major donors are motivated by ego, “wall of fame“, “access” peer to peer pressure, etc.  (This tends to hold true for any type of donations, whether charitable or political in nature).

It is the other type of donor, the “direct marketing” donor, and the points made about how to get these people to give money, that makes me livid.  Here are the focal points for getting money from the non-major donors:

FEAR, Extreme Negative Feelings Toward Existing Administration, Reactionary.  Yes, those are great tools to use to generate funding for political candidates!  Fine American values in action.  Makes my mama proud.

Rolling Stone had this to say:

…the presentation makes clear that the GOP’s pitch to America is not driven by ideas or a positive agenda. Just slander…

Tim Dickinson has a great column in Rolling Stone about the GOP’s Dirty War.  He says:

Republicans are now poised to reap the benefits of a wave of anger over the very dysfunction in Washington that they have so skillfully aggravated.

I’m so tired of all this insane shit.  The Republicans act as if Washington DC is a Zero Sum Game and they are playing it with the American people as their pawns.  And we let them do this!

I’m deviating from the norm on this one, not focusing on one blog in particular as much as the blogger himself.

It’s an interesting concept, a local newspaper publisher having public blogs.  There’s a certain amount of in-your-face, this is MY personal spot to put things of interest to me that may not be of interest to the general public…kind of posts.   The subjects aren’t any particular topic, and they’re more insider types of stories…and pictures…lots and lots of pictures. 

The Gum Pole  Mostly media and newspaper-centric musings, more of a true blog.

Best Shots  Great photography, and as always, available for purchase…

Ghost Signs  A disappearing form of advertisement, captured for posterity.

Every Picture Tells a Story  Great backstories with stunning visuals, a travelogue of sorts.

Eastern Idaho Up Close  Some beautiful local pictures with a unique perspective.

Glaciers to Red Rock:  US Highway 89  This is a nice travelogue, if you’re looking to take an armchair vacation, you could spend quite a bit of time vicariously enjoying his journey.

Just Sunsets  Actually, not JUST sunsets, but rather, FABULOUS sunsets! 

I think that those of you who have a particular mental image of the publisher of the Post Register, may want to take a gander at some of his work on these sites, and see for yourself what a talented individual he is.  I was pleasantly surprised, myself.

Problem solved!  Nipped in the bud!  Crisis averted, ACORN has met its nemesis!  (No, not ME).  Idaho’s people will no longer have to worry about the rampant voter fraud that has been plaguing our recent elections.  We can rest easy again, knowing that our elected officials weren’t put into office by nefarious means and fake vote-casters.

…eh?  What’s that, you say?  Surely you’re aware of the state’s most pressing problems!  It’s not jobs, it’s not state budget, it’s not the economy, stupid!  It’s voter fraud.  And House Majority Leader Mike Moyle has come to our rescue this Legislative session, and successfully introduced a bill that will alleviate our fears and allay our concerns.  No more nightmares of those endless Republicans getting into office only because dead men voted for them.

We’ll make them provide picture ID in order to vote!  Doesn’t everyone have picture ID?  No?  You mean some poor people, some elderly people, don’t have picture ID??  Oh, well.  They can just sit out and let others vote instead.  You know, others who traditionally vote a Republican ticket.  In these years of Republican failures, when the hoi polloi are getting restless and wanting change, we’d better make sure we put some roadblocks in the way, and make it look like we’re really doing honest people a favor.

Because this has been a problem, fraudulent voting, and it’s a good thing we’re taking action, now.  It’s not like we have anything more pressing to do, no problems to solve, no futures to decide.  We’ve got the good life in Idaho under control, and now we’re making sure our elections are under control, too.  Your tax dollars at work.

There is really no hope for my generation.  In fact, I’m not holding out much hope for the generation of my children, either.

However, I suspect that when my grandchildren are adults, things will be much easier for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered individuals.  The laws will be in place for protection, and there will be fewer incidents of outright hatred and violence and discrimination.

Notice I said fewer incidents, not no incedents.  Because no matter how many laws we have in place protecting and supporting the rights of people of color, racism is still rampant today.  Not pervasive, but not minor in scope, either.

