Forty-nine days left to add to the Bush legacy... or something like that.

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I keep reading that David Gregory (chief White House Correspondent for NBC) will be taking over on Meet The press.
I know Tom Brocaw taking Tim Russert's spot was temporary, so David Gregory isn't a bad choice at all and not unexpected.
I really miss Tim Russert. He made watching Meet The Press very interesting with his enthusiasm.
He was so into the show, interviews and debates. Still miss him. In some ways it was his show.
It was such a shame that he died at the premature age of 58.
His son Luke not only looks a bit like Tim but even has some of his mannerisms and voice.

Chambliss (as I expected) won the Georgia senate run off election.
It still looks like Coleman won over Franken in Minnesota too...
So no filibuster proof senate for the democrats.
Let's hope the dems and repubs can get something done in the next few years instead of the usual bullshit.
We have major problems that we need to really fix instead of the normal stalemate until all hell breaks loose and then blame it on the each other. If that happens, well, the word "doomed" or at least "doom and gloom" pops into my head for the middle class.

I also keep coming across the rumor that Sarah Palin might appear on the season finale of abc's Desparate Housewives.
I knew I hated that show. lol. No seriously I don't watch it. Seems a fitting place for her though. Yay.

Newsweek had a very sobering, pessimistic and depressing story about the possibility of attacks with weapons of mass destruction (such as biological pathogens). It's something more for people to be stressed out about.
Beginning to wonder why people are so stressed out and discouraged? Just look and listen to the news these days.
Threat of WMD terrorist attack in future

Auto makers, banks, insurance, state governments, there seems to be a larger and larger list of folk that want $$$.
Still not sure how it's all going to help "Main Street" at all... Maybe, maybe not.

Watched the Laura and George Bush interview with Charles Gibson. It was okay. Nothing really new.
They have the strangest body language with each other. I wonder what their days are like together.

Non Political:

Gun's and Roses cd, something like 17 years in the coming, ain't so great. Sorry Axl.
They're fighting with Dr. Pepper over a free soda deal if the cd came out in 2008. Seriously?

Still struggling with Christmas presents but have some ideas at least.
So far haven't been able to muster much enthusiasm but hopefully it'll get better shortly.
Just have too much on my mind and a little down in the dumps.
I realized tonight that part of my problem is that I stopped working on the book I was writing.
I felt better when my page tally was going upward.

Senior class is one cost after another. Just bought a bunch of pizza's and cheesecakes because we have no relatives to sell all this stuff to... next up is magazines. UGH. I don't want to hit up the few people I know at holiday time to buy overpriced items my senior is selling. January there is the next installment on the Senior Class trip of $200.00.
It's the most expensive year by far!
Well, at least this is the last time we have to do it. Last one in high school.
Hallelujah!!!

Well, G'night for now.
Have a good day.

Laura

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Fifty-three days left of George W Bush... Black Friday.

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I don't go shopping on Black Friday (or Thanksgiving Thursday).
Crazed consumerism isn't consistent with a time of family gathering for a relaxing and Thankful holiday at all.
I understand wanting to save money, but running around trying to beat everyone else to the holy grail isn't my idea of fun.
No tv, game console, computer is worth standing in line at Best Buy from 7pm Thanksgiving night to 5am the next morning...
I guess I don't make a good shopper. I'd rather shop online or shop less crazed times for sales.

This year a Long Island Walmart had a death at it's Valley Stream store.
People rushed into the store knocking down and trampling a 34 year old worker who died.
They also knocked down a pregnant woman that had to go to the hospital.
This is utter insanity, no material item is worth someone's death. It's scary to me how crowds of people act.
Crowd mentality. First come first served. Everybody for themselves.
Black Friday doesn't bring out the best in people.
My family lived in Valley Stream a long time ago. I was born nearby and then we moved when I was 6 months old.
Black Friday Story

Still don't even know what we're going to do come Feb when tv goes digital.
We're one of the last few die hard antenna people that don't have cable and have lived quite well without it and another monthly bill.
I guess we'll have to go cable or satellite but I'll hate doing it.
Honestly I'm tempted to just use the computer, but everything isn't available free online for tv. Sigh.
I'd do without but doubt the kids would be happy with that. We have some time anyway.
Don't even know which would be better or cheaper for that matter: satellite or cable.

Still updates to the Mumbai, India terrorist attack. It seems that the attack is over but the final information isn't released yet.
There are at least 150 people dead and many more injured. It's so sad that people are able to treat others so callously.
If humans spent as much effort getting along and working together rather than plotting to kill people that don't agree with them or look different from them the world would be a much better and safer place for everyone.
A child of 12 does not deserve to die in such a manner. A premeditated act of violence... that proves what?
Is everyone's God so different that this is justifiable behavior?
Is "peace on earth good will to men" such an unobtainable possibility?

