Stop Me, I'm Rushing!
"The FDA says there's no - zilch, zero, nada - shred of medicinal value to the evil weed marijuana. This is going to be a setback to the long-haired, maggot-infested, dope-smoking crowd."
-- Rush Limbaugh
Headline: Settlement Agreement Ends Florida Investigation of Rush Limbaugh
Read that as: Plea Bargain for Dr. shopping for illegally prescribed pain-killers. He also will pay $30,000 fine which he calls a re-imbursement for investigative costs.
Limbaugh received about 2,000 painkillers, prescribed by four doctors in six months, at a pharmacy near his Palm Beach mansion.

MacDries says, "His pain? Stupidity. Duplicity. Hypocritical Deficit Disporder. Methinks he and Ann Coulter ought to get married, have a kid and let us see the genetic by-product. I'm thinking "evil seed" on the order of Richard Speck, Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, McVeigh...
Poor Poor Pitiful Powell
Colin steps up to the plate a few years too late. He now says he wanted more troops but he was not heeded.

MacDries says, "Well, sure. The Shrub listens to his Generals and you were no longer a General; a mere Secretary, serving coffee."
Hang In There Keith
Keith Richards was reportedly hospitalized for a mild concussion he suffered after falling out of a palm tree while vacationing in Fiji.

MacDries says, "You got a lil' 'splainin to do, Keith. Just why were you up in a palm tree? Looking for coonuts for a Coco Loco?"
Pets, etc.
CodeFred, a pet person, says, "The first sign you may have a pet is giving animals names...."
That may be true but I know people who give names to their cars. However, I also have hundreds of frogs with no names, a few chipmunks, 13 deer, 47 turkeys, 1 coyote, some raccoons and countless perching birds. All free-range. None of which have names.
Also decided to name the white one Mobi.
Bosnian Pyramid

Pyramid Hill near Sarajevo may actually be a pyramid higher than the largest in Egypt.
Go HERE.
Go HERE.

New Koi
Planted two new Koi to keep Roi and Boi Toi comopany. Dreamsickle (orange & white) and a plain white one who is yet to be named. They start out at about 5 inches each like Roi did.
Back home now and filled up with Gen Tsao's Crispy chicken, Sesame noodles, juicy buns and bbq spareribs. I do like the food in Bunker City better.
Kate was out protesting The War today and I'm assuming she didn't get arrested.
Sioux Falls Art Scene

If you're in the nabe, Carol Wright and Carl Grupp and others are doing their thing.
Back To Bunker City
A little yard work then hop the 3:30 Amtrak.

Living With War
You can hear the new Neil Young CD "FREE" on his web site. Go HERE.
One Nation, Under God, In English
"I think people who want to be citizens of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English."
George W. Bush
Graphics
Go HERE for a map of the hometowns of all those killed.
Roving

Go HERE.
Lazy Day
Roi, the Koi, is a lazy old carp. All he does is hang around in the same spot, day after day. Guess I better get him some play mates. No sign of Dreamsicle, the second one I thought I saw.
Hung the screen doors and touched up the hinges.
Snazzy Snack Food Special Effects
Go HERE.
Screw Brokeback
Carandiru by Hector Babenco may be one of the best movies of last year and indeed it goes on my all time best list. Based on a real prison in Brazil, it tells the story of dozens of families and the epidemic of AIDS in prison life. It's way more than a sad short story of two guys cheating on their wives. Find it, rent it.

Highway Robbery
Exxon's profits are up 7% this quarter while we are paying $3 plus dollars a gallon. The Republicans want to give me (and everyone, even those who don't have a car) $100 back. That's about 33 gallons which might last me about a month of getting here and there, less for those who drive to work every day or want to take a vacation to see America The Beautiful.
Let's analyze this a bit. We have a Prez from Texas and Vice Prez with connections to Halliburton. Exxon is based in Texas. It too is a gas/oil company. Hmmm. Nope, nothing there.

MacDries says, "What happened to that old saw about "we invaded Iraq to get some oil". Didn't that work? I thought the mission was accomplished last year. I'm so out of it."
The Axis Of Evil
Early on, The Shrub named Iraq, Iran and North Korea as the 3 most evil nations seeking WMD. He then proceeded to invade the least stable one of the three without any WMD. Brilliant. I think we all know that now. Or at least 66% of us do. And the 33% don't read this (or much of any thing) I imagine.
Apple Leads the Way... Again
Apple has started a plan that will allow buyers of new Macs online or from any Apple Store to re-cycle them for FREE.

MacDries says, "And I hope you know how huge the number is of outmoded computers, printers and peripherals that get dumped every day. Car manufacturers and all large appliance dealers ought to follow suit. The Europeans have been doing it for years."
The Big Bluff
One of the few decent Republican Senators, Arlen Specter (R-PA) is threatening to submit legislation to cut off funding for The Shrubs' domestic phone tapping.

