1:32 PM - Why you should care about gas prices

Have you heard the Greenday song about Idiot America?  I don't know why I do this to myself but I just couldn't help it yesterday.  I checked out the discussion board on MSNBC.com about the price of gas going up.  Boy there are a lot of really stupid people in this country.  Not that we didn't already know that... look who was elected president for a second term.  BTW to all my New Hampshire friends that told me how stupid I was for not voting for that idiot a second term (or the first time around for that matter...) here's a big fat bbbbbbbbbpt! raspberry to you.

It amazes me the number of idiots out there that still think boycotting the service stations for a day will hurt big oil.  Yeah, not so much.  It might hurt the individual gas station owner in the short term (BTW they're only making a few cents on each gallon) but big oil isn't going to feel anything.  You might feel it if you're stupid enough to be driving around on fumes and waiting until the 16th to buy gas.  Hope you are wearing good walking shoes.

Gas prices are not some huge conspiracy by Exxon or Shell colluding to artificially drive up the price of gas.  The price goes up when the supply isn't meeting demand.  It's Economics 101.  Now, it's not like I have an degree in this stuff or anything.... wait, oh yeah, I do!  The only way to make the price go down is for supplies to go up.  That can happen one of two ways - either production increases which you don't have control over, or demand goes down.  It's that simple.

I'm not a tree hugger or anything... wait, oh yeah, I am a bit, but this goes way beyond the environment.  There were selfish, clueless people on that discussion board yesterday saying they can afford gas at $5 a gallon and so what if they have a big gas guzzling SUV.  Maybe they can afford it and maybe they have no issue with bombing down the highway at 80 mph in the fastlane in their giant Hemi powered mammoth of a vehicle -- good for them!  But why do they need that vehicle?  They aren't towing anything.  There's usually one person inside and nothing in the cargo area.  Do they really need to go 80?  How about people stomping on the gas when the light changes only to come to screeching halt at the next light.  I laugh at them as I coast by them, not even having to stop because by the time I get to that next light it's green.  I say, "Wow aren't you impressive!  You beat me to the next red light!"  Jackass.

Here's something everyone should be thinking about - just because you can afford to pay the higher prices, don't assume everyone can.  The ones that complain the loudest about welfare (yup, picking on my New Hampshire friends in right wing Bush country again) don't seem to realize that if hard working families trying to stay off welfare can't put gas in their cars to get to their jobs guess what?  They're going to be right back on welfare.  Okay, so gas goes up and maybe you can afford it but you have to cut back on your summer vacation plans.  Big deal, right?  Some people are choosing between which utility bill to pay or what food they can or cannot afford because without gas in their cars they cannot get to work and if they cannot get to work they can't pay ANY bills.

What do you think these prices are going to do to the economy as a whole?  Food is going to go up - how can it not unless it comes from where you live?  Anything you buy at Wal-Mart is going to go up.  Restaurants will have to charge more because the food is trucked from somewhere.  Shipping costs will increase, the price of all finished goods will increase.  This is going to affect everything and everyone eventually, so maybe you may want to rethink 80 mph on the highway or stomping on the gas at that green light.  You might want to try to plan your errands and consolidate trips.  Like it or not, this is going to affect us all.

Oh, and in case you're wondering?  I advertised for a carpool on our company's e-bulletin board and found out a co-worker in another building lives less than a mile from me.  We ride in together now.  Some flexibility was needed but the savings was well worth it (over $100 last month).  I consolidate errands on weekends, always drive the speed limit, and take off slowly and slow down in anticipation of red lights.  I also keep my car well maintained and tires properly inflated.  Guys, it's really not that hard and imagine if we all did just one or two of the things I'm suggesting?

Think about it.

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7:24 PM - Happy Singles Awareness Day!
Category: Romance and Relationships

Okay, I mean Valentine's Day.  But truthfully, other than the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve is there ever a time when singles are so aware of being single?  You almost start to feel apologetic or that you are missing out on something.  You are but it's not necessarily a bad thing.  It really depends on how you look at it.

