My pimped out ride
Originally uploaded by Pookah.
Today Anthony and I bought a Jeep.
Let me repeat that phrase: today Anthony and I bought a Jeep.
My dreams have come true and I can now die happy. Take that, sucka.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Because we're not ready yet for the Cadillac
My pimped out ride
Originally uploaded by Pookah.
Friday, March 17, 2006
In light of the holiday, I'm wasting more time with one of Erin's surveys
About Me in Depth
Name::Ryan
Birthdate::11/19
Birthplace::Worcester Memorial Hospital, Worcester, MA
Current residence::Washington, D.C.
Height::5'9 ½”
Weight::approximately 130lbs.
Body type::1984 Ford Bronco
Hair color::Brown
Eye color::(so full of shit, my eyes are) Brown
Left or right handed::Right
Heritage::American (ancestry::Irish, Italian, German & French)
Relationship status::Tax status is single, but actually unavailable
Religion::I don’t need to be boxed in
Siblings::Dan, Preyasha and, if you listen to my mother’s ramblings, Chloe and Tessa
Favorites
Color::today it’s orange
Food::it’s a tie between potatoes and ice cream
Pizza Toppings::not the biggest fan of pizza, but I LOVE Mama Palma’s (2229 Spruce Street, Philadelphia) spinach and ricotta pies
Snack food::usually I snack on raisins, yogurt, and white cheddar Cheezits
Candy::Lindts milk chocolate truffles
Ice cream flavor::Ben & Jerry’s vanilla caramel fudge, or mint chocolate chip (when it’s not freezer burned)
Soft drink::I don’t drink soda
Movie/movie genre::romantic comedies (so what if it’s typical?), foreign films, festival/i.e. independent films, dramas
Show/network::Usually I’m watching the Food Network, the Travel Channel, TCM, AMC, the History Channel or Fox (Simpsons only)
Band/music genre::probably rock
Restaurant::The best places to eat are in Philly – just check out my sidebar
Store::So long as I have money, I love book stores, Eddie Bauer (basics that are all washable!), and Ann Taylor (good quality, affordable work clothes)
Vacation spot::Any place I haven’t been yet
Animal::My little girl, Grace (aka Pumpkin or Piglet)
Book/author::How could I choose?
Teacher::Hands down, Mrs. O’Connell, 3rd grade, Clinton Elementary School
Subject::Is this school, or life? Cuz if it’s school, that would so be English, real life it’s movies.
Past time::Scrapbooking.
Memory::Any time I’ve had with friends or family and we’re all smiling
Season::Autumn.
Day or Month::September through mid-October in New England.
Holiday::Thanksgiving, because who doesn’t love a holiday that has food as its central theme?
Questions
Do you smoke?:Absolutely not. Smoke doesn’t agree with me.
Drink?:Occassionally, but Anthony is disappointed with overwhelming sobriety, and Eric is always telling me I’m lame – so I guess it’s not enough to really qualify.
Like to sing?:Love it. I was in choir up through high school, but not so much of a performer so I didn’t try out in college.
Like to dance?:Not really.
Like to cook?:Mmmmm-hmmmmm…usually I like my own cooking better than what you get in a restaurant.
Are you likeable?:That’s what people tell me (although if your name is Anthony, please don’t tell…)
What's the worst thing about being stuck indoors?:Is this a prison question?
What's the worst thing about being stuck outdoors?:Cold rain/sleet and high winds.
What's a fear of yours?:I fear the capability of other people to do violence to one another.
A weakness?:Being so damn OCD/uptight.
A strength?:Empathy.
Do you have a talent?:Organization.
Can you play an instument?:I’ve trained on the clarinet, flute and piano.
What's your greatest achievement?:Making it thus far.
What's at least one thing you would like to do/be?:Travel and live extensively overseas.
What's your favorite thing about yourself?:My adaptibility in ew situtations.
Do you curse?:When your mother’s favorite word is four letters long and begins with an “f”, you would too.
Have you ever snuck out?:I was a goody two-shoes. That, and I was too busy reading the Grapes of Wrath at the age of ten. I think my mom would have been more pleased if I did try to have a life of some sort.
How many boyfriends/girlfriends have you had?:4.
What's your sexual orientation?:Oriented toward one Mr. Anthony.
What sports do you play?:Does walking count?
Where's the furthest you've been from home?:It took me longest to get to Egypt, so that’s my best answer.
Do you like to travel?:Abso-friggin’-lutely.
Where's a place you'd like to visit?:Everywhere I’ve never been.
What do you want to be when you're an adult?:International aid worker.
Do you want to get married?:Yes.
Want children? How many?:NO.
Have you had sex?:Yes.
Have you been called a slut?:Not to my knowledge.
Have you been called a tease?:Yes, but in my defense, I thought I was just being nice.
Ever gone to the beach?:Are you kidding me with this question? My family had a summer house in York Beach, ME.
Ever been snow skiing/boarding?:In both the East and the West, no less.
Ever gone skinny-dipping?:More than once.
What gaming systems do you own?:I bought Anthony a Playstation…does that count?
What cell phone service do you use?:T-mobile
Do you like thunderstorms?:Yes, yes, yes.
Do you get sick easily?:My people are hardy people.
Have you ever commited a crime?:Define what you mean by “crime”…
Are you a health freak?:No.
Do you think you're attractive?:People say I’m reasonably adorable, but I think most of the attention I get is from frustrated, middle-aged men who are just beginning to realize that their wives aren’t 25 anymore. In the end, I would say I’m not fugly.
Are you confident in yourself?:It was bred into me.
Ever broken any bones?:No, but there was this one time my brother and the neighbor through a log on my head…
Cheated on a test?:Once. In fourth grade, on a test of the chronology of our presidents. I still don’t know the order.