MacDries says, "Yeah, right. And if you buy that, I've still got a nice bridge outside my window for sale."
The Money Cow
So, Picasso's Dora Maar & Cat will sell for $20 million. If that proves true then imagine what Les Demoiselles d'Avignon would go for. Gotta be half a billion. And my old pal Joe Helman is gonna get $20,000,000 for his Lichtenstein Sunset.
That's gonna buy a lot of pasta. Or better yet he could buy my whole oeuvre.
Today's Projects
Planted some French Tarragon, Thyme and Italian Oregano. Looked at other colorful bushes to plant but hesitated. Came home and hauled more rocks for the driveway border and watered the new grass seeding. Got a Hector Babenco movie and the 2nd season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Filled up with gas at $3.10 before it goes up and up. The politicians are scrambling to appear as if they are doing something about it before we have their asses in November.
I tell you if the Democrats can't pull this one off they are even stupider than The Shrub.
My Koi, Roi is still hanging out in about the same damn spot in the cattails. Not very adventurous.
too a break or two, hauled more rocks and then racked the driveway stones level. Looking good when the grass comes in. Ann may come up tomorrow and do her flower planting and weeding.
When the water warms up I have to put the dock back in the pond.
The Dog Wars Begin
My tenant has a dog and she said it was an indoor dog. She agreed that it would not be left outside alone. But today I was awakened by its barking when a neighbor stopped by. Not only that, it now barks continuously whenever I'm in the yard and makes threatening growls if I approach it. I have no intention to try and make friends with it because it would then feel free to come around at all times. I have a call in to the tenant and we will have to come to some accomodation.
Update: Tenant came by and was apologetic so I let it slide for now. Don't really want to find another tenant but I also don't want to listen to barking all summer when I arrive for my extended stay.
Slept Late
After a double feature, both The Squid & The Whale and A History Of Violence were quite good. Wm Hurt is only in one longish scene in A History Of Violence but he was awesomely evil.
Now it's off to the plant farm to get some herbs.

New Music
Just ordered the new Bruce Seeger Sessions and the new Beth Orton Comfort Of Strangers. This is a bit of a compulsive buying/acquiring habit but I'm no way near as sick as my main man Grupp. So I excuse myself. I have a dozen or so other CDs that I'm resisting the urge to buy. And I just saw another Townes CD I don't have..... If I didn't mention it the latest George Jones, and latest Van Morrison have both proven to be excellent. Thus I am vindicated.
Today's Projects
First I removed all the screen protectors from around our lilac and holly bushes. Got tired of looking at them plus, if you have to screen them from the deer how beautiful are they. Then I hauled a few barrows of rocks to extend the rock garden. Went to town and got a couple DVDs for the evening. The Squid & the Whale and A History Of Violence. Went to Agway to get some herbs but they said it was a week early and that we had a frost last night. I did not know that. So I bought a small Moonshadow plant. Now I have to dig a hole for it but I may put it off until tomorrow. I'm a bit whipped after those rocks.
Last Night's Movie
Watched Match Point last night. Very stylish, like most Woody Allen movies and Scarlett sure is a lovely piece of work. The guy is also very handsome. That's about the most you can say for it. Clever. At least it didn't have Woody's usual tedious jewish neurotic schtik.
King Koi

Exciting news! Roi and at least one more of our Koi have survived the winter. Roi was about 5" when we planted him about a year ago. He is now about 14" and bright orange. The other one is orange and white and it may be Boi Toi. I can't remember which one was colored like a Dreamsicle. They were hiding in the cattails so I couldn't get a good shot.
Digital Birds & Bees
A little boy goes to his father and asks "Daddy, how was I born?"
The father answers: "Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway!
Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via e-mail with your mom and we met at a cyber-cafe. We sneaked into a secluded room, where your mother agreed to do a download from my hard drive.
As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months later a blessed little Pop-up appeared and said..............
  You've got a male.

Headline
Bush Takes Aim At Rising Gas Prices

MacDries says, "Hope his aim is a whole lot better than it is against those "Iraqi Insurgents" who were going to welcome us with open arms. Gas up here is $3.10 today. $3.23 in Malibu a few days ago."
Fed Up/FedEx
Installed OSX updater on the way up here. Arrived safe and sound and on time. Got to the house to discover a huge package delivered by FedUp. Wrong address, wrong road, wrong name on package. It said house was yellow; ours is off white/beige. Told a FedEx driver about it he said to call FedEx. I said, no. I'm telling you. I don't care. Found the addressee in the phone book and called. He said he'd come by.
UPS is far superior. We always have trouble in Bunker City. I think they hire drivers who are required to be illiterate and can only use a scanner.
Anyway, my puny little Forsythia is blooming and the grass I planted last month is sprouting. Still no sign of my Koi in the pond. Gotta buy more, I guess.
Up Country
Heading for Penn Station to spend a few days in the country.
New Springsteen out today. The Seeger Sessions.

