kate rothwell

Aya sent me this page from the Boston paper. Sorry if you were going to put it in your blog, Aya. On the other hand, the more places this Art is posted, the better. It deserves an audience. Anyway, what label would you give this shot? It deserves better than " A Landslide? Says Who? " I mean we're obviously talking wave for one thing. Here. Let me crop. That might be easier for you to give this picture words that are worthy of its awesomeness. Caption, description and/or snark, your choice. Whoever gives the best caption gets a prize of some sort. I'll decide soon what it'll be. Look for updates. Weird how pleased McCain is. You'd think in a campaign full of snarls and grimaces they'd find something in which he looks less chipper. Or maybe being buried in a sea of disembodied Obama heads is just what he's been longing for. Click on the photo to see details.

Usually this happens with weather. "Warm enough for ya?" Today's issue? Just guess. No really, go ahead. It won't be hard. First person asks me . My response: Yeah! Sure did! I voted. YAY! Second online nagging me: Yes! I did it. Third nudge : Okay, yes. I did. Fourth: Yeah. Fifth: [shrug] Sixth: It's not really your business. Seventh: Fuck off. Ready to be done. Ready to think about something, anything, other than this election. I didn't even get a sticker so I can't get my coffee or ice cream. Although now it looks like Starbucks is in trouble with that. Go on, all you slackers. You can get your free coffee too .

Even if you hate Obama, this is one slick and funny production. The parts I like are: little headlines on the side (too bad they don't go to real articles) guy worrying about his goat cursing Marcianne Walsh EXCEPT, uh oh, it's one of those video things that apparently plays whether you want it to or not. So I might have to disable it in a day or two because those things drive any visitor batshitcrazy fast.

Barbie and friends explain, with help from Els and friends, using only a few technical terms such as "ooblyboobillion dollars." Speaking of politics, the gay couple down the street have a McCain/Palin sign in their front yard. I'm confused, but I bet not as confused as they are. I mean, guys, have you paid attention to Palin? I get the impression you out types are not part of her Vision of America.

Funny ad from CA.

You might want to watch this if you're thinking of voting for McCain.

notes from last night, mostly twitter but why not? I think I'll go do some promo somewhere today. I'm SO going to win this Palin game! Some of my words and phrases: Alaska, hero, umm, mocked, gosh, earmarks, McCain, gotcha journalism, real American Other random selections: Surge, Media bias, gee, bad guys, governor, tax'n'spend, pelosi, wasilla, elites, wall st, main st Pakistan, phone it in, POW, pit bull 15-year-old: "she's like a feel-good movie, all happy ending, nothing but promises to make it better but it's not real. Not based on reality. She's not even a good movie, like the wedding singer." Huh? This is disturbing. My son likes the wedding singer..? ? IT is NOT NUCULAR YOU MORON. Why is she doing this? why? Just to make everyone here scream NUCLEAR at her? Is that why Palin's saying it wrong? Lauren points out it's on purpose--it makes Palin folksy and not elitist and we who correct her are East Coast Elitists. Hell. She's righ...

Bill at dkos has a great plan "i f you have a death wish, here's your drinking game for tonight: Every time Sarah Palin leaves the 'g' off a word ("Lyin'," "Cheatin'", "Moose huntin'"), take a swig of tequila. I promise to say nice things about you during your funeral." The link above also leads to his great take on Stephen King's version of Katie and Sarah's next encounter. Spooky plus a fine accent. My kids feel cheated because I won't let them play a drinking game tonight. The two that are home are supposed to watch the debate for school (did you have to watch debates when you were in sixth grade? I don't think we did) Anyway, they're pretty excited and want me to go out and buy snax like it's the super bowl. No alcohol for them and really no liquids either. I suppose I could have an eating game? Like each kid starts with the same number of cheez puffs and each gets a particular set of phrases...

You know you love the Palin baby name generator. Now, even more fun, is the Palin answer generator. Hey, you can either watch that Couric interview over and over or generate some answers t hat make even more sense!

Cortesy of Ron Wormus, by way of my brother. Who originally wrote it? I dunno. Dear Sir: I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you. I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transaction is 100% safe. This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred. Please reply with all of your ban...

