I Love Jimmy Stewart

Did you know how much he loved the GOP? Check it out!

Social Insecurity

Today Chairman Thomas was brilliant on Meet the Press. But somehow his conversation reminded me of this scene from Bull Durham

CRASH: It’s time you started working on your interviews.

NUKE: What do I gotta do?

CRASH: Learn your cliches. Study them. Know them. They’re your friends.

Crash hands Nuke a small pad and pen.

CRASH: Write this down. (beat) “We gotta play ‘em one day at a time.”

NUKE: Boring.

CRASH: Of course. That’s the point. (beat) “I’m just happy to be here and
hope I can help the ballclub.”

NUKE: Jesus.

CRASH: Write, write–"I just wanta give It my best shot and, Good Lord willing, things’ll work out.”

NUKE STARTS WRITING them down.

NUKE: “…Good Lord willing, things’ll work out.”

We all know that the folks in the press aren't the smartest. And if they think that Chairman Thomas is opposed to social security reform, they are not only stupid but they're asleep.

Here's his explanation on Meet the Press this morning

MR. RUSSERT: Let me ask you about a comment you made at the National Journal Forum and give you a chance to talk about it. "I look forward to those discussions [on Social Security reform] and not continual beating of what will soon be a dead horse of their proposal, and I look forward to that."

Many thought you were suggesting the president's proposal had become a dead horse.

REP. THOMAS: No. The phrase for that, as you well know, is dead on arrival. I didn't say it was dead on arrival. What I said was I hope we didn't have our friends on the other side of the aisle attacking the president's proposal once it's introduced, because once it's introduced, it becomes part of the legislative process. Suggest changes or suggest substitutions, but don't continue the arguments against the president's plan because it's now part of the legislative process. That would be beating a dead horse.

Some of these young journalists, I'm concerned. Had I said, Tim, "You're barking up the wrong tree," they may have accused me of being anti-environmentalist. So I've got to watch the old phrases that used to mean something when you say them. The point is we should deal with the legislative process and the president's proposal will then be part of the legislative process. Let's debate the legislative process, not the president's proposal.

Others are musical blogging the social insecurity debate ...

Dick McDonald at the Right Scale says It's Not the Wrong Time or the Wrong Place

What If? Imagines Me and You, She Does, She thinks about it every night, it's only right

Just One Minute guesses some things never change when you're Riding A Dead Horse

It's Alright With Me
(Cole Porter 1953)

It's the wrong time and the wrong place
Though your face is charming, it's the wrong face
It's not her face, but such a charming face
And it's alright with me

It's the wrong song with the wrong style
Though your smile is lovely, it's the wrong smile
It's not her smile, but such a lovely smile
That it's alright with me

You can't know how happy I am we met
I'm strangely attracted to you
There's someone I'm trying so hard to forget
Don't you wanna forget someone too

It's the wrong game with the wrong chips
Though your lips are tempting, they're the wrong lips
They're not her lips, but they're such tempting lips
That it's all right with me

It's the wrong time and the wrong place
Though your face is charming, it's the wrong face
It's not her face, but such a charming face
And it's alright with me

It's the wrong song with the wrong style
Though your smile is lovely, it's the wrong smile
It's not her smile, but a lovely smile
And it's alright with me

You can not know how happy I am we met
I'm strangely attracted to you
There's someone I'm trying so hard to forget
Don't you wanna forget someone too

It's the wrong game and the wrong chips
Though your lips are tempting, it's the wrong lips
They're not her lips, but they're such tempting lips
And it's all right with me

And it's all right, it's all right
It's all right with me
It's all right with me

It's the wrong time and the wrong place
Though your lips are charming, it's the wrong face
It's not her face but a charming face
And it's alright with me


Happy Together
The Turtles

Imagine me and you I do
I think about you day and night
It's only right
To think about the girl you love
And hold her tight
So happy together

If I should call you up invest a dime
And you say you belong to me
And ease my mind
Imagine how the world could be
So very fine
So happy together

I can see me lovin' nobody but you
For all my life
When you're with me baby the skies'll be blue
For all my life

Me and you and you and me
No matter how they toss the dice
It had to be
The only one for me is you
And you for me
So happy together

I can see me lovin' nobody but you
For all my life


Song: Dead Horse
Artist: Guns N' Roses

Sick of this life
Not that you'd care
I'm not the only one with
whom these feelings I share


Nobody understands, quite why we're here
We're searchin' for answers
That never appear


But maybe if I looked real hard I'd
I'd see your tryin' too
To understand this life,
That we're all goin' through
(Then when she said she was gonna like
wreck my car...I didn't know what to do)


Sometimes I feel like I'm beatin' a dead horse
An I don't know why you'd be bringin' me down
I'd like to think that our love's
worth a tad more
It may sound funny but you'd think by now
I'd be smilin'
I guess some things never change
Never change


I met an old cowboy
I saw the look in his eyes
Somethin' tells me he's been here before
'Cause experience makes you wise
I was only a small child
When the thought first came to me
That I'm a son of a gun and the gun of a son
That brought back the devil in me


Sometimes I feel like I'm beatin' a dead horse
An I don't know why you'd be bringin' me down
I'd like to think that our love's
worth a tad more
It may sound funny but you'd think by now
I'd be smilin'
I guess some things never change
Never change


I ain't quite what you'd call an old soul
Still wet behind the ears
I been around this track a couple o' times
But now the dust is startin' to clear
Oh yeah!!!


