Ervolino

The Palin choice

She's beautiful and well-spoken, but how attractive is she as a vice-presidential candidate for John McCain?

An element of change comes with the selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, although watching her onstage in Dayton, it was hard not to think that McC went through the list of likely nominees and then settled on his son's kindergarten teacher.

The Guv hit all the right notes when it came to telling Americans what her philosophy of governing is. She is unquestionably a Washington outsider. She came to the governor's office in an aw shucks, Jimmy Stewart sort of way -- starting with her days as a PTA mom -- that is truly appealing.

And yet, her selection is an almost bizarre roll of the dice for McCain. With his age and health always in question, choosing a woman who is virtually unknown in national politics and has no foreign policy experience was a shocker.

In her speech, Palin graciously (and self-servingly) brought up Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Translation: Here I am, Ladies!

A month ago, it would have made sense for McC to aggressively pursue the disgruntled Clinton voters. But after the Democratic UNITY hoe-down in Denver, it's hard to believe that many Clinton supporters are going to bypass Obama in favor of a social conservative like Palin.

Actually, I think that her selection is a nice plus for Biden, a smart and thoroughly experienced candidate who can be a bit of a windbag during debates. Of course anything is possible, but I suspect that having Palin onstage with him will relax Biden. He won't have to remind all of us of his many accomplishment and experience, because that will be obvious.

Much as I like McCain for many reasons, I have no interest in electing a social conservative. McC has made a selection that will appeal to the Republican base, but so many other possible choices would have done that as well.

Those of you who are McC supporters, please weigh in, here. Did your guy make the right choice?

As I've said in the previous post, I look forward to learning as much as possible about Palin, her family and her brief but very proactive political career.

Sarah Plain and Tall

John McCain's veep choice, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, will provide America with its second-ever female vice-president nominee. A fiscal and social conservative, Palin was the dark horse in this race. So much so, that we can probably expect the media to go into overdrive for the next few days, telling us about her and her background.

I'm one of the millions out here who knows nothing about her, so I'm looking forward to The Palin Report.

The official announcement is going to be made shortly in Ohio.

A dream fulfilled

Yeah, you really got me now.

I've had a hard time warming up to Barack Obama. His most-praised speeches have made me snooze.

But tonight, in an extraordinary 45 minute address to the nation, candidate Obama made more than a little magic.

If his goal was reach out to me -- and people like me -- who have yet to be convinced of his power and potential, then he succeeded.

If his aim was to remind us that politics can and should be inspiring, then congratulations once again.

If he wanted to assure us that the last eight years of misery, deception and failure were finally coming to an end, then make no mistake, he knocked it out of the park.

For the first time, I felt this exceptional young man spoke to every concern I have about my country and its future.

His small moments were big. His big moments were huge.

His attacks on John McCain hit the mark and will most certainly be scrutinized and addressed by the McC campaign. There's no way to avoid that. Obama's critiques of McCain, his voting record and his philosophy of government were body slams that had to resonate with anyone who feels the country has been headed -- relentlessly -- in the wrong direction.

We look forward to McCain's speech next week. He has to be at his best, and he is more than capable of making his case to the American people.

But tonight -- and this week, and month -- belong to Obama.

He was stirring, superb and spoke to what so many of us needed to hear. Change isn't going to come from Washington, change has to come TO Washington.

Very nice. And very smart.

Candidate Obama should finally see the bounce in the polls that has eluded him for so many months. He deserves it.

And whether we support him or not, we can be proud that our country has produced someone capable of such a remarkable and inspiring presentation.

Thank you, come again

My friend Donna took me out last night for a belated birthday dinner. We went to a place called Tides on the Lower East Side. Great mussels, great scallops, but I wasn't nuts about the lobster roll.

C'est la vie.

Afterwards, we went back to her place for coffee & Clinton, and then I stopped at a bar a few blocks from the Lincoln Tunnel for a beer.

So what does a semi-free night on the town cost these days?

Toll: Sorry, I haven't been paying attention, it's $4 or or $7 or $8, or something like that.

Parking one block from Donna's apartment: $45. (The parking lot across the street from her apartment charges $49.)

Cab rides back and forth to the restaurant: $10.50 in each direction.

Parking by the bar: $35 for one hour. (After circling the neighborhood a couple of times in search of a space and watching cars being towed, I opted for the lot.

One Bud Lite: $5.

Oh, and another sign of the times: The panhandlers have returned to the streets of New York.

Another good excuse to stay home.

Wowser

I can't imagine anyone taking Hillary Clinton's final big Election 2008 Moment away from her.

I've always preferred her speeches to Obama's mostly because they always seem more off the cuff, less "written."

Well, Tuesday night's barn-burner by Sen. Clinton was definitely written, and wonderfully so. Much of it was about her -- for a few minutes I was wondering if she was pulling a fast one on all of us -- but the address was crafted just so, reminding her voters why they were with her in the first place and then transferring all of that support to Sen. O.

This speech was powerful, funny, poignant and it got the job done. The way she posed the question to her voters -- Did they do all of that work just for her, or for the people and causes she championed? -- struck just the right chord.

So did the rest of the speech, right down to the Harriet Tubman refrain at the end.

Brava.

Yikes

I guess we can expect to see this all over the news today: Dave Freeman, the author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die" has died.

Freeman, 47, of Venice, CA, apparently hit his head in a fall at his home.

Scratchy McClatchey

Itchy McGitchy

I just gave Jasper her first doggie Benadryl. I forget what it's called. The vet prescribed it, because my flea-less fleabag has been scratching herself for weeks.