I figured out why the Trig on her lap story (in the car at least twice!) annoyed me personally so much I had to write about it at the great orange satan. (Or satin as some people call it) It's just another case of if I manage this basic grown-up task, why can't s/he ? And, hey, unlike Palin, I'm never going to paint myself as an UberMom** or use the boys to advance my political career.... I've been a mother for almost 18 years. And I can think of one time only that I didn't strap a boy in in--when we were driving across a parking lot. One time only. Even when my goddamn back went out and putting the toddler in the far car seat and putting that buckle over his head was agony (whoa, do I remember that) I made sure he was secure. When they screamed and struggled to get out of their seats while we were on the road (and toddlers always go through that stage at some point) I didn't give into their tantrums. It was a simple choice. For the last 19 years, my 3 kid...

I have fabulous excerpts from Bonnie Dee but first..... Flipping and flopping.

I'm ready for the end of stories about how wildly horribly inappropriate SP is. Not even counting the family stuff, I'm talking about political stuff. Anyway. The Sarah Story is too much. It's like a blog kerfuffle (bloffle)--and after a while you start to feel like you need a shower. A really really long shower because for once, the stakes really matter. Give me some author acting like a big arse with her readers. Not nightmares about the people running the country. I don't want to see any more of that really, really ineffectual man behind that curtain for now. But I still enjoys emails like this "She lives kinda near Russia so she's a foreign policy expert. I'm about an hour from the ocean. Can I call myself a marine biologist?" So enough, enough. How about books? I have the Good Books all lined up but I'm out of escapist trash. Got any ideas? I'm sort of sick of spies and murder in rrrrromance. If I'm going to do murder, how about a my...

Great speech, Hillary, but damn. Your generous, whole-hearted endorsement leads to disappointment for snarkers everywhere. Time to abandon the deranged narcissistic crackpot image that was pretty funny. Okay. . . Just once more, for old time's sake. (Eat your heart out, Gloria Swanson....and thanks, Doug)

I don't like emotion in politics and I really, REALLY fear patriotism and nationalism. After the hundreds of stories I heard from refugees, I don't trust those emotions to produce anything good. The "it can't happen here" thing doesn't cut it. But boy howdy, patriotic is how I felt tonight when I listened to Obama. I've decided that's okay. There were no enemies in his speech. And it wasn't that we're supposed to be better than anyone else ("America as the last best hope" aside) it's that we're supposed to be better than ourselves. Yeah, okay. Good. PS. Another sign I've been reading too much Pratchett ...because I thought, Whoa dude, Obama is CARROT!

I guess you gotta go here to cast your vote. And I'm sorry if you like other videos better or if you don't like Obama or you don't want to get on some mailing list. That's just too bad. Vote for Alan or the dog gets it. Look at the dog. You don't want anything to happen to her, do you? I didn't think so...

Yeah, yeah, it's politics. But it's a lot of fun spending play money here. I like the idea of buying an IPod, a Hanes classic 6-pack of socks and a new national power grid, a secret island fortress, and still have money for a few thousand Hannah Montana anti-static pink hairbrushes.

Way back in the dawn of time when I was 22, courting my husband-to-be, we got into an argument. I walked away from him into another room, but it was to stop myself, not show him I could leave him any old time. I left to calm down. It was the first time I'd done that with anyone and it was the right thing to do or I would have said something unforgivable. It became a pattern that works for us. Eventually we'll have a discussion but the immediate insult is swallowed. I'd rather walk away for ten minutes, an hour -- some amount of time -- than let loose with an insult that might cause harm. Hey, sometimes when we fight we've shouted shut up or fuck you. Over twenty-something years, that's pretty good. Nothing horribly hurtful or directed at trying to destroy the other person. Even in heat, we tend to keep in mind that there is going to be life beyond this fight. No scorched earth policy. Before that I would let it all hang out. I was young...IMMATURE. Plus I was with...

actually it's for me. She listens to the arguments and issues and stuff...? And I just like the snark.

Facts so often get in the way of a good moral education (this was produced before creationism became all the rage over here...) ah, the things they teach in schools these days. Stolen from some lefty blog or another. Atrios, I think. Aren't F and L young and adorable?