MacDries doubts it will make them see the war any clearer.
Eat Your Heart Out, Frank Geary...
...then retire, defeated.
Blair Fesses Up - Pre-Election
"The evidence about Saddam having actual biological and chemical weapons ... has turned out to be wrong."
-PM Tony Blair
Well, doh!!!!

A nation's artists and musicians have a particular place in its social and political life. Over the years I've tried to think long and hard about what it means to be American: about the distinctive identity and position we have in the world, and how that position is best carried. I've tried to write songs that speak to our pride and criticize our failures.

These questions are at the heart of this election: who we are, what we stand for, why we fight. Personally, for the last 25 years I have always stayed one step away from partisan politics. Instead, I have been partisan about a set of ideals: economic justice, civil rights, a humane foreign policy, freedom and a decent life for all of our citizens. This year, however, for many of us the stakes have risen too high to sit this election out.

Through my work, I've always tried to ask hard questions. Why is it that the wealthiest nation in the world finds it so hard to keep its promise and faith with its weakest citizens? Why do we continue to find it so difficult to see beyond the veil of race? How do we conduct ourselves during difficult times without killing the things we hold dear? Why does the fulfillment of our promise as a people always seem to be just within grasp yet forever out of reach?

I don't think John Kerry and John Edwards have all the answers. I do believe they are sincerely interested in asking the right questions and working their way toward honest solutions. They understand that we need an administration that places a priority on fairness, curiosity, openness, humility, concern for all America's citizens, courage and faith.

People have different notions of these values, and they live them out in different ways. I've tried to sing about some of them in my songs. But I have my own ideas about what they mean, too. That is why I plan to join with many fellow artists, including the Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., the Dixie Chicks, Jurassic 5, James Taylor and Jackson Browne, in touring the country this October. We will be performing under the umbrella of a new group called Vote for Change. Our goal is to change the direction of the government and change the current administration come November.

Like many others, in the aftermath of 9/11, I felt the country's unity. I don't remember anything quite like it. I supported the decision to enter Afghanistan and I hoped that the seriousness of the times would bring forth strength, humility and wisdom in our leaders. Instead, we dived headlong into an unnecessary war in Iraq, offering up the lives of our young men and women under circumstances that are now discredited. We ran record deficits, while simultaneously cutting and squeezing services like afterschool programs. We granted tax cuts to the richest 1 percent (corporate bigwigs, well-to-do guitar players), increasing the division of wealth that threatens to destroy our social contract with one another and render mute the promise of "one nation indivisible." .

It is through the truthful exercising of the best of human qualities - respect for others, honesty about ourselves, faith in our ideals - that we come to life in God's eyes. It is how our soul, as a nation and as individuals, is revealed. Our American government has strayed too far from American values. It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.
Ho Hum
Hemingway Bullfight Tale From 1924 Turns Up
Carter Fears Florida Vote Trouble
Voting arrangements in Florida do not meet "basic international requirements" and could undermine the US election".
Nobel Prize Winner ­ Jimmy Carter
Carter has monitored more than 50 elections worldwide.
He also said: "A fumbling attempt has been made recently to disqualify 22,000 African Americans (likely Democrats), but only 61 Hispanics (likely Republicans), as alleged felons."
Mr Carter said Florida Governor Jeb Bush - brother of the president - had "taken no steps to correct these departures from principles of fair and equal treatment or to prevent them in the future".
Bob & Willie

Heartland

There's a home place under fire tonight in the Heartland
And the bankers are takin' my home and my land from me
There's a big achin' hole in my chest now where my heart was
And a hole in the sky where God used to be

There's a home place under fire tonight in the Heartland
There's a well with water so bitter nobody can drink
Ain't no way to get high and my mouth is so dry that I can't speak
Don't they know that I'm dyin', Why nobody cryin' for me?

My American dream
Fell apart at the seams.
You tell me what it means,
You tell me what it means.

My American dream
Fell apart at the seams.
You tell me what it means,
You tell me what it means.
ConeHead O'Brien To Succeed Leno At Tonight Show (in 2009)
Thank God, Ghandi, Allah, Buddah and whomever. I've been so anxious about this coming late night emptyness.
Even though I have never watched an episode of either of these cloneheads, I am relieved that there is now one less thing to worry about.
As it is, I vacation each summer for a couple weeks (courtesy of my beautiful sister-in-law and her beautiful husband) out on Point Dume in Malibu with Johnny Carson's villa up above the beach, (next to Streisand's) and as I walk by Johnny's tennis courts to get down to the beach, I can't help but wonder what the hell he is doing in there. One can only smoke so much pot until it begins to pale a bit.
C'mon Johnny, do a special or a Kerry Benefit (or something). Don't just fade into the dust.
If you're a Bush supporter, well, go to hell in a handbasket.
108-year-old Starts Smoking Again
GREAT FALLS, Montana - After receiving gifts of cigars from as far away as London, a 108-year-old man started smoking again.
Retired railroad worker Walter Breuning spoke at his birthday party Tuesday of how he reluctantly quit smoking cigars at the age of 99 because he couldn't afford them.
The Great Falls man heard from people like the English cigar fan who sent two Havanas after his story was widely distributed.
"They were $12 cigars and they were good," Breuning said. "You can't get good Havana cigars like that out here."
He also got a birthday note and a few more cigars from a former Great Falls resident now living in Oregon.
"They were pretty good cigars, too," Breuning said.
As Fred Aimi, of Lolo, read newspaper stories to a group of blind neighbors, he came across an account of Breuning's birthday. "That hurt," Aimi said. "I like a good cigar myself."
Aimi said he sent a box of two dozen cigars on Friday to Breuning. "At 108, they can't do him much harm," he said.