Her skin doesn't appear to be dry. And I've checked her scrupulously for fleas, ticks, mites, etc. (The vet did, too.)

Our most educated guess is that she is responding either to the pollen, the "new" grass (on Long Island), or the wall-to-wall carpeting (upstairs and down) at our weekend abodes.

I dosed her about 10 minutes ago but she still seems a little itchy.

Apparently cod liver oil (or corn oil) is good for dogs with this problem. As I said, her skin doesn't appear to be dry but with dogs it's kind of hard to tell.

At any rate the itching is driving both of us wacky.

Suggestions?

Catty shack

Fifteen years ago, when the rumors started that Tim Burton was doing a second Batman film, there were rumors that Cher would be playing Catwoman.

A few entertainment columnists called her "the obvious choice" for the role that eventually went to Michelle Pfeiffer. (She was definitely an interesting choice.)

As some of you may know my first celebrity sighting (and meeting) was with KAPOW Julie Newmar when I was 11 years old or so.

(We've re-met a couple of times, since and she's still beautiful. But then so am I, so I suppose that's no big deal.)

Now, I wake up to the news that Cher is the FIRST CHOICE to play Catwoman in the next Batman film -- the follow-up to "The Dark Knight," which is still making millions in theaters.

Well, OK...far be it from me to interfere with casting decisions. I was the lone kook who couldn't stand Heath Ledger's performance in "Knight," although I guess I will have to revisit that movie and reassess the situation.

I suppose I could imagine Kate Winslet as Catwoman. Or about Angelina? Or Angelina and Jennifer Aniston as two Catwomen scratching each other's eyes out?

My first choice though is Sanjaya. How would he wear his hair?

In a cat man do.

Hillary, No Bill

Hillary Clinton will be speaking in Denver tonight. But the world's most beloved Bill -- ME -- isn't at the Democratic National Convention this year, even though he told the powers-that-be (back in February) that he would be available.

Can the Record cover an event of this magnitude without me?

Actually, being on vacation isn't so bad, and the DNC doesn't exactly look as thrilling as it might have been.

Certainly, my presence would have energized things. But you can't always get what you want.

Teddy & Michelle

The Democratic Convention got off with a thud. Is Nancy Pelosi a terrible speaker or what? But, things picked up considerably with the surprise appearance of Ted Kennedy -- planners didn't know if he would be able to speak until the last minute -- and the graceful Michelle Obama, who hit every note necessary in her keynote speech and then capped the evening with a remote chat between she, her husband and their two daughters.

Oddly enough, the specter of Hillary Clinton is still hanging over everything. Her speech later this week will be scrutinized to death. Will she be giving her all to Obama, or will she merely be doing her Democratic duty, while secretly hoping McCain takes the pie in November?

Oh, bubble, bubble, toil and trouble...

Vacation diary

Went to the isle of Fire yesterday with my friend John, stopped by my friend Danny's summer place, met some cool guys and groovy chicks and had the most RELAXING day you could possible imagine.

The water is such an intense blue, someone called it Caribbean-like. A deer came up to the deck and I fed him a small amount of potato chips (not really good for them) and about three or four handful of vegetable scraps -- carrot, celery, etc.

We chatted, sunned, shaded, had dinner, chatted some more. (Two women who were there for the weekend asked me about LOST. This kept me occupied for several hours.)

Dinner was chicken marsala, huge salad, Brussels sprouts (one of my favorite vegetables), and some couscous.

Except for the parking situation to get onto the ferry (unbelievable) it was a perfect day. We were actually lined up at the parking lot, waiting for a ferry to return with departees to open up some spaces. Then, by the time we got into the lot and parked, the ferry that brought those people was on its way back to the island, and we had to wait another hour.

It was such a beautiful day though, weatherwise, that I was happy to hang out in the sun. Between that hour at the dock and a few more hours on Danny's deck, I've starting turning this very nice shade of brown.

Today seems nice outside but there are a lot of dark clouds overhead.

Have a good day, whatever you do.

Sunnima beach

Heading out today for some vacation fun and sun. Anyone want to pick a topic?

Hope all of you are well.

Tis Joe

Minutes ago the New York Times reported that Joe Biden WILL be Sen. Obama's running mate. Surprised? Nah. Just glad its over with.

The two are expected to make it official on Saturday morning.

And the winner is...

The official announcement of Obama's running mate is expected during the next 24 hours. (Maybe even by the time I've finished typing this.)

Insiders -- like Clinton super-insider Paul Bergala -- say that Hillary is out of the running. We knew this weeks ago, or thought we did. Never mind that Obama and McCain are now in a statistical dead heat, while polls show that "hypothetical" Hillary leads McCain by 10 points.

Like way too many people, I still have no fire in the belly for Barack Obama. I suppose having Hillary at his side would add some sparks to his campaign, but considering McCain's weaknesses (age, Bush ties, low poll numbers on domestic issues), Obama isn't nearly as mesmerizing as he was supposed to be.

Joe Biden, considered the front runner for the veep spot, is a good man, smart, with an established grasp of international issues. How I wish he and McCain could have faced off in 2000 and spared us the last eight years.

(I was a huge McCain supporter in those days. And also a big fan of Biden's.)

The Obama people say that Hillary represents "older Washington" and doesn't meld well with their candidate's CHANGE platform.

But if Hillary is old Washington, what does that make Biden?

Of the remaining possibilities -- Bayh and Kaine -- I can't say any of the three are terribly exciting or can jump start Obama's flagging numbers.