I ♥ TekServe
Young girls spent about an hour running tests on my Powerbook, burned a test DVD from another server and determined that all I need do is a clean install. How much did this cost? Zero$$.
TekServe
Gotta go to my favorite busness this morning. My SuperDrive crapped out and won't burn CDs or DVDs anymore. The guys at the genius booth at the Santa Monica Apple Store told me I'd probably get a better price there because Apple charges a flat $300 plus change.
Onomania
Oniomania is a word for the urge to shop till you drop, habit of the debit, thrill of the bill. According to a pearl of ancient wisdom, we don't acquire things, things acquire us. In the case of oniomaniacs, it is perhaps the fun of acquiring things that acquires them.
The above comes from a newsletter I get called Wordsmith. Go HERE to subscribe.

Cat Nap

Cheney caught napping, as other administration officials leave a briefing by President Bush and Chinese leader Hu Jintao.

MacDries says, "Better asleep than awake causing trouble."
Wine Tasting Pavillion
My friend Michael Jantzen will soon be featured by Taschen Publishing as one of the cutting edge architects working today. Go HERE to see his pavillion.
Please
If I see one more mention of Tom Cruise, I think I'll puke all over my keyboard. Ditto, Brangelina, Jennifer Aniston... you know the rest. Who, except for journalists and PR agents, actually gives a god damn about Paris Hilton?
I know this is obvious. I just have to vent a bit.
I once saw a billboard that read: People read billboards. You just read this one.
The Cutting Edge
When we went to Tulume a few years ago we came back to find an article in the NYTimes about Tulume. Today and Friday, just back from Joshua Tree, the NYTimes had two articles about Joshua Tree.
We are always on the edge.

The Tease

Carolyn, my sis-in-law.
Dad & 2 of 3 Girls In San Marino

Emma, MacDries, Kate.
Some Girls In San Marino

Emma, Kate & Ann.
Cousins In the Jacuzzi

Seanna, Emma, & Kate.
Van The Man
A new Van Morrison CD came in the mail while we were gone. Pay The Devil is mostly country classics and I gotta say, "Go for it."
Also got a bunch of other new music but haven't begun to tap into much of it yet, except the excellent At The Deer Head Inn by Keith Jarrett with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian. Caveat: Jarrett still insists on including applause on all his live albums.
Give us a break Keith, you are not John Cage.
Vacations Are Good
A few years ago we went to Tulume for a few days and when we returned I had broken my habit of watching the evening news compulsively. I still don't watch TV news or much TV in general and my news is mostly gotten from the internet because the morning paper is mostly last nights news.
Now, after a week without much internet, I find it hard to get back into keeping up. I log on to CNN, look at the headlines and log off. I suppose it will come back but...
Joshua Tree
The Tree.
Teddy Bear cactii.
The rocks.
Wind Farm.
The Decider-In-Chief
Everyone is sending me this link. Go HERE.
Back In Bunker City
Let the blogging begin again.
Thursday night we had dinner with R&A in Pacific Palasades and were joind by the guys from Red Car winery. All the winos proceeded to compare about a thousand dollars worth of wines and chat in winopspeak about "nose" and "tanins" and "this one's corked" etc. Since I no longer subscribe to in vino veritas I had little to say. Carol, Sashi and Chris were all nice guys however and were in town to sample and compose this years vintage. I did sample a couple bottles a few years ago and they were excellent. Check'em out.

That's Some Pig!
Emma and her mom and aunt went down the road a piece to see some giant pigs. I passed, having grown up in Iowa, land of giant pigs. Last day in LA so I think I'll sit on my butt, take a walk down to Point Dume, take a few pix, etc. Tommorow we fly back to Bunker City on Continental which has the smallest seats I've ever sat in. Verbum sap.

Wednesday Update
It's all good being out of Bunker City. Rack of lamb for Easter. Weather is non-existant, meaning nice. Brett is practicing Jessica on his Stratocaster. Emma is doing a bit of writing. Seanna & Kate are "shopping", meaning looking for things they don't need to buy. The Derry/Diemer clan and the Derry/Dries clan are having the traditional Derry Family flank steak and pinto bean, tortilla and eclairs summer feast tonight. Last night we went to Malibu Nobu and was stunned with how good food can be. This morning my blood sugar was almost normal cuz we mostly ate raw fish and few carbs. Thank you John & Carolyn.
The girls saw some whales down on Pt. Dume yesterday. And on Monday we did Joshua Tree which was awesome; like being on another planet. I'll post a page of photos when we get back.
I check the news once a day and it doesn't surprise me how boring it is. Bush is doing a lot of meaningless shuffling of menials and leaving the real ogres in place.
Yadda yadda.

As Promised
We are on hiatus so posting will be sporadic until Friday. Going to Joshua Tree tomorrow then Malibu. Leg of Lamb today for our savior Thelonius Sphere Monk.