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On a far lighter note take a look at this short video on a SNL Brian Williams skit. Sometimes they actually get it right... ha.


Williams introduces 'new' Nightly News intro

Going to try to enjoy family and relax as much as possible this weekend.
Can't believe Monday will be December 1... yikes.
Doing a lot of home made foods (pies and cookies) along with hand made things (jewelry, gift baskets, silkscreened shirts, etc.) this Christmas to save some money. No big gifts this year.

Might be back later.
Going to watch a little tv for a while.

G'night for now,
I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving.

Laura

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Show Me the Money... or Twenty-seven days to E-Day

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There's a part of me that wishes that we could just get this vote over tomorrow.
It seems like this election has been going on forever.
And if the fundamentals of the economy are strong I'd hate to see it when it was only mediocre...
Even if you take the "fundamentals" to mean the workers, they're getting beaten up by job losses and pension/health care/mortgage crisis, etc.
I wonder if they'll start building affordable housing units for the middle class soon...
More likely we'd get Hurricane Katrina trailers.

Ya betcha I'm cynical...

Still hoping that the campaigns on both sides stop with the really nasty personal attacks. (especially McCain)
But I imagine with less than a month left it won't let up all that much.

What really irks me the most is President Bush.
He's like a rat that comes out of his hole in the wall of the oval office to say a few words like "Pass this bill, right away" and then scampers as fast as his little feet will carry him back into it because the flashes from the press folks cameras and the noise of questions called out scares him to death now or something. Seriously.

Would it be a huge problem with three months left as president if he actually showed some backbone and leadership by talking to the American People and trying to rally us into unity (remember the I'm a uniter not a divider) by acknowledging the economic crisis and how it's hurting the people out there that voted perhaps for him in the past?
Could he show some passion and caring for everyone's situation and recognize the scary place a lot of people are in right now.
Nope. Nothing. Nada. Nothing anyone could hang on to, that would make them feel better or show that he really cares.
I suppose he doesn't want to undermine McCain or cause the Republican Party any problems with some random thing he might mess up saying. And where the hell is Cheney anyway?

I really hate the economic bailout/buyout/rescue plan.
Not because I fear it's socialism or communism or whatever some people are labeling it.
But because of the way it was jammed through as if it was the only possible way this could have been handled.
Bullshit. Complete Bullshit.
Doesn't it bother anyone that the Secretary of the Treasury is Hank Paulson? The former CEO of Goldman Sachs who when he moved over to the government had to sell off his Goldman Sachs stock for somewhere around a half billion dollars. Wonder what his severance package looked like? I guess he parachuted right over to the government. So basically he's in charge of bailing out the same bastards that he was one of a short time ago and we're supposed to trust this? Seriously?

And they wonder why American's no longer trust their government or big business.

How about the party AIG didn't cancel after they were bailed out? I keep reading that it cost around $443,344 to throw it.
What utter gall and complete disrespect for the people working their asses off just to keep their family afloat. Unbelievable.
How many lower level workers do you think were welcome at that party? (Assuming they weren't laid off all ready)
How do these people sleep at night?

I would certainly be thrown in jail if I bamboozled anyone with complete disregard like they have.
But not them, nope. We bail them out and allow them to keep their jobs, throw parties, keep their homes and retirement.
How many small business owners have been bailed out... yeah right.
If they don't recoup their money and still tank even after the bail out what will they leave with the next time.
The only reason these big corporations care about the workers is because they're the reason they can keep their party at the top going. Drones. Worker bees. They don't care if we're all that happy, or if our standard of living is good or not they just care that everyone shows up to work so they can make profits.

No all businesses aren't like that they actually care about the people that work for them and try to pay them reasonably and give them benefits because they realize they wouldn't be a business without the good people that work for them.
But the bottom line is always profits, it has to be, so even if it hurts like hell to cut back; people have to go.

What's going on with that $25 billion automotive bailout loans they'll be getting... and how much more will they ask for in the future? And haven't we bailed Chrysler out of bankruptcy once before sometime around 1979? Let's see, airlines, cars, banks, what else is next?
I desperately need a new car, have two kids looking at college and one has no health insurance. Who's sending me mad money? Who even has mad money anymore? It's all on credit cards now anyway isn't it?

I wonder what the Christmas shopping will be like this year. Not all that far away.
Do people spend money on large ticket items they don't really need in uncertain times without the cold hard cash to pay for it?
Maybe ole Bush will come out and tell us to all go buy stuff to keep the economy strong... again. Sure.

Well, g'night for now
Making Chicken Parmesan tomorrow night I think.

Laura


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