McCain, who entered the race with low expectations, will only gain from his veep choice. A moderate willmake him even more attractive to swing voters and the Conservative base of his party, essentially, doesn't have much of a choice, unless they opt to sit this one out.

Hopefully, Obama can re-energize his campaign in Denver next week. Although, I don't think Biden will start things off with the "bounce" Obama needs.

McCain, on the other hand, seems to be striking a chord with many Americans. While Obama seems exhausted and --Horrors! -- too "cerebral," McC is cleaning up at the box office.

What does Obama need to do to regain his lead? Or, has that ship sailed?

Mind you, the election is still months away. But losing a considerable lead, especially when the economy is a mess -- a situation that generally helps Dems -- is not a good sign.

The drinking age

As we discussed a few days ago, the question about lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 is now raging all over the country, challenging colleges and legislators to face the likely -- if unlikely-sounding -- reality, that lowering the drinking age might encourage students to drink LESS.

One thing is certain: Kids under 21 are drinking and they're drinking heavily. And many colleges have on-site services for alcohol abuse and health emergencies related to binge drinking.

The argument (and its one that goes way back to the days when the drinking age was raised) about how you can serve your country during wartime but not legally buy a drink, is one that comes up over and over again.

I really have to wonder, though, why the kids themselves are not more involved in the conversation.

When I was 18, I'm sure I would have been marching in the streets for my right to do just about anything.

Are these sort of demonstrations taking place? I haven't seen any. Is that because they're not comfortable with the idea of demonstration or because they drink anyway if they want to and simply don't care?

A new fear if the age is lowered: That the behavior the law has encouraged (binge drinking) will continue with more drunk kids on the roads, or engaging in similar, irresponsible behavior.

It's hard to know how to deal with a question like this. But even though bad things may come of it, we do need to address laws that are roundly ignored.

We also need to get to the heart of binge-drinking, because even though the current law may encourage it, there is something not quite right about kids who drink themselves sick every weekend.

Vacation

I'm looking at two weeks off and will be spending time (as usual) between NJ and LI.

Anything you guys REALLY want to do before the summer ends?

For various reasons this summer has been a memorable one for me, and frankly I'm looking forward to the autumn weather and a week or two of winter.

But with summer slipping away, I guess I still have a few needs to attend to. One more lobster. A dip in the ocean. And I have a few friends I haven't seen at all since last winter or spring.

Time's a-wasting.

What do you have planned for the next two weeks?

B-T-S

Sunday's column is about back-to-school clothes. (My niece got hers last week.)

I guess the point of the column is that I never got to wear things I wanted to wear to school.

Wah-wah.

Where did you go to school? What did you wear?

New? Hand-me-downs? The latest "things" or some awful stuff your mother picked out?

Please be as detailed as possible.

I'm going to enjoy this.

At any age

Alcohol isn't evil -- at least not for everyone. I began drinking wine with dinner as a child, and in my teens alcohol was always around the house. I wasn't encouraged or discouraged from drinking, and never considered alcoholic beverages to be some sort of illicit thrill.

On my 18th birthday, friends took me to a bar legally. (I had to sneak in with phony "proof" before then.) And, guess what? I never became a drunken mess.

Of course, some people are predisposed to alcoholism. It runs in families and it destroys marriages and lives. Drinking and driving is another huge problem. And yet...

About 100 college presidents are lobbying to have the drinking age returned to 18. Their argument: The 21-and-over law has lead to binge drinking on an off campus.

They're probably right.

I don't think anyone believes that 18 year olds aren't drinking. And dropping the legal age from 21 to 18 will most probably lead to more accidents, etc.

We would have even less accidents on the road if we raised the legal drinking age to 90, but that's not going to happen. So....

What do you think? Leave it at 21? Go back to 18?

There are other options, I suppose. A drinking age that varies from state to state? A six-month probation period for 18 year olds?

Oh, I don't know.

Discuss.

"Pet-icure"

Spam seems to come in waves. You see a new product on TV and, within minutes, a bazillion knockoffs fill your email boxes.

I'm not sure how many variations there are on this new gadget to trim your pets nails. But this is something I could actually use.

Has anyone purchased on of them? Which one? How would you rate it?

Veepstakes

As you've probably heard, Sen. O is expected to name his vice-president choice this week -- a bouncy prelude to next week's Democratic convention in Denver.

Who can it be? And why are so many people predicting that both Obama and McCain will make surprising, unexpected choices?

Although these announcements generally create a positive bounce in the polls, it's hard to believe that any choice Obama makes is going to lift him out of his slump.

At the moment, he and McCain are in virtual ties in every poll I've seen. This is significant, in that Obama entered the race (as "presumptive" nominee) with a lead of 10 points or more over McCain.

Since then, Obama has done just about everything right -- strong speeches, a highly publicized overseas trip, good interviews, etc. but he has still be losing ground, week after week.

The phraseology of the moment: He can't close the deal.

Months ago, we were told that Obama didn't need a superstar standing next to him because he was the superstar. Now, it's hard to know what to think.

But it has to be troubling for Dems that he has lost an impressive lead without any simple, tried-and-true explanation.

Storm addendum

Yikes, just reading (re: previous post) that as many as 41 people have died as a result of this storm, so far.

I had no idea it was so ferocious.

Moonday

I have been moonstruck for the last two nights, looking at that big beautiful thing in the sky.

"That's Cosmo's moon!"

And, no, it doesn't really look like Jackie Gleason.

I have had a nice, long weekend, I can't believe it's only Monday -- moonday -- morning.

Yesterday, I heated up a loaf of Italian bread until it was crispy-crumbly and then sat down with some garden veggies that a friend gave to me.