What are your goals?:To live comfortably in a house I own, with the means to pay my bills and go on at least one overseas trip each year.
What is your passion?:Reading, movies, staring into the eyes of my baby girl, Anthony…
How do you want to die?:I concur with Erin, in my sleep, and preferably at a reasonably old age.
Ever been on an airplane?:Many, many, many times.
On the subway?:I’ve lived in one city or another for the last 9 years – I’m a HUGE proponent of public transportation.
Been electrocuted? Not that I remember.
How many friends do you have?:My sixth grade social studies teacher said once, “When you die, if you can count the number of true friends you have on the fingers of one hand, then you die a rich man.” In my case, I’m a pretty rich woman.
Have you ever been in love?:I am currently in love.
Do you get along with your parents/guardians?: ½ yes, ½ no. It’s sick how my mom and I get along, but my dad and I haven’t had a real conversation since 2001.
Do you wear either contacts or glasses?:I went to the optometrist this summer, and he says no.
Ever been jealous?:I’m not the type.
Do you dwell on the past?:Not really. I deal a lot with the past, between my history readings and my scrapbooking, but I wouldn’t use the word “dwell.”
Are you parents together or divorced?:Divorced and remarried.
Do you do well in school?:Usually. I’m a big nerd.
Are you messy or tidy?:Obscenely tidy.
What's your clothing style?:Casually elegant (or at least I hope so).
Are you shallow?:Sometimes, but I try not to be.
This or That
Pepsi or Coke?:Again, I don’t drink soda.
McDonalds or Burger King?:Yeah, and I don’t do fast food either.
Subway or Quiznos?:Subway – I don’t like melty, crusty sandwiches (unless it’s a grilled cheese).
Walmart or Target?:Tar-zhay.
City or country?:Country girl at heart, city girl so I stay employed.
Day or night?:Both, especially when the world is still.
Chocolate or vanilla?:Neither.
Beach or mountains?: Beach.
Hot or cold?:How about temperate?
Sunshine or rain?:Summer showers, anyone?
Cappuccino or Coffee?:Capuccino, with two raw sugars.
Liberal or conservative?:I lean more liberal than conservative.
Sweet or unsweetened tea?:I only drink hot tea. Iced tea is repulsive to my “delicate” sensibilities.
MTV or Vh1?:I prefer not to develop ADD through my television watching.
Fruit or vegetables?:Not a choice I’ll be making any time soon.
War or peace?:Unfortunately, war is necessary. I don’t think true peace actually exists.
Loud or quiet?:Quiet.
Inside or outside?:If it’s cold, windy, and wet, I’m inside. Otherwise, I prefer the outdoors.
Looks or personality?:Looks fade, but personality is forever.
Money or love?:Why not fiscally and romantically comfortable?
Single or group dates?:I’ve never really “dated” so I wouldn’t know.
Hanging with your best friends or bf/gf? (Bros or ho):I like my life to have balance, but my friends are obscenely busy people so more often than not, I’m with Anthony.
Pale or dark skin?:Are we talking about chicken, or sexual attraction, or self? In the case of the first two, I’d say both; in my case, pale.
Regular or diet?:Diet is just “die” with a “t.”
Dogs or cats?:I have one of each, and I love them both!
Rock or rap?:Rock. I still can’t get into the whole rap genre (with a few exceptions)
Party or stay home?:Stay home.
Pool or ocean?:No contest: ocean.
East coast or west coast?:The East coast has real trees, so I’m staying with the coast I live on.
E-mail or IM?:E-mail. IM is the hugest waste of my time.
Some more questions...
What’s your bedtime?:10PM, but that’s because I get up at 5:30AM and I don’t do so well on too little sleep.
First thought waking up?:People have thoughts when they wake up?!
Do you get homesick?:No, but after a period of time, I do feel the need to go and see some trees.
Would you ever live next to a cemetery?:I used to live pretty close to one, and I actually find them fascinating.
Are you superstitious?:No.
Do you have any piercings?:No, not even the ears.
Any tattoos?:0.
Wear makeup?:A little – I go for the natural, but not splotchy look.
Name::Ryan
Birthdate::11/19
Birthplace::Worcester Memorial Hospital, Worcester, MA
Current residence::Washington, D.C.
Height::5'9 ½”
Weight::approximately 130lbs.
Body type::1984 Ford Bronco
Hair color::Brown
Eye color::(so full of shit, my eyes are) Brown
Left or right handed::Right
Heritage::American (ancestry::Irish, Italian, German & French)
Relationship status::Tax status is single, but actually unavailable
Religion::I don’t need to be boxed in
Siblings::Dan, Preyasha and, if you listen to my mother’s ramblings, Chloe and Tessa
Favorites
Color::today it’s orange
Food::it’s a tie between potatoes and ice cream
Pizza Toppings::not the biggest fan of pizza, but I LOVE Mama Palma’s (2229 Spruce Street, Philadelphia) spinach and ricotta pies
Snack food::usually I snack on raisins, yogurt, and white cheddar Cheezits
Candy::Lindts milk chocolate truffles
Ice cream flavor::Ben & Jerry’s vanilla caramel fudge, or mint chocolate chip (when it’s not freezer burned)
Soft drink::I don’t drink soda
Movie/movie genre::romantic comedies (so what if it’s typical?), foreign films, festival/i.e. independent films, dramas
Show/network::Usually I’m watching the Food Network, the Travel Channel, TCM, AMC, the History Channel or Fox (Simpsons only)
Band/music genre::probably rock
Restaurant::The best places to eat are in Philly – just check out my sidebar
Store::So long as I have money, I love book stores, Eddie Bauer (basics that are all washable!), and Ann Taylor (good quality, affordable work clothes)
Vacation spot::Any place I haven’t been yet
Animal::My little girl, Grace (aka Pumpkin or Piglet)
Book/author::How could I choose?