My generation and the one after will have to die, for the hardwired cultural hatreds to be less prevalent.  More people will have to know openly homosexual individuals, to realize they’re not the boogeymen/women they have been portrayed as historically.  To be “out”, it must be a safer atmosphere in our society.  And that’s not going to happen overnight…it has only slowly happened over my adult lifetime.

Gay marriage, repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  These things are coming.

It will happen.  Long after me and my children are dead, but it will happen.

It’s no secret I’m cynical by turns.  It’s not difficult to discern that I think most politicians aren’t in it for the sheer joy of helping their fellow man.  But I’m really confused about the lack of leadership we’re seeing in Boise, these last few years.

The economy is in tough shape.  What are the plans developed by the Governor’s office to build Idaho’s jobs market?  What short and long term actions are being presented by our Legislature, to boost us out of this recession and grow our future?

Anyone?

What I saw last year was pessimism, fear of Washington and its newly perceived Socialist agenda, budget cuts and belt tightening.  I saw bills to allow guns in business parking lots.  Bills to allow medical providers to ignore the doctor’s orders if they felt a moral repugnance in doing their jobs fairly for all citizens. 

I saw much more of that kind of behavior so far this year.  Much more talk in the past 7 months of additional budget cuts, everyone-has-to-hurt-including-the-schools kind of decisions.  Lots of bills aimed at giving the figurative finger to the nasty Federal Government who might try to force us to have health care reform even if we don’t want it.

So it’s hard to be the bad guys and make cuts, and it’s not a quickly done task.  I understand that.  Butch Otter is upset that he’s not being given credit for all the difficulty he’s facing with these cuts.  But is that all we have for leadership in our capitol, a Governor and Legislature reactive to the bad economy, instead of great leaders who are willing to be proactive to the restoration of the good economy? 

Much like we want to know about the national Republican Party’s version of health care reform (which has been thus far nonexistent) I want to know, where’s my state Republican Party’s version of economic recovery plans? 

Anyone?  

Anyone? 

Bueller? 

Am I right, or am I right ?

Enough to be elected as the next Governor of Idaho, as a Democrat?  He has had many tools at his disposal with his passion (as the founder) of the group called The Common Interest, but taking a subject and focusing all your efforts on it is vastly different in scope from tackling an entire state’s worth of issues.

I went to the Idaho Falls forum he had last month, and he has a Pocatello appearance coming this weekend.  You’d be amazed to hear such smooth speechifying…he’s populist and pragmatic and he’s easy on the eyes, too.  His wife is gentle and thoughtful and they seem to make a great couple.

However many stars he left in my eyes, I know that campaign stops are never good places to assess the true measure of a politician.  They are great theater, they are highly entertaining and if they are run successfully, they almost always leave you with warm fuzzies by the time the crowd peters out.  But you don’t really know what the man will do when under pressure from a hostile Legislature, an angry public, and a shrill press.  Will they continue to stand tall, confident and glib, or will they fold like bad origami?

I am hopeful of this man.  He seems to be feeling his way for now, there was no fire and brimstone, no rallying cries to war.  Just homespun tales of shared hardships and travails and hopes and dreams, and the promise of brighter tomorrows if we’d just dare to occupy the bandwagon on the road to his election.

I might enjoy the ride, for a change.

I’m curious…the Tea Partiers are taking hold, and have enough support that they are still going a year later.  We all know they rose up from the fringes of the über-right wing racists who were furious that a black man actually got enough support to take control of this nation (okay, not really…he can’t find a way around the Party of NO…but technically he’s in charge). 

But they are still here, despite numerous assertions that they are fragmenting…that the Republican Party as a whole is fragmenting.  I’m not seeing the degeneration, in reality.  I see the libertarians/strict Constitutionalists/John Birchers fighting with those of a more centrist bent, but that’s as it ever was.  It’s what drove me from the Republican Party in the late 70s, it hasn’t changed much after 30+ years.

Facebook has a “Join the Coffee Party Movement” page and so far, it’s hitting a nerve, and gaining in momentum.  It seems to attract those of us who are tired of being co-opted by the crazies, who are tired of the tremendous effort it takes to have our reasonable voices heard above the squeals of those who feel God is on their side.  You can’t argue with God.  His more passionate followers KNOW they are right, and all the rest of us are therefore WRONG.  Once more with feeling, YOU CAN’T ARGUE WITH GOD…

So now what?  How do we impact change, even if we get us a movement?  I’m not seeing the Tea Partiers doing anything with their movement other than glorifying Sarah Palin.  Sarah seems to me to embody their movement…not much substance, elevated in importance far beyond her abilities or her understanding of the issues, and certain that she is doing God’s work. 