I had a nice crunchy cuke and a tomato salad with oil, tiny bit of vinegar, some chopped onion and a big handful of fresh chopped basil.

For 'dinner' I woke up from a deep nap and had a piece of Entenmann's coffee ring.

The end.

I don't think I've eaten so little in one day since I was 2.

It appears to be getting hot again, as in hot-and-humid/turn on the air conditioner.

Called my friend Joey in Florida last night. He is in Miami, and said he didn't know why the media was making such a big thing about TS Fay.

I think the whole country has been experiencing such bizarre weather that we are expecting some monster hurricane to ice the cake.

I saw that there were a few deaths associated with this storm, but I had a lonnng night and I haven't turned on the TV yet, so I don't really know what's going on.

Will the moon be out again tonight? I hope you had a good view of it. When I saw it on Saturday night, it was so enormous in the sky. Awesome, even.

OK, it's 11:15. Time to either force myself to wake up or take a nap.

Decisions....

About last night

Went out with some friends last night for bad barbecue. That's because the really good barbecue place plays music so loud that it makes your ears bleed.

I went there a few weeks ago with Louise T. and I literally had to hold my ears.

Last night was a TRIP, though.

We started out going to a place in Amityville. My friend John found out about it online, with a really good review from the New York Times.

There's a lesson in here.

We drove up and down Merrick Road in Amityville about four times. (How many times can you pass that damned Amityville Horror house?)

This is dangerous, after a while. Trying to drive and look for addresses on a highway is no fun.

I finally had to ask John -- who had a printout of the review with him -- "How old is that review?"

It took a while to find the date, but it was 1995. This is a hazard about digging through the archives of a newspaper. The review is still there, but the restaurant isn't.

On the way to the OTHER restaurant, many miles in the other direction, we passed a turned-over SUV on the westbound side of the Sunrise Highway.

A couple of more miles, our eastbound lanes came to a complete standstill. We were stuck there for about 45 minutes (most of us turned off our cars), while the various drivers around us tried to find out -- on their cellphones, GPS systems, and portable computers -- what the hell was going on.

Cars had to move somewhat because emergency vehicles had to get through, so we found ourselves next to other drivers who had bits and pieces of information.

One told us it was a motorcycle accident. Another found out that the person riding the bike had died.

It's amazing what you can find out in your car, nowadays. (None of the traffic reports on the local radio stations seemed to know what was going on. But there are apparently all sorts of other sources of info, if you have a phone with Internet access.)

At any rate, we left my house at 7:30 and sat down for dinner (at a restaurant about 8 miles away) at 9:30. It was edible but not very good. I guess we could have gone to the noisy place, had a great meal and been home by 9.

I wrote a few weeks ago about all the motorcycle accidents I've been encountering in my NJ-Long Island travels. And passing what was left of that motorcycle when the traffic finally started moving again, was upsetting.

Some poor family is going through hell today. I'm guessing the details will be in the Sunday papers, although I suppose they're also online now.

The other memorable part of that evening was THAT MOON. God, it was so enormous, I wished I'd had a camera with me.

PLEASE HAVE A SAFE WEEKEND.

About last night

Went out with some friends last night for bad barbecue. That's because the really good barbecue place plays music so loud that it makes your ears bleed.

I went there a few weeks ago with Louise T. and I literally had to hold my ears.

Last night was a TRIP, though.

We started out going to a place in Amityville. My friend John found out about it online, with a really good review from the New York Times.

There's a lesson in here.

We drove up and down Merrick Road in Amityville about four times. (How many times can you pass that damned Amityville Horror house?)

This is dangerous, after a while. Trying to drive and look for addresses on a highway is no fun.

I finally had to ask John -- who had a printout of the review with him -- "How old is that review?"

It took a while to find the date, but it was 1995. This is a hazard about digging through the archives of a newspaper. The review is still there, but the restaurant isn't.

On the way to the OTHER restaurant, many miles in the other direction, we passed a turned-over SUV on the westbound side of the Sunrise Highway.

A couple of more miles, our eastbound lanes came to a complete standstill. We were stuck there for about 45 minutes (most of us turned off our cars), while the various drivers around us tried to find out -- on their cellphones, GPS systems, and portable computers -- what the hell was going on.

Cars had to move somewhat because emergency vehicles had to get through, so we found ourselves next to other drivers who had bits and pieces of information.

One told us it was a motorcycle accident. Another found out that the person riding the bike had died.

It's amazing what you can find out in your car, nowadays. (None of the traffic reports on the local radio stations seemed to know what was going on. But there are apparently all sorts of other sources of info, if you have a phone with Internet access.)

At any rate, we left my house at 7:30 and sat down for dinner (at a restaurant about 8 miles away) at 9:30. It was edible but not very good. I guess we could have gone to the noisy place, had a great meal and been home by 9.

I wrote a few weeks ago about all the motorcycle accidents I've been encountering in my NJ-Long Island travels. And passing what was left of that motorcycle when the traffic finally started moving again, was upsetting.

Some poor family is going through hell today. I'm guessing the details will be in the Sunday papers, although I suppose they're also online now.

The other memorable part of that evening was THAT MOON. God, it was so enormous, I wished I'd had a camera with me.

PLEASE HAVE A SAFE WEEKEND.

The rebound of music

As you may have already heard, the singer-songwriter Jackson Browne has objected to the use of one his songs ("Running on Empty") in a McCain ad. (The song was used to put down Obama.)

Browne called his lawyers, suits were filed and the ad was pulled.

Apparently, there have been similar actions involving the songs of ABBA and John Mellencamp being used in McCain ads.