Sorry
My web server has been down for hours today.
Walrus is back up now or you are not reading this.
FL v CA*
A girl from Florida and a girl from California were seated side by side on an airplane. The girl from Florida, being friendly and all, said, "So, where ya from?"
The Cali girl said, "From a place where they know better than to use a preposition at the end of a sentence."
The girl from Florida sat quietly for a few moments and then replied, "So, where ya from, bitch?"
*via WlfSng
Rummie Redux
"We went to war with a flawed plan that didn't account for the hard work to build the peace after we took down the regime. We also served under a secretary of defense who didn't understand leadership, who was abusive, who was arrogant, who didn't build a strong team."
- Maj. Gen. John Batiste
Imagine
Not my favorite song but this video is brilliant. Go HERE.
The GOD Who Wasn't There
This one is for CodeFred. Go HERE.
Boiling Mad
During the early 80s Steve Martin joked, "I believe that Ronald Reagan can make this country what it once was - an Arctic region covered with ice." Ronald Ray-gun may have failed to realize the goal of utterly decimating the planet, but his vice president's son may do just that. Go HERE for more.

MacDries says, "Imagine what this country might have been without 20 years of Reagan and the Bushes."
Highway Robbery
Retiring Exxon chairman gets a $400,000,000 retirement package. Lee Raymond testified to congress last year, to wit, "we are all in this together..."
Well clearly, some more than others.

MacDries says, "Someone explain to me why that is not perjury? Oh, I forgot, they were not required to swear an oath."
Overheard NYC
Drunk, 40ish man, drinking a 40 on the corner next to his shopping cart: "First I'm gonna be a lawyer, then I'm gonna be a doctor.
Early Easter*

*courtesy Michael Winship
A Generals Revolt
The list of Generals calling for Rummy's ouster is growing daily. How long can The Shrub keep his ears plugged. Especially since he often says he listens to the Generals on the ground.
I suppose his excuse is these guys are no longer on the ground.
Good Friday, Don't Think So
Never liked Good Friday. My mama died on that day in 1957.
Slept Late Again
Need a second cappuchino.

Friday The 13th
A day early this month.
New Cant
Cant: The special terminology understood among the members of a profession, discipline, or class but obscure to the general population.
The NYTimes writers have a propensity to use such words. The last one noted in this blog was snarky. The new one seems to be louche.
This word is found especially among writers on aesthetic subjects but it could well be applied by political writers to describe our strutting Prez: def. Of questionable taste or morality; decadent.
Screw Allen Shepard, Niel Armstrong (Tom Hanks)
"I turned over and I looked, and I could see the balloon flying into space. And then I realized the balloon was standing still and that was me that was flying straight down. Going very fast!"
-- Joe Kittinger - 1st Man in space.
Go HERE.
I'm Great, Not Sure About You
HARTFORD, Conn. - Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had some advice for anyone who questioned his impartiality in refusing to recuse himself from a case involving his hunting buddy, Vice President Dick Cheney.
"For Pete's sake, if you can't trust your Supreme Court justice more than that, get a life," Scalia said.
Scalia, addressing an audience at the University of Connecticut's law school on Wednesday, said recusing himself from the 2004 case, which focused on an energy task force that Cheney led, would only have given fuel to newspaper editorial writers and other detractors who have said he is too close to the vice president.
"I think the proudest thing I have done on the bench is not allowed (sic) myself to be chased off that case."

MacDries says, "Geez, if you can't trust me, who can you trust. Yo' Mama? I'll bet he won't go hunting again soon with Dickie."
Mass Health Care
One state down, 49 and a couple territories to go. Robert Reich explains. Go HERE.
NYC Street Scene

©2006 Danny Dries
The Perfect Butt
Some Brits have the formula. Go HERE.
Rev. Wm. Sloane Coffin, R.I.P.
One of the good preachers has passed. The Shrub must have missed his message when he was at Yale.
Now There Is A Defense!
In Wednesday's filing, Libby's lawyers also said their defense will center on whose memory is accurate and whose versions of conversations can be trusted - Libby's, or those of reporters and other government officials.

MacDries says, "First they will claim that he was too busy to recall exactly what happened when. Now, his memory is better than a bunch of reporters taking notes."
Now There Is Another Defense!
You are a smart guy, aren't you?" Skilling's lead lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, asked him.
"Yes," Skilling replied.
"Are you smart enough to mastermind this kind of conspiracy and pull it off without getting caught for years?"
"I don't think so," Skilling said.

MacDries says, "Well, he didn't pull it off, did he?"
Now There Is Another Defense!
Defense lawyers argue that the jury should spare Moussaoui's life because of there is evidence that he is mentally ill and because his execution would only play into his dream of martyrdom.

MacDries says, "Now that's just damned spiteful. And does anyone really care what he might or might not want?"
1st Day Of Spring Break
Slept late, so did Sparkler. Don't know what's going on.

WlfSng
Our pal WlfSng lives in Tampa Bay area and has an apartment available for rent. It looks nice and he and his wife are decent people. So, if you're thinking of traveling that way... Go HERE.
Thanks For Nothing, Colin
"It should never have been in the speech. I didnąt need Wilson to tell me that. I never believed it."
-- Colin Powell

MacDries says, "Now there was a used guy. We could have used him to tell us the straight story."
Washington Post Alters Story On Cheney Boos
The Washington Post story before:
The first pitch of the Washington Nationals' second season at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium was low and away, bouncing in the dirt before being scooped up by catcher Brian Schneider. For that, Vice President Cheney received a round of boos from the home crowd this afternoon. Actually, as the video documents, the booing started from the moment Cheney hit the field and continued until he left.