Sometimes I feel like I'm beatin' a dead horse
An I don't know why you'd be bringin' me down
I'd like to think that our love's
worth a tad more
It may sound funny but you'd think by now
I'd be smilin'
Ooh yeah, I'd be smilin'
No way I'd be smilin'
Ooh smilin'


Sick of this life
Not that you'd care
I'm not the only one
With whom these feelings I share

Help Me Find a Piano Bar in DC

While in DC next week I'm trying to organize a birthday party/piano bar singalong for my pal Stacey. Is anybody out there a piano bar afficianado? We're looking for something as fun as the Mission Ranch in Carmel.

I've been doing a little research and have found a few leade ... any opinions? Perhaps we'll choose one of these.

Kinkeads Restaurant 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC. Directions
Description: Hilton Felton-Piano Ephraim Wolfolk-Bass
Telephone: 202-296-7700


Mr. Smith's of Georgetown
3104 M Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20007



or maybe

The Ritz-Carlton
1150 22nd Street NW
202-835-0500

Two words: sch-wank. This is where you go for The Royal Treatment. The cocktail service is impeccable, and the multiple seating areas surrounding the piano area are dark-walled paradises where you can ensconce yourself, oblivious to others, no matter how crowded the bar gets. A weekend visit found the husband and wife team of pianist David Allen and vocalist Susan Allen, a polished duo who can meet the challenge of filling the rambling space without overwhelming it. "Misty" isn't their strongest number, as they lean toward crisp, jazz-lounge takes on '70s pop. A Carole King medley? "You Don't Bring Me Flowers?" Oh, yes, bring it on. The Ritz-Carlton boasts piano music by a variety of artists seven days a week, starting around 6 p.m. daily. You gotta try this at least once in your life.

Stacey and I are checking in to the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill on Monday.

25,000 by Tommorrow Morning

Who will be my 25,000th visitor? Will you leave a comment?

Who's Going to the Inaugural?

Will we see you at the California/Tennessee/Arizona/Kentucky/North Carolina/North Dakota/South Dakota/Utah Inaugural Ball at the Ronald Reagan Center on January 20th?

How about the Black Tie and Boots Ball on January 19th?

Or maybe at the piano bar every night after the official festivities?

Tell me!

Why is David Dreier Opposed to Fair Districting?

This is not a trick question. I can't fathom why David and Ed Royce would not support an initiative that is likely to increase the number of California GOP congressmen.

(the article does not mention Royce, but the insiders are saying he's in cahoots with David on this one.)

A redistricting effort may stir even more protests — from both parties. Assuming a redistricting plan was approved this year, the new boundaries could potentially be in effect for the 2006 election season. Absent any change, the existing boundaries would stand until the next census is completed in 2010.

Democrats contend that there is no way to depoliticize redistricting, even if the job is given to retired judges. They fear that Schwarzenegger may be trying to orchestrate a push to elect more California Republicans to Congress and thus expand the GOP's overall congressional ranks. California Democrats now outnumber Republicans in Congress, 33 to 20.

Democrats are invoking the name of U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), who helped orchestrate a redistricting plan that enabled Republicans to take control of Texas' congressional delegation. "I'm sure that he and Tom DeLay might have had quite a conversation about it," Kuehl said.

Still, Democratic leaders insist that they are open to discussing the issue with the governor. Many elected officials concede that the present districts are flawed — drawn mainly to guarantee easy victories and safe seats for incumbents.

Nuñez said in an interview Friday: "You'll never be able to rid [redistricting] of politics, but making sure that every citizen's vote counts is a debate that we're more than willing to have. We know there are problems with redistricting and we're willing to take a fresh look at it."

At least some Republicans also are unsettled by the prospect of tampering with districts that have been kind to incumbents. Earlier in the week, Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas) telephoned Schwarzenegger, who has been vacationing out of state for the holidays, to express concern about the plans.

Dreier said in an interview that he supported the governor's effort, but would prefer to see no reconfiguration of the boundaries until after the 2010 census.

Update: Matt Rexroad thinks that Dreier and Royce are right to be concerned about new lines.

Don't know much about maps or politics
The newspapers today have mentions of Congressman David Dreier calling the Governor about redistricting.