Teacher::Hands down, Mrs. O’Connell, 3rd grade, Clinton Elementary School
Subject::Is this school, or life? Cuz if it’s school, that would so be English, real life it’s movies.
Past time::Scrapbooking.
Memory::Any time I’ve had with friends or family and we’re all smiling
Season::Autumn.
Day or Month::September through mid-October in New England.
Holiday::Thanksgiving, because who doesn’t love a holiday that has food as its central theme?
Questions
Do you smoke?:Absolutely not. Smoke doesn’t agree with me.
Drink?:Occassionally, but Anthony is disappointed with overwhelming sobriety, and Eric is always telling me I’m lame – so I guess it’s not enough to really qualify.
Like to sing?:Love it. I was in choir up through high school, but not so much of a performer so I didn’t try out in college.
Like to dance?:Not really.
Like to cook?:Mmmmm-hmmmmm…usually I like my own cooking better than what you get in a restaurant.
Are you likeable?:That’s what people tell me (although if your name is Anthony, please don’t tell…)
What's the worst thing about being stuck indoors?:Is this a prison question?
What's the worst thing about being stuck outdoors?:Cold rain/sleet and high winds.
What's a fear of yours?:I fear the capability of other people to do violence to one another.
A weakness?:Being so damn OCD/uptight.
A strength?:Empathy.
Do you have a talent?:Organization.
Can you play an instument?:I’ve trained on the clarinet, flute and piano.
What's your greatest achievement?:Making it thus far.
What's at least one thing you would like to do/be?:Travel and live extensively overseas.
What's your favorite thing about yourself?:My adaptibility in ew situtations.
Do you curse?:When your mother’s favorite word is four letters long and begins with an “f”, you would too.
Have you ever snuck out?:I was a goody two-shoes. That, and I was too busy reading the Grapes of Wrath at the age of ten. I think my mom would have been more pleased if I did try to have a life of some sort.
How many boyfriends/girlfriends have you had?:4.
What's your sexual orientation?:Oriented toward one Mr. Anthony.
What sports do you play?:Does walking count?
Where's the furthest you've been from home?:It took me longest to get to Egypt, so that’s my best answer.
Do you like to travel?:Abso-friggin’-lutely.
Where's a place you'd like to visit?:Everywhere I’ve never been.
What do you want to be when you're an adult?:International aid worker.
Do you want to get married?:Yes.
Want children? How many?:NO.
Have you had sex?:Yes.
Have you been called a slut?:Not to my knowledge.
Have you been called a tease?:Yes, but in my defense, I thought I was just being nice.
Ever gone to the beach?:Are you kidding me with this question? My family had a summer house in York Beach, ME.
Ever been snow skiing/boarding?:In both the East and the West, no less.
Ever gone skinny-dipping?:More than once.
What gaming systems do you own?:I bought Anthony a Playstation…does that count?
What cell phone service do you use?:T-mobile
Do you like thunderstorms?:Yes, yes, yes.
Do you get sick easily?:My people are hardy people.
Have you ever commited a crime?:Define what you mean by “crime”…
Are you a health freak?:No.
Do you think you're attractive?:People say I’m reasonably adorable, but I think most of the attention I get is from frustrated, middle-aged men who are just beginning to realize that their wives aren’t 25 anymore. In the end, I would say I’m not fugly.
Are you confident in yourself?:It was bred into me.
Ever broken any bones?:No, but there was this one time my brother and the neighbor through a log on my head…
Cheated on a test?:Once. In fourth grade, on a test of the chronology of our presidents. I still don’t know the order.
What are your goals?:To live comfortably in a house I own, with the means to pay my bills and go on at least one overseas trip each year.
What is your passion?:Reading, movies, staring into the eyes of my baby girl, Anthony…
How do you want to die?:I concur with Erin, in my sleep, and preferably at a reasonably old age.
Ever been on an airplane?:Many, many, many times.
On the subway?:I’ve lived in one city or another for the last 9 years – I’m a HUGE proponent of public transportation.
Been electrocuted? Not that I remember.
How many friends do you have?:My sixth grade social studies teacher said once, “When you die, if you can count the number of true friends you have on the fingers of one hand, then you die a rich man.” In my case, I’m a pretty rich woman.
Have you ever been in love?:I am currently in love.
Do you get along with your parents/guardians?: ½ yes, ½ no. It’s sick how my mom and I get along, but my dad and I haven’t had a real conversation since 2001.
Do you wear either contacts or glasses?:I went to the optometrist this summer, and he says no.
Ever been jealous?:I’m not the type.
Do you dwell on the past?:Not really. I deal a lot with the past, between my history readings and my scrapbooking, but I wouldn’t use the word “dwell.”
Are you parents together or divorced?:Divorced and remarried.
Do you do well in school?:Usually. I’m a big nerd.
Are you messy or tidy?:Obscenely tidy.
What's your clothing style?:Casually elegant (or at least I hope so).
Are you shallow?:Sometimes, but I try not to be.
This or That
Pepsi or Coke?:Again, I don’t drink soda.
McDonalds or Burger King?:Yeah, and I don’t do fast food either.
Subway or Quiznos?:Subway – I don’t like melty, crusty sandwiches (unless it’s a grilled cheese).
Walmart or Target?:Tar-zhay.
City or country?:Country girl at heart, city girl so I stay employed.
Day or night?:Both, especially when the world is still.
Chocolate or vanilla?:Neither.
Beach or mountains?: Beach.
Hot or cold?:How about temperate?