Nothing against McCain here, but don't his people know a thing or two about copyrights?

Of course, nothing compares to the 1992 Republican convention, during which Pat Buchanan -- supporting incumbent George H.W. Bush-- delivered a stern warning to the U.S. of A. that the Clinton/Gore ticket was notoriously pro-gay and pro-lesbian!

Yikes!

After Buchanan left the stage, the band jumped into the Bush campaign's theme song, "The Best of Times is Now" from the Jerry Herman musical "La Cage aux Folles."

Now, THAT was hilarious.

Putin his money where his mouth is

It's hard to imagine how much things have changed for all of these smiling happy people.

In her years as secretary of state, Condi has never had a CRISIS to deal with. The Georgian conflict -- unlike the eons-simmering tensions in the middle east -- seemed to pop up out of nowhere, and that in itself makes the U.S. look bad. No one can predict a sudden impetuous act -- like a plane getting shot down.

But countries don't simply attack and invade each other on the spur of the moment. Even without Julia Child, we still have a few spies keeping an eye on our Russky comrades, nyet?

At any rate, try as I might to pick a side in this mess, it makes me uneasy that despite our superpower status, every shnook with a tank seems to know that we're militarily paralyzed right now, no matter how many "firm" rebukes come out of the Rose Garden.

As Gorby said last night on Larry, there is concern around the world that the US stockpiles arms like they're going out of style. But what good are they?

Our armed forces have been tied up for years and we are diplomatically inept.

Honestly, I don't feel safe and secure just because we have more bombs than the other kids on the block.

A strong America is one that is militarily prepared for any emergency and diplomatically on top of things.

More than anything, I think that the reception Barack Obama received on his European trip was a response to how we have somehow managed to alienate the entire world and have failed to take foreign relations seriously.

If Condi lacks the necessary skills to hammer out a deal between the Russians and the Georgians then we need to get some real power players involved.

Russia is, of course, allied with Iran, and with almost all of our troops stranded in that region, I don't think we can afford to re-ignite Cold War sentiments right now.

GWB is notoriously loyal to his chosen people, even when they aren't up to the jobs he hands them. I think this is because he values his relationships with them over their abilities. He likes surrounding himself with people who like him. Condi likes him, he likes her.

Fine. Take her to the movies and send someone else over there to straighten this out.

Spy me up some eggs

Ok, so before she became The French Chef, Julia Child -- shown here in her later years, when she resembled a Harry Potter character -- worked for OSS Director William Donovan, stealing military secrets and Black Forest cake recipes from the Germans. Or, something.

Actually, we don't know precisely what she did, but that's OK. After seeing her chop up swordfish and whales on her kitchen counter, we have no trouble imagining Julia winning WWII singlehandedly.

Like so many of you, I watched Julia as a child. My father was OBSESSED with the woman. He also loved Jacques Counsteau.

Was he a spy, too? I'm trying to imagine both of them up popping up out of a bathysphere on the beach at Normandy with quiches and underwater cameras.

Georgia (other)

It wouldn't be August without a nice juicy Bigfoot story and THIS ONE in the NYT concerns two men in California who say they have photos and DNA evidence of a dead Bigfoot they found in Georgia.

Are they lying, crazy, serious? Will their "DNA evidence" prove them right?

Or, have they put their big foots in their mouths?

Can't wait for this one.

Confused yet?

I caught Gorby on Larry King tonight and now I'm totally confused. "They started it," the last Soviet president said -- more or less -- to Larry in Mad Russian.

The Gorb blamed this whole mess on Georgia, and said the U.S. is on the verge of letting another Cold War begin.

All of this was later refuted by Mikheil Saakashvilli -- take THAT, Spellcheck! -- although MS did seem to agree with MG that the U.S. has become ineffective in making any demands on anybody, what with troops in Iraq, and troops an Afghanistan, and kids taking baths in the sinks at Burger King.

The whole country's gone nuts!

Anyway, with all these Mikhails and Mikheils shouting at each other -- in Russian and seventh-grade English, respectively -- I can't see the forest for the trees.

In other confusing news, there is actually a possibility -- remote, but let's savor the insanity of it -- that Hillary Clinton could be the Democratic candidate for president.

Well, hey, it's remote, but I guess, like so many reality shows lately, the Democratic Convention wants to lure viewers with a surprise twist.

Moron coffee..

Jeez, I had no idea coffee would start such a conversation.

Anyway, so many of you mention DD, which I'm guessing means Dunkin' Donuts.

I bought a big pacakge of it at Costco weeks ago just to have as "back-up" in my apartment whenever I run out of my Eight O'Clock French Roast.

Since this was a big vacuum sealed bag of DD coffee, I guess it shouldn't have been so awful, but I really thought it was undrinkable.

I always hear people talk about DD coffee and I've had it a few times but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Ditto for Starbucks, although if there's one nearby and I need a java fix, it's usually pretty good.

I'm not sure what the big fuss is over Dunkin' Donuts. (I don't like their donuts either.)

Last year at work I did a little contest, "Find Me..." the perfect donut, and the winner was that great bakery in Hackensack which I can never remember the name of.

Oops. thank you Google, B&W, 614 Main Street.

Considering that DD can't make a decent jelly donut I have no idea why they're still in business.

Hold the pickle

Yes, poor Timothy Tackett of Centurburg, Ohio lost his job at Burger King, but the video of him bathing in the fast food sink has circled the globe 750,000 times.

The story even popped up in the Xinua news site out of Beijing.

The rule at baseball games is to avert the camera when a fan runs onto the field, but in the YouTube era, the more outrageous the stunt, the more famous you become.