Maybe the Coffee Party Movement needs a figurehead, too.  It was suggested that Rachel Maddow be the leader.  I could go for that.  She’s definitely smart, funny, and hot.  

From a comment on their facebook page:

The “leaders” are actually “followers”.  Show them where you want them to go.  Start actions in your community of changes you want and watch the ripple effect.  Don’t wait for so-called political “leaders.” They wait on you to lead.

  Are you on Facebook?  Even if you aren’t, you should join this movement.  And then, help organize activities in your area.  I can just see the competing crowds on Tax Day!   Surely there are more of us sane people, than not!

So, we just got done with the first of the annual big four commercial holidays (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Hallowe’en, and Christmas are the four biggest BUY! BUY! BUY! holidays, imo).   Today is President’s Day.  Tomorrow is Mardi Gras.  What a triad of holidays, boom, boom, boom! 

But today is the one that probably should go gracefully into the annals of history, and we should think about another one more central to the spring time (to space out our Federal Holidays a little better), and more important to our national psyche, such as St Patrick’s Day or April Fool’s Day.

We took Lincoln’s birthday (12th) and Washington’s birthday (22nd) and made a combined holiday out of them, with the idea of revering our Presidency, in general.  Well, obviously this country hasn’t revered its Presidency since the early 70s, when Nixon stole our innocence and shit on the good name of the Oval Office.  So why are we still pretending this is an important day for us?  Especially since at least half the country is scared to death of the big old socialist darkie in the White House? 

Many of us will have today off, and that’s always a bonus.  But it has no meaning other than that…so bring on Fat Tuesday!  And seriously?  I think it’s time to consider celebrating something REALLY special next year…such as National Spunky Old Broads Day, on February 19th.  Now, THERE’S a day I can really get into…

I have been blessed to be an avid reader.  I used to polish off more than 300 books a year.  Science fiction was my favorite, followed by detective or spy novels.  I read mostly fiction, and when I read non-fiction it was mostly biographical kinds of books.

I do more movie-watching than book reading these days.  I had a spell where magazines were in my mailbox more frequently than bills (which is a good thing) but I eventually discovered most of the content of those magazines online so got rid of the recycling dilemma.  I miss reading, but it’s a solitary activity and I’m rarely alone these days.

I know a woman who just wrote a teenage drama fan-girl vampire book, which is a very popular genre these last few years.  She offered to send it to me, so I read it last month.  It’s not bad for that type of book.  I am especially impressed that she actually had the stones to write the dang thing.

I also have a friend on facebook who just finished a novel, and offered for his friends to read and comment.  It’s really edgy stuff, it’s philosophically out there, and he almost didn’t send it to me, because hey, I’m an old bat and would probably be offended by the drama and the violence, maybe even the language. 

Ha!  Nope, not offended.  Great book, didn’t flow as well as the other book (teenybopper vampires) but the heavier storyline was from a different worldview so it was okay.  It had sickening violence in it, but it reminded me of a cross between Gordon R Dickson’s Time Storm, Robert Heinlein’s Job, and Quentin Tarantino’s movies.  

I was really glad to read both.  I’m planning to buy copies of both when they come out, and want the authors to autograph them.  I enjoy being amongst this kind of talent, it makes me feel vicariously alive.

Well, needless to say, I don’t spend much time on ManCrunch.com.  Okay, actually I spend NO time there.  I didn’t even know it existed, I hadn’t seen it advertised anywhere.  And I won’t see ads for it while watching the SuperBowl, because CBS declined to accept the ads.

Per this story on CNN Money, they rejected the ad for reasons that don’t seem really solid.

ManCrunch is not alone. Godaddy, an online retailer of Web site domain names, is running an ad in the Super Bowl this year but it had another ad rejected by CBS in the process. The rejected ad features a man named Lola.

I’m not naive, I guess even if gay people finally get all the rights they are entitled to under our Constitution, they still won’t be accepted by the mainstream public for decades.  We finally have a black president and look how divisive that concept still is.  But it still makes me sad.

Wanna see the offensive ad?  We aim to please.