Sunshine or rain?:Summer showers, anyone?
Cappuccino or Coffee?:Capuccino, with two raw sugars.
Liberal or conservative?:I lean more liberal than conservative.
Sweet or unsweetened tea?:I only drink hot tea. Iced tea is repulsive to my “delicate” sensibilities.
MTV or Vh1?:I prefer not to develop ADD through my television watching.
Fruit or vegetables?:Not a choice I’ll be making any time soon.
War or peace?:Unfortunately, war is necessary. I don’t think true peace actually exists.
Loud or quiet?:Quiet.
Inside or outside?:If it’s cold, windy, and wet, I’m inside. Otherwise, I prefer the outdoors.
Looks or personality?:Looks fade, but personality is forever.
Money or love?:Why not fiscally and romantically comfortable?
Single or group dates?:I’ve never really “dated” so I wouldn’t know.
Hanging with your best friends or bf/gf? (Bros or ho):I like my life to have balance, but my friends are obscenely busy people so more often than not, I’m with Anthony.
Pale or dark skin?:Are we talking about chicken, or sexual attraction, or self? In the case of the first two, I’d say both; in my case, pale.
Regular or diet?:Diet is just “die” with a “t.”
Dogs or cats?:I have one of each, and I love them both!
Rock or rap?:Rock. I still can’t get into the whole rap genre (with a few exceptions)
Party or stay home?:Stay home.
Pool or ocean?:No contest: ocean.
East coast or west coast?:The East coast has real trees, so I’m staying with the coast I live on.
E-mail or IM?:E-mail. IM is the hugest waste of my time.
Some more questions...
What’s your bedtime?:10PM, but that’s because I get up at 5:30AM and I don’t do so well on too little sleep.
First thought waking up?:People have thoughts when they wake up?!
Do you get homesick?:No, but after a period of time, I do feel the need to go and see some trees.
Would you ever live next to a cemetery?:I used to live pretty close to one, and I actually find them fascinating.
Are you superstitious?:No.
Do you have any piercings?:No, not even the ears.
Any tattoos?:0.
Wear makeup?:A little – I go for the natural, but not splotchy look.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Even this idiot knows right from wrong
Is anybody out there still following the big ports issue? You know, the one where our President tried to sneak a port deal by all his constituency, including the port operators? Yeah, the one that involved the company owned by the UAE.
Well, has anyone else seen the news that the company in question, DP World, is now planning to sell all its U.S. port operations within the next 6 months or so to an American buyer? The newspaper I'm reading says, "[DP World] agreed to the sale to quell a bipartisan furor in Congress." Is anyone else wondering why any private business would start selling pieces of its multimillion dollar industry just because our Congress has their panties in a wad? Why aren't the newspapers asking why?
I think the majority of the reason is because of the intimate relationship the current U.S. administration has with DP World (and it is also the same reason that the deal was so quickly passed through the review process in the first place). When you are that deeply involved in politics, then the impression you leave on Congress and the American public becomes important, doesn't it?
To save myself time, I've pulled up an article that illustrates the connection (although this writer strikes a tone that I find faulty in any scientific/historical review of the facts):
Was it because a GOP ex-presidential candidate was brokering the deal?
Ex-Senator Bob Dole's lobbying on behalf of Dubai Ports World "is creating a political problem for his wife," North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole." North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek yesterday "called on Sen. Dole to remove herself from 'any congressional oversight' of the Dubai port deal." A spokeswoman for Sen. Dole "rejected the criticism as 'a partisan attack' and defended the senator's role as a lawmaker and her husband's as a lobbyist."
Was it because DP World honors a Boycott of Israel, one of the United States closest allies?
Was it because the United Arab Emirates is a major stakeholder in the Carlyle Group -- the same private equity firm that has been dominated by such Republican emissaries as George H. W. Bush, former Secretary of State James A. Baker, and ex-secretary of defense Frank Carlucci -- AND that the UAE government-run firm, Dubai International Capital backs an $8 billion Carlyle fund?
Or was it simply because The UAE even gave more than a million dollars to the elder Bush's presidential library in Texas.
All very interesting questions, but not quite as interesting as the following:
Why did Treasury Secretary John Snow first approve the DPW deal and then deny that he did so?
I don't know, but I do know some things that you should know as well.
First, in 2002, while Treasury Secretary John Snow was still the CEO of CSX Corp., the Carlyle Group bought the company.
In 2003, Snow was appointed Treasury Secretary by George W. Bush
One year later, CSX sold its port operations to Dubai Ports for $1.15 billion.
Now, John Snow has approved the U.S. port takeover by U.A.E. state-owned Dubai Ports World.
So immersed in this is John Snow that Republican insiders (according to the subscription-only newsletter U.S. Bulletin News) are targeting him as the "Dubai fall guy":
Some Republican advisers to Hill leaders, angered with the poor handling of the plan to hand over operations at major U.S. ports to a Dubai company, are suggesting today that Treasury Secretary John Snow may take the fall for the White House, US News Bulletin has learned. Even as administration officials dismissed the suggestion outright, some lawmakers and their aides were looking to pin the blame on somebody other than the President and the White House, and are focused on Snow because he is the head of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which approves such deals.
Snow has said he didn't learn about the port deal until it was publicized last week. While he is still liked inside the White House, it has long been rumored that Snow would be resigning this year. And some conservative opponents of the deal are suggesting that he -- and whomever he designated as his representative during the review -- bow out soon to take the heat off the President.
Of course the buck -- particularly for issues of national security -- must stop with the president.
So again, why would the Bush Administration accept such political risk in the run-up to the 2006 election?
Follow the money...