After protests by Americablog and Firedoglake, The Washington Post has changed their copy:
Vice President Cheney threw out the ceremonial first pitch, a right-handed toss that bounced in the dirt to the outside of the plate before being scooped up by catcher Brian Schneider. Cheney, booed by some as he walked to the mound, got even more catcalls after his throw ‹ a far cry from President Bushąs fastball at last year's home opener.
The new version is more accurate, but still clings to the notion that a significant amount of the booing was in response to the quality of Cheney's throw. It's contradicted by the Post's own Reliable Source column which reports Cheney "drew boisterous boos from the moment he stepped on the field until he jogged off."
The Hillary Factor
I have a suggestion for those New Yorkers who feel nominating HRC for Prez would be a death wish disaster for the Dems. Vote against her in her re-election campaignt there wasnąt a Niger connection. He didnąt tell us anything we didnąt already know this year. She will no doubt be a shoo-in but if we take her numbers down a few pegs, let her squeak by, she won't look so inevitable in 2008.
We can then maybe nominate some fresh meat for McCain to chew up and spit out.
Guiliani Time

A new film depicting a more rounded view of the hero of 9-11 and the probable next Veep. He scares the crap out of some of us. Go HERE.
More & More & Then Some
Every day it gets incredibler and more incredibler. I know that's not a word but it takes my speech away what the congress is letting this guy, this imbecile, this Shrub get away with.
Call it a dictatorship and not a benevolent one.
A Whole Bunch Of Blow
MEXICO CITY April 12, 2006 - Mexican soldiers seized 5 1/2 tons of cocaine worth more than $100 million from a commercial plane arriving from Venezuela, Mexico's Defense Department announced Tuesday.

MacDries says, "Worth $100 million???? I'd say it's saves a whole lot more pain and suffering and wrecked lives."
Confirmation
If you hate the Beatles as much as I do, this video will make you cringe. Rock'n Roll? Don't think so. Go HERE.
Selling On Amazon
Had an Airport card that didn't fit my Powerbook so I listed it on Amazon. It sold within 2 hours and paid for one that works. Also sold a few books a while back. Works pretty good.

OMG!!!!
Two of my daughters told me today that this blog is being blocked from their HS internet for offensive language.
Guess I'll have to research what these cone-heads think is offensive.
Backward from this month I found m'f***er and sexy. That's about as far as I want to track it but it is getting a bit silly.
Also, if I change my language, how do I get off the block?
Insidious
Foxnews web site has an new device to bypass pop-up blockers. If you pass your mouse over a green highlighted word, an ad pops up. I only go there to see what the right side is saying... Not going there again.
How Sweet It Is
Bush gave the green light to leak a lie to cover up a lie and prevent more lies from being exposed. He admits to leaking, but claims that it was to get the "truth out."
The Real Deal
Nirvana on Saturday Night Live. A band that had it for a short while. Go HERE.
China Rises
Saw the first half of China Rises last night and it was terrifying; like scenes from the movie Brazil crossed with Kafka and Orwell. A kind of competant totalitarian inevitability compared to the USA's inept imperialism and christian nationalism.
Beware. You heard it here.
There is an extensive web site, featuring video clips, interviews, interactive maps and additional materials. Go Here if you miss the show.

So It Was Some Sort Of Wierd Revenge
Dickie was once himself pelted with a few pellets. Go HERE.
Someone Stop The Shrub Before He Kills Again
"The threat from Iran is, of course, their stated objective to destroy our strong ally Israel. That's a threat, a serious threat. It's a threat to world peace; it's a threat, in essence, to a strong alliance. I made it clear, I'll make it clear again, that we will use military might to protect our ally."
-- G.W. Bush
The Shrub Listens To His Generals
Except when they ask him to dump Rummy Dum Dumb. Go HERE.
Passing The Torch
Our next Prez sucking up.
Go HERE.
Katie Who Cares?

NEXT???
So, everyone, well a few nerds are screaming about running Windose on the new Intel Macs. But... and this is the kicker, doesn't that mean that you could also run OSX Leopard on those cheapo boxes?????
Isn't that an easy hack? I don't know but CodeFred probably does.
Fred?
Update: Fred says, It's already being done. Go HERE.
Spring Break
We're going to LaLa Land for a week on Saturday and I'm going to do an experiment by leaving my Powerbook at home. So, the T Monk Blog will suffer a hiatus. Deal with it but don't desert my man Monk. We will return.
Also gonna do a short jog out to Joshua Tree to see the desert bloom.
5 Days Left
Taxes due on Friday. We've already filed, gotten our return and socked it away to help pay Kate's college tuition coming up.