So....is this good or bad?

Cup-a-cup-cup

So, OK, how much coffee is too much coffee?

I generally like a cup in the morning, a cup in the afternoon and two cups after dinner.

Sometimes, if I'm working at home all day, I have two in the morning. And, if I have company (at night), well, that can go on all night. No one appreciates a host who dozes in mid-sentence.

Truth be told, I feel more energetic and awake when I stop coffee altogether. But the interim period can be hellish, since the lack of caffeine causes headaches.

Withdrawal can also wreak havoc on your ability to -- ahem -- get up and go.

(Of course, these are just minor setbacks, and usually correct themselves in a couple of days.)

I didn't start my coffee drinking until the late '80s. Today, I'd say it's more of a habit than anything else, although as a big eater it's nice to have coffee after a meal, which basically sends a message to my stomach: eating time is over.

Otherwise, I would just keep eating until I explode.

As we get older, coffee seems to have a much more powerful effect on us. My parents have one cup in the morning and rarely indulge after that, unless they have company. And, even then, they try to push the decaf.

Even though I only usually have that one cup in the morning, I tend to make a whole pot, just in case.

Years ago, I used to microwave coffee that I kept in the fridge. It tasted awful, but I was less interested in the taste than the jolt. I eventually realized though that coffee should never be reheated, in a microwave or anywhere else. Make it fresh, or forget about it.

Are you a coffee-holic? An ex-drinker? A moderate type? Do you feel that you don't wake up "properly" without it? Do you feel it makes you too wired to sleep?

Share your coffee habits -- and their side effects.

Georgia, still on their minds

Things at this writing appeared to cooled down in the Russian/Georgian confrontation, although all fo that could change by morning.

Question of the moment, posed by the Georgian leader, is how the west managed to be asleep at the wheel.

After all, we do monitor all of this stuff and spy on everyone and track arms build-ups and yada=yada=yada.

What makes this all additionally perplexing is that there are Cold War experts in the B administration, most notably Condoleeza Rice.

Also of concern: How little Russia seemed to care what the U.S. was saying, thinking or demanding.

Bizarreness in Arkansas

No word on why a man fired from a Target store would use the chairman of the Arkansas Democratic party for target practice.

What a sick, horrible piece of a news.

Reminds me of the D.C. sniper story and some of those awful school shootings.

One minute you're minding your own business and the next, someone nut with a gun takes your life.

Brit-com Update

Britney Spears is set to restart her ongoing "comeback" effort with yet another appearance on the upcoming MTV Music Video awards. In other news, the pop star said she does not want her sons to go into show business.

No comment from the kids, but I'm guessing they don't want her in show business, either.

Georgia on their minds

The situation in (the former Soviet) Georgia has hammered at least one thing home in my mind: I'M TIRED.

I have Bush fatigue, Iraq fatigue, Obama fatigue, McCain fatigue, Gasoline fatigue and You Name It fatigue.

Yesterday, I spent some time with my niece, she showed me her new back-to-school clothes, we played with the dog, we talked about...well, we certainly didn't talk about world events, national events, or endless elections.

We didn't discuss the price of oil or its economic repercussions.

I don't know if this is good or bad. When I was her age (or thereabouts), I was aware of the various assassinations that took place in the 1960s, the race woes our nation was going through, and the endless anti-war protests.

I saw the older kids from my neighborhood come back from Vietnam and saw what the experience did to them.

I didn't know everything that was going on, but somehow I seemed to have a pretty good grasp of what was happening. Today, a lot of parents protect their kids from stuff like this and, perhaps because they have so many entertainment options to keep them occupied, many of these kids probably couldn't care less about what is happening a million miles away. Or, in Washington, for that matter.

I'm curious how you guys feel about discussing world events with kids at ANY age. (Not the graphic details, of course, but at least a framework of the events that are shaping their futures.)

As for the Georgia mess, there's been another mini-meltdown over the news that McCain, who has made some very strong anti-Russia comments in recent days, has  foreign policy adviser who is co-owner of a lobbying firm employed by the Georgian government.

Sometimes, I think I'm too young to understand all of this.

I guess this post is all over the place. Maybe I have blogging fatigue.

Chillin'

For those of you who aren't sitting next to me, it sure is cool around here. (As in temperature.) Saturday was like that, sunny, cool etc. Sunday got hot again. But just as July was unseasonably hot, August seems to be unseasonably cool.

I hear it's going to be like that for most of the week. I'm certain things will warm up again before summer slips away. But this does seem unusual, no?

Isaac Hayes

People are talking about: This photo, on the main page of the late Isaac Hayes' website. Hayes, of course, died this weekend at 65, hours after comedian Bernie Mac. (No word on Samuel L. Jackson's health. Hopefully, he's fine.)

Hayes co-wrote classics like "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man" before hitting the jackpot as a solo artist with 1971's "Shaft."

If you're of a certain age, then you most certainly remember his mesmerizing performance on that year's Academy Awards. In addition to blowing the roof off the place, he helped nudge the Oscars out of a mindset that seemed stuck in the Henry Mancini era -- essentially ignoring contemporary rock and soul music.

(Nothing against Mancini, of course, but man does not live by "Moon River" alone.)

Recently, Hayes left the cast of the animated "South Park" over its mocking of his Scientology beliefs. And that whole story has always been rather confusing.

I suspect that, in the next few days, we'll be hearing more about what really happened, and more about Hayes. From what I've read today, he had a rather interesting, complicated life.