That is funny. In 2001, Dreier's Chief of Staff was quoted as saying that anyone thinking Dreier should be concerned about redistricting didn't understand maps or politics.

The California Congressional delegation got their way in redistricting thanks to President Bush. That won't happen if the Governor redistricts this next year. Suddenly, Sacramento will become significant to those that represent the state in Washington D.C.

Dreier was extremely vulnerable this past time. You can add Congressmen Gary Miller and Ed Royce to the list this time. They have safe districts now but probably would not under a new plan.

Democrats that should worry about a new plan include Congressmen Dennis Cardoza, Bob Filner, and Jim Costa. Barbara Matthews, Juan Vargas, and Nicole Parra would be sure to make a point of this. They have votes that count --- those in Washington don't.

Some of the members of Congress from California would probably be forced into retirement (i.e Steve Horn) rather than run again. Last cycle it was a recall....this time it is the possibility of new lines.

Matt is a very sharp guy, but the facts are incumbents almost always win. Steve Horn, like former Congressman Vic Fazio, was vulnerable because of the rapidly changing district, not the lines.

Happy New Year!

I've been in hybernation throughout the Christmas season. Shopped. Celebrated. Slept. Traveled. Watched Movies.

Including one with my favorite movie line.

Impetuous. Homeric.

and my second favorite movie line.

Leave the Gun. Take the Cannoli

-------------------------

N.Z. Bear suggests shopping to save the world. I'm all for it.

My pick. Thai Silk.

Is He Really the Sexiest Man?

Do you think this passage means that Jude Law weighs only 150 pounds?

So how did the Jude Law experiment work out?


Without doubt, he showed guts (or hubris) to appear in six movies that have been released in the past two months. Not to mention posing for countless magazine covers. GQ's profile waxed ecstatic over his "stunning symmetry and flawless bone structure," claiming he'd been "rendered into 150 pounds of chewed Bubblicious in Gap wear," whatever that means. According to GQ, his films managed to "redefine the fantasy-action film and expose the sexual psyche of the contemporary male."


Well, not really. "Sky Captain" didn't redefine much of anything; it's struggling to get to $40 million domestic. If "Alfie" exposed anything, it's that its take on the "sexual psyche" is anachronistic. It seems stalled under $15 million. Jude's brief turn as Errol Flynn (news) in "The Aviator" is flashy but microscopic -- the movie belongs to Leonardo. Narrating "Lemony Snicket" must have been fun, but it's hardly a career step. As for "Closer," Clive Owen steals the show.


The lesson? There's such a thing as overexposure, Jude, even for those elite few who are "chewed Bubblicious."

Get In the Christmas Spirit


A couple days ago, I suggested and the gracious and witty DeoDuce acted. She's organized the Bear Flag League to join the Friends of Iraq Blogger Challenge. The Challenge pits us against famous bloggers like PowerLine and Captain's Quarters to raise money to assist the good people of Afghanistan and Iraq through the Spirit of America.

The first phase of the Friends of Iraq Blogger Challenge has begun. The Challenge is a friendly fundraising competition among leading bloggers in support of Spirit of America projects in Iraq. “Blog” stands for Web log which is a very easy way for people to publish information and views on the Internet. Bloggers are people that have blogs.

What they're saying about the Spirit of America ...
The Wall Street Journal
Spirit of America: "A coalition of the can-do."
Dan Gillmor, San Jose Mercury News
Spirit of America: "a Web-based humanitarian project that almost anyone can endorse, regardless of one's stance on the wisdom of the war."
LtCol David Couvillon, U.S. Marines
“They say there aren’t any ‘silver bullets’ for improving things in Iraq. I don’t know. Spirit of America just might be a silver bullet.”


Spirit of America sponsors projects, large and small, to assist the rebuilding and spread freedom and democracy. Click on this link to find out more about some of their projects.


I hope my readers will make a contribution. It's easy using Paypal or a credit card. Or you can even send a check.

In just a half a day, we've soared to #7 on the Challenge. If you all contribute, we can beat the Northern Alliance!

Happy Thanksgiving

Here's my contribution to the feast

The Irishlass Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

24 lg. mushroom caps, cleaned
12 or so stems from the mushroom caps, diced
1/3 c. butter, melted
6 oz. fresh dungeness crabmeat
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. minced green onions
1 Tbsp. horseradish
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. minced parsley
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Adjust rack to upper third. Saute mushroom stems. Brush mushrooms with melted butter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Drain crabmeat, discard liquid and set meat aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise and horseradish. Add bread crumbs, cheese, green onion mushroom stems and parsley. Stir until well mixed. Add crabmeat and toss with a fork. Mound 1 level tablespoon of the mixture into each mushroom. Bake for 5 minutes or until warm, then broil 4 inches from heat for about 1 minute or until light golden brown. Serve immediately.


I've mainly been working on my project blog - Boycott Ocean's 12. Please stop by.