From The 80s

This is the painting that started a new tack for me.
Katie Who Cares
Newsweek has all the details of Katie's move to CBS in case you missed anything.
China Rises
The latest production from NYTimes and Ann Derry is "CHINA RISES". The series airs on the Discovery Times Channel this week -- Monday and Tuesday nights, April 10 and 11, from 8-10 p.m.
The four programs, filmed entirely in China, are the result of a three-year collaboration between five international broadcast partners -- including The CBC in Canada and ZDF in Germany, who broadcast the programs earlier this year to excellent reviews and ratings.
There is also an extensive web site, featuring video clips, interviews, interactive maps and additional materials. Go Here.
Headline
Israel To Declare Sharon Incapacitated
He's been in a coma for three months.

Sinners & Saints
Prince Harry, 3rd in line to the British throne, enjoyed a lap dance at the end of his training at Sandhurst.
In 2001, the prince acknowledged he had been involved in underage drinking of alcohol (OMG) and had experimented with cannabis (OJC). (That's pot, ganja, marijuana to those of you who have never had a life to speak of.)
He will now serve in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry and be eligible for future service in Iraq or Afghanistan.

MacDries says, "Yeah, right. Harry's gonna face off with a suicide bomber in Bagdad."
Rolling Stones @ 60 Something
"I'm pleased that the Ministry of Culture is protecting the morals of the expat bankers and their girlfriends that are going to be coming."
-- Mick jagger

MacDries says, "I'm pleased that Mick has learned from Ali that it is sometimes better to play rope a dope."
Totally Believable
Sy Hersh, who is often close to the truth on big issues, says The Shurb has active plans for bombing Iran. Go HERE.
NEXT???

For the rest of the stupid fantasy, go HERE.
Here's A Theory
"Georgy needs a nap. He's dying to get fired. Will someone put this guy out of his misery and impeach him already? Believe me, you'd be doing him a favor."
-- Cenk Uygur
Go HERE.
Talking to Himself

This is how The Shrub gets such good advice.
Katie Who Cares
Couric still moving to CBS.

Lady Di (One-act Play)
Fatish black woman seated in a 2 person bench on the # 2 train leaving 96th street. She has a shopping bag occupying the remaining 1/3 of the seat.
Second black woman enters subway at 72nd and brusquely indicates she wants to sit down.
CHAR 1
How tall are you?
CHAR 2
Five four. Five four and hundred sixty-nine.
CHAR 1
I'm hundred and eighty-seven.
These two start to chat in a friendly manner, almost as if they are old friends. Both look a bit like junkies.
Young, attractive black girl has also entered at 72nd street and sits next to a man on the 2 seat bench across from them. She wears a headset and is reading a special issue magazine devoted to Princess Diana. The man notices the two black woman have become interested in the young girl's magazine.
CHAR 1
Hey. Ax her what she's reading. What's that magazine?
Man ignores her. They notice the girl's headset.
CHAR 1 AND CHAR 2 (Shouting.)
Hey! What's that book?
Young girl removes headset and faces the cover towards the other two women. 1st fat woman reaches across and snatches it and begins to thumb rapidly through it. Young girl just sits there.
CHAR 2
Look a that dude. Man that m'f***er is butt ugly. Know what I'm saying.
CHAR 1
Look it them gowns. Man I ain't never seen her wear no jeans. Alls she wore was them gowns.
CHAR 1
He was butt ugly and his girl friend? I don't even wanna talk about it.
The two continue thumbing swiftly, back and forth.
CHAR 1
Oh, look a that one. How much you pay for this trash?
GIRL
Fi' dollars.
CHAR 2
Man I wouldn't pay shit fer this. Oh he's gorgeous. Looks just like her.
CHAR 1
Ohhhhh, he's sweet. Looks like him too.
CHAR 2
'cept he's not butt ugly an ain't got those ears. Man that m'f***er's gonna have ta reckon with God.
CHAR 1
We all got ta answer ta number one.
CHAR 2
Amen.
We have now passed 14th street and the young girl looks around. Doesn't know what to do. The man next to her sympathizes but is clearly enjoying it all.
MAN
Looks like you've lost your magazine.
GIRL
I only read about two pages.
Train is now approaching Chambers Street and the man is getting off. The young girl gets up too. She stands in front of the two women, waiting, but they don't seem to be at all interested in giving up the magazine.
CHAR 2
Man, she sure don't have much of a body, does she.
CHAR 1
I'll say.
Young girl is now getting antsy because she has to get off. The 1st fat woman just hands her the magazine without a look or a thank you.
CHAR 2
I wouldn't be caught dead in one a them gowns.
CHAR 1
I hear that.
Robert Reich For Prez
Ever wonder why CEOs of huge corporations get such huge pay packages while common folks can't save a penny. Once again RR (no, not Ron Reagun) has the answer. Go HERE.
The Shrub Speaks With Forked Tongue
"I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it - and we'll take the appropriate action."
-- George W. Bush

MacDries says, "To paraphrase King Henry in Re: Beckett, 'Will nothing rid us of this malfeasant Prez?'"
Katie Who Cares
Couric sincerely surprised by all the hype.