You are missing out on trying to figure out what the heck to get your significant other and how to pay for it... while some of you are still paying off the credit card bill from another fairly recent holiday season.  Although there is no shortage of ideas from the Marketing Blitz from jewelry retailers and florists showing you what you damned well better plan on getting her if you plan on having sex any time soon.  Last year it was the circle pendant.  This year it's the "Journey" necklace.  Guys, I'm on your side with this one.

Truthfully, the best gift I ever got for Valentine's Day was tickets to a Red Sox game.  It didn't cause him to go broke and we got to enjoy it together.  If I'd dumped his sorry butt before the game date I could have taken someone else and didn't have to worry about him seeing me wearing some necklace he gave me and reading anything into that.  Incidently, I did dump his sorry butt about a month before the game but took him anyway.  If someone gives you Sox tickets and they're a fan, it's just cruel and unusual punishment not to take them.  If it's a Sox/Yankees game and they're a Yankee fan, you don't take them even if you're still dating them... and why the hell are you even dating a Yankee fan in the first place??

Remember in elementary school where everyone in the class got a Valentine?  Even the kid with the major dandruff that ate paste and smelled like peanutbutter and cat piss got a Valentine from every classmate.  Granted, he usually got stuck with the Foghorn Leghorn Valentine from the Bugs Bunny pack that you wouldn't give to your friends but he got them just the same.  Then we all got pumped full of sugar just in time to torture the bus driver on the way home... now I know why the poor guy drank.  Gawd, those were the days...

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4:27 PM - Suicidal Robot and Other Things to Bitch About
Current mood: mellow
Category: Life

So I began my day with a warm croissant and a cup of my favorite morning beverage (Dunkin' Donuts hazelnut with skim and Splenda) and sat down at the computer to check on the news of the world on MSNBC.com.  As is usually the case it didn't take long for me to find something to make fun of.  NO, I am not going to start in on Anna Nicole Smith.  Too many jokes all at once could  cause my head to implode so it's best if I don't go there just now. 

No, this morning it was suicide prevention groups all up in arms about the Super Bowl ad (which was actually one of my favorites) featuring a quality-obsessed assembly line robot at GM who makes a small mistake and loses his job at the plant.  He's reduced to waving a condo advertisement sign and holding the speaker at the fast food drive thru.  Poor little guy.  Everywhere he goes he sees gleaming GM vehicles he had no part in assembling with Eric Carmen's "All By Myself" playing in the background.  The sad little hunk of electronics and metal finally leaps from a bridge to end it all.  Then he wakes with a start and you realize it was all just a bad dream.  Now, I thought this was cute and on my worst day this ad would not be a catalyst for me to end it all like the robot.  I don't want to be insensitive to family members of those who have chosen to take their own lives but it is a robot, it is a Super Bowl ad, and for crying out loud it ended up being just a bad dream.

Another ad drawing criticism was the Snickers ad where the two guys are devouring the Snickers bar from two different ends and basically end up kissing when they run out of candy bar.  Apparently this is homophobic.  Okay.  The ad was basically two people who would not want to kiss being so obsessed with the candy bar they inadvertently have a Lady and the Tramp spaghetti moment.  I suppose you could twist it so that it's homophobic but what if it had just been two co-workers -- one male, one female, both heterosexual?  I suppose then we'd be making light of sexual harrassment which is a serious and sensitive issue.  Fast food workers were offended by the K-Fed ad, for which he reportedly apologized.  Seriously, for all the things K-Fed should be apologizing for, this would not be at the top of my list.

What's next?  Is there some mouse organization out there that is going to wig out over the big bad guinea pigs mistreating the little mouse in the Blockbuster commercial?  Yeah, that was animated and guinea pigs and mice don't actually talk. Maybe Mickey Mouse will stage a protest?  Wait, he is animated too.  How about the cruelty to mosquitos in the unforgetable Tabasco ad?  The mosquitos make the mistake of feeding on a guy that just put Tabasco on his burger and the end up exploding and looking like little fireflies in the evening air.  Poor things. 

People, can we just lighten up?