MacDries says, "Sounds like Florida in 2000. No?"
Subtle, But...

Notice the difference? I think Bush is beginning to downplay Cheney a bit.

Daddy sounds downright brilliant and prescient, doesn't he?
How Many Billionaires Do We Need?
There are now 313 billionaires in the country, the largest number ever and a huge jump over 262 members last year, according to Forbes magazine.

Wouldn't it be nice if the number of those below the poverty line was decreasing at the same time?

MacDries says, "We sure do, and many more to come in the wacky wild world."
Courting The Womens Vote
These guys will stop at nothing. Don't let them fool you, they don't even like women.
Politicians Are Such Whores
And not to be outdone... C'mon guys, try something original.
"Thank You America...
for giving me a job and I hope you will stay around for years so that I might keep it."
- U.S. Installed Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi
The Supremes

Even though The Supremes elected The Shrub, we have one thing to be thankfull for: None of the good guys or gals retired and thus allow the Shrub to appoint a sucessor. And somehow I think they are all hanging in there.
Yadda yadda, I'm really scratching around for some good news.
Outlaw Blues
"...well I may look like Robert Frost
but I feel just like Jesse James"
- Bob Dylan
She Belongs To me
"...you will start out standing
proud to steal her anything she sees
You will wind up peeking through a keyhole down upon your knees
- Bob Dylan

MacDries says, "Now that is a higher intelligence."
Will You Please Shut Up, Please
Martha Stewart (with apologies to Raymond Carver).

MacDries says, "Somehow I don't believe my family represents the majority of those who will finally cast the ballots, but it does make me feel better about my family.

Mac Dries says, "Interesting, 78% of 27% of 2.8 million registered voters is now "overwhelming" support. I'd say it is evidence of overwhelming apathy on the part of registered voters."

MacDries says, "Listen up Bloomberg."
The "Bogus" Bush Documents
I'm not a huge fan of Maureen Dowd but her column today is worth reading if you are as confused as I am about the current "discovered" Bush National Guard documents belatedly released by the Bush Defense Department. Go HERE

Marian Carr Knox, a former Texas Air National Guard secretary, said she did type similar documents for her boss, Lt. Col. Jerry Killian.
"I know that I didn't type them. However, the information in those is correct," Knox told CBS anchor Dan Rather.

MacDries says, "Plenty of petrol down thataway. Not to worry."
Gotcha!

MacDries says, "You can't buy me love, Oprah. But nice try. Why not Hybrids and really make a statement, Big O?

And the Mushroom Shaped cloud? They usually come from forest fires too, MacDries adds. And this just in...

"There was no indication that was a nuclear event of any kind. Exactly what it was, we're not sure."
-Secretary of State Colin Powell about the large, mushroom cloud explosion reported in North Korea.
Headline!!!!
Sharon Criticizes Hard-Liners in Israel.

MacDries says, "Yeah, and he's such a soft-hearted old pussy (for a terrorist)".
Quote Of The Day
"God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."
-Voltaire

MacDries wants to know if this is a blatant attempt to bond with front porch America by using their language. I haven't heard that term in decades.
Musings (of RomDog)
"I spent the last week in Canada, Bush is not president there, and they have national health care.
I bought a Canadian hat at the airport and pretended I was a tourist on the subway home. It was great knowing I had health care."
The Old Romdog can be found HERE.

MacDries adds, "Not to mention 1000 dead Americans."
Mid-Term Correction
George Bush, taking a stroll with a senior member of Congress, meets a little girl carrying a small basket with a blanket over it. Curious, he says to the girl, "What's in the basket?"
She replies, "New baby kittens" and opens the basket to show him.
"How nice" said Bush. "What kind are they?"
The little girl says, "Republicans."
Bush smiles, pats the little girl on the head and continues on. Three weeks later, again taking a stroll with a different congressman, he sees the little girl again with the same basket.
Bush says, "Watch this, it's very cute." They approach the little girl.
Bush asks how the kittens are and she says fine. He then says, "What kind of kittens are they?" and she replies, "Democrats."
Somewhat abashed, Bush says, "Three weeks ago you said they were Republicans!"
"I know," she says. "But now their eyes are open."

2. My mother  taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come  out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about  TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to  knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My  mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's  why."

5. My mother taught me MORE  LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your  neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean  underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My  mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give  you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me  about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat  your supper."

9. My mother taught me about  CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back  of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
  "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about  WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado  went through it."

12. My mother taught me about  HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a  million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world,  and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about  BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your  father!"

15. My mother taught me about  ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children  in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home"

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING
"You  are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother  taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing  your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My  mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you  think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me  HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't  come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll  never grow up."

22. My mother taught me  GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut  that door behind you.  Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me  WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll  understand."

25. And my favorite: - My mother taught  me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I  hope they turn out just like you!"

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

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