MacDries say, "Yeah, right. $60 million won't buy much press. Know the word log-rolling?"
Ipso Facto
If it isn't true that Vice President Cheney told Libby that Bush approved the release of information, then Cheney knows that Libby has again perjured himself. Thus the President of Vice has a duty to reveal that Libby's testimony is false.
McCain/Guiliani
Can't ya just see it now?
Of Course He Does
Attorney General Gonzalez now claims Bush has the right to wiretap, w/o a court order, American citizens within the U.S. if they are merely "suspected" of ties to Al Qaeda.

MacDries says, "Who's gonna tap him?"

Bushisms
"We tend to forget. Ours is a society where things are like instant, so therefore, history almost is like so far back it doesn't count."
-- George W. Bush
NYC Streetlife
Saw a woman in City Hall park the other day with a placard reading: I have a chip implanted in my uterus. Please help me remove it.
Didn't have my camera with me so I missed the photo.
Hi Emma

The Gospel According To Judas
Judas was a friend of Jesus. Go HERE.
Scooter Spills The Beans

Lewis Libby, testified to a grand jury that he gave information from a closely-guarded "National Intelligence Estimate" on Iraq to a New York Times reporter in 2003 with the specific permission of President Bush, according to a new court filing from the special prosecutor in the case. Go HERE.

MacDries says, "But, no one will do a damn thing about it."
Pope Benny Goes Punk

Katie Who Cares
Well, the media has managed to milk the Couric no news for the 4th day. Let's all keep track.

Oh, NO!!!
Marshall is divorcing Kim again after re-marrying her in January.

MacDries is disappointed. "Is nothing sacred Em & Kim? So, what I want to know is: does Kim get another settlement this time. If so, I bet it's whopper."
Dying With Dignity
On The Other Hand
Headline: Doctors Re-Attach Piece Of Sharon's Skull
8th surgery since he Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke in January.
Dying With Dignity
Everyone will do it and like living not everyone does it well. But it is a choice for some and Art Buchwald does it with a sense of humor. Go HERE.
As Promised

Carl & Saskia. A seriously beautiful picture. Love all around.
Bruce Does Seeger
If you go to Amazon, you can watch a video of The Boss doing John Henry. I'm lining up to buy that one now.
Go HERE.
Bush Tax Cuts
The NYTimes analysis of IRS data shows:
¶Among taxpayers with incomes greater than $10 million, the amount by which their investment tax bill was reduced averaged about $500,000 in 2003, and total tax savings, which included the two Bush tax cuts on compensation, nearly doubled, to slightly more than $1 million.
¶These taxpayers, whose average income was $26 million, paid about the same share of their income in income taxes as those making $200,000 to $500,000 because of the lowered rates on investment income.

MacDries says, "OK. Everyone knew this all along. The question is why did the middle class still vote for the little fuck? Huh?????"
Pink- Stupid Girl
Good video in case you missed it. (Repeat)
Go HERE for Video.
Feingold v Friedman
Senator Russ seems determined to take a lot of un-necessary positions which will no doubt brand him left of the rest and thus doom him to defeat. First censure which had no chance of happening and now supporting gay marriage which also ain't gonna happen.
I stand with Kinky Friedman (who probably won't happen either) on this: "I think gays and lesbians ought to be able to get married so they can be as miserable as everyone else."
See if they can match the divorce rate for all the heteros out there.
SNOW!!!!
I repeat, what the hell happened to spring?
Jimmy Carter, Ex-Prez
Carter is now involved with working to eliminate trachoma in Africa. There is a video on the front page of the New York Times web site. Check it out.
Boot Camp
As feared Apple is now offering means to install Windows XP on the new Intel Macs.
Oh sorry day, we've now been officially tainted. This really seems like a Republican plot.
We won't give you the link, you'll have to dig in the dirt for yourself.
Spring Back
What the hell happened to spring?

The Year From Hell Is Over
Kate was applying to colleges and Emma was applying to High Schools. Lots of tests and prep tests and practice tests and applications and portfolios and audition tapes and schedules and... it was endless. Well, not really cuz it's over.
Final tally: Kate got into U. Of Michigan, U.C. Santa Cruz, Carnegie-Mellon, McGill and now U. of Chicago. I'm predicting Chicago will be her choice.
Emma tested into Stuyvesant, the best school in NYC, and of course that's her choice. She's shopping for her required graphing calculator as I write.
A lot of hard work from all the girls in the family and well worth it.
Congrats to Ann, Kate and Emma.
Cat Tails Seeding

©2006 Danny Dries
Big Splash
Senator Teddy Kennedy (D-MA) has written a childrens book narrated by his dog who he inexplicably named Splash. Perhaps it slipped his mind that he is famous for a huge splash off of Chappaquidick some years ago.
Katie Who Cares
All the major media are treating the news that Katie Couric may go to CBS as one of the major stories of the day, week, perhaps year. I have to say, though I've seen that same plastic grin countless times over the years in pix, I have never seen The Today Show. Or Good Morning America for that matter.