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4:07 AM - And that answers that question...
Current mood: cynical
Category: Romance and Relationships

As a singer and musician, and music lover in general, I frequently will go out to pubs and clubs to check out other musicians.  My friends have kids, night classes, and early bedtimes, so sometimes on weeknights, I end up on these little excursions flying solo.  Unfortunately, being a petite blonde sitting at the bar or at a table near the stage by myself generally invites unwanted questions and, more often than not, a-holes. 

There is the stupid question, "Why are you sitting by yourself?" or "Did you come here by yourself?"  To which, depending on the rudeness of the person asking, I sometimes respond, "What, you don't see these people?"  Guys come in and sit by themselves all the time... they are never asked these questions.  Often my sarcasm is lost or simply ignored and then quickly followed by the poser of the question inviting himself to sit with me.  The audible groan and eye rolling are usually missed as well.

The next 10 minutes or so involves someone I don't want to listen to shouting over the music I did want to listen to.  I always love the more pointed questions, always asked during a break in the music, wondering if I'm married or have a boyfriend.  Then it's always, "Why not?"  Why do people think I actually have an answer to this question (besides the obvious "because it always seems to be drunk a-holes like you inviting yourselves to my table?") and why do they not see how incredibly rude it is to ask?  Although not as rude as "so, what are you, like, a lesbian then?"

The real kicker, of course, is that anyone else at this point would realize that they are getting nowhere and I'm actually beyond perturbed.  So I have to ask, why do these guys still try to close the deal with, "so do you want to go out some time?"  Women might be from Venus and some men might be from Mars, but a lot of men were just inbred.

So, in case you were wondering, this is why I am single.

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3:13 AM - Tis the Season...

I was hoping, I really was hoping, that we would not have to rehash this again this year, but it would not be the politically correct holiday season if we didn't.

Last year the big fuss was over the tree they light on Boston Common.  Apparently, it was no longer a Christmas tree, but had become a "holiday" tree.  There were thousands of Letters to the Editor sent to the Boston Globe, several well written op/ed pieces, drive time DJs had a field day, and there were even a few small protests.  Finally, everyone came to the senses and decided that it was really okay to call it a Christmas tree.  Gee...you think?

The tradition of the Christmas tree actually has nothing to do with the birth of Christ (which by the way was not even in December) and I don't see how it could possibly be religiously offensive to people not of Christian faith. 

Apparently it is.  This year the controversy was not on Boston Common, a city where rebellion pretty much began, but rather on the opposite coast.  To avoid a lawsuit threatened by a Seattle Rabbi, the Port of Seattle's commissioners had their maintenance staff dismantle and remove the 8 foot tall plastic Christmas trees on display throughout the airport.  Now mind you, the Christmas-- excuse me -- holiday season is the busiest time of year for airports and you would think we'd be more concerned with security and keeping flights running on time. 

Since the ticket counters are leased by the airport, they are free to do as they please and airport employees have decorated counters with their own one foot high Christmas trees.  Good for them!  I love the decorations of the holiday season.  Half my friends are Jewish and one is Muslim, three of my friends celebrate Kwanzaa.  They are not offended by my Christmas tree, some of them have even given me tree ornaments as gifts.

In this season, whether it's the Christmas season, Ramadan, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, or Holiday season (or the recent obsession of a few of the guys I know - deer season - don't get me started), I don't see why we have to quibble over decorations or what greetings ("Merry Christmas" has been deemed inappropriate in the school system) might offend others.  I read that the Rabbi is getting hate mail... please people get a grip.  Wouldn't it be better to reflect on what each of those seasons really mean (except of course deer season) and try to remember those less fortunate, those who are ill, and those who are serving in our armed forces in harm's way?  Let's do that, shall we?

Cheers, Peace, Love and Merry Christmas.

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7:48 PM - Insured in Massachusetts: Assured of Being Screwed

A dear friend of mine has a little mishap with her car earlier this week.  It happens to all of at one time or another and we all know how painfully frustrating it can be... especially those of us that live in Massachusetts.  We pay higher insurance premiums than just about any state and if we actually use this insurance, guess what?  We get to pay more for it!  If you use too much of it they won't insure you anymore.

