Albany, NY -- Elizabeth Edwards
I just received the following from the John Edwards campaign:
Dear Jason,
Elizabeth and I are so grateful for your prayers and wishes. Your support means a great deal to us during this difficult time.
As you may have heard, yesterday we found out that Elizabeth's breast cancer is back, but confined mainly to her bones. Although this isn't the news we wanted to hear, we are very optimistic. Having been through many struggles together in the past, we know that the key is to keep your head up, keep moving and be strong. And that's exactly what we intend to do.
Elizabeth and I have been married for nearly 30 years and we will be in this every step of the way together. We will keep a positive attitude and always look for the silver lining - that's what we do.
Although the cancer is no longer curable, it is treatable, and many patients in similar circumstances have lived full, energetic lives. We expect nothing less for Elizabeth. She expects to do all the things next week that she did last week.
Our campaign goes on and it goes on strongly. We are so proud of the campaign we are running - a campaign based on ideas and reaching out to people. This campaign is not about me or Elizabeth - it's about all the people we have met these past few years and people like them all across America and the world-people worried about feeding and clothing their kids; people without health care; people facing hardships overseas.
Both of us are committed to this campaign. We're committed to this cause and we're committed to changing this country we love so much.
Thank you again for your support and for standing with us.
John Edwards
P.S. - Many of you have asked how to contact our family and the campaign. You can click here to send us a note. Quite a few supporters and friends have already e-mailed and blogged such kind messages. Thank you so much.Labels: John Edwards
Albany, NY -- Are We Ever Leaving Iraq?
Our billion dollar embassy, the largest in the world, would seem to indicate a big fat no:
Why are we building such a mammoth embassy in the heart of Baghdad? The embassy complex is on 104 acres, with 21 buildings and facilities. It will eventually house a U.S. staff of 5,000. According to a recent report in The Washington Post, it has more than twice the staff and 20 times the budget of our Beijing embassy. The embassy will surpass all others in terms of size and staffing.
One would think that we would be more clever than that in camouflaging our occupation. Are we to believe that Iraqis will not take notice of this massive complex in the heart of Baghdad?
.
.
.
American forces left Saudi Arabia in order to reduce hostilities toward us and to prevent further recruitment by groups opposing the United States and the Saudi royal family. Why would our officials think that the same will not happen in Iraq?Is four years about to turn into forty?
Labels: Iraq
Albany, NY -- Four Years of Fun N' Games
Four long years...Why?
Greg Palast has a clue:
Four years ago this week, the tanks rolled for what President Bush originally called, "Operation Iraqi Liberation" -- O.I.L.
I kid you not.
.
.
.
In all the chest-beating about how the war did badly, no one seems to remember how the war did very, very well -- for Big Oil.
The war has kept Iraq’s oil production to 2.1 million barrels a day from pre-war, pre-embargo production of over 4 million barrels. In the oil game, that's a lot to lose. In fact, the loss of Iraq's 2 million barrels a day is equal to the entire planet's reserve production capacity.
In other words, the war has caused a hell of a supply squeeze -- and Big Oil just loves it. Oil today is $57 a barrel versus the $18 a barrel price under Bill "Love-Not-War" Clinton.Read on.
Good time to share some lyrics I've been meaning to post for a couple of weeks, The Barenaked Ladies' "Fun n' Games":
We sent in the army
they sounded alarms we
saw it coming from a mile away
We kept it off radar
because we had to say our
intentions were to save the day
Why did you fail
to see?
It was a gag
It was all for a laugh
and they were shocked and they were awed
and they were blown in half
Fun and games
We're just pulling legs
We knew this barrel of fun
would be a powderkeg
We kept it all long-range
and made a regime change
You'd have thought it would have been a gas
But when it got ugly
We sat around smugly
Because you bought our little joke en masse
Don't look at me that way
It was a gag
It was all for a laugh
We knew your sons and daughters
would be blown in half
Fun and games
We're just pulling legs
We knew this barrel of fun
would be a powderkeg
Put a smile on
we're the ones that you selected
Leave that dial son
because we just got re-elected
In a while our
Bill of Rights will be rejected
and all the blame will be deflected
the forests will be unprotected
the nation's poor will be neglected
Creation myth is resurrected
a new salute is genuflected
a Gallup Poll will be respected
gallows pole will be erected
all this will go undetected
While you all slumbered
We sat and crunched numbers
of all the causalities we could afford
There's no need to draft them
you could hear us laugh then
the poor and black all need the room and board
Did I say that
out loud?
It was a gag
It was all for a laugh
and now our very nation has been blown in half
Fun and games
We're just pulling legs
We knew this barrel of fun
would be a powderkeg
We knew this barrel of fun
Would be a powderkeg
It's a powderkegLabels: Iraq
Albany, NY -- It's All Over
Texas got crushed by USC today, and now that I've lost half of my Final Four, I'm probably done -- this'll likely be my last post on the tourney until the Finals, but we'll see...
Labels: Sports
Albany, NY -- How Far the Mighty Have Fallen
Everything was looking so good, and then down goes Wisconsin... I'm not sure how much that'll hurt me, but I have them in my Final Four. Texas is losing right now at the half, and if they don't win, that's two Final Four teams down. I lost Virginia Tech, too...
Suddenly the tournament lost a lot of appeal...
Labels: Sports
Albany, NY -- Eight In
Tennesee wins yet another close game, despite the fact that their ridiculous offense (they scored a first round record 121 points against Long Beach State) was held in the seventies.
I have Florida and Wisconsin in the next two games. I'm not feeling all that confident in the Wisconsin pick, and I have them in the Final Four...
Labels: Sports
Albany, NY -- Cell Phone Do-Not-Call Registry
From Ned:
REMINDER....12 days from today, all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS. To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS. It takes about 20 seconds.I tried it, and it seems to be legit.
EDIT: It isn't,
according to Snopes. But it's not harmful to put your number in the Do Not Call list; if at some point in the next five years the rules change and telemarketers do end up with access to your cell phone number, you're protected. (Thanks to Lisa for prompting me to check into this a bit further)
Labels: Helpful Stuff
Albany, NY -- Almost Perfect!
Took 7 out of 8 today, and 15 of my top 16 are in... but I know nothing about college basketball!
Labels: Sports