The UAE invests heavily in George H. W. Bush's Carlyle Group >> George H. W. Bush's Carlyle Group buys John Snow's CSX >> George W. Bush Appoints John Snow to Treasury Secretary >> CSX Sells its port operations to Dubai Ports >> John Snow approves US Port Takeover by UAE state-owned DP World.
Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching!
Everybody's happy.
Well, has anyone else seen the news that the company in question, DP World, is now planning to sell all its U.S. port operations within the next 6 months or so to an American buyer? The newspaper I'm reading says, "[DP World] agreed to the sale to quell a bipartisan furor in Congress." Is anyone else wondering why any private business would start selling pieces of its multimillion dollar industry just because our Congress has their panties in a wad? Why aren't the newspapers asking why?
I think the majority of the reason is because of the intimate relationship the current U.S. administration has with DP World (and it is also the same reason that the deal was so quickly passed through the review process in the first place). When you are that deeply involved in politics, then the impression you leave on Congress and the American public becomes important, doesn't it?
To save myself time, I've pulled up an article that illustrates the connection (although this writer strikes a tone that I find faulty in any scientific/historical review of the facts):
Was it because a GOP ex-presidential candidate was brokering the deal?
Ex-Senator Bob Dole's lobbying on behalf of Dubai Ports World "is creating a political problem for his wife," North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole." North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek yesterday "called on Sen. Dole to remove herself from 'any congressional oversight' of the Dubai port deal." A spokeswoman for Sen. Dole "rejected the criticism as 'a partisan attack' and defended the senator's role as a lawmaker and her husband's as a lobbyist."
Was it because DP World honors a Boycott of Israel, one of the United States closest allies?
Was it because the United Arab Emirates is a major stakeholder in the Carlyle Group -- the same private equity firm that has been dominated by such Republican emissaries as George H. W. Bush, former Secretary of State James A. Baker, and ex-secretary of defense Frank Carlucci -- AND that the UAE government-run firm, Dubai International Capital backs an $8 billion Carlyle fund?
Or was it simply because The UAE even gave more than a million dollars to the elder Bush's presidential library in Texas.
All very interesting questions, but not quite as interesting as the following:
Why did Treasury Secretary John Snow first approve the DPW deal and then deny that he did so?
I don't know, but I do know some things that you should know as well.
First, in 2002, while Treasury Secretary John Snow was still the CEO of CSX Corp., the Carlyle Group bought the company.
In 2003, Snow was appointed Treasury Secretary by George W. Bush
One year later, CSX sold its port operations to Dubai Ports for $1.15 billion.
Now, John Snow has approved the U.S. port takeover by U.A.E. state-owned Dubai Ports World.
So immersed in this is John Snow that Republican insiders (according to the subscription-only newsletter U.S. Bulletin News) are targeting him as the "Dubai fall guy":
Some Republican advisers to Hill leaders, angered with the poor handling of the plan to hand over operations at major U.S. ports to a Dubai company, are suggesting today that Treasury Secretary John Snow may take the fall for the White House, US News Bulletin has learned. Even as administration officials dismissed the suggestion outright, some lawmakers and their aides were looking to pin the blame on somebody other than the President and the White House, and are focused on Snow because he is the head of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which approves such deals.
Snow has said he didn't learn about the port deal until it was publicized last week. While he is still liked inside the White House, it has long been rumored that Snow would be resigning this year. And some conservative opponents of the deal are suggesting that he -- and whomever he designated as his representative during the review -- bow out soon to take the heat off the President.
Of course the buck -- particularly for issues of national security -- must stop with the president.
So again, why would the Bush Administration accept such political risk in the run-up to the 2006 election?
Follow the money...
The UAE invests heavily in George H. W. Bush's Carlyle Group >> George H. W. Bush's Carlyle Group buys John Snow's CSX >> George W. Bush Appoints John Snow to Treasury Secretary >> CSX Sells its port operations to Dubai Ports >> John Snow approves US Port Takeover by UAE state-owned DP World.
Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching!
Everybody's happy.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Consuming Mass Quantities of Caffeine Makes Me Want to Shop
Because Tuesday's experience wasn't enough to keep me off of coffee, I have yet again consumed a cup of Caribou Coffee's dark roast of the day. And I have already annoyed the entire staff at work with my babbling, twitchiing, and general airheadedness, so now I'm online to bother the rest of you with my unintelligence.
The thing is, I'm really sick of being poor. So honestly, other than an attempt to stay focused for the better part of the next four hours, buying coffee enables me to feel like I've really made it: yes indeed, I can actually make a two dollar purchase a couple times a week without breaking the bank.
But it's all just an illusion, because honestly, I'm broke. Everyone I know gives me a hard time for never having any "mugger money" on me, but when you live paycheck to paycheck (and I mean this seriously - part of the reason I never go out is because I don't even have the $5 happy hour money), you really don't have the spare change to keep in your purse for safety's sake.
There are the Penn loans to pay back (those bastards! I'll be paying them off for the rest of my life), personal loans, credit card bills, direct-pay health insurance bills, cell phone bills (no home phone though), doctor's bills (because $500 a month for health insurance apparently doesn't do the trick), rent, groceries... And every time I think I'm ahead, I'm not. A whole slew of bills arrive in the mail the next day. Wankers.
So this coffee thing. I'm focused, coiled like a spring, and I'm thinking ahead about 3-4 paychecks. I'm thinking to a time when my new company kicks in the health insurance payments. And I'm thinking of all the cool shit I can buy with that extra hundred dollars. Work clothes. My Amazon.com wish list. New sneakers for running. A new bookcase. Maybe even an ipod. A tea kettle for the office.
And I want to spend that money NOW. I'm itching to whip out the credit cards and make $1000 in purchases.