We also pay high taxes in this state in the form of real estate taxes, income taxes, sales taxes and even excise taxes.  That money is supposed to go to things like road maintenance.  On her way home from work the other night, my friend ran over some debris in the road which caused extensive damage to her car.  She called the police department and they pretty much said too bad... albeit a little nicer, the bottom line was "too bad."  So she has to use her auto insurance to pay for it.  Since there was no other vehicle involved (another insured person to blame) she not only has to pay the deductible, but will also be charged surcharges every year for the next six years or so.  As if she's not being charged enough for insurance as it is. 

Like any of us would, she vented her frustration to the insurance agent and they admitted that it wasn't fair but that's the way it works.  They also gave her another example that if she swerves to avoid hitting a deer and instead hits a tree, she would actually have been better off financially if she'd just hit the deer.  I wonder what PETA would have to say about that?  Maybe they'll start picketing outside Allstate with Deer Crossing signs.  Maybe the Geico gecko will join them and need whistle blower protection.  The Aflac duck will give speeches at the Lincoln Memorial.  

Forget PETA for a moment,  to that way of thinking if a pedestrian trips and falls off the sidewalk you would be better off running over them than swerving to avoid them and hitting a telephonepole or another car.  Of course you'd probably never want to drive again so you wouldn't need auto insurance, but that's okay because you're going to need your health insurance to cover your therapy for PTSD.  They'll get you one way or the other.

Is it just me or is there something really unfair about this?  Now I can understand why people like to sue the big insurance companies... it's the only way to actually get money from them as opposed to the other way around.  And this isn't just for auto insurance either.  I had to have a diagnostic procedure done last year and the insurance company paid for the doctor, the x-ray technician, and the actual procedure itself.  They refused to pay for the developing of the film though.  Huh?  Okay, so they finally paid it after five phone calls and two certified letters -- the second of which had a cc: to my attorney. 

I have another friend in the insurance business who told me that their claims processing manual tells them to reject anything "not routine" the first three times it's submitted.  They figure most people will give up.  And we pay how much for this insurance?  The insurance companies have biggest legal scam going.  This is probably because with a powerful lobby, they have the support of the other biggest legal scam going... Congress.

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4:34 AM - Bah Humbug!
Current mood: sleepy

Alright, I don't "bah humbug" Christmas in general.  I actually like Christmas.  It's a favorite holiday right behind July 4th, which anyone who knows me and knows what a Revolutionary War buff I am, knows that I LIVE for the 4th of July.  What I hate about Christmas is the commercialism and I know I am not alone in this.

My friends and I bemoan the onslaught of jewelry commercials, especially since a lot of my friends are male, and the expectations (obligations) that they set.  Me, I think that $5000 could be much better spent on Red Sox season tickets than jewelry I'm going to wear maybe 4-5 times all year.  Oh but a diamond is forever... the marketing execs at DeBeers know what they're doing.  My single friends hate those commercials even more because it makes them feel like they're missing out on something.  My friends with significant others hate them because they know they're probably getting some home electronic gift that is really for their significant other to enjoy.

What bothers me most about Christmas, though, is that one of my neighbors feels the need to fill his property with obnoxious decorations.  Let me just clue you in on some of the insanity.   Let's start with the enormous inflatable snow man in the front yard that stands nearly as high as the house.  This is standing next to the enormous inflatable Menorah which is across the driveway from the Three Wise Men making the trek further up the driveway to the manger and the Baby Jesus.  What?  Yes, we are multi-denominational apparently, all on one lawn. 

There are two Santas; one plastic, one inflatable.  Multicolored blinking lights adorn every window, every shrub, every tree, and even the vent for the septic system… they made it look like a candy cane.  Lighted icicles outline the house and the fence.  If the family dog hadn't been quick enough, he'd probably be anchored in place with lights and stuck on that lawn until February when this turkey finally decides to dismantle his masterpiece.   Basically, it looks like Father Christmas had a little too much wine at Thanksgiving and blew lunch all over this house.  You can probably see it from outer space.  I can use it as a landmark you cannot possibly miss, when giving directions to my house.  The Vegas strip and Times Square have nothing on this guy.