Pleasant Island Sunday

Looks like another sparkling winner out there. I guess it's already September and I've simply been asleep for three weeks.

Actually, I just woke up because I was up all night watching "Big Brother After Dark" on Showtime 2. This was kind of like watching the top of OJ's Bronco for an hour. I don't know if any of you watch this extension of the primetime "reality competition" but after a stressful couple of weeks, all of the housemates were given a seafood feast in an effort to bring them together.

Wine and beer were served.

And by the time I tuned in at midnight, a fight had started -- between four of the five women in the house -- that lasted for the entire three hours of the show.

Reminded me of Italian Sunday dinner.

And, speaking of which, we are heading to my brother's house shortly -- with the meal, crab sauce. (Spaghetti to be made later.) We're going to take a spin over to Stonybrook first though, for a little family outing, checking out the town, and whatever else one does on these mini-excursions.

This was something I really wanted to do yesterday but no one was in the mood. So, this morning -- after being up until after 4 -- I get the news at 10 a.m.

"We're going out for the day!"

I stared groggily into the phone. Mmm...sounds good.

Well, OK, I have to throw some cold water in my face and get crackin' here.

Have a delicious day.

Mmm-mmm

Whatever else happens today, it is -- so far -- the most beautiful day of the year. Sunny, breezy, warm but not humid.

It's like something out of a Disney cartoon.

Please make the most of it.

Dear John

I'd love to tell you how little I care about John Edwards' sex life. Men (and women) have affairs all the time. So what?

But, like Bill Clinton before him, Edwards made a series of irresponsible decisions.

You want to have an affair? Fine with me. But to then run for president with what you -- and all of us -- know is a sword hanging over your head is just plain stupid.

Had Edwards wound up where Obama is now -- as the "presumptive" candidate of his party -- we would all be spinning around in the rinse cycle today, as he and everyone around him tried to undo the damage such a revelation would create less than three months before a presidential election.

For me this isn't a matter of morals. As far as I'm concerned, he could be faithful to his wife 24/7 or sleep with 3000 women during a wild weekend in Tahoe. That's his business, and a matter for he and the Mrs. to deal with.

I wouldn't NOT vote for someone because they strayed, once or serially. But, in the current media climate (as opposed to the one Ike and JFK enjoyed) stuff like this has be put out on the table BEFORE you undertake a presidential campaign, not after it.

To do otherwise shows a lack of responsibility and, as near as I can tell, a little too much magical thinking. It's an affront to your party and your supporters.

It's also very unfair to his wife who, though she says she has dealt with this and forgiven him months ago, must now undergo the stress of hyper-media attention and must also curtail her own activities -- as an advocate for women's health issues -- until all of this blows over.

KEYWORD: Irresponsible.

Bernie Mac, 50

It's true, I guess, that life turns on a dime. An August 7th AP story said that comedian Bernie Mac was responding well to treatment for pneumonia. Today's story: Mac dead at 50.

Sad news for his fans and the stand-up community.

Politics, not as usual...

I know there a few Republicans out there who may feel as though the comments (and occasionally the posts) on this site seem to be a little too Democratic for comfort.

I'm sorry about that. I post a variety of items on this blog, from personal stuff, to entertainment info, to whatever else I think will generate some interesting conversation.

Those of you who have been reading for a while know I have a great deal of admiration and respect for John McCain (even if I have a problem with some of his recent statements or commercials) and I have a (healthy) skepticism about Barack Obama.

This doesn't mean I am anti-Democrat anymore than my most recent post on 'the Suskind letter' means I am anti-Republican.

Certainly, I am not a fan of this president, and that's no secret to anyone. And, to some extent, I think that this spills over onto the GOP, which was in power for most of his term. But, I'm not sure how people take that.

All I do know is that I pull news items that I think are provocative or note-worthy and I welcome all points of view in the comments section. And I believe my "regulars" here feel the same way.

If you agree or disagree with a post, please say so. We all benefit from discussion and varying point of views. And while such conversations can turn into heated arguments across the dinner table, I'd like this site to provide us with the opportunity to listen to each other, agree, disagree, etc.

I also want this to be a site about MANY things. And that includes jokes, cute videos, what was good on TV last night, what we're doing over the weekend, etc.

If you do read this site regularly but are hesitant to post because you think people will jump down your throat, please don't feel that way.

In addition to having fun here, we do hit on a few watercooler topics and we do play nice.

The Letter

Some are calling it "The Suskind Letter," even though it was uncovered -- as opposed to written by --  journalist Ron Suskind.

In his new book "The Way of the World" Suskind charges that the White House and the CIA worked hand in hand to obtain a phony letter, in the days leading up to the Iraq War, implicating Saddam Hussein in the 9/11 attacks.

Authors with books to sell are generally greeted with skepticism by the media (as they should be), but Suskind has a rather impressive track record and the Bush White House...

Well...whatever.

THIS STORY in Salon offers one take on the story, but there are several to be had, all over the web. (Just Google "Suskind.")

The revelation has the impeachment folks chomping at the bit, even though House Democrats have shown little interest in tying up the country with another series of impeachment hearings.

I've seen the logic of this in the past, but at some point I also have to wonder if the government can bypass one of its most important responsibilities simply because WE (the people) will find it distracting, or a waste of time and money.

This war has been a distracting waste of time and money. And innocent lives on both sides. So, how far should our elected officials go to see whether the abuse of power that Suskind is alleging is true or not?

A misty adieu for Laura P.

In the last few months I've been losing co-workers at an almost unparalleled rate due to various causes -- natural and "un."

Tonight, at Poor's in Hackensack, the entire crew will say goodbye to Laura Paino.

