Friday, August 22, 2008

Obama Chooses Biden as Running Mate



I'm SO excited!!! I've been a fan of his for years and he was my 1st choice for Barack to pick. How amazing that for the 1st time in my life I am truly and sincerely supporting candidates that I believe in (as much as one can "believe" in a politician.)

Oh No! Say it isn't so! Rachel Maddow will replace Dan Abrams as host of the 9PM hour on MSNBC

Rachel Maddow Replacing Dan Abrams On MSNBC Effective Immediately - Oh No!! To be clear, I absolutely love and admire Rachel and not a question MSNBC made a good decision to give her "a" spot of her own....just not Dan's.

Over 2100 comments so far on Huffington Post almost all positive about Rachel and a smaller majority agreeing that Dan's show should be kept on the air. As I read all of the comments I wondered and hoped Rachel and Dan have thicker skin than I do. My 1st instinct is to defend them when someone says something offensive but then I realize it's a pointless act. Just like the hateful comments some say about Barack that make me crazy I have to simply ignore. This is like asking a lion to not protect her cub, totally against the grain of my DNA.

Dan's sense of humor, humility and professionalism propelled him as he magnificently navigated his way through his last show. Not an easy task but certainly not a surprise that he manuvered this so well. The guy's a class act!

I've been thinking I need to reduce my time online and watching the news anyway. Seems like a perfect time to attack the pile of books I’ve been wanting to read and make some time for all of the things on my "to do" list. That is, right after the convention!

Hopefully MSNBC will come around quickly and get Dan back on his own show.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Thank You, Mr. President

I saw Rory Kennedy interviewed on MSNBC and can't wait to watch this! Click the link above to see schedule of airings

A legend in political reporting, Helen Thomas has covered every president since John F. Kennedy, earning the nickname "First Lady of the Press." Now in her 80s, the venerable journalist sits down to review her life and career in depth for the first time, engaging in a one-on-one interview with award-winning director Rory Kennedy, when THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT: HELEN THOMAS AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Presented during an election season that finds the press playing a critical role in the future of the nation, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT: HELEN THOMAS AT THE WHITE HOUSE traces the reporter's journey from her modest beginnings as the daughter of illiterate immigrants to her status as fearless journalist who stands up to the most powerful men in the world. Reflecting on her storied career, Thomas offers illuminating insights into the distinct personalities and foibles of the presidents she has covered, and remembers some of the scandals that have rocked the White House over the years.

The fact that Rory Kennedy, niece of John F. Kennedy, directed the film and interviewed Thomas seems particularly appropriate, given the fact that JFK was the first president Thomas covered (and was one she greatly revered). Their conversation is supplemented by archival clips of Thomas in action, as well as photos.

For more than six decades, Thomas has held a front row seat at White House press conferences, covering nine presidents. "I think that presidents deserve to be questioned, perhaps irreverently, to bring them down a size," Thomas says of her own role in the White House Press Corps, believing strongly that the White House press conference is the only forum where a president can be questioned on a regular basis and held accountable for his actions.

When she started working in Washington, Helen Thomas was one of a handful of women in the White House Press Corps. She joined United Press International (UPI) in 1943, and began covering presidents in 1960. While the tradition of opening and closing a news conference had been around since the Roosevelt era, Thomas became the first woman to both open a news conference with the first question and conclude the session with "Thank you, Mr. President," making the practice her signature. She recalls the first press conference where she used the closing, saying, "I could see President Kennedy was struggling. So, finally, I got up, and I said, 'Thank you, Mr. President.'...I got him off the hook."

Although Thomas admits she is sometimes star-struck, she adds, "I know I'm not a friend to these people." When Richard Nixon publicly congratulated her for being appointed the first female chief of UPI, instead of asking something uncontroversial, Thomas posed a hard-hitting question, "even after the President was so nice to me."

While THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT focuses primarily on Thomas's illustrious career as a journalist, it also offers glimpses of her life outside work. Born in 1920 to Syrian émigrés who could not read or write, Thomas says her mother and father instilled a strong sense of justice in her. When she saw her first byline in her high school paper, she knew she was hooked for life, and thought, "This is it." At the time, Thomas never imagined she would cover the White House, but she says she always wanted "to cover history and not fires in Detroit."

Idolized by many and despised by some, Thomas is a determined, steadfast journalist who maintains the utmost respect for the office of the presidency, even while knowing it is her job to ask the tough questions. After more than six decades of presiding over the White House Press Corps, she remains true to her journalistic ideals, noting, "If we don't ask the questions, then they won't get asked."

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Players' field of dreams is Wrigley



The first minor league game played in Wrigley field and my nephew Jason pitched!


Jason Glushon was the star pitcher of the night for the Cougars, tossing three innings in relief of starter Jamie Richmond.

He allowed two hits and struck out four, but will be the pitcher of record when the game resumes after the Chiefs tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Luis Flores.

Nonetheless, he gave the bullpen a much-needed rest -- for now at least -- with Richmond lasting just 4 1/3 innings before being lifted.

"He went out and threw his pitches and showed a lot of confidence," Nieckula said. "He is a big part of our success in this game."

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Dexter Returns September 28th


If you haven't watched Dexter you've missed some absolutely brilliant TV! Even you TV snobs will get hooked on this twisted, provocative and thought provoking tale unlike anything you've ever seen before.

Extended trailer for Bill Maher's documentary 'Religulous'.


According to Maher, the title of the film is derived from the words "religion" and "ridiculous," implying the satirical nature of the documentary that is meant to mock the concept of organized religion and the problems it brings. It follows Maher as he travels around the globe interviewing people about God and religion.

It will be released on October 3rd, 2008


[from trailer]
Bill Maher: Why doesn't he just obliterate the devil and therefor get rid of evil in the world. Fake Jesus: He will. Bill Maher: He will? Fake Jesus: Yeah, it's coming. Bill Maher: What's he waiting for?

[from trailer]
George W. Bush: I believe that God wants everybody to be free. That's what I believe. And that's uh, been part of my... foreign policy.

[from trailer]
Bill Maher: You're a senator. It worries me that people are running my country who believe in a talking snake. Senator: You don't have to pass an IQ test to be in the senate though. He he!


I can't wait to see this!