It brings to mind Snoopy's dog house all done up for the commercialized Christmas Charlie Brown so loathed in "A Charlie Brown Christmas."  Oh God… that would make me Charlie Brown.

Cheers.

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8:01 AM - Goo Review - Orpheum Theatre Boston
Current mood: Over-Caffeinated
Category: Over-Caffeinated Music

Mom always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say; don't say anything at all."  So if I followed Mom's advice, this would be very short.  How many of us really listen to Mom when she says things like that?  Besides, I'm a journalist and I have to be honest here.

Last night's show was a bit disappointing, especially because they were so much better back in July.  Robby Takac, as usual, was full of energy and seemed to be enjoying himself.  The songs where he does lead vocals sounded great and the people that knew the songs were into it (I'll get into that more later).  The best part of the show, for me, was that they played "Naked" for us long time fans.  I didn't think I'd ever get to hear that one live again and it was a nice treat.

John Rzeznik mentioned being out of it on Vicodin following a dentist appointment that morning.  I doubt that's the first time John has stepped on a stage stoned, but he definitely did not seem to have his usual energy and he half sung/half spoke the words to most of the songs.  Granted, he has not sung "Iris" (usually lets the audience help him out with that) in a while, but he didn't really sing many other songs either.  Taking the cell phone from someone in the audience was funny and cute the first time, but it seems to be his thing just about every show now.  It's old.  There seemed to be little energy until the encore and then it was more like a sigh of relief that they were almost done for the night, so one final push.  Did I mention they played barely an hour?

Don't get me wrong, John Rzeznik is a talented guy and his songs really do it for me, but I didn't see much of that talent last night.  The band chartering up to Boston from NYC for the night, playing a small venue, and then chartering back to NYC for shows this weekend had the feel of Boston being squeezed in because they were obligated.  Someone should also tell him it's rude to wear sunglasses indoors... and when you get to be as big as Bono, then maybe you can make fun of him.

I was as disappointed in the fans as I was in the band's performance.   So many didn't know the older songs, songs where Robby does lead vocals, nor any of the new ones that have not been released as singles from the latest album "Let Love In."  The Goo Goo Dolls are, and have always been, a band that does an album like a novel.  To fully appreciate what they're doing you need to listen to the whole thing not just download a few chapters. 

There's some really good stuff in their albums that never gets released as singles and people just don't know what they're missing.  It seemed most of the people there only owned a copy of "Dizzy Up the Girl" and had downloaded a few other songs.  Another smaller group probably had "Gutterflower" and the rest I think just downloaded songs released as singles for their iPods.  If you're one of those people... seriously guys, download the whole album, there's a lot of talent here.

Anyway, still love the band and their music continues to get better with each album and I hope they'll be around a long time.  I was just really disappointed with last night's show.  I know their schedule has been absolutely harried, but they are there for us, not the other way around.

Cheers.

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12:54 PM - Some People Are Like Slinkies
Current mood: Getting psyched
Category: Getting psyched Life

I had to smile when I read this "thought of the day" email from my good friend Kitty.  Not just because it was cute but even the fantasy of pushing a particular individual down a flight of stairs brought a smile to my face.

I was at the bar of this restaurant the other night because a friend of mine says they make the best Mai Tais.  This may be true but I drink beer from a brown bottle and it tastes the same no matter where I go.  I didn't mind keeping her company and of course having a beer from a brown bottle which, oddly enough, tasted the same way it always does.

I didn't mind, that is, until the bartender told me I looked familiar and started asking a bunch of questions such as where I went to school and what year I graduated.  Even after I told her my name she couldn't figure out if she knew me or not.  Now this is important to mention because of what came next.

"Oh wait," she says, loudly enough for the people in the dining room and probably the parking lot to hear, "I know who you are, didn't you have a baby in high school?"

My friend nearly dropped her Mai Tai. 