MacDries says, "Call me out of touch."
No More DeLay
And... cut. He's outta here.
And here's the kicker: He says the election is "too ugly". That from a man who would know.

MacDries says, "If DeLay was a leader, let's hope he has lots of followers who take his good example."

Meanwhile
In additioon to the running toll of dead above: Over 17,000 U.S. soldiers have been injured in Iraq. For some of these thousands that means life as they had expected it to unfold is essentially over. And you can bet that The Shrub will not be around to help them out. Add to that all the husbands and wives and children of these injured. That's a heap of suffering.
Jackie McLean, 74, R.I.P.
Bad Ass alto, played with everyone over the years, Miles, Mingus, Monk, you name 'em. Awesome. I met him at a party once when he was teaching up in Hartford. Nice man.
1000 Words

©John Sherffius
Go HERE for more of his stuff.
No Smoking
This amounts to trivia but in case you've missed the Sharon Stone Blitz, here is her personal rider for the film. Go HERE.
Superstition
Little Stevie Live on SoulTrain. Go HERE.
Nice Movie
Door To Door with Wm. Macy won't rock your world but is well worth renting.
Hit The Road Mac...
Amtrak to Bunker City and I know it wil be busy and noisy and irritating.
Cool and rainy today so I may as well be gone.

Tonight's DVD
Door To Door with Wm. Macy, one of our best actors. If you haven't seen The Cooler you should. If you like good movies.
Sammi Smith

If you've never listened to Sammi sing, you ought to consider getting a real life.
She's gone now and never really got a big push but you can find a few CDs.
King Of Cool

Gotta remember to rent The Thomas Crown Affair one of these nights. The original with Faye.

MacDries says, "I grew up watching Wanted: Dead Or Alive."
Last Night's Movies
Good Night, and Good Luck, was very well done if a trifle heavy on the smoking. Sexy Beast was indecipherable, incomprehensible and pretentious.
Crisp Spring Day
Sunny and 50 degrees. More leaves today after the Sunday papers.

CodeFred On SATs
Fred has a rant which seems about right (if I gave a shit about SATs). Kate just went through them as all 17 year olds must. She's gotten into a few good schools and we go forward and she will do well. Go HERE.
Shuffling Card
"You're the chief of staff. You think you're up to getting us some cheeseburgers?"
-- George W. Bush, to chief of staff Andrew Card.
Illegal Immigrants
Confused about the whole deal? Rich folks want cheap lawn boys. Poor folks worry the boys will take a job they might need. Once again Robert Reich has some ideas. Go HERE.
Seasons Come
The birds are coming back: Red-wing Blackbirds, Cardinals, Nuthatches, Chickadees. And the chipmunks too. The chipmunk carcass I threw out yesterday is gone. Some varmint hauled it off for a snack. Saw a couple ducks in the pond yesterday. Daffodils are out and the Forsythia is just sprouting. As is the Magnolia tree in the front yard. The oak is still hanging on to its leaves from last year as usual. Various other little sprouts are sprouting.
Movies For The Night
Good Night, Good Luck, and Sexy Beast of which I know nothing.
Get Well George
The Possum, George Jones is in the hospital with pneumonia. That can be dangerous for an old dewd like George. Get up, get out and be well.
As I was typing that George came around on Party Shuffle on iTunes. Day After Forever.
Chores
Got in a couple hours of leaves this morning before it started raining. Sunny tomorrow so I'll stay another day.
Movies
Paradise Now is the best movie I've seen in quite some time. Put yourself into the mind of a Palestinian suicide bomber and you will no longer call them terrorists. If Begin and Sharron were freedom fighters, then so are these wretched souls. Also watched Saraband by Ingmar Bergman last night and have one question. How can a man who has created so many materpieces have such a bleak view of life. Liv Ullman is great, as always. Lots of talk.
Happy 30th Birthday To Apple
No, not the one in the the jpg. That is the 1st Mac which came along in 1984. And no, Woz is not longer there. And no not Apple Corps which is fighting a silly lawsuit against iTunes at the moment. How much money do you boys really need? C'mon, sign on Paul, Ringo.

MacDries says, "Few people can afford to drive a Porsche or a BMW or a Lexus but almost anyone can step up and drive a Mac. Over the years, my Macs have cost me about 35 cents a day. And everytime I've ever had to boot up a Windows machine, I have felt rather tainted for days."
Emma's Favorite Day
Sorry I'm not home to suffer your tricks Sparkler but be a fool for me today and I'll be your fool forever.
Carl's lovely daughter Saskia is getting married down in Arizona. And Grupp is actually wearing a tuxedo to the event. I have to have a picture of this.

Back at'cha Shrub. You little twerp!
Go HERE to see the whole tape.

For The Latest Dries Art GO HERE
For The Latest CyberToonz GO HERE
I've never actually watched an episode of The Simpsons (I'm more of a Pixar kind of guy) butt...
*Dislaimer

Go To: MacDries Design

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