Those of you who don't work at the Record, probably don't know Laura, and truth be told, I'm not even sure what her title is. She's been at the newspaper for 23 years and although she sits right outside the editor's office (Secretary? Personal assistant? Office manager? Lady in Charge of Everything?) she defies easy description.

Let's just say she's all things to all people; the person we have all grown to depend on for just about everything, from arranging a meeting with the boss to borrowing an extra pair of specs when we couldn't find our own.

ME: Has anyone turned in a pair of glasses?

LAURA: No, but I have a pair you can borrow.

In addition to being a great friend to me, Laura has helped me throw together every book sale at the office, which has helped us to raise thousands for charity; she has also helped plan so many goodbye parties that I'm afraid hers will pale in comparison, because we didn't have her help in making the arrangements.

Need to send out a "global" message to the staff? Laura will not merely post it for you, she will edit it and make invaluable suggestions on how to make it better. Not sure what stories you want to enter in some journalism competition? Laura will read over your stuff and pick the best ones.

Need ANYTHING? ("Where can I get a rhinoceros?") Laura will find it for you.

And, while she was always up on the latest office gossip, she was always discreet and professional -- a model employee if ever there was one; the Record family's big sister, who knew how to lift you up when you needed it, and never, ever let you down.

I'm always sad when any co-worker leaves, even the ones I didn't know very well. But the news of Laura's departure -- she's off to work for an expanding graphics firm in Fairfield -- left me reeling.

It was kind of like hearing that the first floor of the building was being removed.

Anyway, I'm not sure what else to say about Her Paino-ship. But, trust me: "She will be missed" is a profound understatement.

We wish her well and the best of everything.

OK. The end.

Now I need some alone time.

So they say...

Forgive me, but the case against Dr. Bruce Ivins, being called the "lone" perpetrator of the 2001 anthrax attacks -- which most of us forgot about a long time ago -- has a few big holes in it.

Perhaps there is a strong case to be made for Ivin's guilt, although the whole thing sounds like a bad spy novel to me. And it certainly doesn't help that the story broke a week after the man committed suicide. (Apparently.)

What do you think of this story? And do you think we've heard the end of it?

I thee Wednesday

Bed late, up late, column not working, getting a cough (too much air-conditioning?) and have a dentist appointment this afternoon.

Otherwise, everything's fine.

And, how are you today?

I'm hoping to take some vacation time at the end of this month and next.

What's the best/most interesting thing you've done so far this summer?

Make mine regular

A friend forwarded me THIS LINK to Tara Alder's Healing Arts page.

I hope any of you with digestive concerns will check it out. Of particular interest is the section called COMBINING FOODS.

Most "traditional" American meals are not good for your health. But, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't eat certain foods you love. It just means you need to eat them in different ways and, in some cases, NOT TOGETHER.

I can't pretend to be in any sort of great shape, health-wise, although I've never had digestive problems -- aside from my lactose intolerance. (I'm currently looking into a new product that you may have seen advertised in your email boxes recently.)

If you are dealing with weight issues, or if you have ongoing digestive problems, you might want to take a look at this site, and some of the articles there. I was a bit shocked to read about the difference between raw and cooked tomatoes (although I rarely eat cooked tomatoes) and the awful things that happen inside you when you mix proteins and sugars. Or proteins with fats. Or dairy products with...anything.

You may not consider a Whopper to be a traditional American meal, but if you consider what it consists of, then it IS the traditional American meal -- meat, cheese, starch, sugar, some vegetables, etc. It's also the sort of meal we crave when we are really, really hungry because we feel depleted, and it offers a little bit of everything.

Well, OK, it offers a LOT of everything. But, whatever benefits you might get from those various food groups is essentially neutralized by eating all of them together.

I'm be curious to hear what you think of the articles on this site and how they pertain to your own diet. Those of you with weight issues may be especially interested to read that Adler doesn't subscribe to the fad diets that so many Americans get tangled up with.

Her way of thinking: After cleansing your system, and re-thinking the way you eat the foods you enjoy, your will reach your 'true' body weight -- whatever that is -- and you will feel a lot happier, healthier and a lot more energetic.

I think she's right.

DVR victory

From CNET.com: A U.S. appeals court has sided with cable provider Cablevision in allowing the company to offer its network-based DVR service despite arguments from the movie and TV industry that it infringes on their copyrights.

Yikes!

Thirty years into the home video "revolution" and we're still dithering over copyright infringement?

Here in NJ I've had TiVo for over five years now, and on Long Island I have Cabelvision's DVR service. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing quite like TiVo -- it's absolutely brilliant. Although Cablevision's version isn't too bad, and certainly not the nightmare system that other satellite company's offer.

I signed years ago with DirectTV when they were also promoting TiVo, but they no longer offer it to new consumers.

If you're a couch potato, I'm going to assume that you have some DVR service or other. Otherwise...well, I guess you manage.

So, do you or don't you have DVR?

What it allows me to do, among other things, is rewind live shows when I miss something (or just want to see it again); record shows that I want to see without using tapes or discs; get 'season passes' so that I automatically record first-run episodes of all my favorite shows; create wishlists so that I can get a list of, say, any Alfred Hitchcock or Clark Cables movies airing on any channel in the next two weeks.

It also allows me to record one program while watching another, or record to programs at once.

For some of you this may seem like an unnecessary luxury, but I've become so used to it that sometimes when I hear something on my car radio and realize I wasn't paying full attention, I automatically try to rewind the radio.

Not do-able.

If you've used more than one type of DVR service, I'd be curious how they compared.