Now, is it just me, or is that an inappropriate thing to just blurt out -- whether it's true or not?  Just in case you are wondering, it is not true and I told her as much.  You would think it would have ended there or she would have resumed peppering me with questions like do you know so and so or did you play on the softball team, right? 

Yeah, not so much.  She asks, "Are you sure? I'm pretty sure that was you."

Am I sure?? I say, "I think I would have remembered that."

She insists again and now that my initial shock has worn off and I'm actually getting mad, I say, "You seem pretty sure for someone that five minutes ago couldn't even remember who I was when I told you my name.  Are you sure it wasn't you?"

My friend dropped her Mai Tai.  The bartender dropped the conversation.

I think the next time someone asks me where I went to school I'm going to say I was home schooled.

Anyway... have a great weekend all - I'm on my way to the Goos concert.

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11:16 AM - Why does anyone care?
Current mood: annoyed
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

I was having a beer with some buddies at the club last night and when Brian Williams signed off, and before Mark the bartender could flip the TV over to NESN or ESPN, we were bombarded with the headlines for one of those ridiculous celebrity gossip shows.

I have to ask, as we were all shaking our heads and wondering last night, does anyone really care if Britney and "K-Fed" split up?  If Madonna adopts will my life be improved?  And does anyone care about ANYTHING that Paris Hilton does?  Take away her money and all that make up and what is left?  Even with her money and make up I don't see how she makes the world a better place.

I was on MSNBC.com last week and among the top stories were the 5 US troops that were killed in a violent incident in Iraq and that Britney was hanging around with Paris Hilton.  I'm sorry, what?  Is it just me or is there something really wrong about that?  I could see, maybe, if I had been on the Entertainment page, but this was the main page.

I suppose we cannot necessarily blame the news organizations for this, after all to sell advertising that keeps them in business, they need to deliver the stories people want to read about, but do people really want to read about these things?  I suppose they do.  How else would paparazzi be able to get top dollar for some of the photos they take?  Supply and demand.

My feeling is that I do not know these people (some of them I don't even WANT to know, thank you very much) and I don't care, nor is it any of my business, what goes on in their lives.  I think people seem to forget that they are just people.  When you consider the popularity of reality television (again, no thanks), maybe it's just that people enjoy watching people back-stab each other and falling flat on their faces.  Does this make them feel better about themselves? 

Sorry, guys, I just think there are a lot more important things to care about in this world.  I think that peace in the Middle East, feeding the hungry, the war in Iraq, global warming, or the fact that AIDS infection rates continue to grow should be higher on the list of things to care about than who Paris mouthed off to in a club or which staffer Naomi Campbell decided to slug this week.

Peace, Love... and wear a condom.

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7:57 AM - Do Not Call...Opt Out... Do Not Disturb
Category: Life

A few years ago legislation was passed allowing us to register our phone numbers on a Do Not Call registry.  This is only good for a few years and you have to re-register if you want to stay on there.  I guess they just want to make sure we're not going through a "don't bother me" phase that will pass and we'll want to go back to being bothered with solicitors during dinner.  In any event, you have to remember to re-register when  time is up.

Then there was the deluge of Capital One pre-approved credit card offers.  My mailbox was stuffed with at least two of these a day (sometimes both were Capital One!) and I wore out my shredder getting rid of these things (if you think I'm being paranoid see this article http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/03/what_if_a_despe.html).  Finally, there was legislation that you could call and Opt Out of receiving these credit card offers.  Again, this is only for a limited time and you have to remember to call back and re-register.  After all, you might be in the market for a new credit card someday, and they wouldn't want you to miss out.  It's not like they advertise on TV or stick applications in your magazines and cable bills or anything like that.  Okay, so they do, but maybe they don't want you to miss out on that personal delivery to your own personal mailbox.  The ads on TV are for the common riff-raff, Mr. Jones, this mail is especially for you!

Now that we have email, there is the constant barrage of spam and pop-up ads.  You can opt out of that too, but you either need to be on a Internet provider like AOL or buy software that needs to be updated constantly to keep these ads at bay.  If you buy anything on the Internet, you have to also remember to check that little box and "opt out" of getting promotional email from that vendor and any related entities. 