No wonder why we poor people are so miserable. The things we want aren't even all that preposterous, and yet we still can't afford them.
Ergh, damn you coffee! Just let me return to my normal, bumbling, early-onset Alzheimers self...
The thing is, I'm really sick of being poor. So honestly, other than an attempt to stay focused for the better part of the next four hours, buying coffee enables me to feel like I've really made it: yes indeed, I can actually make a two dollar purchase a couple times a week without breaking the bank.
But it's all just an illusion, because honestly, I'm broke. Everyone I know gives me a hard time for never having any "mugger money" on me, but when you live paycheck to paycheck (and I mean this seriously - part of the reason I never go out is because I don't even have the $5 happy hour money), you really don't have the spare change to keep in your purse for safety's sake.
There are the Penn loans to pay back (those bastards! I'll be paying them off for the rest of my life), personal loans, credit card bills, direct-pay health insurance bills, cell phone bills (no home phone though), doctor's bills (because $500 a month for health insurance apparently doesn't do the trick), rent, groceries... And every time I think I'm ahead, I'm not. A whole slew of bills arrive in the mail the next day. Wankers.
So this coffee thing. I'm focused, coiled like a spring, and I'm thinking ahead about 3-4 paychecks. I'm thinking to a time when my new company kicks in the health insurance payments. And I'm thinking of all the cool shit I can buy with that extra hundred dollars. Work clothes. My Amazon.com wish list. New sneakers for running. A new bookcase. Maybe even an ipod. A tea kettle for the office.
And I want to spend that money NOW. I'm itching to whip out the credit cards and make $1000 in purchases.
No wonder why we poor people are so miserable. The things we want aren't even all that preposterous, and yet we still can't afford them.
Ergh, damn you coffee! Just let me return to my normal, bumbling, early-onset Alzheimers self...
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Being an Old Fart isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be
Do you ever wake up in the morning with the realization that you are indeed the lamest person you know? Honestly folks. I was in bed at 9PM last night - read it and weep, that is NINE. PM. Practically evening. - with Grace curled into my armpit and snoring louder than Anthony after a drunken binge.
Granted, this is in large part due to the fact that on Tuesday I made the mistake of drinking a cup of French Roast at 2:30PM, thinking it would help me through my night of volunteering with Women for Women International. Instead, I sounded like I was on speed through the first two hours of my volunteering, and I couldn't sleep until about 2AM, even after watching The Terminal, a film that would have been much more delightful if the movie studio had been able to fire Steven Spielberg.
I swear, coffee for me is more potent than a couple hits of ecstasy. All night as I lay in bed willing myself to fall asleep, I was actually paranoid that all the new clothes I wanted from Eddie Bauer would sell out before my first paycheck from General Dynamic could arrive. Seriously folks. I got up at 1AM and went online to check. And then spent an hour rearranging my wish list into outfits. A good ELEVEN HOURS AFTER I DRANK THE COFFEE.
I think you now understand why both my doctor and dentist agree that I should not imbibe caffeinated beverages on a regular basis.
Needless to say, when my alarm went off at 6AM, I was not the happiest puppy. That was Grace, who was doing her cute little "circus dance," you know, that dance she does to show us how pleased as punch she is that we are awake and now able to take her for a walk. Or feed her. Or touch her even. Whatever, so long as we're paying attention to her.
And all that to say that last night I was in bed at 9PM and I'm an old fart.
What is going to make it all worse is that I woke up last night at midnight because Anthony still hadn't returned to occupy his half of the bed, and I started to worry and fret over all the reasons why he might not be home yet. Then I gave him hell when he walked in 5 minutes later, and continued to do so until 1AM. Grace then weaseled her way back onto the bed and into the mattress divet I'd been working on all night, successfully pushing me off the bed and onto the living room couch.
I woke again around 5:30AM to Grace staring at me oh-so-innocently, at which point I returned to bed for some of Anthony's generous BTU's and hit the snooze button until 6:30AM. That is when I discovered that Grace's oh-so-innocent look meant that she had left a huge pile of steaming poo on the ONE carpet in the house and I had just stepped in it. Mommy Ryan was not all that happy.
Yeah. So really, I feel like an old woman. For fun, we take the dog out for a walk and laugh when she nearly strangles herself over the sight of another dog. Then I come home and work on my scrapbooking or watch another movie from my Netflix queue.
To paint an even more flattering picture of our lives together, this weekend we have big plans. The temperature is supposed to top out around 70 degrees, and Anthony has planned for us to do a full cleaning of the house. Apparently, with two of us it should only take a few hours. Yes, yes, the fun never ends.
Granted, this is in large part due to the fact that on Tuesday I made the mistake of drinking a cup of French Roast at 2:30PM, thinking it would help me through my night of volunteering with Women for Women International. Instead, I sounded like I was on speed through the first two hours of my volunteering, and I couldn't sleep until about 2AM, even after watching The Terminal, a film that would have been much more delightful if the movie studio had been able to fire Steven Spielberg.
I swear, coffee for me is more potent than a couple hits of ecstasy. All night as I lay in bed willing myself to fall asleep, I was actually paranoid that all the new clothes I wanted from Eddie Bauer would sell out before my first paycheck from General Dynamic could arrive. Seriously folks. I got up at 1AM and went online to check. And then spent an hour rearranging my wish list into outfits. A good ELEVEN HOURS AFTER I DRANK THE COFFEE.
I think you now understand why both my doctor and dentist agree that I should not imbibe caffeinated beverages on a regular basis.
Needless to say, when my alarm went off at 6AM, I was not the happiest puppy. That was Grace, who was doing her cute little "circus dance," you know, that dance she does to show us how pleased as punch she is that we are awake and now able to take her for a walk. Or feed her. Or touch her even. Whatever, so long as we're paying attention to her.