I checked that same box when I ordered an arrangement from FTD.com last month yet they still sent me an email a day letting me know their daily specials (I gotta ask... who buys flowers every day?).  At the bottom of the email there's an email address you can send notification to in order to "unsubscribe."  After a week of doing that, I finally went to the web site to find customer service and it only took two emails and a promise never to use them again to make it stop.

Every day when I go to the mailbox I'm bringing in the mail to throw most of it in the trash.  I get flyers from every grocery store chain in a 25 mile radius.  I get " bonus checks" from car dealers that I can use toward the purchase of a new car.  There are marketing agencies you can write to and have your name removed from the mailing lists they sell to vendors, but of course that has a time limit before you are back on it. (Mail Preference Service, Attn: Dept 19644806, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 282, Carmel, NY 10512).

Is it just me, or does this seem like an awful lot of work just to be left alone?  At least when the door to door magazine vendors come or the Jehovah's Witnesses stop by for a chat I can opt out easy enough by not answering the door.  The doorbell ringing while I'm napping or in the shower is kind of annoying, yes, but I can ignore it.  In a hotel I can hang a little Do Not Disturb sign on my doorknob.  Why can't I do that at home?  Oh wait, my neighbors would probably steal it along with my garbage can lids...

Why do we have to opt out?  Can't we opt out by default and, if we want to, we can sign up to opt in?  I suppose they wouldn't be able to market to many people that way.  But honestly, how much stuff do they think I'm going to buy from a company that annoys me every time I go to the mail box, answer the phone, turn on the TV or radio, or go to read my email?  Why can't we just have a National Do Not Disturb registry?  You could check off phone, mail, door to door (with the exception of the Prize Patrol), and email (including pop ups as well as spam and phishing) and you could specify a time limit or check off "indefinitely" and be furnished with a contact in case you change your mind. If we did, I would be the first name on that list.

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10:27 AM - Democracy Inaction?
Current mood: Reflective
Category: Reflective News and Politics

It is Election Day 2006 and what promises to be day of exit polls, running commentary, and plenty of "Get Out the Vote" messages.  What amazes me is the number of people that will not vote... and the number of eligible citizens that aren't even registered to vote.  I also find that those that complain the loudest about the country, typically, are the ones that stay home on Election Day.

To say that that bums me out would be an understatement.  Honestly, it pisses me off.  Our troops are in Iraq fighting for the freedom of the Iraqi people and a stable, democratic government.  Iraqi citizens stood in lines for hours, risking their lives, to vote in their last elections.  Has freedom in this country become so blasé that our citizens take it for granted?  Or is it because they have become so disgusted with business as usual in Washington that they don't see the point?

One of my favorite college students told me yesterday that she is not even registered to vote because she doesn't see the point of voting for the candidate that sucks less than the other candidate.  I have heard this sentiment from many the last few times around.  Not since Clinton ran against George Bush (and don't forget Ross Perot) in 1992 have I been really excited about anyone on the ballot, but I always vote.

I think that we've lost sight of the purpose of elections and politicians.  We would hope that they would be people we can look up to and admire, to be sure, but their purpose is to represent us.  Remember the Revolution?  No Taxation without Representation, The Stamp Act, The Boston Tea Party?  Now maybe growing up in the Boston area, and walking the same cobblestone streets as some of our forefathers, drilled these concepts into my brain, but didn't we all pass American History in high school? 

Bill Clinton was one of my favorite presidents.  I voted for him twice.  I'm certainly glad I wasn't married to the man and although I don't condone a lot of his behavior in his personal life, he was a good president.  It amazes me how many people will vote for a candidate based on their gender, their religion, or whether or not they're a nice guy.  A candidate could be the nicest guy in the world, but if he doesn't vote the way I would like him to (representing me), I don't want him getting a vote in Congress.

On this Election Day I would like to urge everyone to remember what our troops are fighting for, and have always fought to preserve.  It is your right to vote in this country, but I also think it is your responsibility.  Find out what the candidates really stand for, find someone who votes the way you would vote on an issue and check the box next to their name.  Please vote.

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