And all that to say that last night I was in bed at 9PM and I'm an old fart.
What is going to make it all worse is that I woke up last night at midnight because Anthony still hadn't returned to occupy his half of the bed, and I started to worry and fret over all the reasons why he might not be home yet. Then I gave him hell when he walked in 5 minutes later, and continued to do so until 1AM. Grace then weaseled her way back onto the bed and into the mattress divet I'd been working on all night, successfully pushing me off the bed and onto the living room couch.
I woke again around 5:30AM to Grace staring at me oh-so-innocently, at which point I returned to bed for some of Anthony's generous BTU's and hit the snooze button until 6:30AM. That is when I discovered that Grace's oh-so-innocent look meant that she had left a huge pile of steaming poo on the ONE carpet in the house and I had just stepped in it. Mommy Ryan was not all that happy.
Yeah. So really, I feel like an old woman. For fun, we take the dog out for a walk and laugh when she nearly strangles herself over the sight of another dog. Then I come home and work on my scrapbooking or watch another movie from my Netflix queue.
To paint an even more flattering picture of our lives together, this weekend we have big plans. The temperature is supposed to top out around 70 degrees, and Anthony has planned for us to do a full cleaning of the house. Apparently, with two of us it should only take a few hours. Yes, yes, the fun never ends.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
A Few Things Have Happened
1. I was only right about 60% of the time on my Oscar picks. It hurts me that Crash won, because I sincerely felt there were 3 films much better suited for the Best Picture award. But at the end of the day, the good news is that Spielberg's straddling-the-fence crapfest, Munich, didn't win.
2. I recently accepted a position as a Process Analyst for General Dynamic (yes, Yael - who knew we would end up in related fields?), thereby solving all my health insurance woes. I am in no way qualified for this position, but hey, I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh-darn-it, people like me. Anyway, the real test is going to come when I start attending graduate school full-time.
3. Also in the past two weeks, we adopted a kitten. Anthony wants to name him Damian because we are convinced he spawned from hellfire, but I'm sticking with Pookie. It has a nice, sweet ring to it to mask his real intentions. (Which is to destroy every plant in sight and make Grace's head explode from jealousy.)
4. There is still no update on my graduate school applications. Sigh.
2. I recently accepted a position as a Process Analyst for General Dynamic (yes, Yael - who knew we would end up in related fields?), thereby solving all my health insurance woes. I am in no way qualified for this position, but hey, I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh-darn-it, people like me. Anyway, the real test is going to come when I start attending graduate school full-time.
3. Also in the past two weeks, we adopted a kitten. Anthony wants to name him Damian because we are convinced he spawned from hellfire, but I'm sticking with Pookie. It has a nice, sweet ring to it to mask his real intentions. (Which is to destroy every plant in sight and make Grace's head explode from jealousy.)
4. There is still no update on my graduate school applications. Sigh.
Friday, March 03, 2006
And the Oscar Goes to...
Like my girl, one Ms. Murphy, I have been to a few movies this past year and am ready to make my predictions for the Oscars known. I have also dragged many of my friends to see several of these films, but I haven't managed to hit them all. So I'm going on my best knee-jerk reaction here, and you'll just have to like it or lump it. Either way, here are my from-the-gut choices:
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
My Choice: Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain. Sure, I missed out on seeing three out of the five actors in their Oscar-nominated roles, but from previews, friends' commentary, and previous experience watching these actors perform, I'm willing to say that Heath Ledger surprised me very much with his ability to act at all and take this role to the level it was at. Sure, I've seen 10 Things I Hate About You, but all the great actors have started out in some really terrible movies. And I don't see any of the other actors nominated stretching themselves so far for a role - into someone who is so alien from themselves that the actor is completely unidentifiable.
Who Will Win: Joaquin Pheonix, Walk the Line. Personally, I thought the movie and his acting were only ok, but the powers-that-be seem to have a hard-on for this movie this year, especially the two leads. Probably from all the uber-hype, I often found myself pulled out of the story to watch how Pheonix TRIED to be Cash. Hard as acting may be for me, how hard is it for a half-decent actor to emulate somone famous who has clearly established tics and characteristics?
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
My Choice: Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain. After Donnie Darko, who can not love him? (By the way, Erin, I think he got nominated for "supporting" because he dies in the end, thus not being a lead ALL the way through the movie.) And again, when you're a young straight man in your prime in Hollywood, it must be incredibly difficult to reach inside of yourself and become a gay cowboy in front of millions of people. He and Ledger are incredibly brave for taking this potentially career-damaging movie and jumping into their roles with gusto.
Who Will Win: Matt Dillon, Crash. Don't get me wrong, I loved this movie, but it makes me suspicious when a movie that was released so far away from the end-of-year sweeps is still making such a ruckus in Hollywood. Yeah, it's great they made an ensemble movie that dealt with issues still prevalent in our society today, but I'm tired of the hype and the self-congratulation.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
My Choice: I don't care what all the critics say, Felicity Huffman has my vote, 100%, for Transamerica. She is AMAZING.
Who Will Win: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line. Why? Because everyone loves a cute southern belle who can imitate a well-known cute southern belle.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
My Choice: Really, I haven't seen enough of these movies to make an accurate prediction, but I'll just throw Frances McDormand out there because I'm always rooting for her. She is just an amazing actress.
Who Will Win: Rachel Weisz, Constant Gardener. And I don't know why - maybe it's because she flashes her T&A all over that movie. Which, by the way, I didn't think deserved the hype either. Important story, terrible cinematography, awful sound-editing, banal direction, and dialogue that could have been better.
ANIMATED FEATURE:
My Choice: Wallace and Grommit.
Who Will Win: Wallace and Grommit.
DIRECTING:
My Choice: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain. Because he rocks.
Who Will Win: George Clooney, Syriana. By the way, this movie and Munich totally sucked.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
My Choice: Murderball - all the way. I usually hate documentaries, but this one is absolutely amazing. And that wasn't just the vodka talking.
Who Will Win: March of the Penguins, the surprise documentary hit of the year. I thought it was amazing myself, but do you know the original was in French and gave the penguins voices? French audiences basically laughed it out of the theatre. But you add Morgan Freeman and voila! it's a masterpiece. Now, if you nominated Freeman for the "supporting" Oscar, I might reconsider...
BEST PICTURE:
My Choice: Brokeback Mountain, because it's a strong movie that came out at a time when it wasn't a guaranteed hit. It made me uncomfortable and admit to my own prejudices (I didn't think I had any). Basically, it made me think - which is something that rarely happens with a Hollywood movie these days.
Who Will Win: Crash, because it makes Hollywood cream its pants at the thought. Oooh! Ensemble cast!
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY):
My Choice: Brokeback Mountain, no question about it.
Who Will Win: Brokeback Mountain - this will probably be the only category the Academy sees fit to offer this outstanding movie.
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY):
My Choice: The Squid and the Whale, which is probably the most underrated movie on the Academy's list of nominees.
Who Will Win: Why is Crash getting all this buzz? I don't know, but I think it's going to win here too. But that is way better than Syriana, for sure, or that homage to Woody Allen's ego, Match Point.
Well, that's all the opinion I've got for today. Tune in on March 5th to find out if I'm right.
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
My Choice: Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain. Sure, I missed out on seeing three out of the five actors in their Oscar-nominated roles, but from previews, friends' commentary, and previous experience watching these actors perform, I'm willing to say that Heath Ledger surprised me very much with his ability to act at all and take this role to the level it was at. Sure, I've seen 10 Things I Hate About You, but all the great actors have started out in some really terrible movies. And I don't see any of the other actors nominated stretching themselves so far for a role - into someone who is so alien from themselves that the actor is completely unidentifiable.
Who Will Win: Joaquin Pheonix, Walk the Line. Personally, I thought the movie and his acting were only ok, but the powers-that-be seem to have a hard-on for this movie this year, especially the two leads. Probably from all the uber-hype, I often found myself pulled out of the story to watch how Pheonix TRIED to be Cash. Hard as acting may be for me, how hard is it for a half-decent actor to emulate somone famous who has clearly established tics and characteristics?
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
My Choice: Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain. After Donnie Darko, who can not love him? (By the way, Erin, I think he got nominated for "supporting" because he dies in the end, thus not being a lead ALL the way through the movie.) And again, when you're a young straight man in your prime in Hollywood, it must be incredibly difficult to reach inside of yourself and become a gay cowboy in front of millions of people. He and Ledger are incredibly brave for taking this potentially career-damaging movie and jumping into their roles with gusto.
Who Will Win: Matt Dillon, Crash. Don't get me wrong, I loved this movie, but it makes me suspicious when a movie that was released so far away from the end-of-year sweeps is still making such a ruckus in Hollywood. Yeah, it's great they made an ensemble movie that dealt with issues still prevalent in our society today, but I'm tired of the hype and the self-congratulation.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
My Choice: I don't care what all the critics say, Felicity Huffman has my vote, 100%, for Transamerica. She is AMAZING.
Who Will Win: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line. Why? Because everyone loves a cute southern belle who can imitate a well-known cute southern belle.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
My Choice: Really, I haven't seen enough of these movies to make an accurate prediction, but I'll just throw Frances McDormand out there because I'm always rooting for her. She is just an amazing actress.
Who Will Win: Rachel Weisz, Constant Gardener. And I don't know why - maybe it's because she flashes her T&A all over that movie. Which, by the way, I didn't think deserved the hype either. Important story, terrible cinematography, awful sound-editing, banal direction, and dialogue that could have been better.
ANIMATED FEATURE:
My Choice: Wallace and Grommit.
Who Will Win: Wallace and Grommit.
DIRECTING:
My Choice: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain. Because he rocks.
Who Will Win: George Clooney, Syriana. By the way, this movie and Munich totally sucked.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
My Choice: Murderball - all the way. I usually hate documentaries, but this one is absolutely amazing. And that wasn't just the vodka talking.
Who Will Win: March of the Penguins, the surprise documentary hit of the year. I thought it was amazing myself, but do you know the original was in French and gave the penguins voices? French audiences basically laughed it out of the theatre. But you add Morgan Freeman and voila! it's a masterpiece. Now, if you nominated Freeman for the "supporting" Oscar, I might reconsider...
BEST PICTURE:
My Choice: Brokeback Mountain, because it's a strong movie that came out at a time when it wasn't a guaranteed hit. It made me uncomfortable and admit to my own prejudices (I didn't think I had any). Basically, it made me think - which is something that rarely happens with a Hollywood movie these days.
Who Will Win: Crash, because it makes Hollywood cream its pants at the thought. Oooh! Ensemble cast!
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY):
My Choice: Brokeback Mountain, no question about it.
Who Will Win: Brokeback Mountain - this will probably be the only category the Academy sees fit to offer this outstanding movie.
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY):
My Choice: The Squid and the Whale, which is probably the most underrated movie on the Academy's list of nominees.
Who Will Win: Why is Crash getting all this buzz? I don't know, but I think it's going to win here too. But that is way better than Syriana, for sure, or that homage to Woody Allen's ego, Match Point.
Well, that's all the opinion I've got for today. Tune in on March 5th to find out if I'm right.
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